Sharing your faith in chat rooms

  Millions of people around the world visit chat rooms every day. They are wanting to communicate - so this gives you many opportunities to share your faith.

However, we must tell others the Good News in the right way or we may actually turn people away from Jesus. 1 Pet. 3:15,16 stresses the use of sensitivity when we share the Gospel with others: "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..." (NIV)

Starting out  

• If you have never been in a chat room, first learn by visiting different types of rooms without saying anything. Watch how people write and the abbreviations they use.
• Understand the essentials of the Gospel and how to present it meaningfully to non-Christians. Most people find it hard to understand that the Gospel is free and that there is nothing they can do to earn God's favor. That's what 'grace' means!
• Read evangelistic books - see how other people present the Gospel.
• Study your Bible, and highlight verses in it that are helpful.

Before a chat session  

• Pray for wisdom, the right words to say, and that God will lead you to people who are ready to discuss.
• You could arrange in advance with a friend to visit the same chat room at the same time - this may help to get a discussion going.
• Another option: ask a friend could sit with you at the computer - one pray, the other write. Or ask a friend to pray for you at the time you plan to be online.

Important things to do  

• Pray while you are online - for those you speak to, and how to reply effectively.
• Respect and understand other people's views, cultures, and religions.
• Even if you disagree with something they say, try to identify with part of it.
• Be ready to share how you became a Christian, and how God helps you in your life right now. Remember, you are offering other people a relationship with the living loving God. You are not trying to sell them a religion or even a set of morals or beliefs. Non-Christians do not understand this - they think that trying to obey certain rules or going to church is what makes people 'Christian'.
• If someone wishes to talk again about issues later, exchange email addresses so that you can maintain contact.

What NOT to do  

• Don't choose an inappropriate nickname. It can be funny, but not sexy or completely bizarre.
• Don't pretend to be somebody else. If a chat room requires a personal profile, write it honestly.
• Don't pester people who don't want to talk.
• It is counter-productive to be pushy or try to force people into a decision they are not ready to make.
• Don't argue about anything, especially...Don't get angry, even if you are personally abused or people criticize the Bible and God. They may only be trying to see how far they can push you anyway! "A gentle answer turns anger away. But mean words stir up anger." (Proverbs 15:1) If you find that you always argue in chat rooms, this sort of witnessing is probably not suited to you!
• Don't use Christian jargon words - it's a 'foreign language' to non-Christians. If you must use a word, explain it. Almost every Christian concept can be expressed in ordinary language.
• Never criticize other people's views or beliefs.
• Don't pretend to 'know it all'. Admit when you don't know an answer to something. You may have heard the saying. "A Christian is just one beggar telling other beggars where to find bread."

Stranger danger

Not everyone in a chat room is what they seem. There are pedophiles and other predatory people who visit teen (and other) chat rooms pretending to be nice. Young people in particular should follow these guidelines. Older Christians too have sometimes been sucked into wrong relationships online.

• Never give your last name, address or phone number to anyone else in a chat room. Make sure those things do not appear in any profile you make available to chat room members.
• Never ever arrange a face-to-face meeting alone with a chat contact.
• Don't treat the chat room as a dating agency!
• If someone in a chat room starts trying to find out too-personal information about you or wants to talk about sex, leave and report it to us at: VulgarSpeech@jesusisall.com.