The World of Online Ministry

In today’s world ministries can pop up, literally out of thin air- or whatever it is that transports ideas through someone else’s screen to yours. Anyone with fingers and thoughts can up and start a “ministry”. Therefore, the internet is full of blogs (like mine), podcasts, and videos, claiming to be doing Christian ministry.

All Christians are involved in ministry- or at least should be. But when we think of the word “ministry” we usually picture the pastor (sometimes called “the minister”), or perhaps someone handing out bread to the poor. But to minister is simply to tend to the needs of others (ex. 2 Corinthians 9:12), something that all Christians should be doing daily.

For example, a mother who feeds her children, both physically and spiritually, is doing ministry. Whatever is done for the Lord, with hopes of displaying his gospel, I think could be called ministry.

Those of us who write, or audio/video record our thoughts and lessons from life and the bible, are also practicing ministry. Personally, I find it a fearful thing. It’s easy to “sound good” over the internet and in front of a bunch of people who don’t know you in real life. That’s why I try and guard my heart against hypocrisy and ask myself whether I am loving the people God put beside me in life. If I forsake my family, my church, or my neighbors in order to write stuff on the internet, then I’m failing at ministry. Ministry online better be tied to a life that wants to serve God offline.

Why Should Online Ministry Exist?

The web offers an enormous capacity to reach people. Paul said about his ministry, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings” (1 Corinthians 9:22-23).

Ministers want to serve others and bless them- specifically with the good news of salvation. Simply put, we can use “all means” including online ministry to reach people who are lost.

Secondly, anyone who teaches God’s word, either through writing or speaking, should do it for the love of believers. The goal is never to win people to your agenda, or to you. We are to simply desire the encouragement and building up of believers. We want to display Christ, and pick up those who are falling, holding out the word of God in truth.

Spotting Sick Ministries

These points could help you assess any ministry, but let’s be honest- most online ministries have little to no accountability or oversight. People don’t take them too seriously, yet I have observed that they can have tremendous impact on believers, either for good or bad. As a writer, I want accountability in my life, and as a reader, I want to guard my soul. Too often, I see warring camps form around internet personalities, as disunity erupts. People pick what I call “weird hills to die on” and rip each other to shreds over things, rather than developing communities of Christ-like love and forbearance.

Would you like help in spotting sick online ministries, so that you can avoid them? Remember that 2 Timothy 3:5 says that in the last days people will be “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” Avoiding is far better than being enticed and swallowed up.

So, here are a few symptoms of a sick online ministry:

1. The ministry “thrives” on controversy rather than what makes for peace and unity.

Titus 3:9 reminds us of those who seem fueled by causing “controversies… dissensions, and quarrels…” These are people who “stir up division” whom we are to separate ourselves from if they remain unrepentant.

This isn’t about those who are attacked for being righteous, but rather those who capitalize on divisions between Christian brethren and exploit it. 1 Timothy 6:4 also warns about those who have “an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels…”

Note here the word “craving”. They don’t only stir up division, they delight in doing so, savoring it the way I savor a piece of chocolate every afternoon at 12:30.

Rather than this, what should a ministry be doing? Romans 14:19 says “let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” Let us not forget how much the Lord loves peace and unity. Are there fractures within the church today? Yes. But our goal is healing, binding, uniting, and protecting. Of course, sometimes this involves calling out error- but we are to be loving and cautious people. Remember how Jesus warned in a parable, that if you rip out all the weeds you might root the wheat up with them (Matthew 13:29)? So, brashness and aggression should not be the battle cry of our ministry.

God gave gifts to his people so that they would build up the body of Christ, not tear it down. We are all together, as one unit, “speaking the truth in love,… to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). To build up the faith, hope, and maturity of our fellow believers, should be what motivates us to practice ministry.

If the person your following appears to tear down more than they build up, you might want to consider moving on.

2. The ministry is producing bad fruit and corrupting its hearers.

A sick ministry weakens both the faith and character of its listeners. It does this through sin, false teaching, and various forms of legalism. The way to identify this corruption is simply to examine the fruit being produced, both in your life and in the lives of others. Check out the comments section. Are people fighting, mocking, name calling? Celebrating various kinds of sin? Flaunting their so called “freedoms in Christ”? That’s a bad sign.

3. The ministry demeans and belittles others.

False teaching may be easier to reject if you know your bible well, but some of us tolerate poor character more than poor teaching. Ephesians 4:29 warns “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Remember, we are to be giving grace, showing kindness, forgiveness, and compassion. If a ministry you follow can’t deal gently with those who disagree with them, and if it’s members corral to kick the weak or wayward- get out of there.

Demeaning and belittling others is contrary to the example of Christ in Romans 15:1-2 “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”

4.The ministry lays heavy burdens on its’ listeners rather than alleviate them.

Have you ever read an article or heard a sermon, that left you on the ground with the wind knocked out of you, and no strength to get back up? Or perhaps, the only way up seemed to be by proving you were good enough, or simply mustering up the will power to perform well? I have.

This is what the Pharisees did each day. Jesus said of them  “They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.”

They didn’t have the concern, nor that patience to wade through people’s difficulties or unique scenarios. Every line was solid, rigid; every issue black or white. They wouldn’t come alongside worshippers to help them walk in their faith, but rather threw more rules at whoever was struggling.
Be cautious of this. Phariseeism is still alive today, and Jesus would set us free from it.

5. The ministers reek of superiority.

Competing products must tote why they are better than all others, but in a Christian, that’s a very bad sign. Sadly, many ministries stand alone, and may even view others as competition. Paul uses much of the book of 2 Corinthians to confront the so-called “super-apostles” who thought they were better than Paul, who was weak in presence and not impressive in speech (see for example 2 Corinthians 10:10 and 2 Corinthian 11:5-6).

If someone you follow seems like there is almost nobody else good enough for them recommend, proceed with caution.

I hope you have found this helpful. Feel free to share feedback or your own ideas in the comments section.