The internet began in the early ’90’s and has seen phenomenal growth as a means of communication. In 1993 only 1% of all telecommunication occurred over the internet. However, in 2007, 97% of all telecommunication occurred over the internet. Today I would safely guess that virtually all of the telecommunication is internet-based. Who would have believed 20 years ago that revolutions which would topple dictators would be inspired and driven by the internet. Yet this is what we have seen in the Arab Spring, a revolutionary wave of protests and demonstrations that have recently occurred in the Arab world. Facebook, twitter, and email have essentially provided the tools for peaceful, or sometimes not so peaceful, revolution.
Today a growing number of people get their news, information and communication from the internet. Though internet applications should never take the place of face to face conversation, the internet is with us to stay; and with all the potential dangers of the internet, there are some very beneficial uses as well. For example, you might see people at Trinity access the Bible on the internet in a variety of versions. Sometimes people can quickly look up questions that they have about a particular biblical topic. I use internet resources every day in my personal Bible study and sermon preparation.
We have often been asked here at Trinity if we could put wireless internet in our building. When people have conferences or meetings here it would be helpful to them. Some have wanted to be able to access our church website while at church. The staff would like to be able to use their laptops or other portable computer devices to be able to access the church network for work-related issues.
So with these things in mind, we have installed wireless internet at Trinity. If you turn on your wireless device here, you will notice that there are actually two networks available. One is for the staff to be able to get on the network and be able to access information and use the printers. This network has a private password. Then there is a second network which is open to anybody at Trinity. This too has a password, but we will give this password to any member who would like it, just talk to one of the office staff. This network is an open network and there are no controls on it. If you plan to use the open network and are concerned about the sites your children might navigate to, please remember to install appropriate software on their devices to block certain sites. If you would like help with this, the office will find somebody to work with you.
The internet can be a great tool for ministry, but we want everybody to use the mind of Christ as we use this ministry tool.
~By Pastor Gerry
I went to visit a man who was dying of cancer in the hospital many years ago. He was in his early 80’s and had been a member of a church all of his life. He was all by himself, lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. He was quite alert and we began to talk. We talked just about little things at first, but then I asked him if he was afraid to die. He replied that he really was quite afraid. When I asked him why, he said that he was not ready to meet his Maker. I told him that there was only one way to get ready for that, and that way was to simply confess his sins and ask Christ to come into his life. So there, in that hospital room, I asked him to repeat the sinner’s prayer after me and to accept Christ into his life. When it was time for me to leave I asked again if he felt he was ready to die, and this time he answered that he was indeed ready to go home.