Ministry Opportunities Through Internet Communication

by Chaplain Paul L. Slater

The internet has provided me the opportunity to share my faith far beyond what I was able to do as a parish pastor and even now in my healthcare chaplain career.

I just noticed that my website visitors came over 46 countries around the world.

My goal of course is to share a message of hope and to communicate spiritual principles through internet communication.

Mine is a simple faith. I really do believe that God became man. But this is no sentimental belief that is based on a cute story about a Baby. It is so much more than that — a life related faith in God, who became a man for the redemptive purpose of eternal salvation and resources for facing the trials of life.

Before my change career decision from a parish pastor career to a healthcare chaplain career, I would preach an annual sermon entitled What Would You Expect If God Really Did Come To Earth In Human Form? or a variation of that best loved story of Christ’s birth.

1. If God were to come to earth in human form, you would expect, if it was really God, that He would make a very unusual entrance and come in a most unique and special way. And God did just that, coming as a Baby, born of a virgin, born in a cow stall with a cow crib as his first crib.


2. If God were to come to earth in human form, you would expect, if it was really God, that His life would be full of the miraculous. And Jesus did just that, healing the crippled, restoring sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, conquering storms, and even raising the dead back to life again.


3. If God were to come to earth in human form, you would expect, if it was really God, that He would teach the most amazing life related principles. And Jesus did just that. . .
   
   
   
   • speaking such powerful truths that they have endured through the ages,
   
   
   • teachings that have an eternal and life changing impact.
   
   



4. If God were to come to earth in human form, you would expect, if it was really God, that He would come with the most amazing purpose. And Jesus did just that, coming not just to be a cute baby, but as the Savior of all who put their faith and trust in Him.
   
   
   
   • Jesus came to redeem us,
   
   
   • He came to forgive us our sins, restoring fellowship with God,
   
   
   • God became man to give us inner resources to face the demands of life,
   
   
   • Jesus came with the redemptive purpose to give us the gift of eternal life.
   
   

There were times I was asked to speak at a Lion’s Club luncheon or a Kiwanis Club breakfast during December. Now I am smart enough to know that when a service club asks a pastor to speak during December, they expect to hear a faith related message.

I believe this message was based on a chapter from Josh McDowell’s original book Evidence That Demands A Verdict and that there is a new revision to this great Christian apologetic work.

Have a very blessed Christmas.

Copyright 2005, Chaplain Paul L. Slater, San Diego, CA., All Rights Reserved