Hi, Everyone! PhD Student--hopefully welcome here? :)

[AmberMichelle]

Hi, Everyone!
My name is Amber, and I have been a Christian for going on sixteen years. I'm currently working on a dissertation on digital evangelism and Christian communities online, and several months back a friend directed me to the Talk Jesus community as a great example of how the church is being lived out online. After reading through many of the forum posts, I really do have to say that it seems like there is a great sense of community here, and--having observed and participated in SO many other Christian forums--I am amazed at how on-track the discussions are and how committed everyone seems to be to keeping this place family-friendly and also to showing each other regular and consistent encouragement and support. It seems like y'all really have something special going on!

I would love to talk with anyone who is willing about their experience on the Talk Jesus website to get to know what it is about this community that you love and how lives have been changed by this place--please feel free to PM me or just respond to the thread. I've browsed the forums quite extensively and have read so many wonderful testimonies and stories of great experiences with Talk Jesus, but for the sake of ethical research practices, I thought I would show everyone the respect of letting you know what I am doing here. I truly do--based on the few months that I have followed the forums here--have the utmost respect for what is taking place on this website, and I would really love to be able to include a description of the positive work being done here in my dissertation, if you are willing. I would also like, again--if it is okay with the moderators--to take part in the conversations happening here. Though I am doing my studies at a secular university (a serious challenge for a Christian unto itself!), a large part of the reason I decided to research online ministry is because it has been so meaningful to me in my walk as a Christian. During times of trial or doubt, I can't tell you how many times watching sermons online or talking to other Christians on Facebook or in chat rooms or forums like this have helped me gain perspective. So I hope you don't mind if I hang around.

I look forward to--hopefully--getting to know you all better soon.

God Bless,
Amber

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

Welcome to the site Amber.

I find your subject interesting and I have noted some the same things you have.Here are some things I feel might make a difference.

Focus:The name of the site is TalkJesus. People who are not seeking truth(both Christians and and alleged unbelievers) will let me talk about any subject under the sun but when Jesus enters the conversation things can get quiet.
Jesus draws a certain crowd,the hurting,confused,frustrated,lost,dying and the downright angry are all seeking answers.If you type "help me Jesus" in Google this site will come up.

Those who have tasted of the good things Jesus offers will naturally look for a place where others have tasted in order to fellowship and taste of the wine Jesus put in their fellow wine skins.

Other factors such as the size of the forum also seem to lend the feeling of a community.
But if it's not large enough activity will be to low.
I found this place by looking for the smallest most active site.

I see it as a little private quarry operated by living stones and they are busy digging for more living stones.

 

[AmberMichelle]

Thiscrosshurts,

Thank you so much for this reply! One of the things I find really interesting about Talk Jesus is that--while it seems like the majority of regular posters are Christians--non-Chrisitians are welcome insofar as they are seekers, or geniuinely interested in learning more about Jesus. I'm also interested in the fact that there is no debate allowed! I think this really has ended up creating an environment where evangelism can happen, but where flamers or people who just want to argue with no interest in learning are avoided. I have come across a couple of threads where people have described how they came to Christ as a direct result of what they learned and the people they met on this website, and I think that is awesome! It is what has really fascinated me about this place. Have you had any experience with seeing people come to Christ on the forums? Do you personally feel like you are a part of a community here or do you feel like your main role is just to contribute content or answer other people's questions? I realize that just because someone is a very active member of site (virtual or otherwise) does not necessarily mean they feel a sense of camaraderie or kinship with others in the place.

Thank you again for your thoughts and reflection--I really do appreciate your willingness to respond to my post.

God Bless,
Amber

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

Those questions deserve some thought.
I find my self learning just by processing them which ends up changing the answers and then I have to reprocess the new information which causes questions that open new avenues of thought and that... Oh,is that smoke coming out of my ears?

I don't want to clutter up your welcome thread and I'm not sure you can send or receive a PM until you have a certain amount of posts.You are welcome to PM me or email which I allow on my profile or you can start a thread with those questions.
Any public response I give is going to be geared more toward public consumption so I would not be as candid.

 

[Rev T.S.Perkins]

Glad the Lord led you here ..We have been blessed by being all brought under this site to Praise The Lord .!! As for me this site means quite a lot .I took a job as a night desk at a motel and due to my hours I no longer could be a the minister i needed to be at church and was even missing Sunday services ...the timing wasnt right but Gods timing was right on as always..This site has become my contact and fellowship point for me as well as a way to minister and share all God has done in my life .In my need to work and make a living for my family i took a tent makers stance and trusted God to fill in the Gaps..and as always He met me where i was
and almost one year later (been on this job going on two years now ) im still here and serving the Lord the best i can ..It is with all assurance that I tell you this site was an oasis when i didnt see how it was all going to work out so i could get my fellowship with those of like precious Faith..God met me where i was and showed me that i alone limit Gods provision for me and my Family..My time on this site has been a wonderful growth time and the Friends ive met are nothing short of family to me now ..God is using the digital age to reach the World with the Good news of the Gospel..I pray that you stick around and see That the Lord is Good and always in forward motion when it comes to His word and the performing of it in our lives....May you be as blessed as we all have been to be a part of the Move of God in this digital age .....Rev T.S.Perkins

 

[Christ4Ever]

Welcome aboard Amber!
Glad you let us know your hidden agenda in coming here. :shade: Hopefully, your stay on TJ will go beyond the completion of your studies, that you might not only derive, but share your knowledge that all may continue to grow in the Lord. The ability to communicate the written word in Love, can be difficult at best, even for the most prolific writers.
As far as you mentioning being glad that no debate is allowed here, I would say that would be relative to the discussion at hand.

You are correct in seeing that the "wonderful testimonies" from the individual bio's can be an open window to who people are. Nothing as precious as the experiences we've gone through that placed us and continues to refine us in our walk in the Lord.

With that being said. Once again Welcome Aboard!
YBIC
C4E
P.S. This site has been awesome, and I believe a blessing that God has given us through His servants Chad and all the Moderators. :thumbs_up

Proverbs 24:13-14
John 16:15