Let’s face it - computers, the internet, and social networking have grown in popularity exponentially in the past few years.  Everyone seems to be using them - if not at home at their desk, on the go with their PDAs or phones.

With the growth of these things, some inappropriate content has started to seep into the internet.  Many Christians have for the most part turned their backs on technology and decided to stay with “old school” media just for this reason.  This does block out all the bad influences on the internet, but it also takes away the many good things it has to offer.  In the list below, I’ve summarized a few of the ways the internet can help you in your Christian walk.

1. Online Bibles

By far the best tool that computers can offer you is the online Bible.  You say, “what’s wrong with the Bible on my shelf?”  The answer is that your Bible is only one translation, has a limited concordance, and doesn’t tell you the Greek meaning behind all the verses.  Online Bibles do all this and more.

My personal favorite online Bible, Blue Letter Bible (blueletterbible.org), has not only all of the features I mentioned above, but it also offers daily devotionals, commentaries (text, audio and video), images and maps, study tools, and again, much more.

Some other online Bibles are BibleGateway.com, OnlineBible.net, and Bible.com.

2. Christian Forums

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42

If the early Christians devoted themselves to fellowship, then I believe we should as well.  This is one reason why going to church is so important - it gets us together with other Christians so we can encourage each other.

But you don’t have to just do this on Sunday.  With online forums or discussion boards, you can talk with other Christians about your faith, what you’re going through, and even ask for prayer.  My favorite Christian forum is The Rebelution forum (therebelution.com/forum), but there are many others like ChristianForums.com, ChristianForums.net, and ChristianChatForum.com.

3. Christian Videos

Another way that you can be encouraged online is through Christian videos.  Whether they be slideshows, sermons, or songs, they can really help you in your Christian walk.

My favorite Christian video site is by far tangle.com.  It not only has great videos, but it also has a great Christian community.  You can connect with your friends, comment on Bible verses, and even post prayers to the prayer wall.

Conclusion

I’m not saying that whoever doesn’t use the internet because of its inappropriate content is wrong, I’m just saying that you should consider all the good that it can be used for.

If you are struggling with bad things on the internet, I would highly recommend getting an internet filter for your computer.  My favorite is K9 Web Protection.  It is by far the best web filter I’ve come across, and is even free from their site.

Over all, I think the internet has a lot to offer us as Christians.  We do need to be careful of what we let into our eyes and minds, but we shouldn’t shut out everything that it has to offer.