Do you feel God has called you into ministry? Or maybe someone else mentioned they believe that’s what God wants you to do? Are you unsure if he has, but you have a desire to share God’s love with others and feel maybe using the internet to do that is a good fit for you? I suggest getting into some serious prayer if you aren’t quite sure if this is your purpose or not to determine if this is the direction God wants to take you.

I recently had a reader of mine mention she had several people prophecy to her that she is meant to be in ministry. That got me to thinking. How many others out there have experienced a similar situation but had no idea where to begin? Also, I know some pastors that have not taken full advantage of the internet to further their existing ministries but really should! No matter what your situation is, this post will help you to figure out how you can leverage the internet to reach more souls!

You can learn step by step instructions on how to start an online ministry here.  

Around this time last year, I felt God wanted me to be in ministry, but the thought of getting up in front of the church preaching scared me to death! Plus how many years would that take me to actually be able to do that? I wanted to do something NOW for God. But I also had another delima. I recently had become a single mother and I had to support my daughter 100% on my own. It just simply seemed that there was no way to be able to do it all. That’s when God gave me my answer.

I came across a lady that made money online through her blog but also was a Christian woman who helped others grow their relationships with Jesus. I just knew God led me to her website and I am so glad he did because I can now do both. Make a modest income to support my two-year-old daughter and help encourage others in their walk with God!

Now, I am not saying you need to start an online ministry so you can make money, but I want to let you know there is nothing wrong with making some money in the process. God created the concept of money so the need for it isn’t going away until He comes back (so that’s our whole lives?). But honestly, writing for my website while working a full-time job and taking care of every single need of my child’s would not be possible.  That might be similar to your own story or maybe you just want to help others part-time while continuing in your day job.  There is no right or wrong. We all have a story to tell that can help others in some way, shape, or form.

So let’s figure out if starting an online ministry is what God wants you to do.

Can an online ministry really help others?

There is no doubt about it! Yes, sharing your biblical knowledge and testimony online can definitely help others. So many people are online more than they are offline (yes, this is sad but very true). How else will these people be reached if not through the very source they are on the majority of the time?

While any good thing can be used for the wrong reasons or used way too often, I am a firm believer God wants us to use the internet to reach others. I don’t know how many times I’ve searched online for help in my times of doubt or when I am going through a spiritual storm. And God always seems to lead me to a website that helps to give me strength and the knowledge to grow my connection with Him.

We all have a voice that is unique and a story that others can relate to better than they could to someone else’s. No matter what you have been through, many others have struggled with the same things and need to hear your EXACT words to help them in their time of need.

Can God use me?

Do you feel silly thinking God could use little ol’ you to help reach hundreds, thousands, and even millions of people? Honestly, I believe every single person God has ever used thought the same thing. That’s why God always seems to choose people who no one would ever expect to use in the biggest ways. Everybody loves a good transformation story, even when we sometimes wish God would just let us have it easy.

I am a writer and I like to think of God as the best author of all time. What kind of story would you rather read? The one about a person who had an easy life and never struggled? Or the one about the person who went through a million trials, but still managed to come out on top? The one where the main character uses their rough pasts to help make a difference in others lives. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like boring stories. Neither does our God!

So yes, God can use you!

How will I find people to read my content?

Social media can be a beautiful thing. Sharing your posts on platforms like Facebook and Twitter can help you find readers. Google is also a great way to get new readers to your website. But my favorite place to find readers is Pinterest. My website receives anywhere from 150k-250k page views a month and 90% of that is from Pinterest.

My best Christian post has been viewed more than 92,000 times in the past year and it feels so good when my readers tell me how much I have helped them! Here is the image I use on Pinterest for people to find my post.

What if I have other things I’d like to help people with too?

As you can see from my navigation bar, I discuss other things besides faith. But I like to mention God within those posts too where I can. There is nothing wrong with sharing other things God has taught you in other areas of your life. Maybe you are a parent and would like to help other parents have an easier time. Or maybe you have struggled with an illness and can help others with finding treatment or ways to handle the mental stress of it all.

There are so many things you can talk about and there are quite a few others who have done the same. But no matter what they talk about, they always give the glory to God.

What if I’m not tech savvy?

An online ministry could also be called a blog and there is so much information out there to help bloggers set up their websites and grow their audiences.  The majority of bloggers out there don’t have college degrees or any prior knowledge of how everything works. As with anything in life, you have to learn along the way.

I didn’t even know what a blog was when I started but was very blessed that God led me to all the best resources to help me.

Could starting an online ministry help my church or if I am a pastor should I further my existing ministry with a website?

Yes and yes! If you are a member of a church you could discuss this with your pastor to come up with a plan. If your church doesn’t have a website, starting one can greatly increase new members coming to check out your services. I’m just going to throw a couple of ideas around for you here because there are SOOO many things you can do! First off you could be the sole writer for the website or multiple members could contribute to give readers different perspectives. Or if you are the pastor, you could also write posts or find a member of your church that would like this responsibility. Here is an example of a church that does that.

I know people who have traveled thousands of miles to visit churches they see on TV or online, so why not yours? You could stream live videos of each service right on your website. You could write helpful posts based around the subject of a sermon. Also, you could help raise funds to support your church in many different ways as well.

Here are some great examples

1.Selling DVDs or CDs of past services.

2.Recommending great Christian products in your “store” page and become an affiliate with company’s like Amazon and make a commission off each purchase.

3.Create your own products to sell in your store such as Christ-centered t-shirts, mugs, keychains, etc.

4.Have a “give” tab where anyone can pay tithes or give an offering to the church. You could gain many members that don’t actually attend your physical church that give to help grow your church. Yes, it would be better if they came in person, but so many people have social anxiety and are uncomfortable around people. But maybe one day they will be comfortable enough to come in! An online ministry is a great way to help people make the transition!

There are so many ideas to help your church through starting an online ministry! And I must add, many people don’t understand why churches collect tithes and have fund-raisers. But like I mentioned above, God created the concept of money and even churches can’t function without it. God also mentions in the Bible that it’s the members of the church’s responsibility to help support the ministry. So my point is, don’t let anyone make you feel bad for thinking of ways to financially support your church!

Okay, I want to start an online ministry so what now?

So if you believe that God does, in fact, want you to do this, you first need to start your website. That means you will need to find a good hosting company. Think of this like renting space on the internet. You have two options here. You could either go through a free host or a paid host. Before you decide to just go for the free host, I want to explain some things that will help you decide if that’s really the best option for you.

Free WordPress site

We all love free, right? Well, there are many downsides to going the free route in the blogging world. Surprised? I wasn’t either. I really only recommend this if you are blogging for fun because free sites are very unprofessional looking and you have very limited control over what you can do. You can only use free themes (so ugly) and trying to sell things on your site is not going to happen.

Paid WordPress site

If you want your online ministry to be taken seriously, you are going to have to invest in it. But it’s actually surprisingly affordable to do. There are many hosts out there that you can choose from, but I personally recommend Bluehost. You can start your own website from only $2.95 a month and you get full control over everything! Plus, they have awesome customer service and will help you when you need it.

I have gone through Bluehost since I started my blog and I genuinely do like them. I have heard mixed reviews from different people so the choice of who you go through is entirely up to you. But if you do choose to go through Bluehost, I have a step by step tutorial to help you set up everything here. It also includes a 4-minute video set up tutorial if you learn better from videos.

A final word

There are so many reasons to start your own online ministry and so many ways you can go about it. But most importantly, anyone can do it. We all have something unique to offer the world and this just might be what God has called you to do. If you feel God is telling you this isn’t for you, DON’T! You definitely don’t want to get into this if He has other plans for you. But if you feel like you know this is what you need to do or just aren’t sure, take some time in prayer before making your final decision.

God wants us to take leaps of faith because that’s what helps build our faith in Him even more. How can we grow if we don’t listen to his guidance or simply ignore Him out of fear of the unknown? God has big plans for every one of His children and this could quite possibly be the next step He wants you to take on your journey in this life. What better way to show our love for others, then to help them in whatever ways we can? I wish you nothing but the best and hope you succeed at whatever it is you decide to do. God bless!

Do you have any more questions that I didn’t answer here? Or anything at all you would like to add? Let me know in the comments below or send me an email and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!

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