Beyond the ability to examine the Bible in ways that those of previous centuries could not have imagined, modern technology has enabled something even more profound: the ability for us to communicate with each other. At first, the invention of the telephone and later fax machines led to many being able to easily communicate across long distances. But now, with the addition of e-mail, Internet chat and Instant Messenger, people are able to communicate over long distances much easier and quite inexpensively.

On the one hand the ability to communicate with others is important for Bible teachers to exchange ideas, discuss issues with one another, and exchange large portions of text and materials with ease. But perhaps even more importantly, e-mail and the other communication tools available through the Internet have enabled Believers to talk and to fellowship with others all over the world.

The ability to communicate with others for us as Messianic Believers is extremely important. The example delivered to us in the Scriptures is that we are to always be accountable to others, we are to be in fellowship with one another, and most importantly we are to build one another up and confide in one another spiritually. The challenge for us as Messianics is that we are all spread out over the United States and the world, and the average size of a Messianic congregation is anywhere from 30 to 70 people. Many Messianic fellowships are only two or three families. This is substantially smaller than your average church. While a small group of people can be good as it can be closely knit and indeed a “family,” it can also lead some to having an “isolationist” mentality, when in reality there are Messianics worldwide.

E-mail, e-mail chat groups, Instant Messenger, and other available tools have helped Messianics of all ages to communicate with each other. While certainly this has helped people examine and study the Scriptures with others, it has also enabled many to develop friendships that would not have been possible without this commutative ability. In some ways, communicating with others via e-mail or Instant Messenger have helped people get to know others in a way that is not possible in regular face-to-face talk. Many people are more comfortable typing what they think and expressing their thoughts in written form, as opposed to spoken form. In some ways it is easier to get to know a person via e-mail, because a person is more comfortable talking about himself or herself without necessarily having to be around others. Of course, this has some drawbacks because oftentimes you will encounter negative people and you will quickly find that some people are proverbial “bad eggs.”

One group of people in the Messianic community, and I can say this as being one of them (as of 2004), that Internet communications have helped immensely, is the youth of ages 12-25. Oftentimes, the youth at a Messianic congregation or fellowship is in the single digits, and sometimes there are no youth at all. Fortunately, the Internet has enabled many Messianic youth to communicate with one another and for Messianic youth to realize that they are not “alone,” and there are others just like them. The need for our young people to have friends of similar ages and like mind is absolutely imperative, if indeed the Lord is raising up a future generation that will see the Torah restored to His people and ultimately be there to see Messiah Yeshua return.

The advantage to the Internet is that it has made global communication across vast distances for Messianics quite easy. Messianic Believers, who because of geographical location would not normally be able to find others to talk to and develop friendships with, have now been able to do so. Messianic Believers also have access to a wide array of online Biblical references and resource material. There are many Messianic teaching websites which offer sound teaching and instruction for us. But even though there are many good features that modern technology has offered us, there are some things we need to be aware of.

There are many people who are new to Messianic things who are very naïve. Some are of the mistaken impression that just because you call yourself “Messianic,” or for example believe in the Two-House teaching of Judah and Ephraim, that you believe exactly the same things as everyone else who advocates these same understandings. This is not true in the least. While the Internet has helped Messianics get quite a bit of exposure, it has also allowed the enemy to discredit the message through individuals using the “Two-House” label for their own self-serving agendas. Because setting up a website is relatively inexpensive, all one needs to do is go to a search engine and type in “Messianic” or “Two-House” and he or she will find websites that are sensationalistic, unscholarly, insulting toward our fellow Believers in the Christian Church, and that bring disrepute to the Messianic community at large. Many of these sites advocate teachings that are non-Biblical, and the naïve person reading without any spiritual discernment, will often accept what is being said or presented without questioning or confirming it. To this we say: do not believe everything you read online.

One of the things that keeps TNN Online on the Internet is the need to present credible, fair, scholarly, and above all loving Messianic teachings online. We recognize that the Internet is a two-way street, and while there are many good things available, so are there many bad things as well. In this time of growth and maturation, I believe that the Lord is going to use the Internet to connect many Believers of like mind, develop friendships with them, and exchange valuable information. But at the same time, the enemy is going to try to discredit the restoration message, and various individuals will arise with Internet presences that will lead people astray. As you examine various websites and online teachings, examine them with a critical eye. Ask yourself if what is being presented is Biblically based, well supported by believable and credible outside references, and what the motives of the Bible teacher are.

Modern technology has been responsible for both good things and bad things. We have the ability as the Body of Messiah to use it for the furthering of His Kingdom, and connecting with brethren of like mind. We also must be critical with what is online, and recognize that wolves have been sent out among the sheep. May our Heavenly Father give us the discernment that we need, and may He guide our steps with the tools that He has made available to us.