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by Kevin Miller
When you hear the words “chat room,” what’s the first image that comes to mind: lonely singles looking for love and companionship? That’s what Norma Bowen, a volunteer chat room hostess for Women Today Online used to think. However, after serving for two years in this unique online ministry, she now sees things much differently.
Prior to becoming a chat room hostess, Norma hadn’t even used a computer, never mind gone online. A retired nurse, Norma and her husband Brian had been very active in Campus Crusade for Christ, Canada’s international ministries. But when Brian was transferred to another department, Norma found herself without a ministry of her own. Then Norma heard about the emerging opportunities for online evangelism through Women Today Online. Intrigued, Norma decided it was time to get “wired.” After learning how to type and navigate her way around the Internet, Norma started simply “lurking” in chat rooms—listening in but not participating. Once she felt comfortable, she got some training and then went straight into hostessing.
Reclaiming chat rooms for God
Norma now co-hosts two one-hour chat sessions a week, one geared towards discipling new believers and the other aimed at “seekers.” The first chat session is co-hosted by a woman from New York and the second by a woman from Alberta. Oddly enough, Norma had never met either of her co-hostesses in-person until last April. But that didn’t seem to be a barrier to building relationships with them.
“I think most people would be surprised at how well you can get to know people online,” Norma says. “You really get to know their hearts.”
Each chat session is attended by around 20 people and is focused on a particular topic, such as relationships or forgiveness. Chat topics are posted a month in advance so visitors can decide whether or not they want to attend. Norma says it’s amazing how often the posted topics exactly suit that night’s audience, whether those people planned to attend the chat or not.
For example, one night the chat’s topic was the power of hope. Norma was in the middle of saying something when a woman who had previously been silent piped up. “I think I’m in the wrong room, because I don’t have any hope these days,” she said. It turns out her mother had just died and now the woman herself was battling leukemia. Norma began by encouraging the woman and was eventually able to lead her to Christ.
“There are lots of stories like that, but it’s only through God that they could happen,” Norma says. “Typically, most people just want to be heard and prayed with. We do a lot of praying online.”
For Norma, the real thrill is the knowledge that she can have a global impact without ever having to leave her home.
“It’s so exciting to think you can change a person’s life in Egypt or wherever without ever leaving your house. People think they can’t do it. But once you get online, you’ll find that it’s even easier than sharing your faith in person. Anyone who wants to share their faith can do this.”
Norma has encouraged a number of her retired friends to get involved in this ministry. She thinks women are ideally suited to this sort of work.
“There are a lot of women who are in their homes and have the time. Instead of watching TV or reading, why not go upstairs and log onto your computer for an hour or two? You never know who you’re going to meet, who you can encourage, talk to or pray with.”
Mature men and women are needed to host chat rooms. If you are interested, why not check it out: www.christianwomentoday.com/chat.
