It is always so nice to say "hi" to someone new in this Welcome section of the forum and help encourage new people to feel free to post. I've noticed that this site gets a reasonable influx of new members, but many times the only time that they post is in the 'welcome' area, rarely if ever to be heard from again. This saddens me. In my opinion, while it is important to think about appropriate content and adherence to the forum rules before pushing the "Create Thread" or "Post Reply" button, it is also equally important to not be afraid to post.
Perhaps some may feel that they can't write very well, or maybe that they don't think that they have anything important to contribute. I think this hesitation is in part the work of negative forces trying to keep us from expressing or exploring our love for the Lord and trying to prevent us from encouraging others in their walk with the Lord. Whether the author of the post or reply is a seasoned scholar, or someone who is newly seeking opening their life to God, the most important aspect in posting /replying, in my opinion, is a genuine heart, a love for the Lord (or at least a true desire to learn more about the Lord in the case of the new seeker), and an authentic incentive by the poster/replier to encourage other Christians by sharing their faith and life experiences in a helpful, loving manner.
Even seemingly simple questions posited by those new to Christianity are often the basis of extremely valuable discussions that benefit all members of the fellowship, all the way from seasoned professionals to the spectrum of seeking neophytes. We are all equal within the body of our fellowship - no one is higher than another, and as such each one of us has something valuable to contribute to the whole. We must not be afraid to voice our thoughts when they are applicable to a conversation in progress, if they involve a topic possibly interesting to others, when someone needs prayer or encouragement, or when the member is sincerely seeking their own clarification on an issue. Failure to add our pertinent thoughts and comments by allowing fear or other similar personal restraints to hold us back, deprives the entire community of potentially valuable insights and somewhat undermines the entire purpose of an open forum.
I would encourage all of those who feel hesitant to post to just find a topic area comfortable to them where they have some thoughts or ideas to add, and then just jump in and express themselves. Every voice is valuable, and we are stronger in our fellowship if we step forth from the shadows and try to share ourselves with others. I am not suggesting that one needs to post/reply just for the sake of writing something down, but when there is a topic being discussed that resonates with the reader or there's something on their mind, then I would most heartily encourage them to just go for it. The resulting gift to this community is that everyone here will be richer for the contribution.
Perhaps some may feel that they can't write very well, or maybe that they don't think that they have anything important to contribute. I think this hesitation is in part the work of negative forces trying to keep us from expressing or exploring our love for the Lord and trying to prevent us from encouraging others in their walk with the Lord. Whether the author of the post or reply is a seasoned scholar, or someone who is newly seeking opening their life to God, the most important aspect in posting /replying, in my opinion, is a genuine heart, a love for the Lord (or at least a true desire to learn more about the Lord in the case of the new seeker), and an authentic incentive by the poster/replier to encourage other Christians by sharing their faith and life experiences in a helpful, loving manner.
Even seemingly simple questions posited by those new to Christianity are often the basis of extremely valuable discussions that benefit all members of the fellowship, all the way from seasoned professionals to the spectrum of seeking neophytes. We are all equal within the body of our fellowship - no one is higher than another, and as such each one of us has something valuable to contribute to the whole. We must not be afraid to voice our thoughts when they are applicable to a conversation in progress, if they involve a topic possibly interesting to others, when someone needs prayer or encouragement, or when the member is sincerely seeking their own clarification on an issue. Failure to add our pertinent thoughts and comments by allowing fear or other similar personal restraints to hold us back, deprives the entire community of potentially valuable insights and somewhat undermines the entire purpose of an open forum.
I would encourage all of those who feel hesitant to post to just find a topic area comfortable to them where they have some thoughts or ideas to add, and then just jump in and express themselves. Every voice is valuable, and we are stronger in our fellowship if we step forth from the shadows and try to share ourselves with others. I am not suggesting that one needs to post/reply just for the sake of writing something down, but when there is a topic being discussed that resonates with the reader or there's something on their mind, then I would most heartily encourage them to just go for it. The resulting gift to this community is that everyone here will be richer for the contribution.
