by Mike Andrews
Evangelical outreach found its first digital home on net.religion.christian in the mid-1980s. Engineers and technicians across North America used the nascent Usenet network not only to debate theology but to actively invite their unknown readers toward faith. Mike Andrews at John Fluke Mfg. Co. in Everett, Washington was one of the most consistent of these voices — earnest, practical, and theologically clear without being combative.
This November 1985 post is his most complete statement of evangelical invitation. Addressed explicitly to those who "want Faith or are even just thinking about it," it moves through the full arc of conversion as he understood it: the gift-character of faith (Ephesians 2:8–9), the simple act of asking, the expectation of change, and the practical steps of community, baptism, prayer, and Scripture. It is a primary document of the first generation of Christians who brought their faith online — and a window into the warm, person-to-person register of early Usenet evangelism.
Hi,
For those who want Faith, or are just thinking about it, and especially if you already have Faith —
"I repeat, it is owing to his favor that salvation is yours through faith. This is not your own doing, it is God's gift; neither is it a reward for anything you have accomplished, so let no one pride himself on it." — Paul (Ephesians 2:8–9)
For the times I've acted pridefully because I have Faith, and someone else didn't, or I judged theirs not as deep as mine, please forgive me. I have much to learn. But I've got a good Teacher.
For those who want Faith but don't know how to get it — ask God to give you Faith. It is that simple, just ask. Then the work will begin. You'll find yourself moving in new directions. But first, let go of whatever you're holding onto and say something like "Jesus, I'm sorry for my sins and I accept you as my Lord and Savior; please, You hold me." Will your life be changed — definitely.
Just the fact that you decided to choose Jesus is a clear sign of His working in you, and the fact that you still have a free will. Even wanting to ask Jesus to be the only God of your life is a clear sign of His work in you. Who do you think gave you the thought? Will you see the changes immediately — some changes yes, most probably not, others in time. Change is continual, and unavoidable, some take more time to make. But with the options placed before us — our parents, family, work, friends, relatives — we have a lot of choices to make regarding the direction we go. Who do you want to follow?
For example, you didn't choose your parents, but God placed them there for a reason. Maybe only they could help you over some hurdle. Or maybe only they could be the hurdle you need to bring you to a place of decision making. The decision you make is yours alone. Even God won't make your decision for you. He might point, though.
So now find other Christians, you're one now. Find a good church, that lives and grows as a Family, with Jesus as the Head of the House. Get Baptised there. Learn from them, and help them to learn from you what God teaches you day by day. Pray — look each day for something God has done for you and thank Him. Talk with Him, and expect Him to talk to you — through situations, other people, the deep inner desires of your heart, however He wants to do it. Read — the Bible is His letter to you. Also, there are many gifted writers that have much to say that will help you accept God and His Love, and even better understand the Bible. And don't complicate the Faith you're given, keep it simple — trust Him. Remember — Faith isn't a feeling, it's a Gift. Faith isn't a feeling, it's a reality. Just one Gift that you've opened by making a free choice. Please re-read the Bible passage above.
For those who want a deeper Faith in God, please read the preceding paragraphs for some suggestions. And let's pray for each other. I'm no super Christian. My Faith, or rather how I use the Gift, goes through ups and downs. We all need each other to survive and grow. Neat how we're made that way.
God Bless,
Mike Andrews
Colophon
Written by Mike Andrews, John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA. Posted to net.religion.christian, November 19, 1985. Message-ID: [email protected].
One of the earliest evangelical guides posted to a public digital network. Andrews wrote consistently to net.religion.christian through 1985, bringing the vocabulary and practice of Charismatic evangelical Christianity to an audience of engineers and academics. This post is his most complete invitation: structured, warm, and practically specific about what a seeker should actually do. The Scripture quotation is from the New American Bible. The signature block ("A body led by the spirit is a whole person") appeared in all his posts and reflects a trichotomist anthropology (body, soul, spirit) common in Charismatic circles.
Preserved from the Usenet archive for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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