The Cyber-Church of Jesus Christ Childfree

• Who are we?

The Cyber-Church of Jesus Christ Childfree is a group of Christians who feel the call to have no descendents by fleshly means, just as Jesus had none.

• Why do we want no children?

In the book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 7, the apostle Paul wrote that he wanted believers to be free from anxieties, particularly those which come from family relationships. The married man or woman is full of anxiety over the marital relationship. How much more so, the man or woman with children?

Jesus loved children but chose to never have any, so that he could devote his life to telling the Good News. What a model for childfree Christians to follow!

• How can you have a church on a computer?

We commune via mailing list, with a "cyber-sermon" once a week.

• How big is your church?

We started with eight people on the mailing list in May 1999. Since then, we've grown to 80 or more. But that's not important; Jesus once said it only takes two believers to have God among them.

2021 Update: Well, our mailing list crashed and we'll be lucky to have eight people again. But that is no reason to stop our fellowship.

• Why do you need a church for people without children?

A lot of people only go to church when they want their children in Sunday school. This causes a lot of churches to consist mostly of parents. People without children are therefore often neglected when churches decide their priorities.

Some parents may believe that Christianity isn't about being childfree. Indeed it isn't. But neither is it about being a parent. Christianity is about serving God as best one can, from the state in which God calls you. We were called as childfree Christians, and (God willing) childfree Christians we shall remain.

• Are you trying to replace the traditional church?

No! We're trying to fill in a gap in the Church Universal. God has a place for everyone in his plan, especially those who are willing to seek his will and cooperate with him. But sometimes his Church Universal needs to do a better job at making that place available. That's what the Cyber-Church of Jesus Christ Childfree is for. We're kind of a "parachurch" that's filling in until real churches arrive in the childfree mission field, just like paramedics fill in for the real doctors.

• Some of us find the Cyber-Church to be a useful supplement to traditional churches.
• Others can't find a traditional church where the children and their parents don't disrupt or even hijack the service, so the Cyber-Church is a good short-term substitute.
• Many churches have special interest groups, for men or women or singles or even fishermen. Some churches even come together with other churches, to pool their special groups together when they have the same interest. We're just a computerized special interest group from churches across the English-speaking world. Parents should find this no more threatening than married people find singles groups.

We have no intention of abandoning Christian fellowship with parents. After all, God lets whomever he wants into heaven, including parents. But we do challenge all parents: Don't put procreation ahead of God in your lives.

• What do you believe?

Our Cyber-Church covers the full range of Christianity, from Catholic to Protestant, from liberal to conservative. It also covers the full range of the Childfree, from those who greatly like children (but don't want their own), to those who cringe in their presence (and wait for the inevitable meltdown). This Cyber-Church is intended to provide a safe cyber-assembly point for all of these.

We do not have an official theology, outside a very short list of rules; our members' beliefs are left to the members. But still, we've gathered together because we have some common beliefs, in addition to the belief that Jesus Christ died for our sins.

Many of us believe that parenthood is a necessary and honorable occupation. But not everyone should be a parent, just like not everyone should engage in any single occupation.

Many of us believe that children are not necessarily a blessing. Genesis 3:16 treats childbirth like a curse.

Many of us believe that children can be disruptive to worship services, and such disruptions should be avoided. Of course it's a good thing for the children to come to Jesus... but I Corinthians 14 establishes that churches need rules, to prevent even good things from disrupting the worship of God.

Many of us believe that Jesus himself had no children (popular thriller-novel theories to the contrary), and therefore is a shining example of how Christians can live forever with no children.

Many of us believe it is right and proper for people to come to Jesus whatever the motivation, even parenthood. But we believe God reserves a special blessing for those who come to him without ulterior motives, especially parenthood.

Many of us believe that the Lord needs volunteers not to have children, as part of our responsible stewardship of the Earth. Isaiah once warned Israel against any one family needing too much room for themselves: "Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, 'til there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the Earth!" Isaiah 5:8 KJV

Many of us believe that even good and natural things are sinful when they get out of control. Childbearing is a good and natural thing... but when it's out of control, it results in overpopulation. Which (for instance) results in overcrowding, such that people live in the most dangerous parts of hurricane zones. And so the children suffer for the sin of their parents. As for all sins, God will sit in judgment on the sin of uncontrolled childbearing.

One thing we all have in common is: We all believe that children are not absolutely necessary to God's plan for our lives. John the Baptist said, "God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham" (Matthew 3:9). He didn't say, "from these stones and your precious human seed". So at least for us, no matter what people said in the Old Testament, the pressure for reproduction is officially off.

• What about when Jesus said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me"? Or that time he said, "Unless you become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven"? Or that time in the Temple, when he said, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast brought perfect praise"?

Like any Christian teaching, these verses may be taken out of context. Some people do this to imply that children should be allowed into all Christian activities, without control or restriction. To this, we answer:

• Jesus is known to have tolerated children in his close vicinity on two occasions. But most of his serious teachings were to his disciples, in private, without children (or other interruptions).
• When the children were with Jesus in the Temple, they were actually there to come unto Jesus. They were crying out, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" Rare indeed is the child who disrupts a worship service today to say that, or anything like it.
• Not every little child who gets dragged to church is there to come unto Jesus. Many would rather be in outdoors or in a nursery, doing something fun, instead of squirming in a pew. Is it really in the children's interest to keep them squirming? Or might it be better to wait a few years to bring them into the service?
• Even when the children do come unto Jesus, they need to follow Christian rules.
  • One Christian rule is, when you get an award (a "crown") for your service to God, you lay it down before him. By this rule, awards don't matter anyway, because God will give his own awards in his own time.
  • Another Christian rule is to live in harmony with other believers. By this rule, every church which has a special Sunday service to give awards to Sunday school children, needs to have a similar service to give awards to every member of other church group.
  • Should Christians even be worrying about building self-esteem instead of God-esteem? Even if churches should worry about self-esteem... let's not forget the children, but might not senior citizens (and indeed all other Christians) benefit from such awards too?
• Jesus once warned people against causing little children to sin (Matthew 18). Parents should consider whether disrupting a worship service is sinful.
• At the same time, Jesus told people to separate themselves from whatever causes them to sin, even if it meant cutting off one's own limbs. If the interaction of a Christian believer with a child causes either party to behave poorly (i.e. to sin), is it not the Christian's duty to separate him/herself from children?
• What about where the Bible says, "Be fruitful and multiply"? Or, all those times it declares children to be a blessing?

Again, like any Christian teaching, these verses may be taken out of context. We interpret them within their context, as follows:

• These verses were issued to ancient Israel, which had a frontier to populate. One can well debate whether these verses apply today.
• The injunction to have children did not have the standing of a commandment, either major or minor. Commandments were listed in the book of Leviticus, with a copy in Deuteronomy.
• The injunction to have children was an Old Testament (or "old covenant") statement. Jesus calls us to New Testament faith.
• Even in the Old Testament, unless your descendants were kings, none of the historians cared whether you'd had children. Instead, they cared what you did for God. Case in point: The prophet Eli had evil children. But he trained the prophet Samuel, who in turn trained the first two Kings of Israel. His legacy was obviously not through his children.
• Christians before our era have had problems with people who commanded them to keep observing Old Testament rituals. In the early church, the ritual was circumcision. The apostle Paul had only rude things to say about these people, throughout his letter to the Galatians. If childbearing is given the status of a ritual, it still doesn't apply to the modern church.
• Modern churches put a lot more emphasis on procreation than Jesus did. Remember (and this bears emphasis): Jesus was childfree.
• Modern churches also put a lot more emphasis on the family than Jesus did. Jesus did honor his family, but he didn't let it get in the way of his mission. When a prospective follower asked to postpone following Christ until his father was dead and buried, Jesus responded, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead" (Matthew 8:22).
• Families, like most anything else, can become a tool of Satan to turn the church away from God. There's Biblical evidence for this contention. Satan may well have used Jesus's family, when they came to take Jesus home, away from his mission field (Mark 3:21). Jesus rightfully ignored them, and went on preaching, after commenting, "These [people listening] are my mother and sisters and brothers" (Matthew 12:46-49).

Childbearing, like most other human activities, can be made holy by the inclusion of God in the process. But it is not in and of itself a holy thing. The Bible does not treat it as a necessary part of the Kingdom of God, and modern preachers should not either.

• Aren't you just afraid of having children? God will sustain you through it, if you only trust him!

One could say, this is actually Satanic theology.

• Remember how Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness? Satan said things like, "Throw yourself off this temple! God will sustain you through it, if you only trust him!"
• Christ's response to this was, "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test." Let all Christ's followers respond likewise.
• What makes you think Jesus had no children?

Some people (now including the author of "The Da Vinci Code"!) think Jesus must have had children, because:

• There are many years of the life of Jesus that were undocumented: certainly enough to marry and have children.
• Marriage was so common in Roman Judea that his home community would regard anyone who did not marry as "strange". Indeed, it would offend rabbis if Jesus had preached without getting married first.

To this, we answer:

• Jesus probably spent most of his "undocumented" years helping his mother raise his little brothers after their human father died. This would cause minimal adverse notice in his hometown. Joseph was probably old, and Mary was certainly young.

(Yes, some people believe Mary was a virgin forever, and Jesus either had big step-brothers or no brothers at all - "James the Lord's brother" and the absence of the family at the Nativity notwithstanding. But many of us don't believe that.)

• Jesus was looked upon strangely in his hometown of Nazareth. That's the origin of the saying, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown." And Jesus was famous for offending the priesthood.
• We can all agree, Jesus was willing to die for what he believed. Dying for the sins of mankind - and leaving children behind for others to raise - would have been the height of irresponsibility.
• What rules do you have?

The Cyber-Church has two rules now:

1. The Original Rule: Members must be committed to remaining Christian and without children.

   Our definition of Christian is pretty simple: If you believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins, you are a Christian. God may reserve the right to decide whether you really get into Heaven... but then he's the judge and we aren't.

   As in any church, anyone (parent and/or non-Christian) may walk in (that is, join our mailing list). But they will not be considered members unless they commit to the rule above. And if they argue against the rule, they will be asked to leave.

2. The New Rule: Members must treat each other as Christ commanded.

   As we've noted above, our Cyber-Church has both liberal and conservative members. Nowadays, it seems liberals and conservatives can barely tolerate each other's existence, even inside churches. This has led to much namecalling and bad feelings, even within our own Cyber-House-of-God.

   Well, too bad, people. Jesus preached tolerance, in a time and place where rival factions were at the brink of bloodshed. We are called to follow Jesus in this matter.

   For that reason, and by vote of the membership, this group was once fully moderated. Moderation is like the administrative style of the apostle Paul, complete with cyber-enforcement for the modern age. Paul was often heavy-handed, but it seems humans need that sometimes. But fortunately not here, not now... we've lifted the moderation for all current members, and will lift it one by one for new members as they come in.

   So what does this rule mean? For one thing, no name-calling of fellow members. Theological discussion will always be allowed, but your fellow members claim the name of Jesus, just as you do. If you call them rude or hateful names, or question their salvation status, you will provide Scriptural justification for your accusation, complete with chapter and verse, or your post will be questioned to say the least.

   Also, Jesus told his followers a Golden Rule. Our Cyber-Church will now observe it. However you treat your fellow members, they may freely ask you if that is how you would want to be treated. If you can't say "Yes" (or even that old dodge "Yes, if yada yada yada"), you will be judged, by moderators and (more importantly) by God.

These rules are still much less intrusive to your personal piety, than the rules of any live-action churches are. We hope the rules won't scare you away.

• How can I join the Cyber-Church?

2021 Update: We used to have support from Yahoo Groups. But that crashed. We're down to one way now.

• Send e-mail to Scott Eiler, who runs the mailing list. In the message body, say you'd like to get on the Cyber-Church of Jesus Christ Childfree mailing list. Don't just say "mailing list"; say which list (namely, the Cyber-Church list). Otherwise, Scott may get confused and sign you up for any number of other lists.
• How can I leave the Cyber-Church, once I've joined?

2021 Update: We're all here freely. So should you be. Likewise to joining, there is only one way to leave:

• Send e-mail to Scott Eiler, who runs the mailing list. In the message body, say you'd like to leave the Cyber-Church of Jesus Christ Childfree mailing list.
• If you should leave, you may get an e-mail saying "Go with God, and we pray we haven't given offense". If you don't get the e-mail, please assume that benediction anyway. But please also assume a prayer for your blessings if you stay.