Historically #Christian-Chat was set up in mid 2000 as a small offshoot by one of the senior ops in Undernet's #Christian so that matters that fell within the grey areas of channel policies could be discussed without fear of kicking and banning, but yet still conducted under the same basic principles (see http://www.chatministries.org)

Ahead of registration, #Christian-chat was supplied with a biblebot called Logos7 by ^duck^ - a well-known undernet bible bot identity - and also a subdomain web space for the channel on her http://www.believers-ministries.org web server.

The channel had existed prior to that as an unregistered ad-hoc channel under several different names, #Christians, #Immanuel, and several others. When we finally decided on the new name, we applied for and obtained the registration, which was effective with W on Oct 07 2000 17:27:09 according to the registration "papers" we received.

Indeed #Christians did have Channel Service at one time, but this lapsed early 2000, and was effectively taken over by a group of aetheists during the first two months of 2001.

In January 2001 when undernet.org withdrew its channel service, having lost half its servers due to particularly violent and vicious attacks, the team at #Christian-Chat along with those at #Christian and #Christian-Debate (effectively the same team of people on all three channels), looked at several other server systems to establish our presence, in case undernet went down temporarily or premanently should the undernet admins decide to de-link. The undernet.org website indicated that that action might be their choice. You may like to read the history on the undernet attacks on the chatministries.org website.

^duck^ provided a second biblebot called logos4 when we lost the W channel service on 4th January 2001 to retain channel ownership during the period of outright anarchy that prevailed on undernet; logos7 was withdrawn several months ago due to server problems which were never resolved. Logos4 has recently returned after also having server problems, which left us us bible-botless for about three weeks, so we managed to get logos3 in the interim - it is few channels that are fortunate enough to have two bible bots on-line.

During the 2 months that undernet had no channel service, we posted new front pages to the chatministries' website (which was called www.forchrist.net at that time), and also on the #christian-chat website, keeping them both updated on a daily basis, so that guests would know where to find us - it was frequently impossible to find a server to log-in to undernet.

We placed 3 channels from undernet on to starlink-irc.org (running them concurrently) on the basis that it was a secular server system which would give us the opportunity to preach to the unconverted.

We did discuss going to ChristianChat.net and other similar Christian server systems, but decided that because evangelism is a command given of the Lord to each of us, we should not restrict ourselves to a network where we would only be able to preach to the already converted. We individually believe that being on a secular server system is a way in which we can be effective.

You see, we regard ourselves as being in a 'street ministry' environment.

Now some of our folk were encouraged to help ^duck^ to establish her own all Christian chat network at irc.chatster.org, and indeed two of our folk are still among her IRCops on that network.

We did initially agree to set up #Christian-Chat as a trial on that server system, but the numbers attending the channel were not forthcoming, and the registration lapsed - although several of us still maintain a login to the biblebot Bible there, and have registered nicks on her system.

It's a big problem really, to spread yourself too far, and too quick, lol. However when we do get the channels on starlink-irc.org running and reasonably autonomous, we might look to widening our horizons... it isn't specifically on our agenda at the moment, I suspect.

If you look at the chatministries website, you may get a feel for how we see this ministry.

This is why the name of chatministries.org was chosen as our new domain name for our group of channels in about March 2001. A common set of policies, and a humungous growing reference centre of information for the benefit of all Christian IRCers. There is a web-board there, and email addresses and individual webspace to those who would like to become part of our wider community.

There is also a "department" on that website for scripts and technical things about bots and stuff. This website here, being smaller, is much better organised; it is easy to get lost on the chatministries site, lol.

We don't see channel "ownership" as being a personal thing, but rather as an opportunity to serve others, spreading the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to those who will accept it, and to share bits of it as directed by the Spirit with those who do not accept it, without being pushy or controlling.

Undernet restored Channel Service progressively from about 2nd March 2001 - ending a two-month period in which everyone was too busy trying to prevent take-overs to worry much about making plans for the future. We obtained re-registration with X on Mar 03 2001 21:07:43