● Recent Christian Press Releases read
● Submit your Christian
Press Release here
● Posted Christian Events
read
"Does your church's website communicate to outsiders as well as to the
members?" asks a new web resource. A church site is the congregation's
'shop window' to its community. To fulfill this function well, it must be
enticing, people-centered and easily understood by outsiders.
Unfortunately, many churches are unsure how to achieve this vital mix.
So the Internet Evangelism Day team has launched an online
self-assessment tool. It leads a church through a series of key
questions, to highlight areas of their website which may need
development:
http://ied.gospelcom.net/church-site-design.php
"I think it will be very helpful to churches," comments Gene Anderson
of Resurrection Lutheran Church, California.
A church site which has been prioritized for non-Christian visitors can
be remarkably effective in reaching the community. "Week in, week out,
more visitors turn up at our church on a Sunday because of the website,
than anything else," writes one growing church in London UK that uses
these principles.
The Internet Evangelism Day ('IE Day') website also
explains other types of online evangelism, such as outreach sites, video
clips, blogging and podcasts. There is even a free 'conversation starter'
screen-saver to download.
April Church Focus Day to Increase Awareness
The IE Day team also encourages churches and other groups
around the world to hold their own 'web awareness focus day' on (or near)
29 April 2007. The IE Day site provides downloadable video clips,
drama sketches, posters, handouts and a PowerPoint presentation, making
it easy for any church to create its own IE Day program. This can
as brief as a 2-minute spot within a worship time, or an entire themed
church service, seminar, or midweek meeting.
Churches that have already held their own focus day are enthusiastic. "It
was a real eye-opener for many," writes one in Muncie, Indiana. "We held
a midweek evening presentation of 90 minutes, for other local churches,"
says another from Dawlish UK.
A Canadian church leader comments, "I used a 10-minute presentation that
focused on how anyone can get involved in reaching out to the Internet
community. I also added a section on using our church website as an
evangelism tool, as some of our members have already had great success
with it."
One surprising aspect that the IE Day team emphasize: web
evangelism is for anyone, not just the technically gifted. "There are
many ways to share your faith online, without any technical background at
all," says IE Day Coordinator Tony Whittaker.
IE Day is supported by a wide range of Christian leaders. "I am
glad to commend Internet Evangelism Day," says John Stott.
Internet Evangelism Day is an initiative of the Internet
Evangelism Coalition, an umbrella group of major interdenominational
Christian groups involved in Web ministry, based at the Billy Graham
Center, Wheaton. IE Days purpose is to explain to the worldwide
church the potential of the Web for effective proclamation of the
Christian Good News by:
- a detailed resource website:
http://www.InternetEvangelismDay.com
- encouraging churches and other groups to hold an annual web
awareness focus day
Interviews available:
http://www.InternetEvangelismDay.com/publicity
Photos available:
http://www.InternetEvangelismDay.com/photos
Recommended photo for this item:
http://www.InternetEvangelismDay.com/churchphoto
Additional articles - ready-made material and MP3s:
http://www.InternetEvangelismDay.com/articles
Leaders supporting IE Day:
http://www.InternetEvangelismDay.com/supporting
Online formatted version of this release:
http://www.InternetEvangelismDay.com/latestnews
Tony Whittaker is co-ordinator of Internet Evangelism Day and
editor of the Web Evangelism Bulletin email newsletter. He is
available to consult on any issue relating to online evangelism.