The Guide Network
Networking together for web and mobile evangelism
The Global Use of Internet and Digital Evangelism (Guide) Network is an informal networking resource, linked with Internet Evangelism Day & Web Evangelism Guide, Internet Evangelism Coalition, [www.webevangelism.com] Global Christian Internet Alliance, [www.globalchristianity.net] Lausanne, [www.lausanne.org] and visionSynergy. [www.visionsynergy.net Its purpose:
“ Enhancing global spread of the Gospel in multiple languages via the Internet and mobile digital devices by networking with practitioners to:Currently, the main resources of the Network are:
- share resources and information
- encourage Kingdom collaboration
- help the body of Christ to embrace and engage in internet/mobile evangelism ”
- Guide Network YahooGroup [www.yahoogroups.com/group/guide-network] which we invite you to join. Please state your reasons for wishing to join on the YahooGroups application form. (You will need a Yahoo profile to do this. You may wish to opt for a daily digest, to restrict the number of emails you receive.) This is a place to network with others, share news, and ask questions on any aspect of web/mobile evangelism.
- Mobilev [www.snipr.com/mobilev] Wiki and a blog [http://davehackett.blogspot.com] and resource page about mobile device evangelism.
- Children’s Web and Digital Media Ministry Network [http://community.godrev.com/group/childrenswebanddigitalmediaministrynetwork] – a place for networking, sharing vision, ideas, resources and strategy for reaching and teaching children through the Internet and digital media. (You will need to join GodRev, you can then ensure that your settings will only send you emails in relation to this group.)
- The growing range of resource pages and outside links on this site (explore using left-hand menu), including newsletters, drama scripts, recommended blogs, books, and other training resources.
- Lausanne’s newsletters Connecting Point [www.lausanne.org/lausanne-connecting-point] and Lausanne World Pulse. [http://www.lausanneworldpulse.com]
Our vision
A special emphasis is assisting in the emergence of internet/mobile evangelism in more countries and languages beyond English, including the non-western world. There will soon be the ‘second billion’ web users outside the West, and even more have mobile phones right now. So our interest also includes the development of viral video clips and cartoons that can be used with mobile phones or online. We also wish to see increased convergence, synergy and collaboration between different electronic media, for instance DVDs and radio ministry, with the Web/mobile devices.We also wish to help the cross-cultural missions community in developing digital evangelism and discipleship integrated with their ministries on the ground.
How we can help you?
Link you with others
Are you wishing to do web evangelism in a particular language? Are you planning a mobile
phone initiative? Perhaps you are looking for training? We can probably link you with others working in the same area. With our
involvement in the cross-cultural missions community as well as the new media, we do have
a unique web of relationships to draw on. We are also keen to help set up (or publicize)
resource pages and informal networks of people working in particular languages, geographical areas, or types of
digital evangelism. (See our page on Japan as an example.)
You may be a mission agency, just wondering whether
to move into web or mobile ministry? Are you the editor Christian publication who wishes to interview
people regarding web and mobile evangelism?
Whatever your needs or questions,
please write.
visionSynergy [www.visionsynergy.net] are also experts in helping Christian groups network together in other ways for the Great Commission. See their book Well Connected [www.connectedbook.net] (Phill Butler, Authentic Books/World Vision).
Free articles for editors
We offer to Christian print and web editors, and bloggers, a wide range of freely re-usable articles:- about web evangelism, plus MP3 interviews and talks freely available for podcasting and broadcasting
- other articles: [http://www.probe.org/rusty] seeker/skeptic-friendly for non-Christians, and features on broader evangelism issues for Christians
Panel of speakers for conferences, seminars, Bible Colleges, or agencies
Some members of the Guide Network are available to speak
about web and mobile evangelism at conferences, seminars, Bible Colleges or mission agency staff
meetings (as well as offering
consultancy advice by email or Skype.) We hope
that increasingly, Bible Colleges will develop course modules
on these topics.
Members of this panel are also available by telephone interview for Christian radio/podcasts or print media articles.
Annual conference
The annual Internet Ministry Conference [internetministryconference.org]
is a prime place to learn more
about digital outreach and network with others. You can watch
previous conference sessions online, and
read the
conference blog. [internetministryconference.org/blog]
There are other conferences and training sessions around
the world.
Software, webmaster and technical advice
Guide Network does not major in technical advice, although by all means ask other members. Your best route for asking about (and giving) technical solutions is to join online forums such as Christian Web Masters [www.christian-web-masters.com/forums] | Webmaster Talk [www.webmaster-talk.com] and many others. For church webmaster forums to discuss technical issues and site critiques, see Great Church Websites; [www.greatchurchwebsites.org] and ChurchMedia.net [www.ChurchMedia.net] which also covers wider church media issues such as PA, projection, video and related issues, and offers an annual conference.Of course, a Google search will frequently lead you to a technical solution already posted online.
International Conference on Computing and Mission (ICCM) [www.iccm.org] focuses mainly on tech support for missions, with mailing lists, and annual conferences in US, Australia and Europe. [www.iccm-europe.org/]
Be aware that there is much free software available for those on a restricted budget. OpenOffice is a free satisfactory alternative to MS Office suite. There are many thousands of freeware/shareware products for Windows, Mac and Linux, which are often equally as good as commercial programs. Take the time to research what may be available to suit your needs.
And many software providers offer very substantial discounts to non-profit organisations. For instance, DreamWeaver and Microsoft products are available at one fifth of the commercial price. It is always worth asking a manufacturer – they may not publicize discounts widely for fear of abuse. Mach5.com offers 20% off, on request, for instance.
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