Evangelism Online

Training Resources and Sparetime/Fulltime Opportunities

This page explains the various ways you can learn more about online evangelism, and also provides a list of opportunities for involvement, including sparetime and fulltime openings with a range of different ministries. We must make a very important statement: web evangelism is not only for techies! There are many gifts needed, and you do not need to be technical!

• Yes, you need to understand the nature of the Web as a medium, but …
• no, you do not need to be a programmer.
• There is a big need for people who can write in the lean journalistic style needed for the Web.
• Online counseling/mentoring of inquirers is vital area for people with those gifts.
• It is also possible to build a website with little or no technical knowledge, using ready-made template systems which are available. And blogs are even easier to create – truly anyone can do it.
• Remember that most of the people involved in web evangelism knew nothing about it either, until quite recently!

Opportunities

Many outreach groups need volunteer (and fulltime) help. And there are many other ways that you can reach people online:
• Opportunities

Learning

Web Evangelism is a challenging and exciting; there is much to learn about the nature of the Web and how to communicate evangelistically. It is important that you do so before trying to minister online. Following on from a detailed study of the pages on this site, there are many ways listed below to obtain more knowledge with informal spare-time training. As yet, there are almost no formal web evangelism modules at Christian training institutions – we urge colleges to consider the possibility of adding these to their curricula. We are creating an online listing of all such courses. At present, we only know of Fuller’s Course MP537 on Internet Evangelism and Cybermissions, an annual pioneering 10-week distance-learning course on web evangelism.

You can also learn a great deal by networking with others.

The IEC Online Course

Online self-study lessons (some churches have also used these lessons in a group-study discussion context), as a basis for building their own web evangelism team. [www.lausanneworldpulse.com/perspectives/294/04-2006]
• IEC Course [bgc.gospelcom.net/iec/otoe/index.php]

Create International podcasts

YWAM’s Create International team in Perth offer useful insights into web evangelism and video communication:
• Download podcasts [http://createit.podomatic.com/]

Conferences

Many conferences have a training element. Check our list of conferences and other events which broadly connect with online and media evangelism.
• View conferences and other events

Free training video shorts

These excellent short downloadable videos range from about 1 to 6 minutes in length. Some are produced by leading web evangelism team TruthMedia.com, they cover two essential areas of web evangelism: learning how to write effectively for non-Christians, and interactivity/chat ministry. Others are conference sessions.
• View the videos

Cybermissions Distance Learning Course

12-week distance learning course, but temporarily suspended. Highly recommended, with a wide-ranging curriculum.
More information [www.cybermissions.org/training]

Email support: counseling training

Any outreach site which is effectively targeting non-Christians may have to deal with serious life issues. Counseling training is a valuable asset for Christians:
• Counseling [guide.gospelcom.net/resources/counseling-training.php]

‘Internet Evangelism for the 21st Century’ videos and e-book

The entire program of this recent conference is available on DVD for a very modest sum, and as free streamed presentations (best on broadband), and as an e-book. This is a unique resource with sessions from some of the most experienced workers in this field. We highly recommend that you download the PDF e-book. It is a 6Mb download, so either use broadband, or expect a long download time.
• More information [ie-21stcentury.com]

Learning to write

The skills needed for web writing are those of a journalist, not a preacher. Learn as much as possible about journalistic communication principles:
• More about web writing

Magazine Training Institute offers Christian magazine-writing training resources and conferences for E Europe:
• MTI resources [www.magazinetraining.com]

We are not aware of any online Christian training course for journalistic writing (there used to be one available).
• JPROF www.jprof.com]offers a wide range of resources and suggested books.

Also visit your library and search for books on journalism. There is also a huge need for Christians to join the journalism profession, because its influence shapes entire cultures.

Email support: counseling training

Any outreach site which is effectively targetting non-Christians may have to deal with serious life problems. Informal counseling and listening skills are very valuable to learn, and are in fact an asset in all sorts of Christian ministry and evangelism:
• Counseling training [web-evangelism.com/counseling-training.php] – its value and significance in Christian ministry
• Counsel guidelines [web-evangelism.com/counsel.php] – guidelines and resources for offering email advice help to inquirers with problems

Blogs

There are a number of highly-recommended blogs on internet evangelism and web ministry. Best way to be alerted to new postings is via their RSS feeds.

Video clips, cartooning and animation, radio

There is big potential for using video clips and animation online. Training options:
• Rox35Media [www.ANIMAX35.org] offer training sessions in animation.
• There are many secular short video production courses around the world: see Google. See also UK-based short training courses. [www.britfilms.com/training/shortcourses]
• Illuminati Pictures: [www.burnisgood.com] train young people in film-making so that they can work in the secular entertainment industry.

• The following publications include advice on video production as well as other church tech/media issues:
Church Video Ideas [www.churchvideoideas.com] | Creative Synergy Podcast [http://creativesynergypodcast.com] | ChristianAV Magazine [www.christianav.com] | Vision Magazine [www.visionondemand.net] | Technologies for Worship Magazine [www.tfwm.com] | Worship Arts and Technology Magazine [www.churchproductionresources.com/html/waatm.html] | Church Production Magazine [www.churchproduction.com/home.php] | Collide Magazine [www.collidemagazine.com] | FaithVisuals.

• Radio Worldwide [www.radioworldwide.org] offer training for radio outreach, particuarly for the non-western world.

Books

We recommend a small range of top books. They cover online evangelism, broader principles of outreach, writing, more on how the Internet works, and site design:
• Book recommendations
For in-depth communication studies, we have a detailed reading list.

Technical

Like many other things, the Web is best learned by doing. Start simple, and don’t be scared by technical stuff. It is not rocket science to build simple websites. A wide range of books, magazines, CDs and online resources is available to help you. Check your local bookstore and library. There may be community-based evening classes in your area – perhaps at a local college – teaching website creation and other web-based skills.
• HTML Helper [www.html-helper.com] – simple introduction to the language of web-page coding.
• Planning a Site [www.web-evangelism.com/resoursces/starting.php] – and clarifying target audience.

And remember – you do not need any technical knowledge to share your faith in chat rooms or bulletin boards. There are also many other opportunities in web evangelism available to non-technical people. Visit our opportunities page.

Research studies

Various research studies on web-related topics are another useful way to learn more. There is a need for more such projects, so if you are a student looking for a dissertation topic, consider one related to web evangelism.
• Research studies [web-evangelism.com/resoursces/research.php]

Training of trainers

If you are already experienced in online or other types of media evangelism, and wish to train others, then a ‘Training of Trainers’ course may help you. (In addition, we hope that our PowerPoint presentation, video clips and other resources can be a useful part of a web evangelism training course.)
• ICTI course [www.icti.org.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=27]

The Great Commission and your place in it

Impact Eternity is an online study course about the challenge of mission and the needs of the world. Work through the modules yourself, anor use them as a basis for a group study. Available in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese:
• Impact Eternity [www.impacteternity.com/index.htm]

The Perspectives course is also available in a number of US locations, and online:
• Perspectives [www.perspectives.org/site/c.eqLLI0OFKrF/b.3227423/k.7718/iPerspectivesi_Online.htm]

Missions and Cross-Cultural Discipleship is a 4-month distance learning couurse:
• Missions and Cross-Cultural Discipleship [www.missionarytraining.org/mccd.htm]

For a searchable database of training on a range of other topics:
• Train for Christ [www.trainforchrist.org/]

Learn typing

If you have never learned to ‘touch type’, we urge you to do it. The time you spend in attending an evening class in your community, or teaching yourself with a popular cheap computer program such as ‘Mavis Beacon’, or the free Stamina [http://www.download.com/Stamina-Typing-Tutor/3000-2051_4-10147305.htm] will be repaid many times over.
• More typing software [http://www.microtype.com/resources/articles/jig-Tutors.html] – some are free. For other software options, use a search engine to look for ‘typing tutor software’ and ‘review typing tutor software’. If you have a disability and can only type with one hand, visit One Handed Typing. [http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/onehanded/]

Computer users who have never learned to touch type tend to ‘peck’ and jab at the keyboard with two fingers. This causes shock-waves to go up the hand and arm and can contribute to RSI. With touch typing, all fingers are gently resting on the keyboard at all times. There are many other ways to avoid RSI – build them into your work routine. Take regular breaks and exercise your arms and shoulders – you can install free software which alerts you to take these breaks, for instance Stress Buster and WorkRave.

Incorrect posture at a computer is also a serious health issue, leading to spinal problems. The center of the screen should be more or less at your eye level. Laptops are a particular problem because we tend to use them on a table or flat area. When using a laptop at home, it is best to plug in a separate keyboard and mouse, and position the laptop itself to give that same eye-level view of the screen.

Trust us on this one: you will bless the day you start learning touch typing, or decide to modify your posture and procedures to avoid RSI and back problems.

Newcomer to the Web?

If you are a newcomer to using the Web, we recommend you check your local bookstore or library for a book that will start you off on understanding websites, browsing and searching, eg. The Rough Guide to the Internet. See also these guides to email use and etiquette: 1 [www.iwillfollow.com/email.htm] | 2. [www.emailreplies.com]

There are also a few online guides, such as Learn the Web [www.learnthenet.com/english/section/intbas.html] and Intro Guide. [www.gailborden.info/internet/internet_express1.html] Microsoft offers an excellent range of self-study Digital Literacy Courses. [www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/Citizenship/giving/programs/UP/digitalliteracy/default.mspx]

Remember, every web user was a novice to begin with, as the humorous video clip below demonstrates.

If you are using computers or the Web to any extent, consider learning to touch type. The time this takes will be repaid many times over. (Those with any form of impairment can use speech-based software, both to read and write to a computer screen.)