Internet Evangelism Day Newsletter
...keeping in touch
Our email newsletter IED News brings you:
- brief updates by email or RSS
- suggestions on planning an web evangelism focus in your church or group
- ideas on web evangelism and effective communcation
- your church or group is planning IE Day activities
- you are considering this as a possibility
- you wish to have ongoing news of IE Day, for instance to use in a magazine or other Christian media
- you are interested in general brief news about web outreach
#33 March 08
ONE MONTH TO GO
Just 4 weeks till Internet Evangelism Day. If you are planning any activities for IE Day, do please tell us about it. If you have not yet decided, see our planning page. Please can you also make IE Day as widely known as possible - in newsletters, blogs, etc.FACEBOOK EVANGELISM
You can add an evangelistic content block into your Facebook profile. More information:http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=6611135350
MORE NEWS AND RESOURCES
Access more web evangelism news in these recent newsletters:
WEB EVANGELISM BULLETIN
March news includes...
Easter - the need for a portal.
Strategic book - a review of unChristian.
Best blogs - on communication, church sites, and web evangelism.
Conference - bookings now open.
Cartoons - available for re-use.
Email alerts - how to use Google.
IE Day - opportunities for your church.
Evangelistic films - Create International's resources.
Missing something? - test yourself with this movie clip.
Movies - thoughts.
Communicating well - according to Dale Carnegie.
Designing church websites - lists of good examples.
Evangelism in a postmodern age - UK speaker tour.
Tips - mainly for techies.
IEC NEWSLETTER
March news includes...
Robby Richardson new IEC director
Internet Ministry conference
Pew Internet Project: Teens and Social Media
Internet and Culture News & Information
#32 February 08
INTERNET EVANGELISM DAY 27 APRIL
We are already almost within shouting distance of IE Day number 4! If you are planning to put on a presentation in your church, whether it's one minute in length or 50, do please let lus know. It is a big an encouragement to hear what people are planning.If this is not something you have yet considered - there's still time to create a slot in a service, housegroup, or other meeting. Our free resources: PowerPoint, video testimony clips, drama scripts, handouts and music, allow you to build a spot that fits your own needs.
Please can you make IE Day known any way you can.
MORE WEB EVANGELISM NEWS
Latest Web Evangelism Bulletin covers:Easter - online outreach resources.
Internet Evangelism Day - 27 April.
Worldview witnessing - why it is important.
Helping confused Christians - questioning faith.
Tips - mainly for techies.
ICCM Europe - conference coming soon.
Middle East trends - good analysis.
Westernization of the Gospel - Lausanne article.
Evangelism Coach - great ideas for churches.
Golf parable - really, it is about church websites.
Apple parable - another evangelism parable.
World we live in - get timezones.
African stories - why they are leaking away.
More news - from IEC newsletter.
If only - a Christian had thought of that.
Plus our usual Tailend funnies.
Read it
Latest Internet Evangelism Coalition newsletter covers:
Innovating with video
AOG superintendentn blogging
Internet and Culture news and information
Read it
#31 January 08
GOLFING PARABLE
We've just published a golfing parable - its message relates to right and wrong ways to do church websites. You are free to republish this. Do also please blog about it, link to it, write about it.NEWS RELEASE
Please can you help to make this year's 27 April Internet Evangelism Day known? Can you send our news release to Christian magazine and newsletter editors, religion editors of secular newspapers, bloggers, church leaders. Anyone who who could be interested: news release (RTF file)MORE NEWS AND RESOURCES
Access more web evangelism news in these recent newsletters:
WEB EVANGELISM BULLETIN
January news includes...
Tech trends & church - good resources.
Tips - mainly for techies.
Reach the non-western world - the significance of the 'second billion'.
Movies & video clips - a powerful tool.
Communicating well - ideas and resources.
World we live in - developments of significance.
If only - a Christian had used these as bridge strategy outreach.
Plus our usual Tailend funnies.
Read it
IEC NEWSLETTER
January news includes...
Internet Ministry Conference 2008 - now booking
GodTube - latest developments
Pew Internet Project: Teens and Social Media
Internet and Culture News & Information
Read it
#30 December 07
WEB EVANGELISM CONFERENCE VIDEOS NOW ONLINE
Seven of the web evangelism seminars from September's Web Ministry conference are now available to watch online. Maybe the holiday period is a good chance to take time to view some? They were recorded with an innovative system which also displays the PowerPoint or screen content, so you see exactly what the session participants saw. Nearly as good as being there!These highly recommended sessions cover topics:
- Reaching Your Community Through A Church Website - how to make a church site reach outsiders
- Evangelism in Second Life - the new virtual world
- The Power of Personal Testimony - important principles
- The Edges of Cyberspace - the potential of the Web to reach the 'second billion' - mainly non-western internet users who will come online in the next few years
- Evangelism and Mentoring - lessons learned by TruthMedia.com
- Rethinking Internet Evangelism And Online Ministry - looking back and forward
- Hollywood Jesus - outreach based on redemptive parallels in film
- There are also audio recordings of some other conference sessions
To set these in context, here are details of speakers and sessions: http://www.internetministryconference.org/archives/2007/speakers/ http://www.internetministryconference.org/archives/2007/schedule/
We urge you to blog about these seminars, and link directly to individual serminars appropriate to your website. For instance, 'The Edges of Cyberspace' is a must-watch presentation for all in the cross-cultural missions world. 'Reach Your Community' is essential for any church with a website, or planning one.
2008 conference is scheduled for 20-23 October in Grand Rapids, USA.
MORE NEWS AND RESOURCES
Access more web evangelism news in these recent newsletters:WEB EVANGELISM BULLETIN
November includes...
Top Cretien news - big fine; and new development.
Golden Compass - comment and reaction.
Tips - mainly for techies.
World we live in - developments that matter.
Visual media - using it.
Search engine optimization - free resources.
Second Life - doing evangelism there.
Facebook - add your site to Facebook.
Church ministry - ideas and links.
If only - Christians had used these ideas.
Read it
December includes...
Video clip advance.
Bible in a year PHP script.
Cornerstones of an effective site.
Drama scripts for evangelism challenge.
Ebook about Web 2.0, blogging, etc, for churches.
Teen web use - Pew Internet report.
Read it
INTERNET EVANGELISM COALITION NEWSLETTER
November includes...
Delve into Jesus site launched.
UK Evangelical Alliance new resource.
PreachingWoman.com.
Read it
December includes...
Find your volunteer niche.
Bible and Koran on one website.
Mobile device evangelism.
Answers blog website from AG.
Web use, online security.
Read it
#29 November 07
CHURCH WEBSITE EVALUATIONS
Our church website self-assessment tool has been
upgraded, and now provides a ready-made 15-page
report, based on the answers that users provide.
Its purpose is to help churches pinpoint areas
that can be modified in order to more effectively reach
outsiders. Please can you make this known as widely as
possible using the news release below - in blogs,
online newsletters, print magazines, site links, etc.
The tool can also be syndicated into any
Christian resource site using several methods.
Your feedback and ideas for improving it will be gratefully received. In addition, if you are a PHP expert, and have experience of converting HTML into PDF on the fly, please write. The report page can currently be saved manually into PDF, but I would like to offer a one-click button for this. It would be good to see it translated into other languages as a resource within non-English Christian sites.
OTHER NEWS IN BRIEF
IEC NEWSInternet Evangelism Coalition October newsletter
available online:
October | November
Latest
Web Evangelism Bulletin:
FRENCH OUTREACH WEBSITE FINED
On September 27, 2007, Top Chrétien, the largest
French internet ministry in the world, was
sentenced to pay $12,000 (8,500 Euros) to the
Palestinian support organization Committee for
Charity and Support for the Palestinians (CBSP):
More
OLYMPICS
The 2008 Olympic Games offer a major opportunity
to create a bridge strategy site, perhaps similar
to www.tothenextlevel.org - now is the time to start
planning such sites.
DEBATING THE ISSUES
Richard Dawkins seems to be the only leading
atheist unwilling to debate with Dinesh D'Souza:
More
#27 August 07
NEW PAGE ON THE SITE: SECOND LIFE
'Second Life' is a remarkable phenomenon - an 'Alice Through the Looking Glass' virtual reality world within the already virtual world of cyberspace. A 'Truman Show' construct of lush colors. Can we use it to share faith? Why not try? You just need to download some software, and you can visit this new cyberland. Then share your experiences with us.Read more.
E-BOOK ON WEB EVANGELISM
'Internet Evangelism in the 21st Century' was a conference held at Liberty University in 2005. All the sessions are online as videos, and now also available in book form. The free 6Mb download is in PDF format. We commend this valuable resource to you.SEPTEMBER CONFERENCE IN GRAND RAPIDS USA 19-22 SEPT
If you are going, be sure to meet and consult with a variety of web evangelism practitioners.MORE WEB EVANGELISM NEWS
Access these latest issues for more news, ideas and comment:~ AUGUST Web Evangelism Bulletin ~
Mobile phone evangelism - the major new opportunity.
Japan's desperate need - much more web evangelism needed.
Second Life - you can do evangelism there.
New free e-book - based on the 'Internet Evangelism in the 21st Century' conference.
Need for children's ministry - two free videos.
Tips - mainly for techies.
Conference - closing date 1 September.
World we live in - ideas.
Church site design - doing it well.
Looking for more - creating a sense of longing.
Communicating well - why its important.
Squidoo - build a 'lens' on a topic.
Read it
~ AUGUST IEC Newsletter ~
IEC Conference information
Second Life
Greg Laurie crusade online
TV or Internet - which youth would rather be without?
Pew Internet Report - China
Online video usage
Read it
#26 July 07
NEW PAGES ON THE SITE
There are 2 billion mobile phone users. 80% of the world's population is in a mobile reception area. So - how can we use mobile devices for outreach?Japan is a country with enormous potential for online outreach. But few of these opportunities are being used.
SEPTEMBER INTERNET MINISTRY CONFERENCE, GRAND RAPIDS USA 19-22 SEPT
Reminder - deadline for booking is 1 September. Read moreMORE WEB EVANGELISM NEWS
Access these latest issues for more news and comment:
~ JULY Web Evangelism Bulletin ~
Video clips - using them in a bridge site.
Atheists - actively evangelizing.
Helping men find purity - two sites combine.
Want to blog? - opportunity to help.
Book review - Millennium Matrix.
Elvis anniversary - now is the time to use next month anniversary.
Always beta - never stop developing your site.
Communicating well - key issues.
World we live in - news and ideas.
September conference - Grand Rapids web ministry opportunity.
Tips - mainly for techies.
Internet opportunity - internships available.
Read it
~ JULY IEC Newsletter ~
Prayer devotionals
Understanding networking sites
MyChurch.org
The growth in online video
Pew Internet Report
Internet and Culture News & Information
Read it
#25 June 07
INTERNET EVANGELISM DAY - WHAT PEOPLE DID THAT DAY
See our report in IEC's May newsletter, which also covers the Second Life phenonemon,and how TruthMedia is helping people through the Virginia Tech tragedy.SEPTEMBER CONFERENCE IN GRAND RAPIDS USA
The annual web ministry conference is this year 19-22 Sept in Grand Rapids. Great line-up of speakers. Early bird registration up to 15 July.MORE WEB EVANGELISM NEWS
Access these latest issues for more news and comment:- MAY Web Evangelism Bulletin
Look back at IE Day - what did you do?
Grieving for Virginia online - how the Web has changed the process.
Teens sharing faith - they are doing it online.
Community portals - system on display in UK.
Competition - another chance to win a book.
Book views: Exiles - Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture, by Michael Frost.
Ebay atheist - try to sell his soul.
Good communication - important factors.
Article submission - build visits to your site.
Video clip outreach - article and site to submit to.
World we live in - latest developments.
Popular culture - a way in for the Gospel.
Conferences - coming up soon.
Jobs - vacancies for web-related gifts.
E-vangelism signoff - Careaga moves on.
View newsletter. - JUNE Web Evangelism Bulletin
New outreach site for immigrants - how it started.
Shark jumping - an interesting concept.
That Frodo Skywalker... the universal story.
September conference - web evangelism conference.
Church ministry - useful resources.
Message articles - stuff for you to use.
World we live in - latest developments.
Kids idea - make your own comic.
Popular culture - thoughts.
Video outreach - a vital medium.
Communicating well - ideas to think about.
Tips - mainly for techies.
Vacancy - web evangelism opportunity.
View newsletter. - JUNE IEC Newsletter
Mobile, glocal and evangelism - the mobile revolution
AG opens two new websites
Internet and Culture News & Information
View newsletter.#24 May 07
YOUR EXPERIENCES NEEDED
Did you mark Internet Evangelism Day in some way, in your church or group? We'd love to hear. Even if you only placed a paragraph in your church announcement sheet, did that create any feedback? Or did you do a short announcement? Or a longer program? What form did it take? What did people say about it?And are there ways we could better serve you?
ONLINE COVERAGE OF IE DAY
Here's how several publications picked up the story in the week before IE Day: To see just how many people blogged about IE Day, visit Technorati and search for "internet evangelism day" within quote marks. You'll find well over 100 blogs which cover this year's IE Day and the IE Day church site self-assessment tool. (Seems to be more than Google blogsearch picks up.) If you search instead for our root URL ied.gospelcom.net you will find even more references - some 545!Our grateful thanks go to all these, and to the many other newsletters, websites, bloggers, churches and individuals, who helped to share Internet Evangelism Day around the world.
"We pray that these collaborations for Jesus and His kingdom will result in angels rejoicing!" says Rusty Wright, a member of the IE Day co-ordinating team.
#23 April 07
INTERNET EVANGELISM DAY IS HERE ON SUNDAY
If you are planning a specific web evangelism focus on Sunday, do please send us a report next week on what you did, and how people responded to it.If you have not planned anything specific for your church, please consider at least a short paragraph in your printed announcment sheet, or a short spot during the service announcements. We also offer a 1-minute MP3 introduction that can be played through your church PA system.
MORE WEB EVANGELISM NEWS
Access the latest issues for news and comment...
WEB EVANGELISM BULLETIN April issue includes:
Virginia tragedy support - websites and literature avaiable.
IE Day is here - how to use it.
Get award-winning book - just add content.
Speakers available - on web evangelism topics.
Children's outreach site - a growing resource.
Tips - mainly for techies.
Web usability - what to avoid.
Communicating well - ideas and help.
Japan - missed opportunity for outreach.
Popular culture - how to relate to it.
World we live in - developments.
Wikipedia - a unique resource.
Plus our usual Tailend funnies.
IEC NEWSLETTER April issue includes:
Virginia Tech.
IE Day.
Church of St Pixels.
Mom passionate about e-vangelism.
Bible Road.
Tentmakers online.
Culture news and information.
#22 March 07
A MONTH TO GO
With Internet Evangelism Day just a month away, there is still time to plan a program for your church, or tell your members using an article in your church newsletter.Please can you help to make it known in other ways, such as using our news releases or linking to the site.
MORE WEB EVANGELISM NEWS
Access the latest issues for news and comment...WEB EVANGELISM BULLETIN March issue includes:
- Easter meaning - sharing the story with www.PassionofChrist.com
- Second Life - living in a parallel internet world. Have you a story to tell?
- Sci-fi - writing fiction with a spiritual meaning.
- Internet Evangelism Day - using it in your church.
- Community sites - and using blogs for your area.
- Tool for your site - the church site assessment questionnaire.
- American Idol competition - Christians are in the front-runners.
- World we live in - world internet stats
- Tips - mainly for techies.
- If only - an idea for web evangelism.
- More on IE Day
- The potential for volunteering in evangelism ministries around the world, through ChristianVolunteering.org
- E-Life Kids launched: a new program designed to help kids lead their friends and classmates to Christ and mentor them as well.
- Sharing Christ through text messaging.
- ChurchCommunicationsPro.com: 20 Free Web Tools and How Churches Can Use Them; Evangelizing teens with MySpace
#21 February 07
WEB EVANGELISM SURVEY
The Internet Evangelism Coalition has produced a new survey for church and para-church ministries. For the first time, Christian organizations can come together to report and track the effects and results of internet evangelism.If you are involved in any sort of online outreach, please can you take the time to complete the survey. It will take about 20 minutes, and the closing date is 28 Feb. Information given is confidential.
CHURCH SITE ASSESSMENT TOOL
IE Day's new church website assessment tool is proving popular, and can now be inserted into any other website. All you need to do is copy/paste some lines of code into your own page. How it will look on your site. http://ied.gospelcom.net/churchdesign-example.php Get the the code.APRIL'S ON THE WAY
If you are considering an Internet Evangelism Day focus in your church or group, on or near 29 April, now is probably the time to start planning it.Please can you also help to make IE Day known, using our news release (which also features the Church Site Assessment Tool):
SPORTS OUTREACH SITE
Athletes in Action have produced an outreach site based on American football, to link in with the recent Super Bowl.MORE WEB EVANGELISM NEWS
Access the latest issues for news and comment:
• Web Evangelism Bulletin
• IEC Newsletter#20 December 06
CHURCH WEBSITE SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL
We have just released a new page to help a church do an assessment of their website, using a point scoring system.Its particular emphasis is to look at ways of making sites more user-friendly to outsiders. But we do not want any church to discouraged by the results. It is just a 'broad-brush' tool to help you think through important issues that can help your church website develop and be fruitful.
The page is still being refined, and your feedback and ideas are very welcome. Please make it widely known.
OTHER NEWSWeb Evangelism Bulletin and IEC News.
#19 October 06
VIDEO CLIPS FOR OUTREACH
The enormous growth of video clip networking sites such as YouTube reflects the huge interest in the video short. An amazing 35,000 new clips are uploaded to YouTube each day, mostly by amateur video makers, and 35 million are viewed daily online.There is huge potential for Christians to make and post online short videos, in an accessible non-preachy style suitable for non-Christians.
Podcasting also has potential.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
A topic which has been raising considerable discussion is how to relate to the new phenomenon of social networking sites such as MySpace. This is another opportunity for meeting people and appropriately sharing faith.WATCH CONFERENCE CLIPS
You can watch video of the different sessions at the IEC Chicago conference last month.WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT DOING CHRISTIAN MINISTRY IN A PAGAN ENVIRONMENT
Donald Miller has written a set of 13 observations about effective evangelism which are challenging, biblical and significant. They apply just as much to web evangelism as to face-to-face ministry. You may not agree with the strength of every point - for instance perhaps the use of 'few people' instead of 'nobody' would allow for some exceptions! But they make a useful starting point for a ministry team discussion, whatever your own conclusions.LATEST NEWS AND IDEAS ON WEB EVANGELISM
- from Web Evangelism Bulletin
- from IEC News
- from web-evangelism-related blogs
INTERNET EVANGELISM DAY APRIL 2007
Although the IE Day site is intended to be an all-year resource to equip Christians for online outreach, it also encourages churches and other groups to hold a web awareness day in the spring. The date for 2007 is set at 29 April.If you are considering holding an IE Day in your church or group, now is the time to start planning for it.
And please can you help make it known in different ways?
#18 September 06
CHICAGO CONFERENCE
If you are still wondering whether to attend the September Chicago Internet Evangelism Conference, the booking date is extended till 8 September.SOCIAL BOOKMARKING
One way that you can help to make Christian websites known is through the 'social bookmarking' systems such as del.icio.us: more.YOUTH BELIEFS
Studies in Australia and UK have very similar conclusions a majority of young people have no religious belief at all, and that a loss of interest in Christianity has not been replaced with alternative spiritualities. This obviously impacts how we present the Gospel to young people.REMEMBERING 9/11
"NO LONG-LASTING SPIRITUAL IMPACT IN USA" - says latest Barna report.But it remains a connection point to many, especially at this time of year. Here's an article available for syndication (in print or online) by web evangelist Rusty Wright.
WEB EVANGELISM TRAINING
Next unit of the cybermissions online course, Practice of Cybermissions, starts 18 September.CHURCH WEBSITES
"Church Web Evangelism - An Opportunity Lost?" asks Gary Snow in this article.Have you got a good story of how your church site has impacted non-Christians? Please tell us.
LATEST NEWS AND IDEAS
- from Web Evangelism Bulletin
- from IEC News
- from web-evangelism-related blogs
#17 July 06
INTERNET EVANGELISM TRAINING
It's not quite too late to sign up for the first 2006 module of the web-evangelism distance learning course from Cybermissions, which started this week. And there are two further modules in September: http://www.cybermissions.org/trainingAnd the IEC annual 2-day conference is set for September 20-21 in Chicago:
PARTNER SCHEME FOR IE DAY SITE
Christian organizations can partner with Internet Evangelism Day, and have their name and URL on the website, permanently visible to site visitors who have followed their partner link:REPORT ON INTERNET EVANGELISM DAY
Brief report of how the site has developed in the last year, and how IE Day 2006 was used around the world.Of course, you can use the IE Day materials to create a seminar or awareness slot any time during the year.
ASK THE PLANET - VIA YAHOO
The new Yahoo Answers site has characteristics of both chat rooms and bulletin boards. It allows anyone to post a question about anything, so that others can answer it. It is very easy to use - you just need a Yahoo ID and then sign up for the Answers system. There are many questions in the religious section which give you the opportunity to provide a sensitive, relevant, biblical answer. But you will also see questions in many other subject areas which allow you to sensitively share a Christian worldview in a non-preachy way.For instance, there are frequent questions about movies which enable us to draw out Christian parallels, in the way that HollywoodJesus.com and MovieGlimpse.com do. And personal needs and worries are often posted in various subject areas. Answers posted at Yahoo Answers do not necessarily develop into discussion and feedback - though this is possible and those who posted the question can contact you privately. Because of the popularity of the site, your answers are likely to be viewed by large numbers of people.
You might wish to make Yahoo Answers your browser homepage (or desktop shortcut) - then you can skim through current questions any time you have a few spare minutes.
PLANNING A WEBSITE
Before you begin to plan a website of any sort, be it outreach, ministry, or secular, there are some crucial questions you must ask. Use our printable worksheet to help you.COMMUNICATING WELL
Wondered into someone's heart lately?
"Many evangelistic efforts often close hearts rather than open them. How can you lovingly help someone wonder her way to Christ?" says Doug PollockInformality attracts people?
"What do you think of these pages from the website of University Christian Fellowship in Syracuse, New York?" asks Frank Johnson in his Strategic Digital Outreach blog.CHURCH SIGNBOARD GENERATOR
On this entertaining site, you can create your own church signs with any text on them! Then you can save the file to your desktop and use it in a sermon or email it to a friend.LATEST WEB EVANGELISM NEWS
View the latest issues of Web Evangelism Bulletin.Latest issues of IEC Newsletter: the July issue includes Mark Stephenson's explanation of the free resources available for church websites at Web Empowered Church.
LATEST WEB EVANGELISM NEWSLETTERS
If you are not already subscribed to the WEB EVANGELISM BULLETIN, read the latest issue here.And the latest Internet Evangelism Coalition newsletter is online here.
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