Fifteen Years that Changed the World By Tony Whittaker Internet Evangelism
Internet Evangelism (IE) Day, Sunday May 15
"The last 15 years have changed our world for ever," claims Tony Whittaker, co-ordinator of Internet Evangelism Day. "Digital media are transforming the way we communicate, behave and even think. If Facebook was a country, it would have the fourth largest population in the world."
Internet Evangelism Day is a strategic resource to help the worldwide church understand these issues and use the Web to share the good news. It is both a year-round online guide and an annual focus day—to be held this year on Sunday 25 April.
Churches are encouraged to use Internet Evangelism Day resources to create a presentation for their members on or near that Sunday (or at any other time they choose). The IE Day site offers free downloads: PowerPoint, video clips, handouts, drama scripts, music and posters. These enable any church (or homegroup, college, or conference) to build a customized program, lasting from five minutes to fifty.
2010's focus day will be the sixth to be used by churches around the world since the initiative's launch in 2005. Over this period, digital media have developed dramatically, with the advent of YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, and the growing use of mobile phones to access online services. The outreach opportunities have multiplied too.
IE Day's website is also a one-stop resource covering many subjects, including how to build a church website that is 'outsider friendly', using Twitter in evangelism, and blogging. Perhaps surprisingly, you do not need to be technical to share your faith online. And you can volunteer to be an email mentor to inquirers with several large online outreach ministries.
Internet Evangelism Day is an initiative of the Internet Evangelism Coalition, based at the Billy Graham Center, Wheaton. It is supported by a wide range of leaders and groups. "I am glad to commend Internet Evangelism Day," says John Stott.
Guide Network
Our Guide Network partnership is an informal networking resource for everyone involved in any form of online or mobile evangelism, especially those working in non-English languages or outreach to non-Western areas. It includes several smaller networks for specific areas of outreach. The Guide Network is a partnership between IE Day, Internet Evangelism Coalition, GCIA, Lausanne, and visionSynergy: www.internetevangelismday.com/guide
Stories
One of the most effective ways to illuminate the potential of different forms of digital evangelism is to tell true stories of effective results. Please send any stories we can use in our site, newsletter or blog: www.internetevangelismday.com/tellyourstory.php
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Note also that you can syndicate numerous outreach and life-help articles and the popular Daily Encounter that are all designed to communicate effectively to both non-church and church people from the website of ACTS International at: http://www.actsweb.org/syndicate/index.php
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