INTERNET EVANGELISM DAY 7 MAY
If you are planning an IE Day focus for your church on 7 May, or later in the year, here are all the downloads, tips and ideas:
http://ied.gospelcom.net/planning.php
We have now added a further 5-minute video clip and testimony about Kevin and his wife Cathy (thanks to TruthMedia.com) giving a choice of three videos to download and project within an IE Day presentation (or in any other context):
http://ied.gospelcom.net/kevin.php
Please, even if you have no time for a longer presentation, at least add a short paragraph to your church announcement sheet on 7 May:
http://ied.gospelcom.net/shortannouncement.php
and consider using printed handouts too:
http://ied.gospelcom.net/internethandout.doc
http://ied.gospelcom.net/internethandoutrtf.rtf
There is a live TV interview with IE Day team member Debra Brown on 1 May (1100am US Mountain Time, 1700 GMT, 1800 UK time) which is available in Canada and northern side of USA by TV, and you can also access online anywhere in the world:
http://ied.gospelcom.net/newsletter.php#tv
And a shorter MP3 interview from HCJB Australia with Doris Beck, on web evangelism and email mentoring:
http://ied.gospelcom.net/evangelists3.php
LAUSANNE WORLD PULSE LOOKS AT WEB EVANGELISM
The April issue of this free online magazine features a wide range of significant articles on web evangelism. You can print out the whole issue in PDF format:
http://www.lausanneworldpulse.com/04-2006
COMMUNICATING WELL
PUTTING COLOR INTO LANGUAGE: One day, there was a blind man sitting on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet and a sign that read: "I am blind, please help."
A creative publicist was walking by and stopped to observe. He saw that the blind man had only a few coins in his hat. He dropped in more coins and, without asking for permission, took the sign and rewrote it.
He returned the sign to the blind man and left. That afternoon the publicist returned to the blind man and noticed that his hat was full of bills and coins.
The blind man recognized his footsteps and asked if it was he who had rewritten his sign and wanted to know what he had written on it.
The publicist responded: "Nothing that was not true. I just wrote the message a little differently." He smiled and went on his way.
The new sign read: "Today is Spring and I cannot see it."
[Source: http://www.mikeysFunnies.com ]
TRUST IS VITAL: In the secular SitePoint Tribune newsletter, a key to increasing secular sales is highlighted:
http://www.sitepoint.com/newsletter/viewissue.php?id=2&issue=340#5
Guess what it is? Trust. If the site seems trustworthy, people will be more likely to trust its information. The addition of a photo of the writer immediately boosted trust, because people can relate to the person behind the site.
This same concept is developed in 'Persuasive Technology' by Prof B J Fogg, where he analyses a number of factors that build to create 'site credibility'. In an evangelistic site, we absolutely need to create trust and credibility:
http://ied.gospelcom.net/books.php#persuasive
JOHN STOTT WRITES: "... what I believe to be one of the major tragedies in the Church today. Namely, that evangelicals are biblical, but not contemporary, while liberals are contemporary but not biblical, and almost nobody is building bridges and relating the biblical text to the modern context. In fact, authentic Christian preaching is a bridge-building operation. It is always struggling to relate God's ancient word to the ever-changing world of today. Our calling is to be faithful to the biblical text and sensitive to the modern context. We must never sacrifice either to the other.
... I have sometimes called this 'double listening'. Listening to the voice of God in Scripture, and listening to the voices of the modern world, with all their cries of anger, pain and despair."
Taken from his latest book 'Preach the Word', John Stott, Sovereign World ISBN 1852404434
DA VINCI CODE
For once, we seem quite well-prepared! There are many websites, articles and books, either written to help Christians rebut the Da Vinci fiction, or directly targeting non-Christians. Indeed, there are so many, it is hard to choose!
TruthMedia have launched a blog-style Da Vinci resource, targeting non-Christians, where people can comment and ask questions:
http://davinci.thelife.com/
Lifeway offera a sermon to equip Christians, with PowerPoint:
http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/article_main_page/0%2C1703%2CA%3D162391&M%3D200272%2C00.html
REJESUS REACHES OUT IN UK
The ReJesus inquirers site is frequently used as a follow-on link by other groups based in UK. For instance, it has been the website link given on large numbers of PASSION and NARNIA film leaflets distributed in the last two years. Being based in UK, it is also well-placed to link inquirers with individual churches. Check the many subject areas on offer, including Da Vinci, and the new BLUFFER'S GUIDE TO CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY with podcasts:
http://rejesus.co.uk/the_story/bluffers_guide/
If you are running an Internet Evangelism Day presentation in your church and looking for a UK-based ministry to focus on, consider ReJesus:
http://rejesus.co.uk/
THE WORLD WE LIVE IN
What can empty-nest baby-boomers do next? Is it time to take life easy? More hobbies and travel? Bill Dahl found God had a rather more challenging lifestyle for him and his wife:
http://theporpoisedivinglife.com/porpoise-diving-life.asp?pageID=105
ONLINE DANGERS
TechMission have developed their SafeFamilies resources which include advice for both families and pastors. This material has been presented in a day seminar by TechMission, and you can also use it to replicate such a seminar in your own church or ministry:
http://safefamilies.techmission.org/
COMPETITION FOR VIDEO ANIMATIONS
COMIX35 is THE training resource for cartoon and visual communication of the Gospel. They are offering an "Animations for Mobile Devices Competition" which is an off-shoot of their very successful International Christian Comics Competition held last year.
The competition will be open to all Christian animators worldwide. They'll compete for a prize by submitting an original animation of 60 seconds max, with original accompanying music, which contains a gentle evangelistic message (or somehow encourages the viewer to consider positively the Christian faith) in a funny,informative, entertaining, interesting, thought-provoking and/or unique way. The animation must be appealing to other members of the worldwide "mobile device culture" with a leave-behind message that makes the viewer want to pass it on:
http://comix35.gospelcom.net/
CHURCH LIFE AND OUTREACH
THE 5-SECOND GOSPEL: Church roadside board offers spiritual advice in tiny bites:
http://guide.gospelcom.net/rd?b06april-churchboard
POSTCARDS: Church marketing expert believes postcards helpful in reaching the unchurched:
http://www.pastors.com/article.asp?ArtID=9254
BOOK SUMMARIES. This free service summarizes key books with a Christian worldview. Subscribing to this service may save you time and introduce you to top thinkers in the Christian community:
http://www.christianbooksummaries.com/
UK's Information Service for World Mission - OSCAR - just got better. With a new design of website, easier navigation, and new subject areas, this is one to bookmark:
http://www.oscar.org.uk/
CHURCH MICROPORTALS FOR UK: if you are a UK church, or indeed any UK organization or individual, you can sign up for a ready-made community portal site from 2DAY. A whole range of ready-made resource links are automatically included, tied to your own geographical location. Then with content management, you can add your own materials, and optionally draw down local material from other WS sites in your area too. A unique and sophisticated system:
http://www.2day.ws/
CHURCH WEBSITE BLOG: OurChurch.com produce an informative blog of tips for church websites. It's worth subscribing to:
http://blog.ourchurch.com/
