NEW OUTREACH SITE FOR IMMIGRANTS
CCCI have launched a new site "geared to reaching the South Asian immigrants in North America with practical help toward cultural adjustment and introducing them to Christ."
Cathy Douglass writes: "This website is not static; though we are now beginning to publicize, we will continue to add content and welcome helpful suggestions and specially offers to write good content.
"I may not look like an immigrant, but I feel like one. After living abroad for 21 years, when we returned to our native US in 2002 it felt like a strange foreign country. We had lived in Kenya and interacted closely not only with Africans but also Asians (Indians and Pakistanis) living there. By culture I was more eastern than western. I struggled with feeling that Americans were unfriendly and rude. I worried about how the moral standards would affect my family. I made friends more easily with Indian immigrants than with other Caucasians. Soon I was dreaming of a website which would help South Asian immigrants adjust to life in North America. I love the idea of extending a helping hand to those who may be as confused, lonely, and uncomfortable in their new land as I was at first. Together with some great friends who also care about immigrants, we designed NayaJeevan.org.
"When I started out to make a website, I was totally naïve and knew nothing about websites. That was two years ago. If I had known then what I know now about websites, I probably would never have attempted it! But I had conviction that this was a great strategy and that Jesus was in it, so I went ahead in faith and slowly built up a great team of volunteers. Webmaster, e-mentors, writers, editors, PR advisors, financial backers, and praying friends are all making it possible. We are believing God for results!"
http://www.nayajeevan.org/
"THAT FRODO SKYWALKER... SOMEHOW IT RINGS A BELL"
A look at the concept of the archetypal universal story:
http://guide.gospelcom.net/offsitelink?b07june-archetypalstory
It is remarkable how often we can see 'echoes from eternity' in supposedly secular stories:
http://guide.gospelcom.net/resources/parallel.php
C S Lewis of course believed strongly in the power of story to tell a greater truth, and as well as explaining this in his academic writings, in 'Voyage of the Dawn Treader' he describes Lucy's reaction to the redemptive story which has faded from her mind:
"And she never could remember; and ever since that day what Lucy means by a good story is a story which reminds her of the forgotten story in the Magician's Book."
SEPTEMBER CONFERENCE GRAND RAPIDS
The Internet Evangelism Coalition and Gospelcon conferences are now fully integrated as one, rather than being back to back. I'm hoping to be there.
https://www.internetministryconference.org/
CHURCH MINISTRY
LEARN LIKE A PAINTER: "Another church's formula for success may not work for your church. Do not replicate what other churches do, but study what principles and techniques make them successful. Learn like a painter," says Kent Shaffer:
http://churchrelevance.com/?page_id=728
THE DARK SIDE OF WHITE SPACES: How digital broadcasting in US may affect wireless mikes in church:
http://tfwm.com/newsletter_6207article1
Outreach Magazine's top 20 sites for church communicators:
http://outreachmagazine.com/Library/webexclusives/JF07webexTop20WebSites1.asp
GETTING THE E-VANGELISM MESSAGE OUT
"Mission field covers world, but the work is done from home," writes the Tennessean:
http://guide.gospelcom.net/offsitelink?b07june-tennesean
Articles like this are major way to communicate the potential of online evangelism to the wider church. Please make use of our own free articles in print publications or email newsletters in any way you can:
http://ied.gospelcom.net/free-articles.php
You can also insert many of these articles directly into your own site using a javascript insert code. Our book offer for May-June now applies to any site which adds a javascript insert article, or our church website tool:
http://ied.gospelcom.net/churchdesign-syndicate.php
Just send us your postal address and the URL of the article, and one webmaster will be chosen to receive a copy of Church First by Eddie Gibbs and Ian Coffey:
http://ied.gospelcom.net/feedback.php
Internet Evangelism Day allowed many churches to focus on the potential of online outreach. Report of how different groups used it in May IEC newsletter:
http://www.webevangelism.com/index.php?id=85
THE WORLD WE LIVE IN
THE GODDESS PRINCIPLE: why is it so attractive? Understanding it, and helping those who believe it:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2007/mayjun/5.30.html
VIRGINIA TECH KILLER - was obsessed with violent video games:
http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2007/3417va_tech_videos.html
WHEN DISASTER STRIKES - a one-page online tract based on tragedy:
http://www.whendisasterstrikes.com/
WHAT GOOGLE KNOWS: The information that Google can potentially have about a person is quite mind-blowing. And one interesting thing: Google engineers are encouraged to spend 20% of their time working on personal projects. 50% of new Google projects come from that "20% time".
http://guide.gospelcom.net/offsitelink?b07june-google
HEALTHmap: Global Disease Alert Map - a real-time map of emerging infectious diseases:
http://healthmap.org/
PEW INTERNET report on spam email:
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/214/report_display.asp
SECOND LIFE: the virtual world within a virtual world. It is developing rapidly - Sweden and Lithuania now have embassies within Second Life. If you have experiences of Second life, please share them:
http://ied.gospelcom.net/feedback.php
POPULAR CULTURE
American Idol: Christian involvement. Comments Christian Post: "Even non-competitors have had a significant impact on this year's contest. "This Is My Now" was chosen as the winning song for the American Idol songwriter competition and was performed by both Sparks and fellow finalist Blake Lewis in the finale. It, too, was composed by two Christian composers: veteran Christian artist and songwriter Scott Krippayne and his pastor Jeff Peabody."
http://guide.gospelcom.net/offsitelink?b07june-christianpost
Talking of Christian music, there's a whole Hillsong album online to promote a new release. Nice. Some sounds a lot like Coldplay. But then, doesn't everything?
http://www.unitedalloftheabove.com/_ecard/ecard.php
SGT PEPPER: Can it really be 40 years ago? Culture-watcher Dave Buckna has produced a Sgt. Pepper's Bible Study:
http//www.assistnews.net/Stories/2007/s07060038.htm
A BETTER STORY-TELLER: Donald Miller helps culturally conflicted evangelicals make peace with their faith. "Your book was the only thing that got my daughter through college."
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/june/10.28.html
MOVIES: Are Christian film fans hypocritical?
http://www.christianitytoday.com/movies/commentaries/070605-readerscommentary.html
VIDEO OUTREACH
More on video clip outreach:
http://ied.gospelcom.net/video-outreach.php
WARNING: COMPUTERS CAN SERIOUS DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH
Being hunched over a laptop can cause spinal problems. The best way to use a laptop at home is with a separate keyboard and mouse, and the laptop positioned so that the screen is more or less level with your eyes:
http://guide.gospelcom.net/offsitelink?b07june-laptop
Indeed, desktop monitors should also be at eye level. Yours probably isn't? Get some old telephone directories or similar, and build it up to height now, and give your neck muscles and posture a break.
You can also easily suffer RSI by not using a keyboard correctly. If you have aches and tingles in your hands and arms, take urgent action now. Google 'avoid RSI' for many advice tips on avoiding this very serious health problem.
One major issue - many computer users have never learned to 'touch type'. They 'peck' and jab at the keyboard with their index fingers, causing multiple shock-waves up the arm. If you make no other resolution for this year, do this one: learn to touch type. With all your fingers doing the work, and all of them gently touching the keyboard at all times, you will type far more quickly with much less strain. There are many ways to teach yourself typing:
http://ied.gospelcom.net/training.php#typing
COMMUNICATING WELL
SERVANT EVANGELISM: Is servant evangelism 'real evangelism'?
http://www.christianitytoday.com/outreach/articles/servantevangelism.html
STORY-TELLING: whether true stories or fiction, concepts are always best communicated with personal stories. This is why many journalistic stories are generously illustrated with true stories and quotes from real people. And why Jesus told stories all the time. Read the '10 immutable laws of story telling':
http://pacrimmedia.wordpress.com/2007/06/08/the-10-immutable-laws-of-storytelling/
