COMMUNICATING WELL
MODERN OUTREACH: What might have worked in times past, though perhaps not as well as we imagined, may not work so well today. Here's a page that sums up a philosophy of evangelism that is appropriate for our days - they call it 'WithReach':
http://www.breakthroughchurch.com/withreach/chart.html
UNDERSTANDING CULTURE: "Too many churches are boldly pressing forward in the third millennium with the methods and ministries that worked in 1954," write Ed Stetzer and David Putman in 'Breaking the Missional Code', a 2006 release from the B&H Publishing Group of LifeWay Christian Resources:
http://guide.gospelcom.net/offsitelink?b06nov-lifeway
C S LEWIS QUOTES: for articles, sermons, websites:
http://www.lewissociety.org/quotes.php
MAGAZINE TRAINING INTERNATIONAL will be putting their next training course onto DVD, as a resource for writing and operating Christian magazines. The writing tuition applies equally to web writing:
http://www.magazinetraining.com/
DOING IT RIGHT: Shoot-First Apologetics: What a dead bluebird taught Walter Martin about defending the faith:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/november/27.98.html
MEETFISH LAUNCHES: NEW CHRISTIAN NETWORKING SITE
We have recently covered the potential of secular networking websites for relationship building and evangelism. On the other hand, this is certainly not everyone's calling, and many people would like to be part of (or offer to their younger children) a networking culture that is not quite so, well, full of secular in-your-face youth attitude. Different Christian groups have developed other networking alternatives.
Just launched - and with the credibility of a major ministry - is MEETFISH, from ATS Tracts. Very significant is that it is not intended as a ghetto for Christians. Dave Waggoner writes,
"The idea is to offer a safer alternative to MySpace. You will be seeing major developments as the website grows. Some of the key features are:
- Simplicity - It has been designed using a module system, so users will be able to use a simple drag and drop method to show/hide features on their page.
- Moderation - Everything is passed through a moderator.
- Privacy - Each account is private by default, which means the user has to take the initiative to make their profile public.
- Accountability - There is a 'Remove Inappropriate Content' (RIC) button located next to every user-editable content area.
- Clean Ads - The ads being displayed are general web consumer ads selected by MEETfish, so there won't be any inappropriate ads.
- Inviting - The website was designed to be appealing and open to anyone.
- Speed - Since the website utilizes AJAX technology, more can be accomplished without constant page reloads.
Our target audience is anyone interested in a family-friendly online community. Our advantage is that we've developed a website that is also open to those that are either afraid of, restricted from, or offended by MySpace. We hope to see all age groups, religious beliefs, races, etc. represented in the MEETfish community. This will allow believers that take part in the community an opportunity to engage in conversation, share their faith, and hopefully see lives changed by the gospel.
In addition, we will also be allowing other ministries the opportunity to have their own community utilizing the MEETfish platform. This opens the door for any ministry to realize the benefits of online social networking. Ministries will be able to connect their people, gather vital user information, and communicate directly with their constituents. By using the MEETfish platform this can be accomplished for any ministry without the sizable investment (in both time and money) to develop an online community from scratch."
http://www.meetfish.com/
BOOK REVIEW
Inside the Organic Church
Bob Whitesel
Abingdon Press
ISBN 0-687-33116-1
Bob Whitesell is one of those very rare people - a 'church advice doctor' who has the insights and experience to understand the 'health issues' and problems facing churches in their desire to reach out into the community. His books such as 'A House Divided' (with K Hunger), 'Staying Power' and 'Growth by Accident, Death by Planning' are full of wisdom for any church leader. This latest book looks at the innovative way 12 different churches are responding to postmodernism and the need to reach out effectively to Generations X and Y (those under about 40, and 22 respectively). His insights into culture and two different streams of postmodernism are also very revealing.
http://www.c3intl.org/
INNOVATIVE POSSIBILITY FOR WEB OUTREACH
Secular writer Frank Warren says, "In November 2004, I printed 3,000 postcards inviting people to share a secret with me: something that was true, something they had never told anyone. I handed out cards at subway stations, I left them in art galleries and I slipped them between the pages of library books. Slowly, secrets found their way to my mailbox."
People were prepared to write, anonymously on a postcard, things they had maybe never told even their best friend, or maybe even really admitted to themselves:
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,17909-2436314.html
The author does in fact post new ones on his blog (content warning here).
But, I wonder, could this concept be adapted as a bridge strategy site, offering understanding to people's deepest needs and secrets. Secrets could be posted online (or just shared with the webmaster if preferred by submitter). The site could lead into answers on various life problems, with email mentoring and support.
USABILITY TESTING ON A ZERO BUDGET
Pastor Ralph Wilson's promotion website looks at the essential task of website usability testing: "These days usability labs can burn through tens of thousands of dollars in sophisticated testing equipment and consulting fees. But when we started testing usability on the Web in the late '90s, all we had was a computer and a notepad. With these simple tools, the science of modern web usability was launched." And those are still all you need:
http://www.wilsonweb.com/design/follansbee-usability-zero.htm
More links and ideas:
http://ied.gospelcom.net/usability.php
THE NATIVITY STORY RELEASES
Craig Webb of Lifeway writes, "I saw a partial preview of this feature film this past week and was amazed at the effect it had on me. I want to encourage you to visit thenativitystory.com to view movie trailers, photos, and description of this film. I believe this will have a great evangelistic impact during the Christmas season."
http://unity.lifeway.com/UM/T.asp?A1.22.8670.12.675079
HOW COMPUTERS CHANGE THE WAY WE THINK
Sherry Turkle is Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She has some profound insights into the way the digital revolution is changing us, and has written extensively:
The Second Self: Computers and the human spirit (MIT Press, 2005)
http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=10515
Life on the Screen: Identity in the age of the Internet (Touchstone, 1997):
http://web.mit.edu/sturkle/www/Life-on-the-Screen.html
Her next book, Evocative Objects: Things We Think With, will be published in April 2007. She is also completing a book on robots and the human spirit.
Her insights are also explained in a recent New Scientist article (only part of which is public):
http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/mg19125691.600
"I think they're a far better analysis than any Christians are doing at the moment on the moral and ethical effects, seen from a upright yet perhaps slightly apathetic perspective," says one Christian web expert.
IEC CONFERENCE VIDEOS
Until the end of November, video sessions of the Internet Evangelism Coalition September conference will be available . online, and also read the latest IEC newsletter:
http://community.gospelcom.net/Brix?pageID=20401
GAMES
There is also potential to go and live in the parallel web universe Second Life. As a Christian! Anyone tried doing this?
http://secondlife.com/
TAILEND ô¿ô
Fun At The Bank
The young woman who entered our bank to cash a check looked so hesitant that I went to help her. "Please sign the back of the check," I told her, "as you'd sign a letter." She looked at me gratefully, scribbled on the check and passed it to me. Signed on the back was: "Yours affectionately, Pamela."
