Internet Evangelism Coalition
E-Newsletter
Issue No. 2 * September 9, 2002
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Meeting
There’s still time to be a part of the 2002 Internet
Evangelism
Coalition Annual Meeting!
The Annual Meeting gives you the
opportunity to network with other Christians who are
passionate
about using the Internet for evangelism. You’ll come away
energized and equipped to meet ministry challenges ahead.
- IEC Annual Meeting
- September 17 & 18
- Sheraton Gateway Suites in
Chicago
For more information, go to www.webevangelism.org or
email iec@wheaton.edu.
The Annual Meeting begins with a reception and dinner on the
17th. Dr.
Quentin Schultze, Professor of Communication Arts &
Sciences at Calvin College, will be the speaker. On the 18th,
presentations by the American Tract Society and Evangelische
Omroep (OE) will demonstrate new online evangelism
strategies.
Here’s an
overview of what you’ll hear from OE:
“The
Evangelical Broadcasting Organization is a major Dutch
broadcaster
and magazine publisher with a very active Internet
ministry. Over the past two years they have been
working with
the Dutch
Alpha Course testing an online version of the popular
Alpha
evangelism course.
Richard Post will give an overview of the Internet course,
called
Why Jesus?, a four week, seven-session program that provides
a practical introduction to the Christian faith. This ‘Pre-Alpha’
online experience is a safe, non-threatening way for seekers
to
explore questions about Christianity without having to
attend
church. Those who
are interested are then encouraged to get
together in real life.
The online course provides a bridge
between real life (the church) and virtual reality
(people
searching online for answers).”
For more information about the IEC Annual Meeting, please go
to www.webevangelism.org
or email iec@wheaton.edu.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Internet Evangelism Training
Training for Evangelism on the Internet will soon be made
available! The
curriculum is designed to be used online to help
people effectively share Jesus with other people who are
online.
The self-taught training includes evangelism through email,
chat
rooms, discussion boards, Instant Messaging and web
pages. A
self-graded review is available at the end of each session.
Curriculum developer, Dr. C. Thomas Wright (Southern Baptist
Convention, NAMB), says he believes three assumptions can be
made about people encountered on the Internet:
1. Many people are not and never have been involved in an
evangelical church.
2. They are from every language and culture group and are
engaged in diverse lifestyles.
3. There are some who were raised in an evangelical church
who
are now looking online for assurance and information.
Dr. Wright says the curriculum is divided into three
categories:
- Preparation for Online Evangelism;
- Presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Online
Context; and
- Effective Follow-up for New Online Converts.
The intent is for graduates from the course to be biblical,
compassionate, contextual and intentional evangelists. For more
information, please email iec@wheaton.edu. You’ll also hear more
about the Online Training during the IEC 2002 Annual
Meeting.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Strategic Consultation
One of the goals of the Internet Evangelism Coalition is to
see
that the necessary "foundational thinking" takes
place to
properly under gird and guide the fast-changing world of
ministry (especially evangelism) using the Internet and
other
emerging technologies.
One of the strategies to see that happen
is to convene "Strategic Consultation Groups" that
can work
through specific areas or issues. These groups can either meet
face-to-face or virtually (or a combination of the two).
The first two areas that have been identified for these
"Strategic
Consultation Groups" are the areas of “International/Global
Issues Related to Internet Evangelism” and “The Relationship
Between Internet Evangelism and the Local Church.” Robby
Richardson (Gospel Communications) and Keith Stonehocker
(Christianity Today) are working with the International area
and
have begun to identify key potential participants for an
initial
group, coming together possibly in Europe in the spring of
2003.
Please email iec@wheaton.edu,
for more information. You’ll also
hear more about the Consultations
during the IEC 2002 Annual
Meeting.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Helpful Links and Notices
- September 11th Remembrance Services –
www.911remembrance.com.
Tens of thousands of churches will host
Remembrance Services on or near 9/11/02, to remember those
who
died as a result of the terrorist attacks on America one
year ago and
to hold out the Hope of Jesus Christ to those who live. This web
site offers free downloadable resources, a list of local
churches
holding services (sorted by Zip Code) and evangelistic
content
such as “Life Stories” and “Answering the Big Questions of
Life.”
- The American Tract Society has developed a ‘Rescue Kit”
for
Halloween – everything you need to reach children in your
neighborhood with the story of Salvation. Dan Southern,
president of ATS says “Halloween night is the greatest
opportunity we have all year to share the gospel with
children.
When else do we have contact with so many children, and
right
at our front door?”
To find out about the kit and other
resources they have available, go to
www.atstracts.org/halloween/index.html.
- Looking for creative ways to use holidays for
evangelism? Go
to Peggie’s Place!
www.peggiesplace.com/celebrate.htm
for
more information and links to other holiday web sites.
- Who is He? is the title of the new 3-inch mini CD produced
by
Campus Crusade. The
CD contains the “Who is Jesus” gospel
presentation in 20 languages as well as a flash presentation
of
“Knowing God Personally” and “Jesus and the
Intellectual.” For
more information go to www.whoisjesus-really.com
or call 407.854.1361.
- Z-Jam, www.zjam.com is
a site designed for Christian young
people and for teenagers who are looking for “spiritual
food.”
Along with a Gospel presentation, content includes
evangelistic
resources, a “how to witness” section, a focus on issues of
interest to young people, a discussion board and links to
other
interesting sites.
Young people can also sign up for a newsletter
and e-mail Bible Studies.
- Wonder who really is online? At any one time, a large
proportion of web users are very new. Learn what they do and
don't do online through this extensive Pew Internet study:
www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=22 (From the Web
Evangelism Bulletin (WEB), www.web-evangelism.com, edited by
Tony Whittaker.)
- How does the Internet impact people? Andrew Careaga's
EMINISTRY (e-newsletter) looks at the impact of the Internet
on
the Net Generation from a Christian viewpoint. Send a blank
email
to: eministry-subscribe@eministryonline.com. (From the Web
Evangelism Bulletin (WEB), www.web-evangelism.com, edited by
Tony Whittaker.)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Contacting the Coalition
Newsletter
Questions and comments regarding the Internet Evangelism
Coalition Newsletter are welcome. Email iec@wheaton.edu.
If you have been forwarded this e-mail and wish to subscribe
to
it, send an email to iec@wheaton.edu
with “Newsletter
Subscribe” in the subject heading.
If you think you have received this e-mail in error or wish
to
be taken off the distribution list, please send an email to
iec@wheaton.edu
with “Unsubscribe” in the subject heading.