April 27 has been designated Internet Evangelism Day. Churches can download free materials from the Internet Evangelism Day website, enabling them to create a short presentation within their activities on that day. A PowerPoint, video clips, drama scripts, music and handouts can be used to create a customized program lasting from one minute to 50 minutes. That information is available at www.internetevangelismday.com .
The emphasis of the day is that Web evangelism is for everyone, not just the "technically gifted," organizers said.
"There are many ways to share your faith online, without any technical background at all," said IE Day Coordinator Tony Whittaker.
Christian leaders are also enthusiastic: "I am glad to commend Internet Evangelism Day," said Dr. John Stott.
Churches can start planning their focus day now. More information: InternetEvangelismDay.com
Internet Evangelism Day is also a year-round resource about online outreach. It explains many ways that Christians can share the good news, including through church websites. Churches often find it difficult to create a site that will engage with outsiders in their area.
"How can our church website help us reach out into our community?"
A new online tool has been released by IE Day, which provides churches with a free 15-page evaluation report. Users assess their own website by answering 55 simple questions in the tool questionnaire. Their customized report is immediately displayed online, ready to print or save. Its recommendations are tailored with specific practical suggestions, based on the questions that were ticked. View the evaluation tool here: InternetEvangelismDay.com/design
A church site which has been prioritized for non- Christian visitors can be remarkably effective in reaching the community. "Week in, week out, more visitors turn up at our church on a Sunday because of the website, than anything else," writes one growing church in London UK.
The tool also provides the parable 'A Tale of Two Golf Clubs' (which is available to republish) to illustrate the principles of effective church websites: www.InternetEvangelismday.com/golf
"This checklist is an invaluable tool to identify critical areas for improvement. Every church should study this regularly and act on it," said Gary McClure, LifeWay Ministries.
