Internet Evangelism Day is set for Sunday April 29 this year, with the entire month of April designated as Digital Outreach Month.
Internet Evangelism Day is an annual focus day that creates a space for churches, ministries and individual Christians to investigate the many options for sharing the good news online. With 2.3 billion people online and 4 billion mobile phone users, including increasing numbers in the Majority World, the opportunities are ever expanding!
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The Internet Evangelism Day website is also a year-round online resource guide to help Christians understand these varied opportunities. Topics covered include: how to build a church website that is ‘outsider friendly’, using Facebook and Twitter in evangelism, and the growing options for using your mobile phone.
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For many of these opportunities, you need no technical knowledge at all. And there are many opportunities to volunteer to be an email mentor to inquirers who have visited outreach sites operated by several online ministries.
Internet Evangelism Day is an initiative of the Internet Evangelism Coalition, based at the Billy Graham Center, Wheaton. It is supported by a wide range of Christian leaders and groups. “I am glad to commend Internet Evangelism Day,” said the late John Stott.
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Below is a summary of some cool online resources and ideas from the Internet Evangelism Day website:
If you are on Facebook, please share with this one-click link:
and here’s a ready-to-use tweet:
Video shorts
The emergence of the ‘three-fold cord’ of social networking allied to video shorts and mobile phones has made it remarkably easy for any Jesus-follower to build relationships and discuss truth appropriately, especially within social networking platforms. Our digital communication culture has become highly visual and dialogue-based, and the sharing of conversation-starting video shorts on Facebook and Twitter is as easy as a mouse-click, though only if we know where to find them:
Phone apps
There are now a few smartphone apps that are genuinely aimed at outsiders, that can be shared one-to-one, or in a small discussion group. UK team Damaris has just released a strategic iPhone app called Talking About Jesus (Android version coming soon.):
http://ieday.net/blog/archives/7187
A second new evangelism-related web app is called God’s GPS. Its purpose is to equip Christians to share faith appropriately and conversationally. It is not intended for non-yet-followers to download or look at:
http://ieday.net/blog/archives/7677
Curation
Pinterest.com allows anyone to create a very visual set of curated recommendations, within their own chosen areas of interest, with no tech knowledge needed.
http://ieday.net/blog/archives/6977
Books
Like last year, we’ll be offering normally pay-for evangelism/communication ebooks free on IE Day, plus the chance to win others.
Digital Outreach Month’s Recommended Book Viral: How Social Networking Is Poised to Ignite Revival
Len Sweet
Waterbrook Press
229 pages paperback
ISBN 978-0-307-45915-2
Len Sweet’s new book, Viral: How Social Networking Is Poised to Ignite Revival was published in March. It is a revealing explanation of the transformation of our culture from ‘print’ to ‘digital’, and how this changes everything in our communication and ministry. Sweet’s insights are so vital to effective digital ministry that Internet Evangelism Day has designated this book ‘Best New Title for Digital Outreach Month’.
The need for Digital Advocates
Many churches appoint a missions advocate/coordinator to resource the rest of the fellowship. Internet Evangelism Day urges churches to consider appointing a person for the role of a ‘Digital Advocate’ (by whatever name is appropriate) – someone who can help church members find and use the many digital resources that are now available.
