WEB EVANGELISM BULLETIN
. . . learning from each other
W-E-B Issue 158 ~ March 08
Monthly ISSN 471-0323
News this time...
EASTER
STRATEGIC BOOK OF THE YEAR
BEST CHRISTIAN COMMUNICATION BLOGS
INTERNET MINISTRY CONFERENCE OCTOBER 08, GRAND RAPIDS
CARTOONS THAT CHALLENGE
URGENT PRAYER CALL FOR INDONESIA ON GOOD FRIDAY
GETTING EMAIL ALERTS
INTERNET EVANGELISM DAY 27 APRIL
DOWNLOADABLE EVANGELISTIC FILMS
MISSING SOMETHING IMPORTANT?
MOVIES
COMMUNICATING WELL
LEARNING DESIGN FROM OTHERS
CHURCH WEBSITES
EVANGELISM IN A POST-CHRISTIAN AGE
TIPS
IEC NEWSLETTER ONLINE
TAILEND
"When you are on the wrong train there is no point in running along the corridor in the opposite direction" - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
"Another belief of mine: that everyone else my age is an adult, whereas I am merely in
disguise"
- Margaret Atwood
EASTER
Further to last time's comment on Easter resources, there are good resources online -
for example:
http://www.newmediaministries.org/Jesus/EmptyTomb_S.html
http://www.leaderu.com/focus/easter_2008.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYdzUYyIKMM
The problem is that they don't rank high in a Google search for 'meaning of Easter' or similar.
Is there a strong case for creating an Easter portal, drawing together the best of what is available, and also designed with good search engine optimization so as to achieve high ranking?
As an aside, an Easter story going the rounds about the folded napkin of John 20:7 has
no basis in fact:
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/f/folded-napkin.htm
STRATEGIC BOOK OF THE YEAR
unChristian:
What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters
David Kinnaman, Gabe Lyons
Baker Publishing
ISBN 0801013003
Every year, there are one or two titles published which draw together truths or research which are vital for the church to understand. This is such a book. Unless we understand how outsiders perceive the Christian faith, and their reasons, we will never be able to reach them. The 'unChristian' in the title actually refers to us, not to outsiders!
Although the conclusions of the book are drawn from Barna research in USA, this is a
book with a worldwide application. Viewpoint percentages and cultures may vary in
different parts of the West, but many observations are completely valid for Europe and
elsewhere. It would have been nice, of course, if the authors could have referenced, at
least briefly, trends and research for countries outside USA!
One blogger (thinkingchristian.net) says, "My prayer would be that every church staff
in the country would use this book as the basis for extended discussions on 'what do we do
about this?!'"
http://www.internetevangelismday.com/books.php#unchristian
http://www.unchristian.com/
There is a valuable list of discussion questions not included in the book, but
available online:
http://www.unchristian.com/downloads/uc_discussion_questions.pdf
BEST CHRISTIAN COMMUNICATION BLOGS
We've gathered together some of the very best blogs about evangelism, communication,
church sites and ministry, plus some email newsletters:
http://www.internetevangelismday.com/christian-communication-blogs.php
Do you have suggestions for others to add? What are your favorites? Please write:
http://www.internetevangelismday.com/feedback
INTERNET MINISTRY CONFERENCE OCTOBER 08, GRAND RAPIDS
Bookings are open for this year's Internet Ministry Conference, with web evangelism
sessions. Information on bookings for this and other conferences, and last year's sessions
with video and audio recordings:
http://www.internetevangelismday.com/internetministryconference.php
CARTOONS THAT CHALLENGE
'The Ongoing Adventures of ASBO Jesus' is a British humor cartoon blog by Jon Birch.
(For non-Brits, an ASBO is a legal 'Anti-Social Behaviour Order' which can be issued by
courts.) And Jon is very happy for these edgy insightful cartoons to be re-used free
(although donations can be made).
http://asbojesus.wordpress.com/
David Hayward claims to be 'an artist trapped in a pastor's body', and also produces
edgy thought-provoking cartoons that speak of pain, suffering and questions, available for
re-use:
http://nakedpastor.com/
Dave Walker produces quirky thoughts on life, which again can be used subject to easy
conditions:
http://www.weblogcartoons.com/
URGENT PRAYER CALL FOR INDONESIA ON GOOD FRIDAY
Only shown in email version.
GETTING EMAIL ALERTS
You may not be aware that Google can send you email alerts on an 'as it happens', daily or weekly basis, advising you of new content online, based on any keywords you specify. You can set this for blogs, news, or general web content (also video, or groups). To force multiple keyword searches to only provide use of both words together, enclose them in double quotes.
This is an incredibly useful feature and can help you in a variety of ways:
- get latest news of any topic
- find blog postings relating to a personal interest
- find people engaged in a particular type of ministry
- learn of new Christian resources
- zillions of other things
In an evangelistic context, you can set up an alert on blog topics that are being
posted, and then respond with appropriate, sensitive comments if the blog system allows
this (almost all do.)
http://www.internetevangelismday.com/getting-alerts.php
INTERNET EVANGELISM DAY 27 APRIL
Are you planning to mark this event in your church? It can be merely an announcement in
your printed church bulletin, a one-minute verbal announcement, or an entire church
service can be built around a web evangelism focus, using our PowerPoint, video clips,
drama scripts, music and handouts. Or anything inbetween.
http://www.internetevangelismday.com/planning.php
Whatever you are planning, it is always a big encouragement to us to know of what
different churches and groups are doing. Please can you take two minutes to share your
plans with us:
http://www.internetevangelismday.com/registration.php
Would you like to add a corner banner to your website in the run-up to IE Day?
http://www.internetevangelismday.com/banner-linking.php
Or become a partner and have your URL appear on the website for your referred
visitors?
http://www.internetevangelismday.com/partners.php
DOWNLOADABLE EVANGELISTIC FILMS
Create International's website is focused on resourcing Christians around the world
with a variety of evangelistic tools. With effective cross-cultural tools in multiple
languages, this website tool box contains more than 800 external links to resources and
informative articles. They now have a searchable database of hundreds of people groups
with links to audio, video, and literature tools for evangelism and mission mobilization.
Create International has just completed a new section of freely downloadable evangelistic
films for more than 30 of the largest and least reached people groups! They are available
in both Apple and PC compatible formats which are playable on any desktop, laptop, or
portable media player.
http://www.indigitech.net/
Check also, for instance, their excellent resource links on contextualization:
http://www.web-evangelism.com/offsitelink?b08mar-context
MISSING SOMETHING IMPORTANT?
It's so easy to see only what we are looking for. Take this test with some serious
spiritual or communication parallels:
http://www.dothetest.co.uk/
MOVIES
DR SEUSS: Culture-watcher Dave Buckna's latest movie-based quiz covers, yes, the good
Dr Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! Dave's quizzes are free to syndicate in websites and print
media.
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2008/s08030097.htm
See also
http://www.creativebiblestudy.com/Dr-Seuss-books.html for Dr Seuss parallels
http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/02/28/what-an-elephant-has-to-say-about-abortion/
THE KITE RUNNER: the only Arabic-language film I have seen in a mainstream cinema! This
moving story is full of redemptive analogies just waiting to be used.
http://www.kiterunnermovie.com/
RELIGULOUS: Releasing soon - 'Religulous' - Bill Maher's satirical film, variously
called comedy and documentary, pokes fun at different religions. Google for more
information. Well, are we going to act predictably? Be uptight and offended? Mutter about
boycotts and placards? Or get prepared, well in advance of release date, to engage with
humor and humility, and take this as a great opportunity? Now's the time to be thinking
about online opportunities for this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRO-LVi1FKU
COMMUNICATING WELL
"I often went fishing up in Maine during the summer. Personally, I am very fond of
strawberries and cream, but I have found that for some strange reason, fish prefer worms.
So when I went fishing, I didn't think about what I wanted. I thought about what they
wanted. I didn't bait the hook with strawberries and cream. Rather, I dangled a worm or
grasshopper in front of the fish and said: 'Wouldn't you like to have that?' Why not use
the same common sense when fishing for people?"
- Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People
LEARNING DESIGN FROM OTHERS
Who else can we learn from, except others? Here is a remarkable range of galleries in a
range of categories: light on dark, horizontal scrolling, best blog design, best Wordpress
design, liquid CSS design, and much more:
http://www.mostinspired.com/blog/
CHURCH WEBSITES
Both Kent Schaffer and Vandelay Design have made lists of well-designed church
websites. Which ones do you think would pass an 'outsider accessibility' test:
http://www.internetevangelismday.com/church-site-design.php
Which do not even include the town and state/area names in their home-page title tags? How many have no human faces on the home-page? Are many presenting the church as being more than a set of meetings in a building? Tell us your thoughts, we will maybe include them next issue.
Here's the lists:
http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/galleries/best-church-websites/
http://churchrelevance.com/resources/top-75-church-websites/
EVANGELISM IN A POST-CHRISTIAN AGE
Writer, thinker, and bible college lecturer Mike Frost is visiting UK in October. (London, Birmingham and Southampton already arranged, other venues to be confirmed.) UK's Evangelical Alliance and Focus are hosting his visit.
Frost is the author of several books including 'Exiles: living missionally in a
post-Christian culture':
http://www.facingthechallenge.org/exiles.php
and 'The Shaping of things to Come: innovation and mission for the 21-century Church'
(with Alan Hirsch):
http://www.facingthechallenge.org/hirsch.php
and online articles such as 'Translating the Gospel':
http://www.cegm.org.au/articles/translating-the-gospel.html
which are highly relevant in understanding how to do evangelism (including online) in the world we find ourselves in.
More about this tour:
http://www.facingthechallenge.org/mikefrost.php
TIPS
- non-techies look away now
AUTOSELECT JAVASCRIPT: will highlight by one click a text area or even a div:
http://javascript.internet.com/miscellaneous/auto-select.html
USING OPEN SOURCE to fight p--n:
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9888001-7.html
IE8 is available in beta. Just when you thought it was safe to come out of the water,
along comes a browser which breaks a number of well-constructed professional sites.
http://internetexplorer8.net/
Meanwhile, eat your heart out IE: FF3 just gets better:
http://blog.pavlov.net/2008/03/11/firefox-3-memory-usage/
LOGOS - how to design them:
http://www.logodesignteam.com/about-logo-design.html
BLOGS in Google - get your blog Google-ranked:
http://www.sitepronews.com/archives/2008/mar/5.html
COMPUTER SAFTETY: ten things to do when using a public computer:
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=322
IEC NEWSLETTER ONLINE
Check the March Internet Evangelism Coalition Newsletter:
http://www.webevangelism.com/index.php?id=112
TAILEND ô¿ô
World's oldest animation? 5000-year-old earthenware bowl...
http://www.cais-soas.com/News/2008/March2008/04-03.htm
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