Internet Evangelism Day Scheduled For April 24
By Jeremy Reynalds (03/31/05)
The President of the National Association of Evangelicals in the United States has given his endorsement to Internet Evangelism Day.
In a news release from the Internet Evangelism Coalition (IEC), Rev. Ted Haggard said incredible technological breakthroughs mean that "evangelical Christians must take advantage of this information superhighway. Internet Evangelism Day will help focus our efforts on effectively using this tool. "
Haggard also encouraged "all evangelical leaders to take advantage of this initiative and explore their options for using the web to win as many as possible to Christ."
Internet Evangelism Day (IED), scheduled for April 24, is designed to help churches, ministries and individuals discover the potential of the Internet for sharing the Gospel
IED POTENTIAL
The IEC (www.webevangelism.com) is endorsing the day and many IEC Coalition members are helping facilitate the development of IED resources.
Dr. Sterling Huston, IEC Chair and Director of Special Ministries for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, said in a news release he believes the Internet "offers churches, Christian organizations and individuals an amazing and rapidly expanding opportunity to share the ‘Good News' with a world in need."
He added it's his hope that "Internet Evangelism Day will inspire more Christians to utilize the Internet to extend and enlarge their witness for Christ."
Along with a team of people from around the world, Web Evangelism Guide (www.web-evangelism.com) editor Tony Whittaker has given leadership to the development of IED, and a web site (www.InternetEvangelismDay.com) that provides resources, training information and other ideas for a successful event.
Churches and ministries planning an IED focus as part of their outreach can make use of the event web site, which includes downloadable video clips, drama sketches, a PowerPoint presentation and stories of people who have come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through online ministry.
GOALS FOR IED
Speaking in a news release, Whittaker said that goals for IED include increasing Christian understanding and awareness of the Internet as a way to share Jesus, motivating churches to create new websites, or modifying existing ones to become more user-friendly and attractive to non-Christians in their community, and encouraging ministries not currently involved in web evangelism to investigate how they might integrate Internet ministry into other outreach
activities.
IED ENDORSEMENTS
Many well-known individuals and organizations have endorsed IED.
Dr. Tetsunao Yamamori, International Director of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, said in a news release he supports IED because he believes online outreach is an innovative response for today's high-tech world. He added, "It is possible to evangelize one billion people through this medium."
Another endorsement came from Dr. D. James Kennedy, President and Founder of Evangelism Explosion International. (www.eeinternational.org). Also speaking in a news release he said that he "hope(s) every E(vangelism) E(xplosion) church would be involved in Internet Evangelism Day."
IED has also received endorsements from leaders at Christianity Today International, Campus Crusade for Christ, European Christian Mission, Operation Mobilization, Operation World, Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Evangelical Alliance U.K., American Tract Society, American Bible Society, Youth With a Mission and many others organizations.
Additional information is available at www.InternetEvangelismDay.com
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