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Christian failure: why Christians fail to communicate the Gospel or evangelize effectively
There are two major reasons why we so often fail to touch many non-Christians with the Gospel. Firstly, we frequently present the good news in language and from a viewpoint which does not actually engage with non-Christians and their real felt needs, or take into account the culture they live in. We can quickly forget how we used to feel and think, like someone who moves to a different country early in life, and forgets their heart language. There is therefore a huge mismatch between the actual needs of non-Christians and the production of Christian literature, webpages and other media.
http://internetevangelismday.com/losing-contact.php
Branding: using appropriate names to position Christian evangelism and outreach
What’s in a name? A lot. A single word can carry a whole lot of baggage. Even words with almost equivalent meanings carry different shades of meaning. Even such a word such as ‘postman’ in English, French, or German, projects a different image in the mind of hearers in each country. Other words carry much greater differences of image. If a health magazine article were to substitute directly-equivalent taboo slang words for body parts in place of the medical terms, many people would stop reading it. Yet the literal meaning would be identical.
http://internetevangelismday.com/name.php
Avoiding idiom, writing simply: keys to effective Christian writing and web communication
‘Idiom’ is the use of language in a way that is not literal. The English language is full of idioms. Unfortunately, they are not even universal around the English-speaking world. For people who speak English as a second language, idiom is even harder to understand.
We use idiom all the time without realizing. Here are some really obvious ones...
http://internetevangelismday.com/idiom.php
They know nothing! Assume zero knowledge when writing evangelistic material
“Most Christian literature ... begins too far along the evangelistic process; it assumes that the reader has at least some basic knowledge of Christianity and biblical concepts,” said the director of a very effective literature outreach recently.
If you grew up in a Christian environment with Sunday School or regular Bible classes, you may not realize that many people know little or nothing of the Christian faith. Even in a country such as USA with a very high level of church attendance, there are many millions of people who have never read any part of the Bible or visited a church. In other English-speaking countries including UK, church attendance is usually very low – less than 5% of the population. In most other parts of Western and Eastern Europe, India, and China, the number of Christians as a percentage of population is tiny.
http://internetevangelismday.com/zero.php
Jargon - how insider jargon Christianese words spoil Christian communication and evangelism
In most sermons for Christians, or any Christian magazine, there are usually very many jargon words and phrases. We feel comfortable with them! Using them makes us feel that we belong! In prayer too, we love to use these ‘Christianese’ words, as humorist Jim Watkins demonstrates.
http://internetevangelismday.com/jargon.php
Lack of emphasis on evangelism outreach in the church: the 99 Percent Problem
It’s almost like there's a rule: 99% to us, 1% for them. We can see it reflected in Christian bookshops, where a search of the book titles and videos will reveal that the vast majority of material is produced entirely for Christians, in terms of language, content and underlying assumptions. Just how many books and videos are truly evangelistic and accessible to unchurched people who do not know the language and the concepts?
http://internetevangelismday.com/evangelism-problems.php
Christian webmaster resources, help and tools for webmasters and web designers
There are now so many online webmaster resources, that usually the easiest way to find what you need is with a Google search. There are countless bulletin board systems, some covering general topics, others specializing in one type of coding (eg PHP) or one CMS system (eg WordPress). Look at GeeksandGod [www.geeksandgod.com] | Webmaster Talk [www.webmaster-talk.com] and many others. For equipment purchasing decisions, always check out online reviews at CNET [www.cnet.com] and elsewhere.
http://internetevangelismday.com/webmaster.php
Online community: building a sense of community and relationship into websites
A community is a group of like-minded people. You are probably part of several different communities – the town/village where you live, the place where you work or study, a group of friends with whom you play sport or other hobby activity, and your church fellowship. An understanding of community is essential for digital ministry.
http://internetevangelismday.com/build-community.php
Usability - the key to helping and keeping site visitors
It is sad but true, that very many websites fall down in the area of usability. Because the site designers knows their sites backwards, they fail to appreciate that a first-time visitor will see things very differently. It’s like visiting a new city as a tourist, rather than being a native dweller!
http://internetevangelismday.com/usability.php
Accessibility - making sites easy to read and navigate. Accessible navigation for visitors
One hundred years, even thirty years ago, public buildings and churches were built with no thought for people with any disability. Sweeping flights of steps up to an imposing main entrance, more steps inside, no amplification. A lack of easy access excluded many people. Easy accessibility to public buildings is now mandated by legislation in most countries.
“Content is what you say, design is how you say it,” says Warren, a web evangelist. Both aspects are a key to the overall accessibility of a website. There are several interlocking aspects which contribute to accessibility.
http://internetevangelismday.com/accessibility.php