• Evangelism
,
• Outreach
,
• Gospel
,
• Communication
,
• Biblical

Church website design help: tool to evaluate or improve church website design to reach outsiders
Your church website has enormous potential as part of your outreach strategy to reach into your community. It can be like an enticing ‘shop window’ and virtual doorway to draw people into faith and fellowship. However, many churches do not understand how to design a website that will do this effectively. This self-assessment questionnaire helps you evaluate your site, and creates a detailed free evaluation report with advice to help you consider new ideas or aspects of the site that could perhaps be modified. It will also help you in planning a new website.
http://internetevangelismday.com/church-site-design.php

Readers Digest - why does its writing style communicate so well?
The enormous popularity of Reader's Digest over 80 years suggests that they have learned something in communication techniques! The magazine therefore offers approaches that we can use in writing for the web: * It aims at the reading level of a 13-year-old, yet does not talk down to adults. * It uses many true real-life stories about people. “People are interested in people.” * These stories are told in a dramatic way, usually with a key element of the person's story as a lead-in. * Stories use plenty of quoted speech: “He said... She called back...” etc. * It addresses practical problems and worries, and offers ideas to help readers improve their quality of life. In other words, it addresses felt needs which is a key strategy in evangelism. * Humor is mixed with serious articles.
http://internetevangelismday.com/readersdigest.php

How to write your testimony: writing effective evangelistic Christian testimony life story
Testimony can be a powerful tool of Christian communication. Imaginary young woman 'Angie' has written her story in three different styles: 1. For Christians, as she might tell it in church 2. Completely rewritten for non-Christians 3. Also for non-Christians – using the style of a magazine feature Note – this is not a true story though it sums up the experience of many real people - it was written to illustrate writing techniques. Please do not quote it as fact!
http://internetevangelismday.com/angie.php

Case Study: comparison of women's webpages demonstrates effective evangelism strategies
Some Christians might look at Christian Women Today, notice the comfortable familiar Christian words on front and inner pages: ‘prayer’, ‘repentance’, ‘saved’, etc., and say, “Ah, this is an evangelistic site. This must preach the Gospel.” But no! Christian Women Today is designed for Christians. All those Christian words are ‘insider’ terms which exclude rather than enlighten. No doubt some non-Christians visit, as they will any site. In fact, Women Today Magazine is the site that has been carefully written for non-Christians. Because both sites have been produced by the same team, and have many similarities, we have a unique opportunity to understand why it is so important to target each audience in a different way.
http://internetevangelismday.com/case-study.php

Contextualization - we must contextualize to effectively communicate the Christian Gospel
Contextualization means, quite simply, communicating the gospel in understandable terms appropriate to the audience. All Christian communication should be contextualized. A Sunday School teacher using simple language and child-related illustrations, games, and activities, is contextualizing. A pastor sharing a message in a senior citizens’ home, with appropriate sermon illustrations and an understanding of the unique needs of old people, is using contextualization.
http://internetevangelismday.com/contextualization.php

Principles of evangelism: communicating the gospel to a secular postmodern culture & worldview
As secular culture has moved further and further away from Christianity, it has become increasingly necessary to change the traditional evangelistic approach in order to communicate the Gospel. On the whole, we can't earn an opportunity to be taken seriously when talking about Jesus or God until we have connected with people on issues they are already interested in. We have to earn the right to be heard.
http://internetevangelismday.com/secular.php

The Parable of Parable - why story communicates the Christian gospel effectively
Once upon a time, Truth went about the streets as naked as the day he was born. As a result, no-one would let him into their homes. Whenever people caught sight of him, they turned away and fled. One day when Truth was sadly wandering about, he came upon Parable. Now, Parable was dressed in splendid clothes of beautiful colors. And Parable, seeing Truth, said, “Tell me, neighbor, what makes you look so sad?”
http://internetevangelismday.com/parable.php

Biblical basis and justification of the Bridge Strategy in effective evangelism and outreach
Why don’t we just “give people the Gospel"? Why make a starting-point at other topics, including those relating to contemporary culture such as films? The use of the Bridge Strategy is biblical as well as practical: our example is the apostle Paul. Look at how he communicated with his Greek listeners on Mars Hill: Acts 17:16-34.
http://internetevangelismday.com/biblical-strategy.php

Short story: frequently lost or forgotten keys to evangelism
Most of us have a lost key story. In English, we sometimes use the word ‘key’ quite loosely, for instance ‘keys to improving your garden’. The implication is an optional addition to a reasonably successful effort. But with real keys, it is all or nothing. Without a key, you are powerless, stymied, stuck.
http://internetevangelismday.com/lostkey.php

Best Christian web evangelism, outreach strategy and church ministry blogs and newsletters
Here are some of the very best third-party blogs and newsletters available on these subjects. We have grouped them by their particular focus, though there is considerable overlap in subjects covered.
http://internetevangelismday.com/christian-communication-blogs.php