Churches Plan to Hold Worldwide Internet Focus Day on 7 May

"I encourage 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," says Pastor Ted Haggard of National Association of Evangelicals.

Other Christian leaders are also asking churches to learn more about the potential of the Web to communicate the Gospel. Building on the success of the first web awareness day held last year, a second annual Internet Evangelism Day is set for 7 May 2006.

It was initiated by the Internet Evangelism Coalition, an umbrella group of major organizations involved in web ministry.

The IE Day website contains many resources to help Christians understand and use the Internet to touch the world. It explains how to build a church website that can reach out into the community, or start an evangelistic blog. There is even a free evangelistic screensaver to download.

The site also offers downloadable resources so that any church or Christian group can easily create a web awareness focus within their services or other meetings, on 7 May (or at any time they choose). These include a PowerPoint presentation, video clips, music, drama skits, posters, handouts and many other ideas.

Churches who used these materials last year were excited. "People were challenged and inspired! As a result, we will review our church website, add evangelistic signature blocks to emails, and learn how to use Bulletin Boards and Chat Rooms for evangelism," said one church.

One surprising aspect that the IE Day team emphasize: web evangelism is for anyone, not just the technically gifted. "There are many ways to share your faith online, without any technical background at all," says IE Day Coordinator Tony Whittaker.

The Internet Evangelism Day website is at www.InternetEvangelismDay.com.