Cybermissions – Opportunity Now!

1. Cybermissions – Opportunity Now! Keynote Session 1 – ICCM 2007 John Edmiston

2. Using Means…. • William Carey, often called “the father of the modern missionary movement” wrote a famous pamphlet calling of people to “use means” to fulfill the Great Commission. • The Internet is a low-cost communications medium that can be used by mission agencies to communicate Christ to multiple cultures. • It is a means of front-line evangelistic ministry to the nations.

3. The Internet & The Great Commission • Jesus told us to go into all the world and make disciples • The Internet allows us to do part of that task (mainly the proclamation and teaching part) at very low cost • However first we need to understand how it works as an evangelistic tool

4. The Word of God In Cyberspace • The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:17) • The encounter with the word of God is what brings faith to birth in the heart. • God’s Word can be proclaimed on the Internet and people can be saved – even while we are asleep! • Personal presence is not required, the word of God and the Spirit of God are the only things that are absolutely necessary

5. Seekers In Cyberspace • People often get to web sites via search engines • They engage in information-seeking behavior • This means that the people who arrive at your website are in a sense pre-selected to be interested in your content • This is ideal for evangelism – you are only sharing with those who think that they want to hear

6. Decisions In Cyberspace • Decisions in cyberspace are ‘just as real’ as decisions in the ‘real world’ • When a person prays to receive Christ online that is just as real as the same decision being made elsewhere • The response rate of people browsing evangelistic websites is about the same as at a Billy Graham Crusade (2% )

7. The Internet Is The Fishing Net! • The Internet is a very powerful and under-utilized tool for evangelism • It can reach places that are difficult for missionaries to access by ordinary means • It is low-cost & does not require a visa! • It allows both one to one and one to many modes and a high-level of interactivity with enquirers • God has raised up the Internet so we can complete the Great Commission in these Last Days!

8. Emerging Opportunities • Cyberchurches • Internet evangelism • Chat room evangelism • Email evangelism • MySpace, Facebook, YouTube • Second Life, MUDs, MOOs • Mobile evangelism – cellphones, PDAs, Blackberrys, 3G devices • Christian online and video gaming • Podcasting and video-casting • Internet cafes – bridging the digital divide • Ebooks, online training, downloadable materials

9. Push, Pull and Viral • The Internet is NOT a broadcast medium • It does not PUSH content to users • The content remains on the server and the users come to the content • Thus the web is a PULL medium not a push medium • It is more like an art gallery than a newspaper • (The exceptions to this are email and RSS) • Viral – is when people discover a website, video clip or podcast then share it with others. • Viral mixes BOTH push and pull aspects

10. Search • PULL technologies rely on some outside referrer (reviews, word of mouth, advertising, links, search engines) to get eyeballs • Search engines send visitors to your website . It is the main way most people will get there • Search engine friendly websites are a must • Use HTML not Flash or PDF • Do not put text on images • Use head tags, keywords, and have great content • Have a good XML sitemap

11. Content Is King • Google does not rate your website on how cute your images are • Google rates on great unique content • No visitor has seen your images when they click on the link to bring them there • Some of the most visited websites are low-graphics (e.g. Craigslist, Google, Wikipedia) • Being “cool” (e.g. an all-Flash website) can kill your website and send it to the bottom of Google rankings

12. A Service, A Community Or An Opportunity • Of the top 500 websites in the Alexa ranking most provide either a service, a community or an opportunity • http://www.rapidshare.com/ (No. 19) provides a way of sharing files for free with one click • http://www.yahoo.com/ (No 1.) provides email and search services • MySpace, Orkut, Hi5 and Facebook (Nos 6,8,15, 18) etc provide community • YouTube (No. 4) provides an opportunity (to be seen) – broadcast yourself !

13. Ease Of Use • None of the top websites are graphically complex or require plug-ins • Amazon wins with ‘1-click’ shopping • Google wins with ‘1-click’search • RapidShare wins with ‘1-click’ file uploading

14. Users Have Feelings… • If the user is made to feel dumb they just go away • If their problems are ignored they will resent you • But if people feel they are helped quickly they will become loyal • If the user feels empowered they build enthusiasm • If a user feels ‘’hey I am cool I can do this’ they build pride and tell others

15. Specialization • People tend to search for specialized information online • Have one main highly specialized function • A website on “God” will get lost in Google and get few hits • A website on ‘a Christian view of cloning’ will be one of the few on that topic and get many hits • General grocery sites were a huge failure • Vintage wine sites, rare book sites, rare car sites etc. are a huge success • The PHP.Org website is one of the top rated!

16. Private Thinking • People do their private thinking online - thinking that they cannot do publicly without facing some disapproval • Medical information • Online Dating • Political debates • Conspiracy research • Changing religion • Sexual exploration • People thinking about Jesus will do research on Christianity online first before making a decision offline and we must provide them with good information.

17. Bridge Websites • Have a specialized secular interest that will draw in unbelievers • Then lead into the gospel – say with a testimony as the bridge • Decision page as the other end of the bridge • Christian athletes • HollywoodJesus.com – a Christian view of the movies • XXXChurch.com – a Christian take on pornography

18. The Edges Of Cyberspace • The growth of the conventional Internet is slowing as the number of users = the number of landlines • Now new users are being added at Internet cafes and on mobile devices such as PDA’s and cellphones • There is a rush to make better screens, more flexible screens and docking devices for mobile devices • With 3G cellphones becoming widespread some say that 3 billion users may be connected to the Internet by 2010 • We need to be ready to share the gospel with those currently ‘on the edges of cyberspace’.

19. Some Technical Challenges • Evangelistic Java programming of mobile devices • A mission-friendly CMS perhaps based on Joomla or Drupal • High quality production facilities for evangelistic podcasting & video-casting both to conventional Internet and to mobile devices. • A high-bandwidth secure server cluster dedicated to serving missions media – video clips, audio, ebooks etc. • Improving LTSP? – Linux Thin Server Protocol for Internet cafes and better open source computer center management software

20. Desirable Future Applications • Secure evangelistic response and follow-up systems capable of coping with non-ASCII characters and with large numbers of respondents. • Good, open-source, text to email gateway applications for crusade follow-up • A website that lets ministries create their own Christian Internet radio station • An evangelistic avatar?

21. Online – Offline Synergies • Crusade Follow-Up • Keeping in contact after short-term missions • Fan club for radio or TV broadcast • Correspondence courses by web / email • Build relationships offline put complex content online • If you cannot give an overt appeal give a website URL where they can make a decision for ChristGenrev.net

22. Challenges To ICCM • Move to the front line of mission • Realize you can be an onlineevangelist! • Think user processes – making it simple to hear and to respond to the gospel • Think multiplication – how can technology multiply proclamation and response? • Think Internet cafes and mobile devices and getting the gospel to the developing world • Think media – audio and video for oral learners / non-readers