2008-11-09T10:28:41-05:00 GCI info@gospel.com http://www.gospel.com/feeds/topics/outreach http://ied.gospelcom.net/losing-contact.php 2008-11-09T10:28:41-05:00 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. The other is related to it: we very find it so much easier to only meet Christians socially and after conversion quickly lose meaningful relationships with non-Christians. http://ied.gospelcom.net/hobby.php 2008-11-09T10:12:20-05:00 Almost everyone has a hobby or special interest. Uniquely, the Web makes it possible for us to reach any affinity-group of people using a site that is designed to mesh with their own interests. This major strategy is hardly being used. If you have a hobby or special interest, it is certain that there are millions of people around the world who share it. You have the expertise and enthusiasm to write about it – and reach them at the same time. http://ied.gospelcom.net/parable.php 2008-11-09T10:10:11-05:00 ‘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...' Why are parables so effective? What is the role of story-telling in evangelism? http://ied.gospelcom.net/bridge-strategy.php 2008-11-09T10:02:16-05:00 Most people are not searching for Christian material, and so of course will never find it. If they do, by chance, come across an obviously Christian page on a search engine listing when looking for a secular subject, they are unlikely to click on it. If they do, they probably will not stay. The Bridge Strategy is to offer people pages about things they are searching for. http://ied.gospelcom.net/lostkey.php 2008-11-09T09:59:59-05:00 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 the key, you are powerless, stymied, stuck. http://ied.gospelcom.net/communicate.php 2008-11-09T09:57:52-05:00 There are a number of theories of communication, often quite complex to grasp. They are nevertheless helpful to us in understanding how messages are transmitted and received. Rather than being ‘psycho-babble’, they often demonstrate human truths which are also clearly given us in the Bible. Wilbur Schramm’s simple diagram of overlapping circles demonstrates visually 1 Cor 9:19-23 – seeking to identify and find areas of common ground. http://ied.gospelcom.net/relationships.php 2008-11-09T09:49:11-05:00 Web Evangelism, indeed any form of outreach, should not primarily be 'cut and run' – the hope that a quick exposure to an evangelistic page, tract, or some other message is likely to communicate effectively on its own. Fruit from web evangelism does not usually happen this way. http://ied.gospelcom.net/engel-scale.php 2008-11-09T09:47:30-05:00 The basis of the Engel Scale is the assigning of a numerical value for the degree of spiritual understanding that a person, or group, has reached. This chapter from 'Tell it Often, Tell it Well', explains the Scale in detail. http://ied.gospelcom.net/communication-channel.php 2008-11-09T09:44:33-05:00 A growing range of articles on different aspects of web, media and other forms of outreach. http://ied.gospelcom.net/church-video.php 2008-10-23T08:26:35-05:00 A short non-preachy introduction to your church fellowship is a valuable addition to a website. One church has gone further - distributing the video on free DVDs in the community.