ANN Feature:

Silver Spring, Maryland, United States …. [Mark A. Kellner/ANN]

Reaching the so-called “iGeneration,” the postmodern and perhaps post-Christian, will require a new focus at every level, speakers at the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s first Global Internet Evangelism Forum declared. The 75 participants came from 14 nations, with one-third representing countries outside of North America.

“Even though there are some examples of the strategic use of technology with Adventism, the church as a whole does not view technology as a mission-critical strategic asset,” said Dr. Timothy Korson, director of the Software Technology Center at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee, United States. “The [Adventist] Church needs a ‘chief information officer'” to help leadership use technology as a strategic tool, he said.

“Commercial organizations have moved past the simple tactical use of technology. They now use technology to achieve strategic advantage,”

Korson noted. “Unfortunately, many Adventist organizations and leaders seem satisfied with the mere tactical use of technology.”

Other speakers noted the changing nature of culture and the need to gear outreach to a new generation of seekers, one that may not be easily challenged by a book or tract. Interfacing with Internet users in their cultural context and language was of particular interest to international participants of the event. Several speakers emphasized that it is not enough to talk to the world out of one context or culture, apart from also understanding the nature of the medium.

The Internet’s nature is at once local and global, asserted Miroslav Pujic, communication director for the church’s Trans-European region:

“Internet users have a culture, which is very much global. Building the Internet community requires a certain degree of understanding that culture. The Internet is a different setting than when you meet, physically, in one place and the local culture is very strong. It requires an understanding of the common language, such as English.

These people are much more tolerant and open; there are no borders online,” he said. “It is not just to be used as a static electronic board for the promotion of the ministry, but rather trying to build the community of seekers in cyberspace.”

“Teenagers and young adults have largely abandoned traditional media as a source of information, learning and communicating, and have instead opted for the quick, hassle-free, and-on demand medium of the Internet,” said Ray Dabrowski, communication director of the world church, in an Oct. 1 address.

Citing the works of several scholars and writers, he added, “Is our communication offer attractive? Is the delivery compelling? Are we responsive to the real questions asked, and listen enough to understand that often our answers do not hit the target? Why is it that we are being more accomplished (and satisfied with it!) at talking to ourselves and are perhaps less effective in bringing a relevant story to the society at large?”

Such questions were of interest to many of the 75 participants in the three-day event. Coming from academia, lay groups and church institutions, the forum was designed to offer both tools for enhancing and developing church Web sites as well as review previous Internet efforts. Seventh-day Adventistists were among the first Christian churches to harness the power of online networks, going back to various forums on CompuServe in the 1980s. The first Adventist Web site debuted in 1995 and, today, hundreds of church entities as well as supporting ministries look to the Internet as a means of evangelism, outreach and communication.

“The Internet has some bad stuff, but it really has some good stuff, too,” declared Dan Houghton, president of Hart Research Center and technology committee chairman for Adventist-laymens Services and Industries, or ASI, a group of lay members dedicated to sharing Christ in the marketplace.

Describing a Web site and response system capable of handling Bible students in a number of languages, Houghton said, “We have the hard part of the system done — now we need the content.”

Houghton also noted that Hart Research is taking a greater role in supporting Three Angels Global Networking, TAGnet, by bringing the Adventist-oriented non-profit Web technology group under its aegis.

(See related ANN story.)

That content is more and more available, thanks to media ministries of the church such as It Is Written (IIW) and Voice of Prophecy (VOP), as well as supporting ministries including Amazing Facts. Spokesmen for each offered reports on their online outreach efforts.

Kurt Johnson, who heads the Discover Bible Schools for the VOP as well as the world church, said the ministry’s four Web sites have received

1.5 million “hits” per month, and now support, online, 140 Bible schools in 80 languages and dialects.

This content is offered to other Adventist ministries, he added. “We will host their lessons, or they can use our template.”

According to Mark Finley, director of the world church’s Center for Global Evangelism and speaker/director of IIW, that ministry also receives a large number of Internet visitors and is adding the skill set of BibleInfo.com, a ministry operated in Spokane, Washington, United States. BibleInfo turns 10 years old in 2004 and offers material in 16 languages.

Finley said he is “dreaming of the day when we get 3 million [unique Internet] visitors a year, with 5,000 to 10,000 lay members serving as Bible instructors online.”

Amazing Facts’ technology manager Andrew Taylor said their ministry is offering online training for both the public and lay members, as well as encouraging laymen to join as online instructors.

“This is the beginning of something very special,” said Ted N.C.

Wilson, a general vice president of the world church, in reflecting on initial presentations to the session. “As we look at what the Internet can do, the Internet can bring people together not just for commercial purposes, but for evangelistic purposes. … Jesus wants to do something special through you on the Internet,” he told participants.

Wilson suggested the Internet as “a speedy medium for a speedy return” of Christ to this planet.