Ideas for Ministry on the Net

1. Just like any other web page, an introductory page presenting yourself, your family, work, hobbies, your pet, yout car, topics of special interest to you, in short: whatever you choose. You do not need to address religious issues ar all on the start page. However, such a page (or pages) only opens the door for friendship and should offer links to other pages with more about your life and faith.
2. A general interest page without any explicit "gospel message," one that challeges people to consider their view and prepares them to read the entire document with an open mind.
3. A page presenting a Christian perspective on popular issues of general interest, challenging people to consider their own view and attitude.
4. A page with one or more testimonies of how people encountered God.
5. An apolegetic page to answer questions about the Christian faith and/or Christian life and ethics.
6. An "easy to understand" page explaining the gospel in simple, relevant terms.
7. A page with a novel, fiction story, a fairy tale, etc., introducing or alluding to basic stories from the gospel.
8. An evangelistic Bible Study.
9. A Bible quiz, or questions related to Christian issues, etc.
10. A questionaire on topics of general interest, science, life, ethics, etc., with an automatic opportunity to read your view after filling out the form.
    

Remember; you have less than 60 seconds to catch the visitor's interest. If he or she becomes curious enough to click on, you nees to stimulate that curiosity by keeping your pages short and easy to read. And always, give the visitor an opportunity to interact with you in each page via e-mail, signing a guest book, filling in a questionaire, etc.

A FEW MORE SUGGESTUIONS

1. In general, aim for dialogue.

2. Be personal.

3. Answer journalist questions: who? what? where? and why?

4. Register your web site with search engines.

5. Mention your web site to friends and groups

6. Watch your language. Keep it simple.

7. Avoid slang and idioms.

8. If possible make the page available in other languages.

9. Avoid sounding "preachy".

10. Have someone proof-read the text.

11. Use funny illustrations or cartoons.

12. Don't be afraid of open space.

13. Let visitirs decide if they want to listen to music on your page.
    
    (This material comes from "Communicating Christ in Cyberspace" by Arne H. Fjeldstad from the July/August edition of "Worship Leader Magazine" published by CCM Communications, Nashville, TN.)