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Print It’s so obvious it was a cliché eight years ago—the future is the web. Everyone knows it, everyone’s on it, everyone’s familiar with its potential and downside, yet who is on it? Porn, yes. News and sports and blogs, yes. Games and dating services and on and on…yet where are the Apostolics? While some Apostolic organizations are still debating the efficacy of television (and while it will remain the dominant medium for at least another decade, its days are numbered. Exhibit No. 1: The NFL just switched its Monday night broadcasts from broadcast television to cable.), most studies continue to show internet use rising and television viewing declining, especially among Digital Natives (20somethings and younger). In a decade, this e-generation will be dictating most programming choices on all media and the direction of those choices will be set for probably another 50 years no matter how technology morphs. Now is the time to offer fresh choices before that direction is solidified. Yet, we’re almost nowhere to be seen on the web and that’s odd. I believe that Apostolics were the largest single group to adapt to e-mail when it became popular, with many having Prodigy and Compuserve accounts in the early 1990s. Once AOL hit, we were all over it, because most Pentecostals—due to Bible quizzing, Bible school, camps and conferences, missionary friends—have buddies all over the world. Then progress ended. Oh sure, churches, musicians, and Bible schools threw something up, as well as some doctrine and preaching/sermon notes sites, message boards, and at least one “we do everything” site, but after that, it became a trickle. When we ignited 90&9 on October 7, 1999, we were sure we’d have direct competition of every sort within a year or two. To my knowledge it still hasn’t occurred. This is puzzling. There has never been a better time than the last 10 years to colonize the web for Christ, to wall off a section for purity, to launch challenging content and proclaim biblical truth. Its influence on the rest of the world is vast. (See: Rather, Dan.) We asked a Big Question—“Does anyone know of any Apostolic Conferences that have discussed how to use the internet to minister?”—and for the first time in 239 Big Questions, we received no answers. (Not even from the people who always gripe that “This is the worst/most boring question ever”.) We decided to probe this vacuum and sent an eblast for volunteers to answer questions about web ministries. No takers. (Every other request for panels inundates us with volunteers.) So where are the Apostolics? Are we always behind society’s learning curve, even when the most obvious, powerful example of media ministry stands screaming in our face? Are our organizations going to be passing resolutions about the internet in 20 years because it’s so sinful, a sea of darkness without sufficient light? Are we mesmerized by our surfing choices without making the time to offer some of our own? We’ve queried a small group of experienced Christians who have been dealing with web ministries in various capacities for several years. This panel doesn’t pretend to have all the answers, but we thought we’d try to publicly wrestle with this conundrum as everyone agrees it can’t continue. You’re one of those people who can change that. This panel was conducted over April-May, 2005. -Kent d Curry
90&9: Tell us about your web ministry/technical background. Baron Carson: I am in charge of internet ministry at our church (www.bossierupc.org). I work at a software company (www.softwareservices.net) where I develop websites for government agencies and maintain our corporate site. Additionally, I develop websites for organizations and businesses as a side business (www.rbcsolutions.com). L.J. Harry: I've been involved in web design for six years, working with such entities as the Foreign Missions Division of the UPCI, Gateway College of Evangelism, and the Florida District UPCI. A more comprehensive portfolio is online at www.238media.com. Arlo Moehlenpah: My website www.doinggood.org ministers as follows: a. There are videos of me speaking on “What Parents and Students Need to Know about Creationism and Evolution” and ”Evolutionism: Seven More Things You Should Know” as well as a “Science vs. Evolution” debate against the chairman of the board of Atheists of Florida. b. There are study questions for each chapter of the Bible as well as many quizzes. c. Many articles that I have published are on this website. d. My books regarding Creation, Teacher Training and Personal Finance and my availability to conduct seminars are mentioned. If I can get people reading, the printed page will itself minister. Paul Povolni: I served as Creative Director at the Pentecostal Publishing House for nine years, where I created the first websites for the United Pentecostal Church International headquarters, as well as oversaw the creation of the most successful ecommerce site in Pentecost, as it saw a 1,200 percent increase in online sales within two years. I launched my own design firm in 2004. Dan Barkley: I really have had no technical training of any kind. What I do know, I have picked up by trial and error, books and tutorials I have read. We started the Endtime Ministries website in 1994 and have grown it from there. We have had as high as two million hits per month at the peak. Kent d Curry: I’ve been the executive editor of content for ninetyandnine.com since its inception on October 7, 1999. My technical skills are nearly non-existent, which is why we gathered skilled techies with talented content people to make this zine hum. Last month we broke 1 million hits for the first time. 90&9: What does your ministry / the ministries you work with do and how does it use the web to reach others? Baron Carson: Our web ministry consists of broadcasting our church service into the internet. The web broadcast basically performs the function of allowing people who are unable to attend church to watch the service. I do not think that it does a perfect job but it is a good start. L.J. Harry: I currently work with churches to propagate their presence on the world wide web, primarily to promote their churches to visitors and post information for current members. Paul Povolni: Most of the sites I work with or have created are nothing more then HTML brochures. They feel that a website is nothing more then the digital offspring of a tract and church bulletin. And that’s all they need. I have not had any clients that needed evangelistic sites. Dan Barkley: Endtime.com posts news articles related to the prophecies of the Bible along with articles from our magazine (Endtime), as well as tracts Bro. Irvin Baxter, Jr. has written on the various doctrinal issues. We also have an archive of past radio broadcasts in addition to live streaming of the daily broadcast. Kent d Curry: We’re a weekly web zine devoted to daily Christian living. We see this as covering just about every topic that affects anyone’s life, except doctrine. 90&9: What does the web offer ministries that other mediums do not? Baron Carson: The web allows the church to minister even when the doors are not open. No other media vehicle has the ability to allow such a vast amount of information on demand. The internet provides all of the functionality that the above mediums offer. This can all be done at a fraction of the cost compared to a long-term campaign involving other media. L.J. Harry: The web offers world-wide (hence the name) access to information at low cost. It offers classy design, often motion, and the ability to hear and see church services that would have otherwise been available at $5 per tape/CD plus $3.85 shipping and handling. Arlo Moehlenpah: People all over the world can be reached inexpensively. Paul Povolni: Interactivity. Updated regularly. Offers print, radio, TV. A voice. An international audience. Dan Barkley: Everyone is on a nearly level playing field on the web. A small ministry can do many of the same things that a large ministry can do. The only real limitation is the imagination and ability of the programmer. The ministry can have all of this for a comparatively low cost. Kent d Curry: All the obvious things—inexpensive, worldwide accessibility 24-7, cool technology, an interactive intimacy between creators and readers—but the best and worst is how anyone can link to your content, thus increasing your web presence through the charity of strangers. 90&9 has been graced with links from others on the tsunami, from bitter ex-Pentecostals, by alarmed political liberals who fear an Apostolic influence on the White House, and large evangelical parachurch organizations for our timely news. Many of these new readers stick around. To me, the best example of leveraging links to Christian advantage is Books & Culture magazine (part of the Christianity Today), which is regularly highlighted by the mega-portal Arts & Letters Daily. Books & Culture critiques literary topics, which is what Arts & Letters covers, so they’re given access to millions of secular readers who might otherwise ignore them because they’re Christian. That would be a dream link for us. I’ve also seen www.Endtime.com mentioned in the print edition of USA Today, which makes me green with godly envy. 90&9: Why are there so few Apostolic web ministries today? Baron Carson: I believe there are so few due to a lack of education. There are so many horror stories that are preached about the evil of the internet. With this kind of rhetoric blasting from many pulpits, it is no wonder that so few churches are jumping on board. Often the churches that do embrace the internet as an outlet for ministry are larger congregations that also more readily accept more contemporary forms of outreach. L.J. Harry: Perhaps because people are just content to have a church site, or do not want to be bothered with the maintenance of a parachurch site. Arlo Moehlenpah: It takes work to keep a website up to date.
Paul Povolni:
Ministry is a broad term. Not all ministry is or should be evangelistic. Also many Apostolic web ministry sites are stumbled upon. “If we build it they will come” does not work well for Apostolic websites—small market, limited exposure, and not many ways to get the word out makes it hard to know what’s out there. Word of mouth works but it’s hard to whisper in a stadium. Apostolic marketing opportunities are small and there are many people screaming for attention. You need a good product and then good marketing. Dan Barkley: I think there are more and more Apostolics beginning to use the web for outreach. I hate to say it, but we always tend to be a half-step or so behind. Possibly one reason for this is our fear of worldly influences, which is a good thing. However, it does make us a little slow to use new things. Kent d Curry: We lack ministerial entrepreneurs. Just look at how few parachurch organizations there are in the Apostolic community. Everything is either official from an organization or from a church. (And both are purposely designed to be the opposite of “nimble.”) We don’t have much in-between these polarities, unlike the evangelical community where the independent ministries (Focus on the Family, Christianity Today, Group Publishing) have quickly mastered the web. This lack of responsible parachurch or independent ministries explains why the web is largely untouched by Apostolics. We’ve become too church-based for our own good, relying on it to—yet again—be the major mover of outreach and discipleship. Individuals (alone or in small groups) should be taking on this mission. So, until they’re willing to take a chance to minister on the web, nothing will change. 90&9: Can a church host a successful web ministry or should they be happy with a ‘placeholder” site that only offers basic information? (Editor’s Note: A placeholder being a web site that largely fills a spot/place on the web, but doesn't offer any genuine reason to visit it regularly as most of the information (service times, message from pastor, youth group pictures) is static.) Baron Carson: Absolutely, A church can host a successful web ministry. I personally think that that is the only way that it can be the most effective. If a web ministry is to perform to its fullest potential then there needs to be a body to bring converts into. All too often I have seen independent people who have “church” websites. These websites are often soapboxes that are used to scream their point of view at the world. Placeholder sites have their place but they are not going to be as successful as a full-blown web ministry. I do think that even if a church is not going to embrace a web ministry that they need to at least have a placeholder site. People looking to move to or visit your city or area of the country will often look to the internet for more information. If there is no placeholder site for your church you might as well not exist at all. L.J. Harry: A church can indeed host a successful web ministry—just takes w-o-r-k and creativity. Paul Povolni: If they can afford it or have committed volunteers they can. I don’t think the most successful web ministries will come from churches though. The success of the church and its growth has always been people touching people. A cool website will not bring a church revival. Dan Barkley: If someone isn’t able or willing to provide a useful, attractive, user-friendly site that has a purpose, I really believe that they shouldn’t do either. I feel that a poorly done site is worse that no site. It leaves an unfavorable impression on visitors and doesn’t really help at all. Kent d Curry: It can, but most won’t. For most it’s just another church ministry that doesn’t seem particularly real to most pastors, who are not Digital Natives. So they’ll be placeholders. Frankly, I’m not sure what a church site’s purpose is beyond “placeholder” information. I mean, why would someone visit a site unless there was regularly updated information that mattered to them? I’ve hit my own church site about thrice in five years and it’s well done, but why would I visit it—I’m a member who can get that information at church. (And why would an outsider visit if they’re not a member?) 90&9 gets 23 percent of our regular readers from search engines, people who never knew of us but found us while researching a specific topic. What is on the average church site that will lure an outsider into it? Remember: The web is about interactivity, about purposely choosing to find something. What is there to purposely choose to find on the average church site (no matter how well done)? 90&9: What would it take for more Apostolics to catch the web ministry vision? Baron Carson: I think that for the web ministry vision to take catch on it will take some public endorsement by prominent leaders in the Apostolic movement. This would also have to accompany “praise reports” that tell of souls being saved. In the minds of many people, outreach is not consummated unless there is salvation of souls. L.J. Harry: Good question. Um...hmmm...let's see...probably a loud voice from Heaven and a descending dove. Or, the understanding of how many teens and twentysomethings primarily use the web. Paul Povolni: Someone to show them it can be done. Some trailblazers. We have many followers online and not many leaders. Dan Barkley: Testimonies of successful uses of the internet and willing techs that view this as a ministry. Kent d Curry: A burden to reach others. Just get an idea worth sharing (not a new idea, just an idea—God knows reading articles on the web is not original), and then make a plan to implement it. (Solicit knowledgeable advice if you’re not sure how.) People get confused by what you can do on the web instead of what you need to do on the web. Most sites are easier than they look if you’re willing to eschew the seduction of high-tech gizmos that aren’t necessary but techies love to include. The most visited sites on the web are the simplest. 90&9: To your mind, what percentage of current Apostolic web ministries are “by Apostolics for Apostolics” with little entry for non-Apostolics / believers? Would you define that as a successful ministry? Baron Carson: 75 percent. If the ministry cannot relate to others outside of your circle of beliefs then you have no common ground to minister on. L.J. Harry: Probably less than 10 percent are from and for Apostolics. Most of what we do as a movement is evangelistic, but keeping something for the “elder brother” is certainly needed. Paul Povolni: I don’t visit that many. From the ones I’ve seen 99.9 percent. Ministry is a broad term. Not all ministry is or should be evangelistic. Dan Barkley: This is just a guess, but I would say, 75-80 percent. We need to be less focused on ourselves and more focused on the world. In order to do this we have to listen to and have contact with sinners. Maybe a forum that was very carefully monitored would help to do this. You have to be careful of someone that might be a little over-zealous and heavy-handed. Whatever approach we use, we have to reach the needs of the sinner and bring him to the gospel. Kent d Curry: Most sites I’ve seen are “by Apostolics, for Apostolics,” which is fine as long as they’re accessible to non-Apostolics. Most news we publish is understandable only if you’re already in the club. However, most articles we publish could bless anyone seeking a more triumphant walk with God. If it doesn’t offer some type of outsider accessibility I don’t think I’d call it a successful ministry. 90&9: What would you advise someone contemplating a web ministry to do to be successful? Baron Carson: First, I suggest that they hire a professional website developer and create an appealing look and feel. Nobody wants to look at anything ugly. Secondly—Marketing, Marketing, Marketing. You can have the best website in the world but if no one visits it then it is doing you no good. You have to advertise and drive people to the site. The website must offer something to the visitor. Interactive content is essential. If the website can provide service broadcasts, changing Bible studies, governed chartrooms, and message boards they are on the way to a successful web ministry. The site must be kept up-to-date. I have been to many church websites that are advertising a revival that took place two years ago on the homepage. This gives the impression that you do not care and quite frankly it’s the truth. Finally, keep up with technology and trends. If there is something new and cool out there it can be very appealing to have it on your website. If everybody else in the “web ministry” is using Macromedia Flash to make a point then you may be well advised to offer flash content on your site. L.J. Harry: Take two multivitamins and call around those who have succeeded— www.ninetyandnine.com, www.apostolicgirl.com, others… Arlo Moehlenpah: Learn authoring tools such as Microsoft Front Page in order to be able to update their website even if they have a professional create it. Paul Povolni: Do it well. Find a need and fill it. Know your purpose. There are many sites out there, each trying to get a piece of the small Apostolic market. Dan Barkley: The very first thing would be to decide what they want their web site to do. I’ve talked to so many people who say that they want a web site for their church. The problem is that most of them have no idea what they want the site to accomplish. It has to do more than promote their church. It must fill a need. Kent d Curry: Find your niche and develop it. Don’t be a blog—be a blog that reaches a specific audience. Don’t create a web site—be a web site that focuses on a particular audience. Our ministry is just a magazine on the web, but once we branded ourselves as “Daily Christian Living for (twentysomething) Apostolics” we filled that niche and it’s only grown from there. You just need a passion to minister, a niche to create/fill, a way to tell the world about it, and the energy to fill it on a regular (daily/weekly/monthly) basis. No more. 90&9: Is there anything you’d like to add that wasn’t asked? Baron Carson: I believe that a web ministry should have two goals. Number one: Convert the “unbeliever” Number two: disciple the “believer”. The web ministry must be able to meet the needs of these two groups. I believe that if you accomplish these two goals that your web ministry has been a smashing success. Kent d Curry: Be careful—the web is the biggest black hole of time ever created. You can spend hours of every day perfecting your web site and it can make no noticeable difference to your visitors and offer no greater effectiveness for you. If you have a sound idea, a niche you can fill, a way to publicize it, and a clear commitment for a specific period of time (we set up three-month and 12-month reassessment periods), then you can run a successful ministry over the web. It may not be large, but it can be successful. Paul Povolni: Do small things well.
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