Cyber-Missions 101

1. Cyber-Missions 101 Impacts, Tools, and Resources Presented by Jerry Gannod, Ph.D.

2. Overview • This series of lessons provides an overview of the Internet as a communication medium and the challenges, tools, and resources that exist for spreading the gospel to a new, unreached people group – the netizen

3. Curricula • The series of lessons will cover: • Netizens: An Unreached People Group • Digital Discipleship: A New Twist to the Great Commission • Tools and Resources: Preparing to be a Cyber-Missionary

4. Outcomes • Upon completion of these lessons, we will: • Have a better understanding of the demographics of the web • Have a better understanding of the tools and resources available for Cyber-Ministry • Have a better understanding of the techniques necessary for Cyber Evangelism

5. Target Audience • Minimal Computer Literacy • E-mail, Web-browsing • Anyone with a desire to learn about the cyber missions field

6. Netizens: An Unreached People Group A Cultural Overview

7. Netizens • In this module we will discuss “netizens” and their: • Demographics • Culture • Language • Environment

8. The Great Commission Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Mat 28:19 MKJV)

9. “teach all nations” How many people are online? Source: NUA Surveys

10. Demographics • Surveys show that net usage by all demographic sectors is growing • Teens increasingly prefer the use of the net over other communication mediums • The “Digital Divide” is driven more by age and income rather than ethnic origin

11. Internet Users by Age and Race Age Ethnic Group Overall Asian White AfricanAmerican Hispanic 18-24 17% 28% 15% 26% 30% 25-34 24% 35% 23% 28% 31% 35-44 26% 22% 27% 25% 23% 45-54 19% 8% 21% 15% 11% 55-64 9% 5% 10% 5% 3% 65+ 4% 2% 5% 1% 2% Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project

12. Culture • The netizen is: • Multicultural • Young • Less likely to be a baby boomer • More likely to be a teen or young adult • “Postmodern” • Adheres to the notion of relativism • Lives by consumerism and instant gratification • Seeking an identity and a “cause” they can call their own

13. Language • The native languages of netizens vary widely • The language of the net subculture is unique • Netspeak • Netiquitte

14. Source: Global Reach http://www.glreach.com

15. Environment • The netizen: • engages in many different forms of interaction • Chat rooms • Newsgroups • E-mails • Web surfing • is ubiquitous • is part of many different sub-cultures • revels in anonymity

16. Challenges • We must enter the world of the netizens • We must learn about them and from them to determine how they respond to the medium • We must learn the language of the netizens in order to effectively engage and communicate with them

17. Scriptural Examples Therefore when you do your merciful deeds, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may have glory from men. Truly I say to you, They have their reward. (Mat 6:2 MKJV)

18. Easton Bible Dictionary • Hypocrite: • one who puts on a mask and feigns himself to be what he is not • In Jesus’ time actors were called hypocrites • Jesus referred to hypocrites as a term that was part of popular culture • He was “in the world”, but not of it

19. Scriptural Examples You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men, it having been made plain that you are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, not having been written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but in fleshly tablets of the heart. (2Co 3:2-3 MKJV)

20. Learning more about Netizens • Demographics • World Usage http://www.nua.com/surveys/how_many_online/index.html http://cyberatlas.internet.com/big_picture/stats_toolbox/article/ • Languages http://www.glreach.com/globstats/index.php3 • Netspeak http://www.netlingo.com • Hot topics http://50.lycos.com

21. Chu Mei-Feng Taiwan Sex Scandal Dragonball Anime Empire NFL Morpheus File Swap Britney Spears IRS Taxes Martin Luther King Tattoos Skin is In Las Vegas Superbowl Odds The Bible Top 10 Topics of the Week Ending 02/02/02

22. Learning more about Netizens • Postmodernism Primer http://www.regenerator.com/5.1/postmod.html • Netiquette http://www.fau.edu/netiquette/net/ • The Virtual Community http://www.rheingold.com/vc/book

23. Digital Discipleship: A New Twist to the Great Commission World Wide Witnessing on the World Wide Web (WWW2)

24. The Great Commission Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Mat 28:19 MKJV)

25. Missionaries • Missionaries must: • Immerse themselves in the sub-culture(s) • Understand its customs • Understand its language • Understand its world view

26. Mass Media • Push • Traditional Mass Media • Print, TV, Radio • Pull • Media that is selective • Interactive • Media that allows for feedback and interaction between actors

27. Evangelism • Confrontational/Intrusional • Passing out Tracts, Door-to-door campaigns • Proclamational • Preaching The Gospel • Incarnational/Relational • Meeting people a few at a time and building meaningful relationships

28. Push Pull – Web pages Interactive – Chat rooms Confrontational Proclamational Relational Mass Media and Evangelism

29. Netizen • Seeks: • Meaningful relationships • Sense of community on the web • Revels in anonymity • Can behave in ways not normally deemed acceptable • Has lowered inhibitions

30. Relational Witnessing You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men, it having been made plain that you are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, not having been written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but in fleshly tablets of the heart. (2Co 3:2-3 MKJV)

31. Relational Witnessing Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. (Mat 22:37 - 40 MKJV)

32. Goals of Discipleship • Towards self: Becoming more like Christ • Towards others: Servanthood • Towards the world: The Great Commission

33. Farmer Analogy • Cultivate Relationships with non-believers • Sow the seed of the gospel in the hearts of non-believers through the communication of revelation • Reap the fruit of the witnessing labors

34. Cultivating Relationships • Pray • Go to where the non-believers are while allowing your own interests (and the Holy Spirit) to lead the way • Establish and cultivate relationships with non-believers

35. Sow the seed of the gospel • Pray • Share the gospel through the use of testimonies describing the impact of God upon your life • Provide guidance towards Web resources for those seeking further information • Bridge strategy: “Be what they are looking for”

36. Reap the Fruit • Lead someone on an on-line prayer of salvation • Follow-up • Pray :-)

37. Sharing in the “right” way But have reverence for Christ in your hearts, and honor him as Lord. Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, but do it with gentleness and respect … (1Pe 3:15-16 GNB)

38. Where to start • If you have never been in a chat room, • First learn by visiting different types of rooms without saying anything. • Watch how people write and the abbreviations they use

39. Where to start • Build up a short list of really good evangelistic web-sites • Keep it open when you are in a chat room. • Create a file of Bible verses which relate to the Gospel. • Paste a URL or verse into a chat message when appropriate.

40. Where to start • There are also Christian chat scripts to help with quick Bible verse look-up. • Understand the essentials of the Gospel and how to present it meaningfully to non-Christians. • Most people find it hard to understand that the Gospel is free and that there is nothing they can do to earn God's favor. That's what 'grace' means!

41. Where to start • Read evangelistic books - see how other people present the Gospel. • Study your Bible, and highlight verses in it that are helpful.

42. Before each chat session • Pray for wisdom, the right words to say, and that God will lead you to people who are ready to discuss. • You could arrange in advance with a friend to visit the same chat room at the same time - this may help to get a discussion going. • Another option: ask a friend could sit with you at the computer - one pray, the other write. Or ask a friend to pray for you at the time you plan to be online.

43. During a Chat Session • Be ready to share how you became a Christian, and how God helps you in your life right now • Prepare a written testimony • Pray while you are online - for those you speak to, and how to reply effectively. • Respect and understand other people's views, cultures, and religions.

44. What to avoid • Don't choose an inappropriate nickname. It can be funny, but not sexy or completely bizarre. • Don't choose an obviously Christian nickname, like 'Prayer Princess' or 'godlovesyou' etc.

45. What to Avoid • Don't pretend to be somebody else. If a chat room requires a personal profile, write it honestly. • Don't pester people who don't want to talk. • It is counter-productive to be pushy or try to force people into a decision they are not ready to make.

46. What to Avoid • Don't use Christian jargon words - it's a 'foreign language' to non-Christians. • If you must use a word, explain it. • Almost every Christian concept can be expressed in ordinary language • Examples: • Sin, repentance, faith

47. What to Avoid • Don't pretend to 'know it all'. • Admit when you don't know an answer to something

48. Dangers • Never give your last name, address or phone number to anyone else in a chat room. • Never ever arrange a face-to-face meeting alone with a chat contact • Don't treat chat rooms as dating agencies! • If someone in a chat room starts trying to find out too-personal information about you, leave and find a new chat room

49. Week Ending 2/9 Chu Mei-Feng Dragonball Taxes Morpheus IRS Britney Spears Super Bowl Tattoos Anna Kournikova Valentine’s Day The Bible Week Ending 2/2 Chu Mei-Feng Dragonball NFL Morpheus Britney Spears IRS Taxes Martin Luther King Tattoos Las Vegas The Bible Top 10 Topics

50. Resources for the E-vangelist • Web Evangelism Guide http://www.web-evangelism.com/ • FishThe.Net http://www.fishthe.net • Internet Evangelism Kit http://www.namb.net/evangelismkit/default.htm • Ginghamsburg Cyberministry Team http://www.ginghamsburg.net/cybermin