The Developing Ministry of Sharing Christ Online

With the emergence of the Internet, many individuals, churches, denominations and ministries immediately recognized the potential of the Internet and created numerous Christian web sites. However, many of the web sites served only as electronic brochures.

Yet as the Internet matured, so did its use. Christians began to develop web sites solely to share Jesus Christ with non-believers. The terms "seeker sensitive site," "online evangelism" and "Internet evangelism" became more common as groups recognized the vast opportunities to share the Light of Christ on the web.

The challenge was that those who caught the vision many times were relatively unknown and underfunded and were at the time pioneering a virtually unknown area of ministry.

This led to many feeling isolated as “the only ones” doing Internet evangelism and left them facing ongoing issues of discouragement, lack of funding, lack of technical resources and limited ways to share materials with those coming to Christ online.

In 1997, the Billy Graham Center hosted a consultation on using the Internet for evangelism, bringing together nearly 100 participants from churches, denominations and ministries interested in or already doing Internet Evangelism.

At the close of the meeting - sensing that their work had only begun - participants voted to establish the Internet Evangelism Facilitation Committee to help facilitate online collaborative evangelism.

Two years later (April 1999), under the leadership of Dr. Sterling Huston, the Internet Evangelism Facilitation Committee convened an international conference to focus on networking, equipping and mobilizing those involved and interested in Internet Evangelism. Out of that conference a permanent organization - now known as the Internet Evangelism Coalition (IEC) - was formed. Recognizing that it would take time for the organization to become self-sustaining, the Committee asked the Billy Graham Center to temporarily set up and manage an office, which it does today. The BGC will continue to facilitate the work of Internet Evangelism Coalition until it is established as a 501c3 or other arrangements are made.

Hundreds of Christian individuals and organizations have now discovered the Internet and its potential for online evangelism. Christians are online and are actively using the Internet to share their faith in Jesus Christ and in many cases they're helping other Christians get equipped to do the same!

Since 1999, the IEC and its members have:

The Internet Evangelism Coalition is providing a gathering place and forum for sharing ideas, information and insights on Internet Evangelism. Is this something God is calling you to be a part of?