Why Online Evangelism?

The question many Christians are still asking is "why the Internet?" or even "should we be on the Internet?" The Internet has received a lot of opposition from the church is years past, much of it with good reason. However, while caution still needs to be used when surfing online, Christians can no longer afford to turn their collective backs on this medium.

When Jesus ministered here on Earth He went where the people in need were, sagely telling his detractors that "those that are well have no need of a physician" (Matt 9:12). In his day that meant eating with tax collectors and prostitutes. In our day, the sick and the spiritually needy are online. That said, online evangelism has some very practical benefits.

The Internet offers a truly global means of communication. Content put online can now be read in almost every country in the world by an online population that is growing exponentially. Furthermore, the Internet cannot be censored. The very attribute that causes concern for so many Christians works to our advantage when the goal is evangelism. So far no world power or governing body has found a way to censor the Internet and so to the online evangelist there are no closed countries. Once the information goes online, it's available to everyone.

The Scope of the Internet

The Internet is a giant network of computers that connects people and information around the world.

· 420 million people have Internet access according to Neilson/Net Ratings.

· 60% of Canadians and 57% of Americans polled this spring say they use the Internet.

· Millions of Americans are turning to the Internet to get them in touch with others who pursue faith matters (Barna Research). As many as 50 million people may rely solely on the Internet for faith-based experiences before the decade is over.

2. Growth Rate

While the number of Internet users is still growing, it is also diversifying. The less affluent, less educated, senior citizens and homemakers are joining the web audience an alarming rate. (Media Audit)

3. Women Using the Internet

· Never before have advertisers had a better opportunity to reach women online than today. Computer Economics Inc. estimates that there are 96 million women online in the world. Research is showing that women are "seekers" on the Internet. For them, the Internet is a resource for making their time more efficient, and their lives easier. Some interesting statistics that have come out of this research are:

· Over 56% of new Internet users are female. The numbers are growing, rapidly outpacing growth among male users.