Twelve year-old Vivian Erbenich was the youngest participant at the 10th annual STAonline [what does STA stand for?] Forum that met at "Bergheim Mühlenrahmede," Altena, Germany , Feb. 25 to 26 to explore ways to use the Internet for evangelism.
Twelve year-old Vivian Erbenich was the youngest participant at the 10th annual staonline Forum that met at “Bergheim Mühlenrahmede,” in Altena, Germany, Feb. 25 to 26 to explore ways to use the Internet for evangelism. Erbenich became the center of attention when a technical issue required his expertise. Huddled around a computer and a video projector, a group of seasoned technologists looked on as Erbenich suggested a way to deal with the problem.
Under the theme, “Web the mission—a local passion,” Erbenich and roughly 40 international Seventh-day Adventist participants introduced mission projects on the Internet and explored ways to connect with local communities and their needs.
“Understanding and fostering relationships on the Web, but based in the life of a local community where the church is present, is our primary interest now,” said Stephan Brass, a pastor, veteran online church expert, and now vice president of staonline.
The primary aspect of the meeting was “using the Internet to connect with real people in order to share authentic hope and a worthwhile lifestyle,” Brass said, explaining that every forum is also a way to “connect with new people that may be won to use the Internet for mission, and naturally we appreciate old acquaintances and review the progress of their work.”
Matthias Dorn, a scientist and Internet visionary, said to achieve an effective presence of the church online Adventist Web pages should present “quality of life through adoration of God.”
“We can design such presence online, a community that glorifies God,” he said. Let viewers of our Web sites “experience things ... and that is more effective than having a rational contact” with people.
A similar theme was sounded in a presentation by Martin Haase, president of the organization. “Everyone on the Internet is in search [of] a dialogue. But as Christians we desire more. Our mission is to guide people from the virtual enclave into a living relationship with God.” He appealed to church Web designers to have a “set of clear aims to make a connection to the local community.” Haase emphasized a need for the church’s “availability to connect with actual people, and this happens in the place where they are.”
As with previous forums, this year’s meeting brought representatives from other countries where Internet experiments range from Christian programming for Internet-based radio in the Czech Republic, to e-Bible, an electronic version of the Bible with commentaries, as well as materials dealing with history, theology and study guides, presented by nadzieja.pl from Poland.
“We are receiving encouraging responses to our weekly Christian sitcom-style program entitled, “Grandfather,” Bedrich Jetelina explained. “After each segment, the site lights up in a chat room with questions, comments and a debate. Why so popular? Because we are touching everyday issues for everyday persons, in a true-to-life manner, and with humor. Even our own families recognize themselves in the way they deal with issues.”
“We began with one computer and two fanatics,” said Joe Smoczynski, president of this Internet ministry, which supports the Adventist Church in Poland. “Five years later we have more products than we can handle, 10 computers, but we have a vision for more.”
Smoczynski and the nadzieja.pl Web master, Arek Pietka, presented their latest initiative with a new Web site providing materials for a specific audience. “We established a Web site, www.katolicy.pl, and are providing devotional and study materials based on a liturgical year in our country,” says Smoczynski. “This new site is for devout Roman Catholics who would like to know more about what Protestants have said on the topics that are presented at the weekly Sunday service. Added are the relevant published Adventist materials, such as from the book by Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, to a particular homily.”
He added, “Our new exciting project is a multilingual software for Bible study that can be used internationally. It would include cross-references not only to different Bible versions, but to study the reference materials. This tool has many applications to help anyone ... study the Bible, and also to study the Scriptures with others.”
Based in Germany, staonline’s success over the years is a result of an intentional recognition of a church working together: laity, clergy and leadership. The board of directors includes representatives of church leadership, ministers and laypersons whose expertise has been noted through the initiatives and programs assisting the church.
At the outset there was a plan to equip all ministers with e-mail addresses and register the church’s domain name in Germany. According to current statistics, more than 50 percent of local congregations in Germany have active Web sites, and that number is expected to grow this year.
An overarching theme of bringing technology and the church message together enabled staonline to be involved with such missionary projects as happylife.de or the “U-turn for Losers” Web site. Reaching out to young people is of primary importance to what we do, says one of the organization’s leaders. Staonline is also providing a follow-up online backbone to evangelistic endeavors of the church, including satellite television broadcasts.
The meeting also saw presentations of new online ideas and options available to Adventist churches today, including animation and short film productions.
“One gets inspired seeing the passion for the use of technology and such a variety of Internet-based approaches which are done here in Europe. These range from a direct presentation of the Gospel and its application for everyday living, to creative presentations of the church’s resources and life of our faith community,” said John Banks, associate director of communication at the church’s world headquarters in the United States. During the forum Banks reported on preparations for the upcoming meeting of the Global International Evangelism Network in Bangkok, Thailand, in September this year.
