Using the Internet for evangelism in Europe could be a welcome method in a field where traditional Christian evangelism is proving more and more difficult. Numerous studies and articles cite a dramatic decline in church participation and attendance over the past three decades.

These, and related concerns were at the forefront of a three-day Internet seminar in Darmstadt, Germany, Feb. 14 to 16, hosted by STAonline e.V., the Support Association for Online Communications of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Euro-Africa. It was the eighth International Online Forum sponsored by the group.

“We were hoping that the usual 30 to 40 would attend, but we were really surprised with the final number,” which totaled 80 people from France, Spain, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Germany and the United States, said Martin Haase, convener of the conference and regional communication director.

Interest in the Internet is on the increase, with Europeans slightly ahead of Americans in using the Internet, particularly on a per capita basis. Adventist churches in the region are in step with the trend, developing strategies that will enhance communication activities and offer greater emphasis for E-vangelism, and the conference featured sessions on strategies for Church webmasters.

“I traveled for 12 hours to be at this forum,” said Joe Smoczynski, a chartered accountant from Poland. “I have long believed that the Internet was the right technology to be used for evangelistic purposes. It was good to pick up some of the evangelistic emphasis.”

According to Ulrich Nees, a senior captain with Lufthansa German Airlines and a church member, “it was exciting to be involved in such discussions with Online Forum here in Marienhoehe and to see how the church is actively pursuing the Internet opportunities for evangelism plus also to network with people who have similar interests.”

Winner of the annual STAonline award for best church Web site was the Pasing Seventh-day Adventist Church, located near Munich. Marco Bretschneider, chairman of the judging panel said the criteria used for choosing a winner included a “creative and attractive design, ease of content management and the technical [standards] being incorporated.”

The focus of the three-day Online Forum was on how the Internet can be used for “E-vangelism,” or Internet-based evangelism. A preview of “Project ISAAC” was presented at the conference. ISAAC stands for “Information Systems for Adventist Applications and Content,” and is projected as a text, graphics and media content management system that is platform independent.

Two Adventist Web-use pioneers were honored at the meeting. Pastor Reinhard Rupp, recently retired president of the church’s North German region, was presented with a plaque that indicated that he was offered life membership of the STAonline organization. An honorary membership was also given to Mr. Eric Danke, former CEO of Germany’s leading internet provider T-Online, who has also been a supporter of the STAonline group.

Among the guest presenters was Ted N.C. Wilson, vice president of the world church whose responsibilities include communication and media ministries. According to Wilson, “There is a growing interest for Internet enthusiasts to promote and to forward the mission of the church using this form of technology.”

But, he added, “let not technology be our only motivation. The reason is to proclaim the message of the soon return of Jesus… every e-mail, every Web page, should proclaim that Jesus is coming soon!”