The use of new technology was the focus for the Council on Evangelism and Witness last week at the world church headquarters.

The group, made up of evangelists, church administrators, and lay members from around the world, was established as a creative forum to review the effectiveness of current methods of evangelism, and encourage new approaches. Most of the presentations at the gathering dealt with new technology, and how it is being used for evangelism throughout the world. 

“To tell the truth it’s been simply exciting to see the potential and the possibilities of this technology,” said Peter Prime, an associate in the world church’s ministerial association.

Will Baron from the Norwalk Church in California reported on “Web evangelism” sites that his group has constructed. “Web technology is very important to the world church,” he explained, “because, for the first time, you can have a person in North America, for example, in Los Angeles, who is able to minister to, and reach out to, a person in Mongolia, without physically going there.”

The Internet and other new media are not only important because of their practicality but because experts believe it is the primary means to reach young people.

“You want information now, you go to the Web,” says Baron. “Especially the young people now go to the Web for all information. And our Adventist message needs to be on the Web.”

“I have two kids,” said Walter V. Rodrigues, a lay member of the committee. “I have a daughter who’s nine-years-old, and a son who’s five-years-old. And I see in their daily lives that if we don’t use this technology, which is up to date now, which is media, they are so used to playing games, watching VCRs, watching DVDs in their Monday-through-Friday activities. We need to update ourselves.”

Members of the Council are quick to point out, however, that these technological advances are not eliminating traditional methods of evangelism.

“Web technology does not replace conventional evangelism,” says Baron. “Web technology supplements conventional evangelism.”

Ted N.C. Wilson, a vice president of the world church, and co-chair of the Council, says these new approaches augment public evangelism, small group evangelism, personal evangelism, and other kinds of evangelistic activity. “It’s absolutely essential for our future,” he adds. “I think the church has to invest, it has to be involved in it, and we have to realize this is the future, and it’s coming right now.”