The Internet was described at the time as the fastest-growing media form in history. A decade after public use began to expand, access had grown from a few million users—primarily in developed Western nations—to more than one billion people worldwide. The article reported particularly strong growth in Asia and noted the increasing prominence of Chinese-language content online.
When the Internet first entered the public arena, Christian ministries quickly recognized its potential. Individuals, churches, denominations, and ministries created numerous websites. Many of the earliest sites functioned primarily as electronic brochures, communicating information to an existing constituency.
As the medium matured, so did its use. Christians began developing websites specifically to share Jesus Christ with people outside the church. Terms such as “seeker-sensitive site,” “online evangelism,” and “Internet evangelism” became more common as ministries explored the web as a setting for gospel communication.
Many early practitioners were relatively unknown, under-resourced, and disconnected from others doing similar work. They faced discouragement, limited technical capacity, and few established ways to provide follow-up material for people exploring or embracing Christian faith online.
History of the coalition
Recognizing the need for communication and collaboration, the Billy Graham Center hosted a 1997 consultation on using the Internet for evangelism. More than one hundred participants from churches, denominations, and ministries attended. At the meeting’s close, participants established a facilitation committee intended to support collaborative online evangelism.
The committee represented a broad cross-section of the Christian church and identified goals involving communication, evangelism resources, seeker-oriented sites, training, and online Christian growth material.
Two years later, an international conference focused on networking, equipping, and mobilizing people involved in Internet evangelism. The permanent Internet Evangelism Coalition emerged from that conference, with a stated aim of stimulating and accelerating web evangelism across the worldwide body of Christ.
Resources for a developing field
Following its formation in 1999, the coalition and participating ministries hosted further conferences and developed ways for practitioners to exchange information about the web and evangelism.
Communication
A recurring email newsletter and resource website circulated information about online ministry and emerging web practices.
Gospel presentation
Partners prepared seeker-oriented material designed for the language and expectations of an Internet audience.
Evangelism resources
A searchable collection brought together Christian materials in multiple languages and in online and offline formats.
Christian growth
Follow-up material helped new believers ask questions, learn about Christian faith, and connect with more experienced Christians.
Online training
A self-directed training program addressed the particular dynamics of discussing faith through Internet communication.
The coalition also developed a partnership aimed at connecting pioneers working in non-English web evangelism. This acknowledged that online ministry could not remain centered only on English-language audiences or Western contexts. A related perspective from the same issue is available in the archive under Perspectives.
Reach, access, and anonymity
The article identified several distinctive features of the Internet for Christian witness. Information could remain available around the clock and reach across time zones and national boundaries. People could communicate from their homes with others thousands of miles away.
Examples in the original account included:
- A woman in the United States entering a digital conversation with a woman in China who wanted to learn English, then helping her locate a Bible in her own language.
- A church receiving an email from a reader in Finland who said he had committed his life to Christ after reading the gospel presentation on its website.
- A university student encountering a Christian website while searching for meaning and responding privately in her residence room.
The comparative anonymity of the web could allow people to speak more openly about spiritual questions. Its accessibility also enabled readers to return repeatedly to examine biblical claims at their own pace.
The coalition therefore encouraged churches and ministry organizations to treat the web as a strategic medium for sharing the gospel and helping new believers begin Christian growth. Its continuing task, as described in 2006, was to evaluate new technologies with the goal of extending the presentation of the life and message of Jesus Christ.