Using Web Addresses

I had forgotten my tracts that morning, so I thought I would not talk to anyone. However, a conversation naturally opened up with Lindsay and I jotted down a web site address for her. Read more…

I have often written a web address on a slip of paper when witnessing to people, especially if English is a person’s second language or I do not have a tract with me.

Some easy-to-memorize web addresses you can use are:

For evangelism:
everystudent.com for college students

For discipleship:
growinginchrist.com for learning how to walk with Christ

These will work without the http:// and the www. Try it first, if you like, and then visit Global Media Outreach for a partial list of their ninety-plus evangelistic and discipleship web sites which you could memorize.

You can also make addresses easier by using tinyURL.com. I made one for the video presentation on my web site, which you may use:

tinyurl.com/whyjesuscame for a complete video Gospel presentation

and also two more:

tinyurl.com/whoisjesus-really for the Good News in dozens of languages

tinyurl.com/watchthejesusfilm for a film of the Gospel of Luke in hundreds of languages

If you just want to send a really short link by Twitter or texting, try using tr.im, which will assign a random shortened URL. (If you create an account at tr.im, it will keep track of your shortened URLs for you. With tinyurl.com, I have had to make my own list so I will remember them.) Of course, these really short URLs from tr.im will not be meaningful and will be harder to memorize, but not impossible.

Here’s one, ready to go for texting or Twittering:
Who Is Jesus – Really? tr.im/yboN

If you write an evangelistic blog on WordPress.com, they automatically provide short links now (wp.me), so you can send your evangelistic post easier as a text or a Tweet. Just click on “Get Shortlink” under your post title when you are writing or editting your post.

You could also write these shorter addresses on the back of tracts or make a business card with web addresses if you wanted to.

Please add your suggestions of websites you would use.

Internet Evangelism Day website

Even if you are not planning an event on Internet Evangelism Day (April 26, 2009), this site has testimonies of people who have come to the Lord through the internet, stories from internet evangelists, advice on how to make your church web site more effective and more. Check it out.

Passing Along a Blessing

“What are you reading?” The young man behind the fitness center counter asked me. I was holding a mailer from a Creation ministry that I had read while using the treadmill. Especially since he asked about it, I left the material with him. That particular mailing did not have as much content as I would have preferred, but maybe this young man looked up the website after he got off work.

Do you have Christian tapes, video, music, books, and magazines that you don’t need any more? Take the time to find a good second home instead of holding on to these things or tossing them in the trash.

Good places to donate your things may be:
Libraries
Homeschool groups
Nursing homes
Prison ministries
Inner city ministries

Through Google I found a number of ministries that will use your books to bless prisoners and third world pastors and believers. If you are unsure about donating to an unknown organization, look for:

1. A Biblically-based statement of faith
2. Disclosure of their financial status
3. An approval by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability

I found only one ministry that had all three of these on their website, Christian Resources International. They have also been in ministry since 1956, which tells me they are not some fly-by-night operation. I have not donated to them so I cannot endorse them from personal experience.

Read a story about offering magazines for a waiting room.

Tools for the Olympics

Read stories and testimonies of athletes, view video clips, and explore a personal relationship with God at Struggle and Triumph, a website from the Athletes in Action ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. Struggle and Triumph is also a DVD that you can share with your friends. (The DVD is available in 36 languages).

Another website, Beyond the Ultimate, changes seasonally with whatever is the biggest sporting event at the time. Naturally, you will find Olympians on that site right now. If you read one of the testimonies and want to share it with someone, click on “Share This Story” in the right sidebar. You will have several choices, including sending an email with a link to the story, or posting the link on your Facebook profile. (I recommend adding a personal note in the email. Send one to yourself first to see if you like how your email looks.)

The Go for Gold website has links to over twenty country-specific “Looking for God” websites to help people begin their journey with God.

The Olympians continually challenge us all to run the race God has given us. You might like to use this moving video of Derek Redmond being supported by his father to communicate the Gospel to a friend. Your main point could be: we are weak, but our Father is strong and will help us finish the race.

New Playlist for The Sower

I am putting together a playlist of music of different artists and genres in The Sower Playlist. The “theme” for most of the music is for encouragement or exhortation to share our faith. Listen to Keith Green if you like strong exhortation. Some of the tracks also have a more general salvation theme that you could use evangelistically.

IDEAS:
• Prayerfully listen to the words of these tracks during your devotions,
• Share the playlist or some of these tracks with others,
• Make your own playlist of music you enjoy or make a playlist of evangelistic music. Be ready to “meet” new people online who find your music and then share your faith with them.

If you have any music that would fit the theme of this playlist, please add your suggestions by commenting on this post. THANK YOU!

Read a real-life story of using playlists.