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Billy Graham Association Harnesses Web to Save Souls

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is taking a new approach to saving souls these days, this time through the Internet. According to a report by the Asheville Citizen-Times, the North Carolina-based organization uses search engines to find people seeking spiritual answers. They are then directed to PeaceWithGod.net, a website offering a “four-step journey to peace” ending with an acceptance prayer. The site shows that over 476,000 people have prayed to receive Christ through the website since its inception last year.

But the work doesn’t stop with the prayer. When the site becomes fully functional in a month, volunteers will answer questions and bring those who are interested through a five-week online discipleship course. They will also be encouraged to join local churches partnering with the BGEA. Director of Internet evangelism John Cass said, “It’s taking the model of what we’ve done for so many years, with the crusades, celebrations, and festivals and applying that in an online environment.”

Not everyone is convinced this is the best method of reaching seekers, however. David W. Key Sr., director of Baptist Studies at the Candler School of Theology, wonders “how many non-Christians are going to be attracted by this” when a crowd of other evangelistic sites are trying to do the same thing. And Drew Dickens, president and CEO of Need Him Global, says he believes the “key to reaching this generation is a focus more on offering live conversation versus creative presentation.”

What do you think? Are websites effective evangelistic tools for the non-believer? What are the benefits/problems with this method of evangelism? Give your comments in the section below.