Jesus Net Japan exemplifies Internet Evangelism Day 2012
Why Jesus? is the third and final seeker-friendly "stepping stone" web site operated by Jesus Net Japan. The site features a five-week course supervised by "e-coaches," and culminates in an invitation to a gospel meeting and connection to a local church in Japan.
But following last year’s cataclysmic earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster, many Japanese who faced life’s tough questions that religious syncretism — a general amalgamation or merging of several religions — simply cannot answer are open to the Christian gospel. And they’re finding answers, of all places, online.
“People with a heart for Japan, for evangelism and for the application of technology to the furtherance of the gospel really identify with this tremendous cause,” said Christian Zebley, U.S. spokesman for Jesus Net Japan. “The Japanese are a very private people; it’s very unlikely that they would ask a stranger — even someone they know is a Christian — such personal questions as who God is or how they can be saved,” he said.
“The Internet lets them learn about God and His plan for salvation in a way that is comfortable for them and respectful of their culture. We believe this is the long-awaited moment for harvest in Japan.”
Internet Evangelism Day is observed on the fourth Sunday of April each year and is designed to draw attention to the tremendous role the Internet plays in society. More than 2 billion people use the Web, while more than 4 billion use mobile phones that increasingly are Web-equipped. According to ABC News, two million people around the world “look for God each day” on line.
Hope for Living introduces visitors to disaster survivors’ stories that illustrate how they have been strengthened by faith in God, or how they got to know Jesus amid their turmoil. The site also contains prayers and words of hope to encourage those who are afraid, tired, lonely or going through difficult times.
The next web site “stepping stone,” Knowing God, introduces inquiring users to the gospel, helping them understand the concept of monotheism and the fact that for Christians, the God of the Bible is the one, true God.
Why Jesus?, the final web site, is an interactive course led by “e-coaches” to assist seekers during the five-week experience, at the end of which they invite them to a gospel meeting and help connect them to a local church.
“One of the primary goals of evangelism is to meet people where they are and introduce them to Jesus,” said Andy Game, Jesus Net Japan director. “The Japanese are huge consumers of digital technology. If we want them to know that they matter to Jesus, we need to meet them where they live. Much of that is online.”