The Internet Church

Walter P. Wilson tackles the topic Internet evangelism, and being church in a digital society, with a strong sense of both the realties and possibilities for technology and a deep commitment to biblical teachings.Wilson begins by declaring that God is calling the Church to a new frontier for ministry. He sees rich potential for what can be done, if Christians are wise enough to make careful use of the Internet. After framing the topic in a sense of call, the author then introduces us to his perspective on what Internet, and digital technology in general, mean for us in terms of challenges to our ways of thinking about reality. His social analysis of the Internet is one of the greatest strengths of this book and that which I feel makes it stand out in relation to other books on the subject.The essence of Wilson's argument is that Christians need to be responsible about realizing that we must ceaselessly engage in processes of learning, sharpening our skills for proclaiming God's message in the world. Wilson is critical of the Church for having largely ignored the potentials of the entertainment sector of society in previous decades and challenges the Church to embrace the new possibilities for relevant ministry posed by new technology today.The greatest weakness of this book is a certain naiveté concerning the theological problems one encounters in treating media as being value neutral. This is a common mistake of some evangelical writers (not all). But, it is important to note a point that Wilson makes that I think speaks strongly to some of those objections. Namely, that the early Christians made use of a very elite, cutting edge communication technology of their day -- the written word (through which the Gospel has come to us). Thus, he gives a strong challenge to theological purists who reject Internet activity as being simply addressed to an elite segment of the population. That is how it may start, yes -- but how it can spread!The Internet Church is an optimistic call to enter upon the adventure of ministry in cyberspace. It is a prophetic work rooted in a strong sense of God's active role in our lives -- and of our response to God. This is a very good book, and I highly recommend it.

The Internet Church is a book of motivation that does not provide step-by-step instructions but empowers all Christians to take on the capabilities of the Internet to reach the community locally and worldwide.The world is inevitably moving to digital media. The Internet Church righfully proports NOT sitting back and letting the Internet get away from us; rather, embracing the change and molding it the way we want our future communication to look--toward the Gospel Truth. The tools to achieve this are readily available. We are challenged to use them voraciously and intelligently. --MySermons.com

This book absolutely captivated my attention without wavering. It opened whole new vistas about the origins of the world wide web and the far-reaching implications for ministry via the Internet. The author explains complicated concepts in a simple, sometimes humorous and often poignant way ... "What have you done with the bits I gave you?," is what we might expect God to ask of us ... speaking of the responsibility that comes with the incredible power of the Internet. I enjoyed the personal vignettes as well and found it a book well worth reading even for those, like myself, not involved in ministry -- I've lent out my copy and bought copies for friends.

Walt Wilson caught my attention with his first line, "within the next several years there will be one billion people on the World Wide Web," and kept it til the final exclamation, "with God all things are possible." This book meets four needs at once - (1) it gives a glimpse of the power and potential of the internet for the cause of Christ; (2) it helps non-techies understand the basic history and principles of the internet; (3) it provides examples and resources for churches and ministries who want to effectively utilize the internet for their message; and (4) and IMPORTANTLY, gives a motivational vision for Christian leaders to take hold of this most powerful tool capable of reaching the entire world with Good news and lasting hope. Easy to read. Thought provoking. Exciting. Important.