Web Watch: Preaching Resources on the Internet

by Dennis Bratcher

The seasons of the church year provide opportunities for using the widest range of resources available on the Internet. Many thousands of web sites are devoted to various aspects of the Christian seasons, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. The season of Advent--Christmas probably has more material available than any other Christian topic on the Web.

Because of the sheer volume of material available, those looking for resources must have a fairly clear idea of the type of resources for which they are looking. To avoid spending hours wandering though the maze of material, for most people it is best to start with some key portal sites and specific topics in mind. Using specialized index sites rather than major search engines like Excite or Yahoo will save time. The best place to begin is Kir Shalom's "A Holy Christmas" (http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermons/christmaspage1.html).

Advent calendars are becoming increasingly popular among Evangelical churches. They are especially useful to help children focus on the meaning of the season, as well as to help adults get beyond the secular emphasis in the weeks preceding Christmas. There are many kinds of Advent calendars available on-line. Some are simply fun to visit (http://www.algonet.se/~bernadot/christmas/calendar.html). Some offer devotional or inspirational messages (Lutheran Hour Ministries, http://www.adventdevotions.com/06.html). The Jesse Tree is a form of Advent calendar that easily adapts to activities for children at church or in the home. It uses a Christmas tree to tell the biblical story during Advent (http://www.cresourcei.org/jesse.html).

Besides the obvious biblical and theological resources for preaching, there is a great deal of information available on the Web that can be used in local churches. For example, some sites provide information about the seasons of the church year that can be used in church bulletins (http://www.cresourcei.org/cyadvent.html). Many sites have complete services available for Hanging of the Greens, Christmas Eve, the Nativity (http://www.cresourcei.org/worship.html), or other special services of worship for Advent--Christmas (http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermons/seasonalresources.html). There are also various seasonal collections of Bible readings (lectionaries) for either public worship or personal devotions (http://www.cresourcei.org/advent.html).

To complement worship resources, there are a lot of fun resources that can be used creatively. Many sites specialize in seasonal graphics and art that can be used in church bulletins, promotions, or web pages. For example, St. John's Lutheran Church in Brookfield, Wisconsin, has links to classic religious art (http://www.execpc.com/~tmuth/st_john/xmas/Default.htm), and Web Clip Art has a wide range of graphics available (http://webclipart.miningco.com/internet/webclipart/mlibrary.htm). In His Image (http://hisimage.org/Holiday-Backgrounds.html) specializes in detailed background sets for web pages. Short music files, usually in MIDI format, are also available (Songs of Praise, http://songsofpraise.org/christmas.htm). Other sites give information on international customs for celebrating Christmas (Christmas Around the World, http://www.soon.org.uk/country/christmas.htm), or such varied topics as children's Christmas crafts and activities (http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/xmas/index.html).

The Internet does not have to be a place only to find information. The seasons of Christian holidays are a great opportunity for local churches to use the Internet to provide their own resources for their community or congregation. Even in small congregations there are usually those who would be eager to become involved in building a web site, writing and editing material, designing layouts, or coordinating music and graphics. They often possess a variety of other valuable computer skills that are not usually considered ministry. This is an especially good opportunity to tap the skill and enthusiasm of young people who are knowledgeable in these areas.

Most local churches already have Internet service providers that also provide space for a web site. With a small amount of effort and creativity, a local church can use the Internet to extend its range of ministry. For example, beyond a basic church web page, a local church or several churches in a community could construct their own Advent calendar or seasonal devotionals. This could combine material written by parishioners or local church leaders with graphics, music, or video files available on the Web. An example of this in a local church is the church Advent calendar of First Baptist Church, Knoxville, Tennessee (http://www.fbcknox.org/archive/advent/advent00.htm). Other examples are the seasonal devotionals written and organized by members of the NazNet discussion forum (http://www.naznet.com/~projects/advent00/adv2000.htm).

With a little thought and planning, the Internet can become not only a valuable resource for the local church but also an avenue to extend its ministry and influence far beyond its own parishioners.