Although I am developing this project for my own ministry, I realize that other ministries would like to use the Internet as well. With this in mind, I hope that The Ranch, because of its pioneering nature, will serve as a working model for others who would like to extend the message of Christ to the nations.

Executive Summary

With over 100 million people connected to it, the Internet is a worldwide town square where people meet and share ideas. I can think of no better idea to share with them than the fact that God loves them and wants to have an intimate relationship with them through his Son, Jesus Christ.

Billy Graham tested the waters of the Internet in 1993. He shared the gospel with hundreds of people in a "chat room" on America Online. Afterwards he said,

"Fascinating though it was, the experiment with America Online was only an extension of what we had been doing throughout much of our ministry: seeking to use every means possible to extend the reach of the Gospel. The message of the Gospel never changes. ... But the methods of presenting that message do change -- and in fact they must change if we are to keep pace with a changing world. If we fail to bridge the gap between us and those we hope to reach, our message will not be communicated, and our efforts will be in vain." (Billy Graham, Just as I am, 1997)

Two years ago I tested the waters of the Internet myself and found a strong current. I created a World Wide Web site called The Hall of Faith and began to publish testimonies of people whose lives had been changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Since that time, over 12,000 people from 72 countries have visited the site to read about the life-saving, life-changing power of the Gospel. Hundreds have written in through email, from all over the world, to ask for prayer and follow-up ministry.

Given this response, I am convinced that people are hungry for spiritual direction in their lives and they are using the Internet to get it. One man wrote to me after reading a testimony on my site, "I thank the Lord for your ministry and that I found it this evening instead of typing in the address to a pornography page."

In recent months, technology has advanced to the point where it is now practical to broadcast live messages over the Internet, similar to broadcasting over radio or television. Herein lies the heart of this project, a new World Wide Web site called The Ranch. From this site, I hope to broadcast the Gospel to millions of hurting and wounded people around the world.

While this project involves computers and networks, voice and video, what compels me most about this project is not the high-tech, but the high-touch. The technology makes it possible to extend the Gospel to people and places we could never reach otherwise in person. Billy Graham put it this way:

"The potential of new technologies can hardly be overestimated... For centuries the preacher's audience was limited by the distance his voice could travel - a distance measured at best in tens of yards. Now that distance has become limitless." (Billy Graham, Just as I am, 1997)

This paper describes how this new World Wide Web site, The Ranch, will be used to communicate the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

Introduction

What is The Ranch?

Every web site has its own "look and feel." For instance, when I created The Hall of Faith, I had in mind an old gothic cathedral, where people could come in from the busy world outside and spend some quiet and holy time with the Lord. I invited people to walk through the Hall and read stories of God's faithfulness to people in our generation. I invited them to take a drink from a fountain flowing with words of life, then to spend some time in prayer at the foot of the cross. When they were finished, I hoped they would go back out into the world renewed and refreshed.

In the same way, The Ranch will have its own "look and feel." The Ranch will feel like a spiritual retreat center, with a big stone fireplace in the lodge where people can sit and relax, talk with friends and unwind. People can walk through hiking trails and discover truths along the path, or take along a headset and listen to music that will soothe their souls. In the evening, I'll share with them how Christ came to heal their wounds and restore their spirit. I'll invite them to trust Christ with their lives and their struggles. I pray many would leave with a new or renewed sense of faith in Christ.

While neither of these places exist in the physical world, they set the stage for people to be receptive to hear a different message from the ones they hear at work, on TV or in their homes. The Internet has become the home of some unseemly places where people go to do some unseemly things. I hope The Ranch offers a breath of fresh air on a littered highway. And I hope the uniqueness of the The Ranch will draw them to want to know more about the One who came to lift their spirits and save their souls.

What makes an internet ministry unique?

While many methods have been used to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth, the Internet is unique in several ways. First, the Internet's low-cost and far reach are unsurpassed. Second, the Internet's confidential nature allows people to share deep needs more easily. Third, the Internet's interactive nature allows ministry to take place immediately worldwide.

LOW COST - No other medium to date has provided such a far reach for such a low cost. For as little as $20 per month, one person can connect to the Internet and be in touch with literally millions of others worldwide. To reach so many people in so many countries in person would be physically impossible and monetarily exorbitant. To correspond with so many people worldwide via paper mail would be slow and costly. To obtain air time on TV or radio around the world would be difficult and expensive. But once connected to the Internet, the reach is limitless and the cost is extremely low.

CONFIDENTIAL - People who struggle with their faith are often hesitant to share their struggles with those around them. They often have hidden issues that might embarrass them if disclosed: everything from homosexuality to doubting God's love. Yet on the Internet, a person's identity is hidden unless they choose to disclose it, making it easier for people to open up to others who can offer help.

One man struggling with homosexuality wrote, "Boy, it sure is good to be able to talk to someone who doesn't have a clue who I am. I only have one other friend who I can talk to about this, but he struggles with it too." Another man wrote, "I haven't been able to tell my wife or pastor about this, but I feel I can tell you." Still another wrote, "I am on staff with [a world famous ministry], just returning from a nine month missions trip overseas, and still I struggle with God's love for me." The Internet provides a way for people to open up about their struggles and receive encouragement to restore their relationship with God.

INTERACTIVE - Follow-up on the Internet is straightforward and inexpensive. This makes it easier to link people with specific needs to people who specialize in that need. Many TV and radio programs, which are one-way mediums, require expensive long-distance telephone setups for follow-up ministry. Crusade evangelism requires numerous counselors to physically travel to the crusade site. But on the Internet, follow-up can be done instantly by staff located around the world using standard email, chat rooms or instant one-on-one messages at no additional cost to the viewer or the broadcaster.

Project Scope and Objectives

Technically, The Ranch is a combination of a broadcast center, a publishing house and a follow-up help line. This paper covers the first three years of the project.

For 1998, my target is to create a web site with the capability to broadcast a weekly message to hundreds of people. Because of the newness of the technology, few people have undertaken this approach. Yet the setup is relatively simple and inexpensive, especially to reach such a large worldwide audience.

After each broadcast, I plan to follow-up with those who need further ministry by using other Internet technologies, such as email, "chat rooms" and instant messaging. While I plan to spearhead the project myself, the project will require a team of people to create and maintain the web site and to assist in the preaching and follow-up ministry.

The web site will take approximately three months to develop and deploy once the initial computer equipment has been purchased. Weekly broadcasts could begin as early as July, 1998.

uring 1999, my target is to increase the capability of the web site to handle an audience that numbers in the thousands. During the year 2000, I hope to multiply the ministry by training and equipping other ministries to do similar outreaches.

As computers and televisions merge, I hope to have in place a high-quality broadcast ministry so compelling that people would rather click on my site than a weekly sitcom. I pray people will want to watch a message of hope offered by Christ rather than a message of despair offered by the world.

Action Plan

Step One: Create the web site

The web site is the hub of this ministry. We plan to spend three months on the initial setup of the web server. While a simple site can be created overnight, the design and development of an effective site will take several months, especially to add the newer elements of live broadcasting.

We have already purchased a domain name for The Ranch from InterNIC, the organization which runs the Internet. This domain name (http://theranch.org) is the address by which people will find us on the Internet. Ideally, we would like to purchase our own computer to act as the web server, as well as lease a sizable communication line (T1 or larger) each month to allow as many people as possible to access our live broadcasts. The web server will store the text, graphics, audio and video files.

In addition to the web server, we will need computer equipment to design the web site and serve as the broadcast device to handle the live audio and video input. This equipment includes a personal computer with dual pentium processors, a video camera, a microphone, a scanner and software to digitize the audio and video. We have already identified a team of people who have volunteered to help design, develop and deploy a high-quality, effective web site.

Step Two: Begin Initial Broadcasts

The weekly program will be a half-hour format, similar to a radio or television show, including a portion of music, followed by a message and concluding with an invitation for follow-up ministry for specific needs. These broadcasts will be recorded and digitized for playback throughout the week and beyond. The Internet has a timeless nature, whereby people in Singapore can watch a broadcast later in the day, or later in the week, without feeling like they have missed out.

When the first broadcast begins, we plan to have set times during the week for follow-up ministry. These times will vary throughout the day and night to accommodate the overseas audience. Because the Internet knows no bounds, our follow-up volunteers will work from their own computers, wherever they are located in the world.

Step Three: Publicize and expand Broadcasts

In 1999, we plan to make a broader push to increase the weekly audience into the thousands. Once the broadcasts have become established and the follow-up ministers can handle the current load, we will begin to advertise the web site to a broader audience, including advertisements on the Internet as external mediums. Because of the worldwide scope of the Internet, we hope to add follow-up ministers in other countries who can minister to people in their native languages.

Step Four: Equip other Ministries to Use the Internet

In the year 2000, we hope to have established a site that will serve as a model for other ministries. Several ministries have already contacted us to assist them in doing a similar outreach. Although they see the potential, they do not know how to create nor maintain such a ministry. We would like to have the equipment and the staff to train others and provide a place for them on the Internet for their own outreaches.

Evaluation

The Internet makes it easy to track and evaluate ministry activity. The following charts show a few of the types of statistics that can be tracked on the site. These are statistics for a 10-month period at The Hall of Faith web site.

Monthly Guests

This chart shows the total user sessions per month. Roughly, these are the number of distinct people who accessed The Hall of Faith web site each day. The total for October, 1997 reached upwards of 800 people.

Detailed Guest Statistics

This table shows the number of times any page on The Hall of Faith web site was accessed (21,144), the number of user sessions (6,896), the percent from international locations (15%) and the average length of time a person spends at this web site (7 minutes).

General Web Server Statistics

Timeframe

02/15/97 - 11/06/97

Total No. of Successful Hits | 21,144

Total No. of User Sessions | 6,896

User Sessions from (United States) | 65.15%

International User Sessions | 15.09%

Origin Unknown User Sessions | 19.75%

Average User Sessions per Day | 26

Average User Session Length | 00:07:02

International Guests

This chart shows the number of international user sessions for The Hall of Faith during the 10-month period in 1997.

Most active Countries

Rank | Countries | User Sessions

1 | United States | 4,493

2 | Canada | 138

3 | Australia | 120

4 | Greece | 91

5 | Singapore | 86

6 | United Kingdom | 68

7 | Brazil | 46

8 | Germany | 39

9 | Sweden | 38

10 | Malaysia | 37

11 | Japan | 36

12 | South Africa | 31

13 | Finland | 28

14 | New Zealand (Aotearoa) | 20

15 | Korea (South) | 19

16 | Spain | 18

17 | Italy | 16

18 | Israel | 16

19 | Norway | 16

20 | France | 15

21 | Netherlands | 13

22 | Switzerland | 9

23 | Poland | 8

24 | Portugal | 8

25 | Denmark | 8

26 | Ireland | 7

27 | Indonesia | 6

28 | Mexico | 6

29 | Philippines | 6

30 | India | 5

31 | Belgium | 5

32 | Czech Republic | 5

33 | Slovenia | 5

34 | Croatia | 4

35 | Russian Federation | 4

36 | Austria | 4

37 | Slovak Republic | 4

38 | Iceland | 3

39 | Chile | 3

40 | Bolivia | 3

41 | Thailand | 3

42 | Romania | 2

43 | Bahamas | 2

44 | Lithuania | 2

45 | Bahrain | 2

46 | Bermuda | 2

47 | Peru | 2

48 | Argentina | 2

49 | Taiwan | 2

50 | Hungary | 2

51 | Turkey | 2

52 | Latvia | 2

53 | Costa Rica | 2

54 | Yugoslavia | 2

55 | Guyana | 1

56 | Venezuela | 1

57 | Bulgaria | 1

58 | Guatemala | 1

59 | Lebanon | 1

60 | USSR (former) | 1

61 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1

62 | Jamaica | 1

63 | Trinidad and Tobago | 1

64 | China | 1

65 | Zimbabwe | 1

66 | Egypt | 1

67 | Hong Kong | 1

68 | Aruba | 1

69 | Barbados | 1

70 | Belarus | 1

71 | Estonia | 1

72 | Arab Emirates, United | 1

Total

5,534

Guest Feedback

Of all the statistics, the responses from people provide some of the best indicators of how this ministry touches lives. The following excerpts are from people who visited The Hall of Faith.

A man from Greece wrote, "something is missing and I know that deep inside my heart I've allowed things to enter in and hinder my love for Him to grow and increase." After several emails back and forth, he wrote again, "Thanks for praying, you & your wife. I very much appreciate this free offer of love to an unknown brother in Christ."

A man from Egypt wrote, "I'm a former Muslim convert to Christianity recently and I live in Egypt. I face a certain danger on my life. I'm tired of life and from struggles." After several emails and prayers, he wrote back, in broken English, "When I read yr msg I felt tears in my eys, thank you Eric."

A woman from Malaysia wrote, "After reading [a testimony of a Buddhist convert] I have cried many times. I just want to open out my heart to Jesus and beg him to forgive me and take over my life. My husband and I are both of Buddhist background. Although I was educated in a Convent School were we were encouraged to pray. I really have not known Jesus nor am I the religious kind."

A man from the U.S. wrote, "I saw your testimony. I cried in my heart. I get so discouraged. I am under so much stress. Please pray for me and reply to me."

A woman from the U.S. wrote, "I am just so thankful for your prayers. You cannot possibly know how much they mean to me. My husband has started doing a Bible study with me every morning and he's not real excited but he chose to do it on his own. I know it is because you have been praying."

Ultimately, the main statistics will be recorded in heaven. A recent visitor to The Hall of Faith said it this way: "Thank you so much for your prayer, it was a true encouragement to me. We shall not know until we reach eternity how many people have been touched by our ministries. Always remember, God's word will not return void. We might not hear about the ways we have touched people down here, but God will show them to us above."

Management Plan

The Ranch will be the core project of a non-profit ministry setup for this purpose called Eric Elder Ministries. As the core project, I plan to devote my full attention over the next few years specifically to spreading the Gospel over the Internet.

Project Organization

The project will involve my full-time effort, plus the volunteer help of approximately nine others. My role will be to direct the set up of the web site, speak during the live broadcasts and coordinate the people who will handle follow-up ministry.

Two technicians will develop the server and monitor the live broadcasts. Three follow-up ministers will be online during the broadcasts, participate in follow-up discussions, and respond to email. A graphics designer will assist with web page design; an audio consultant and a video consultant will ensure the audio and video portions are compelling and clear. An administrative assistant will handle paperwork and correspondence.

We have already identified most of the people who plan to volunteer their time to fulfill these roles. As the project grows and requires more time on the parts of these individuals, we hope to begin to pay part-time and full-time salaries for these additional personnel.

Costs

The start-up costs for this project are relatively small. We expect to spend about $6,330 to purchase the computer equipment, audio and video equipment and development software to create and broadcast a weekly program. In addition, we plan to spend $2,230 for office equipment and supplies to administrate the ministry. These costs are comparable to starting a small business, but with the built-in capability to run a worldwide ministry.

In 1999, we plan to add more computer and communications equipment, as well as beginning to use paid advertising. In the year 2000 we have included the additional costs of book distribution and seminar expenses to train other ministries to use the Internet.

Although we have been able to run The Hall of Faith on a simple connection to the Internet, we plan to increase the capabilities on The Ranch to handle broadcasting to hundreds of people each week the first year and expand to thousands the second year.

These higher speed connections, web hosting services and live broadcast streams are expected to begin at $580 per month in 1998 and increase to $3,320 per month in 2000 to reach thousands. Again, this is relatively inexpensive to reach an international audience when compared to running a weekly radio program at $3,000 per week, per city. The balance of the monthly costs includes salaries, housing allowances and medical insurance, beginning with one full-time employee in 1998, and adding two more part-time employees in 1999 and 2000.

Description | 1998 | 1999 | 2000

One-time Costs | $8,560 | $6,910 | $11,180

Monthly Costs | $5,330 | $9,460 | $11,920

Total Annual Costs | $56,530 | $120,430 | $154,220

Schedule

The ministry is slated to begin in April, 1998. Web site development will commence upon receipt of the equipment and will take approximately three months to complete. We expect to begin our first live broadcasts in July, 1998. The remainder of 1998 will be devoted to ministering to those who respond to the weekly broadcasts, plus experimenting with various broadcast schedules and follow-up strategies.

By the end of 1998, we hope to have attracted a weekly audience in the hundreds, with at least 20% of the viewers being live, and the remaining 80% viewing the recorded broadcast later in the week.

At the beginning of 1999, we plan to make a larger advertising thrust to bring the project to a broader audience, including a special focus on international viewers. Special emphasis will be made to handle foreign language follow-up.

By the year 2000, we hope to be established to the extent where we can train and equip other ministries to use the Internet effectively. We plan to add more supporting activities such as travel for personal ministry, book publishing and distribution and training seminars.

Results

At the end of three years, we expect two major results from this project: 1) an established ministry in a new medium that reaches thousands with the Gospel of Christ and 2) a high-quality model that other ministries can follow to allow them to use the Internet to reach the world for Christ.

I pray the first result, reaching thousands for Christ, will yield many new souls in heaven and saved from the destruction of hell. I also pray it will result in many changed lives of people who will follow Christ with their whole hearts.

I pray the second result, modeling an Internet ministry, will allow me to multiply my efforts a hundred-fold. Even with the phenomenal reach of the technology, one person and one ministry can only reach one segment of the world. But by equipping others, I hope this effort will be multiplied exponentially.

Qualifications

My interest in this ministry has been stirring for years. As a researcher for Texaco's Advanced Technology Group for nine years, I was responsible for researching new computer technologies that could be put to use throughout the corporation. Over the years, I researched virtually every new computer technology that came on the market, from virtual reality to multimedia, from speech recognition to language translation.

When the World Wide Web appeared on the horizon, I developed a model web site (http://www.texaco.com) to demonstrate to executives how the web could be used for global communication with customers, investors and the public. At that time, I saw the vast potential for this technology to be used to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I committed my life to Christ in 1987 and have ministered one-on-one for over a decade. I went into full-time ministry in February 1995, was ordained in October, 1996 and served as an Associate Pastor of a non-denominational church until November of 1997. I have run an Internet ministry for the past two years, reaching over 12,000 people in 72 countries with the message of Christ.

About Eric Elder Ministries

The purpose of Eric Elder Ministries is to share the message of Jesus Christ throughout the world, instilling faith in those who don't know him and increasing faith in those who do.

Our intent is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ by any and all means, including but not limited to:

transmitting the Gospel via the Internet, radio, television and publications; and
sharing the Gospel through evangelistic outreaches, crusades, educational seminars and missionary endeavors.

Eric Elder Ministries is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation organized exclusively for religious, charitable and educational purposes.