Around 150 experts from all over the world attended the Global Internet Evangelism Network Forum (GIENG) in Orlando, Florida, September 2009. All of the participants were experienced in Internet technologies, evangelism, and church growth.
From the left: Klaus Popa and Sascha Schuster from the Stimme der Hoffnung and Danny Houghton from the NetAdventist. During this event the Internet team of the German “Stimme der Hoffnung” (Voice of Hope) received two awards for outstanding, innovative and creative Internet projects. As a representative for the “Stimme der Hoffnung” Internet team, Klaus Popa was given the adventist net award for developing visually creative websites and applications. The Communication Department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church world headquarters offers this award each year to recognize meritorious contribution to the SDA church’s online ministry through the avenues of Internet and related technology. “We are glad that the SDA Church world headquarters recognizes involvement in creative online mission outreach projects. The award is a great motivator to tackle future projects with the same passion,” Popa said. Much appreciation was also given for two other Internet websites, created on behalf of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Germany, by Tobias Klepp and Klaus Popa (www.adventisten.de; www.adventjugend.de). The second of the netPrize winners in the category of evangelism was Martin Meier, a student working with “Stimme der Hoffnung”. He developed a module by which it is possible to view HOPE Channel TV stations all over the world, on the websites of the net Adventist platform. The netAdventist platform is a do-it-yourself kit for creating church websites. It was developed by TAGnet, a mission network from the U.S., and made available to all Seventh-day Adventist churches around the world. The HOPE Channel, with its headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA, runs seven TV stations and over 40 broadcasting centers worldwide. It provides a large variety of international and multilingual programs which can be received all over the world via satellite, cable and the Internet. These TV stations reach millions of homes. Since March 2009, the German “Stimme der Hoffnung” media center has aired programs in the German language from its own TV and radio stations, called “Hope Channel deutsch.” With its round-the-clock coverage, the “Stimme der Hoffnung” provides programming on relevant topics. One of the station’s aims is to encourage people in an understandable and up-to-date manner to personally study the Bible and become acquainted with the Christian faith.
