Press Releases
Global Media Outreach and Biola University Create Global Center of Influence
Joint project equips volunteers for online evangelism
September 20, 2005
Global Media Outreach, an Internet ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ International, and Biola University, a national private Christian university, today announce the development of the Global Center of Influence, a collaborative effort to train students for online missions work. The partnership has been created to help reach the world for Christ over the Internet.
The Global Center of Influence focuses on three key projects:
Training students as part of the Global Media Outreach (GMO) Response Center
Development of an online discipleship library
Creation of a joint media lab for emerging technologies
“Global Media Outreach’s online ministry is resulting in thousands of people coming to Christ every month,” said Biola President Clyde Cook. “Volunteering through GMO’s response center provides Biola students and alumni with direct ministry opportunities to communicate online with people from around the world, who are seeking a relationship with Jesus Christ. The GMO response center is a key method for students to help carry out the Great Commission right from their residence hall room keyboard as they interface with seekers, resulting in people coming to faith.”
Global Media Outreach has already begun to train students and staff to share their faith on the Internet as part of the growing Ministry Response Center. Included in the training will be international students to support the 10 top languages on the Internet, along with graduates from Biola’s Talbot School of Theology.
”This project will eventually result in thousands of Christian college students trained in sharing their faith with seekers,” said Walt Wilson, Global Media Outreach Founder. “I believe this is the beginning of a truly scaleable model for online evangelism training.”
Long range plans are to look towards developing an online discipleship library for new believers and pastors in developing nations in a joint project between Biola and GMO. Content, technology and process developed in the initial pilot programs will be packaged for migration and transfer to other Christian colleges and universities.
A joint media laboratory will be developed to encourage and direct student experiments in emerging technologies in podcasting, cell phone content, film, video Internet streaming and other electronic media to share the story of Jesus Christ. In addition, people will be encouraged to leverage student creativity by exploring “off the map” with GMO in the discovery of new Internet models that could be used to build the church and mentor, disciple, encourage and pray for new believers.
Currently, about 25 million visitors a year are surfing onto a GMO site from somewhere in the world, resulting in 100,000 inquiry emails and an amazing 250,000 decisions for Christ per year. The Global Center of Influence will help provide volunteer staff to help respond to the inquiries coming into the Response Center.
About Global Media Outreach
Global Media Outreach is a coalition of Internet evangelism ministries of Campus Crusade for Christ. The mission of Global Media Outreach is to utilize the core principles of Campus Crusade (winning people to Christ; building believers in their faith; and sending them to win, build and send others) through creative and proactive use of Internet-based communication technologies. Websites through Global Media Outreach present the gospel every 5 seconds. With more than 680 people indicating decisions every day, 1 person every two minutes is making a decision for Jesus Christ.
About Biola University
Biola University, founded in 1908, is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a “National University,” which they consider the “major leagues” of higher education. Biola offers 145 academic programs through its six schools, ranging from the B.A. to the Ph.D. As a theologically conservative, Protestant university, Biola provides Evangelical students with biblically centered education, equipping them in mind and character to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ in any professional setting. In 2003, Biola launched a new vision to be ‘a global center for Christian thought and spiritual renewal’, addressing the crucial cultural issues of our day. For more information, visit Biola.edu.