Billy Graham Reaching Thousands of Hispanics en Español Through Online Campaign
According to 2010 census data, nearly 37 million people in the United States over the age of 5 speak Spanish as their first language. Further, Spanish is recognized as the third most common language among Internet users worldwide.
With this in mind, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) has expanded its online evangelism ministry by launching PazConDios.net, a Spanish-language site that shares the love and hope of Jesus.
Over the past year, an average of more than 2,500 people every day have visited the site, with 600,000 viewing a gospel presentation about hope in Jesus and 78,000 registering that they prayed to make a commitment to Christ. PazConDios.net was first launched in June 2012.
“It has been the mission of this organization for more than 60 years to reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ,” says John Cass, BGEA’s director for Internet evangelism. “For decades, Billy Graham would fill entire stadiums with an audience seeking to hear his message. Today we have the ability to not only reach an arena but reach around the world. As we continue to develop our online evangelism and expand the languages in which we minister, cyberspace has become the largest arena yet.”
How It Works
The ministry uses a unique combination of Google ads and compelling video presentations to invite visitors to the site. When a question such as “¿Existe un Dios?” (“Is there a God?”) or “¿Hay esperanza?” (“Is there hope?”) is entered into Google, the searcher is pointed to landing pages and then given the opportunity to click to visit PazConDios.net. There, they can view the gospel message and testimonies of what God has done in the lives of real people.
“When someone clicks through to PazConDios.net, they are shown that, yes, there is a God, and, yes, He does love them dearly,” Cass says.
After viewing the content of the site, the visitor is given the opportunity to register a commitment to Jesus and is provided with follow-up materials to help develop their newfound faith.
Volunteer Ministry Opportunity
BGEA is also currently laying the groundwork for an expansive network of trained and vetted volunteers who can answer spiritual questions and offer encouragement once a decision has been registered. Spanish-speaking Christians who are interested in volunteering are encouraged to contact BGEA by visiting EnbuscadeJesus.net or emailing [email protected].
BGEA’s English-language version of PazConDios.net, PeaceWithGod.net, was launched in 2011 and has seen more than 2.6 million visitors register a decision for Christ.
Those interested in more information on this new ministry, including an up-to-the-minute map of real-time decisions being made around the world, can visit EnbuscadeJesus.net or SearchForJesus.net.
