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Wahroonga, New South Wales
Kristina Malarek

The netAdventist software, used to create and manage more than 900 Adventist websites on the South Pacific web network, has been acquired by the Seventh-day Adventist world church, the General Conference (GC)

The GC made the decision to take full responsibility for the netAdventist software at the annual council in mid October.

The transition of ownership will begin at the start of 2008 and the church is expected to have acquired full ownership by 2009.

“Our division was the first to implement netAdventist, in May 2007, as the web management system for our churches and it’s great to see the General Conference get behind this innovative software,” says Jeanelle Isaacs, electronic media officer of the Adventist Media Network.

The annual council also voted to establish an Office of Global Software and Technology, to be based at the church’s headquarters in Washington D.C. This new office will be streamlining and coordinating new software and technology initiatives.

“We have also made the decision to use part of the annual media offering to fund the netAdventist websites for another year. So any church entity on the netAdventist platform can have a website for free,” says Ms Isaacs.

In May 2008, version 3.0 of the netAdventist software will be released, which includes more functionality and flexibility. All sites on version 2 will be automatically converted to version 3.0 at no cost.

“We are committed to using the web as an effective ministry in our Division and will continue to support local webmasters to further develop their sites,” says Ms Isaacs.

There are close to 2000 registered members on the South Pacific Web Network since its implementation. More than 1600 news items and 1700 church events have been uploaded and shared.

The most accessed page on church websites is the Bible study lesson, with more than 5,000 visits. The lesson podcast has been downloaded more than 3,000 times and the church’s online directory has over 2,000 visits. These features are just some of the ways the church is reaching out to the 1.244 billion internet users around the world.

Riverlands Church in Christchurch, New Zealand has seen the benefits of taking part in this online community.

L-R Glen Daniels and Pastor Ben Rea having Bible study
“Three weeks ago a family wanted to find a Sabbath-keeping church to attend. They searched on the net and found our site and visited our church. They attended the following two Sabbaths, and the father, Glen Daniels, has joined a prophecy seminar. We’re thrilled. Having a website is an easy way to tell others about God,” says Stewart Presnall of the Riverlands Church.

Other local webmasters have expressed joy and satisfaction with the websites, believing they are bringing the church up to date.

“I am so excited about the website. May God bless the sites mightily for the building of His kingdom,” says Vicki Knight, webmaster of the Scottsdale church in Tasmania.

For more information or to join the South Pacific web network visit http://web.adventistconnect.org or email webmaster@adventistmedia.org.au