Title: Internet users invited to complete survey
Date: February 4, 1998
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: news@cm.disciples.org
98b-8
INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- Disciples Internet users are invited to help religious leaders know how to plan for future use of the popular technology.
"This is an important opportunity for those who use the Internet to provide information that will help religious leaders plan for the future use of the Internet," said Ken Bedell, director of a research project being sponsored by United Methodist Communications.
With a grant from The Louisville Institute, the communications agency is attempting to discover the extent and nature of religion on the Internet. Bedell has designed questionnaires and set up systems to review Internet activity. Questionnaires are available on the Internet at http://www.religion-research.org/question1.htm.
"The Disciples Office of Communication believes a tremendous amount of information that is useful -- even vital -- to congregations can be communicated via the Internet. I see Ken Bedell's research as a potentially huge help in determining the proper pace of shifting information resources to the Internet," said Curt Miller, executive director, Office of Communication.
Bedell will make a preliminary report on the project during a Feb. 9-11 gathering of the National Council of Churches Communication Commission in Indianapolis. The Disciples Office of Communication is hosting the 40-member group. Results of the study will be available on the Internet and distributed to religious leaders across denominational lines at the Communication Commission's fall meeting.
Inquiries about the project can be e-mailed to kbedell@dnaco.net. A description of the project is posted on the Internet at http://www.religion-research.org.
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