[1]NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–To provide Internet access that families and churches can trust, LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention is offering filtered access to the World Wide Web via “LifeWayonline,” effective Dec. 1.
LifeWay is partnering with Rated-G Online, an established Internet service provider with the latest generation of filtering system, Ted Warren, LifeWay executive vice president and chief operating officer, said.
He said LifeWayonline will support Southern Baptist values and beliefs and will filter out more than 20 categories of offensive material including: pornography, alcohol and drug use, gambling, weapons and bomb-making, violence, hate/discrimination, profane language and selected chat sites.
In the future, LifeWayonline will include popular features of the current LifeWay site plus a multitude of features for adults, teenagers and children, Warren said.
For example, marriage and family expert and author Gary Chapman will be featured regularly.
The Kidz Only section of LifeWayonline includes a Learning Center, Children’s Bible Hour, games, activities, a Kids Club and much more. The Teen Seen section includes magazines, electronic cards, games, a teen poll, music, homework help, teen news, chat and forums. For the family, special-interest information is provided for age groups from babies to seniors. Help is offered on parenting, finances, family life, health and many other topics.
Other sections of LifeWayonline include entertainment, weather, travel, sports, computing, education and business. Links to many popular sites are offered while filtering will assure that content delivered from the sites is family friendly, Warren said.
“The world is flooding to the Internet in numbers that increase every day. Tragically, it is presently dominated by non-Christian, unwholesome content,” Warren said.
“Through LifeWayonline, we want to protect people from harmful material while providing them activities and information to strengthen their spiritual lives, address life issues and provide relaxation and enjoyment,” he said.
Warren said LifeWay personnel considered several providers and selected Rated-G because it provides a filter that “reads the sites by words and images. It uses a variety of means — URL, words and images — to determine if a site should be blocked. It also uses sophisticated new artificial intelligence techniques to continuously enhance the filtering efficiency.”
“Due to the ingenuity of provocateurs, no filter can guarantee that no undesirable material will ever slip through,” Warren said. However, “Rated-G Online is in the best-of-class category.”
As a measure of its quality, Warren said Rated-G Online received the 1999 Editor’s Choice Award for best filtered Internet service provider from “Best of the Christian Web.” Also, it was selected as the Internet service provider of choice for the TV special, “Parenting in the 90s and Beyond.” More than 115 major organizations and ministries nationwide have endorsed Rated-G Online. The SBC’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission has been offering Rated-G Online for the past two years, due to its unique filtering system.
In addition to families, Warren said LifeWayonline is an ideal service for Christian schools, for use with homeschoolers and for churches.
“This excellent filter makes Internet access a tool for personal and spiritual growth and not a danger, distraction or legal liability,” he said.
The cost of subscribing to LifeWayonline is $19.95 per month, paid monthly. Subscribers may pay in advance for six months of service and receive a 10 percent discount for a monthly rate of $17.95 or pay in advance for 12 months of service and receive a 20 percent discount and a monthly rate of $15.95. The rate includes everything on the site and national dial-up service, including Canada. Local access is available in more than 1,000 U.S. cities. The rate also includes unlimited monthly access, four e-mail accounts, on-line shopping and classes, 5MG personal web space, high speed 56kbps access and technical support.
Early in 2000, Warren said a program for churches, schools and other organizations will be announced.
For those not subscribing to LifeWayonline, access will continue to be free to the LifeWay Christian Resources website that provides weekly Sunday school lesson helps, news, discipleship resources and other helps at www.lifeway.com.
For information or to subscribe to LifeWayonline, call toll free at 1-888-454-5965, pick up a free installation CD at any LifeWay Christian Store or subscribe on-line at www.lifewayonline.com.
Editors’ note: The correct style of LifeWayonline in publications is one word with the “L” and “W” capped in LifeWay and online in bold italic.