Three Angels Global Networking (TAGnet) was literally started on a wing and a prayer. It began when Sean Carney, a computer geek from Canada, asked God what he could do to further the gospel. During a prayer at the 1993 ASI (Adventist-Laymen's Services and Industries) national convention in Toronto, Canada, God answered with an idea that would help Seventh-day Adventists tie worldwide ministries together through a global network.
Upon his return to British Columbia, Sean got involved in online conversations with other Adventists, sharing his ideas to organize an Internet-based out reach ministry. Little did he realize that he was not alone in his thoughts. Gary Regan, a computer network engineer in Silicon Valley, California, invited Sean to the Bay Area to discuss the idea further. Sean moved out to the heart of the technology industry—where inspiration is a prerequisite for innovation. With the help of Gordon Harty, TACnet was born. "Once I stepped out in faith, God opened all the doors," explains Carney.
TAGnet gets started and moves on
TAGnet was officially launched in July 1995. Their initial goal was to provide an efficient and cost-effective way for Adventist ministry organizations to get online. Within six months, ten groups had Web sites up and running with more than 3,800 hits per week.
Today, TAGnet has contributed to helping thousands of churches, schools, ministries, and conference-based organizations reach out using the Internet as their main tool. TAGnet currently gets over 130,000 unique visitors and 4.5 million hits per week. These numbers are on the increase.
Last summer, the Central California Conference broadcast live every meeting from their Soquel Camp Meeting. Hundreds viewed the powerful testimonies and messages via the Internet, thanks to TAGnet's services.
Helping congregations develop and maintain Web sites
Recently, TAGnet introduced "Web- Site Builder." This Web-based software allows any church, school, organization, or conference the opportunity to use a standard framework to create a Web site. This plug-and-play environment means that you can design your own Web site with minimal computer knowledge.
Research tells us that successful Web sites refresh their content on a regular basis. TAGnet just launched its new service, "News and Events" (www.tagnet.org). Using this service, members can upload information regularly into a central database. News and calendar pages are dynamically created and organized by location and topic. For example, news and events from your church will be shown within the local conference section. Maintaining a fresh and timely Web site will be a tremendous resource for a church's members.
Developing a North American Division Web site directory
Every North American Division church already has a Web site through a recently released NAD Church Directory. The NAD Church Directory was created in partnership with the Adventist Directory at the request of Kermit Netteburg, assistant to the president for communication of the North American Division. Advanced Content Management Services are also available to larger organizations such as unions, conferences, departments, and publishers.
TAGnet receives support through membership fees, generous donors, and tireless volunteers. TACnet is also a member of ASI. As a service provider and supporter of the many ministries of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, TAGnet welcomes you to the digital age.
To learn more about TAGnet, please visit their Web site at http://www.tagnet.org/.
