Renewal Enterprises Acquires Christianity.com and Starwire

ALEXANDRIA, VA. --Dec. 18, 2001—Renewal Enterprises LLC, a privately held company based in Alexandria, VA, today announced its acquisition of Christianity.com, OnlineGiving and Starwire.  Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Christianity.com and Starwire are internet initiatives that started in 1999 with backing from Sequoia Capital and the Christian Broadcasting Network.  It provides world class technology solutions to Networked communities – originally focusing on Christian non-profits, ministries and churches.  Christianity.com – the largest Network running on Starwire Interlink software, boasts a network of hundreds of web sites from churches and ministries around the world.

Sebastian Traeger, President and co-founder of Renewal Enterprises, said, “We are excited to continue building on the vision of Starwire and Christianity.com – to build a network of Christian sites that can share resources and borrow from each other to enrich the entire Christian community.  We also hope that the Christianity.com site can become a leader in providing ministry resources to those who are investigating Christianity and to those who are looking to grow in their faith.  We see shepherding this web address as a serious stewardship.”

Renewal Enterprises, founded in 1999, specializes in managed software solutions and digital delivery of content.  Renewal Enterprises helps churches and other Christian ministries expand the reach of their teaching ministries through Internet broadcasting, on-demand streaming and back-end fulfillment services. The mission of Renewal Enterprises is to help ministries use technology more effectively and to help them make their teaching more easily accessible and more widely available to people around the world.

In February of 2001, Renewal Enterprises acquired Lightsource.com from Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE: GET).  Lightsource is a popular Christian destination site, featuring over 6,000 messages that are available for people to stream over the internet and to order as MP3 files and CDs.  Over 100 ministries - including Focus on the Family and LoveWorth Finding use Lightsource services.  Lightsource also provides video streaming services.  Campus Crusade’s “The Jesus Film” is available on the internet in 55 different languages through a solution provided by Lightsource.

“Within three months we were able to stabilize Lightsource and manage it to profitability. We hope to do the same with the Christianity.com Network, while continuing to provide a high level of service and working hard to make the original vision a reality.  We plan on accomplishing this through our own hard work, but also through establishing partnerships with other groups that are helping Christians use the internet more effectively for ministry purposes,” said Renewal Enterprises CEO Duncan Rein.  He also added: “We are also excited to acquire Starwire.  This robust platform and world class solution will allow to offer services not only to Christian organizations, but also to distributed Network Communities in other vertical markets.”

The acquisition significantly bolsters Renewal Enterprises LLC’s suite of services.  It now offers a Web Site Suite, Web Publishing Network, Media Delivery, Community Builders, Online Giving and the Starwire Network Community Platform.  In addition to quick deployment products, Renewal Enterprises also offers strategic web strategy consulting and implementation.

About Renewal Enterprises, LLC 

Renewal Enterprises, LLC, based in Alexandria, Virginia, is a technology company that focuses on Christian non-profits, ministries and churches.  Renewal Enterprises helps these organizations use the internet to communicate their message more effectively to people around the world.  The company has several of quick to market managed solutions including -  a Web Site Suite, Web Publishing Network, Media Delivery, Community Builders, Online Giving and the Starwire Network Community Platform.  In addition to quick deployment products, Renewal Enterprises also offers strategic web strategy consulting and implementation.

For more information please contact:

Sebastian Traeger                                                      

703.548.8900