The Fundamental Role for Your Church Web Site
With an estimated 155 million-plus people surfing the Internet in the United States alone, churches have an excellent opportunity to use the web to share their primary message through their Web presence. Many are not fully taking advantage of this valuable resource. Many do not have a website that is easy to navigate, innovative in design and most of all many lack the discipline of keeping their content current. Creating a strong presence on the Web is essential not only for recruiting new members but for supporting and growing their congregations.
Your church’s Web site SHOULD at the very least:
1. Be a communications vehicle for the congregation — use it to keep your members informed with activity calendars, electronic newsletters, event information and fresh, current content. An informed congregations participates!
2. Be a 24/7 interactive brochure – it’s the equivalent of a retail store’s street display, so show off your church’s finest “benefits” for visiting and becoming involved. Use media such as video, webinars, photo galleries, podcating, and blogs to name a few.
3. Be a tool for your members to invite others — give them something they can use to help bring their friends, coworkers, neighbors to church by sending them to your website. Your church’s website should be designed to make the visitor feel welcome and to find all the relevant information they need to feel comfortable.
4. Be a hub for spiritual resources — provide solid links to resources that will equip your people
5. Be another way for your church to share the Gospel — communicate
the life-changing message of Christ with your site
As always we welcome your comments on how your church is using the power of the Web to grow your church.
