Church Websites: What Every Pastor Needs to Know About Internet Ministry
1. Most of your church growth is going to come from frequent Internet users.
The group that uses the Internet the most is also the group your church needs to target if it is to grow. Since much of your church growth will come from the 18 to 18 range (males and females from 18 years old to families with up to 18 year old children). Teens and families with children at home are the most frequent Internet users, so it only makes sense to communicate to this target audience using the Internet.
2. Your Web site is your first impression for many.
A significant percentage of people under the age of 40 grew up with technology, so they regularly go to the Internet for information. A 20 or 30 year old will much more likely go online to find a church than look in a newspaper or yellow pages. Many families moving to your town or city will research both where to live and where to go to church over the Internet. If you don't have a church website you simply won't be found by many. If your site is outdated or unprofessional looking, that will reflect directly upon how people perceive your church, its message, and services.
3. Many will visit your Web site before attending your services.
Attending a church for the first time is very intimidating. Exploring a church online, maybe listening to an online sermon, looking at photos, reading church staff bios, a few life stories of members of the congregation will dramatically decrease the scariness of that first visit. Before a seeker will come to your building, they'll very likely visit your website and decide if they'll attend or not.
4. Many will only ever seek God online
George Barna projects that by the year 2010, ten to twenty percent of population will rely on the Web for all of their spiritual input. When these people go online in your city to find God, to ask tough questions about sprituality, to seek advice, what will you have available for them? What will they be taught if Christians aren't there to meet that need?
5. A church website is too important to be volunteer run.
Many churches are disappointed with their church website experience. Often this is because their website was designed and managed by a volunteer.
How do you justify spending money on a church website? A church website is now an essential element of a church and needs to be treated as such. It is a whole ministry on its own that needs church staff committment and an adequate budget if it is to be done correctly. You wouldn't use volunteers to install and maintain the roof and plumbing in your church – it's just too critical to depend on volunteer help.
6. You can't afford to not have a church website or to have an outdated or cheap church website.
If many people in your city first visit your website before they decide to come to your church in person, you can't afford to not make the best presentation online as possible. Seekers and believers will judge your church, its programs, what you offer for youth, etc all from what you have on your website. Are all of the key ministries and features of your church adequately covered with descriptions and photos on your website?
Choosing A Christian or Church Web Design & Hosting Company
A professional Christian web page design company should be able to build & host custom or template-based websites, or web portal applications for Christian organizations, ministries, churches and non profit organizations around the world.
"Finally! Someone who takes the confusion out of creating websites.
The Rechurch team gave us exactly what we were looking for.
We have appreciated [Rechurch's] flexibility and willingness to listen to our
specific requirements. A pleasure to work with." Brad Hagkull, Pastor Broadway Church
"We now have a global online ministry and a cutting edge church website & Christian hosting thanks to Rechurch." Cam Hall, Media Pastor, SouthSide Church
Why Choose Rechurch?
A message from the Director:
Search in Google for a Christian website design and marketing company and you'll find over 2 million results, but you won't find better Christian web design hosting & Christian internet marketing solutions from a more experienced & trustworthy company than Rechurch. We understand the challenges of working in ministry. Our 10+ years experience working with Christian and non-profit organizations will help you get exactly what you need for your Christian website.
Giving Back
Rechurch is a proud supporter of the following non profit organizations:
