YOUR THOUGHTS (45)...
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If the church stuck with the Boomers as their leaders then it will retire very soon.The church had to move seriously with Generation x and afterwards with the y group to asure a church wirh people. In Judges2:7-11the next generation was lost. Dont let it happen again. Make sure you use the next generations because God wat to use them still when we are old and dead.
June 10th, 2009 at 4:19 am -
Future church websites will adapt to the person accessing it - providing dynamic content based on the user demographics. Churches will flip internal models upside down as they rely on a fusion of mobile technology and social media tools to push relevant content out in the ways people best receive it…on their terms. I also think we will see a great shift in providing more media and social tools in the form of mobile and desktop apps instead of relying the user to constantly revisit the site. A great example would be a suite of mobile apps for church media, events and social networking.
Ultimately, I think church sites need to embrace a community that is on the go, and may not always have time to randomly revisit the website just to see if things have been updated for new content.
May 4th, 2009 at 9:03 pm -
The future of church websites is less about technology and more about intentional ministry. The reality of the web as ministry outreach tool, and not an announcement platform or advertisement, is something that churches and ministries need to grasp. And it is not about posting the steps to salvation somewhere on your church website. It’s about INTERACTION. Its about INTENTIONALITY. Its about seeing beyond the walls of a building and creating relationships with people who need the message that you have been entrusted with. But then, that is what ministry has always been about no matter the medium. It would be awesome, though, to create a ‘web’ ministry at a church whose purpose is not update the church website, but to connect with people and minister to them through the web.
May 4th, 2009 at 3:16 pm -
We recently got rid of our magazine and went 100% online with it. Saved us a lot of money and is actually reaching lots more people. We average about 33,000 hits a month and 16k unique visits. We also enabled facebook sharing which is ridiculously easy, every church site should embed this free feature. We also use tweetlater to auto tweet any news or events updates so that as it changes online our users can keep up. We are a mega church, and i mean mega complicated, too many stories to tell and too many events to promote. The web is the only way to do it.
Thanks for the opportunity to share. The future of church web is to un-complicate the complicated, tell the stories, connect the audience and watch Jesus change lives.
April 30th, 2009 at 12:46 pm -
Rather than recreating their own social tools, I think churches will increasingly use existing tools — Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, FriendFeed and whatever comes next. Our church already has thousands of users on Facebook (and hundreds on Twitter/LinkedIn), so we’re making use of it the best we can.
As for the actual site, churches need to focus more on basic SEO and it can go SO far. Very few churches handle basic onsite SEO like H1 tags, title tags, canonicalization, clean navigation, etc. Our church has had over 50,000 visitors from Google in the past year, and it’s not an accident. I think the future will bring cleaner sites with less copy and less crap (animations, flash, etc), with the church members congregating on the hot social site of the week.
The next few years should be very exciting!
April 21st, 2009 at 9:03 am -
I wanted to take time out to thank everyone who contributed their thoughts to futureofchurchweb.com. There are some great comments here. We’re moving forward with planning the new Chapel.org, but please continue to share. Also, check out the “Special Thanks” on the right. These professionals spent face time with us as we discussed this topic.
April 9th, 2009 at 9:30 pm -
Web building is an act of service for your community and your congregation. The measure of your success is how well you engage people at every spiritual level and in every path in life that your church is geared to serve. Engage them and take them deeper. Track it. Manage it. Perfect it. Be relentless. Give it more thought, initial investment and ongoing upkeep than you do the entryway/foyer of your church. For after all, it is.
March 30th, 2009 at 11:23 am -
1. Just because you CAN do something with a web page, doesn’t mean you SHOULD.
2. Make it useful for 1st-time visitors (MAPS? etc.)
3. NO MUSIC ON AUTOPLAY.
4. Remember to keep it CURRENT! No schedule items overdue by more than 2 business days. This can be AUTOMATED!!!
4. The SENIOR PASTOR should visit EVERY PAGE every day. This is HIS CHURCH’s image.
5. Have PROFESSIONAL pictures made of the staff. LOOK professional (not stuffy, though).
6. Make it EASY to navigate.
7. KISS: Keep It Simple, Staffmember!!!!
8. Make phone numbers/contact info EASY to find! Include EMERGENCY CONTACT info (staff pager #, etc.). Put these in IMAGES so they aren’t scanned by BOTs.
9. You’re site can have MULTIPLE purposes, but that may require MULTIPLE “sub-sites”. Example: One for visitors/new members, one for existing members looking for different stuff.
10. Put sermons, etc., in iPod/MP3 downloadable formats. DON’T LIMIT them to STREAMING!!!!
11. 18 months=makeover.
March 25th, 2009 at 8:52 pm -
We desperately need a website that supports our faith and refutes atheism. They are getting bold as lions and we have sheep defending the faith because they have not been taught how to defend the faith yet. If we don’t have something like that set up, many will continue to fall away.
March 24th, 2009 at 9:20 am -
Less of the static informational sites, and more of the user/member created content driven site. It will become a hub for communication within our groups and between our members much like a social networking service
March 16th, 2009 at 10:25 pm -
I’m with Steve here. The technologies shouldn’t even be part of the discussion until you know what you’re trying to accomplish. Hopefully, that involves reaching out into the community and establishing your church as somewhere people can go to be fed spiritually, see demonstrations of the Love of God, get connected and grow in the Lord. Our websites (and our technologies in general) should be extensions of this mission. The fun part though, is that by using technology we get the chance to do outreach into areas we couldn’t before - to reach out to people who would normally never set foot into a church.
March 13th, 2009 at 7:53 pm -
Phil is right, but I think ‘fancy advertizing’ is legitimate on a website- church or otherwise. Granted, we’re not actually selling (in the strictly commercial sense), but we are trying to be attractive, I think. I would say, though, we are writing for disciples AND non disciples. That means our audience will have fuzzy edges! Maybe one answer is to have micro sites for various initiatives…(see Drew’s mullet strategy below).
March 13th, 2009 at 12:11 pm -
Website should reflect who you are, not what the church wants to be. Planning is important, think what you want to say and who you are saying it to. Your site cannot promote, serve the community and store information… decide who you are writing for and stick to it. If you want my opinion, write for your community, use web tools to communicate (remember there is a human cost to this - pointless setting up a Facebook group and then not using it). Use the web to disciple the people in the church but remember it’s a public space. If you’re worried that it won’t appeal to people outside, don’t be. Christians should be appealing by who they are and what they do, not by the fancy advertising they post up. Be creative, take risks, be open, love people publicly.
March 11th, 2009 at 4:08 am -
I think you’re asking the wrong question!
The web is a means, not an end. Instead, we should be asking how does the web fit in the future of the church?
I’ve been doing some online research of late, into what makes a good church website, not just a good website. What I’ve found is many discussions fall into the technology trap and forget about the ministry. One of the best answers I found is 3 years old - http://kemmeyer.typepad.com/less_clutter_noise/2006/08/what_defines_a_.html
The church’s mission is to teach and to serve. How will your websites do that, now and in the future?
March 10th, 2009 at 8:13 pm -
Two ideas…
March 10th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Something like Zondervan’s “The City”
or
Mini-sites for each series…(something similar to this even?!) -
More churches will have their own Mullet strategy of business in the front (gathering) and party in the back (community).
March 10th, 2009 at 9:53 am -
a website is too simplistic. we need to think about how people will be a community. see this article: http://biblebasics.wordpress.com/2008/07/15/how-gen-y-reads-the-bible/
March 9th, 2009 at 8:21 pm -
See http://www.jacobswellchurch.org
I think they’ve had their setup for a coupe years now. I love the way they integrate content from people’s blogs & Flickr accounts. And, of course, they have discussion forums, podcast the audio from their messages, etc.
If the future of church websites includes interacting with the actual people who are part of the church, then they’re a decent example of it.
Our church website, on the other hand, is not. It’s basically just brochure-ware… but it contains enough info for a potential visitor to find us and get a sense for the kind of church we are, so I’m content… for now.
March 9th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
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kick the flash to the curb and get informative but not to wordy
March 9th, 2009 at 4:55 pm -
new technologies are great for a church to use… but don’t lose sight of the goal: Love.
Love God, Love Jesus, Love your neighbors.
if a new site/technology helps us towards these goals, use it. if not, look elsewhere, no?
March 9th, 2009 at 2:54 pm -
The trends in Church websites are towards the use of CMSs (content management systems), more audio/video, and more interactive functionality.
It’s also becoming increasingly important to offer RSS or twitter feeds so people can get updates on their own terms.
Integration with Facebook is going to be huge. Facebook aps and Facebook connect are growing. Julian is right that Facebook pages as they are now are worthless. But Facebook just announced big changes to pages which are going to make the very effective for churches:
March 9th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2009/03/05/facebook-for-churches-changes/ -
I don’t think it’s a web site like we’re used to thinking of web sites. Take a peek at what the Skittles brand is doing at skittles.com… THAT is what causes curiosity, and leaves the messaging up to f2f (or f2brand in Skittles case) connections.
It’s weird - church web sites, by and large, try to do what people relationships SHOULD be doing.
March 9th, 2009 at 1:46 pm -
Our experience with a church Facebook page with 440 fans is that there is almost no conversation taking place there. People will update their personal pages throughout the day with comments about “Lost” or pictures of their kids, but no one wants to offer feedback about Sunday’s message or call attention to needs they see in the community that our congregation could address. Those conversations take place “off line.”
March 9th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Google Analytics shows our top five Web pages as our calendar of events, contact information, map and directions, how to connect with small groups and a description of our worship style. Obviously visitor-type information. Our congregation still feels that if it isn’t printed on paper, it’s not important.
Will people ever feel that on-line conversations can take the place of face-to-face conversation about spiritual issues, or will the on-line interaction remain centered on the trivial?
Incidentally, our 440 fans are 65% female and 41% over age 35. Attendance 2,000. -
Connection, integration of ministries, live streaming of services.
Hopefully they will focus on the two most important characteristics in skeptical consumerism North America: Trust and Openness. Two things that the church should already excel at should be more than apparent on the website.
March 9th, 2009 at 10:25 am -
Perhaps the future of church websites isn’t a church website at all, but better integration into other websites where people already are. (e.g. twitter, facebook, etc.)
March 9th, 2009 at 9:58 am -
The future of church websites largely depends on altering the mindsets of pastors/administrators toward church websites. For many leaders, things like style, aesthetics, freshness, and good content aren’t seen as highly important. I think that getting leaders on board with the idea of using the website as a ministry tool and convincing them of its importance is key to anything happening at all. Only then will they push for the funding to get it done right and done well. Only then will they push their staff to create and maintain good content. We must pray for our leaders to “see the light” of what the web can mean to a ministry’s effectiveness.
March 9th, 2009 at 9:56 am -
As a developer of church websites. I can tell you that RSS, blogs, CMS (content and church management), & mobile sites are already in place. Almost all of our sites have those features. I would love to see more churches use it, and kept it up to date.
I believe the real future of church websites should be up to date content, live updates, streaming video, a focus on user experience. Too many churches cram so much crap online, trying too hard to “Engage, Encourage, Equip, Educate, and Empower” as others say.
Being simple, to the point & marketing focused are key. Yes the “Engage, Encourage, Equip, Educate, and Empower” are great points, but lets not loose sight that most of the church web traffic is unchurched, and those people generally don’t browse through your 60 pages of content.
March 9th, 2009 at 7:54 am -
In the future, church websites will use Content Management Systems that integrate closely with Church Management Systems to reduce redundant information input and create a more social environment on the website. These same site’s will syndicate their information across the web through communications vehicles like Twitter, Facebook, Google Friend Connect and emerging technologies. To top it off, everything will be accessible through mobile devices.
March 9th, 2009 at 7:16 am -
CMS sites are pretty effective for a church willing to stay up-to-date with information and to continually update. However, when they stop getting new information posted, they become stale, and in that case a static flash site welcoming people and hosting pretty timeless information about the church may be the best bet. It is all variable, depending on who is maintaining it (or not maintaining it).
March 9th, 2009 at 6:40 am -
I don’t think it’s either/or. “Billboard” will always have a place, giving outsiders an opportunity to learn about the church and putting key info out there for members. Sites will become better tools for distributing content and fostering discussion. Websites offer great opportunities for assimilation. I’m not sure how much a church site creates community for more than a small segment, but sites like Facebook can help with that. Sharing needs is excellent but, like so many other functions, success depends on significantly penetrating the membership base. Some people imagine the whole congregation coming together on a site, but I don’t see much evidence of that actually happening. Some members will get deeply involved in a web presence, but for most it’s going to be one of many ways they interact. A site can foster community and contribute to narrative, but the most authentic interaction and story-telling happen when two or three are gathered and the Lord is in their midst.
March 6th, 2009 at 10:16 pm -
a STRONG church website should Engage, Encourage, Equip, Educate, and Empower the congregation all the while connecting with the unchurched who are desperately searching for HOPE!
It should be a resource connection for inwards and outwards (those inside and outside the church walls).
One thing churches fail to realize is the power the online presence has .. think about it .. what other facet of the ministry of the church is accessible 24/7, 365 days (Sunday - Saturday), and has the potential to go INTERNATIONALLY? When you think of it in these terms, a website is not necessarily critical, but much effort and thought needs to be considered before, during, and after launch.
One pitfall most churches have, is once launched, the failure to UPDATE!
February 25th, 2009 at 10:19 am -
One thing I like is letting everyone contribute to the narrative of the church. Meaning, providing a place where people can share what God is doing in them… what they’re wrestling with… hopes and fears…etc. I also like the idea of low-tech. Webcam training. Facebook and twitter groups. Things that help find community along real life. I also think it’s important to foster an online community that is reflective of our flesh & bone experience - values messaging… And PLEASE - can we be authentic and reach outside of christianbubblelandia. Let’s be spiritual entrepreneurs and share our stories and experiences about that. Let this be a place where we can introduce our friends to the church before they step foot in the doors - where they can be raw and messy and where they won’t be judged. And where they can be a part of the journey without pretending to be something they’re not. I’m sick of the church culture crust.
So, raw and no crust, please.
And pretty.
February 21st, 2009 at 1:48 am -
I see the biggest challenge for church websites is to maintain it and keep it up-to-date. Having a map for finding the church helps. An added feature could be for feedback but again, this would require daily checks and responses when needed. The best item on the website is the Calendar of Events and the recent church bulletin/handout for Sunday services. Contact info is a Must for leadership within the organization.
February 20th, 2009 at 2:22 pm -
When large churches like The Chapel take on the task of creating a completely new website, they need to remember a few things when it comes to the overall process. First off, there needs to be a restriction on the number of managers involved with the project. Too many chiefs and not enough indians will lead to power struggle politics. Also the final graphical design conclusions of the site need to be done at a small level, design by committee will just hold the site back from it’s true abilities. Everyone thinks they are a designer when they really are not at all. As far as content goes, simplicity is king. Too many features will just bog down the site, confuse the user, and make the production process one of more quantity than quality. On-going maintenance to the site is also very important. Instead of just launching a completely new website every 3-5 years, keep good a consistency of maintenance to the current site and when a new site is wanted, it will be more of a graphical change.
February 20th, 2009 at 1:40 pm -
When people are searching for ways to know Him and to grow in Him, we have to think about how that takes place. So many resources to be offered. Yet, it might not be our “business” to harness all of that. Basic Christianity 101 at The Chapel may be, though. How many of our people have no idea how to study? How many have no idea what we are really about when it comes to a mission statement? Finding a way to plug into this body seems to be lacking (small groups, care, service opportunities all come to mind). Knowing where a particular set of gifts plugs in to this body is missing on an ongoing basis (we can’t say that enough in a body our size). Yet, if it’s not navigable and friendly, it’s not worth it.
A thought: maybe this is something to put on the altar and ask HIM what He wants for this church body for this specific website. This website issue has been problematic for us for years. Seeking Him has to be the right thing, especially in light of all that every “chief” and “Indian” might want
February 20th, 2009 at 9:00 am -
a bunch of what has already been posted. a strong presence that helps people accomplish what THEY want to accomplish - connecting, interacting, helping, growing.
February 19th, 2009 at 7:51 pm -
I think one particular feature that could be useful for a church website is a “community message board.” Not one for conversations, but one where people can post the needs that they have and get help from their church community. Kind of like a “Craigslist” of church needs.
For example, say a member of the church can’t afford a babysitter but really needs one. The message board could connect this person with a babysitter in the church who could help her out.
This feature could really enhance the community of a church.
February 19th, 2009 at 6:01 pm -
I can’t believe I’m writing this, but I completely agree with Aaron Linne. Wow. Let me take a second for that to sink in.
I think a lot of great points are made about design, maintenance, and the content of future church sites. However, beyond the tradition of oral history, the future of the church site is in the community using it. The site must be an interactive place for the church; not to interact to the church, but interact within the church. As a part-time fulltime church seeker, I can tell you that most people can rationalize or be very flexible about the practice of worship as long as the community is strong. When on a site I want to see that the content is fresh and breathable as the “Web 2.0” kids love, but I want to see the community take hold and truly interact with each other. Most church sites are a bulletin on the web for the sake of visitors and prospects.
I think the future of church web will be community, and the community will drive visitors and prospects into the church.
February 19th, 2009 at 5:59 pm -
The future of church websites is conveniently located at http://www.lifechurch.tv
February 19th, 2009 at 3:56 pm -
Oral tradition led to written language on scrolls which led to mass production of the printing press which led to literacy. And now, instead of simply literacy and mass production of materials, we are moving to creators and mass publication of materials via the democracy of the internet.
The future of church websites will be a place with community is able to interact and produce content and ideas with one another. The church website becomes a hub of creation with a layer of information on top, rather than just a series of pages delivering information.
February 19th, 2009 at 2:37 pm -
I believe that we, the church, need to work at making Jesus “easy and accessible” and by using the internet to create interactive software for all generations it will require some creativity. Videos, chatting options, cross generational appeal (kids area, youth area, young adults, etc.) Just a few thoughts… i’m not sure if this is the future of the church as I believe it is the current need of the church.
February 19th, 2009 at 12:33 pm -
I think to stay with the “times” we do need to reach people in different ways such as the internet. For people are curious about Christianity but dont really want to talk to anyone yet and just want to check things out I think this is right up their alley. I do think we still need to focus on the traditional church though and the body of Christ face to face. Jesus taught to people not on a computer or a cell phone. Obviously they didnt have those things back then but what I am trying to say is that there is something very personal and meaningful talking face to face.
February 19th, 2009 at 11:59 am -
I think its good. We got to reach these people. Its simple to me.
February 19th, 2009 at 11:38 am -
Obviously, a Web 2.0 church site needs interactivity and user-generated content; less “billboard” and more “message board.” But beyond that, I think churches should use their web sites to offer services to the community and surrounding area; use the site as a hub for all kinds of needs. Less talking and more doing. Use the site as a tool to accomplish ministry in the moment as well as through coordinated events and outreach.
February 19th, 2009 at 11:36 am -
I think we’re moving away from the old “locked-down” content model, and more towards open data that users can receive where they want to receive it. As churches begin to adopt technologies like RSS and develop solutions around that extensibility, I believe we’ll see communication among our congregations flourish rapidly.
February 18th, 2009 at 7:26 am