Take Your Church Plant
to the Web!

by Glenn White

Church planting in the twenty-first century means reaching people in new ways with new technology. There are many new ways to reach people but the most cost effective and people effective way is using the web.

Presence Is Everything

The web is essentially a tool for reaching people. Contemporary businesses with brick-and-mortar locations maintain a cyberspace presence to stay in touch with established customers and reach new prospects. And despite the temporary downturn in the high tech world, online advertising continues to gain momentum. No matter what, the web is here to stay. Church planters, too, can establish a presence on the web with a little knowledge of what the web is all about. And presence is everything!

The Web, Church Planting, and Evangelism

Two successful church planters, David Yonggi Cho and Rick Warren in a recent interview agree the web is a viable, valuable medium for the church. And a recent report by George Barna indicates the web phenomenon is only going to increase and affect how people go to church. The Pew Internet and American Life Project also has a new report that teenagers are on the web in record numbers. The days of the youth group in the church basement are limited if not irrelevant. Also, you might want to read their report on the Internet and the Church. Evangelism on the web is a growing strategy with great advice and insight from people like Andrew Careaga with eMinistry and Tony Whittaker with Web Evangelism. As you can see, the web is here to stay even for ministry.

The Time Is Now!

Let’s say you’re convinced that your church plant needs a website. But, when do put up a website? Now! Don’t wait to gather a core group, secure a facility, start a cell group, or find a team. You can start your church plant immediately on the web. A web site can serve as a point of contact for your church planting team and prospective attenders. Begin deciding what you want your web site to look like and communicate. Brainstorm choices about color, content, and appearance. How do you want the site to look and what do you want to say? Spend some time looking at different web sites and notice the effect of color, font styles, graphics.

Build It!

Okay, let’s say you’re convinced but wonder, “How can I build a website?” There are many resources on the web with templates and easy instructions how to build a website. Some will even host the site for you. Tony Whittaker has compiled a helpful list of templates and Christian web hosts to get you started.

A word of warning: no matter what anyone says, it will take longer than two or three hours to build a web site. Plan on about a week or two to build a site. A week or two? Yes, to build a site with any amount of quality content, it will take that long. But it is worth every minute.

Now is a good time to ask around for a budding or professional web designer to build your site. If you know a youth pastor, you can probably find a webmaster in the youth group willing to help you. Or you can hire a professional webmaster to do the job. Either way, a web site is worth every minute and every penny your church plant will invest to reach people in the digital age.

Next: What’s the Use?

Copyright 2001 © Glenn White. Contact the author for permission to reproduce this article for commercial purposes..

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