Irony ...and a Challange

[lightbuilder]

OK, I'm new here... and so maybe this is a little BOLD on my part, but I had to chuckle when I discovered that in a forum dedicated to Christian Webmasters there was not one single post listed in the section reserved for "The Gospel" (Ha!)

Alright, I've had my fun - now let's get down to business:

Many of the standard approaches (i.e. the Roman Road, 4 Spiritual Laws, etc.) to communicating the Gospel have been around for years; let's brainstorm on how we as Webmasters can approach the presenting of the Gospel in ways that are "fresh" and that will engage our intended audience in a powerful way!

Well, ...Who's going to be first to throw their hat in the ring? ;)

[David Gillaspey]

I had to chuckle when I discovered that in a forum dedicated to Christian Webmasters there was not one single post listed in the section reserved for "The Gospel"Yeah, I noted that, too. But maybe it's my fault (as forum administrator) for wording the question in a way that wasn't clear. Should I state the question in another way?

Sincerely,

David Gillaspey
President
Great Church Websites

[lightbuilder]

Hmmm... well now the jokes on me, there was a question? I guess I missed that, I am new here ;)

[David Gillaspey]

Hmmm... well now the jokes on me, there was a question? I guess I missed that, I am new here ;)Sorry, I should have provided some explanation: All the conversation starters in this category started out life as a "Question of the Week." That was back when I had "Questions of the Week."

However, a week or so ago, I dropped the nomenclature of "Question of the Week" and now call them "conversation starters". At this point, you just see a few keywords in bold face (= forum title). I probably should put the entire question in the forum titles for all the conversation starters.

Sincerely,

David Gillaspey
President
Great Church Websites

[flutem3]

OK, I'm new here... and so maybe this is a little BOLD on my part, but I had to chuckle when I discovered that in a forum dedicated to Christian Webmasters there was not one single post listed in the section reserved for "The Gospel" (Ha!)

Alright, I've had my fun - now let's get down to business:

Many of the standard approaches (i.e. the Roman Road, 4 Spiritual Laws, etc.) to communicating the Gospel have been around for years; let's brainstorm on how we as Webmasters can approach the presenting of the Gospel in ways that are "fresh" and that will engage our intended audience in a powerful way!

Well, ...Who's going to be first to throw their hat in the ring? ;)


Hi,

I think we are more or less able to communicate the Gospel to the intended audience if you are referring to church members. I think the more difficult question is how do we present the Gospel so that someone who does not attend church or believe will pay attention. How do we pull them in? I am very new to all of this, but that is the question I ask. Unfortunately, I do not have a good answer. But I keep trying. And discussion with others helps as well. But it seems the discussions need to be with people who work on websites. Others, in my limited experience, don't seem to see the opportunity for outreach so clearly as some of us who work on websites see it. You realize you are talking to someone who is not a pastor and who has been working on a website for a little over a year and began with zero experience. But that seems to be how I see it right now. I am open to ideas as well. One thing I know for sure. People scan web pages. If they don't see something which strikes their fancy quickly, they are gone.

[David Gillaspey]

How do we pull them in? I am very new to all of this, but that is the question I ask. Unfortunately, I do not have a good answer. But I keep trying. And discussion with others helps as well.Tony Whittaker (Web Evangelism Bulletin) has a lot of expertise in this subject area. Check out his 60+ tips for effective church sites article:

http://ied.gospelcom.net/church-site-tips.php

Sincerely,

David Gillaspey
President
Great Church Websites

[wbcderek]

I guess it's my time to throw in my two cents. And for those of you that look that have seen our site you know that we don't have the "Meet God Here" links or other similar types that are putting the ABC's (Admit, Believe, Commit) online.

I hope our website is telling the story of our people, our faith, and our church. Of course, this is a great challenge that I'm sure we are failing at but this is the goal of our site. I guess the way I have challenged myself is that Jesus told everything in stories (parables) and this is how the gospel of our website should be. While we may not know if our site will land on the path, the rocks, or the good soil, we should be able to meet the needs and grab the attention of each of those and help move them to our Living Lord.

I guess I say all this to say is that I don't think our site on it's own is ever going to convert anyone (you know what i mean don't go literal on me) but hopefully we peak an interest and meet a need that will allow a person to want to join us "in the real world" so through relationships we can grow closer to God together.

Derek

[David Gillaspey]

I hope our website is telling the story of our people, our faith, and our church.Your Life Groups video (http://www.woodlandministries.com/templates/con29ye/details.asp?id=30198&PID=224128), which I have previously praised on the forum, is a good example of this. It shows real people, expressing real feelings.

Sincerely,

David Gillaspey
President
Great Church Websites

[flutem3]

Yeah, I noted that, too. But maybe it's my fault (as forum administrator) for wording the question in a way that wasn't clear. Should I state the question in another way?

Sincerely,

David Gillaspey
President
Great Church Websites


:) Re: Spreading the gospel. One way we do that is very obvious on our index page. I type in the Gospel for each week. I feel that it is important that it is on the home page although I know that some current wisdom says that we will "scare people away" by using "Christian jargon." However, I place the Gospel on the index page for three reason:

1. It is possible though not likely that somebody who lands on our site is not a Christian and has never read the Gospel before, might read it, and want more.

2. It is possible that somebody who reads the Gospel occasionally will read the Scripture and decide to read more.

3. It is possible for someone who reads Scripture all the time to read a particular Gospel on just the right day and become closer to God.

I don't believe any of the above are so likely to happen if the Gospel is anywhere other than in full view--front and center. Many people don't even click one more time...as we all are terribly aware. And that is why the Gospel is on our index page. I hope it is reflected in other pages as well.

[David Gillaspey]

Hi Carol,

My original intention for this Conversation Starter is that members would provide specific ways in which the Gospel message is communicated on their website. You've done just that, so thanks.

Sincerely,

David Gillaspey
President
Great Church Websites

[Faithhb_lutheran]

Okay so new question. How do you reach the gospel out online when your pastor and lay leaders see the web as a bad idea?

For example the pastor doesn't wnat to put sermons or gospel explanations online because people might not come to church.

[cwgraves]

As a pastor, I want to see everyone that I come in contact with get saved and attend a Bible believing church. I know it is a fact that many of the people who attend aren't believers. I used to think I needed to do whatever it took to keep people attending. But now I've come to the conclusion that my job is to go and preach the gospel.

The internet and a church website is no different than a person deciding to stay home and watch Christian television. It's throwing the baby out with the bath water.

If a person decides to stay home because they can read the sermon on the website, we really need to pray about their relationship with the Lord. Someone who is genuine about their walk with Christ WANTS TO ATTEND CHURCH!

[flutem3]

Curtis wrote:

"If a person decides to stay home because they can read the sermon on the website, we really need to pray about their relationship with the Lord. Someone who is genuine about their walk with Christ WANTS TO ATTEND CHURCH!"

Hi,

Even some of us who want to attend church are unable to. Some churches are not handicap accessible which provides a huge barrier.

However, I think a larger barrier is a pastor who has no more faith in God, the church, and himself that he is fearful that placing information on a church website will prevent people's attending church.

I think he needs to learn that a church website complements and enriches what transpires in worship, Sunday School, and other small group study. Curtis, don't you think that minister needs to be asked what he is afraid of?

I also think that preaching the gospel is what you need to do. But if your congregation attendance and membership falls beneath a certain level, you won't be able to maintain the church...at least not in its current form. I know of a small church that is struggling like crazy to get people to attend...not only for their souls but for the life of the church. That, of course, is the nitty gritty that we don't like to acknowledge. A church in its current form is a business as well and has to function as one...or it is gone.

Now that I have cheered myself up, I think I will have a cup of tea and try to figure out more ways to get people to come to the website. :) FYI my grandfather was a Methodist minister so I am a bit aware of the ins and outs of church life. How he would have loved websites!!! WOW! He would have used them to the max.

All you ministers, web site editors, and anyone else who is out there, keep the faith. It is worth it!!

Carol

[cwgraves]

My main comment about those who stay home once the website starts displaying the sermons, assumed they once attended church and are now staying home!

For those who are unable to attend services, how wonderful it would be to read a transcript of the sermon or better yet, hear an audio or watch a video of the pastor deliver the sermon!

I agree, it is fear on the pastor's part. We need to pray for this man of God that he would not see a website as a threat to his ministry, but rather an augmentation of it! A web ministry is just an outreach or evangelistic ministry that can also do great things for shut-ins and those who can't attend.

[flutem3]

Curtis wrote:

"My main comment about those who stay home once the website starts displaying the sermons, assumed they once attended church and are now staying home!"

Hi, Curtis,

I understood what you meant, but I wanted you to say it loudly and clearly which you just did. I think we need to be concerned about all of the people who went to Sunday School as kids but bowed out of the church as adults.

I don't know the precise statistics, but it seems that the mainline churches are all losing members. I know that is true in the United Methodist Church. World-wide I believe I read that there are 80,000 fewer members than a couple of years ago.

The church needs to learn to "compete" with the distractions and other activities which are available today. I do not even like to use the word, compete, because in theory there should not be a competition at all. The church would win hands down because of the message it brings. But that is not the case. However, some of the conservative churches are picking up some members. The question, of course, is what do they offer that we do not? I do not know the answer to that. However, it seems to me that many churches have lost the sense of community that they once had.

I think part of this has to do with our being such a mobile society. Our relatives are spread all over the place, our families are split up, and our friends come and go so fast we don't really know them as we used to. It also seems to me as an observer since I don't get out too much that many things such as sports, ballet, music, boy scouts, girl scouts, and activities, activities, and more activities are scheduled into family life...but not church. To me it is a sorry thing when a little league game is played on a Sunday morning...and if the child opts for Sunday School and church, he/she is off the team. Something is wrong here. And when is there time for a child to play outside...just play like a kid instead of being scheduled up and/or watching TV, playing video games, or fiddling with a computer. I like to do these things too, but they are not the essence of my being.

I am not say that "the good old days" were better. But we need to learn how to meet present and future circumstances. I know I am not saying anything profound here, but sometimes we forget. And we become comfortable. I am as guilty as the next person. I don't know what the answer is. But I do know if we don't get the youth active in our churches, they will die. We always say that "The youth are our future." If people want to see that in action, they can look at churches.

Well, now that I have once again preached to the congregation, I will try to figure out how to get the new domain name I purchased to hook up with Homestead. I know it can be done, but I have no idea what to do. Isn't life fun?!!!

Bless us all...for we surely need it. :)

Carol

[pmburrow]

Curtis wrote: Okay so new question. How do you reach the gospel out online when your pastor and lay leaders see the web as a bad idea?




Curtis,

Pew Internet is a research group out of Washington DC that has monitored the Internet for some years. Their reports are very interesting. You may read them at http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/126/report_display.asp.

In April of 2004 Pew Internet published a report titled Faith Online . In this report they reveled that nearly two-thirds of online Americans use the Internet for faith-related reasons. This figure represents nearly 82 million Americans.

According to this report they found clear evidence that the majority of the online faithful were there for personal spiritual reasons. They also found that this Internet activity supplemented their ties to church rather than moving them away from church. Many of these analysts, like your pastor, had assumed that the Internet would make it more likely for people to leave churches in favor of more flexible online options. However, they found the opposite to be true. They discovered that this group used their online activity as a supplement to, rather than a substitute for offline religious life.

Furthermore, the survey found this group of people to more likely to be women, white, middle aged, college educated, and relatively well-to-do. In addition, they were found to be somewhat more active as Internet users than the rest of the Internet population.

It?s nothing wrong with looking at the business side of this argument. Your church?s web site is plainly just good marketing. The argument your pastor seems to be using is like telling a merchant, that he shouldn?t give away his free samples. The merchant realizes that most people will take the free sample and leave. However, he continue do this because he know that he will make some new customers, whom in the end will more than pay for the package of hotdogs that is given away.

Yes someone may visit your site and listen or read its material and not come to your church. I doubt that anyone would consistently visit your site instead of coming to your church, unless they were unable to attend in the first place. In this case your site would become a ministry to them. However, if you did happen to loose someone as your pastor fears, then what kind of member was this person to begin with. More importantly your church has the potential to reach so many people whom you would have no way of communicating with before, all for a package of hotdogs.

Phillip
www.discoveryumc.org

[cwgraves]

When I was a Children's Pastor at a medium sized church, there of course, were a couple of children that I had to stop and discipline every week. When I was young and inexperienced, I would have done whatever it took to keep that child there.

I learned, over time, and after talking to other more experienced pastors, that sometimes you have to prune a tree for it to grow.

Some of the children that were disrupting things so the others couldn't learn were placed on a type of temporary suspension. This caused a lot of controversy, but it worked! The other children started to grow. They started inviting their friends, who got excited and invited their parents.

After a little while, the children that were "suspended" were allowed to come back - with some supervison.

Now, that was a long story to make the point. We know that God is "not willing that any should parish". And we're not saying that. However, if passionately starting a web ministry brings unsaved or back slidden people to Christ and possibly to the church, is that a BAD THING? True, a few people might decide to stay home and listen to the sermon on the web, but if the fruit is there, we have made progress.

[flutem3]

Phillip wrote:

"The argument your pastor seems to be using is like telling a merchant, that he shouldn?t give away his free samples. "

Hi, Phillip,

Thanks for the encouragement!! I am doing the best I can...and driving people right up a tree...gently, of course.

The minister in question was one in another church. I don't remember who brought the problem up, but it wasn't our pastors nor Curtis who is a pastor.
But your answer is great, and I am going to remember it for future use in a different context into which I have wandered.

There is a food pantry here in town named FISH or more accurately F.I.S.H. which stands for Friends In Service Here. The original FISH began in England.
Anyway, I have volunteered to build a website for them. However, they are leery of having a website. They wonder why they need it. At the last board meeting it was tabled. They also seem to think that hungry people don't have computers. :) I even had a sample index page for them to see, but they really didn't seem to understand anything at all. But they did like the sample page. And to answer your question, no, the majority of the people on the FISH board do not have computers.

If anyone has any kind of compelling arguments I can make in order to serve them, kindly let me know. I intend to attend the next board meeting in September, but I need to be prepared. I feel like saying, "It is the 21st century. That is why you need one." But I think I need to add just a tad more than that. This is a very discrete group, and it is possible that they think a website will shine too much light on them, meaning the board. But their names are public knowledge, but I, of course, don't intend to include their names on the website...just a contact person, me. :) However, I don't want to foist a website upon them because I think it is a good idea. Thanks for listening to my woes.

If this is the worst woe I ever have, won't I be fortunate? WOW!!

Carol

[cwgraves]

Carol,

The FISH board asks a valid question. Why do they NEED a website? As I've said before, let's think of these not as just a website, but a web ministry or web community.

Who is the target market? What is the purpose of the website?

The answer could very well be: it's just a simple brochure about FISH and what they do. The answer could also be: we really don't need a website.

The most effective web sites are sites that have some sort of call to action. What are you trying to get the end users that stumble upon the FISH website to do? Maybe they can be encouraged to contribute money? Maybe they can donate food? Or their time (if they're local)?

[cwgraves]

Carol,

I've mentioned in other posts the importance of "branding". As web developers, we need to grasp this concept. The main purpose of a web ministry is to minister to people and get them to participate in what we are offering.

It is important for us to approach the design of a website as part of a branding package. This includes business cards, brochures, newsletters, tithe envelopes, etc...

Now, imagine the "workflow" of each piece of "marketing". Business card: I meet a person and we begin talking. They express interest in what I'm selling or preaching (generic terms). I hand them a business card with my name, phone number, email address and website address. They contact me in whatever way they feel comfortable. If they have a computer, you can bet they check out my website because they read the URL on the card.

Now, play that same type of workflow with each type of communication. Do the same for a website. Imagine yourself as an end user and visualize what you would do when coming to the website. What type of response, if any, would you expect to have?

When designing the website, if you decide it is helpful to have one, do it without thinking about the technology you are going to use. In other words, don't think about html or javascript or classic ASP or ASP.NET. Think in terms of what will the user do and what will the website do? This will GREATLY help when talking to potential clients.

Hope this info helps.

[flutem3]

Curtis wrote:

"The most effective web sites are sites that have some sort of call to action. What are you trying to get the end users that stumble upon the FISH website to do? Maybe they can be encouraged to contribute money? Maybe they can donate food? Or their time (if they're local)?"

Hi, Everyone,

Re: NEEDING A Website: I don't think any organization actually NEEDS a website, but we are finding websites useful in business, fun, etc. which is why we build them. But NEEDING them is another story completely. The website expands, enhances, and complements what we are doing hopefully.

The above includes ideas that I have in mind:

1. A list of food stuff, laundry stuff, diappers, etc. which are needed

2. A request for money to be used to buy food since FISH can get it wholesale

3. A form for people to volunteer with the types of things which they might do

And a contact address, number, and email address to respond to the above.

This is a very local food pantry. There is not any means testing. A person/family needs to be hungry and that is the only requirement, and he/she needs to live or be passing through Wabash County.

You can see what the suggested index page looks like right now by checking:

www.wabashfirstumc.org/fish.html

Of course, if the website goes up, the URL will not be the above but one of its own.

Thanks for your interest and suggestions.

Carol

[cwgraves]

1. A list of food stuff, laundry stuff, diappers, etc. which are needed
2. A request for money to be used to buy food since FISH can get it wholesale
3. A form for people to volunteer with the types of things which they might do


Remember, this is not a "if we build it they will come" type of exercise. I made that mistake early on in my career.

You have to think like the users. How or why would they be coming to the website unless they have been told about it from some other means, like a business card or someone told them about it.

A simple brochure, listing the services of the FISH ministry along with the items currently needed would be good. A form for people to select the type of volunteer work they are willing to do is also good. It is important that the list of items be updated daily.

Another thing that might be effective is to have a follow-up article on families that have used FISH services. A monthly email newsletter to people who have left their email address on the site would be excellent! It would build interest and get people to come back to the site. That is key.

[flutem3]

Curtis wrote:

"Another thing that might be effective is to have a follow-up article on families that have used FISH services. A monthly email newsletter to people who have left their email address on the site would be excellent! It would build interest and get people to come back to the site. That is key."


Curtis, those are those kinds of things I am try to get across to the board. They don't even do a newsletter. They update the list of stuff they need once a month. But I do understand, more or less, what you are saying.

I doubt very much that the board would even allow "testimonials" from people who have used the service. That is just how discrete they are. There was a time about five years ago that I desperately needed food. I had medical expenses that weren't covered etc. I didn't even KNOW about FISH then. What a boon it would have been!!! I do know how to consider it as a user! I live on $575/mo. Perhaps I am a bit more adamant than the board members about having a website because I have been on the "not knowing" end of the situation and none of them have been to my knowledge. I don't know that I would have found a FISH website...but nobody will find it since it doesn't exist. I am just frustrated, I guess.

I know of very few websites that "if you build them, they will come," do you?
I need to get myself to bed. I will think some more at another time. :confused:

Take care and thanks for your continued interest. By the way, we are a town of 12,000 souls and a county of 36,000.

Carol

[cwgraves]

Sometimes we're fighting the pastors and board members to do what we think will help the ministry. I don't understand how some churches can spend thousands of dollars on advertising or other "marketing" type activities, but won't spend one thin dime on the internet.

If we want to reach the younger generations who are already using the internet, doesn't it make sense to use a "communication vehicle" to carry the gospel to them?

That's why I have really changed my thinking towards volunteer work on a website. If the church doesn't invest any money into the construction or maintenance of a website, they don't think there is any reason to have the site. Or there isn't any urgency in adding content or doing what we as webmasters ask them to do.

I've begun to approach my volunteer development (I still do a few) from the "it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission" perspective. I go ahead and design a website that I think would work best and make it live. Then, I ask a few staff members or lay persons to look at it and let me know what they think.

With the church portal framework that I've developed, it is easier for the administrative people to make content changes and not worry about the details of design, colors, fonts, pictures, etc...

Carol,

You might be fighting a losing battle with the F.I.S.H. group. Perhaps you can just get permission to do what you think is best and go ahead with it!

[cwgraves]

I know of very few websites that "if you build them, they will come," do you?

Actually, I do have quite a few success stories of church and small business websites that started getting tremendous amounts of traffic after putting up at least one website.

As I've said before, a website is only part of a total marketing package. If you are doing things correctly, once the website is live, you WILL get results.

On the other hand, I've had ministries and small business owners who didn't "jump on board" the marketing suggestions I made to them. They have to be willing to commit to spending a certain percent of their resources for at least 3-6 months to see the kind of results that will sustain them.

For example, my parents owned a small embroidery business that sold mostly to labor union members. Things like jackets, hats, t-shirts, etc... I designed a marketing package, which included a couple of websites with links to each other. After 2 or 3 months, a large union in New York state called and placed an order for $200,000. A couple months later, another large union placed an order for $100,000. This continued for several years, increasing in frequency, until my dad died. Then, my mother lost interest and sold the company.

I've seen similar results for some of the churches I've worked with. However, since the ministry isn't "selling" something, it is more difficult to get people to visit the site - more than once. It's our job to make sure they want to come back.

[flutem3]

Curtis wrote:

"You might be fighting a losing battle with the F.I.S.H. group. Perhaps you can just get permission to do what you think is best and go ahead with it!"

Hi, Curtis,

That is what I did when I designed the index page. That is what some of the ruckus is about. And I cannot begin to tell you how they misunderstood things. I was just flabbergasted. They hold these meetings where I cannot get to them, not on purpose though, so I am having to try to explain through people who just barely understand themselves.

A good example is that index page comes up at:

www.wabashfirstumc.org/fish.html

That way, of course, I could work on it without placing another website on the internet which may or may not have been used. I didn't want it just to sit there into cybereternity. :) I explained that it would have its own name after it was approved. However, people got bent all out of shape and thought that it would be on the church website etc. And I had explained that this was temporary, a demonstration page. Well, Curtis, you may be right. I may have to drop it. Such is life.

Carol

[flutem3]

Curtis wrote:"

"However, since the ministry isn't "selling" something, it is more difficult to get people to visit the site - more than once. It's our job to make sure they want to come back."

Hi, Curtis,

The church is "selling" the most important thing there is: The Good News

But I understand the difference you are drawing. If anyone has some superb ways of getting people to return, I would like to know what they are.

We, of course, do have regulars who make use of many features. But many people don't. I would just like for them to hang around a bit longer at least to take a look. When people take the time to check things out, they are surprised at all the useful items which are there. Then they return.

You are also right about the youth. The youth in our church had gotten short shrift for many years. The program is just beginning to take a form again. And finally, there are many children in Sunday School once again. Our church went through the kind of turmoil that nobody wants any church to go through.

We are, in this last year, beginning to pick up the pieces and move forward. It is a great task, and I don't envy the ministers, trustees, etc. But it looks as if God looked down at our church and said, "This church will thrive." And He placed the people here that we need.

Basically, I am telling you this to let you know that there are many things happening that take precedence in other people's minds over the website no matter how strongly we may feel about its importance. The second is that we do not have a really computer literate church. There are no more people with email addresses in 2005 than there were in 2004 which I found surprising.

So I keep chugging along like everyone else. Thanks so much for you interest and wise remarks, Curtis. I am a decent learner :) so please continue!!

Carol

[cwgraves]

Thanks so much for you interest and wise remarks, Curtis. I am a decent learner :) so please continue!!


Thanks, Carol for your kind words. This is a passion of mine! In fact, I resigned from the church about 9 months ago to pursue the web ministry. I'm still preaching, when the opportunity arises, but I REALLY want to see churches change their way of thinking and fully adopt the internet as a fantastic evangelistic tool!

I am holding web ministry seminars, writing newsletters, showing my portal framework, and participating in forums such as these. Interest is building and I hope to make this my fulltime profession soon. When the Lord opens a door, I will walk through it!

[flutem3]

Curtis wrote:

"I am holding web ministry seminars, writing newsletters, showing my portal framework, and participating in forums such as these. Interest is building and I hope to make this my fulltime profession soon. When the Lord opens a door, I will walk through it!"

Curtis, I have absolutely no doubt that this is a passion of yours!!! None! And I think that passion is terrific, and I am certain that you are correct as well. I would like to participate too.

Are these seminars, newsletters, etc. on the internet? If they are, where can I find them. Who knows, Curtis? I just might learn some valuable stuff. I am continually amazed at what I learn daily. Perhaps from you and others here, I can continue developing our website so that people just can't wait to get there!! :D

Carol

[cwgraves]

Are these seminars, newsletters, etc. on the internet? If they are, where can I find them.
Carol,

Unfortunately, everything I've done so far is within driving distance. I'm working on opening this up, but time is a factor.

If you are interested, get with some churches in your area and see if they want to co-host a web ministry seminar. I will come to your area if there is enough interest.

I need to cover expenses and will only expect a love offering in addition to the expense to get there and back along with printing costs, if any.

[flutem3]

Curtis wrote:

"If you are interested, get with some churches in your area and see if they want to co-host a web ministry seminar. I will come to your area if there is enough interest."

Curtis, that would be a wonderful thing to do. I think it will be another five years before the ministers in this area except for a very few would want to have a seminar. There are only five of 30 some churches in the town that have websites. And two of those aren't kept up to date.

However, I am a good talker so as I run into people from time to time, I will bring it up if for no other reason than to get them thinking. I am not sure what you are even talking about, however, when you talk about the portal.
I do understand the concept of getting a group of churches together and...and what?...use the same hosting? Our church, for example, has no money, not a penny, in the budget for a website. I think that will change in the next year or two, but that is the size of it now. And I would not be surprised if there is no money budgeted in the other churches either.

I know that this is the kind of thing you want to change!!

Carol

[cwgraves]

There are only five of 30 some churches in the town that have websites. And two of those aren't kept up to date.Carol,

That's EXACTLY why you need to have a web ministry seminar. The seminar consists of:

1. Why do I need a web ministry?
2. What is the difference between a web SITE and a web MINISTRY?
3. What are the types of web ministries?
4. How do I determine my target market?
5. What is the purpose of my web ministry?
6. Getting past the excuses
a. We don't need a site
b. We can't afford it
c. We have a volunteer doing it
7. Representing Christ
8. Good stewardship
9. How to get started

I usually try to do a Saturday seminar or a Friday night kick off and Saturday finish. I'm pretty flexible. Think of it as a visiting evangelist.

[flutem3]

Curtis wrote:

"That's EXACTLY why you need to have a web ministry seminar."

Curtis, do you have any brochure or advertising of any kind which would tell the Wabash County Ministerial Association what you do, what the seminars are about, and cost? I don't know what I can do, but I think in this area that is the group to approach. At least that is my first impression. In our church somebody is just learning to use PowerPoint so that is about the stage of things here as a generalization which I realize is not fair to all churches.

David, would you prefer that Curtis and I have this conversation by email, or does it continue to be okay for the forum. I don't want us to be kicked out like that one person was for advertising a product.

My feeling is that this is possibly a valuable exchange for others to read to get some ideas for their churches as well. Let me know, please.

Carol

[flutem3]

Hello to one and all,

I have begun the construction of the outreach website which I have mentioned before. I would like some ideas from people on this forum if you would do so. The website is going to be targeted at people who are not Christians, are nominal Christians, or are seeking. I am "starting at the very beginning." I would like for some of you to give me your answers to several questions in a manner that you would answer if a non-believer asked the following:

Who/what is God?
Who is Jesus?
What is faith?
What is salvation?


I have been doing a lot of research and find that most answers to these questions tend to be very academic and/or theological and have little of the life and joy which I know as Christianity. Therefore, I am looking to others to give me more insight.

Thanks to all.

I have done all of these little odds and ends like the underlining using the html. That may make some of you laugh and smile...and it does me too!

[cwgraves]

Who/what is God?
Who is Jesus?
What is faith?
What is salvation?

Before you start to answer these questions in laymens terms, you need to ask some non-Christian people what they think the answer to the questions are.

Rather than have a random list of religious or theological questions with answers in simple, non-Christian terms, there needs to be a logical start to finish "workflow."

I say that because a canned answer to the question "Who is God?" means different things to different people. We try to find a common bridge between us and the person we are talking to.

The questions can be answered in very simple terms. What is your exact purpose for asking the questions? What do you hope to accomplish? Are you simply giving unemotional text-book type answers? Or do you hope to get the visitor to make a committment to the Lord?

I'm not trying to come down hard on you, I'm REALLY trying to understand where you are coming from so I can help devise a strategy.