strategies for churches
Joshua Porter wrote an interesting article early last month entitled “Home Alone? How Content Aggregators Change Navigation and Control of Content.”
It’s a very interesting article about how content aggregators (search engines, blogs, news sites, links pages, etc. - virtually any form of website or software which gathers content from other digital sources and presents them in an aggregated fashion) are changing the way people receive information, and I would strongly encourage you to read the entire article. I’m going to touch on one point he made and how it possibly relate to church websites, but I think the whole article has some very important things to say to us as Christian webmasters.
Here is an excerpt which I found especially compelling:
Aggregation hinges on gathering content from other domains. This dramatically affects the search for content. Users no longer need to start their search in the domain where the content lies. In fact, they almost never do.
Read Full Article ....
I use a website (and its accompanying RSS feed) called Threadwatch to monitor various message boards related to search engine optimization. I probably miss some things by relying on Threadwatch to choose the most interesting conversations, but on the other hand, I don’t have to spend countless hours monitoring several message boards.
Recently, I noticed a post on Threadwatch about a conversation taking place at cre8teasiteforums.com about the ability (or lack thereof) of photographs of real people (rather than stock images) to create credibility in a website visitor’s mind. Since this is an issue that churches often struggle with when developing their websites, I thought I would check out the conversation.
But when I took a look at one of the links which was referenced in the conversation (The Web Credibility Project from Stanford University), I found myself considering the broader issue of credibility in general and specifically how credibility might relate to a church’s website.
Read Full Article ....
Many churches today see the need to have a website, but don’t know where to start.
Part of the problem is that a church feels it needs to have what they envision as a “complete” website - with service times, staff biographies, ministry descriptions, etc., etc. To create that level of website and also have a site which is graphically appealing normally requires an outside designer, which can involve a significant cost - a cost the church may not be willing or able to incur.
But there is an alternative approach which does not require an outside designer, does not need a fancy graphical appearance, and should also prove to be much more effective (in reaching the lost) than the typical church website.
Read Full Article ....
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You may be interested in reading these articles which enumerate core principles of the strategy we advocate:
Effective Church Websites For Emerging Generations
Investigating the various ways in which a church's website can be targeted toward unbelievers in a church's local community.
A Strategy For Local Internet Outreach
How can the internet be used for evangelism and outreach while maintaining an environment of authentic Christian community?
Flawed Follow Up Or A Flawed Philosophy of Evangelism?
The ease with which we can “share the gospel” online can actually short-circuit the God-ordained process by which unbelievers are brought to faith.
Should We Include A Gospel Presentation On Our Websites?
Should conversion be our immediate goal in our internet evangelism efforts?
A Strategic Opportunity For The Church
A proposed strategy in which a church would use short video profiles of members of their congregation to entice unbelievers in their local area to consider the value of a local congregation’s ministry in their own lives.
2 John 12
Is there something incomplete about digital communication?
Wed, December 03, 2008 at 07:19 am
Frank thoroughly impressed with the professionalism of the WebTrends Ad Director team http://ping.fm/EuHLl
Sun, November 30, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Frank interested in finding good resources (blogs, books, etc.) on cause marketing.
Fri, November 28, 2008 at 11:57 am
Frank contemplating a line from "O Holy Night" - in His name ALL oppression shall cease
Tue, November 25, 2008 at 08:31 am
Frank exhausted but gratified after today's Scene7 imaging launch on telescope.com!
Mon, November 24, 2008 at 08:05 pm
Frank @benwiles although you made me think about OneNote again. I think it might have feature to allow you to forward a website to OneNote
When the Luis Palau Evangelistic Association wanted to use the internet to promote their city festivals, they turned to Strategic Digital Outreach. Read more ....
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Web Development
Designwise Studios
DirectSteps
RockBeatsPaper
SparrowStyle
Turtle Interactive
Content Management
Expression Engine
Web Hosting
DreamHost
Email Management
Constant Contact
We work with several different organizations in exploring ways in which digital means can be used to reach an increasingly digital world. Some of these organizations are more traditional clients. Some are friends. All are our partners in the gospel (1 Corinthians 3:9). Invariably, we learn as much from them as they do from us. Here is a sampling:
David & Linda Arzouni
Assemblies of God missionaries to West Africa, based in Mali (the land of Timbuktu).
Assemblies of God
The Northern California and Nevada District, based in Sacramento, California.
India Prayer Drive
A 21-day prayer drive through the nation of India.
IreneDias.com
Although the suffering they face is severe, this is not a story of despair, but of an incredible faith and even more of an incredible God who sustains His followers with lavish grace, extravagant kindness, and unrelenting love.
Luis Palau Evangelistic Association
Proclaiming the Lord's Good News to the millions of people who have yet to respond to the Gospel.
Sacred Ink
Joyfully declaring the gospel to the tattoo subculture.
Santa Cruz Bible Church
Their evangelism department focuses on marketplace ministries.
ShareFest Santa Cruz County
Churches in Santa Cruz County, California join together to become a bridge from the church to the community through work projects designed to bless the community.
TimeOut Conference
Enabling a deeper relationship with God and more effective relationships with people.
Wake Up! Santa Cruz
Presenting the claims of Christ to the business community in Santa Cruz, California.
These are projects which we have initiated (either individually or as members of a team) in our efforts to use digital means to spread the gospel:
MissionEquip
MissionEquip.com was established to provide resources to missionaries and short-term missions teams traveling worldwide.
ChristianCruz
ChristianCruz.com is a localized portal for believers living in Santa Cruz County, California.
Prodigal God
ProdigalGod.com, a work in progress, is designed to provide biblical instruction to the wider body of Christ through the use of video teaching segments and written articles.
Christian Screen Savers
ChristianScreenSavers.com offers a selection of high-quality, inexpensive Christian screen savers which reflect biblical themes. Proceeds from the sale of these screen savers are used to support the work of Strategic Digital Outreach.
Blogs I Read
Adventures Of A Web Evangelist
The Appian Way
BetaChurch.org
BlogMinistry
BlogRodent
Boyink Interactive
Carpe' Digital
Christian Web Trends
Church Beauty
Church Communications Pro
Church Marketing Sucks
ChurchTechToday
Church Website & Blog Ideas
digital.leadnet.org
Digital Ministry
The Digital Sanctuary
e-vangelism.com
Effective Church Web Sites
Effective Web Ministry Notes
Equip Blog
Evotional
GodBit
Goodmanson
Gospelcon
Heal Your Church Website
If Jesus Had A Website
Leave It Behind
MicroExplosion
Outside The Box Ministry
Sacred Digital
So You Want A Church Website?
The Ultimate Issue
Web Evangelism Issues
More Blogs & Sites
The Grace Place
Life's Eye View
MetroReach
Media Ministry
Missionary-Blogs
Mobile Ministry Magazine
Conquering Nonprofit Chaos
Palms For Pastors
St. George the Dragonslayer
© 2004-2007,
Frank N. Johnson.
All rights reserved, except as otherwise noted.
I believe that the internet provides today's church with a historic opportunity .... to tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love in ways which could only have been imagined in times past. The objective of this website is to explore the various ways in which today's technology can be used to spread the gospel around the world.
