Churches of all sizes using Internet as way to reach communities
By Ken Walker
State Correspondent
Richmond—When CrossPoint Baptist Church started meeting last year, Pastor Randy McPheron wanted to spread the word about the new congregation without spending a fortune. His solution: the Internet.
Lacking expertise in cyberspace, McPheron relied on church members to set up and maintain the church’s Web site—www.crosspointbaptist.net. Because of it, a number of visitors have attended services at the elementary school where CrossPoint holds worship services.
“I think we’ve had good success with it,” McPheron noted. “We wanted to be exposed to the community and be easy to find on the Web. We wanted folks to get a basic idea of who we are.”
The site’s content includes audio of the pastor’s sermons, something McPheron said allows non-members to get a better idea of what the church is all about.
CrossPoint pays a small monthly fee to a service to host its site, but thanks to volunteers there are few other expenses.
“I have friends who have spent tens of thousands of dollars setting one up,” McPheron explained. “I think we’re able to be effective. Ours isn’t the greatest of quality but it’s good enough.”
At 40 years old, McPheron said he is on the cusp between becoming familiar with technology in his college years and kids now growing up with high computer literacy. However, he advised pastors not to get discouraged if they are not familiar with computers, saying there are either church members who can help with establishing a site or technology companies that specialize in Internet operations.
Mark Webb, pastor of First Baptist Church of Highland Heights, is another believer in the Internet as a way of reaching the public, calling it the most cost-effective tool of the modern age.
If a pastor does not know any church members who are knowledgeable about setting up a site, Webb suggested calling the nearest director of missions.
When Webb came to First Baptist about 18 months ago, the church’s Web site—www.fbchighlandheights.org—consisted of a single page and links to several Southern Baptist agencies.
Since then, the pastor has purchased a $300 piece of software and enlisted a friend to help redesign the site.
“Ours isn’t that great, but it has potential,” Webb said. “It has helped spread the word. We have several couples who have come and literally told us they came to our church because they liked our Web site.”
In addition to sermons, other essential elements Webb recommends are a statement of beliefs, directions to the church along with a map, and a contact page so people know where to call or e-mail if they have questions.
Regardless of how a church proceeds, an electronic media specialist with the Kentucky Baptist Convention said it must first determine how to manage the site before it is even set up.
Brenda Smith added that congregations must examine such questions as what will be posted or updated regularly and who will be responsible for handling that information. This planning extends to design, she noted, and includes determining what information will be included and how it should be presented.
Smith also recommended choosing tools that are easy to use, such as LifeWay Link or another “content management system”—sites that provide an online editor, ongoing maintenance, design templates and other options (see related list).
Often, volunteers will offer to build a site using Web design software, but when it comes time to make changes, things can get complicated, she acknowledged.
“There’s a learning curve for such tools and management can be unwieldly,” Smith said. “After awhile it may be difficult for a single volunteer to continue to maintain the site and it is challenging to train others to take over.”
Since anyone anywhere can read the site, she explained that content must be presented honestly, accurately and in such a way that it is above reproach. Smith also advised against using church jargon.
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Kentucky pastors
enter blogosphere
Winchester—When Bob Sharp began blogging in late January, he had no idea the modern communication method would become a tool to lead non-believers to faith in Christ.
Over the first three months of his blog (www.bible21.blogspot.com) the bivocational pastor of Providence Baptist Church led 10 people in prayers to receive Christ. Most are employees of the computer services company where he works.
Sharp has baptized six of the converts, four of whom have become church members.
“Somebody reads my blog and heads out back to get a Coke or eat a sandwich,” Sharp said, noting more non-Christians read his blog than church members. “They talk with someone else awhile and when that person can’t answer questions, they say, ‘Let me introduce you to the guy who wrote it.’”
The idea to start the regular column came from conversations about spiritual topics at work. After several discussions, one inquirer said it would be nice to have something to read.
Sharp asked his wife—a computer programmer—if she could establish a blog for him. She directed him to Blogger.com, which offers free blog sites. The pastor has written about such topics as Easter and the resurrection, how Passover parallels Christ’s sacrifice, courage (after some company layoffs), as well as heaven and eternity.
Though striving to post a new entry each week, sometimes mission trips or other business means two weeks or longer may lapse before Sharp updates his blog. Each time he posts an entry, Sharp alerts regular readers via e-mail and invites them to post questions.
“It depends on the topic I put out there,” the pastor said of the feedback. “If I write about tithing, I don’t hear much. If I write about heaven or hell, I hear a lot.”
In addition, Sharp said the blog has built bridges with young people who might otherwise never attend church.
Although another central Kentucky pastor has primarily used his blog to communicate with church members, evangelism is part of Rick McKinney’s long-range plan.
A former missionary, the pastor of Parksville Baptist Church began blogging in late February after attending the state evangelism conference.
McKinney’s wife, Jane, attended a workshop that recommended it; speaker John Avant also urged pastors to do whatever it takes to reach young people.
The pastor named his blog “Sunday’s Comin’,” (www.pastorricksays.blogspot.com) while Mrs. McKinney set up her own to communicate with women at the church.
“I look at this as a teaching opportunity,” McKinney said. “It gives me an opportunity to cover some subjects I wouldn’t tackle in a normal church setting.”
One reason the pastor decided to start the blog was his goal of reaching more adults in the 25- to 40-year-old range. With half its members over age 55, Parksville Baptist has to attract more young adults and children if it hopes to have a future, McKinney acknowledged.
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Companies that offer Web site content management systems:
- ACS Technologies,
www.ExtendPlatform.com.
- Church Square,
www.ChurchSquare.com.
- Elexio, www.Elexio.com,
or www.Intellisite.com.
- FaithHighway,
www.FaithHighway.com.
- LifeWay Link,
www.LifeWayLink.com.
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