Why Do You Need a Church Web Site?

Are you wondering if you really need a church web site? Or, do you need to convince someone else that you do in fact need a site?

I believe that a web site is not only important, it is a must have for any church.

Why Should You Have a Web Site?

• Events promotion. If you want people to attend events, you need to remind them in any and every way you can. Announcements from the pulpit are great. Notes in the bulletin are important. But you can reinforce your promotion by putting information about it on the web.
• Increase giving. Providing people a means to give online can increase your overall offerings. Other than that, it is just more convenient for some people to give online.
• Sermon distribution. When someone is absent from church, they may want to hear the sermon they missed. Some people will want to listen to the sermon a second time. And people who don't attend your church will want to hear a sermon to help them decide whether or not they will visit on Sunday.
• Email updates. Most people have an active email account. Instead of trying to call everyone to give them an update, send out a mass email that informs everyone at once. Is there a prayer request? Do you need to remind people about an upcoming event? Do you need to let people know about a change in schedule? Email is a great way to keep people informed.
• Church directory. Your church web site can and should have a password-protected church directory. People want to be able to look up names, addresses, phone numbers, birthdates, children's names, etc. And they want to do it online.
• Improved image. If your site is done well, it will improve how people look at your church. I've seen so many church web sites that are poorly done. That reduces the image of a congregation. But done well, people will have a higher opinion of the church.
• Community outreach. You have multiple options here. Your site shouldn't just be a brochure about your church. It should be interactive. It should attract the community to visit the site. You can do this by being the source for community news, school information, etc.
• Ministry extension. You can make resources available to a world-wide audience. Sermons can be played all around the globe. Class notes can be downloaded from anywhere. Reach out to the world – not just your own community.
• Internal communication. A church web site is the perfect place to post new information. It's perfect for reminding people about upcoming events. It can be used to share prayer requests. A good church web site hosting company will offer the ability to send out mass emails to groups or the entire congregation. All this improves internal communication.
• Greater chance that people will visit your church. A web site can give people a feel for what the church is like. They may want to know what the church believes. But more than that, they want a feel for the congregation. What can they expect when they attend the church? A well-done web site can give people a taste of your church even before they attend one service.
• Help newcomers. A web site is a great tool for helping newcomers get acquainted with the congregation through the directory, calendar, and announcements. It can also be a tool for getting new attenders involved in the church. Show them the various opportunities that are available to them. Give them full information and directions if necessary. Send them a personal invitation to an event via email.
• Facebook integration. Many people who are online are using Facebook. Integrating your site with Facebook will enable people to move back and forth between your site and their Facebook wall.

Church Web Site Conclusion

Now you know why your church should have a web site. Now go convince everyone else too!

Return to Church Web Site Design.