It's a post-website world, but you still need a website. A church website is still essential, but the primary ways your church will interact with people are through numerous streams of communication, including e-mail, texting, and social media. Some will find your church through its website, but more than likely, they'll find it through a friend on Facebook or Twitter who recommends the church, points to a video or story on the church's website, or some other form of word-of-mouth communication.
Mobile matters. More people are doing their computing on smartphones and tablets, and the inflection point is nearing for when mobile computing will surpass the traditional computing done from a desktop or laptop. This means your church's website must work on small screens. Run your website on a mobile device and see if you're satisfied with what it looks like.
Churches should be cautious before pursuing mobile apps, which often cost several thousand dollars to develop. The return on those can be pretty low. Many times, a different approach based on your congregation's preferences can do the job, such as a texting campaign combined with a mobile-friendly website.
Don't forget email. Most everyone understands how to use email. There are very few people that won't check their email at least once in a while. Use your emails to point to specific places on your website. Collect email addresses whenever possible, and make sure your lists are current. A place to sign up to receive email from your church should be visible on your website, too.
Time is precious. With limited staff and resources, churches may turn to volunteers for help with social media or email campaigns. That can be tricky if the volunteers aren't guided on how to use the medium within the church's overall communications strategy, so training is essential.
Put high-quality articles and videos you already have onto your church's website so that there are always valuable things to point to from your social media and e-mail channels. Encourage your staff and volunteers to use scheduling tools in Facebook and Twitter that allow you to post updates in advance, keeping them on a regular schedule and limiting effort to one or two blocks of time each week.
—From ManagingYourChurch.com
Listening to Young Atheists
Larry Taunton, executive director of apologetics ministry Fixed Point Foundation, recently initiated a nationwide campaign inviting active members of atheist student groups to share what led them to unbelief.
"What they had to say startled us." Taunton said. "With few exceptions, students would begin by telling us that they had become atheists for exclusively rational reasons. But as we listened it became clear that, for most, this was a deeply emotional transition as well."
A "composite sketch" of young atheists emerged from Taunton's work. In general:
- They had attended church.
- The mission and message of their churches was vague.
- They felt their churches offered superficial answers to life's difficult questions.
- They expressed their respect for those ministers who took the Bible seriously.
- Ages 14-17 were decisive.
- The decision to embrace unbelief was often an emotional one.
- The internet factored heavily into their conversion to atheism.
Taunton speaks of the personal impact the study had on his team: "… these students were, above all else, idealists who longed for authenticity, and having failed to find it in their churches, they settled for a non-belief that, while less grand in its promises, felt more genuine and attainable." Michael, one of the participants in the study summed it up well: "Christianity is something that if you really believed it, it would change your life and you would want to change [the lives] of others. I haven't seen too much of that."—From The Atlantic
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