Church Growth and the Internet
by the Rev. Steve Murray, pastor, St. Matthews United Methodist Church, Sandown, NH

Can a church web site really be a tool of evangelism and church growth?

I believe it can be if you keep two important elements in mind. The first is content. As you are deciding what content to include on your web site, consider the purpose of the page. If it is to be a tool of invitation, that must be reflected in the content. For many people, the internet has become the new "Yellow Pages." Those people will come to your page looking for some basic information about the church.

The advantage of a web site over a Yellow Page ad is that the content is virtually unlimited. This is both a blessing and a curse. If your site is not well designed, the basic content that people seek may be lost in a sea of information. Be sure that certain information is easily accessible on the front page or within one mouse click.

Within 30 seconds of accessing your church web page, a visitor should be able to find easily:

• The name, address, and phone number of your church.
• A schedule of worship services and Sunday school.
• A map and/or printed directions to the church.
• An e-mail link to someone who can answer questions (and who checks his or her e-mail daily).

This may seem like common sense, but a surprising number of church web sites neglect one or more of the above-mentioned basics.

Of course, the best designed web site is of little value if it cannot be found. For that reason, the second key to an effective web site is promotion. There are at least two important ways to promote your web site:

• Register it with all the major search engines. Search engines do not simply "find" your page. It is up to each church to register with each search engine. Unfortunately, each search engine has its own specific submission process. If you do not want to take the time to do register with each search engine, there are online services that will register your site for you (generally for a fee of $30 or more).
• Publish the URL (web site address) wherever possible. Be sure to have it printed on the church newsletter, posters, church brochures, press releases, Yellow Page ads, and business cards. This is where your marketing efforts become interconnected. For example, you may send out a press release about the start of Sunday school. A person reading that article may not have Sunday school-age children. But if you have included your web site address in the article, that individual can look up your site to find out more about other areas of ministry.

It is also important to understand the limitations of a web site as a tool for church growth. Like any marketing effort, a well-designed web site can help increase first-time visitors. However, whether the visitors come back a second time is dependent upon their experiences in worship. The best designed web site can not make up for a lack of hospitality, poorly prepared worship, or a lack of follow up.

The Rev. Steve Murray, pastor, St. Matthews United Methodist Church, Sandown, NH, is the author of 24 Effective Ideas for the Small-Membership Church and A Guide to the Internet for Churches and Pastors. During his pastorate, St. Matthews has grown from 50 to 200 in average worship attendance.