Abstract: 

Given the growth of the internet the last few years, it is becoming increasingly easier to lose oneself in standards, specifications, and new developments. There is certainly a ton of amazing technology that can go into websites, but what does a church website need to be appealing and purposeful?

I am going to assert that church websites are not judged by their technological features, or even by their appearance, but rather by their content. Better yet, I’ll extend that claim to be a general rule among websites, church-related or not. I don’t care if you’re the best looking website on the internet—without content, the best reaction you will ever get out of a visitor is “wow, that looked nice”, as they wander off and never think to visit your website again. Below is a list of things that should be considered if you want visitors to keep coming back to your church website. At the very least, it would probably keep me around.

1. Content

In order for any website to serve its purpose, it is necessary to give visitors the information they are looking for. Your website is your message to the world, and if there’s something there to read, people will read it. Content should be fresh if you are seeking repeat visitors. The first thing I would like to see in a church website is something that tells me that God loves me, and testimonials and links to pages that identify with exactly where I’m at, whether I’m rich, homeless, healthy, sick, widowed, successful, in chains, or liberated by the Gospel.

I’ve never been to church before, and I don’t know what to expect. What about a web page (or section) that talks about the church, what it’s like, and what they believe in (foundationally and denominationally speaking)?

I’ve been in church my entire life, but I missed the last service, is there a place on the website where I can read or listen to the sermon?

Someone I know just died, and life just seems so meaningless and insignificant. I need hope, and I don’t know where to turn. Is there a way I can get in direct contact with a pastor immediately? I just need someone to talk to.

People will visit your website for thousands of different reasons. It’s your job to provide them with what they are looking for. If your website can not address needs similar to those listed above, it seems as though your website is dead to the world. I invite you to critically re-examine the content of your website in light of your church’s mission.

2. Connections

So maybe your website offers something that I can identify with. Now I’m somewhat interested in visiting your church, but I’m a complete stranger, and I don’t know anyone there. I need to feel welcomed, accepted, loved. I need to find people that I can connect with. I need to find ministries or groups that I can be a part of. I need an entry point to the church. It’s not enough to say, “Welcome! Our services are at 8:30 and 10:30 AM on Sundays”. Show me a group or ministry that I can connect with, so that I feel welcome before I even set foot inside the church.

3. Current Updates

I honestly do not know how to stress the importance of maintaining your church website (and I mean more than once a month). But I can tell you this: if your most recently updated webpage was published in 2006 or earlier, you’ve already lost me. Three seconds later, I’m back at Google.

In the time that it would take the average Californian to drive to work, a single webmaster would be able to keep a small-to-medium sized church website updated with fresh content weekly, and would still have enough time left over to take an afternoon nap. With a simple Content Management System, keeping a website up to date is truly easier than ever. And by simply providing content and keeping it up to date, the power of your church website to impact the lives of individuals could increase exponentially. There’s really no excuse for not doing it.

Summary

Websites hold amazing potential when it comes to sharing the Gospel, and meeting people at their point of need. For the love of the Kingdom, don’t underestimate the power of a purpose-driven, Kingdom-oriented, Gospel-proclaiming website. Through the power of internet technology, the church has been given a new way to literally storm the gates of Hell. There is a reason Scripture says that those gates will not prevail against us, and your website can play a key role in that mission.