There has been a dramatic push lately for businesses and churches as well to create their own website. Just yesterday I saw two different hosting companies commercials saying it was more affordable, and easier to just do it yourself.

And while to those who really haven’t thought about a budget, it may seem like a good idea. However, the templates they offer to ‘build’ your website with are very dated, and limited in ability to make a site that is usable for your ministry.

And if you are expecting to have some fancy site like the church down the block, who is offering an alternative to your church, well then unfortunately you might be sadly mistaken.

Lets face it. Your ministry website is one of the first things prospective members will see, and if it doesn’t grab them, chances are you won’t even get them in the door.

So What Do You Do?

I know most people think hiring someone to work on the ‘church’ site seems crazy. Surely there is someone in your church that could do it, and many times the person who gets delegated, especially in a small church, is the pastor. He doesn’t have much else to do with his time, and it is ‘his job’ to reach the lost, right?

And there are free options out there. Really! I am telling you free options can work. However if you are going to have a website, even a free one, you have to realize that your website is an extension of your ministry. And it needs to be accessible to everyone.

More people access the web, Facebook, even their personal bank account via their smart phone, or possibly a tablet computer than any other option. Your site must be friendly to those users. And even more importantly, it needs to keep updated. Even the biggest churches with full time media departments fail on this and that is one of the main reasons you need to hire a designer. Not just for the original creation of your site, but for maintenance.

But I Already Have A Site

Just today I took a look at a website that I was hired to do several years ago. When a new pastor came in, he decided that they no longer needed someone to do the site and would go with another option.

The first option they tried was one of the free hosting deals, and it was an okay site, but it really didn’t have much personality.  I never bothered checking their site again until today, and they have changed to a Word Press site.

Word Press is a good option for churches that want to control their own content, and is fairly easy to use. There are plenty of templates to use and if you know what you are doing, you can make a decent site with it.

However, you must keep it updated. You must change out the premade content in templates for your own, or remove the widgets that contain the WP content.

On this particular website, they had filled in a contact page, and a page for accepting money, but the rest of their site had lots of generic information waiting to be filled in.  So, it kind of sounds like what most who do not go to church think. ‘They only want me for my money.’

If your website is not current with relevant information about your ministry, then people will take a glance one time and move on. You will have lost a potential saint in your church.

Content Is King!

When people think about a website most of them immediately think about the flash, big photo galleries, a place for media downloads, and all of those ‘fancy moving parts.’

But what most forget, is if the information is not current, and relevant to your ministry, then it really doesn’t matter if you paid $10,000 for your website or made it yourself on a free host.

And the only way to make sure of that is to keep it updated. Whether you make time during the week to update it, or possibly add a blog widget so at least it appears you are active, even if all you do is tweet out scriptures or upload your sermon notes from the last message you preached, something must be done to keep it current.

Or if there is someone in your church who at least knows how to keep their Facebook page up to date, then perhaps they would be good. If not, hire a designer. They will keep on you for new content, if you happen to get behind, and usually the monthly update fee is very minimal and you don’t have to know all the technology behind it all.

Most Important Content

All of the website is important, but what really matters the most? This is debatable and really depends on who you ask, but there are a few things that I personally would make sure was accurate at least once a month. You might be surprised that some of these are not up to date.

• Contact Info – Crazy as it sounds, often there are changes in email or phone numbers that gets updated on business cards, other internal church documents, and even newspaper advertisements, and the website gets over looked.
• Pastor Name and/or Photo – Can you believe it? Yes, there are church websites out there that have not updated who the current pastor is on their site, or have a photo of the pastor that is more than ten years old.
• Current Church Location – I know! The church moved across town into their beautiful new building and didn’t mention it on their website. A visiting evangelist had come in a night early and had set his gps to go direct to the church based on the address online and was surprised when there was no church building there.

Everything is important to keep current, but those items are vital to your ministry.

It would be as if somehow the animals were headed to the ark and it got moved and Noah was no longer in charge. Chaos!

We Can Help!

• FREE WEBSITE – for ministries with less than 25 members
• Custom Ministry Site – regardless of size, custom features, and free advice and quotes
• Visit Us On Facebook – whether you need a new site, a redesign, or monthly maintenance, we can help!

It is easy to take for granted that everyone knows the rules to follow when dealing with technology in the digital age. We get so used to the internet, email, texting, that we can forget that not everyone keeps up to date, or even understands the very basic rules of online communication.

Due to a recent spyware situation, I have decided to post a few tips to refresh our minds or explain to those who do not understand the way the online world now works. Some of these you will probably already know, but take time to read them anyhow. When we think we have it all figured out, we will find out we too can be led astray.

1. Refresher Course On Email

With the innovation of Twitter and Facebook, email is nearly a lost form of communication. It used to be everyone’s method of keeping in touch just a few years ago, but with the changes in networking, and cheaper ‘smart phones’ nearly everyone has adopted the quicker, easier forms of keeping in touch.

In fact, recent studies indicate that even cell phones are used more for texting than for phone calls. Even our most recent ancestors would be very confused if we told them we text our friends on a cell phone. A telephone was used for talking.

Texting was something you did by teletype or telegraph. And the idea that you could walk around with a telephone in your pocket? Unbelievable! But if they heard about the internet where we can see each other live around the world, talk as if we are in the same room, and send messages in mere fractions of a second, they would think it was some sort of alien form of talking. And they would be right.

However, it is a new day and as technology advances our forms of communication will  evolve as well. Who knows some day we may come back around to talking face to face, and a handshake will be a contract again.

But back to the refresher, and some basic tips in dealing with emails.

• Email was intended to replace letters. It should be used for keeping in touch with friends and family, requesting a transfer of either money or information in transactions, and yes, you can still send other files through email when there isn’t another source. It is meant for communication and exchanging data between two or more people.
• Email is not meant to share ‘cute photos of cats’ or other fun, cute, interesting topics,  all though that happens quite a lot. This is called spamming, and for the most part annoys others, or gets ignored. However, some spam is used for spreading viruses, so be very careful. You can lose friends this way.
• Email should always include a subject, to and from email addresses,  and whatever is meant to be shared. However, it can also share files that are harmful to your computer or harsh words to hurt us emotionally.
• Only use Email when what you have to say cannot be sent by text, is too large to be said on twitter, or when it involves a group of people. I realize there are people who are not comfortable with the other forms of communication, but if you have to question it, then call the person.
• DO NOT Click on Links in Emails unless you know where they are coming from or it includes an explanation from someone you know well. If the link looks unusual or goes to a website you are not familiar with do not click it.
• It is also not a good idea to open Emails that do not include a subject, even if you know who it is coming from. These could include viruses or spyware that can harm your computer.
• And as it is in any area of life, if it sounds too good to be true.. do not open, click on links, or respond to the sender.

There are many more rules of etiquette and safety in dealing with Email but if you follow just what I listed above it will improve your experience and help keep you safe.

Over the next few days or weeks, I will continue this series on Basic Communication In A Digital Age. Stay Tuned.

If you were not aware.. tonight is the only time you get a chance to delete your web history from Google.com.

So, if you value your privacy, or you have visited sites you don't want to be made public, go to Google.com/history, sign in with your Gmail account or whatever email you have used to use Google docs, Gmail, blogger, YouTube, etc. and click the button to delete web history.

This is not the same as deleting your browser history. Web history is kept on Google's servers.. so they know what images you have looked at, which recipes, or anything else.. it will be public tomorrow.

I came across a new resource today to teach values, share thoughts about the Bible,and have a little fun with your children. 

Maybe you have heard of it, but it was new to me. It is sponsored by Focus On The Family, and is similar in format and style to Sesame Street & Veggie Tales.

It is called JellyTelly, and from what I have seen the videos teach concepts and values on a child's level but even adults could learn something.

If you click on the image above it will take you to a video about Humility, and who among us cannot use a little more humility?

What is JellyTelly?

JellyTelly is an online destination for families, developed in partnership between Focus on the Family and Phil Vischer’s Jellyfish Labs. As a Bible-based alternative to video and gaming sites, JellyTelly provides families with a safe place to learn and play online.

JellyTelly was developed by the creator of Veggie Tales, Phil Vischer because he felt kids were not grasping everything they were taught in Sunday School because it is only one hour a week in most places, versus all of the other forms of information they would get during the week.

Churches are doing wonderful work with kids – innovative work – but a church will get about an hour with a child on a Sunday morning and then before it sees that child again, that kid on average has watched more than 22 hours of Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel. Is it any wonder that our kids are growing up knowing more about Hannah Montana than about the apostle Paul?

We need to do something about this – half of kids growing up in church in America are walking away from church when they graduate from high school.

We can do something about this by using the same technology that kids are adapting to as they consume media in new ways. JellyTelly is a way to bring the Bible to life for kids on a daily basis, to show them the work of the church around the world and the role they can play in it.

JellyTelly is more than just videos though. There are also craft ideas, games, and other resources available to put Christ and values in front of your kids, and teach Bible stories as well.

It is important that we spend more time with our children. But, lets face it, between our own work and activities, and everything our little ones are involved in, it can be hard to find time and know that they are getting sound ideas and teaching.

A lot of parents turn on the Disney channel, and then wonder where little Jonny learned this or that. But I have to ask you, have you actually watched the Disney channel with them? Sure, there are still some programs that have some educational, or positive messages, but not all are.

What do you think about having your child watch a show where the babysitter is a vampire?  If you turn on the so-called ‘family channel’, children are engaged in sexual activity, drugs, and other non-christian activity.

I realize the world we live in is no longer ‘Leave it to Beaver’ but honestly I would not want my child watching a show where one of the main themes, is about sex and babies.

Losing Our Children

Now I understand that as apostolics we may not agree with all the values of secular Christianity, but the truth of the matter is many times the children in our churches are overlooked.  Yes, most churches still have Sunday School, but even that is changing in a lot of our ministries.

As churches gravitate from a multitude of services to just one on Sunday, sometimes the children's ministries are the first to go. Sunday School is more than a babysitting service offered to our members, but it is a sad fact that many churches and even some pastors treat the ministry as an afterthought, or just a place to stick the children until we are done.

The bible says to ‘train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.’ The sad fact, however, is that in most homes there is no ‘family time’ that isn’t playing video games or watching TV, let alone Bible reading, teaching Bible stories, or even stories with good principles. And schools are so regulated, that even our Christian teachers are limited to what extent they can bring in that God created the world, let alone about Jesus dying on the cross for us. So, if our kids do not get some training at home, we just may lose the next generation.

Use What Is Available

No, letting your child watch JellyTelly will not teach your child everything they need to know about God, values, and our beliefs, but it is better than what they are getting on TV. Plus, it is interactive. Coloring pages, games, and craft activities are also available.

Yes, I know it means spending a little extra time with your children, but shouldn’t you be doing that anyway? And its free, online. Instead of spending all that time updating your Facebook, take a few minutes and let your child watch a message that will uplift, encourage, and teach.

Let a microphone or sound system go out in the middle of the pastor’s preaching and immediately someone is trying to fix it. Lights go out and someone is frantic until the burned out bulb is fixed.

It happens. It is a fact of life, things do not last forever. Yet as shocking as it is, some churches and ministries rely on old technology to get the message across.

I realize not all churches have much of a budget, but in larger churches if you are still using an overhead projector and wipe off pens on plastic sheets to display your announcements, you need to catch up. I realize we invested quite a bit of money in products to supplement our  tape ministries, but does anyone even own a tape player anymore?

What do you use?

We find it very easy to upgrade our personal cell phone. If we have a TV or monitor in our home, then it is usually less than five years old to keep up with the changes in technology.

Other than in a laptop, most of us do not even have a CD player anymore, and for most of us, it is a DVD drive not a CD anymore. Society has changed and if we mean to reach the lost, or even keep our own members updated with what is going on, we need to upgrade.

Cell phones, multimedia players, and computers are all based in similar formats, and our message needs to reach them where they are. However, if we are not using the tools that they are using we can’t reach them.

Is The Message Worth It?

Our first instinct when we think about upgrading  is the cost. Many times it isn’t cheap, and we delegate our ministry equipment to what we don’t use at home anymore, or perhaps what someone has donated. Yet, if we look around our church we would see that some areas need serious updating.

I have been in churches in the past couple of years where they recorded their sermons on CD but in a format that most CD players don’t even play anymore. One church used software that they had to restart every 15 minutes, so there were gaps on the CDs in the messages, and instead of flowing words, it seemed that some of the thought was lost.

And that is really unnecessary. There are programs available that are free that can record from beginning to end, and even include output formats that can be played on cell phones and iPods. This would reach many more people.

Yes, it is worth spreading the message no matter the cost but to buy a computer, or laptop that can be used better than the antiques we use in our ministries, really is not as expensive as we like to think. Chances are the amount of money you paid for that iPhone is more than what it would cost to get a good laptop for your ministry. And if you use an iPad or tablet computer, well it for sure is cheaper.

If you have the money to buy yourself an iPad, you have the money to buy a laptop for use in your church.

Ministry Uses

Just a few areas of your church that could benefit from upgraded technology and software that get overlooked include:

• Church Bulletins, Newsletter, & Other Printed Materials
• Media Ministries (CD, DVD, Video Presentations)
• Power Point (Songs, Announcements, Minister’s Message)
• Sunday School
• Attendance
• Church Member Directory
• Church Website

There are many more areas that are crucial to your ministry but you get the idea.

Consider The Cost

Yes, it is very important to consider the cost of upgrading. To be honest, I miss having song books to hold  as we sing, and it really helps visitors. The idea of buying new song books can be very expensive, and many churches have gone on to using an overhead screen or some sort of monitor system to show the words for everyone to see.

It can be difficult if the worship leaders sing new songs that visitors, elderly people, or those who sit in the back do not know. If the words are hard to read either because of too small of font, or some background that really isn't suited for words, or  if the one screen on the platform is too far away, then many of the congregation will still get lost.

But most of us have no upgraded our hardware or software in so many years, that our computer still uses old formats that you can’t even get supplies or tech support and is incredibly slow. If your computer is more than three years old, and even that would be considered antique, then you need to find some money in the budget to update.

Older computers heated up more, had weak video cards to display media, and formats that will not work with newer systems. The hard drives are generally full with information, images, and databases, that if not backed up elsewhere would be lost forever if your hard drive crashes.

We even update our bibles more than that, and The Word never changes.

Plus if you are requiring your Creative Missions Team to work with outdated equipment, then do not be surprised if the materials you put out do not look as good as someone down the street. Many ministries supplement this by outsourcing ‘important materials’ to a designer and pay more for that than they would to just buy a new computer. It is more cost effective to have at least some of your media created by the talent God has placed in your ministry. Plus, you can also hire someone if you choose to make materials, that you can edit yourself later. It saves money and time.

Do You Know What You Need?

Now, I realize not everyone knows what they need to bring their technology and media up to date, and before you make a big purchase, you should make sure you know exactly what you need. Do not base your decision on what a friend told you; the advertisements you may have seen; or even on the knowledge you have gleaned yourself. Speak with someone who works with media and design on a regular basis.

Apostolicvision Design Services offers free quotes, and we can consult with you on what your ministry needs to stay updated with today’s technologies.