Today's guest post comes from Dave Arnone, who serves as Operations Director for Brew City Church in Milwaukee, WI.  In today's post, Dave talks about the importance of churches being active online.  You can find out more about the work Dave is doing - and get help with your church's online ministry - by visiting Ministry Designs.  And if you too are interested in guest posting on my blog, please visit my Guest Post guidelines for more info.

Old school thoughts have often been associated with every religion in the world. This is all but natural as religions have existed since the advent of mankind. The Bible is one of the oldest books that mankind uses even now. It has the message of God in it and it is our duty to spread it.

A church has the responsibility to make people aware of what the Bible says. However, many churches are relying on old methods and the only modernization they have initiated is a Facebook page. Well! This is not enough. You need to have a church website in order to attract more people and spread the message. 

There are plenty of reasons which call for a great church website design. Some of the reasons include

First impression

Gone are the days when people just recommended a church to their friends and they walked in. People look you up online before they endorse you. A great church website design will enlighten them about you and will be your first impression. If you put an impact through your church website, you will have a large number of first timers on Sunday.

Social Media strategy

In the current day and age, it is very important for your church website design to incorporate a social media strategy. This is the only area of your church that you can have complete control upon. You can control what parts of speeches are put up for the viewer to see. Facebook and other social media platforms have made it difficult for easy marketing and therefore your church website should compliment your Facebook page so the outreach is more.

Bulletins often miss their mark

It is easier to dish out information online rather then the old method of delivering bulletins. It saves time as well as gives you a broader viewer range. The online content is more updated than a bulletin printed two weeks ago. Instant information is what is the need of the time. Over the period of time when people start trusting the information on the church website, a lot of time and hassle will be saved. 

Times Changed

Whatever argument the elders of the church give, online presence is something you can not avoid. It was the television 20 years back and now it is the internet. People of the old school of thought need to understand that this is the way forward.  A church website will be the only way of communication in the years to come and you have to back this up with a good, user friendly church website. 

Organize events

A great church website will be organized and up to date. This will ensure that the church members or any one new following can look up for the upcoming events of the church. General announcements can also be made on the website in case anything comes along.

Sharing is caring

Everybody cannot be at church on every Sunday for a variety of reasons. Sharing the sermons and ceremonies on your website makes it easier for the members to follow the church archives even if they were not present. This is by far the best use of a well deigned church website.

Charity begins online

Many people donate online which makes your church website double important. Finding methods to donate online will allow anyone to make a donation with a single click. After all, charity matters most for running of a church. 

Catch the young ones

The younger generation is hooked to their cell phones. Therefore, one it is necessary to have a church website to attract them. Secondly you will need a good church website design that is mobile friendly so the future generation can see what is happening in the church while they are on the go.

Networking

Peer to peer connection is very important for the spreading of the message. A good church website design will incorporate a feedback and socializing system. People near to each other can relate to their church meetings online and offline as well, with the help the church website.

Outreach

The internet is being used by all big names to cast a wider net for their followers. The followers can be new prospect or old return clients. A good church website will help you reach a far wider crowd than the sermon on Sunday alone. 

Necessary items on your church website

The following items are a must on your church website design agenda:

• Staff name and titles

The names and contact information should be readily available on the church website for anyone who is looking for a church official. 

• Necessary information

Information for parents bringing their kids along is a vital item on your church website. Parents will know in hindsight what they should expect when they bring the little ones along.

• Archives

This is just like a library for the user. They may miss regular church gathering but can catch up by listening to the audio and video archives from the church website.

• Event calendar

People usually forget dates and times of a certain event. It will be helpful for them and time saving for you that they can just check on the church website about the timings of a certain event without bothering a church official.      

• Links to social media profiles

As the importance of social media cannot be neglected, the links of your Facebook page or twitter feed should be prominently placed on the church website.

• Location

This is the most important information for the new comers in your church. They can easily take the location of the website and walk-in for the first time. 

Therefore, the importance of a well designed church website cannot be neglected. This website will be the gate front of your church and will allow you to expand your viewer base even when the church is closed. Hence, hire a professional to develop a church website for you as it is the only way forward.