How important is a good looking church website?

Seems things were cast in a bit of a negative manner. I would suggest an option "A website is an important asset for a church."

I don't think it relates to a newspaper ad or the radio - completely different and is not related - a website is a must where radio and advertizing are not. Nor is it meant to replace the bulletin or relate to the bulletin unless you publish the bulletin on the site.

Our church is a little out of the way neighborhood church that no one finds unless they are looking for it.

We have had people attend that found us on the web.

A website can be an important tool for the church folks themselves if they will use it as such.

When I hear of a church I check their website, when I intend to attend a church I check their website. It saves me time checking out churches in person when I read and find they are charismatic, or reformed or whatever.

 

A church website is very important. Both for new visitors and for church members looking for information.

 

The website can communicate a visual impression that newspaper ads do not, normally. At the church I served as pastor, we reached a young interracial couple who moved to the area from another state, and who went searching via website for churches that showed persons of varying races. Others from time to time spoke of what they had seen on the website.

At the church I now serve as Interim Pastor, the website is exceptionally important. It is the principal means of communicating to the members and to the general public. Not only is there information about the church's activities, but also you can read the weekly bulletin and can hear the sermons which were preached.

Almost anything I want to find I begin by going to the Internet now. If I were looking for a church, I think I would do the same thing.

 

Very Important and Destroying too...

I google many if not all the Churches I'm interested in whether I'm visiting or wanting to find out information about them. I am disappointed in amateur-ishly designed websites and disgusted with outdated websites. If you can't update it often enough then just make it static but if you post a calendar please keep up updated...it says a lot when you don't!! Make it professionally but don't worry about paying professional prices...you can buy many pre-made templates that can be adjusted/tweaked for your particular ministry.

Here are my church's websites: Grace Baptist Church
Pepperell Christian Academy

Check them out and let me know what you think. If you need help let me know...I'm not a pro, I'm a geek!! :type:

 

I did not know quite which one to choose.

As important as a weekly bulletin? That depends how important you think a weekly bulletin is, and who such a bulletin is aimed at.

"It is something for today's society and should be treated as such"? Not sure whether that was positive or negative. Did you mean, "It's just a passing fad of today's society" or "It is important because it is a feature of today's society"?

"Above a newspaper ad"? I think both are important.

 

I think that if a church has a web site, it should be as good as it can. I'm not going so far as to say that every church MUST have a web site, but I think if they can, they should.


...and keep it up to date!!! I was on a church site the other day that hadn't been updated in over a year!

 

I think that the websites are important if you want to reach the current generation that is becoming more and more tech savvy.
The points about them looking as good as possible and being kept up to date are important too.
Which reminds me, i need to do some updates on our site!

 

Maybe some of us would be willing to post links to websites we think are particularly well done. Here is a link to the church I have just started to serve as Interim Pastor:

www.fbcgaithersburg.org

 

I think they are part of a package used to get the word out about a church.

http://calvarynow.com I don't do ours and it's got a couple of holes in it, but it's nicely done.

Make sure you look up the media center.

 

If you are going to do it, someone committed needs to keep up with it. A church wouldn't still be sending out last years newsletters.

 

As was said above, a website is a needed thing, but if it is not maintained and updated it is a negative.

We used church websites when we were looking for a church. Some of the sites of our local churches are just plain painful...

 

I agree. If exploited to its fullest capability, a website can be a major asset for any church. Some people think of a church website as a simple bulletin or advertisement, but it can be so much more (if it's done properly).

Here are a few ideas:

Church beliefs / history / staff
Calendar of events
Sermon outlines
Sermon Audio
Special Music
Photos!!! and Videos
Live streaming video / audio of service for those unable to make it to church
Include information about your missionaries and links to their sites
Make driving directions / map available
Have members post their testimonies

I'm sure every church has a geek or two that could put together a nice church website, and if you look hard enough, you can throw one up with a $0 budget.

However, I also agree that if not maintained or poorly implemented, the website could also reflect badly on your church- in much the same way that a poorly maintained church property can. It could also be a money pit if you don't do your homework before starting and just hire the first company you find (if you can't find someone in the church to do it).