What do the experts have to say about the future of church websites?
The re-design team from The Chapel, Eric Murrell, and I invited several notable church web experts to a think-tank discussion on the future of church websites.
Here are excerpts from those conversations (listed in order of when we spoke). Should we do this more often? Who all is interested in taking part?
John Saddington - Creative Web Director at North Point Ministries
Blog: http://www.churchcrunch.com
Twitter: @human3rror
“One of the challenges the marketplace faces is contextualizing the web for particular ditches, foci, and locality. Obviously, those elements are extremely important for the church. One of the first things they teach you in seminary is context is everything.”
“In terms of what the actual end users are looking to engage with needs to seriously be taken into consideration. Living on the bleeding edge of technology, working with world-class ministry leaders, we’re constantly thinking ‘What is the next thing?’ The problem that I’m beginning to see, even here at North Point, is we’re forgetting our main constituency and the people who are really coming. Good metric analysis must be done.”
Kent Shaffer - Marketer, Designer, and Co-Owner of Bombay Creative
Blog: http://wwww.churchrelevance.com
Twitter: @kentshaffer
“If I were to forecast the future of church websites, or websites in general, it’s going to probably be significantly different than it is today. You’re going to see more websites where there is community interaction as more tools start to be developed — Whether it’s something like Facebook, Twitter, or Skype where you can interact with people.”
“Technology, like RSS, allows you to communicate and interact with people more frequently than the websites of 1998 where it was static and you’d have to overhaul your content by going in there and changing your html code. Even things like CSS make it easy for your to change static content.”
“Obviously, your going to have more tools that you can integrate where you can interact with people. You’re going to possibly even see the internet move into 3D dimensions by using holographic platforms.”
Greg Atkinson - Writer, Speaker, and Consultant
Blog: http://www.gregatkinson.com
Twitter: @gregatkinson
In the Church 2.0 tour discussions…
“We’ve talked about Twitter integration where your Twitter is seen on the homepage. Not just the link, but the actual stream.”
“We’ve talked about having the pastor’s blog very visible.”
“We’ve talked about being able to use TokBox in various functions where you can have a link for your [small group] leaders to be able to have video conferencing — discipleship through a video conference.”
“Of course, the whole internet campus phenomenon is taking off with various churches.”
Michael Buckingham - Founder and Creative Director of Holy Cow Creative
Blog: http://www.churchmarketingsucks.com
Twitter: @holycowcreative
“What I really hope we find is that The Church stops looking at it as just a site, an information depot, a way to make a few people in the church happy, and more of an extension of the church. Right now, church is so much about Sunday and Wednesday, and it really needs to be more about life. I hope we find that church websites become an extension of what we do on Sunday morning. I hope that a church website becomes more than just a site and becomes an extension.”
Drew Goodmanson - CEO of Monk Development and Elder at Kaleo Church
Blog: http://www.goodmanson.com
Twitter: @dgoodmanson
We had a great conversation with Drew about strategies for effective ministry online. We didn’t cover his opinion on the future of church websites, but he did leave a comment on futureofchurchweb.com. Please read below.
“More churches will have their own Mullet strategy of business in the front (gathering) and party in the back (community).”
Also, check out Monk’s latest research.
Aaron Linne - Futurist, Director of E-business and E-marketing for Broadman & Holman Publishing
Blog: http://linne.wordpress.com
Twitter: @linne
“It helps to look at the cultural impact things are having. Then, as more and more technology takes place, I have found that The Church actually seems to be full of early adopters. We like technology; It’s just that we don’t have a lot of people creating the technology. So for us, the future of the church website is building some very nimble structures that can quickly adapt and change into what else is going on. I don’t foresee any church out there becoming a leader, just to be frank, because we’re not Microsoft or Google — we don’t have those kinds of resources. But if a church is nimble and already have their data structure in place, where they can jump on new features like Twitter, that can become an engaging point of view.”
So I really respect you guys as forefront church-tech guys.
At the same time I’m concerned that many of the things mentioned here as the future of the churchosphere, are actually the present everywhere else.
HUH??
I’m not sure we even have people in our office who know what these guys are talking about. I sure don’t! (Pastoral staff/Minister of Christian Ed)
We must better comprehend the difference between the virtual and the authentic . We need to take more seriously the challenge of engaging through new media (or not) in a way that points to and elevates the physical, fallible, earthly communities though which the Holy Spirit manifests Jesus Christ and His love. If we’re not living in such communities, then web 2.0 offers us only a novel way in which to display our “whited sepulcher”.
hmmm. I’m not sure that it will be about twitter, or facebook, or your pastors blog.
I actually think the core issue is - what is our website’s/churches primary mission?
For us it is simple - To create a window into our church. With very limited resources we want to make it easy for those that don’t come to church to check us out and get a feel for who we are.
For me the future is DEFINATELY mobile as the primary point of entry into church.
check out my blog post: bit.ly/63kovs
[...] Read “Church Web Wizards Weigh In on the Future” 0 Comments [...]
Michael Buckingham has hit the creative-nail-on-the-head in my opinion! We are slowly establishing the church website as a “go-to” source for details and tools for EVERYDAY use. Far from our goal - but on the way - what we “hear in the halls” are comments more from guests than members…which speaks as a testimony to the members! The only words of encouragement this office needs is to hear from a first time guest, seeking fellowship and hungry for God, that our “website sold them us this church”. This week we were told exactly that. Oh to be an extension of God’s hands and heart in these last days!