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How to Develop or Improve Your Church Website

By charlie worley
Are you developing or re-developing your church website? If so, please allow me to suggest what people should see when they go on your site to find out about your church.

     Are you developing or re-developing your church website? If so, please allow me to suggest what people should see when they go on your site to find out about your church.

     Use many pictures, but fewer words. Seeing people worshipping, fellowshipping, serving, meeting in small groups, doing life together, having fun, etc., will communicate that your church is full of life as followers of Jesus become disciples and disciple-makers. And choosing pictures that say welcome – come and follow Jesus with us – is very important. Also, stay away from pictures of your church building. Videos and interviews can also answer questions about your church. In using pictures or videos, always honor privacy and security. Pictures of children and youth should not reveal their face.

     Use home page tabs that are user-friendly to help people navigate your site. Try limiting home page tabs to 4-7. Of course, there can be several tabs under the home page tabs.

     Include a page where people can access blogs or vlogs written by the lead pastor or other guest bloggers. It is also recommended that your church website contains a place where people can watch and listen to sermons and services.

     Make it easy to find important information about your church. This includes location (maps are helpful), service times, what to expect in a worship service, church and pastoral staff, child care, opportunities to meet the pastors, and church introduction seminars or classes.

     It might help people to be able to check out your church's DNA. Help people discover your church mission or purpose, vision, and core values. Your website should express its culture in capsule form. To do this, using symbols or graphics can be very helpful.

     Churches will do well to include safety measures to protect children and youth by including information about background checks for teachers and workers. Parents will want to know safety procedures for dropping off and picking up young children. Providing information about health and safety information will also be beneficial.

     Church websites should have online ways to give to the ministry of your church. The means of giving should be on secure sites.

     Your site should also include a way to contact your church with questions. Note, be sure to provide a means to answer questions within 48 hours.

     If the task of developing or re-developing a functional website seems overwhelming, check out a number of church website developers such as http://netministry.com.

     What is missing from this list that you would like to add?

[Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash]