Getting a Clue in Church about the Web

A common request: "Our --insert any church communication agency here-- Web Site Work Group is meeting on ---date---to look at what kind of a web site we want. "

It is often the case with many churches, that they jumped in, slapped up a brochure-like site, and then struggle to keep it updated.

The above is the key to having effective websites. One that lends itself to update; one that is relevant at all times, and quickly upadtes. There is little better way to do this than to have "back office" tools like web forms that populate a database that holds all relevant information, including forums (so that they too might be related to and under events, ministry sub-sections, even "budget figures" (so that the money figures can be links to their associated "ministry" or "activity" or program).

A blog is something different from this aspect (at least for now). Blogs provide, from what I can see, at least 90% of the time, a way to say something, link to related supporting material, or react to something and say your peace on it.  These seem to be more a part of the "theological dialogue" aspect (which I also feel are crucial to a well-rounded website, since I feel strongly that a Church's website is best when it is not only INTRAnet -- serves the administration and inner workings and communications of the Church --- but EXTRAnet --which tells a story to the public and seeks to communicate something of the flavor and mission of that Church, which is where it becomes important for members to "flavor" the site).  It seems that Web sites, at present, are not yet
part of the organizational flow (although the intent of many is to utilize them for providing information about services times, congregational meetings, etc ).

Churches continue to post and send information in traditional formats, with the Web as an afterthought. It is still believed that people look in these other places first, which may be the case, but incrasingly less so, I believe. People still look in newspapers and the yellow pages to find a church to attend, but there are increasing numbers turning to channels that they are starting to use in greater frequency, like the Web. Chairmen of committees, etc., may still use email for member notices or paper & postage stamps, rather than relying on their members to check the Web site, but the responsibility is on the Churches to anticipate and recognize the typical communication receiver, and as the Digital generation grows up, more and more of the "membership" will be those "Growing Up Digital".

Which means, as the Church continues to ignore these "more effective" channels, the Church will not only miss a key percentage of the audience (and the percentage is on the rise), but will be increasingly perceived as being "clueless" about how people wish to communicate. Churches haven't gotten much a clue yet about what the web can be used for.

With things like .NET and other solutions for distributed computing and hooking into PDA's and related "Web Services" (which has been introduced to me in some measure by Weblogging and their extensive use of XML, which is a key player in Web Services -- which is being touted and beginning to be utilized as a way to offer centralized communication services ----services such as making several interrelated reservations and bookings, say for airline reservations, rental car, motel, and related calendaring communications to keep team members up to date as to where you are, where you'll be at such and such a time, and how much money you're spending ---something your business manager or tresurer would want to know) .

Howard Rheingold is coming out with a new book soon (this fall) called "Smart Mobs" where he explores the world of portable, wireless, and distributed computing. I know I will be fascinated. I already am fascinated when I think about all the wireless gadgetry in use right now, and how the Church needs to be "hooked up", since it seems appropriate that if we expect people to grow in their attachment and involvement with the Church;  toward the idea of "living in community" and keeping in touch with each other, and "thinking on these things" constantly, always "up" for good dialogue on some burning issue, then we need to be there or be square.

Any single church has the resources to undertake Blogging.  All it takes is a connected computer, a will to write, and some things to say. I think we have that. We do need "enablers" to help this happen. The software I use (Radio Userland) is fairly easy, especially if I had someone like me now (with about 3 months of weblogging under my belt, and figuruing out things by immersion in it) to help ease the adoption. The Radio Userland people (the software company) have a product they give away called "RCS" (Radio Community Server) which enables setting up multiple accounts for multiple users of Radio clients to be hosted on one server. I am looking at doing this at my church, on a server hosted by BellSouth as a part of an NT host package we're about to buy for $25 a month. We're buying it because I need a place that can host database and ASP pages that access the data (and that's the type of scripting I have professional knowledge of).

This RCS package installs right in to that scenario as a little Web application that runs on an alternate TCP port (other than the usual 80). People (Church members) will be able to connect and start blogging, and we can begin to utilize all the various subjects and themes covered by manipulating the data stored in the XML feeds all these bloggers generate. Initially though, the members and their own interests and causes become the content, and people can comment on each other's blogs, and provide links to things of interest to others at church, (or even GET people interested who may not have known them or the things that interest them). One sample would be this blog of mine, where I have several links to many things of a theological nature (and some not so theological, like RageBoy who is Christopher Locke, a Cluetrain author, who gets pretty wierd quite often, and is being especially so these days, so be forewarned if you visit that link). But I like RageBoy,  especially when he talks about the value of people being given the opportunity to have voice,  and find increasing numbers of ways to "let them have at it".

One can also "blog" by email too . The case for providing "meeting places" on the Website itself grows as "The Web" as we know it becomes more "Web service" oriented and people become accustomed to being able to connect , perhaps via PDA, and "link up" or "sync up" with an id, upload or dowkload relevant messaging and data, and then "disconnect", make selections and type new messages, and "re-sync". Hope this isn't too much, but the subject of Church Webs is a big one for me. I've been trying to move my church toward a more "serious" set of "CHurch Web features", even to the point of offering "Member lite" and "Member Pro" type of user [profiles where Pro users can "contribute" toward the maintainence and upkeep of the entire system---- perhaps the tech-savy and also money-enabled (I am the former but not the latter these days) could form a team and even call it a "mission"!!!

More on this (9/14/02)  

© Copyright 2003 Dale Lature. Last update: 9/23/2003; 3:36:15 PM.