Discover how to leverage technology in your church

In The Social Network (2010), which is arguably my favorite movie of all time, Mark Zuckerberg tells his best friend about his initial idea for what would eventually become Facebook: “I’m talking about taking the entire social experience of college and putting it online.”

I’ve always enjoyed going in church offices.

As a teenager, I became very involved in activities at my church, in everything from the youth group to mission trips to even attending meetings with the Board of PR Communications. It’s safe to say I visited the church office more than most people my age.

The office was closed on Sundays, making it look dark and gloomy, but during the week, it had such a friendly and happy feel. Our church secretaries, Mrs. Geighes and Mrs. Moll, would smile and greet me, asking what was new with me and how my family was doing. Then they’d happily go back to their work. I thought it must be a really fun place to work!

Have you ever felt like your church kills an entire forest printing its weekly bulletins? Liturgy, songs, entire Bible passages, announcements, and all of the prayer requests are added, until the bulletin begins to resemble a beginner’s chapter book.

Using a content management system (CMS) can help condense your bulletin or just expand and update your website. A CMS allows you to distribute frequently updated information, and it makes sure people actually see it. Your visitors can subscribe to this content, which means they will receive instant email notifications when you post new information.

When my wife and I were shopping for a new (used) car a few years ago, we had a list of “must-haves.” We need a car that I (being 6' 4") could fit in, but one that wasn't too big for my wife (who is 5' 1"). Of course, a roomy backseat was needed (as we wanted to start a family), as well as a large trunk for storage. We reviewed many different cars, and, with this list of qualities in mind, found a car that we’ve had ever since.

If you’ve ever been in charge of volunteers, you’ve experienced one of the most stressful jobs in a church. People are prone to forget or cancel on a moment's notice, and while they often come full of energy, that excitement wanes after a few hours out in the hot sun.

So how can your church recruit and retain volunteers? Whether you’re looking for help with a one-time project or for someone to offer support on a regular basis, here are a few ideas to make the most of your eager volunteers.

Whenever my parents are expecting visitors, my mom cleans. She cleans the bathroom, the living room, the kitchen, and, when I was a kid, she even asked me to clean my room! My response? “But mooooooom, the guests aren’t going eat dinner in my room!” Mature, I know.

Now that I'm an adult, I get it. I like my house clean too. And, just like your house (or your church), your website should be clean and uncluttered. Luckily, this kind of cleaning doesn’t require Clorox or rubber gloves—just a few quick tips. You can simplify your website in no time!

Meetings have a bad reputation, especially in churches. They are stereotypically long, boring, and unfocused. They seem to revolve around the details of running a church, like finances and schedules, rather than how the church is sharing the Gospel.

What I have found in my experience in the church, as well as in a corporate environment, is that people really don't dislike meetings; they just don't like unproductive meetings.

Awkward situations are... well... awkward. Nobody likes these moments, whether it's watching someone show up late or hearing a person call someone else by the wrong name. These situations become even more awkward when you're directly involved and become almost unbearable when you're experiencing them alone.

When my dad was a pastor, I’d spend afternoons in his office playing on his computer, making copies of my hands, and coloring with highlighters. People would occasionally walk in and ask for money for gas, food, or a payphone (at least I think there were payphones still around in 2002). The secretary would point them to the nearest food pantry or homeless shelter, unable to do more than direct them to locations that could provide help.

Your website shares a common purpose with your church: to communicate the saving message of the Gospel and to encourage potential visitors to step inside your church doors.

We want to help you create the best church website you can that helps further the mission of your church. Some of the following strategies are easier to implement than others, but all of them can be done, regardless of technical skill levels. We hope this post will give you some new ideas for your church website and help you improve your existing website in ways you might not have considered before.