Church websites are an essential part of local churches’ public profiles to their communities.

Indeed, in some geographic areas, church websites draw more people into face-to-face church activities than any other method. Church sites outnumber all other types of Christian sites on the Internet by a ratio of five to one.

Church websites should be powerful outreach tool; unfortunately, research reveals a discouraging picture:

• Most church sites are written purely for their members, using ‘religious insider’ content style and religious language.
  
• Many do not create a sense of welcome to outsiders or include any material that they would perceive as relevant to them.
  
• Many of them do not provide any hint about the life-changing Gospel; or else they present it in heavy-handed terms which may be ‘too much, too soon’ and counter-productive.

Here are some recommendations that will help you when creating your church website so it is truly welcoming to non-Christians in your community.

• A natural informal sense of welcome, even humor, throughout the site.


• Photos showing not only the church building exterior, but also interior shots including people. These will help prospective visitors feel the church is familiar even before they first visit the physical building.


• Church member photos and profiles prominently displayed on the home-page. These may not be full testimonies in the normal sense. Instead, they may be introductions to some real church members with background to their lives: hobbies, jobs, pets and other personal details.


• Online leading to face-to-face support for recovery from life problems (divorce, alcohol/substance abuse, bereavement etc.)


• Age-specific content (children, teens, seniors).


• Clear directions with an online map to find the church, where to park, and public transportation links.


• A sense of identification with the local community, in terms of secular news, photos and links. This can also draw in website visitors.

Website Design Elements

On a ministry website page, visitors will expect the material to be Christian! However, most church and ministry websites seem to be written only for their members. Outsiders are not always obviously welcome. Few church sites carry any sort of link explaining the Gospel and even fewer make such a link look enticing and relevant to non-Christians.

Here are some suggestions from the bottom up, before anything is written, that you should think about when planning pages on your website:
· Make the site for non-Christians too
· be welcoming
· be non-preachy
· give non-Christians a reason to visit

Things Every Ministry Website Should Include

A design that reflects “people”, not buildings. People are searching for others who they can relate to in order to establish a relationship. Buildings represent “institution”, not one on one fellowship.

Announcements and calendar of events.
Most surveys on many church and ministry websites have revealed as high as 60% of visitors are looking for information about what, where, and when. A website can be a cost-saving advertisement medium.

A way for people to find out how to get involved.
Provide an easy way for someone to learn about the need, or how and who to contact to get involved.

A way for users to register online.
Whether it’s just registering for a newsletter, registering for events, submitting prayer requests or praise reports, you need to get people to tell you who they are.

A “Resource” area.
Whether it’s a download area for bulletins, sermon notes, or audio and video downloads, you need something to keep people coming back. Think “Web Ministry”!

A way for users to contact you from the website.
You need to provide as much contact information as possible, including address, phone, and e-mail address.

Outreach Articles!

Here's the Top Ten Articles in Outreach Magazine:

1. Church Cancelled, Service Begins
Across the country, churches are closing their doors on Sunday mornings to serve their communities through the new four-week churchwide campaign called Faith in Action. Will you join them?
2. Fourth Annual Outreach Resource of the Year
You loved them, we loved them. Now it's time to give these outstanding resources of 2006 another look and a round of applause.
3. America's Most Innovative Churches
How are today's churches innovating to reach a changing world, and which ones are leading the way?
4. 10 Ways to Sink Your Sermon Series
To present an effective evangelistic sermon series at your church, avoid making 10 crucial mistakes seen repeatedly at churches across the country.
5. I Like Jesus ... Not the Church
Today's non-Christian 20- and 30-somethings are big fans of Jesus but are less thrilled with His followers and the churches where they worship. Pastor/author Dan Kimball reveals their six most common perceptions of Christians and the Church, what they wish church was like – and why you should be listening to these emerging voices.
6. The Possibility and Imperative of Launching New Churches
Have you thought about it? Have you felt called? Maybe it's something you've dreamt of, but the logistics of making it happen seemed too daunting. You already have a church--and possibly a thriving one at that--so why would you want to start another one? Why should you be a Launching Church?
7. The Buzz Mandate
You've heard people buzzing about the latest sports scandal or the new blockbuster movie. But have you ever heard your community buzzing about the Gospel? When's the last time your church was the talk of the town?
8. Whose Earth is It Anyway?
A hot-button issue in today's world, creation care is resonating with churches worldwide. Northland pastor Joel Hunter shares why and how his Longwood, Fla., church is reaching its community by talking about the subject.
9. Why Evangelism Doesn't Work Anymore
Why? Maybe the culture is too sophisticated for it--especially our teenagers. Perhaps this technologically connected generation of young people has totally disconnected from an ancient message that, at first glance, seems absolutely irrelevant to their lifestyles. After all, how can such a seemingly dated message compete with instant messaging?
10. The Top 20 Web Sites for Church Communicators
Below, you'll find 20 killer sites that can inspire you, save you time and help you do your job right. In short, they make your life easier. Isn't the Web a wonderful thing?