Enhance your church website with e-commerce functionality and mobile optimization.

The immeasurable growth of the Internet has presented new opportunities for churches and other faith-based organizations to reach out even further into their communities. Church websites, just like those for any business or organization, need to be professional and effective.

A user-friendly design, relevant text and relatable photos are some features that help achieve these goals. To generate a loyal following, e-commerce functionality and mobile optimization are two tactics that take a website to the next level.

While a church is not a business in the traditional sense, there is still a financial piece to consider. Much of the funding is usually from public contributions. Donations during church services help sustain the organization. However, with a set service schedule for example, members of the community may miss the chance to support their church.

Consider this: while sometimes the church doors may be closed, your website never is. Provide your congregation with the ability to donate online. If they cannot attend Sunday’s service one week, they will still have the option to give back to the church any time most convenient for them.

Giving made easy
This online channel provides people who are not regular church attenders to contribute and become more involved in your mission. Perhaps you want to shed light on why the church is raising money for the hungry or the homeless. This is a great opportunity to explain important efforts and how people can help.

Make it clear and easy for people to donate to your church on your website. It may help to create a separate page on the site titled “Giving” or “Donations” as a way to centralize all options for giving. Explain the different causes, projects or initiatives of your church and ask your website visitors to be involved.

Explore what e-commerce options your Web hosting provider offers you. Some provide the ability to conduct monetary transactions through PayPal, which is often considered one of the safest and most secure methods. You may be surprised to learn that such a feature may already be included in your current hosting package at no extra cost.

Enhancing your website is a great way to increase accessibility to the public. Taking it a step further, the rising popularity of mobile phones is creating a need for churches to optimize their websites for multiple viewing platforms.

Make website viewable
Between January 2011 and January 2012, mobile Internet usage nearly doubled globally, according to StatCounter’s 2012 research. Once dominated by the younger generations, smartphones are now adopted by people of all ages. It is becoming the norm for conducting daily activities like e-mail, social networking, shopping and Web surfing.

Even if a website is not technically optimized for mobile viewing, it may still be viewable; however, the site will be minuscule with a distorted, dysfunctional layout. Visitors who have such a negative experience can become disengaged.

Depending on the technology behind the website, some require detailed coding and technical processes in order to optimize a website for mobile viewing. However, there are design packages where only one click is needed to enable mobile optimization.

Internet technology and mobile devices have created many opportunities for churches to enhance relationships with their members and the general public. E-commerce, though not a new idea is often overlooked by churches, but when used effectively can help encourage people to contribute. Additionally, a website that is viewable by everyone creates positive experiences and can in turn do great things for the church.

Kelly Meeneghan is a spokesperson for 1&1 Internet Inc., Chesterbrook, PA. www.1and1.com

Working the IT role from megachurch to ‘mega-company’

Churches should be upgrading their Internet connection to further ministry, says the technology director of Shelby Systems.

By Ronald E. Keener

After 14 years in IT work with a megachurch, Mike Gold decided to put his practical, hands-on experience to work for a leading corporate firm where he can work with dozens of megachurches.

Mike Gold served in technology roles at Willow Creek Community Church, South Barrington, IL, since 1996, more recently as CIO where he led all aspects of computer and telecommunications technology. There he had a staff of 20 members and 70 volunteers, and the department was responsible for creating long-term strategy for technology innovation, technical support, infrastructure and software development.

Today Gold is with Shelby Systems as director of Technology Development. Fresh off the megachurch field, Church Executive asked Gold what he would advise congregations today.

“If I had one piece of advice I would give to churches it would be to upgrade their Internet connection. There are countless systems out there to help ministry efforts, many of them hosted solutions.

“The old 768k DSL line just isn’t enough,” Gold says. “It surprises me how many churches still have these old connections.”

What do you feel is the biggest improvement that membership systems need to take to get us to the next level?

First, the overall philosophy of systems needs to change.This is a much broader topic than membership systems. Thirty years ago technology was relegated to support corporate operational processes alone, 15 years ago promotional Web initiatives were added to computer technology ranks, and less than 10 years ago it started to become normal social/collaborative interactions to be facilitated by computer technology.

In short, today, technology supports and/or facilitates the  whole gambit of organizational and personal functionality along with many personal and organizational processes and interactions we work through on a day-to-day basis.

I see the best of these concepts coming together around personalized user experiences.  I would like to see the best risk management practices of IT, the  open innovation of social technology and the  creativity of  promotional marketing technology all come together for the sake of offering better overall solutions for users.

Secondly, platforms need to change. Organizations need the best of both worlds. They need the flexibility and in some cases the off-line security management of locally installed systems along the scalability and online accessibility of hosted, SaaS  systems. There is no-longer one platform that meets all needs. Organizations need systems that can talk to each other without writing complex batch and real-time interfaces.

Technology has become way too personalized, way too consumer focused to constrain technology to one or two platforms per organization. Standardization is still important. It is just that the focus of standardization must be across platforms.

Furthermore, while old concepts like security, functionality and content relevance are still important, how users access functionality and content are most critical, and platforms need to allow for radical changes to user experiences while requiring little to no changes to business functionality.

Finally, processes need to change. Too much time is spent on figuring out software features that are seldom used. While long-term road map, strategic planning and project management philosophies need to be in place for organizations to use technology effectively, I still believe that more creative processes need to be added to good solid software development life cycle rigors.

I believe if more organizations adopted methodologies like Agile SCRUM they would get more out of their technology solutions. Most organizations are simply changing too quickly to take on multi-year software development projects.

Willow has the Arena product that Shelby produces for large churches. How do you describe your depth of experience gained at Willow Creek?

At all levels Willow Creek places a strong value on innovation and change. This entrepreneurial spirit, coupled with a deep conviction Jesus really can make a difference in our world through his church, made for an amazing if not constant growth experience. It would be easy for me to say that through the size and scope of Willow Creek’s infrastructure, staff, volunteer base and overall community, that  I have had more than my share of experience working with countless technologies and systems in my time there.

Where do you see the future of church management software heading?

I envision open frameworks with individualized accessibility on the mobile level, where content delivery and interactivity are all personalized. I also see the value of face-to-face, human-to-human relational interaction rising to new levels, while the use of technology to facilitate connecting with people will also continue to rise.

When hiring for the IT position

First, I consider a church IT director/manager to be a pastor. He or she must follow the biblical guidelines for church leaders as outlined in 1 Timothy 3. A wise friend taught me that one should never be elevated to a level of responsibility that is beyond their level of character. I consider the responsibility of stewarding the information and technology of a church to require the utmost integrity and character.

Second, they must be a 360 degree leader. Today’s technology managers have to influence decisions in all directions — staff, volunteers, leadership, etc.

Third, they must be a skilled manager. Leaders don’t always make great managers. In this day and age the technology director/manager has to be both. I recommend Ken Blanchard situational leadership or some other formal and rigorous management training.

Fourth, and just as important, the technology manager must have sharp technical skills. They may not be an expert in all aspects of the technology they lead, but I believe that today’s technology leaders need to be at least versed in all they manage.

Fifth, today’s technology leaders have to be good communicators at all levels. They have to know when and when not to go into too many details and when and when not to communicate high level vision.

By Jennifer Michalek

Although you have probably heard the word Twitter many times, chances are that it remains an abstract concept in your mind. So let’s begin by first describing what it is and then we’ll look at how churches like yours are embracing this tool as a means to connecting with their followers.

Twitter is an online social networking and micro-blogging tool that allows people to send “tweets,” or text-based messages of up to 140 characters that are delivered to other users, known as followers. Tweets can be sent through different mediums such as cell phones and the Web. They appear on the owner’s Twitter profile page and broadcast out to the owner’s followers. If your church has a Facebook page, you can use Twitter to update your Facebook status, or, conversely, you can send your updates from Facebook out to Twitter.

The social networking component of Twitter is that it allows users to become followers of each other and to receive their messages.  It also allows followers to retweet messages, which spreads your message even further.

“Who has time?”

Many of us hear the word Twitter, and think, “Who has time for that?” Don’t assume that Twitter is a platform just for teens, narcissists or those with too much time on their hands.

However, churches are beginning to use Twitter to promote their events, to call for feedback, to provide commentary and to spread the Word. Twitter offers a direct way to communicate important information to those who want to receive it. It is a tool that allows churches to quickly, and succinctly, communicate with their followers. And better yet, it costs nothing.

“There is an investment of time, of course. When you are first learning, it requires more time. After that, I would say we spend about six hours per week on social media, including Twitter,” says Rob Cizek, executive pastor of Northshore Christian Church in Everett, WA.

Twitter and Your Church

Churches can use Twitter in a variety of ways to compliment traditional communication tools. Northshore Church, for example, tweets about food drives, Pastor Ken’s “A Beautiful Mind Series,” live online services, scripture and special events. “It’s a dynamic way for us to communicate with our congregation,” says Cizek.

12 Stone Church Lawrenceville, GA, with a congregation of 9,000, has about 740 Twitter followers and not all of them attend their services. “Connecting through social media gives the community a safe way to check us out. They are able to get a sense of our heart and mission before they ever walk through our doors,” says Donna Witten, 12 Stone’s director of communications.

“Through Twitter, we have been able to quickly respond to questions, connect volunteers, and by using the search feature on any mention of 12Stone, we are able to keep an eye on our brand. We can even see what first-time visitors thought of our service,” adds Whitten.

Twitter can be used by anyone. Therefore, pastors, guest speakers, attendees and even non-participants can tweet about your events and services. In fact, you may be surprised to find that members of your congregation have tweeted about your events even before you have.

Make use of Twitter in the following ways:

Scripture: By quoting scripture, many churches use Twitter to regularly lift the spirit of their followers and to spread the Word.

Events: Announce upcoming events such as opportunities for baptism.

Generate interest and define an agenda: Speakers can tweet to build enthusiasm for their talk or to find out what attendees hope to get out of it.

After-service follow-up: Remind your congregation of the resources mentioned  during services by posting links to more information.

Request help: Ask for volunteers, donations, or prayers.

Live coverage: Through live-coverage commentary about events, you can include people who were unable to participate. For those who chose not to participate,  live-coverage Tweets might entice them to join you next time.

Site traffic: As a viral tool, Twitter directs traffic to your Web site. By asking your followers to tweet about something your church is doing, your news will quickly be  sent far beyond your Twitter reach.

Job postings: If your church or someone in your congregation is hiring, or if  someone is looking for a job, you can use Twitter to announce it.

Branding: A benefit of Twitter is that it can establish your church as a personality that is connected, dynamic and approachable.

Feedback: Through Twitter’s search feature and services such as TweetDeck,  you can “listen” to what is being said about your church.

Develop a strategy

Like many social media tools, Twitter requires an ongoing investment. It needs to fit within your overall communications mix. In addition, you need to identify how you expect it to support your initiatives.

“Before you start using Twitter, you should have a strategy. You have to think about what you hope to accomplish by using Twitter. Otherwise, it’s just one more thing to do,” says Cizek. “I would encourage other churches that are just starting to tweet to focus on quality over quantity. Sure, you need to remain active, but don’t overwhelm your audience.”

Here are some specific components to include in your plan:

1. Identify your audience (current and potential). What kind of resources and information do they want from you?

2. Define your objectives. What do you hope to achieve by using Twitter? For example, do you want to engage your followers, grow your community, promote your events, or perhaps all of those?

3. Develop your overall message. What do you want to accomplish through your messages? For example, do you want to inform your followers, inspire them, call them to action, or simply connect with them?

4. Define the process. How will it be administered? How much time will be allocated? Will you develop a weekly or monthly editorial calendar for Tweets? What policies should be followed?

5. Identify how you will measure your results. Evaluate your results against your objectives. Did you increase attendance at an event through Twitter? Did you see an increase in video downloads?

Start building followers

Like other social media tools, your church’s Twitter following will build over time. Start by signing up at Twitter.com. Once you have a profile, conduct a search on the site using terms related to your church to see what content already exists. Seek examples of how similar churches are using Twitter.

Once you have started using Twitter, start educating your members about your Twitter presence. Remember, in a tight economy, leveraging free social media tools allows churches to maximize their reach without breaking their budgets.

Jennifer Michalek is a freelance writer and the chief communications officer of a national medical society in Chicago, IL.

• twitter.com/12Stone
• twitter.com/northshorecc
• twitter.com/willowcreekcc
• twitter.com/liquidchurch