Increasing Church Communication

INCREASING COMMUNICATION

BETWEEN CHURCH MEMBERS

Prepared by

Lee Markham

Customer Service Director

Networking Associates

October 29, 2010

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report explains the benefits of a website for the Grand Rapids Church of Christ and presents recommendations for the design and publishing of that website.

UNTAPPED RESOURCES

The Grand Rapids Church of Christ as of yet has never maintained a fully functioning website on the internet. This has limited the church's growth by not reaching out to an entire market. This virtually untouched market is not worth ignoring.

SAFE HAVEN

A website can provide a great place for teens and young adults to view and learn about God. There is much on the internet sending out a negative or unhealthy message towards teens and our website can offset this by sending out a good message and teach viewers how God is working in their lives right now.

INCREASE IN COMMUNICATION

A website would allow the members to view announcements and event calendars so that everyone can stay informed. This can be done through the use of message board, which can also generate a newsletter that can be sent out to everyone that is on the mailing list. This message board will enable members to post their needs and concerns on the website and other members can respond. This message board can also allow for bible studies or group work that can be done right on the site. Having a Bible study on the internet will help share the Word with those who are too busy to meet up during the work week. This website can help keep everyone in the congregation closer and meet the needs of a busy schedule

HOW TO REACH OUT

There are a number of ways that a website can be designed by our church. Through the use of professional services or using member's expertise, the website offers a great way to reach new people and keep in touch with current members. Expanding the congregation is everybody's goal, and a website is a great way to supplement your efforts. We have settled on Network Solutions to host the site for $14.99/yr. We have also signed on with a local internet service provider, Networking Inc. that offers a 10% discount for non-profit organizations at a cost of $17.99/month. The church's website will not only reach those outside the church but will touch those who are currently members. This increase in communication between church members can foster a tighter relationship while at the same time providing an opportunity for others to find a church.

INCREASING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CHURCH MEMBERS

INTRODUCTION

The Grand Rapids Church of Christ has always been a small church. Being that it is only ten years old, there is not an expectation of a large congregation. People have joined in waves throughout the last decade as members of the church have reached out to countless individuals in their own lives. Setbacks occur however, when families move or members fall away from their faith.

This year has also proven to be a great year for the church in terms of growth. New families have moved from distant locations to help build a solid foundation. This has spurred current members to find a new zeal for their faith. This new zeal has brought the largest amount of visitors to church events. This increase in communication with non-members has led to the highest member count in the history of the church. At a time like this, the church is a position to further increase its communication with non-members via an internet website.

This purpose of this report is to analyze the benefits of a website, explain how these benefits can help the Grand Rapids Church of Christ, and provide recommendations on how to implement a plan to build a website. The suggestions provided offer ways to reduce the current costs of internet services and also low-cost website host and maintenance options.

In preparation of this report, local companies were sought out to find the lowest cost service for a non-profit organization. The costs were compared to the current expenditures of the church on internet fees and marketing strategies. Local churches were also researched to provide an example of how websites have helped their organizations.

SERVING OTHERS USING A WEBPAGE

Using a webpage can help serve others in an easier way than ever before. Putting others before one's self is a value of every Christian. Many churches have started to put into practice a website that not only markets their church but provides a 'clean zone' that current members can view and interact with each other (Internet Evangelism, n.d.). Currently a webpage at the Grand Rapids Church of Christ only provides info on how to get to the church or whom to call.

The use of a website as a platform for teens to start on can greatly reduce the risk that teens will see adult content on the web (Welcome, n.d). By providing a page to start on, like the home page, the website can offer avenues of channels that have been deemed 'ok' for teen viewing pleasure. Games can be provided on the site for both teens and others to play. There can be links to other activities in the area as well. Aside from giving the teens and other members some good ideas of where to go on the internet, the website can be used to reach an untapped market.

As the world is filled with people who are just 'looking for a church', the church can't ignore the fact that many of these people may use the internet in their search. The pages that come up on a search engine are the ones that have been registered with major search engines with the appropriate tags. This may be the first step somebody takes in finding Jesus. In fact, many Christians moving into new areas often use the internet to "check out church services before walking in" (Harper, n.d.). Making sure that the Grand Rapid's Church of Christ's website pops up can vastly increase membership,

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