cawheat
08-15-2002, 10:37 AM
Folks:
The following has never been published, so please don't distribute, copy, fold, spindle or mutilate without permission first. :)
Thanks, Chadd
================================
As an Elder in a small suburban church, I indeed understand the many tasks our clergy face every day. Not only must they be preachers of God's word, but they must have business skills, management skills, and even technical skills.
With the explosion of the internet, church web pages have become a dynamic way for congregations to publish online brochures. Some pages range from simple (where we are, what time is service, etc.) to extensive (including online Bible studies, prayer circles, and sermons).
But unless you have the necessary technical expertise yourself or in your congregation, how can you create an effective online presence?
Let me introduce you to the wonderful world of "web logging", also known as "blogging". Blogging empowers even the most novice internet user with the ability to create a professional-looking website.
If you ever seen web pages for churches – especially budget-constrained churches that can’t afford professional web design – you’ll notice that many of them are often difficult to navigate, poorly designed, and frankly -- ugly. If you’re trying to attract visitors to your congregation, would you put out an unattractive brochure drawn with crayons on construction paper? Of course not. But neither can you afford the hundreds or thousands of dollars to maintain an eye-catching site that is both informative and useful.
With blogging, once you’ve decided on a design, all you have to do is maintain the content. No long uploads, tedious updating, or constant worries about outdated materials. All you need is a dedicated web host and registered name (around $35/year for the name, and up to $20/month for hosting) and your nearly ready to start posting. [Note from CW to ChristianWriters.com readers: You don't have to have a registered domain name -- you can use freebie sites like Yahoo, etc.]
Think of blogging as sort of an online journal. These kind of personal web pages have been around since the web explosion. But with blogging, there’s no programming or coding to do. Once you decide on a design format, the software (usually hosted at a “blogging” site) performs all the necessary changes each time you submit an entry.
Many people use blogging as a tool to post their stories, poetry, and diaries. Others post their expertise on particular subjects. Some are just random drippings from the frustrated mind. But you can use blogging as an effective outreach to your congregation and virtually anyone on the net.
Picture this: your sermon posted on a Monday morning, the day after you presented it in church. Or your church’s calendar updated every week with the latest events and classes. Or the latest pictures from your mission trip posted for all to see.
If you write material for your sermons or church newletter using word processing software – you’re already most of the way to having a beautiful and effective website. With your content already written, all you have to do is copy and paste the text to your blogging software and submit it.
Other blogging possibilities for your website include: the latest fundraiser info, church news, biography articles on your members or staff, witness sharing, contact information and directions to your church, follow-up reports on recent events or functions, relevant denomination or community news, and member birthdays and anniversaries. Anything you put in your paper-edition church newsletter can be used to help create a dynamic and effective web page.
The internet truly makes the world a smaller place because it makes information so easy to access. Some information is good, and some of it bad. But if we can use the internet to spread God’s message, we should.
With blogging, your church can have an effective, attractive, and open forum for sharing the love of Jesus.
How to get started? Check out the links below:
· http://www.blogger.com -- a easy-to-use site, with all the directions you need to get started right now. Probably the best blogging site out there.
· http://pitas.com/ -- one of the first free blogging tool sites. Still easy-to-use and very user friendly.
· http://www.movabletype.org/ -- another free site (for non-profit or personal use) that makes web publishing easy.
· http://www.diaryland.com/ -- a site geared specifically toward online diaries, but an excellent resource.
· http://noahgrey.com/greysoft/ -- a blogging service for the more advanced. You can download their software and run it on your own servers.
· http://www.blogspot.com/ -- a free hosting service for blogs
View some excellent examples of blogged sites:
· http://www.chaddwheat.com -- the author’s personal website, featuring his latest articles posted every week.
· http://www.wildindiana.com -- an example of how WildIndiana incorporates blogging into their main page to update their news features.
· http://www.whowouldbuythat.com/ -- a fun site of bizarre auction items. Also shows good use of blogging with normal content.
The following has never been published, so please don't distribute, copy, fold, spindle or mutilate without permission first. :)
Thanks, Chadd
================================
As an Elder in a small suburban church, I indeed understand the many tasks our clergy face every day. Not only must they be preachers of God's word, but they must have business skills, management skills, and even technical skills.
With the explosion of the internet, church web pages have become a dynamic way for congregations to publish online brochures. Some pages range from simple (where we are, what time is service, etc.) to extensive (including online Bible studies, prayer circles, and sermons).
But unless you have the necessary technical expertise yourself or in your congregation, how can you create an effective online presence?
Let me introduce you to the wonderful world of "web logging", also known as "blogging". Blogging empowers even the most novice internet user with the ability to create a professional-looking website.
If you ever seen web pages for churches – especially budget-constrained churches that can’t afford professional web design – you’ll notice that many of them are often difficult to navigate, poorly designed, and frankly -- ugly. If you’re trying to attract visitors to your congregation, would you put out an unattractive brochure drawn with crayons on construction paper? Of course not. But neither can you afford the hundreds or thousands of dollars to maintain an eye-catching site that is both informative and useful.
With blogging, once you’ve decided on a design, all you have to do is maintain the content. No long uploads, tedious updating, or constant worries about outdated materials. All you need is a dedicated web host and registered name (around $35/year for the name, and up to $20/month for hosting) and your nearly ready to start posting. [Note from CW to ChristianWriters.com readers: You don't have to have a registered domain name -- you can use freebie sites like Yahoo, etc.]
Think of blogging as sort of an online journal. These kind of personal web pages have been around since the web explosion. But with blogging, there’s no programming or coding to do. Once you decide on a design format, the software (usually hosted at a “blogging” site) performs all the necessary changes each time you submit an entry.
Many people use blogging as a tool to post their stories, poetry, and diaries. Others post their expertise on particular subjects. Some are just random drippings from the frustrated mind. But you can use blogging as an effective outreach to your congregation and virtually anyone on the net.
Picture this: your sermon posted on a Monday morning, the day after you presented it in church. Or your church’s calendar updated every week with the latest events and classes. Or the latest pictures from your mission trip posted for all to see.
If you write material for your sermons or church newletter using word processing software – you’re already most of the way to having a beautiful and effective website. With your content already written, all you have to do is copy and paste the text to your blogging software and submit it.
Other blogging possibilities for your website include: the latest fundraiser info, church news, biography articles on your members or staff, witness sharing, contact information and directions to your church, follow-up reports on recent events or functions, relevant denomination or community news, and member birthdays and anniversaries. Anything you put in your paper-edition church newsletter can be used to help create a dynamic and effective web page.
The internet truly makes the world a smaller place because it makes information so easy to access. Some information is good, and some of it bad. But if we can use the internet to spread God’s message, we should.
With blogging, your church can have an effective, attractive, and open forum for sharing the love of Jesus.
How to get started? Check out the links below:
· http://www.blogger.com -- a easy-to-use site, with all the directions you need to get started right now. Probably the best blogging site out there.
· http://pitas.com/ -- one of the first free blogging tool sites. Still easy-to-use and very user friendly.
· http://www.movabletype.org/ -- another free site (for non-profit or personal use) that makes web publishing easy.
· http://www.diaryland.com/ -- a site geared specifically toward online diaries, but an excellent resource.
· http://noahgrey.com/greysoft/ -- a blogging service for the more advanced. You can download their software and run it on your own servers.
· http://www.blogspot.com/ -- a free hosting service for blogs
View some excellent examples of blogged sites:
· http://www.chaddwheat.com -- the author’s personal website, featuring his latest articles posted every week.
· http://www.wildindiana.com -- an example of how WildIndiana incorporates blogging into their main page to update their news features.
· http://www.whowouldbuythat.com/ -- a fun site of bizarre auction items. Also shows good use of blogging with normal content.