The Digital Lane: Using Today’s Technology to Shape Eternity
“And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” Luke 14:23
The above verse is from Jesus’s teachings in The Parable of the Great Banquet. The master invited many guests, but few came. So, his servants went where the people were. Where are people today? Look around you the next time you are at Starbucks. Count how many people’s heads are down looking at a screen. That’s your answer. Technology is the modern-day highway and hedges where people are. This is why this post of the Coach is entitled The Digital Lane: Using Today’s Technology to Shape Eternity.
Let me go back to my question: where are people today? Consider these findings from statista.com:
- As of January 2024, there were approximately 331 million internet users in the U.S.
- 239 million were social media users.
- As of the third quarter of 2022, over 90% of U.S. internet users accessed the net by mobile phone.1.
I could give you more data, but you get the point. So, as I continue this series on the lanes of focus to build and sustain a culture of generosity for your church, I will share about the Digital Lane. The Digital Lane is now more complex, so I will break this lane down into two Coaches. First, in this issue, I will deal with the basics of websites with an eye on online giving because, after all, I am The Stewardship Coach, and someone needs to think about the offering! Next week I’ll deal with social media, a key part of your Digital Lane. The following is my textbook of church website basics. But first, you need to know that you have,
10 seconds or less to engage people who land on your church web page before they exit. If you want to communicate in this day and age, you need an online presence, and that starts with a great website. So, you have one chance to make an impression. What impression do your sites make? Let’s dive into what I call …
Church Website Basics – Here are some basics you need to think about for your website.
It’s home base. That is how you need to think of your website. It is not the only source of information, but it should be the key source of information. A website is a guest’s first impression of your church. So, make it a good one. Your website is also your base for collecting digital offerings. Websites and social media are today’s Yellow Pages! Before people ever enter your parking lot or watch your live stream, they first visit your website.
Think of your church website as two tracks. Your website must be designed for two target audiences: searchers and members. Most church websites are designed with members in mind rather than searchers. As such, they fail to connect with those who are looking for a church.
Tell your story! The Church has an amazing story that we too infrequently focus upon. Young donors want to know that their gift matters, so talk about what giving to your church accomplishes. Don’t talk about what a great church you have. Talk about the great things your church does in Jesus’ name.
Make sure your website is mobile-friendly. 90% of Americans have a smartphone! If your website is not accessible by smartphones or tablets, you are missing out on connecting with potential attendees and donors. If you don’t know if your website is mobile-friendly, try accessing your church site on your smartphone and tablet.
Less is more. One final point is that with people giving you ten seconds or less of viewing before they leave your page, you had better clean up the mess. One of the church website’s biggest mistakes is putting too much information on the page.
The importance of curb appeal – As a pastor, I once had an architect come inspect our buildings and give us his recommendation. He stated that our dated buildings did not communicate how up to date we were in our programming and interior facilities. In short, he recommended we update our curb appeal. Curb appeal is what gets people in the door. After that, it is up to you. Your website should have curb appeal. One way to ensure your site has good curb appeal is to keep it up to date. Out-dated information is one of the biggest mistakes I find on church websites.
Make the landing page of your online giving easy to use and impactful. COVID-19 taught us the importance of digital giving. I stress the importance of making giving quick and easy. The easier you make it for people to give, the more apt they are to give.
As I sat down to write this post, another passage came to mind. “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” Romans 10:14
So, pay attention to the crowd around you and see how many have their heads in their smart device. If we are to bring them into his “house,” we first need them to hear our message. Like it or not, the Internet is the most traveled highway in our world. It’s where the people are. So, today’s “pulpit” is both physical and digital, which is why you must have a Digital Lane of strategy for telling your story and for giving to help support that story. That’s one way to shape eternity!
Mark Brooks – The Stewardship Coach
mark@acts17generosity.com
OnlineGiving.org, the leading online giving processor in America, sponsors my writing. OG is owned and operated by committed Christians active in their local church. Find out more about their services at https://www.onlinegiving.org/. You can also read the blog post I wrote for them at https://www.onlinegiving.org/blog.