Test-Driving a Church
By: Kevin Duke

John and Mary Jones were pleased with what they had seen in the church. The building itself was pleasant, well kept, and in a nice area of town with plenty of parking. After viewing the inside of the church, they felt like it would be a house of worship in which they could be comfortable and edified. Even the church program was presented in a way that really resonated with them. The congregation was diverse. There was a nice mix of generations, yet a fair number of people about their age. The church offered a variety of activities and social events, as well as a range of ministry opportunities that excited them. They liked the sound of the minister's voice and the content of his sermons. New to the area, they really believed this might be their new church home.

Mary looked at John with a hopeful expression. She said, "Well, what do you think? Shall we go there this coming Sunday and see for ourselves?"

John moved the mouse and clicked on the Schedule page. "I think that would be a good idea," he said. "Look, they have 'Coffee and Conversation' starting at 9:30."

While the above scenario is fictional, it illustrates a practice that is increasingly common. It used to be believed that curb appeal - how the church front looked from the sidewalk - was a big factor in attracting new members. Today, the Internet is increasingly used by people who are shopping for a church home. With a wide range of churches to choose from and a common fear of getting stuck in an uncomfortable place, more and more people are using church Web sites to test-drive the church to see if it looks like a good fit for them.

Web pages are, more and more, the "New Front Door" for churches. Several polls show that more than 70% of Americans now use the Internet, which is unique among mass media in that it allows two-way communication. Web sites that are done well can provide a feeling of being in a real relationship.

Businesses caught on to that concept quickly, and churches followed. There are actually Internet-only churches. LifeChurch.TV, out of Oklahoma City , has used the Internet to branch out into 10 physical locations in addition to the Internet "campus."

But for this article, we will stick to the concept of a church's Web site helping to increase the number of live visitors and prospective new members.

The anonymity and easy access offered by the Internet is making it much easier to approach a new church for many people. Web viewers can maintain their distance from a church before they decide they want to visit in person and show up on a church's radar.

Randy Renbarger, of Perimeter Church in Duluth , Georgia , said, "People are leery nowadays. The world is a scary place unless you can filter it through a comfort zone, and the Internet is a comfort zone. You can get all of this information before you even cross the threshold."

Using the Internet before crossing the church threshold reduces prospects' fear (fear of offending someone if they choose another church or, worse, finding someone ringing their doorbell, pressuring them to return.) Further, people are investigating the church's doctrinal foundations, and they are seeking a comfortable cultural fit. Internet shopping can provide this key information, while avoiding uncomfortable pressures and wasted time.

What sorts of church Web sites work the best? It is easier to say what does not work.

In the early days of the Internet, many businesses posted what became known as brochure ware, or emulated a printed brochure on their Web site. This seemed a quick way to have a Web presence at minimal cost. Brochure ware generally was something posted online and rarely updated. The bad news was (and still is) that such sites totally miss the power of the Internet and project an image of an institution that is not dynamic and not working toward interacting with customers (or people in general). The relationship part of the Internet only works if the site acts like a living entity, interacting with the viewers and rewarding their interest and activity, the most fundamental level being the collection of contact e-mail addresses.

Response time is critical for a church Web site, just as it is for a business. If you have a contact address, that e-mail address has to be monitored and e-mails responded to on a regular basis. One rule for business sites is if the viewer cannot get a reply from a real person in 24 hours or less, it is better not to have a contact link. Auto-generated replies stating, "We have received your message and will get back to you" help, but the "getting back to" is a make-or-break point for what kind of impression the church will leave on the prospective visitor. (A good site will list church telephone numbers, office hours, etc., as well).

The point here is that if people are interested enough to engage with your church after test-driving your Web site, then it is imperative that the church responds with immediacy. Prayer requests are being made with e-mail more and more often, and such things certainly mandate a thoughtful and prompt response to the person in need of prayer.

Aside from the communication process, a church Web site needs to project an image of the church as a vital, dynamic organization with a lot to offer. Weekly schedules are another critical component:

* What is happening in the church the other six days of the week?

* What sort of volunteer efforts are currently underway?

* What scheduled events have had a change?

* What sort of news items have been added since last Sunday's church program?

* Are there schedule changes because of last night's snowfall?

Such things can be of considerable value to the current members of the congregation, as well as project a positive image to prospective members.

Web site blogs are becoming a more common component of Web sites as a tool for sharing ideas and information. However, Web sites are not limited to the printed word. Churches can create podcasts of sermons or workshop activities, giving prospective visitors a real view of the church's mission, message, and beliefs.

You might be saying to yourself, "Nice, but we don't have a full-time Web programmer to keep up with all this." That is a valid concern, with viable solutions offered by innovative church management software providers. While the actual construction of the site is still a place for professionals, today's software can make keeping the site regularly updated as easy for non-programmers. Some programs offer this capability while performing other powerful tasks for the church.

Depending on the size of your church and the amount of updating you will do, there are products in the church market that will make managing your Web site and other communications much easier and more successful.

Enterprise systems, or all-encompassing church management systems, handle your database and inter-office business (such as accounting) as well as offer Web authoring tools that put many of the keys to a successful Virtual Front Door right into your hands.

If you choose a Web-based system, meaning access is possible from any Internet connection, it will streamline the communication between the office staff, pastoral leadership, outside ministries, and other vital participants. If all of this information can be tracked centrally and securely, you're less likely to have something slip through the cracks. Interaction between church staff, congregation members, and prospective visitors can play a vital role in making people feel both engaged and welcomed by a church.

It is important to point out that almost all of the features and activities mentioned above are also of great value to existing members. Your efforts are not only outreach oriented. These things help keep the church an essential, healthy community with all the onsite activities that members seek, encouraging even greater participation.

There are an increasing number of "John and Mary Jones'" out there, looking to find a church home. Finding a comfortable fit is a two-way street. It is important to remember that people who are drawn to the style of a church as conveyed by a good (and honest) Web site are more likely to be a good fit for the church as well. An engaging Web presence can be the "New Front Door" to your church, turning casual Internet surfers into active, growing Christians who are a thriving part of your congregation.

As Memphis business consultant Dr. Charles Kenny puts it, "When prospective new members come to 'test-drive' your church, you want to make sure the door is open and the engine is running smoothly."

Kevin Duke is a writer and consultant and can be reached at kduke@wordmagic.net

End Box:
Web Site Curb Appeal
Of course, it always helps to see ideas like this in action. Here are some examples of church Web sites that have gotten a firm handle on making sure their virtual front door has the right kind of curb appeal for today's prospective seekers.
www.canyonridge.org
www.ccvonline.org
www.watermark.org

For more information on creating a Web presence for your church with the integration of a powerful ChMS solution, contact Arena at sales@arenachms.com or www.arenachms.com for more details.

Product Roundup

Logos Management Software
All Logos products can be run locally or in a Web-hosted environment that provides 24/7 access from anywhere. Also, right after the first of the year, you can expand the functionality of these programs by linking them to Logos' powerful new Ministry Connection, a Web-based application that links the Desktop and Internet environments, bringing the best of both worlds to your organization and the people you serve. Logos truly makes the computer a more effective resource for a growing ministry. Software components include Church Management, Accounting, Facility Scheduler, Ministry Scheduler, and Online Manager.
www.logoscms.com

Donarius Church Management Software
Donarius is the easy way for you to track members, contributions, pledges and more. It lets you view and print tax receipts, donor lists, church directories, and mailing labels/envelopes. Donarius has a variety of customizable reports, such as donations by date or donor. It sends personalized letters and e-mails. Donarius also records "gifts in kind" and pre-authorized deposits. You can also design your own tax receipts, they will do it for you at no extra charge; just e-mail a sample tax receipt. There are many options when re-assigning envelope numbers. Donarius imports data from your current software so you don't have to re-enter it. It also exports data to be used in other software.
www.donarius.com

Soul Management by Five Talent Software
Soul Management by Five Talent Software has been reviewed as very user-friendly and has all the functionality a growing church needs or desires. Soul Management includes your people tracking, activity tracking, and your finances. This Web-based software is reasonably priced for the smallest church to the largest church. They are committed to helping churches grow by being more efficient and effective. That is why they make customer service and satisfaction their top priority. Whether your church is large or small, they give as much time as needed to all of their customers, so you can find a solution to your problem when you need it.
www.Soul-Management.com

Icon Systems
Icon Systems is an innovator of church management solutions, offering two Web-based systems called IconCMO and IconCMO+. IconCMO+ is an extension of IconCMO, as it allows for a collection of churches to be organized and defined as a denomination. While IconCMO begins with a church and works downward to the family and then family member, IconCMO+ begins with the highest level of a denomination and works downward through the various organizational levels down to the church, family unit, and, finally, the family member. Both systems ensure the organization is on the latest software version.
www.iconcmo.com

Sage MIP Fund Accounting
Sage MIP Fund Accounting is financial management software for nonprofit organizations. The software allows churches and other faith-based organizations to configure and customize the system exactly how they need to track and report on data; maintain a clear audit trail no matter how simple or complex the data segmentation or fund allocation; easily create accurate, specialized financial reports for both internal and external key stakeholders with different reporting needs; and demonstrate accountability with unlimited budget versions and flexibility to accurately track and report on multiple funds, across multiple cost centers, through varying budget periods.
www.sagenonprofit.com

RDS Advantage
The RDS Advantage church management system began 25 years ago as a ministry to churches and their staff. The company was a developer of commercial accounting systems, and they built upon an already powerful accounting system to include fund accounting and the special needs of churches and not-for-profit organizations. Their strong commitment to evangelism led to the development of many special capabilities to help churches conduct outreach ministries. With main-frame quality applications especially designed for very large churches, their ease of use makes the system equally useful for medium and smaller users.
www.rdsadvantage.com

ServiceU Corporation
ServiceU Corporation provides a complete on-demand event management software solutions designed specifically for organizations such as churches, nonprofits, schools, universities, festivals and theaters. ServiceU offers three core products: TicketU is the complete solution for online ticketing and box office management; EventU simplifies the scheduling of events and resources by providing online calendaring; and TransactU provides the convenience of online donations, online payments and online event registrations.
www.ServiceU.com

Arena
Arena is a "total church" system created to conform to your ministry style, organizational needs, and communication plans. Arena's beautiful and friendly design insures quick, easy and organized contact with individuals or groups of people - such as calling campaigns. Arena offers customizable check-in, robust performance metrics and reporting, hosting freedom, and a flexible approach to volunteers and groups. Because Arena is a fully integrated and browser-based system, it insures your communication methods, content management, and contact management are accurate, consistent and connected.
www.ArenaChMS.com

PowerChurch Plus
PowerChurch Plus is an all-in-one software solution that helps you streamline administrative tasks and manage your membership, contributions, accounting, and event scheduling. PowerChurch Plus records comprehensive membership information, including photographs, for up to 100,000 families. The new Event scheduling module allows you to keep track of upcoming events, reserve rooms and equipment, and generate event calendars.
www.powerchurch.com

Church Helpmate
Church Helpmate is the church management system that is simply powerful and powerfully simple. It is uniquely designed to be able to adapt to your church's unique needs and requirements - yet easy enough for everyone on your team to use and enjoy. Save time and money, build unity, make better disciples, increase ministry participation, connect with your congregation, and simplify your life - visit their Web site to find out how. Read full testimonials from folks just like you who have switched to Helpmate. New 2008 version is now available. www.helpmate.com

CahabaWorks
CahabaWorks is a church management software solution designed to make it easy to manage information about members, groups, contributions, and financials. The Members Module supports multiple views, providing intuitive navigation to information about members and their households, and the Groups Module allows you to manage small groups and attendance at their meetings. In the Contributions Module, contributions can be entered, attributed to the member who gave them and credited to the correct fund in a single contribution detail entry. Once all contributions are entered, they can be deposited as a batch into your bank account, updating all your financial records simultaneously. 
www.cahabacreek.com/cahabaworks

Shelby 's Check-In Software System
Shelby 's Check-In Software System helps you protect your most important assets: your children and youth. You can ensure security, track attendance, and create interactive kiosks. Shelby 's Check-In software is at the center of your check-in system plan. Assure peace of mind with Check-In's nursery security capabilities. Ensure that the children in your care are returned safely to their legal guardian. Integrate seamlessly with Shelby church management software. Unite your organizational information with attendance statistics. Improve the speed and efficiency of your attendance tracking.
www.shelbyinc.com/checkin