Font Rants on Many Subjects

Becoming a Wired Church

First the basics:

-I expect your church website to have the following information in a visible easy to find place: contact information, service schedule, and link to mapquest or google maps for directions. This is the minimum. I'm going to look at your webpage for 10 seconds. If I don't see how to find that information; I'm not showing up on Sunday. Also if you're going to post a newsletter or any time sensitive content, be prepared to continue to update it; or pull it down if its more than 6 months old. Nothing looks worse than last July's newsletter as the only newsletter on your site.

-I expect your church to have a website with its own domain. Not some geocities popup spectacular. You can by hosting from companies like bluehost.com, for as little as $6/month. Go to Google search for web hosting, you will have about a thousand to choose from. Your domain will be on your business cards and church stationary or anything else you print or send me.

-Create a Yahoo group, or other email discussion list for your parish. Have at least 2 mailing lists: "Community Forum" where anyone can talk, "Announcements" this is where you email folks when church is canceled. Announcements is set so only you and the senior warden can post to it; not the whole world. That way if I don't have time to read about the in fighting in the choir; I can just subscribe to the announcements page and get an email when things go wrong.

-You will blog as will your whole ministerial team. This was cutting edge now it is no longer optional. You will write at least one post a week on the blog. If you can write a 20 minute sermon; you can give me a 500 word essay for your blog. You will also know the blogs of the kids in your youth group and read them at least once a month. Even if they are the usual insufferable teen angst stuff. Its the only way you will get to know them.

-You will not relay any story in a sermon without checking Snopes first. This site contains every urban legend out there. Check out that touching story you just heard from a longtime friend who heard it from an email that was passed around.

Now for the advanced topics:

-Start podcasting your sermons. Need help starting a podcast. Goto Google it's your friend; better yet recruit someone in your youth group; you'll know who because their blog is the one with the podcasts.

-Join every local community email list you can. Check Yahoo groups, check with your parishioners. If your town/neighborhood has a listserv get on it. My little neighborhood has a listserv, and I'm always surprised that when these community issues are discussed we never hear from any priest or minister. Despite the fact that there are 4 churches within 2 blocks of my house. Look I'm not saying I want to have non-stop Jesus hard sell on my community listserv; but when we are talking about traffic problems in the neighborhood it would be really nice for Pastor Larry to chime in and say something. Make sure you identify yourself in your email signature.

-If possible get some wireless access points setup in the parish hall. Why should cafes have all the fun?