7 Website Mistakes Made by Churches

I don't have one single source for all that I have learned with websites and online marketing. I will say that my friend Craig Walker from UpWardChurch.org and one of my coaches, Bob Franquiz, of Calvary Fellowship have been instrumental.

I do know that churches have the worst ideas when it comes to websites and online marketing. I spend hours talking to pastors about how to make their sites better. Most of them listen to about 5% and then continue to do what they "think" is best.
Let me just say this: Don't mess up the website! It is key.

Thrive Church started with just 25 people in June of 2012. We have grown to over 125 people in 6 months. That is 500% growth in 7 months.  90% of our newcomers are coming through our website. The two elements that helped me the most was Craig's book, "Right Message; Wrong Method," then I studied all the top churches websites.

Over the years I have learned the hard way about websites and having a strong online presence. These principles will apply to your church or business.
Here are the seven, common, mistakes of churches and websites:

1. Your Website is Based on Your Own Personal Creative "Think Tank."
I remember talking to one guy who sat with his friend to make this really cool new idea about creating their churches websites. They had this elaborate plan of forums and discussions. It was in depth. I asked this guy, "Do any of the top churches or growing churches in your area do this?" His response was, "I don't know." I encouraged him to see what they are doing and use their principles. He didn't. The website is your basic, irrelevant, church website.
When creating a website make sure you use empirical evidence. Find out what design companies the top churches in your region are using. Find our what links they use as main links. Find out what they are doing.
Don't sit around with a friend to make the "ultimate website." Hint: It's been done. There are churches who have paid someone lot's of money to figure this out. Mimic their principles.

2. Someone in Your Church Can Make Websites.
I am laughing as I write this. Listen, my great aunt took a class at the community college that teaches how to make websites. Anyone can make a website, but not everyone can create a WOW website. Be courageous enough to say no to this. Unless they are a pro and a stable person in the church, just say no. If they are amateur and not very connected, eventually you will have a bad site that is never updated.
I hear this one more than anything else. If they are web saavy, then have them use a reputable web design company that will host it. You will get a great template and they just have to "plug and play." Make sure you get ALL passwords and information. Don't get caught with them leaving and your URL is on an island.

3. Cheaper is Better.
One of my pastor friends was trying to convince his board of the necessity of a great website. They wanted to know the CHEAPEST way possible. They would do yardsales for irrlevant events, but not put money into a quality website.
Here is the key: If it is cheap, it will be cheap. Just like a used car, you will get what you pay for. This can be the best investment you have ever made.


4. Too Much Information.
Make sure your home page has the KEY links and buttons. Pretend you are a first time guest. What type of church is this? What do they believe? Where are they located?
Have links on your page, but your home page should NOT have a novel on the front page. Make it easy to navigate around the page.

5. You Don't Know What S.E.O Means.
Search Engine Optimization is the KEY. Google is the number one search engine right now. Search engines read your web page. When someone searches for a church, they will use key words. A person may move to our area and type in: Christian Church Chesterfield. If we don't have these keywords in description pages, on the front page and in other areas, it will be looked over. Google doesn't read JPEG's or FLASH. Pictures and flash NEED to be on the front page. It looks good, but being found is much better than looking good. We had to cut our flash pictures in half so we could add more keyword search words. This boosts your rankings in certain categories. We have several key words we use over and over again on our website.
We paid a company called, "Boostablity," to come in and optimize our site. They helped GREATLY. The two ways you are found are: 1) Organic listings and 2) Paid Advertising.
Use a company like Boostability to help your organic rankings and then use Google Adwords Express for your paid advertising. We see tons of families a month come through Thrive Church due to Google Adwords. We INVEST money into Google Adwords. If you type in "best church in richmond va," we will come to the very top.
We have put enough emphasis on Google Adwords to the point that we now dominate our region with organic listings and Google searches.
We also use Bing/Yahoo search, but the return has not been as good.
Have your site, "Search Engine Optimized."

6. Lack of Video and Audio (or poor quality).
I have heard countless people say, "I watched your welcome video. That sold me." We have a link to a welcome video. They need to see the pastor first and then see what the church looks like. Make sure your video is solid and reflects your church. 
One issue I have found is very poor audio quality of recordings. People want to see a welcome video and they want to hear your preaching (or see it).
Don't post crappy videos though. If you can get a better audio clip than video for preaching, then go with QUALITY. Video doesn't sell. If they can't hear you and you look really small on the screen, it may be a turn off. People will search for your website while at work. Most work computers will not let them play YouTube videos. If that's all you have then you will miss out. Post audio.
 I have also seen churches try to post worship in those venues. BAD IDEA. Let people know what music you play and add some shots or video, but don't put extended video of your worship that was recorded with a cheap camcorder or iPhone. Remember that most of our teams will sound worse recorded. That lady who can't hit a note- the guest will hear it. Play it safe. I know you are proud of them, but your guest to the website may not be as proud.
Keys: Welcome video. Great Quality Audio. Finally, have some video if it is good quality.

7. Website Doesn't Match the Church.
I learned the hardway. When I planted a church in FL this happened to me. Before we launched our church we created this rocking website. The problem is that we were still running 30 people. We met in a weird location with bright blue walls. I had our first website guest come to the church. He told me afterwards, "You have a good thing here, but your website oversells your church. Tone it down to match your church." That was hard to swallow.
Use pictures of the facility. Use pictures of your people. Don't let guests be surprised when they come to your church. After they leave the website they should have an accurate description of what to expect.
If you have a great church then don't have a terrible website either. Your website is a personal reflection on how much you think of your church.

Here are a few companies that host sites:
Clover Sites
Faith Connector
Church Plant Media
D2Design
-many, many, many more.

Resources:
Craig Walker's Book, "Right Message, Wrong Method."

It's Not for You!

I had a huge wake up call in Florida. I moved there thinking I would spend the rest of my life in that city. I sacrificed. I saved money. I raised support. We took a huge step of faith. We started and established a church.

I remember in August of 2011 when I felt God impress on my heart that our associate/youth pastor was to take it over. I did not want to hear it. Over the next several months I fasted, prayed and sought advice from trusted mentors. All signs were pointing to the inevitable. I was not going to be there forever.

The passage of Scripture here speaks of this very thing. David had an inexperienced son who was to take over. Instead of David being insecure and looking at Solomon's limitations, he made "preparations."

David said, "My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the LORD shall be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all lands. Therefore now I will make preparation for it." So David made ample preparations before his death. (1 Chronicles 22:5 NASB)
::How are you preparing the next generation for ministry?
You are building your ministry for someone else. You are always preparing it for someone else. What you are building is not just for your enjoyment, but for the next person.

Here is the way to accomplish this:
1. Don't base it on your personality alone.
Don't put pictures up of you and your wife around the church. It may make you feel good, but the next guy has to take them down. Don't build everything based on your talent and personality alone. Even though the church will take on your personality, don't make it that.

2. Don't base your ministry on your programs.
If you and your wife run all the programs and administrate everything, then when you are called out, it will fail. Most pastors (especially young, like myself) initiate and start programs. They run them, put energy behind them and make it their own. Remember, what you start, you will have to sustain. Don't try to carry a program or ministry on your shoulders. Build ministry around people's passions. Pray and wait for the right people. Let God build it through the people, not "on" you.

3. Don't just "do" church.
Build a culture that has healthy systems and healthy leaders over those systems. Build a culture where the people own the vision and when it comes down to it, with or without you they will take it on.

We launched Thrive Church in 2012. It has been wonderful. But what I have learned is that we were able to do that because a group of people helped start a movement 63 years ago. I am seeing success because "preparations" were made.

Say this daily, "It's not about me; it's about the next guy. This is not for me; it's for the next generation. I will not be here forever; but I want this culture and vision to outlive me."

Now- for all my Thriver's reading this. I plan to be here for a while. Take a deep breath! :)

The One Person that Can Ruin it All

Luke 15:29-31

29 So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’

 31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.

 

I just finished a tremendous book called, "The Prodigal God," by Tim Keller. My friend Keith Decker gave me the book as I left FL this year. He served on staff there and told me that this book reflected a lot of the culture we dealt with in South Florida. I wondered what he meant by it. The book delves deeply into the psyche of the elder brother.

 

As I read this book several thoughts occurred to me about ministry. We are in search of the prodigal sons (seeing the lost saved), but it is the "elder brothers (those in positions)," that will destroy your ministry, relationship or organization. Elder brothers are hard to deal with but easy to notice. We often put a lot of emphasis on discipling the "prodigal son," but the prodigals will not cause problems; it is the elder brother that will cause the most problems.

 

Elder brothers will destroy the movement.

 

Elder brothers are those in your ministry or organization that have attitudes which will eventually become a cancer to the whole.

 

They are marked by:

1. Jealousy: The elder brother was jealous that his younger brother had a party. "Elder brother's" will always want you to do for them (or more) what you have done for someone else. They need the same or more attention. They secretly despise those who may need your time or who you choose to spend time with. Jealousy is a prime attitude.

They are also very jealous about position and gifting of others.

2. Entitlement: The elder brother felt entitled to what the younger brother had. He felt like the father owed him a party because he had been there and been faithful.

Elder brothers in your organization will show symptoms of entitlement. They will bring back to you what you did for someone else and how they "deserve" that as well. They will use tenure as a motivation.

3. Competitiveness: The elder brother felt like he was "competing" for the love of the father. It was a big competition. Elder brother's will often compete with other leaders in your organization. They constantly compete for attention, love and affection. They are on a path to be the most loved and adored. Their service is "tainted" by this skewed motivation. They don't want to live in anyone's shadow.

 

You have to deal with the elder brother the same way this father did. He simply stated the truth in love. Elder brothers are in desperate need of love and approval. They are trying to get love and approval from everything else. Keep reminding them that you love them and they are unconditionally loved by God. As you do this, call out these 3 symptoms. Help them by showing them what attitude they are displaying as well.

 

How do you identify and deal with elder brothers?

 

 

 

Effective Service and Powerful Adversaries

...for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. (1 Corinthians 16:9 NASB)

Paul told the Corinthians that he would stay in Ephesus until after Pentecost (May) because a great door had been open for "effective" service even though there were many or great adversaries. If you read the history of Paul's time in Ephesus you will find that it was VERY difficult. He was in a stadium where everyone was shouting louder than he could talk, "Great is Diana our goddess (paraphrased)." He was beat in Ephesus. This was physically. Even though he seemed to face rejection and physical harm, he stayed. Why? That's the worst church planting or ministry deal ever!

He had "effective" service. Paul was seeing people come to Christ despite them losing everything. Despite the loss, they were in love with following Christ. Everything centered around Diana or Artemas in Ephesus. Your job, your friends and religious upbringing. They lost it ALL. He was seeing "effective" service.

I believe the key to overcoming "adversaries" is seeing "effectiveness." If someone is able to see progress and effectiveness they will be able to withstand adversaries as well.

So, look at this for a moment. Where does your greatest frustration lie? I bet it is not fundamentally in your adversary, but in the lack of effectiveness in accomplishing your mission. Adversaries look bigger and more intimidating when effectiveness of mission is lacking.

Focus on:
What excites and motivates you?
What drains you emotionally?
Why are you discouraged or depressed right now? What is the root cause?
What do you need to see happen in the next 3 months that would bring a "spark" to your organization?
Where will you start hunting for new ideas?

The key to finding effectiveness, if you are stuck, is embracing empirically tested ideas that can help you fulfill your mission. When I survey pastors, and leaders in the church world (that's where I work), their frustration doesn't come from a lack of prayer or Bible Study, but rather ideas that can help them become effective.

I spoke with a friend recently that was excited to help a pastor set up a "tent revival." I am not saying that is bad. Hear me. What I am saying is that we are in the 21st century and that was a great idea 60 years ago. With over 3,000 doors of churches shutting each month, is that the best idea? My point is this: We can't live off ideas from 60 years ago to succeed. No business would do that. Why would people who serve the Living God do that? Effective service is the key. Ask the question, "Is this the BEST way available to us to accomplish our mission or are we regurgitating ideas from the past in an effort to try to be effective?"

Pray that God would help you see the REAL, Kingdom impact you are making now and that He would lead you to the right resources to help you become more effective in your mission. Adversaries look a lot smaller with the effective service happening.

RESOURCE OF THE MONTH: "Right Message, Wrong Method," by Craig Walker of www.UpwardChurch.org

Full if great ideas for church leaders

Don't Steady the Cart

And when they came to Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled. (1 Chronicles 13:9 NKJV)

This is probably the most preached verse in revivals I have ever heard. I have several different sermons from this passage myself. The other day I was journaling through the Bible and came to this passage. I was like, "Really? What could I possibly get from this that is new?"

I felt The Lord say to me, "Stop trying to steady my cart." I knew exactly what He meant. If you are like me you probably feel the need to control certain aspects of life. For me, it is pastoring a local church. I feel like I need to make it happen sometimes. If I feel the "cart" is falling I try to step in to fix it.
Uzzah failed to realize that the cart was God's. The ark of the covenant was where His presence dwelt in the Old Testament. God did not need Uzzah's help. God had it under control.

My cart is the local church. I have had to stop trying to "steady" the cart. The local church belongs to God, not me.

I am not sure what your cart is. Maybe it is a relationship, job or a church. At any rate, here three things that this passage inspires me to do:
1) God is Sovereign and in Control
2) I don't have to control everything
3) Train others to think this way

I love football. One truth about football is that there are many plays in a game. Every down is not 3rd down. Some possessions will end in punts. I don't have to score a touchdown every time. I don't have to steady the cart. The cart will be fine....

Is your Ambition Selfish?

As I was meditating on the Word of God the other day I had the idea come to mind about the difference between being driven or living with selfish ambition.

Now let me give a disclaimer: Don't go "organic" and say that you don't care at all or that it doesn't matter. Don't pull back to one extreme or the other but take time to search your heart.

I have broken this idea down to: selfish ambition, being driven or living in purpose.

1) Selfish-Ambition: This is the part where someone needs to succeed for a deeper internal purpose. They want to prove others wrong, have to "out-do" someone else, or need the success because of insecurity. This is the lowest level of attempting to fulfill purpose.
This leader simply uses people as tools for his/her creation. They will hurt other people to get to their goal in the process. Their personal success is more important than the organizations success. They personalize and take ownership by calling it "my" church, team or organization.
They usually have temporary, short term success with long term detriments.

2) Driven: This is where most of us fall into. Being driven includes having strong goals, striving to succeed and putting the organization as the top priority.
Being driven is not a "bad" thing but it can become bad for the leader. This drive can make you utilitarian and seem aloof to those who are not directly tied to the organization. You view those who leave as the enemy. It is almost an obsession to succeed. Driven individuals are often insensitive to others and view things in black and white against the goals/success of the "vision."

3) Resting in Purpose: All leaders usually go through this process of 1-3 through a series of hurt, disappointment and failure. I have seen that this is almost the only way to go from 1 to 3.
Someone who is "resting in purpose" is not lackadaisical but they see all of life and all people as part of the purpose. They view failing as a part of the purpose. They don't become irate or angry when goals aren't met. They don't use people but rather see the person as an intricate part of purpose. They are usually driven but easy going as well. They don't have strict judgments on other organizations and love to partner with people.
They simply rest in their purpose. They understand the sovereignty of God and rest in His grace.

All of us need this check-up from time to time.

Hope this helps you in your leadership journey.

The Exit Ramp

I remember Dr. Sam Chand teaching us in a class at Southwestern Christian University on leadership where he taught us about people exiting your organization. He told us to help teach people how to leave correctly.

What I have seen is that most people exit jobs, marriages, pastoral positions and churches wrong. This is a matter of character. I have also seen that the people who leave wrong have very inconsistent lives. They struggle keeping jobs and relationships.

We have all taken an exit ramp at some point while driving. There are keys to exiting properly. Here are the keys and parallels to exiting a situation:

1. Is this our exit?
You have decide if this exit is your destination point. You do this by consulting a map. A map is an objective standard that helps you decide.
Most people exit at the wrong place. They exit because of compulsion or temptation. There are some great exits with awesome stores, but it may not be the right place. We need people to speak in our lives to help us be objective. Mentors are like maps. They have already been down that road. When someone doesn't want wisdom, they don't ask a mentor. Eventually they pay for it dearly.

2. What is the exit ramp "speed?"
As you make an exit you have to determine the required speed of the ramp. Some ramps are 45mph, others are 35 and you have some that are 25mph.
Most of us like to speed up once we feel called out or a season ends. This is serious. If you do this on an exit ramp, it could harm you and your passengers. If you do this in life it could harm you and the people you are with (family, church family).
Take it slow when exiting. Prepare and plan. Don't rush it. Rushing it is a sign of immaturity and impulsiveness. Slow down when exiting.

3. Do You Know the Traffic Flow?
Finally you have to yield to traffic and merge correctly. It is easy to get sideswiped when exiting or sideswipe someone else.
The final act of exiting is merging. Make sure you are being sensitive to what God is doing and how your exiting and merging is impacting others. Be sensitive and aware to God and people.

The organization I lead is a church. I wish I could say that people do it right, but it is often here that I see the most train wrecks and trouble with exiting.

Remember, you don't have to work up anger to leave. You don't have to be mean. Finally: the way you exit one season will determine your success in the next season.