Background checks for the church?
It is an understatment to say that society ain’t what it used to be. Sometimes people are not what they appear to be.
When it comes to hiring staff in the church, or screening volunteers in your ministry, it is tough to know whether you are making the best choices. Who wants the public to discover that you recruited that convicted sex-offender for the children’s ministry?
It is hard to be prefect in this area, but there is a sacred trust placed upon the church to make choices in the best interest of the congregants. Having been in that position before as a pastor, and having worked in the corporate world for a good number of years afterwards got me to thinking. Now as a business owner I am convinced. Background checks should be conducted on every person serving in the church, or in your business.
Some might think that a bit harsh, but I have convinced myself that the minor inconvenience is worth the peace of mind. There is a lot at stake. Getting the information needed is quite easily obtained using the Internet. Use a credible company and put the doubt to rest.
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Does Internet Marketing for churches contribute to a consumerism mentality?
There is quite a debate going on regarding consumerism within churches and how, and to what extent this is impacting the discipleship directives of Jesus for his followers. I have studied the propositions from both sides of the aisle, and have concluded to my own satisfaction that utilizing Internet marketing to reach out to those that need the ministries of the church does not necessarily contribute to the rise in consumerism being debated.
Any church that is following the teachings of scripture would assert that a community of GROWING believers is a primary goal for their church. Internet marketing for churches is only the outreach to expose their mission and ministry to a larger number of people who could become a part of the group.
Stay true to the Word of God, but use all means possible to build the Kingdom of God.
Could your church benefit from a Social Media virtual assistant?
We know two things for sure.
1) Social Media is a powerful tool to get the message out about your ministry and how it can benefit indivuals and families.
2) Church staff and volunteers are already pressed for available time to squeeze in another activity or project.
Can your church or religious organization benefit from a Social Media virtual assistant? I personally think it is a wonderful idea.
Kim Beasley has written a wonderful article on how a social media virtual assistant can benefits businesses, and it got me to thinking about how this type of service could be effectively used by non-profits, like churches, retreat centers, youth camps, and other religious organizations.
In many instances great ideas are not implemented due to time limitations. Putting a virtual assistant, (VA) in place would remedy that potential objection.
Of course I am in favor of any implementation process that will get churches to leverage Internet marketing. Give it some thought, and I would interested to hear what you think about this idea.
Christian Camps and Social Media
As a youth pastor and solo pastor for 15 1/2 years I am a strong advocate of the Christian camping experience, especially for youth. There is something special about disconnecting from many of the distractions of life in order to concentrate our focus on the Creator of the universe.
I was wondering recently though how Christian camps are fairing in this age of digital information overload based on a conversation with a friend who used to help us run our camps. I started scouring the net to see how Christian camps were doing, and I found out that many have gone out of business due to a significant drop in attendance.
Back in the day … (Okay it wasn’t that many years ago!), I can remember that the only reason we came in before dark was due to being in trouble. Fast forward to my kids generation and the only time they went outdoors was when they were in trouble.
Part of the reason for the couch potato youth seemed somewhat related to the types of digital entertainment available to engage. Game Boy, PS3, Computers, etc., seemed more interesting than being outside. How in the world does those activities beat out playing fort?
One shining example of a camp that is using social media to promote it’s ministry is http://www.foresthome.org. According to a recent Christianity Today article, Forest Home is using Facebook and Twitter effectively to expand its ministry.
I find this use of social media a refreshing example of ingenuity for a religious organization. What could be more useful to build and promote a ministry than a form of Internet marketing that is readily available, and inexpensive to implement? I tip my hat to you Forest Home!
Do you think this is a good strategy for Christian Camp Ministries?
Using eCompliments to Promote your Church
Have you thought of using eCompliments to put in a “good word” regarding your place of worship? Why not then? It is worth taking a few minutes to plug your church if you believe it is meeting your needs, and giving others opportunity to serve.
There is lots of information that you can put on eCompliments. This includes pictures, as well as all the pertinent information to point someone in the right direction.
People who need the encouragement and blessing are using the Internet right now. Meet them where they are, and who knows, you might meet them in the lobby some day.