Web 2.0 and the Church

October 8, 2009 · Filed Under Marketing and Advertising

“Web 2.0″ is commonly associated with web development and web design that facilitates interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design[1] and collaboration on the World Wide Web. Examples of Web 2.0 include web-based communities, hosted services, web applications, social-networking sites, video-sharing sites, wikis, blogs, mashups and folksonomies. A Web 2.0 site allows its users to interact with other users or to change website content, in contrast to non-interactive websites where users are limited to the passive viewing of information that is provided to them. – Wikipedia

I recently read a blog by Beverley Head entitled, “Web 2.0 goes mainstream in Australian enterprises” that piqued my interest, particularly one sentence. http://www.itwire.com/content/view/28313/53/

“At a technology conference held by the Sydney Diocese of the Anglican Church last week the head of information systems and technology, George Lymbers, indicated that he believed Web 2.0 style communications both within the church administration, and outside with the broader community and congregations would be important for the church to remain connected and relevant.”

The last part of the statement about remaining connected and relevant really hit home. Leaders in the church have worked hard during the past decade to make the worship and service of God a natural extension of our lives. We have worked hard to meet the needs of people where we find them. The migration of people to the web has in some ways made that work easier to initiate.

It is our responsibility “to go”. Finding and interacting with people “where they are” is an effective way to introduce people to Jesus. Where do we find people today? Well … it really isn’t a trick question. For a marketer like me, we discovered a long time ago that the people we wanted to target for our business clients were on the Internet. People are looking for everything under the sun on the Internet. People want to be engaged through the Internet. That is why the potential for Web 2.0 to be utilized by the church is so potent. You give people a voice, while at the same time have a chance to introduce yourself and what you are all about.

My hope is that the church will fully utilize Web 2.0, and very soon Web 3.0, to achieve it’s mission.

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