Your website isn’t just something nice to have – it is a financial investment that saves souls
The first thing a potential visitor to your church is going to see is your website. First impressions matter. If someone is discerning Catholicism, takes a look at your outdated website, and takes a look at the websites of surrounding Protestant churches, many which are large and have modern websites, you’ve just given a point to the other team. If an athlete wants to win a game, they need to do everything to prevent their opponent from scoring. Yes, Protestants are our brothers and sisters in Christ, but for pastors, they’re financial competitors.
Your website also needs to be a tool that shows your parishioners and visitors what events you have going on. Bulletins are often not looked at, and online visitors won’t have a chance to see them unless they decide to attend, but nearly all of your visitors and parishioners will see your website. Events draw curious outsiders – not just people who already attend.
You need to treat your parish like a business when it comes to its financial health. A business that hasn’t had its carpet changed in a decade is going to dissuade customers, as it will with your church. Business websites that have articles posted that demonstrate their expertise in their field cultivate trust. Your website needs to do the same – be a resource for catechesis. People discerning the faith are making a judgment on a church’s theology – if you create catechetical resources for your website and make them easy to access, it is a powerful marketing tool. You could also be saving souls, by drawing someone away from a church that leads their sheep astray, as well as convincing unbelievers of the existence and greatness of the one, true God.
People who are discerning and those are teeter-tottering on coming back to the faith need to have the barrier to entry and reentry as low as possible – every little discouragement, like a bad website, can delay attending or result in someone not attending your church.
While these questions may sound manipulative, they are being asked in all seriousness: When you are judged, and God is assessing how you stewarded your resources, what will he say about your neglected parish website? How will you respond when he shows you people who didn’t convert because you procrastinated on renovating your website?
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” -Chinese Proverb
