I pulled some key points from the
online video by Mark Stephenson about the Web Empowered Church (WEC) ...
The big 3 pluses of WEC
- Automate ministry processes.
- Store information for easy, immediate access.
- Connect with people anytime from anywhere in the world.
WEC Goals: expand, increase, extend
- Expand evangelism, discipleship, and care.
- Increase ministry efficiency and effectiveness.
- Extend ministry beyond the church walls.
Other points, tips, and ideas
- Web be more cost-effective communication than nearly any other media type. You can fund a web site for a year for the cost of a few mailings from the church.
- You can start with volunteers. The first 1,000 pages at the Ginghamsburg site were done by unpaid servants. The site is now at 4,000 pages, including several years' of text and video of sermons.
- You can minister to people worldwide 24 hours a day.
- You can get the word out immediately.
- Easy 24 x7 member participation (emails; online discussions -- IM, chat, discussion boards, "communities", blogs; ).
- The Web-empowered Church (with a capital C) is NOT a replacement for a physical church. The Internet cannot hug, love, or think.
- Connect people in need with those who can address the need, including requests for help in the community.
- Community Prayer Exchange (Prayer Line = one-to-one). In a community Prayer Exchange, you'll need to address the need of some people to submit a prayer request anonymously.
- "Post a thought or Prayer" -- adds to online display. This is most posted-to page on the Ginghamsburg site.
- Servant connector. List opportunities, then let people check blocks and submit -- match talents to needs.
