How to Make an Online Church Website

Create a website for your church to help membership grow.

Church websites help churches grow. People who are new to an area check online for local churches in their denomination. If someone finds a church that looks appealing, he visits it. Video footage of Sunday morning preaching can be posted on the site for people who are sick or absent. Showing the events, programs and regular church proceedings on a site encourages a viewer to attend. Having an online site helps keep members up to date on practices, meetings and special events so people don't forget important information.

Things You'll Need

• Site builder software

Instructions

Create a Free Site with Web Site Builder

1. Go to www.webs.com and get an account on Web Site Builder. This site is free and easy. You can make a Web page on this site without any experience -- it walks you through every step. Click on the type of website you want. For a church, you need to click "Business" and click "Get Started."

2. Fill in the information on the page that comes up. When you get to the second section, put your church's name into the site address box and site title box. Do not use spaces or periods. You can use dashes. Go down to the designs. Choose the design you like by clicking on it, and then click "Continue to Next Step."

3. Choose the pages you want for your site. You need a home page, a "contact us" page, blog, photo page and a links page. You may want to leave off the members' page because of personal privacy issues. Click "Create My Site." Several sales ads come up. Skip these.

4. Add your information to the website when it opens. Click on the "Content Box" icon at the top left side of the page, and type the information into the box that comes up. Click on "Photo," and upload images for the website. Go to "Video," and add video footage. Click on the links on the navigation bar and go to the different pages in your site. Edit the page when you go to it. When everything is set, click on "Publish" in the top right corner to make the site go live on the Internet.

Create a Paid Commercial Site

1. Choose a commercial website provider and set up your service. Each company is a little bit different. You need the church information and payment before starting the account.

2. Log onto the site, and edit the information. Commercial site builders are simple. Click on the sections on the home page, and type in your information. You either click "Save" or click on the next section that needs work depending on the site builder software.

3. Add pictures by clicking the "Insert" icon at the top, click on "Picture" and click "File." Find the file with your images, and double-click on the image to insert it into the website. Videos are added the same way by clicking "Video."

4. Insert new pages by clicking "Insert," and click "Page." Give the page a title, and click "OK."

5. Make hyperlinks by clicking "Insert," and click "Hyperlink." Put in the text you want seen when a person goes to the link, and then the Web address for the hyperlink. Click "OK."

6. Create a home page, a "contact us" page, blog, photo page and a links page. Add other pages as needed. Consider pages for things like special events, Sunday school and vacation Bible school.

References

• Church 123: Church Websites: How and Why
• Internet Evangelism Day: 70+ Tips for Effective Church Sites
• Webs: Create Your Own Website

Resources

• Steeple Sites: State of the Art Websites for Churches & Ministries
• Church Websites: Free Websites for Churches and Ministries