Leading Web Development CLA Session

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Apr 27, 2009 in Monk Dev | 0 comments

Thank you for those who attended my session at CLA ’09 on Leading Web Development. If you wanted and have not received an email with a pdf, please contact me. A lot of the information was in the session audio, CLA should have this or I’d be happy to connect with someone at your organization to discuss.

Main Highlights:

- The Internet is doubling every two years yet most organizations are not strategically investing to prepare for the rapid shifts of our world embodying the web. We discussed this shift from the current state in Semantic web to OneNet.
- We are just beginning to understand what is working and what isn’t in Social Media. A lot of ministries aren’t quite sure where to best spend their time to be effective. We discussed the need for a radical shift toward Internet Presence Management which includes new tactics of effective social media engagement.
- We discussed how to design Triperspectivally and why this is important to move visitors to engage the behaviors important to your organization.
- We also looked at why your ministry needs a Mullet Strategy and why this is important to move people from business in the front to the party in the back. This cannot be a ‘me-too’ strategy, we’ve seen these fail to date. When done correctly, this strategy will positively impact donations, membership, outreach and other important ministry functions.
- Lastly we examined a few online donation trends and how to prepare for the estimation that the majority of donations will occur online within 10 years.

Call to particpate in our State of Ministry Online Research: We have been working with organizations such as Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Enjoying God Ministries, and Practical Family Living to study effective web strategies. This project is led by Kevin Ring of Unconventional Method. Kevin brings years of experience leading research projects – designing and executing strategic customer/competitive research and analysis across multiple industries, including work with companies such as Google, Yahoo!, Citibank, Hewitt Associates, Gallup, Bank of America and other Fortune 500 companies, ministries and non‐profits. Contact me if you would like to have your ministry participate.

Christian Social Networks and Private Community Sites

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Mar 20, 2009 in Church Websites, Ekklesia, Monk Dev | 7 comments

As we’ve begun to look at numerous Christian Social Networks and Private Community Sites there is one test that easily distinguishes two paths that make a large difference in whether a Christian should use them:

Does the Social Network focus on the Community over the Cause?

Let me give two private Community Network examples:

Community-Focus: I demoed one private Community Network product that is set to be released later this year. In this product they pulled numerous ‘widgets’ into the framework to allow people to stay logged in and never leave. There was a tremendous effort on building community, including social activities for church members. This product will probably be quite successful in terms of use but I believe they will end up with a Christian ghetto where people aren’t led to be on mission.

Cause-Focus: I demoed another private Community Network that would not allow you to create a Group unless it was (1) a real group that met physically and (2) if it was a social group it needed to be for the purpose of mission. If an event does not occur (or if there are no needs posted) a flag appears questioning if it is even a real group.

Cobblestone: As we launch this product we definitely are driven by our Calling by God that leads us to be on mission to the world. We want to see the activities within Cobblestone be about creating opportunities for mission that would be pushed out to Facebook and other 3rd party sites. If you have a basketball group in Cobblestone it should be a place for prayer and encouragement to represent Christ on the court but more importantly it should be pushed outside of the system to invite others.

Social Network Example: There are a few Christian Social Network sites as well. How should Christian Social Networks lead people on mission (the “cause”)? In our Church Website research there are a lot of Christians who use websites for discipleship and to facilitate their evangelism efforts. On our study, 73% said the church website was somewhat to very important in sharing their faith with others (friends, business colleagues, others). These social networks should focus on these causes (as opposed to just being a ‘social place’ like a Facebook or Myspace knock-off) to equip believers for the work of the ministry.

(Shape the future of Church web strategies, take the Church Community Network Survey.)

What are your thoughts about Christian Community & Social Networks?

Online Conversions

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Mar 10, 2009 in General Technology, Monk Dev | 4 comments

Lately I’ve been in a couple conversations regarding online conversions. Are they happening?

Yes and by the millions according to sites like GodRev (see Joy in Heaven). Using GodRev as the example, they take people through a process of Knowing God where visitors go through a multimedia rich 7-step engagement towards a final “as easy as a prayer” commitment to accept Jesus with a final suggested prayer:

“Lord Jesus Christ,
I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. I ask your forgiveness and now turn from everything which I know is wrong. Thank you for dying on the cross for me to set me free from my sins. Please come into my life and fill me with your Holy Spirit and be with me forever. Thank you Lord Jesus, Amen.”

From hearing the founder of GodRev at a conference, they then try to connect people who fill out this form with local churches and/or Christians.

Often I see two variations of reaction to people when the topics come up:

1. Pragmatists: Let’s save as many as we can by crafting a message and leading them to say a prayer. Often portraying Jesus as Savior but not as Lord.
2. Skeptics: I don’t really trust that there is legitimacy to most of these conversions online. The internet isn’t a place where this should be pursued.

What are the challenges with online evangelism? What is the role of using the internet as a tool for conversion? Should or how should it be done? What would be the best practices if you were to build the ideal circumstances for it to take place?

Website Stolen

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Feb 23, 2009 in Church Technology, Ekklesia, Monk Dev | 10 comments

Any help you can lend out there but DataFizz is taking credit for this design of Viviana Rodr??guez Amoblamientos SA. It is a direct rip of Denver Seminary built by Monk and designed by Designwise Studios. They’re even using the same css file names (monkcms.css).

The State of the Church Online – Part II Church Websites & Usage

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Feb 13, 2009 in Church, Church Technology, Church Websites, Ekklesia, General Technology, Monk Dev | 1 comment

• How effective is your church website?
• Are regulars coming back frequently?
• Are you gathering new people? If not, who is visiting your website?
• Why are they visiting?
• Where are these visitors coming from?
• Church website designs have improved greatly over the last few years but are the designs created for the right online visitors?

Church website designs have improved greatly over the last few years but are the designs created for the right online visitors? You are invited to participate in ‘The State of the Church Online – Part II Church Websites & Usage ‘ survey. This survey will examine 50-100 church website analytics to find the trends, benchmarks and case studies for excellence as it relates to church website design and usage.

Would you like to submit your church to participate? We ask that you have Google Analytics set-up on your site for at least 3-months, preferably a year. We will ask participating churches to send a quick survey to their members. Make sure either you are the contact person or you can provide the person who can send church members a quick survey regarding their usage of the church website?

In addition to this survey you can also participate in The State of the Church Online – Part I Social & Community Networks survey. Our prayer is that these studies help bring clarity and guidance for churches to pursue excellence online to the glory of God.

Link: The State of the Church Online – Part II Church Websites & Usage

EDIT: Saw DJ Chuang’s better layout on the Church Website survey.

2009 Technology & Church Planting Conferences Roadmap

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Jan 8, 2009 in Church, Church Planting, Church Technology, Ekklesia, General Technology, Leadership, Ministry Design, Monk Dev | 3 comments

Here are a few good conferences coming up that are on my roadmap:

[REVISED 5/11]

National Religious Broadcasters Convention & Exposition (February 7-10 Nashville, TN) The NRB annual Convention & Exposition is the largest nationally and internationally recognized event dedicated solely to assist those in the field of Christian communications. This international event networks thousands of Christian communicators, from program producers to authors, pastors to engineers, directors to vendors. NRB’s professionals emphasize strategy and innovation to tap the power of new media ministry models. The dynamic Exposition consists of over 300 companies and is an active marketplace for those seeking tools and services to expand their ministries.

The Idea Camp (February 27-28 Irvine CA) The Idea Camp is a FREE, open source hybrid conference designed to help people move from the realm of ideas to implementation. We are gathering some of the most innovative and creative leaders from around the country (this means YOU!) to share ideas, intentionally network, and move collaboratively into idea-making. Whether your passion is church leadership, non-profit work, social entrepreneurialism, technology, media, creativity, culture making, church planting, spiritual formation, compassionate justice, etc., this is the conference for YOU. Session:

• Church Planting

BibleTech:2009 (March 27-28 Seattle, Washington) Join us to explore the intersection of Bible study and technology. This two-day conference is designed for publishers, programmers, webmasters, educators, bloggers and anyone interested in using technology to improve Bible study. BibleTech 2009 is an opportunity to meet others who share your interests and hear from industry leaders. Session:

• Content Distribution Strategies: Getting the word out online

Christian Leadership Alliance Conference (April 20-22 Atlanta, Georgia) offers Biblically based fundraising and stewardship courses for leaders of Christian nonprofit organizations. Session:

• Leading Website Development

Catalyst West Coast (April 22-24 Irvine, CA.) a conference to inspire the next generation of leader.

National New Churches Conference (April 20-23 Orlando, Florida) Come and learn with us… as we experience the stories of those who are in the middle of movements… as we discover what God is “up to” around the globe and what He wants to do through us.

• Using the Internet to Gather, Disciple and Create Community
• Websites, Technology and Church Planting

Acts 29 Bootcamp (May 5-7 San Diego, CA) Kaleo will host a Boot Camp beginning May 5th of 2009. Are you considering planting a church? Are you ready? The Acts 29 Boot Camp can help make the difference between success and casualty. Speakers for this event will include Mark Driscoll, David Fairchild, Scott Thomas and many more.

Echo Church Media Conference (July 29 Р31 Dallas, TX) The ECHO Conference will challenge and inspire the way you do ministry. ECHO will encompass all things media – visual, web, music, technology – and hopes to resound the truth of Christ through the power of media and technology. It will be a gathering place for church leaders to discover new and creative forms and uses of media. Engage in a community of creative believers seeking to change the world through the use of media and technology that communicates the truth of Christ.

• The Truth about Church Websites and Effective Online Outreach
• Beyond the Web 2.0 Noise: How to use the Internet to Disciple & Create Real Community

Christian Web Conference 09 (September 11-12 La Mirada, CA)

• What does the Gospel have to do with Social Media?

Cultivate October 27 Chicago, Illinois)

• Session on Web Strategy

STORY – Gospel Communication October 28-29 Chicago, Illinois)

• Workshop on Social Media, Web & the Church

National Outreach Conference (November 4-6 San Diego, CA)

• Leveraging the Internet to Gather, Disciple and Create Community