Last magazine, we saw the power of a website in leading someone to Christ. With that in mind, we turn our attention to dos and don’ts in web evangelism. An effective website has some key components.
Here is a list of dos:
1. Update the site regularly. This really is one of the most important things. Keep changing the site content. People will ignore a stagnant website. Add new pages or articles on a regular basis. Set a reasonable schedule that you can manage. It doesn’t have to be every day, but it does have to be consistent. Digital Sojourner (www.digitalsojourner.com) does a great job of this. Several contributors submit content on a specific schedule. This takes the burden off one person and gives the site regular updates.
2. Have a variety of content. People learn in different ways. I’m a visual learner; others learn through words. Create interest by providing content that reaches a wide audience. Consider posting audio podcasts, videos, blog posts, images, and engaging text. If you need help with any of these, a number of good resources can get you started.
3. Make your topics relevant. There is an abundance of relevant, interesting topics to discuss. From fighting in the Middle East to Tim Tebow, it doesn’t take much effort to write about topics that people care about. Remember to consider how the Lord reached people. His method was simple: He used objects and stories that were relevant to His listeners. Look around and see what matters to people and then write about it in a way that leads them back to Christ and the gospel.
4. Give your site a unique, attractive design. This point really can’t be stressed enough. While content is still king when it comes to getting visitors, design is a very close second. You have less than four seconds to grab the viewers’ attention before they move on to the next website. The standards of what people expect in the way of presentation are at an all time high. So don’t turn viewers away because your website is unappealing. There are many options available for a great-looking web design.
Now let’s consider a few dont’s:
1. Don’t give unbiblical views. An inconsistent mix of church and state will turn readers away. Leave your political views off the website. Don’t get into a war over issues that have nothing to do with the gospel.
2. Don’t condemn. Take another look at the Lord. He never put down sinners; in fact, He ate with them. Do we love the lost or do we long for them to “get what they deserve”? Stay away from taking shots at others and their ideas. Focus instead on the power of Christ to save lives from ruin.
3. Don’t assume your readers know the Bible. Most seekers will have little or no background in Christianity. Don’t assume people know who Adam and Eve or other Bible characters are. And when we say things like, “Jesus can wash your sins away because He shed His blood for you as God’s perfect lamb,” it has zero impact on most readers because they don’t understand the significance of the Lamb of God and think that “shed” is a place to store the lawnmower. Be sensitive to your potential audience.
Following these dos and don’ts will help your gospel website to be interesting, relevant, and attractive to seekers who want to know more about God’s power to save.