I have had the same conversation four times in the past month while trying to scare up business for my new company.  I thought that if the problem is that common then I should write an article about it.  The four  conversations went like this:

• "My church just had our website professionally redesigned, but a volunteer was going to update it and he's not updating it in a timely manner."
  
• "A volunteer does web design and has been promising to do ours for a year and hasn't done anything."
• "Many people in my church would gladly volunteer to do our web design, but my congregation is so transient that they might leave in six months.  Who will maintain and update the website when they leave?"
• "One of our church members volunteered to pay for the website but just set up a blog and doesn't keep it as current as I would like."

    The basic frustration that all of these pastors share is that the website, while a wonderful tool in ministry and church communication, is ineffective if not properly and consistently updated.  The common denominator in each case was the use of volunteers.

    Should churches use volunteers?  Two pastors I spoke with had differing opinions.  One said that using a volunteer was a great thing to do because that person took ownership in the ministry.  The other pastor said the opposite pointing out that while using members who volunteer their time saves money, it doesn't do anyone any good if the job doesn't get done.  Both added that if the job did not get done then it reflected poorly upon the pastoral staff and not on the volunteer.

    Interesting.  Well, we can't pay everyone to do every little thing.  (No church has that much money in their budget.)  On the other hand, some jobs are too public to let go to the whims of the volunteer who doesn't necessarily share the pastor's sense of immediacy.  Let's face it, folks, the website places your church in the public eye.  Your site is being looked at by someone when you don't know it.  Shouldn't they have the most accurate and up-to-date information available?

    With Orange Jacket Web Design you are assured that your website will be properly maintained and updated in a timely manner.  Call today to see how Orange Jacket can not only save you money, but time, hassle, and headaches by letting us take care of your website for you.

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Shannon Fields,
Orange Jacket Web Design, LLC