For more than a decade, an annual column here has recognized truly questionable attempts at marketing and promoting religion, probably due to indigestion-fueled middle-of-the-night inspiration. Here is the 2020 edition of the Bad Burrito Awards from columnist Ken Satterfield.
The first media column I wrote for Word&Way in 1999 asked the question, “Should my church have a web page?” In that pre-social media world, it was luxury that was slowly becoming a necessity.
It’s important for a church building to attract people with curbside appeal. “Webside” appeal is essential as well. That's especially true as churches are figuring out how to stay in touch while practicing social distancing.
Global coronavirus quarantines have meant staking out parcels of online space to define a new, more mutable sense of congregation. Prayers in ones and zeroes merge, as believers look for something holy, or at least wholly human, in that shared pool of data.
One way we make churches more attractive to guests – literally -- is through curbside appeal: painting, landscaping, signage, and needed repairs. The same is true online with “webside appeal,” taking steps to make sure our online presence is enticing as well.
So many social media platforms exist today. It can be hard to know what platforms are worth our time and what platforms should be ignored. It is almost without question, however, that Facebook is worth a church’s attention as much as any social media platform.