ITEMS OF INTEREST April 27, 2009 Issue

ITEMS OF INTEREST

with contributions from Brendan Conway, Kim Shippey

ACCORDING TO THE BARNA GROUP in a study about Protestant churches' use of technology, 62 percent of churches currently have an Internet presence, up from 34 percent in 2000, and one in four are available on social-networking sites. Additionally, 16 percent engage in podcasting and 13 percent are avidly blogging. The study points to the growing presence of religious groups and companies taking advantage of the latest Web 2.0 technologies to engage their congregation and spread their message to a larger audience.

eye-SPEAK.com is an interactive media and branding company that maintains a 40 percent faith-based clientele. Benj Miller, chief executive officer of eye-SPEAK.com, is an advertising veteran who uses his Christian faith as a guiding principle for his business. "Branding for churches is the same as for anyone else. First, it is about the emotion that arises when one comes to the website. To be highly effective, we believe the faith-based website needs to be every bit as engaging and experience-driven as a corporate or secular entertainment site."

Most church leaders agree streaming faith is not a threat to the brick and mortar church, but rather a way to reach more people who want to connect with others to share their faith. As an example, RBC Ministries started with streaming sermons and then acquired ChristianCourses.com in an effort to further broaden their reach. They now provide students all over the world with free and low-cost online learning opportunities in Christian living, leadership skills, and Biblical studies.

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