Planning Guide Part Two

This is part two of the four-part training for Web Ministry101. In part one, we covered the first seven steps todeveloping an effective Web ministry by considering howto access the power of the Internet. In this second part of the training, we will outline the basic material, human, andfinancial resources you will need to develop a powerfulWeb ministry and explore the basic website design andhosting options available to you. Our goals for this part of the training are to:•Identify the material and human resourcesneeded to develop an effective Web ministry•Explore the various Web hosting and Webdesign tools available and select the onesthat best meet your needs in terms of ministryand cost•Outline some basic budgetary componentsfor achieving your Web ministry goalsThe main question we want to answer in today’s trainingis, “What resources do you need to meet your Webministry goals.” What are the personnel, hardware andsoftware, and financial resources you will need to launchan effective Web ministry? Your answer to this questionwill depend in large part upon how interactive you wantyour Web ministry to be and how much time, personnel,and money you have to contribute to your Web ministry.Let’s begin with the most basic elements and work up tomore advanced and complex Web ministry tools andresources.The most basic Web ministry resources you will need area computer with Internet capability, an Internet ServiceProvider (ISP), and an email account. Obviously, youpossess these basic technology resources right now or you wouldn’t be able to participate in this training.

WWhahat r t r esour esour ces do yces do yououneed to meet yneed to meet your our WWeebbministr ministr y gy goals?oals?

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Selecting the RightSelecting the RightTTools to Meetools to MeetYYour our WWeeb Ministr b Ministr y Goalsy Goals

Web Ministry 101 Planning Guide Part Two:Selecting the Right Tools to Meet Your Web Ministry Goals

Step #8:

Acquire Basic TechnologyResources

However, you may be using your personal equipment andInternet connection.We recommend that your local church acquire these basictechnology resources if it does not already have them. If your church does not already have a computer withInternet capability, such as a modem or wireless card,there is one place we recommend you shop for thisequipment. TechShop is a resource of United MethodistCommunications, and it provides low-cost computer hardware and software to United Methodist churches at asignificant savings over retail. Plus, TechShop packagescomputers with all the software you will need for your totalchurch ministry and offers technical support along the way.See pages 46–47 of this Guide for more information andlinks to these basic technology resources from TechShop.Now that you have a computer with Internet capabilities,you will need to subscribe to and set up Internet accessand email accounts with an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Some of the more popular ISPs are AOL, Earthlink,MSN, BellSouth, and Comcast. You can locate theseonline or consult the business section of your telephonebook.Prices range from $10 to $50 per month or moredepending upon the type of Internet connection youchoose, such as dialup, high speed, broadband, satellite,or wireless. We recommend that you choose at least ahigh-speed Internet connection, as this will greatlydecrease the time it takes to download documents andwebpages. Some Internet service connections are notavailable in all areas, so check with each Internet ServiceProvider to determine which plan is right for you.Next, with your Internet Service Provider, you will be ableto establish an email account for your church. We suggest

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Web Ministry 101 Planning Guide Part Two:Selecting the Right Tools to Meet Your Web Ministry Goals

that the general email account for the church be a genericname so that it is not dependent upon a specific person’sname. In this way, should the person responsible for theaccount change, you do not have to change the emailaccount name, too. Something like, fumc-nashville@earthlink.net would be sufficient. Remember that email account names are unique. Therefore, if someone else has already registered the name you want,you will have to come up with an alternative name. Aneasy way to accomplish this is to add numbers to thename like this, fumc-nashville007@earthlink.net. Try tomake the general email account name easy to remember and as short as possible.With basic computer equipment, an Internet ServiceProvider, and at least one email account, you are ready toget started with your Web ministry. Without any further investment, you can access your Web presence throughFind-A-Church. You will recall that we talked about thebenefits of Find-A-Church in part one of this training.Whether you plan to develop your own website or not,Find-A-Church is essential to maintaining a vital Webpresence. Here, any person looking for a local UnitedMethodist church can find basic information anddirections. And, Find-A-Church is the most frequentlyvisited page of the UMC.org website. To access andupdate your Find-A-Church page, review page 34 of thisGuide or return to the portion of part one of the on-demandtraining that explains how to access and update your Find- A-Church page.The next step in developing a Web presence for your localchurch is to create and register a domain name. This is theInternet address for your website. When selecting adomain name, keep it short and easy to remember. Again, just as with selecting an email address, a domain name isunique. Someone may have already registered the name

Step #9:

Select and Register a Domain Name

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