Book: Web-Empower Your Church

Web-Empower Your Church:
Unleashing the Power of the Internet for Ministry

Author: Mark M. Stephenson, Director of the Web-Empowered Church

Publisher: Abingdon Press

Order: The book is available online and in Christian bookstores. The regular price is $22.
Buy: Cokesbury, Amazon, Buy.com

Formats: soft cover and downloadable electronic; book includes a CD ROM (for PC Windows) containing documentation and training, and the WEC-TYPO3 software (CD ROM contents is also available online)

Summary: Harness the power of the internet for Jesus. The internet is opening up new possibilities for all aspects of church ministry, from daily administrative tasks to worldwide evangelism and discipleship.

This book is about web-empowering your church ministries. Learn the practical steps, techniques, and ideas needed to develop an excellent and effective web ministry that increases your efficiency and effectiveness - your God difference.

Mark Stephenson, Director of CyberMinistry and Technology at Ginghamsburg Church, shares his experiences with starting and now leading a large and active church web ministry. Ginghamsburg's website is now over 4000 pages in size, and averages over one new visit every half minute, 24/7.

Whether your church has a website or not, this book will help you grow your internet ministry and take the next step to fully web-empower your church ministries. This book is highly recommended for all users of the Web-Empowered Church software. This book is the best way to get started.

Book Reader's Information and Support

The Web-Empowered Church website is the official website for this book. Here, listed by book chapter and section, you will find: website links, additional details and information, and updates to the book contents. You can also access the online discussion forum.

Note: Additional information will be added to these pages before the book comes out.

Online Discussion Forum: Web-Empower Your Church
Please post your questions or comments, and join in online community with the author and WEC community.

Chapter 1
My Church Saw No Need for the Internet
How we struggled to start an internet ministry that the Wall Street Journal eventually featured

Chapter 2
I Almost Killed Our Newborn CyberMinistry
The hard lessons I learned about building an effective CyberTeam

Chapter 3
They Don't Care About Fancy Graphics and Technology
It's not the HTML code, but what is between the HTML tags that matters

Chapter 4
We Were Surprised by Who We Reached
Understanding the different people of the web

Chapter 5
Our First Design Missed the Point
Embedding the church's DNA into the website look and feel

Chapter 6
We Were Lost in a Big Bowl of Alphabet Soup
Sorting out and understanding the internet ministry technology toolbox

Chapter 7
We Tripped While Trying to Make the Website Dance
Using multi-media power tools

Chapter 8
We Found Lots of Unexpected Challenges Along the Way
Tips on creating and maintaining your website

Chapter 9
We Learned that Connecting People Makes Ministry Happen
Creating healthy online communities

Chapter 10
Innovative Ideas That May Work for Your Church
Various examples of applying internet technology to web-empower church ministries

Chapter 11
Where are We Going Next?
Visions of internet ministry and the Web-Empowered Church