Web-Empower Your Church: Unleashing the Power of Internet Ministry [Paperback]

Mark Stephenson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 28, 2006

A great church website is more about ministry than technology. Web-Empower Your Church offers step-by-step guidance to web implementers and other church leaders who are on the exciting journey to building an effective web ministry. Mark's engaging, conversational style makes technology accessible. He offers first-hand advice on every aspect of building an internet ministry: from assembling a team to designing and maintaining the website to adding powerful ministry features.

The accompanying CD-ROM contains documentation, training, and a demonstration version of website building software from the folks at the Web-Empowered Church ministry.

"A first-hand account from one of the true pioneers of online ministry. Anyone interested in online ministry ought to read this book and learn from Mark's example."
Andrew Careaga
Author, eMinistry: Connecting with the Net Generation

"A clear picture on the do's and don'ts of web ministry for churches. A must read for churches who want to effectively engage in web ministry."
Walt Wilson
Founder and Chairman, Global Media Outreach,
a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ

"Stephenson has truly unleashed the power of internet ministry for your church. If you're looking for readable and educating book on web-empowered ministry, look no further. This book is it. I can't believe how much I learned from my first reading. I will be returning to the book over and over."
Bill Easum
President, Easum, Bandy & Associates

Mark Stephenson is Director of CyberMinistry and Technology of Ginghamsburg Church, Tipp City, Ohio. He started the Ginghamsburg CyberMinistry back in 1996 as an unpaid servant. Over the years, as the ministry grew, Mark joined the Ginghamsburg staff, first part time and then full time. Currently, Ginghamsburg Church has one of the largest and most innovative church internet ministries in the world, and the ministry remains unpaid-servant based and “home grown” (no outside companies or consultants have been hired). The website has received national acclaim -- from write-ups in the Wall Street Journal to the Dallas Morning News to Christian Computing Magazine, and television stories by WBNS Channel 10 in Columbus, Ohio and on Fox News. Visionary leaders like Bill Easum and Len Sweet champion it as a must-see website.

Mark, the “Church CyberGuy,” is also a well-known speaker on CyberMinistry as he conducts presentations and workshops around North America for such organizations as Leadership Network, United Methodist Communications, North American Christian Convention, Brethren in Christ Church of North America, and Miami University of Ohio. Mark has provided consulting support to numerous churches from around the world to help them develop their web ministries. His passion for helping churches led him to start and lead the Web-Empowered Church, a ministry of The Foundation for Evangelism, to develop free web-ministry software for churches and ministries worldwide.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Stephenson has truly unleashed the power of internet ministry for your church. I can't believe how much I learned. -- Bill Easum- Easum, Bandy & Associates

About the Author

Mark M. Stephenson is director of the Web-Empowered Church ministry (www.webempoweredchurch.org) and director of CyberMinistry and technology of Ginghamsburg Church in Tipp City, Ohio (www.ginghamsburg.org).  Hosting more than 50,000 user visits per month, his Ginghamburg website has received national attention, from The Wall Street Journal and Christian Computing Magazine to Fox News.  Known as the "Church CyberGuy," he conducts presentations and workshops around the country and provides consulting support to churches around the world.

Product Details

• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (November 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0687642841
• ISBN-13: 978-0687642847
• Product Dimensions: 0.5 x 6 x 8.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,222,804 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good read on internet communication of the Gospel March 8, 2007

By L. SIMONALLE

Format:Paperback

Mark Stephenson has written a good book on internet ministry, as it relates to the average church website. Mark is on staff with Ginghamsburg Church in Tipp City, OH. They have an active, community oriented website built using Typo, an open source content management system that they have customized into the Web Empowered Church (WEC). The only fault I can find for this book is that it is very narrow in solutions, with the WEC pushed as the best solution to churches communicating their message on the internet. After reading the book, the slant makes sense but I hoped it would be a broader scope. Nevertheless, Mark does a good job of covering why a church should have an rocking website and has many suggestions for what should go on there. It's a very non-technical read and is approachable from any experience level. I will use it in acquainting members of our church and ministry teams to web ministry.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding January 17, 2007

By Robert M. Morgan

Format:Paperback

I've been doing church websites for over 10 years, and wish I had the benefit of the teachings and tools presented in this book when I started. Many of the things the book talks about are lessons I learned through trial and error over this period. Many other issues, such as use of a Content Management System, were technical challenges that I thought were unobtainable, but now seem very possible. I found this to be a easy read and a worthwhile use of my time. Outstanding!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful, practical content at a reasonable price April 21, 2009

By Paul Witman

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I found Web-Empower Your Church while researching the general topic of online services for churches. This is a great book, and provides demonstration software and training material to help jump-start the creation of a powerful web presence.

Stephenson writes from the perspective of someone creating Web content because he is passionate about being in ministry, and using the Web as a route to reach people. In that sense, it's a very genuine expression of his personal experience.

Key points:
- This is a practical, from the trenches guide to how to use the Internet to further your church's ministries.
- This is not a reference text nor a step-by-step guide - it gives guidelines and directions, but not enormous amounts of detail (there's no room in its 187 pages). For instance, the text suggests implementing policies to manage contributions to and comments on blogs and other user-generated feedback, and does give some guidance. However, it does not give explicit, detailed guidance for exactly what policies should be implemented - the details of this are things that each church will need to work out given their own circumstances.
- Both successes and failures are offered - it's very often instructive to learn what went wrong, so you don't inadvertently follow that path!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book! April 28, 2008

By Florence Mutesasira

Format:Paperback

I have read and truly appreciated this book. Showed it to some church leaders who are set to get themselves a copy! It is great the way you are walked through the process of setting up the web ministry and what worked and did not. In a nutshell, they say, we made these mistakes, don't make them! Must read for anyone considering a minitry website! Especially if you are in touch with the current century

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Web-Empower Your Church is worth reading May 31, 2008

By Connie Brown

Format:Paperback

Wow! This book equips Christians to build and enhance a web ministry. It is easy to ready and is filled with practical encouragement.

I'm involved with our church's website and I found this book a hugh blessing. I'm recommending it to leaders in our church.

If you are interested in using today's technology to minister to members and the wider community, this book has much to offer you in your efforts.

It is worth the time to read it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent real-world knowledge June 1, 2007

By David Siecker

Format:Paperback

This book provides a rare, behind-the-curtains look into a very successful church website ministry. It describes how they did it, what didn't work, what went well, what became too successful and died, and how you can learn from them to avoid mistakes.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book April 2, 2012

By Chris H.

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Web- empower Your Church by Mark M. Stephenson was a great book. This book was very helpful in knowing how to create a website for your church. Not only did the book provide me with information on how to build a website for a church, it also showed me what my own church's website was lacking and what more could be done in order to enhance it. I plan to use this book as a guide as I create websites for ministries of my church in the future.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Worthless June 16, 2009

By Private Sounds

Format:Paperback

This book was worthless. The CD did not work which is where the tutorials were for the actual programming instruction that was needed to have a web site. Total waste of money.