We often get asked by leaders for practical tips on how to use Facebook more productively. Here is great post with some very practical tips that you can use.
Maybe you have some tips you who like to share.
What are some things you think other church or non-profit leaders could do to better leverage facebook to build community or reach new people?
What are some unique ways you use it?
Last week the annual “State of the Plate” survey was published and showed that 40% of churches across the country experienced a decline in giving in 2009, with larger churches (47%) and West Coast churches (55%) experiencing the most budget pressure. This is the second consecutive year of significant decreases reported in the “State of the Plate” Report.
“Churches today are in unchartered waters financially,” says Brian Kluth, founder of Maximum Generosity. “After the October 2008 stock market drop, 29% of churches experienced a decline in giving and this past year the number has climbed up to 38% of churches. Multiple research projects last year documented the sharp decline in church giving and our research this year shows things have only gotten worse for a growing number of churches.”
Almost a third (32%) of churches reported missing giving expectations at the end of 2009, and many churches likely entered 2010 looking for ways to slow their church spending. More than twice as many churches reported having made budget cuts as the year previous with the top three cuts coming in the areas of travel and conferences, ministry programs, and expansion/renovation projects.
Surprisingly, 45% of churches increased their budgets for the coming year, compared to 23% who said the same a year ago. Churches that increased their budgets did so primarily in the areas of benevolence giving, ministry programs, and missions giving. More churches also say they’re seeking outside resources to help with church finances, giving, and generosity.
What is you church experiencing? How has your personal giving changed? How are you adjusting moving forward?
Ever had one of your accounts hacked? Or maybe you are like me and have so many different passwords, you are constantly forgetting which one to use where.
Check out this video from Vin Thomas (www.vintom.com) an great freelance web designer from Salem, Oregon. Vin gives excellent advice on how to create strong passwords unique to every site you have, in a way you won’t forget. Simply Brilliant!
A survey recently conducted by Endis, a UK based company that builds web solutions for churches, found that most church websites are not created with the unchurched in mind and did not have an explanation of the gospel message on their site. However, they found that churches did have an explanation of the gospel message on their website were better at attracting unchurched visitors.
The survey also found that larger churches were less effective than smaller churches at attracting unchurched people, and that good content and usability are more important than sophisticated branding and broad functionality.
If you want to learn more check out this article or download the results from Digimission. Thanks to @jim_gray for bring this to our attention!
How effective is your church’s website? Is it focused on people in the church or on people who are not yet connected to a church?
