10,000 Churches Create Their Own Social Network
by Staff
September 26, 2007
SAN JOSE, Calif., (christiansunite.com) -- More than 10,000 churches have built free online communities to enhance their weekly services on the social networking site, MyChurch.org. Pastors and parishioners meet online to write blogs, discuss sermons, share pictures, and stay connected throughout the week to extend church between Sundays.When church leaders saw their younger congregants on social networking sites like Myspace, they recognized an opportunity to foster community online. MyChurch.org launched one year ago to serve churches seeking to engage their congregation through online social networking.
Pastor Randy Hoekstra of Tabernacle of David Church in Kentwood, Mi says "MyChurch has really changed my church. God has used it to create a community, and frankly I am in awe. My people have been enjoying it so much"
Pastors record and post their sermons for discussion. Electronic bulletins replace paper bulletins. And members post prayer requests and join conversations through blogs and profile comments.
"Conversations we've never had time for are coming together online. The profiles and pictures are revealing things about us that might take years to come out." says Pastor Dan Beasley. His Calvary Community Church in Maryland has 100 members in its MyChurch.org community.
Pastor Beasley goes on to say "We're seeing folks show their true gifts. People we didn't know as teachers are emerging in the blogs, and encouragement and mercy are shown in the comments."
Social networking also empowers missionaries and travelers to stay connected with their home church. "I love it that MyChurch makes it possible for our members in Sri Lanka and Dubai to participate in the life of our community" says Pastor Jim Somerville of First Baptist Church in DC.
Pastor Somerville uploads his sermons onto First Baptist's MyChurch page for members who missed his Sunday preaching, or for congregants who want to discuss it afterwards.
10,000 churches have recognized that social networking enhances the conventional Sunday morning gathering, empowering them to foster community during the week.
About MyChurch.org:
As the social network for churches, MyChurch.org hosts free social networking communities for more than 10,000 Christian churches. By exclusively serving Christian churches, MyChurch provides tools focused for a Christian audience such as sermon streaming, Bible blogging, and church event registration. MyChurch.org receives 4M pageviews and 300K unique visitors per month, and is growing rapidly.
