Demonstrates how ministries can use help in understanding how to apply the Internet to their ministry. Most of my requests to help are rebuffed, though so what can you do? My hypothesis (based on previous experience) is that these websites are usually under the control of IT rather than marketing. IT knows the ins and outs of hardware and software but are notoriously uneducated/behind-the-times regarding how search engines work and how websites need to work with them so their information can be reached most effectively. We’re not talking about significant time or cost, either. Just more due to stubornness, laziness, or ignorance – none of which are cool.

Businesses used to make this crucial mistake (some still do), but you’ve seen more businesses move under the control of marketing with IT pushing the buttons rather than driving strategy and the decision-making process. Infinitely more effective that way. That’s pretty much what my company does for a living – rescue sites from IT and make them a true profit center for the company where it drives real sales and leads. Natural conflict between production and leadership so I’m sure ministries will catch on one of these days. Oh well, maybe PK will get their own site ranking for their own conference next year.

If you work in IT & took offense to this, don’t take it personally – especially if it doesn’t apply to how you operate. If you do understand search, awesome! But, you’re in the minority. I worked in IT for a few years and still spend most of my day dorking around in code, server settings, etc. However, I spend the rest of the day educating companies on this very issue so it is sadly quite real and widespread.

The schedule listed in this post is pretty much it. PK is planning some smaller events like they did last fall w/ the movie theater bit that tied into local service. Just shoot them an email at their website and they will probably be more than happy to provide you with whatever info you needed.

PK is great and their ministry has been a great blessing so I hope nobody takes that criticism to harshly.

That sounds like a gigantic load of “corporate-speak” – also known as a word we can’t publish here (lol). Here is where Christianity is missing the boat for the most part. “Web folks” (to Churches this means IT personnel and the occasional person who owns dreamweaver or frontpage and knows html) should have no part in shaping web strategy or calling the shots.

Companies tried this until the late 90′s and went bankrupt. Most of our clients tried this and failed. The organization only needs to understand why they are an organization in the first place and then make their web strategy support why they exist.

I’ll never forget a frustrated men’s ministry guy trying to find out a better time for their men’s breakfast and everyone else on the team said “We’ve asked – this is the best time!”

Of course – they only asked the guys who were AT the early morning breakfst!!

In defense of PK (I know a lot of folks there), at times the delay can be the still painfully slow process of final approval and getting information TO the web folks, and not a reflection of the web group itself. Still, it comes down to everyone in the organization needing to understand the importance / timing of communication and clarity.

Thanks for dropping in. Your’re right – but Promise Keepers isn’t entirely alone in this. Christian organizations are traditionally very slow to adopt the Internet as a future method of communication. There are some very talented ministries working to change that but it’s slooooowwwwww going.

Probably because out of the four major personality types you see on all those tests, the church does the worst job sharing Christ to the segment that is more prone to using the Internet. Of course now everyone is using the web so we’ll have to get our heads out of the sand and embrace how the Internet has changed communication. (not you and I per se, but I guess it will be our responsibility to help the others)

Blessings,
- Steve

Grrr! I can’t believe they haven’t posted the ’08 schedule on their site yet…even though the Christmas Letter states they will be having 7 national conferences in ’08.

On another topic, your search engine expertise caught my attention. I’m somewhat of a novice, and I’ve tried optimizing my wife’s stained glass site for search engines, but with near-zero success. So…do you ever do this stuff for pay? You have my e-mail address, so please respond if any interest!

Blessings,
- Steve