When it comes to church websites, the small details really do matter. Here’s an unfortunate error message that I came across this morning:

Wow! Can a simple signup mistake really doom you to an eternity in Hell!?

Seriously, though, this lighthearted example reinforces the fact the we should be very careful about the “messages” our church websites convey.

A typical church website will contain numerous Bible references. Devotional resources, sermon notes, blog posts, and “About Us” pages are just a few areas that might cite passages by chapter and verse. Reproducing every cited passage is not always necessary or desired. Often times, we just want to tie an idea or concept to an example from Scripture.

Online Bibles have given us an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between a Bible reference and the idea or concept that it supports. A simple HTML link can help get the point across without forcing the reader to thumb through their physical Bible. Unfortunately, it can be cumbersome to manually link a reference to an online Bible resource. However, a new tool from Logos has the ability to automate that process. It’s called RefTagger, and it’s a free tool written in JavaScript.

Once RefTagger is installed, it will automatically transform Bible references into JavaScript mouseovers and links. It identifies references in a variety of formats (John 3:16, John 3:16-17, etc.) and is even intelligent enough to determine which translation to use (John 3:16 (KJV), John 3:16 (NIV), etc.).

The RefTagger code is customizable and can be installed by pasting it right before the </body> tag on your website. Plugins are also available for major blog, forum and wiki platforms. Check it out!

David Platt’s Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream is a poignant criticism of the Church in America. It compares our opulent megachurches with Christ’s small-scale ministry of discipleship. It contrasts our world of selfish consumerism with an alternative approach marked by “desperation for the Spirit of God”. The author accuses America of twisting and mutilating the Gospel to conform to its own desires. Platt’s argument is persuasive and convicting, leaving the reader with a strong desire to get back to the basics of Christianity.

In the second half of the book, Platt explores the implications of the unadulterated Gospel. He makes the case that we should be more generous, using our amazing wealth and resources to help others. He also emphasizes the need to follow the Great Commission, getting out of our comfort zones and spreading the Word of God to all corners of the earth. Some might criticize this book for labeling these principles as “radical”. After all, they are really just basic tenets of our faith. However, Platt uses the word “radical” to emphasize the fact that these ideas are in direct opposition to the standards of the American Dream.

For those interested in leading a genuine Christian life, the author presents a year-long program consisting of specific activities. Each activity is meant to tear you away from your comfortable, worldly standard of living and put you on the path to following Christ. The list is remarkably simple, but challenging at the same time. If everyone in Christian America were to try this program, it really might change the world.

Memorable quotes from Radical:

“The cost of nondiscipleship is profoundly greater than the cost of discipleship. For when we abandon the trinkets of this world and respond to the radical invitation of Jesus, we discover the infinite treasure of knowing and experiencing him.”

“…we have actually turned away from Jesus. We have in many areas blindly and unknowingly embraced values and ideas that are common in our culture but are antithetical to the gospel he taught… We need to return with urgency to a biblical gospel.”

“The message of biblical Christianity is not ‘God loves me, period,’ as if we were the object of our own faith. The message of biblical Christianity is ‘God loves me so that I might make him – his ways, his salvation, his glory, and his greatness – known among all nations.’ Now God is the object of our faith, and Christianity centers around him. We are not the end of the gospel; God is.”

Every church website should be able to answer a basic set of questions. This “essential content” needs to be easily accessible to anyone viewing the site. If all of these points are included, new visitors will have a better chance of understanding what the church is all about.

Who? The church’s name and a brief “who we are” blurb.

What? The church’s mission statement and religious affiliation.

Where? City, state, and street address.

When? Times and dates of worship services, Sunday school classes, etc.

Why? A statement of faith, clearly defining theological distinctives.

How? A concise overview of some programs and ministries the church offers.