Our team at Church Plant Media has been building websites for more than 10 years now. In this decade of service we have come across three consistent misconceptions that pastors believe about the websites they want to build. Each of these misconceptions come from a misunderstanding of what is available on the Internet. We would like to cut through the confusion and put these doubts to rest.

MYTH #1: We don’t have the money.

Although this may be true in areas of the world that are under the burden of poverty, it is seldom true in most of the United States. Our team has created a cost-effective solution with pricing that is reachable with very little fund raising. It really comes down to vision. If you have a vision for a website, you can find the money to fund it. Put your vision and the need to fund it before your people and ask God to move in their hearts. Time and time again we have seen God provide for online ministry when His people keep asking. But you usually have not if you ask not.

With that said, given the current economy we do not want to minimize the reality of financial hardship. We realize there may be a number of congregations that do not even have enough to pay for their pastor’s salary, let alone a brand new website. Never fear, there are a number of free and low-cost blogging services available that require little to no money. Simply type “free blog” into a search engine and you’ll find what you are looking for. A low or no cost solution is only a few clicks away.

MYTH #2: We don’t have the people.

This may be valid in some respects, but only to a certain degree. We understand that the pastor needs to be about the Father’s business, feeding and caring for the flock. But if the pastor understands email and has a Facebook account, he can easily have a functioning website without help. If you decide to go with our custom-built Content Management System (CMS), there is no technical knowledge needed. So even if there is no one to help, you can still update your website by yourself in a matter of minutes.

But you do not need to do the website on your own if you don’t want to. Again, you have not because you ask not. If you are not putting the need before the people, the people will not know you have the need. We encourage you to put your vision before the people from the pulpit and ask for volunteers. We also encourage you to pray. God knows your need even before you ask Him. Just keep asking, until the Lord provides.

MYTH #3: We don’t have the time.

This is a myth born out of a misunderstanding. Do you have time to check e-mail? Then you have time to update a website. Given how easy it is to build and maintain a website using our CMS, it just takes a matter of minutes to keep it current. The greatest time commitment is the initial setup. From there, you simply take 5-10 minutes each week to post new content and make updates.

My own pastor had this same concern at first, until he started posting his sermons every week. He was shocked at how easy it was to post his message manuscript and now he does it weekly. It probably takes him less time to post his sermon, then it does to print it out for his preaching notes. Although a very helpful communicator of God’s word, he knows very little about the Internet. He just needed some encouragement and a step of faith to try. We encourage you to do the same.

As we have seen above, the three biggest myths are rooted in not asking or not trying. We would encourage you to turn your heart to God’s word found in Matthew 7:7-11 for the best answer to these myths…

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (ESV)