Is Your Church Website Selfish?

If you’ve ever been turned off by the selfish talk of a ‘me monster’ and you have a website, then you want to avoid this! Nobody likes a bragger. I once worked for a particular strand of bragger known as the ‘one-upper.’ If I walked in with a sprained ankle, I got the story of how he broke his. If I told tales from a past summer job working construction with a group of misfits, his involved the Mexican drug cartel and a high rise in Manhattan.

Bottomline: Braggers are a turn off…even to other braggers. That’s because selfish people pull the spotlight from me to them (and since the fall, we all prioritize ‘self’).

Selfish websites are a turn-off too, particularly church websites. A ‘selfish website’ is one that talks too much about the organization, product, or service and NOT the audience. Too often, church websites have a self-centered overtone or theme running throughout. Think about the typical navigation or headings on church websites:

• Our Story
• Our Mission, Vision, Values
• Our Ministries
• Who We Are
• What We Believe
• Our Team

These are so commonplace you could craft an SNL comedy sketch around them. Or at least a snarky Twitter account.

What’s ironic is how out of character this is with the actual heart and ministry of many gospel-centered churches like yours. You are there to serve and bless. (You’re certainly not there for the money or fame unless you reach the newly-created ‘evangelical celebrity’ status.)

You don’t preach this way—rambling on about yourself. You don’t lead this way—talking endlessly about you and your past and your gifting and your experience. You don’t talk to your neighbor this way—dominating the conversation and pulling the subject back to you. And you don’t train your leaders this way—equipping them to build their ministry around themselves.

Yet we often design our church websites and messaging with a self-interested bias. Not on purpose. But out of habit. This is the way we’ve built our church websites for years.

Instead, what if we sprinkled in some nuggets that begin with our audience instead of us. In other words, what if some of the focus of your website shifted from ‘Our This’ and ‘Our That’ to your audience’s this and that? I know. Sounds weird. But step back for a second and appreciate the irony again. It’s weird that it’s weird. 

While it may feel foreign at first, it’s a rather simple. After all, you’re likely doing it every Sunday when delivering your sermon.

Ready to make your church website more of a servant and less selfish? Grab my free help guide (PDF) and start today.

Hop on the Church Planter Starter Kit email list and I’ll send you the PDF right now.

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Your church’s website and brand are packed with potential. 

Pastors and planters want to connect with those they’re called to reach but lack training on creating websites and brands that grab their audience. 

At Robby Fowler Design, I help churches and church plants craft websites and brands that bring good news to your specific audience so you can fulfill your calling.