Last week we launched a whole new site for northsidebc.org. We have heard some rave reviews of it for a few different reasons:
- Sermons on video
- SIMPLE navigation (compared to our previous)
- Mobile phone viewing
- Removal of clutter
- Changing/temporary content being moved to northsideblog.org
- You can get your Compass devotionals in your inbox early in the morning by subscribing
- And much more…
We have received some great ideas to improve a couple of elements and are working on those as well. This site has enough information for visitors to get connected and members to get important information. A simple website CANNOT contain everything about a church our size, but we have a plan for something that can (coming in January…).
That’s what the site is, but why did we make the change? Previously, we had a site designed by one of the premier developers in the country. It was snazzy, but since its been over 3 years ago since they made it, so many advances on the web have taken place. For us to get our site updated into their system with all the bells and whistles was going to cost a pretty penny.
That had me thinking. If the web has made such advances in 3 years that you need to do a complete site overhaul, when will the next time we will have to shell out that kind of cash again? 3 years? 2 years? 1 years?
It wasn’t sitting well with me. I kept going back to my love for cloversites.com. These guys see their ministry as creating clean, beautiful website templates for a low cost. While you have to get creative on how to make it your own, it can be done. And their pricing was going to be 1/15 of the cost that other places could have charged us.
Our church is with the times, but I wouldn’t say we’re cutting edge. We like to be up to date, but we honestly desire to be trendsetters in areas other than bells and whistles.
We want to be known for our commitment to stewardship over uniqueness.
Why I love Clover is that we used wise stewardship principles and we still have a better website than I think we would have had with a lot more money spent. Their commitment to excellence, simplicity, and easy updating has made a wonderful product. There are other churches out there who have the same website frame as us, and that doesn’t bother me at all! We have saved money (on a unique design, staff position to be a web programmer, etc.) we can put towards reaching an unreached people group, and we have a more effective tool to make disciples. Thank you, Clover!
If you haven’t checked out the new North Side site or the new blog, make sure to do so today!
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
We want to be known for our commitment to stewardship over uniqu
We want to be known for our commitment to stewardship over uniqueness.
Travis,
My sister works at Clover, saw your post and sent me your blog since we’re both adoptive dads from Ethiopia. Love your story about Eli and all of your writing about adoption. You’re an awfully brave dad going there alone! I can’t imagine. 🙂
Aaron
Aaron, awesome to meet you through these circumstances! I don’t know if brave is the adjective I would use to describe me. Dumb, maybe. 😉 Eli was a stud throughout. He was a joy then and now. Praying you guys are settling in nicely too!