Are there church web sites that use reader comments?

April 6, 2008 by Kurt
Filed under: commenting, general 

The short answer to that question is yes.

I’ve been on the prowl for examples since I started working on my own church’s new web site (still not officially live), which will be powered by WordPress. The first pass at the site includes the default reader comments option on the posts, which alarmed some at our church. When I had a chance to present reasons for allowing comments, they were acknowledged as good points. So the idea isn’t dead.

There’s a long list of “WordPress powered churches” here. I went through the first 25 on the list — and only looked at the U.S. churches, just to narrow the list a bit. I found five churches that allow reader comments, but none of them had very many comments at all. I’d be interesting in finding other examples — and perhaps more robust examples. Also, I don’t know whether the churches I found moderate their comments; I’d be willing to concede that a mild version of moderation might be warranted; maybe others have a different point of view on that.

Some of the concerns at the church echoed those we hear in the news business and, I’m sure, those that business owners share when they get alarmed about comments on third-party sites: Readers won’t discern between what someone posts as a comment or what is really the church’s message; a controversial discussion might dissuade newcomers from trying the church — that sort of thing.

I noted that a discussion in the open, that we could respond to publicly, would be better than whispers in the parking lot that we never hear.

A few church sites I found that allow comments:

Bethany Baptist Church, Martinez, Calif.; Brawley First Presbyterian, Brawley, Calif.; Brea Baptist Church, Brea, Calif.; Cedar Ridge Church, Leander, Texas; Chatham Baptist Church, Chatham, Va.

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Comments

  • I was thinking about this the other day - my church does great things with technology, but I'd love them to get more bloggy.

    I saw something on Twitter that was interesting - a Christian group. Wouldn't it be nice to have Twitter be the link for Christians to talk about stuff between the Sundays?
  • Kurt
    Thanks much for the comment, Tim. Very helpful.
  • Tim
    Brian Baile talks about this subject in the book, The Blogging church. They cite a few examples of churches both allowing comments and others who turn them off. One of most quoted examples is Jacobs Well who have really tried to use the technology to draw in the community.
    I come across lots of churches who turn comments off in fear that somebody might criticise them or leave silly comments. My response would be that this is defeating the object and is stifling a huge opportunity for conversation.

    Turn comments on and let anybody and everybody join the conversation you start.
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