About a year ago I began to hear comments from pastors that I hadn’t heard prior to that. Some pastors told me that at least half of the visitors to their congregations had first visited their congregation’s web site.

Some found the congregations’ web sites through a search engine, some found them through the RPCNA web site, and some through other portals. The common thread was that a computer and the internet were being used in making church-visit decisions—usually without anyone from the congregation having opportunity to interact with the potential attendees. Often the visitors were already coming with a very positive view of the congregations, because they knew what that congregation stood for and wanted that for themselves.

The implications, of course, are big. Your congregation’s web site is becoming a much more powerful witness than your church pamphlets and brochures. An internet presence won’t take the place of other forms of witness and advertisement, and it certainly won’t take the place of personal witness. But it must be considered a valuable worldwide testimony to your congregation’s beliefs and practice, its fellowship and service. It is the highway that will lead some people to your door to find out what you stand for and what you have to offer.

The internet is rapidly changing the way communication and ministry is done within our congregations as well. Web pages and email lists and blog sites are taking the place of other forms of communication, or, even better, are creating new pathways to people’s doors—sometimes to people across the globe. If you’re in a small congregation in a small town but with something very important to say, you welcome the ability to reach far and wide with the gospel even with your very limited financial means.

Part of the mission of our Education & Publication Office has been to assure that every RPCNA congregation had a web presence and that they could be found through the denominational web site. That’s been a reality for several years now. Thanks to Pastor Bill Chellis, a new column in the Witness will be enhanced by internet discussion that is sure to help a wider audience to understand the kingship of Christ. And we in the E&P Office are working on a new project that will greatly enhance congregational visibility and witness and perhaps even save money for your congregation. We have an ongoing commitment to spreading the word about what RPCNA congregations have to share with the world.