Around lunchtime on Monday, October 4, I began to receive notifications about Facebook-owned platforms being offline. Soon many other companies' services came to a screeching halt because of the cascading effect that one significant outage had on the way all data...
Churches everywhere are making important decisions on a return to in-person worship as COVID-19 cases decrease and the percentage of the community vaccinated increases. And while each ministry has its own set of circumstances, there are some common issues that most...
If you're using Boxcast to live-stream your events, this video explains how you can display that live-stream on your Worship Times website.Worship Times Worship Times is a full-service digital marketing and communication team that specializes in helping ministries of...
Using our built in events system, you can collect RSVPs for in-person events. This plugin makes it incredibly easy to monitor the number of people planning to attend a Worship Service or other in-person event without going over capacity. As we begin to open up and...
Chances are you have been live-streaming your worship services for the better part of a year. And, realistically, live-streaming is probably here to stay, even when we are all back to hugging, laughing, singing, shaking hands, and generally congregating in large...
Congratulations. You have made it through the chaos of 2020 like a champ. You've added live-streaming and video archives to your website as well as Online Prayer Requests, Zoom bible study and Sunday School, and so much more. But, it's 2021 now and it is time to Clean...
When was the last time your ministry refreshed your website? Either did a full rebranding with a new logo or just updated links and images? If you aren't sure the last time this was done, it might be time to upgrade your website. As a website design company, we know...
There are a lot of acronyms in the world of ministry, and quite a few in the tech world as well. SEO is one acronym that everyone needs to know. Search Engine Optimization. In this webmaster class, we are going to go over the basics of SEO and how to start to apply...
2021 UPDATE AVAILABLE Advent 2021 - A Resource Guide The end of the calendar year brings with it many celebrations, decorations, and traditions. But, in the year 2020, how do we celebrate while staying safe and socially distant? This year has brought us so many...
We've all heard the phrase, 'a picture is worth a thousand words.' And it really can be. But, did you know a picture can also build community? and help spread your ministry? Instagram is a social media platform based on the 'thousand words' principle. Learn how to...
If you are looking for a fun and socially distant way to engage with your community this Advent, try an Instagram Photo-A-Day Challenge. We've done the heavy lifting for you by compiling a list of lectionary-related words, one for each day of Advent in 2020. Below you...
Entering the world of paid promotions can be incredibly intimidating. No one wants to waste money on advertising to someone across the country. In this 15 Minute Webmaster Class, Andrew Yeager-Buckley is going to take you through the setup to promote your event only...
There are so many things you can accomplish using Gravity Forms. In this 15 Minute Webmaster Class, we are going to walk through how to use the Payment Fields in an online form. Regardless of which payment processor you use, you must use the payment fields to make it...
Last week's Thursday Webmaster Class covered how to stream to Facebook Live from Zoom. This can be a useful way to share your worship services or events to a wider audience. Now that you are an expert at Zooming to Facebook Live, here is an extra tidbit from Andrew...
Still working out how to best utilize both Zoom and Facebook Live for your live-stream worship services and events? Check out this 15 Minute Webmaster Class for step-by-step instructions on how to play your Zoom feed over Facebook Live. You can watch all of our...
UPDATE 10/8: Facebook has restored the event descriptions in all platforms. Continue to use Facebook Events as you were. (Or let us know if you have any questions.) If you are using Facebook Events, this update affects you. Over the weekend, Facebook updated their...
Most all of us are using an email platform to send out mass communications to our communities. By creating a saved template, you will never have to reset the color or size on a text block again. It will all be saved, ready and waiting for you. This Webmaster Class...
Now that we've been online worshipping for a while and have that well under our belts, what does outreach look like? If everything is online, how do you invite someone to a service or to bible study? It might be easier than you think. This Webmaster Class covers...
We've all been doing online digital worship services for months now, and sometimes it still feels like a struggle. But what can you do to improve the digital worship experience for your congregation? Sometimes it is the behind the scenes planning that can make the...
There are so many bits and pieces to digital ministry, marketing, and communication. Because no one person can know it all, Worship Times has created the free 15 Minute Webmaster Class. These classes are designed to equip you with the knowledge you need to become a...
Ever feel like social media is a waste of time? You painstakingly pick out the perfect images to reflect the message of your blog, and then for some reason, it doesn't magically pop-up when you post to social media. Why, oh, why? This 15 Minute Webmaster Class, "Blog...
Ever feel like you are sending those weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly emails into the void? Do very few people open your email, and then even fewer engage by clicking? Part of the problem may be to whom you are sending your emails. In this Webmaster Class, "Organize...
If you’ve been watching our 15-Minute Webmaster classes or reading our blogs over the past few months, you will have heard us talk about engaging your audience on Social Media. In today's world, social media, regardless of which platform you choose to use, is an...
Social Media is everywhere. Everyone is on one platform or another. And it seems to suck up all of your time. So, which social media platform should your ministry use? Learn what questions you need to ask yourself to set yourself up for social media success in this...
#Hashtags. What was once commonly called the pound sign, has been taken over by coders and the social media world. And you need to use them. In this Webmaster Class, you will learn why it's so important to use hashtags in your social media posts and how to use them....
You never want your people to miss out. It is so tempting to add every single event, notice, and volunteer opportunity to your weekly email, but the data says don't do it. Overloading a single email with all of the things, won't increase attendance or online...
Have you ever googled your church and thought, "That's not quite right." Maybe there are strange photos, the website is non-existent or just wrong, no hours of operation, or maybe your church doesn't show up as a business or on google maps at all. Learn how to start...
Many churches proudly display a blog of their preachers' Sunday sermon on their website to share the joy of the Word. While we recommend having printed copies of the sermon available for people with hearing loss during worship, posting the text verbatim is not the...
We live in a fast-paced, online, digital world. Gone are the days of effective advertising with the yellow pages and flyer mailers. If you are not online, you may as well not exist. So, why should your church, with its limited budget, pay for a website instead of use...
Have you ever found the perfect picture for your website, blog, or event? Maybe that new headshot rings bells! And then you upload this amazing, fantastic picture, and right away you know something is not right. We understand how frustrating it is to have the perfect...
Covid-19 has changed everything in our lives. The Volunteer Roles you need to fill for your ministry to operate safely and within your local jurisdictions guidelines have also changed. Your ministry has always depended on the goodwill of volunteers. Depending on your...
It’s been over 100 days, and the world is still uncertain. Some states and counties are open, free and easy, others have mask requirements to be in public, still others recommend staying home. Everyone is in a different place of leaving quarantine, and there are even...
In today's world, social media is everything. It's a staple in how we connect to one another. It can also feel like a huge time suck. However, it is important to take the time to adjust your copy for each platform you use. Learn how to adjust your copy for each social...
We all know that sinking feeling. After all of the preparations and test-runs, you are going live... and something fails. It could be Zoom, wifi, internet, router, computer, or Mercury in retrograde, but your well laid plans have crumbled. Do you have a back-up plan...
As a nation, we are in a moment that will be remembered throughout history. In these United States, we are coming out of a quarantine caused by a global pandemic and into the throes of an anti-racism revolution. If your congregation wants to learn more about systemic...
Last week, Worship Times and PCCCA announced a unique partnership. Together, they offer an opportunity to bring the summer camp experience online and into homes across the country through a Virtual Camp Portal. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, many camps and...
For Immediate Release Name of Press Contact: Michael Gyura Date: Friday, May 22, 2020 Phone: 877-464-0535 Email: [email protected] Worship Times and PCCCA Announce Online Summer Camp Portal Many Summer Camps will not open this summer season due to...
Quarantine has been an interesting and life-changing experience for all of us. Much like a journey, the people who went into quarantine are not the same as those who will come out. Our society, our communities, and our churches will be forever changed. However,...
Summer is coming and it is time to plan for Vacation Bible School. Unfortunately, Vacation Bible School in full quarantine may be your only option. However, every state and local government is handling Covid-19 differently. You may be in a state that has started...
Communities across the country are teetering on the edge of fear and uncertainty. From food insecurity, to economic depression, to coming out of quarantine too quickly, people are scared and unsure. How will you lead your church to support your broader community as we...
With a little creativity, and low-fi technology solutions, you can reach your technology averse and bandwidth starved congregants. There are a variety of reasons that live-streaming your worship service just isn’t going to work. You may live in an area where hi-speed...
The financial effects of Coronavirus on your ministry are probably sinking in. Not as many people are able to give their offerings. Payroll for your staff may be getting tight. As a small business, we understand the implications all too well. To that end, we wanted to...
You have made it through Easter. The joy of the Risen Lord is present. Hopefully, you feel like your feet are beneath you, even if it's taken a few weeks to find your footing. As we transition for socially-distanced ministry, our online presence needs to step up....
So, the world has changed. Stay home, stay safe is our new mantra. But, what do you do about your upcoming events? No one wants to cancel the chili cook off or the annual clean up the park event, but what do you do? How can your church continue with its event planning...
We know this is a challenging time. There are so many unknowns that it is easy to become overwhelmed. As we all navigate this new normal, Worship Times wants to be there for all of our partners and friends by offering a free website consultation. In an effort to help,...
Did you miss the Webinar: Optimize Your Homepage for Covid-19 Isolation? Never fear! We have the instant replay for you right here. There was a great turnout with amazing questions from everyone in attendance. Your ministry’s homepage has become an even more vital...
Online Giving has become an extremely important component for the life of your congregation during this time of social distancing. Making it as simple as possible for parishioners to continue to give tithes and offerings is essential. You can now easily add a Tithely...
Online Giving has become an extremely important component for the life of your congregation during this time of social distancing. Making it as easy as possible for parishioners to continue to give tithes and offerings is essential. You can now easily add a Vanco...
If you are among the many American churches who have been thrust into virtual community due to Coronavirus (Covid-19), you might be wondering about the legality of Live Streaming worship music. You are not alone. Please know that we are not lawyers, and it is always...
Dear Friends, We're here to support you and your ministry during these uncertain times. Worship Times is hard at work building tools that will allow you to optimize your homepage and reach your community during social isolation. Already we have tools for sermon.net...
Ustream is another great option to live stream your worship service, daily prayers, or virtual events. Whether you use the classic WordPress editor, the new Gutenberg editor, or the Divi Builder, you can take advantage of this functionality. Learn how to embed your...
Does your ministry already use sermon.net for sharing weekly sermons? You are in the perfect position to embed a live stream with sermon.net on your Worship Times website. The following video tutorial takes you step-by-step through the set up process. Whether you use...
Journey to the Cross, the devotional series for Lent, returns to d365.org starting Ash Wednesday, February 26th and ending on Sunday, April 19th. d365 provides daily devotions written especially for youth and young adults. You can access the devotions online at...
It's time to tidy up. There was a time that your storefront was on main street and the folks passing by would be intrigued by what was in your front window display, and then step inside. You’d have time to chat and get to know them and find out what they are looking...
Gratitude is one of the most fulfilling, joyous, and selfless feelings a human being can experience. According to countless studies released by Psychology Today, practicing gratitude makes us happier and experience a greater sense of gratification with our own lives....
The most wonderful time of the year can also be the most stressful time of the year. Whether stress is positive or negative, our bodies still respond to that stress. That’s why it’s so important to prioritize your own self care during this season. If we don’t pause to...
Advent is a beautiful season of preparation that reminds us to slow down and reflect on the year. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, as days continue to get shorter and nights lengthen, many families and communities gather to light candles and read devotions. The...
Working with a company to build a new website can be an intimidating process for those who have never paid to have a website built before. Today we want to work to ease the fear of the unknown when it comes to building a new website! Let us give you an idea of what to...
As we begin to close out the summer months and prepare for the upcoming fall season, there could not be a better time to do a quick check-in on your ministry’s website. With children heading back to school and families getting back into a regular routine it is...
Just how important are online reviews today? More than you might think. 90% of consumers read online reviews before they visit a business or make a purchase. Even more mind-blowing, 88% of consumers trust online reviews just as much as personal recommendations....
If you want to be “found” on many social media sites today, then you need to be harnessing the power of the hashtag. Simply stated, a hashtag is an identifier that can help people find a post when they use a search bar. It can get confusing because hashtags are used...
Summer is in full swing right now, with plenty of people skipping services every Wednesday and Sunday to hit the beach, spend time with their family, and unplug from the hectic daily schedule so many Americans endure year-round. It’s a time for joyousness, relaxation,...
A common occurrence that we see when reviewing and updating websites is the use of “click here” in a link inside of a block of text or displayed on a button. Although this seems like a very helpful idea, it actually hurts your website and can confuse and frustrate...
It can be hard to identify the success of a social media post today. When it comes to the content your church is sharing across different channels, how do you identify what did well, versus what didn’t? Social media is still so new to everyone, that many people can’t...
A website - in some ways - is very much like a house. Both have a single address so everyone knows where to find you. You want both to have private areas that only you can use, but you also want to have your house (and website) feel warm and inviting. A website, just...
One of the most common problems we see with websites today are pieces of information are missing or functionality is broken here and there. These seemingly small issues slowly cascade into pain points and frustrations that ultimately make a website a terrible...
People are emerging from their homes, stretching their arms, looking up at the sun, and feeling overall more hopeful than a few months prior. We can’t help but be affected by the weather as humans, which means it’s the perfect opportunity for you to capitalize through...
Think about the last time you visited a website on one of your mobile devices and the experience was terrible. Maybe the font was way too small to read so you needed to zoom in, or maybe it was too hard to tap on a button, or maybe parts of the website didn’t even...
The power of modern technology and the internet is changing the ways that you can run a ministry. Gone are the days where you can only post announcements or upcoming events in print newsletters or on the church bulletin board. With new technology being used more and...
Spring is in the air, birds are outside chirping, the temperature is rising, and the sun is hanging in the sky a little bit longer every single day. It’s a time of year that has us all itching to get outside, spring clean our homes, and revamp our wardrobes with...
Thanks to the world of digital marketing today, marketing efforts can be fine tuned and directed at specific subsets of a population on behalf of a company. You no longer need to send out that one newspaper ad, or cold call a list of people in the phone book, with...
You have probably heard the saying “quality over quantity” for a variety of aspects of daily life. It could not be more applicable for your ministry’s website. Your ministry's website can have all of the bells and whistles possible, but if it doesn’t have quality,...
As we move forward into 2019, with the summer lingering on the horizon, it’s a great time of year to reflect on your digital marketing strategy and make any necessary changes to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing. It’s a fast-paced industry,...
Social media is bigger than ever! It makes a great place to quickly share information, pictures, and news with your members online. These various platforms also make a great way for your members to communicate information and feedback with you in real time! It is...
When it comes to making disciples of your church attendees, and really reaching into their hearts to create a community that flourishes in God’s love, technology can actually be an asset to the church. Although the arrival of technology is inhibiting socialization and...
If you’re tasked with growing your church body, you are probably considering digital avenues that can get the word out about your worship center in a much more efficient manner than you can on your own. If you’re looking for a tool that won’t necessarily break the...
As social media marketing becomes increasingly prominent in our world, so do the visuals that are attached to our posts, albums, Instagram Stories, and so forth. Photography has become integral to effective online marketing, and it’s only going to increase as...
It’s said that a picture is worth a thousand words. This could not be more true when it comes to using images or videos on your website. Any form of media, whether it be images, videos, or a combination of both can convey emotion and a welcoming environment better...
When you see branding and ministry in the same sentence it can raise an eyebrow or two. However, take a moment to think about everything that the term “branding” can include. Some more obvious items are a logo, maybe a tagline or catchphrase, and an identifiable color...
The Internet is a big place today – with over 2.77 billion social media users and almost half of the world’s population in ownership of a smartphone, you can find just about anyone sifting through website pages, social media posts, articles, and so forth. That means...
Did you know as of this month, 2.77 billion people worldwide use social media on a daily basis? And the vast majority of those social media users are signing onto their accounts and sifting around content for more than 2-hours. Social media is here, and it is a...
Populating your site with quality content is only a small piece of running a website that drives users to find out more about you and your ministry and to create a lasting relationship. Making sure that both users and search engines can find your content online is...
As we all know at this point, social technology is here to stay, which is why digital marketing services are more relevant than ever for churches, congregations, and organizations today. Thanks to the various metrics, social media platforms, website tools, and video...
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10 The Bible makes it clear that tithing is an important part both for personal selflessness, as...