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...
Worship Times is so very excited to bring you this week's webmaster class, Music & Live-streaming: All Your Questions Answered. Ministry's across the country have been live-streaming worship and prayer services for the better part of a year. Realistically,...
It's been a long pandemic and your online archive of worship videos is probably getting a little unruly. In this webmaster class, we are going to show you how to use the Worship Times Publications tool to get your videos sorted and easy to manage. You can watch all of...
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...
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 challenges as ministries and we have adapted at ever step....
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...
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...
We are halfway through October, and truly, Advent is just around the corner. Join us for this 15 Minute Webmaster Class to learn how to feature all of your Advent Events (both in-person and online) using event categories. This simple trick will streamline your holiday...
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...
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...
We've been worshipping online for months. It's time to step up your prayer game with online prayer request forms. Whether you choose to use forms to enhance your live-streamed service experience or automate requests to your prayer team. Join founder Michael Gyura as...
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...
Almost all of us are now using video in one way or another to connect with our community. Whether it is a live-stream video or a pre-recorded worship service, you've jumped into using video technology. It's time to learn a few tricks to polish your video game. In this...
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...
#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....
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...
Gravity Forms is one of the most commonly used online form platforms out there and the one we use on the Worship Times Network. Come learn some of the amazing ways this tool can be used for your ministry. In this short 15 Minute Webmaster Class taught by our founder,...
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...
In today’s world, using clear, bright, compelling photos on your website and in social media streams is essential. Creating content is a mandatory daily task. It also doesn’t need to cost you an arm and a leg or take all of your time. Believe it or not, great...
For many people, learning new technology is like learning a new language, with an entirely different alphabet. While kids have a tendency to pick up new programs and applications easily, their parents might have a harder time. Make it as easy as possible for your...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Zoom is a cutting edge meeting and webinar tool that may help your congregation move into virtual worship services and meetings with ease. Worship Times created an integration that allows you to embed your Zoom meeting, webinar, or live feed on your website. When you...
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...
If you are looking to use YouTube to live stream your worship service or event, you are in the right place. The following video tutorial takes you step-by-step through the set up process. You can also use these same steps to share previously created YouTube content on...
Have you been looking for a way to live-stream your worship services or events on your website? Worship Times has developed one new solution for our members. For those on our newer networks, you can now easily embed Facebook Live to stream on your website. Worship...
Take a moment and imagine all of the different people that visit your ministry’s website each day. Now think about the number of people who visit your website every week. What about every month? That figure can grow quite large, very quickly. Now, take away your...
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...
There are a handful of items that can make or break any website. An easy to use, robust search feature - or lack thereof - is one of a select few things that can make a great website terrible. Take a look at your current website. Does it have a search feature on...
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...
Newsletters contain the amazing email marketing statistics that are just too good to ignore today. Whether it’s that every $1 spent on email that turns into $44 in value, or that 59% of business-to-business marketers claim email marketing is their most effective...
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...
Change is in the air! It seems to finally be getting warmer and the sun is out longer and longer. There could not be a better time to spruce up your ministry’s website with a theme change. Changing the theme of your website simply takes all of your existing...
You’ve probably heard the terms “influencer” or “influencer marketing” as of recently. What used to be a casually mentioned, underground form of marketing on social media has grown into a full-blown, viable outreach avenue available to every single business, brand,...
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,...
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...
Great websites do more than provide great information in a clean and easy to use package. They interact with the user to enhance their overall experience when viewing the site. The term “interact” doesn’t necessarily mean twenty different popups for your user to...
Personal information such as your Social Security Number, full name, date of birth, credit card number(s), etc., are some of the most private and valuable pieces of information in life. With the growing footprint and popularity of digital media - social media networks...
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...
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...
Google is one of the most recognizable brands on the planet. When you need to know what the weather is going to be like, how many ounces are in a pound, or what time your grocery store closes chances are you open up Google and get an answer. Have you ever noticed the...
Happy New Year! We might only be a few weeks into 2019, but change is in full swing. The WordPress community has had an extremely busy couple of weeks with the introduction of WordPress 5.0, also known as Gutenberg, and all of the changes that have come with it. Don’t...
As the world grows increasingly digital, in order for churches to stay connected and continually push out their messaging, they, too, have the embrace the digital era. Many churches are live-streaming service, Bible studies, and pastor messages, providing a way for...
Have you ever used Google to look for a nearby restaurant or business? If you have, you probably noticed a map and a list of different names with useful information such as opening hours, address, and a call or book button. These results come from Google My Business...
Making the most of your church’s Facebook page will help you attract and engage visitors, as well as convert them into leads. Over time, you can turn these leads into church members, volunteers, and givers. With over 2 billion monthly active users worldwide (half of...
Instagram is an image-based platform that's not only beautiful and fun, but also brings a sense of community. Its users are used to professional, high-quality images and videos, so if you want to grow your church community with Instagram, creating eye-catching visuals...
Getting your church to appear on Google’s first page might not be as hard as you think. Firstly, make sure your church website has been indexed by Google by typing site:yourdomain.com into Google’s search bar. If you see your website listed, that means your site has...
Summer is a great time to review all aspects of your website, and just as you may buy a new swimsuit and new shorts for the season, it is the perfect season for a website makeover as well. With many platforms, this may be as easy as clicking a button, then making sure...
When we hand off a newly built Worship Times site to a member, we offer a run-through of the site’s Dashboard, the tools you will use in editing and adding to your site. One of the most important areas of the Dashboard we highlight is our custom Worship Times area....
The correct size and shape of pictures will help a website looking great. If you have a Worship Times site, this especially applies for pictures included in the staff and slider plug-ins, and if you are using featured pages and posts. WordPress does include some...
Yesterday we re-introduced you to Pages, and how to enter basic content on your WordPress site. Today we will look at the additional tools you can use to build beautiful pages throughout your site. Your page content and format is the main way you will distinguish your...
Periodic refreshers are helpful from time to time. These how-to can be a help to remind, encourage and instruct WordPress users as they work on their sites. Pages Pages are the basic building blocks of your WordPress site. Unless your site’s overall focus is a blog*,...
This week, we are honored to hear from a guest author, the Rev. Laura Bratton, about the importance of making your websites accessible to those with different physical and mental abilities. Rev. Bratton is a coach and consultant who works with people to face difficult...
Following up on last week’s post, we are talking about doing some website review and cleanup as we close out the summer. Last week we talked about getting rid of old and outdates information and photos, and this week we want to talk about your website’s organization....
As the rate of support requests increases at Worship Times, we can tell summer is winding down for our member ministries. Vacations are ending, Fall programs kick-offs are on the horizon, and people are looking to clean up their websites. This is a perfect time to...
A Good Church Website Communicates: A reflection of who your church is. Your commitment to communication in various forms. Your awareness to reach outside your walls. Ability to generate discussion and connection. As body language, grammar, and eye contact are to...
Choosing the right website company is important in building your new website. Cost is an important factor in most ministry budgets, but there are other important considerations when choosing a company to build your ministry’s website. General Website Builders vs....
We're going to do some more extensive posts and videos on how to claim, administer and manage your ministry's Facebook page, but today we're going to tackle a question we've received more than once this week. Today's Facebook conundrum: "I'm the administrator on a...
When visitors are looking for a new church home, they want to know who you are. And yet, we still find that many churches don't have easily accessible or visible staff lists (we'll get into showing who you are as a congregation later). Important things for a staff...
Worship Times has been busy lately, and loving it! We're talking websites, digital communications and branding with many new and current members. So today we're bringing you two short, helpful videos at once: #2 - Calendar of Events (Events Lists) Adding unique...
Worship Times - Using Events Manager, Events Lists and Widgets Welcome to our first Thursday tips and tricks post! We're starting with the basics - the top 5 things visitors are looking for on church websites. A great refresher on the basics of your Worship Times...
Want to add Google Slides to your Worship Times website? This video tutorial will show you just how easy it is. https://vimeo.com/121294475
Using uStream and Worship Times you can now live stream any event directly from your Worship Times website. This video tutorial shows you how easy it is. https://vimeo.com/114394890
In this video tutorial we show you how easy it is to use Google Maps with your Worship Times website. https://vimeo.com/113286509
In this video tutorial we go over how to use your Worship Times website to create a donation form and link it with your PayPal account. https://vimeo.com/110922787
The team at Worship Times is dedicated to empowering congregations developing their church websites and digital presence. On November 1 Worship Times was named one of Worship Leader Magazine's Editor's Pick for web development (read more here). So for the next couple...
Last week I spoke with a friend who had recently taken a job at a larger church. Part of his new duties are to run their Facebook and Twitter pages, and he asked me for help because it was overloading his schedule. He was spending a lot of time worrying about the...
As churches begin to look toward the annual stewardship campaign, many will be considering whether or not they should add online giving to their website. The answer is yes, if you can. We can take pictures of checks and upload them to our bank account. We use...
In this video tutorial we show how to use your Worship Times Church Website to add your Instagram feed and icon to pages, posts, and the widget area. https://vimeo.com/96949875 For more videos check out our YouTube and Vimeo pages. To get started with your own Worship...
In this video tutorial we show how to use your Worship Times Church Website to add a Facebook feed and Facebook icon to pages, posts, and the widget area. https://vimeo.com/96917161 For more videos check out our YouTube and Vimeo pages. To get started with your own...
Using social media logos is not just website design issues but is also a legal issue. I am not a lawyer and am providing this blogpost for basic information. Specific questions should be directed to a lawyer. Social media connection is a key part of communication in...
Facebook is a great tool to use in conjunction with your church's main website. Your website can hold all the information visitors and members need, and Facebook can be the hub for church life. Here are some ideas to get you started: 1. Special events--Facebook is a...
Earlier we posted a sample social media volunteer description, and today we're going to show you a sample digital community leaders description. This is a mid-level position between the volunteer 5-6 hours a week level and the full-time position we'll be posting...
This post is the fifth in a series about developing a social media plan in a church or ministry. Read the Introduction, Part 1 Aim, Part 2 Connection, Part 3 Interactivity. Our next question in making a social media plan is a big one: 4. Who will be in charge of this...