Disappointed with our Church....

[Stan]

I keep on seeing ads for other Churches, such as the Mormons, who are purchasing Google and other ads inviting people to learn more of their beliefs. These are attractive and compelling ads on places like myspace.com etc...

Our Church, and its various Ministries has some good websites, some I am sure were very expensive, but that is like building a huge shopping mall and not inviting people to come...

I have said this before, the "brethern" need to either lead, follow or get out of the way when it comes to the internet.

I would prefer they would lead... PLEASE

[Woody]

You have made some good points here Stan.

But when the Leaders don't lead ... then it is up to us to do the work. And I think that is what you have done with CA.

I find that as SDAs we do not see the need to advertize. At my church I used to buy ads in the paper to invite people to our church. I had to pay this out of my own pocket because when I asked the Board to support it ... they refused. It was ALL I could do to get them to even allow ME personally to pay for the ads.

What does this say about the progressiveness of our church? I am not sure. I could never figure out the reason for their opposition.

The internet is a great tool. It is the wave of the present and the future. So ... lets get on board and use it for God.;

[Stan]

This forum is more for a community of adventist members then it is for outreach.

I do agree with you about advertising, we fear that, and it is not understood. It has been said by those who know, that 95% of all ads are wasted, the problem is you never know which 95%...

Some time ago, I started a site Is There Sex After Death, www.istheresexafterdeath.com and post a dozen or so posts in the various news groups, did them there because they are free. They are not sites or places that I visit.

Within hours something like 4,000 people came to visit.... my problems is I do not have the resources, time and money, to do the follow up. Think what would happen if that was done everyday to all 100,000 newsgroups?

OR if www.sabbathforums.com was promoted? OR sites that are to reach out to an unreached group that we tend to boycott, the wealthy....?????

For this reason, we are forming a non-profit organization, a 501-c3 to be able to provide charitable receipts for those who want to support online and print evangelism.

[Dottie]

The large SDA church near here does advertising on the radio on Sunday mornings. The pastor says his bit, then invites the public to his church telling day and time.

Another church hear here, which is pastored by a former SDA pastor, has a very large billboard on the highway, with just a few words and an arrow pointing down the street to his church. It made me so interested, I looked up the location of the church, and also their website, which is sure a lot better than our church's (we don't really have one.)

If nothing else advertising increases interest, and repetition will cause one to rethink visiting the church.