Churches Divided on Website Usage Sponsored by Axletree Media, a partner in LifeWay’s Digital Church initiative

2 Methodology A stratified, random sample of Protestant churches were contacted. The sample was stratified by church membership with 200 completed interviews in each: < 100 members members members members members Interviews were conducted by telephone with the staff member most responsible for making decisions about the technology used in their church.

3 Methodology continued Respondents were not informed the research was being conducted on behalf of LifeWay Research. Surveys were conducted September 8-20, The sample of 1,003 completed surveys provides 95% confidence that the sampling error does not exceed ±3.2 %. Responses were weighted to reflect the natural size distribution of churches.

4 78% of churches maintain a website Does your church maintain a website?

5 Differences in website ownership by Size Does your church maintain a website? * Letters indicate column with statistically significant difference at 95% confidence interval.

6 Differences in website ownership by Location Does your church maintain a website? * Letters indicate column with statistically significant difference at 95% confidence interval.

7 Limited time, money and skills keep many churches from providing more content and services online Which if any of the following keep your church from providing more content and services online?

8 Far more churches seek to provide information through their website than to obtain indications of interest continued on next slide Which if any of the following do you consider part of your church’s goals for ministry through its website? Base = 815 churches that indicated they have a website (slide 4).

9 Less than half of churches with websites use them for prayer requests, registration, or automating processes Which if any of the following do you consider part of your church’s goals for ministry through its website? Base = 815 churches that indicated they have a website (slide 4).

10 Differences in goals for website ministry by Size Which if any of the following do you consider part of your church’s goals for ministry through its website? Base = 815 churches that indicated they have a website (slide 4). * Letters indicate column with statistically significant difference at 95% confidence interval.

11 Differences in goals for website ministry by Census Region Which if any of the following do you consider part of your church’s goals for ministry through its website? Base = 815 churches that indicated they have a website (slide 4). * Letters indicate column with statistically significant difference at 95% confidence interval.

12 42% of churches indicate their website is updated once a month or less How frequently are updates made to your church’s website? Base = 815 churches that indicated they have a website (slide 4).

13 Differences in updating of church website by Size How frequently are updates made to your church’s website? Base = 815 churches that indicated they have a website (slide 4). * Letters indicate column with statistically significant difference at 95% confidence interval.

14 82% of churches with a website indicate they currently use digital photos in their online ministry Which if any of the following technologies does your church currently use in its ministry online? Base = 815 churches that indicated they have a website (slide 4).

15 Differences in use of online technologies by Size Which if any of the following technologies does your church currently use in its ministry online? Base = 815 churches that indicated they have a website (slide 4). * Letters indicate column with statistically significant difference at 95% confidence interval.

16 Differences in use of online technologies by Location Which if any of the following technologies does your church currently use in its ministry online? Base = 815 churches that indicated they have a website (slide 4). * Letters indicate column with statistically significant difference at 95% confidence interval.

17 A year from today, which of the following technologies do you expect your church to use in its ministry online? A year from today, 76% of all churches expect to have website and 69% will be ing groups in their online ministry continued on next slide

18 A year from today 33% of churches expect to be using blogs in their online ministry A year from today, which of the following technologies do you expect your church to use in its ministry online?

19 Differences in expectation of future use of online technologies by Size A year from today, which of the following technologies do you expect your church to use in its ministry online? * Letters indicate column with statistically significant difference at 95% confidence interval.

20 Differences in expectation of future use of online technologies by Age of Pastor A year from today, which of the following technologies do you expect your church to use in its ministry online? * Letters indicate column with statistically significant difference at 95% confidence interval.

21 A quarter of churches indicate they proactively look for new technology while a quarter are slow to consider new technology Which of the following statements best describes your church’s attitude toward technology that may be helpful to your church?

22 Differences in attitude toward technology that may be helpful by Size Which of the following statements best describes your church’s attitude toward technology that may be helpful to your church? * Letters indicate column with statistically significant difference at 95% confidence interval.

23 Differences in attitude toward technology that may be helpful by Location Which of the following statements best describes your church’s attitude toward technology that may be helpful to your church? * Letters indicate column with statistically significant difference at 95% confidence interval.

24 Differences in attitude toward technology that may be helpful by Census Region Which of the following statements best describes your church’s attitude toward technology that may be helpful to your church? * Letters indicate column with statistically significant difference at 95% confidence interval.

Demographics of Participating Churches

26 Average Worship Attendance What is your church’s average worship attendance on a typical weekend (including all ages from babies to adults but not counting anyone twice)? Weighted (reflects Protestant Churches)

27 36% of churches indicate their church is located in a rural area Which of the following best represents where your church is located?

28 Differences in location of church by Size * Letters indicate column with statistically significant difference at 95% confidence interval. Which of the following best represents where your church is located?

29 Differences in location of church by Census Region * Letters indicate column with statistically significant difference at 95% confidence interval. Which of the following best represents where your church is located?

30 40% of churches indicate their senior pastor is between ages Approximately how old is your church’s senior or lead pastor?

Churches Divided on Website Usage Sponsored by Axletree Media, a partner in LifeWay’s Digital Church initiative