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10,000 Churches Create Their Own Social Network 2007-09-17 -- USA Religious News SAN JOSE, Calif. -- More than 10,000 churcheshave built free online communities to enhance theirweekly services on the social networking site,MyChurch.org. Pastors and parishioners meet onlineto write blogs, discuss sermons, share pictures, andstay connected throughout the week to extend churchbetween Sundays. When church leaders saw their younger congregantson social networking sites like Myspace, theyrecognized an opportunity to foster community online.MyChurch.org launched one year ago to servechurches seeking to engage their congregationthrough online social networking. Pastor Randy Hoekstra of Tabernacle of David Churchin Kentwood, Mi says "MyChurch has really changedmy church. God has used it to create a community,and frankly I am in awe. My people have been enjoyingit so much" Pastors record and post their sermons for discussion.Electronic bulletins replace paper bulletins. Andmembers post prayer requests and joinconversations through blogs and profile comments. "Conversations we've never had time for are comingtogether online. The profiles and pictures arerevealing things about us that might take years tocome out." says Pastor Dan Beasley. His CalvaryCommunity Church in Maryland has 100 members inits MyChurch.org community. Pastor Beasley goes on to say "We're seeing folksshow their true gifts. People we didn't know asteachers are emerging in the blogs, andencouragement and mercy are shown in thecomments." Social networking also empowers missionaries andtravelers to stay connected with their home church. "Ilove it that MyChurch makes it possible for ourmembers in Sri Lanka and Dubai to participate in thelife of our community" says Pastor Jim Somerville ofFirst Baptist Church in DC. Pastor Somerville uploads his sermons onto FirstBaptist's MyChurch page for members who missedhis Sunday preaching, or for congregants who want todiscuss it afterwards. 10,000 churches have recognized that socialnetworking enhances the conventional Sundaymorning gathering, empowering them to fostercommunity during the week. About MyChurch.org: As the social network for churches, MyChurch.orghosts free social networking communities for morethan 10,000 Christian churches. By exclusively servingChristian churches, MyChurch provides tools focusedfor a Christian audience such as sermon streaming,Bible blogging, and church event registration.MyChurch.org receives 4M pageviews and 300Kunique visitors per month, and is growing rapidly. Contact: Joe Suh, MyChurch.org, 408-204-3754
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