Why your website should include a statement of faith
Including a statement of faith on your website is an important element that many churches exclude. Those who choose to omit one do so for valid reasons, such as to not exclude anyone. Some statements of faith can be overwhelming to visitors and of course, the church might not want to create barriers to those exploring Christianity.
However, there are many reasons why a church should include one:
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A Christian looking for a new church will want to know what the church believes, in many cases, this may be the primary reason they visit your website.
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Whilst a lot of churches may cover this in a membership course for those looking to join the church, there are still a number of people who will attend church for a long period of time before considering becoming a member of that church, and while a mature Christian might be comfortable approaching the church for this, a new Christian may not know to enquire about this.
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Just as new Christians may not know to find out about the church’s beliefs, non-Christians attending a church service will not necessarily know this either.
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To instil a unity in vision; although every church and every Christian is united by a core vision, we do all express this differently, some are very traditional whilst others more pentecostal in their expression of faith. Every church has a different calling based on various elements, such as meeting local needs in comparison to churches who are called primarily to gather and send out disciples to the world. As a member in the church, it is important that the particular vision of that church is shared across all members so that the body functions well together.
If these resonate with you then you may wish to consider adding a statement of faith to your website, which brings us to the next question...
Where should the statement of faith be placed
As mentioned previously, some churches will choose to omit this so that it does not become off-putting to visitors by suggesting that this is some form of rights of admission.
To avoid this, it is best to create a separate page that lays out a simple and clear statement. Avoid theological jargon that will not be understood all levels, if you need to provide a more comprehensive statement then you can always make this available to download, or a link to open up another page, alongside a simpler version that everyone can understand.
If you would like more suggestions then our team are happy to help, you can contact us by emailing hello@churchedit.co.uk or by phoning us on 0121 651 1120.