Good for the basics
This book does a good job of getting the reader some solid ideas on creating a web site for that person's church. It provides some solid advice on what works. This is a particularly good book if the church does not already have a web site and just wants to get on the web for the first time
On the downside, it doesn't really go beyond the basics. If you are looking to enhance the web site, it won't help you that much. There are some good tips for any web site, but it is still designed for web 1.0
Planning is Key
As with any project, planning is essential before typing the first keystroke. In the first four chapters, Mr. Fish takes you through an essential process of designing a church website, who the intended audience is, and what elements are useful to someone visiting the site. At the end of chapter 4, you should have a good design on paper including a well thought-out mission statement. This information alone is enough to justify the cost of the book.
The next section delves into actual HTML code with appropriate examples and exercises. Later on, Mr. Fish discusses dynamic content using ASP (nothing wrong with that) hooked up to a Access database. Although the examples use Microsoft technology, the concepts are the same for any scripting/database combination.
Finally, Mr. Fish gives advice for ongoing maintenance to the site, including training other people, handling special requests such as streaming audio, large photos, etc. This is where the "real" work begins.
It is clear Timothy Fish has thought about Church Website Design. In his book, he states that a reasonable website can be made for as little as $100 per year. With his recommendations, I believe this to be true.
A good reference to have around.
(2 reviews)
