> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.reyes-chow.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Church Websites and the Lies We Tell - URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/hot-take-tuesday-church-websites/ - Published: 2024-04-23T23:30:54.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-12T01:23:20.000Z - Description: The importance of telling the truth to those searching for a church - Author: Bruce Reyes-Chow - Tags: social media, church, hot + take + tuesday, technology **UPDATED:** This has been updated since being part of [#HotTakeTuesday](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/hot-take-tuesday/) One perk of my gigging life is that, over the years, I have had the honor of stepping into many a pulpit and getting to know many congregations. I have always found them lovely, filled with faithful folks trying to figure out who God hopes they will be in the future. Too often, that yearning creeps into the “we must attract young people” part of the brain, and we try to predict what will attract people, as if who we are right now isn't worthy of people's consideration. No, not every church should or will grow, no matter what it does ([more on that later](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/how-to-grow-a-church/)), but I think many churches have given up and don't give themselves a chance to find out. This shows up often when I look at church websites. Most church websites are either aspirational, presenting an image of what we hope to become, or are filled with images of what they assume people want to see them at their best. Images are often of Easters, special events, or when whatever diversity they might have is fully on display. I have always felt that this was the wrong way to go because, week to week, that is not who most churches are. Sure, be aspirational and put your fancy face on when appropriate, but not on your website. Since most people will visit your website as they consider if they would attend this Sunday, not telling the truth about what they are most likely to experience is basically lying. When they arrive, only to discover that your pants are on fire, you have lost them. Conversely, if they check out your website, you have told the truth about what they will most likely experience, and they choose to attend; the first thing they experience is, “They told us the truth about who they are.” **Here is some sample language that would be a refreshing sight:** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/6066062d-7fed-4da3-ab4e-cae64e82bac8_1920x350.png) #### Welcome First things first: worship begins at 11:00-ish, you can park in our parking lot, feel free to dress casually, and your children are welcome to stay in worship or hang out with our childcare provider. Okay, now let us briefly and honestly tell you what you will experience here at First Church of No Lies on most Sundays. There are usually about 50 of us in attendance. We have a few young families and adults who attend occasionally, but most of us are in our 60s and 70s. We are about 90% white. Like many churches, we used to be bigger, and sure, we may miss much of what we used to be and do in the past, but what is most exciting is that we are doing our best to figure out what God hopes for us to do and be in the future. While we do not always get words right, we are a church that is unapologetically open and affirming of LGBTQIA+ people, has many women in leadership, and is working towards being an antiracist community. Our worship is pretty traditional, but hopefully not stuffy. We are not great singers, but we love to sing. We use a hymnal and play both our piano and organ. We say some prayers together; we carry one another's burdens and joys; we listen to scripture; our preacher brings a good balance between the head and heart; we are challenged to go out and do good in the world; and we share in communion every Sunday. Every Sunday we join together to eat lunch and ou are invited! At the end of the day, we are not chasing perfection or high production value in our service, but we do strive to create a space where you will experience belonging. If you do choose to visit, we will do our best not to overwhelm you, but if we do, please know that it is because we are genuinely glad that you joined us. Thank you for your consideration, and we hope to see you soon! --- Go back to your website and do the best you can to put on the "I'm looking for a spiritual home" glasses and evaluate the messages sent to those who are searching. In addition to addressing the important Church Shopping visitor questions . . . - What time does worship start and end? - Where is the entrance located? - Parking or Public Transporation options? - What is the style vibe? - What about the kiddos? . . . look it over and make sure it communicates the genuine truth about you are as a congregation in the here and now. When someone arrives after checking out your digital footprint, we hope their reaction is something like, "It is just as expected." And if people stick around because of it, you know that space is being built on a foundation of truth and trust. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/BRC-Signature-Bruce-2026.png)