Church consultant Tom Bandy says that as tools for reaching potential worshipers, church Web sites are growing in number and getting more sophisticated. One sign: 5 years ago, churches made up only 5% of clientele for StreamGuys, an Arcadia, CA-based provider of streaming audio and video services. Today, churches represent more than 20% of the company’s business. 82% of churches with more than 200 worship attendees have websites, vs. 29% of those with fewer than 100, found a 2006 Ellison Research survey. Efforts to leverage the Web for recruitment are paying off for congregations, says Hartford Seminary’s Scott Thumma, who says church shoppers increasingly make the process a largely online experience. “I hear from people in churches that they’re constantly running into folks who say,”I saw your website. Now I’m here.’”
USA Today 10/16/07