The cost of communicating

Although it is possible to attain a Web site for free, it's not a move Rod Hampton, Web consultant for the Georgia Baptist Convention, recommends.

"These sites usually will load you down with ads and banners around your material," he says. "On top of that, you might not agree with some of the products being advertised and it can be tough to get technical support from the host when you need it."

The axiom holds true: You get what you pay for. Just as tech support personnel on a free Web page are not going to jump to help, churches willing to pay more for a site will get more attention when problems and questions arise.

"It's possible to spend up to $20,000 or $30,000 in building a site," says Hampton. It can also be as little as $99 to set it up. Monthly costs depend on the host, but you can usually depend on spending $25 a month for that."

In order for churches to have a Web page, they must first have a host. The amount spent on the host is determined by the amount of space needed for the site. The space needed is determined by the amount of people who will visit the site and whatever additional features the church may desire for the site, such as message boards and interactive software.

One way to picture it is seeing the Internet as a neighborhood. A smaller house (Web site) built for modest purposes (announcing church start times and location) and requiring room for only a few people (visitors to the site) will cost less than a larger house/site with many features needing room for many people/viewers.

Being a Web designer herself helps Pam Turner (www.pamturnerWebdesign.com) keep the costs for her church, Spring Place Baptist in Chatsworth, to a minimum.

"In searching, I was able to find a situation where for only about $15 a month we have a lot of Web space and features," she says.

Christian organizations help church budgets with providing low-cost alternatives in constructing Web sites. Central Baptist Church in Americus uses the company Gracenet (www.gracenet.com) for its presence on the Internet.

Two other companies Hampton suggests for churches to consider includes one supported by LifeWay (www.lifewaylink.com) and www.netministry.com.