Portland tech firm links churches to people on the Web

PORTLAND -- These days, churches are interacting with current members and reaching out to new audiences in ways that go far beyond school-gym carnivals or traditional Sunday services.

One way is SermonOnline, a new religious-oriented Web company based in Portland, that provides a service for churches and preachers by digitizing sermon recordings and making them available on the Web. This allows them to reach out to church members unable to attend services and also to find new audiences worldwide. The SermonOnline site features a searchable database of sermons and provides complete online audio services for churches, providing a high-tech option for spreading God's word.

"Every church is concerned about maintaining relationships with their members and keeping them involved in the community," says David Bilby, SermonOnline president and founder. "Audio is very immediate and real, and being able to listen to sermons by your own pastor right at home is a way for local churches to reach out to members that are homebound or otherwise unable to attend services in person. It also lets them stay connected with church members that are traveling or doing missionary work abroad, or even former church members who have moved. They can log on and continue hearing sermons by their former pastor."

Bilby views the mission of SermonOnline as extending beyond just a Web-based sermon archive. It provides a 24-hour resource for people seeking spiritual guidance, and acts as a central hub for connecting with other Christian communities. Visitors can use the site as a personal and religious resource any time they need guidance or support.

Sermon topics currently address everything from forgiveness to lifestyle topics like self-esteem and parenting, and new sermons are added every week. And by providing a means to "sample" services, the site gives churches a way to attract new members.

The company places every sermon in a searchable online database, letting visitors call up sermons by a specific church name, by denomination, or by topic. SermonOnline is hosted on media servers able to handle hundred of simultaneous listeners, so no one is left waiting.

Besides providing churches technical assistance in digitizing sermons and hosting the files, the company offers Web site creation, maintains Web links to area churches, and acts as a consultant for pastors looking to create an online presence or take advantage of Internet capabilities.

Future plans for the site include an online church donation function, and the ability to purchase tapes or CD's of sermons along with books related to the sermon that's just been heard.

Bilby believes the ability of the Internet to reach out worldwide and connect directly with people to keep them involved in their church is perfectly suited to the role religion should play in people's lives.

"In the end, I think it's just a new way to bring Christians together and help spread God's Word," said Bilby.

In this case, it is done electronically.

The SermonOnline Web site can be found at www.SermonOnline.net Phone number is 1-888-820-8061.