One of the premier researchers on online religious community, Heidi Campbell, uses the term critical friends to describe the role of religious leaders who affirm the opportunities provided by the Internet, while also being cautious and careful about the possible negative repercussions. I found that this "critical friend" role is often absent in congregations. Many web producers work quite independently because of lack of interest or knowledge on the part of congregational leaders. Critical friends among the congregation's leaders would bring an additional set of eyes and an understanding of the congregation's priorities, enabling websites to represent congregations more accurately.

In addition, critical friends are urgently needed in congregations to minimize the growing tendency toward a consumerist model of faith and congregational life. Congregations are not commodities to be picked up and then discarded with every passing whim. Congregations demand commitment that is sometimes challenging and sometimes painful but also yields deep and meaningful fruit over time. Because websites use visual communication in similar ways to the advertising industry, congregational leaders need to think carefully about the ways their websites tap into consumerist practices.

Website producers risk a wholesale embrace of secular marketing strategies to promote their congregation and to describe its uniqueness. Critical friends, with an awareness of the risks inherent in the consumer model and perhaps with theological training, need to be in dialogue with website producers as choices are made regarding website content.

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This resource was written by Lynne M. Baab, author of the book "Reaching Out in a Networked World: Expressing Your Congregation's Heart and Soul"  (The Alban Institute).