NAD Adventist Church Connect (ACC) Website Hosting

Free websites for local Adventist churches in the NAD

The North American Division (NAD) has made it possible for every Seventh-day Adventist church located in the Division's territory to have a free website hosted on an easy-to-use Content Management System (CMS). The NAD territory includes the United States, Canada, Bermuda, and the Northern Marianas Islands & Guam territories in the Pacific Ocean, The free website service for local churches is known as "Adventist Church Connect" (ACC), and its the companion service to the free websites for schools known as "Adventist Schools Connect" (ASC). The website technology and support service for ACC and ASC is identical. The technology used for these free websites is the tried-and-tested "SimpleUpdates" proprietry Content Management System (CMS) developed by SimpleUpdates.com, a private web services business based in Berrien Springs, Michigan. The ACC & ASC service is administered by AdventSource, a church-owned ministry resource organization based in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Web Media Ministry at AdventSource provides free technical support and training for the ACC & ASC websites.

The Basic Adventist Church Connect (ACC) Website

The basic default website that has been established under the ACC program contains basic information about your church that has been automatically downloaded from the eAdventist electronic database maintained at the NAD Headquarters. This basic information includes the church's address, phone number, service times, and the name of the pastor. The default website home page also contains generic feature content panels that are kept fresh and up-to-date by means of automatic RSS feeds provided by resource agencies under contract with the NAD.

The ACC Vision:  "Simple Updates" to Your Website

The ACC website Content Management System (CMS) has been designed so that it is a fairly simple matter for local churches to update and develop their default website into a much better site for more effective interaction with church members and the local community. A webmaster need no longer be a "techie" who collects information from church ministry leaders, and then works through archaic interfaces and code to put it online. The job of content input can even go directly to ministry leaders and office staff of the local church who can function as webmasters or assistant webmasters. The true job of the lead webmaster is to view the website as a whole, and strategize the online outreach efforts, and to assure that all the departments of the church are providing their content and keeping it up-to-date. It is an elevation of the webmaster from the grunt work person, to the visionary planner of a web outreach ministry.

Developing Your Default Website

The overall "look and feel" design of the default website can be easily changed to something that better reflects the preference or personality of your local church. You can choose from more than 20 high-quality web designs known as "themes". Multiple individuals from the same church can function as associate or assistant webmasters to create content (both stories and photos) with a "point and click" entry. Several modules are available to add to your website, so your church can personalize the site to best meet a variety of ministry needs. These include an online calendar, a pastor's message board, church newsletters via email, online church directory, podcasting, streaming audio and video, and other exciting features. When local churches develop their ASC website into a larger site, they do not loose the ability to update things themselves in-house, simply and quickly. And they are still able receive up-to-the-minute automated feed content from the North American Division.

Custom Enhancements

The webmaster can work with consultants and designers from SimpleUpdates.com to create a more sophisticated website with the exact the look, feel and functionality desired by the local church. 

Training & Technical Support

Training and technical support are provided at no cost by the "Web Media Ministry" at AdventSource via email or the toll free phone number 877-518-0819. They are in the office from 8 am-6 pm central time Monday-Thursday, and 8 am-3 pm on Fridays.

Further details are available at: Adventist Church Connect.

Author:  Will Baron