Immediacy and This Ugly World

What would we do without the internet, without Facebook and Twitter, and the access to the near real-time atrocities happening around the world?

As I have seen several videos posted/reposted the last few days that are apparently videos of the implementation of Sharia law in some of those Islamic countries (or those being taken over by Islamic/Sharia rule). Women "arrested" on the spot, "tried" on the spot by heavily armed/scarf-over-face cowards, and executed right on the public street, sometimes supposedly for little more than not having her face covered (I cannot translate Arabic, so cannot verify), or for being seen in public without her husband... or for simply TALKING in public...

Which mirrors the all-too-common public executions that the Taliban were notorious for in Afghanistan (and elsewhere) when a woman is raped by a gang of thugs, but she is the one "tried" and executed for "adultery"...

Or even cases her in the US, where the Muslim husband beats and/or murders his wife out of "honor"...

But how much different is that from our own policies, laws, and court decisions that make it perfectly legal to dismember an unborn child in his mother's womb, all based on the "inconvenience" or "my body" defense? And the efforts to fight it, but seeming to always have the "exception", making it just fine and "different" to execute a baby because his father committed rape.

The face of Satan has likely never been clearer, or more easily broadcast than today.  And it serves not Satan's plans in my life, but God's - as it makes me long ever so much more for Christ's inevitable return.  Come Sweet Jesus!

But until that glorious day of His appearing comes - let us run the race, let us fight the good fight, let us tell others about the saving power of Jesus.

Church Web Site? How Can We Be Found?

OK.

Without a doubt, a web site can be a valuable tool for a local church, particularly a young church that hasn't had a great deal of exposure and publicity.  Add to a web site, the use of social media (Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc.) can really help get a church "out there" to be found by those looking.  Indeed, I have a friend, Brandon Cox who is leading a church plan in North West Arkansas, that had its beginning through social networking!  When that church plant (Grace Hills Church) launched, they already had a core commitment and a large number interested - and they have grown consistently since!

So about 8 months ago, I was able to get a web site up for the church I pastor here in Clinton, Arkansas: Clinton Missionary Baptist Church.  Within a few weeks, a search in a major search engine for "Baptist Church Clinton Arkansas" would show ClintonMBC.com as a first-page result!  I was happy.  I though I had figured out how to get a web site notice!

Fast-forward to today.  As I was making a few adjustments, out of curiosity, I used a few different search engines to search by those same terms.  Clinton Missionary Baptist Church only shows up via the Facebook page - and even then, well down the list!  Apparently, as the page has expanded with content, the page has actually fallen down the results list.  Even searching for "Missionary Baptist Church Clinton Arkansas" results in a somewhat disappointing return.

So - the question becomes - other than paying for advertising, how what else can I do to get search results that are more productive?  I know that being linked to from other web sites can help.  What else might help out?  Inquiring minds want to know!