Christian Websites Grow at a Steady Pace

Insight on the News, Feb 26, 2001 by Larry Witham

Religion may not inspire moneymaking ventures on the Internet, but its presence on the Web is likely to keep growing even as other sectors of e-commerce falter and fail. The latest indication of its staying power is the $14 million infusion of venture capital into Christianity.com, which this year hopes to sign up 225 ministries and 2,500 churches for Websites and other Internet services.

"Most Christian Internet ventures have promoted a portal, which requires an expensive marketing campaign to drive customers to the site," says David Davenport, head of Christianity.com, which opened in August. "We are trying to be a quiet network that undergirds existing churches and ministries." As a network, Christianity.com seeks to become profitable by selling or bartering Internet tools, Website construction, fundraising programs and links with other groups.

"We are a utility for all Christians and, if successful, we could be the largest aggregate of churches and ministries," says Davenport, whose offices are in Hayward, Calif., near Silicon Valley.

The venture, which is in partnership with the Christian Broadcasting Network -- owner of the Christianity.com name -- is financed mainly by Sequoia Capital, which has backed Yahoo and others. The two other major religion Internet sites, both portals, are Belief.net, which covers all faiths and spirituality, and Crosswalk.com, mainly for evangelicals.

Galaxy, an Internet directory, put Christianity.com at the top of a "10-best" list for religion, along with Belief.net, Catholic. Online, IslamiCity, Torah.net and Hindu Universe. Last month, a Pew Internet and American Life Project survey reported that 21 percent of Web surfers, or roughly 20 million people, have looked for spiritual or religious information online.

What's more, eight in 10 churches surveyed had operated a Website with church information and activities for at least a year, and 91 percent reported that e-mail allowed greater communication among members. "Religion is mainly part of the social story of the Internet, not it's commercial story," says Lee Rainie, director of the Pew project. "The best thing going for sites such as Belief.net is its ability to bring together people with a flavor of community."

Belief.net cofounder Steven Waldman was chosen by Time magazine as one of the decade's leading "innovators" in religion. But while the magazine called his project "the Web's top commercial religion site," it added that "prayers may be needed before it reaches profitability." The site generates revenue by sale of religious items, travel services and Web-design services and will experiment with other offerings.