Post by Mark on Dec 19, 2009 6:31:45 GMT -8
People stop in from time to time, look around and often comment on how “slow” this forum is. It’s true that are never fifteen different conversations going on at the same time. Often, several days will go by without a single post. Sometimes there will be two or three days when not a singly member logs on and most members will go several months between visits. As far as dynamic activity goes, this is a pretty slow place to be.
But other people don’t get to see the stuff that I get to see: that in a given month, we’ll see over 3000 distinct users coming in to check us out with an average “bounce rate” of less than 5% (that means 95% of the people who stop in, stay for at least long enough to see what is here). The average stay is between 7 and 10 minutes with 75% of the people returning at least a second time to read more. This website, in a given month, touches on average more than 40 countries, including China and Pakistan. In the United States we are visited from 45 States.
The complaint stems from a misunderstanding of what this place is- it’s certainly no social networking site, or even an on-line theological community. This is a shared resource for people to come in and learn, share and grow. It isn’t designed to, nor makes any attempt to, fill all of someone’s spiritual needs. It doesn’t replace the local assembly for fellowship, encouragement and learning.
AhavatElohim has grown to be a powerful tool in the Messianic community, doing what we do without trying to make ourselves out to be anything else, nor trying to fit into the molds or standards of what some people might be looking for. People come and go- as they move on to other resources, we are encouraged that we have filled a need and helped them this far on whatever spiritual journey they are taking.
It’s neither arrogance nor humility that makes us look the way that we do- it’s simply recognizing that we are filling a very important role in the body of Messiah; but certainly not the only one. We’ve been at this for a long time- possibly the oldest running Messianic discussion board and still doing the same thing after all these years.
But other people don’t get to see the stuff that I get to see: that in a given month, we’ll see over 3000 distinct users coming in to check us out with an average “bounce rate” of less than 5% (that means 95% of the people who stop in, stay for at least long enough to see what is here). The average stay is between 7 and 10 minutes with 75% of the people returning at least a second time to read more. This website, in a given month, touches on average more than 40 countries, including China and Pakistan. In the United States we are visited from 45 States.
The complaint stems from a misunderstanding of what this place is- it’s certainly no social networking site, or even an on-line theological community. This is a shared resource for people to come in and learn, share and grow. It isn’t designed to, nor makes any attempt to, fill all of someone’s spiritual needs. It doesn’t replace the local assembly for fellowship, encouragement and learning.
AhavatElohim has grown to be a powerful tool in the Messianic community, doing what we do without trying to make ourselves out to be anything else, nor trying to fit into the molds or standards of what some people might be looking for. People come and go- as they move on to other resources, we are encouraged that we have filled a need and helped them this far on whatever spiritual journey they are taking.
It’s neither arrogance nor humility that makes us look the way that we do- it’s simply recognizing that we are filling a very important role in the body of Messiah; but certainly not the only one. We’ve been at this for a long time- possibly the oldest running Messianic discussion board and still doing the same thing after all these years.
and one ordinance for you and for the alien who sojourns with you. [Numbers 15:16]
