We build Christian websites for Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches

Website Setup: Your Email Options

This is in 3 parts: 1)The email address you choose, and; 2)How you receive your email, and 3)Website email function.

Your Email Address

You can choose virtually any email address you want, and you can even keep your existing email address. Typically, you might choose something like pastormike@yourchurchname.com, and you can have it be your ONLY email address or it can be an ALIAS address. Aliases are convenient because they hide your original email address by acting like your email address and forwarding everything to the original.

How you receive your email

You have 2 options, based on whether your church email is an alias. If your church email is an alias, you'll essentially point it to your original email address; that way, everything that's sent to your alias is re-directed to your original, and therefore you receive email the same way as you do now (if you have email).

Example: alias -> pastormike@yourchurchname.com re-directs to pastormike@yahoo.com

Another way to receive email is through an actual email account, or webmail. This email can be checked either from any location or from your church computer. It's an actual email account that you can name pretty much anything you want.

Website Email Function

How your website's visitors email you is your choice as well. The two types are a) email link and b) email form.

An email link is a clickable link that launches the visitor's email program and automatically inserts your mail-to address. A sample is Click here to use your regular email program. While it's convenient and fast, the downside is your email address can now be easily spammed. Spammers and spam engines literally scour websites to find real email addresses.

The alternative is a secure email form, pictured below. The form is processed by a hidden server-side script that holds the email address. This form works with ALL alias and webmail account email options — even your existing email address. Although it's a little inconvenient for your visitors who want to contact you, the plus side is spammers can't easily spam you and no one can send you an attachment containing a virus.