The Baptist first to partner with LifeWay online

Buying your church’s LifeWay materials just got easier. Scroll to the bottom of The Alabama Baptist’s home page, and you can’t miss the reason why.
   
By adding a new clickable link to the site, The Alabama Baptist Online recently kicked off a first-of-its-kind partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources that will allow Alabama Baptists to buy their books while browsing their state paper online.
   
The Alabama Baptist is the first state Baptist paper to launch the idea, according to Ray Sadler, Internet store manager for LifeWay.
   
It’s a new concept for the Southern Baptist storefront, he explained, adding that there’s excitement on LifeWay’s end about the possibilities. “The program is still in sort of a testing phase, so I think working with The Alabama Baptist will provide a good test for us. 
   
“We’re very interested in seeing how [visitors to The Alabama Baptist Online] will respond and how this could help move the program on to the next phase for us.”
   
Bob Terry, editor of The Alabama Baptist, said the program could also help the newspaper move to the next phase of service as a tool for churches in the state.
   
“We are excited about partnering with LifeWay Christian Resources in this way. Having easy access to LifeWay’s online store through our Web site will put the resources state Baptists need in front of our churches in a way that is handy,” he said. 
   
Using The Alabama Baptist Online as a front door for purchasing LifeWay materials will also kick a percentage of the earnings back to help support the state paper’s ministry.
   
“I believe this will be a service to both agencies,” said Mike McLemore, pastor of Lakeside Baptist Church, Birmingham, in Birmingham Baptist Association and chairman of the board of trustees for The Alabama Baptist  “I am personally glad this is available because it will help me as a pastor. It will also provide a simpler process for pastors who are using The Alabama Baptist’s site for news to immediately link to LifeWay when they need resources.” (TAB)