The “Highway Church” Syndrome: Why Your Website is the New Front Door
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Don’t be invisible. Make your website the hub.
This post is for business owners who believe they’re doing great work, but somehow people still can’t seem to find them.
Last Sunday, a group of us were talking about how we found our church.
It sits right off a major highway. Thousands of cars pass it every day. But if you blink, you’ll miss it. The sign is small. The building is set way back. From the road, it mostly looks like a very committed parking lot.
One of the former pastors once said they don’t really “market” the church. They don’t want to commercialize it.
We lived in this town for three years many years ago and had no idea the church existed—not because it wasn’t good, not because it didn’t have a message—but because it was invisible.
We didn’t find it by driving past.
We found it the way everyone finds everything now:
We Googled it.
How People Actually Choose You (Even If They’ve Never Met You)
Donald Miller would say this is a classic Character Gap problem. You—the business, the church, the creamery—are supposed to be the guide. Instead, you’re hiding in the bushes whispering, “We don’t want to be salesy.”
Meanwhile, your customer is the hero, standing in front of a search bar thinking:
“I need a church.”
“I want locally made ice cream.”
“I need a contractor who won’t disappear mid-project.”
And if you don’t clearly show up, someone else will.
The Vetting Journey (a.k.a. the Background Check)
In 2026, people don’t “discover” a business and immediately show up. They investigate you quietly, from their couch, with a phone in one hand and skepticism in the other. This happens in three predictable phases.
1. Discovery: “Do you even exist?”
People search for needs, not brands.
- “Baptist church near me”
- “Local creamery”
- “Custom dairy supplier for restaurants”
If you don’t have a website, or your website hasn’t been touched since the Obama administration, you are functionally invisible.
- Yes, even if your building is on a highway.
- Yes, even if you’ve been in business for 30 years.
- Yes, even if “everyone knows you.”
Google does not care about your reputation at Rotary.
2. Investigation: “Are you legit?”
This is where things get interesting. With the church, we didn’t just see the name and show up. We:
- Watched sermons on YouTube
- Checked Facebook Live streams
- Read the beliefs page
Our friends did the exact same thing, independently.
Now imagine this as a creamery. Someone sees your Instagram post. Great. But then they want to know:
- Where does your milk come from?
- Do you sell wholesale?
- Are you actually still open?
- Why does your Facebook say one thing and your website says another?
This is where roles matter:
- Social media is the vibe check
It answers: Are you active? Are you real? Are you alive? - Your website is the truth check
It answers: Can I trust you? Do you know what you’re doing? Are you professional enough to handle my money?
No one is reading ingredient lists or statements of belief on Instagram captions. That’s website work.
3. Validation: “Prove it before I bother you.”
Before people email, call, visit, or hire, they look for proof.
- Sermons
- Case studies
- Menus
- Ingredient lists
- Certifications
- Reviews
They want to feel confident before they raise their hand. This isn’t because they’re lazy. It’s because they don’t want to waste time—yours or theirs.
Why Your Website Must Be the Hub (Not an Afterthought)
William Lidwell would say this is a systems problem, a system without a clear center eventually collapses. Social media is borrowed land. Algorithms change. Platforms fade. Accounts get hacked. Posts disappear into the void.
Your website is the only digital asset you actually own.
The Hub-and-Spoke Model
- Instagram, Facebook, YouTube = spokes
- Their job: send people somewhere more useful
- That place: your website
Information Density Matters
You cannot explain:
- Your sourcing process
- Your theology
- Your services
- Your differentiators
…in a 15-second Reel.
High-stakes decisions require depth, not vibes.
Executive Summary: The Cost of Being Invisible
| The Risk | The Reality |
|---|---|
| “We don’t want to be commercial” | You’re not humble—you’re hard to find |
| Social-only presence | You built your business on rented land |
| Outdated or thin website | People move on without telling you |
| No clear next step | Confusion kills conversions |
If people can’t easily investigate you, they won’t engage you.
Not because you’re bad. Because they’re busy.
Closing Thought
Look, I respect the whole “we don’t want to market” thing. I really do.
But if I’m driving 70 miles an hour down a highway—or scrolling at that same speed—you’ve got about half a second to let me know you exist.
I am not solving a mystery.
I am not decoding your Facebook page.
And I am absolutely not opening a PDF menu that won’t load on my phone.
If you want me to show up, help me out.
Give me a sign.
And make sure it leads somewhere useful.
Your Next Step
Take one honest look at your digital presence:
- Does your social media lead somewhere, or does it dead-end?
- Does your website answer real questions—or just exist?
- If someone vetted you tonight, would they feel confident… or confused?
Your website isn’t optional anymore.
It’s the front door—whether people ever drive past your building or not.
