In addition to BaptistLocator, which will be an improved version of the church locator currently running on Baptist.com, an entire suite of products and services are being considered.

Currently, product and professional service presentation is envisioned in the form of a BaptistShopper - an online store and service directory for retail vendor offerings. Discussion forums and live chat are also perceived as desirable, although they can be quite problematic unless continually moderated.

Unfortunately, the act of moderating communications creates its own problems. Yet simply limiting these services to registered users may not provide the level of protection desired for the community. This quandary demonstrates the challenges associated with providing a safe and useful community environment.

If you have ideas on how best to implement any of these services, or have different services that you’d like to see publicly available, please take a moment to register and share your thoughts.