How would you sum up Australia in 10 words or less? Twitter had a good go at it this morning - here are some of the best.

Mabristow Australia: Everything is trying to kill you, even some of the sheep. Take the challenge!

paulkidd Come visit Australia. Just don’t come by boat.

nyxpru Australia. For a killer meet and greet at the airport

@paulkidd: Australia: Like New Zealand, but with fewer hobbits.

Warlach Australia: we’ll put pot in Boogie Board bags until there are no slappers to bother you…

edwardharran Australia: Come Down Under, cause we have only existed for 200 yrs, right?

nyxpru Get lost in Australia…literally.

ingvoldSTAR Australia. Even Schapelle Corby wants to come home!

@Warlach We gave you Hugh Jackman, you kind of owe us

@Warlach The world’s largest collection of poisonous things

@Karalee_ Australia: Now with 30% Less Winter

Warlach All our animals are lethal, it’s hot and it rarely rains. Why not visit and cheer us up?

Afficionados_HH Australia: Your mumma likes it.

ingvoldSTAR Relax, the dingo won’t steal your baby.

Afficionados_HH Australia: Where Backpackers go to unpack.

And my favourite:

lordfolland Australia- the only place in the world who still use girt.

So back then I tried to explain to this client the benefits of using digital marketing techniques to “spread the gospel”. After all, it’s all the same thing - Christians want to spread the word and convert people to Christianity, in the same way that advertisers want to convert consumers to trying and buying their product. Same same in my book, you think?

Pastors should blog. After all, they have so much to blog about and an instant audience. Use the content to create a podcast that can be downloaded and listented to on the way to work.

Then of course there’s Facebook. If your church doesn’t have a page, and be “friends” with every one of its members, then you’re a bit behind the eight ball. If you really want to get funky, grab a Twitter account as well - you’d be surprised at the conversations that arise from immersing yourself in Twitter for a while.

What’s big in churches? Sermons. Songs. Guest speakers. So video it. Stick it up on You Tube and then put it on your site, your blog, Facebook page. Link to it on your Twitter account. Put photos of the same event on a Flickr account and repeat the same process.

So needless to say, my client is a little digi-shy and I couldn’t convince him of the merits of digital marketing. But not all churches feel the same. Some are actually doing it well.

One of these, surprise surprise is Hillsong with Brian and Bobbie both blogging, and having Twitter accounts and dare I say some kind of Facebook presence.

Shire Live is also up with the times, with a blog, social media widgets and some pretty heavy use of You Tube (whether that’s just for hosting video who knows).

And I guess then it’s no surprise that Christian City Church are also stepping up to the plate and turning on the podcasts, using media and music to the max and allows for online giving (or tithes) and an online store. No blog to speak of, but their site screams new media.

All this to “make Christ accessible”. And it does just that.