With many churches following traditions that date back hundreds of years, it seems that there may not be a place for the use of technology in church ministry. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth – from individual advancement to preaching to simply organizing the church building, technology has a vital role to play.
Smartphone Technology in Church Ministry
Smartphones can be the bane of a preacher’s life. How often will you look out into the congregation and see someone using a smartphone? While it can be a major distraction with instant messaging, games, and other interruptions, a smartphone can actually be a useful piece of technology in church ministry.
The YouVersion app is a complete Bible on your phone – and not just any Bible, but most of the different versions you can imagine. From The Passion Translation to the NIV, the King James to the American Standard Version, the majority of translations are available at the touch of a button.
This allows different translations of the same text to be compared, or for the reader to feel comfortable with the version they are reading. Add in a great search facility, reading plans, and quite a few other features, and you’ll soon see the benefit of a digital Bible.
Other apps that aren’t quite so Bible-specific can still help. Note taking facilities that are built-in to smartphones, or apps like Google Keep and Evernote, will help to take, store, and review notes made during the preach.
Even the camera app can be useful for taking photos of notes, references, or other information that is shown during a service.
For the preacher, a phone can provide similar usage – access to Bible verses, notes, and photos – and can make running a service simpler.
Church Management with Technology
Many church management websites are available, and most will either work with a smartphone or have an app available. Planning Center Online (PCO) has multiple different components for scheduling services, worship team members, checking in and out, giving, attendance tracking, and so on.
The information syncs across the internet, which means you can access it from anywhere. This can make church management a breeze, as anyone who is authorised can see the latest information and make decision based on the most-up-to-date data.
Other platforms such as Church Metrics can help you to monitor progress with the ability to count attendance, salvations, and pretty much anything you can put a number to. It is a much simpler solution than trying to obtain and analyse the data manually.
Streaming Technology in Church Ministry
Streaming services has become more commonplace since a pandemic forced many churches to stop meeting in person. Even those churches that can meet together will find a benefit with streaming their services as more people can be reached.
Utilizing Facebook, YouTube, or Vimeo will give direct access to streaming facilities, while platforms such as Church Online allow greater flexibility and connection for members of the congregation.
Software that is used to provide on-screen information during regular services (such as the words to songs) can be integrated, meaning ProPresenter and Proclaim users can still be part of the service.
Using Technology in Church Ministry
There is often little cause to use technology for technology’s sake in church ministry, but the helping hand it can provide the modern church cannot be denied. Further uses include social media and websites to reach a wider audience than ever before, and online collaboration through Google Drive to enable team members to update or access documents such as service plans or preacher’s notes.
Audio technology and projection technology will help to modernize the service, and even those who might reject this kind of progress may find that being able to hear what is being said with proper amplification to be appealing.
The world doesn’t stand still, and there is no reason for the church to stand still. If you aren’t using technology in church ministry yet, isn’t it time you gave it a chance?