The Top 10 Technologies Every Church Needs!

Church tech is the name for anything related to a church and technology, and over recent years access to church technology resources has increased. This includes everything from digital projection systems, sound equipment, social media, cloud storage, website design and much more. Church tech can be overwhelming with all of the new options out there but it doesn’t need to be that way. The best church tech should help you achieve your mission – whatever that may be!

Technology has made incredible advances which means churches are getting access to more technologies than ever before. In theory, these technologies should be easy for churches to use – but that isn’t always the case.

As a church leader, you are probably overwhelmed with the responsibilities of running your ministry. That’s why it is important to find ways to make your life easier. Technology can help by taking some of the workload off your shoulders and putting it on a computer screen or an app.

It’s always good to start with the basics, so here are 10 technologies every church needs:

Computers

Computers are important for any organization that uses technology to communicate with their members and potential members. They’re the core of your church’s operations, whether you need them for emailing your congregation or scheduling volunteer shifts.

Church management software

If you don’t have a computer in every ministry area, there is likely one person who has been tasked with managing everything – which can be time-consuming if they are constantly switching between multiple programs to check on things like donations and

Live stream video

With the COVID pandemic still raging, live streaming video is important for reaching those who cannot attend church in person. If your church is open, there may still be people who aren’t confident about joining you or are having to isolate, and streaming is a good option.

Outside of streaming tech, there will also be people who cannot come to church and don’t have internet access – potential solutions include creating DVDs or audio CDs with the service on them.

Wireless microphones

There’s nothing worse than tripping over cables, and too many cables can become a distraction for the congregation. Wireless microphones allow the worship team to concentrate on singing, and the preacher to concentrate on speaking – especially if you choose a wireless headset for the main message.

Podcasts

Let your congregation catch up or listen again to the previous messages. It’s great to have a podcast as an educational tool, a reference system, and a way of drawing new people in.

Mobile apps

Creating a mobile app is a great way to collate the information around your church and present it easily. Upcoming services and events can be highlighted, easy access to podcasts and livestreams can be included, and updates from social media channels can be shown…speaking of which…

Social Media

Keep the channels of communication wide open with social media. Don’t just use it as a noticeboard, use it as a way of connecting with people and continuing conversations.

Projectors and screens

Make the step to upgrade from hymn books and paper handouts – get the words up on a screen for everyone to read. Linking into a computer system will allow you to show all kinds of information, videos, and graphics to enhance every service.

A Website

In similar fashion to a mobile app, a website will allow you to collate all the information related to your church in one place. If it’s carefully optimized for SEO, your church website can become a fantastic way of letting people know where you are, what you do, and what you stand for.

An online booking system

Another requirement for the COVID era, a booking system will help you to keep track of how many people will be coming to the building at one time. There may be a restriction placed on how many people you can legally let in due to how close they can be to each other – managing visitor numbers is simple this way.