Church Technology

  Although there are church congregations that have remained smaller, big churches are becoming more and more common. These facilities, sometimes called “mega-churches,” may have multiple services per day for upwards of a thousand people during each time slot. Because of this, church security has become a bigger concern, especially when it comes to children’s

  By Russell St. Bernard How we worship has been fundamentally transformed. Hybrid worship, meaning online and in person, now provides congregants with greater access to and choices of places of worship. For pastors and faith leaders, one of the key takeaways is this: Hybrid worship is here to stay. Hybrid ministry existed before 2020,

  Faith and technology may seem worlds apart, but in the rapidly evolving digital landscape, they’re coming together in powerful ways. The church, a timeless institution, is now leveraging modern technology to foster divine connections and strengthen its outreach. The tool leading this revolution? Custom mobile apps for churches. In this comprehensive exploration, we delve

  In today’s digital era, the security of a church directory extends beyond its physical pages. A directory is a repository of trust, containing not just names but the essence of a community. Vigilance against cyber threats is not just a recommendation; it’s a stewardship of that trust. Recognizing the Risks Awareness is the first

  People feel genuinely cared for when you remember the details in their lives. As leaders, we have the incredible opportunity to care for our people during life’s high moments, low moments and everything in between. If you have been in ministry for any amount of time, you know it becomes challenging remembering those details

  Summer keeps your congregation busy – vacations, reunions, youth sports, and other activities can have church members on the road and away from your services. We’ve heard plenty of church leaders asking an important question: what are the best ways to re-engage our members once life goes “back to normal” after the busy summer

  By Josh Breland Churches large and small are constantly doing projects. Project management software can help. But, first, what is a project? According to the Project Management Institute, it’s a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service or result. A project is temporary in that it has a defined beginning and end

  Clear and effective communication is crucial for the seamless operation of your church. A church congregation can work as a great team only if they plan their responsibilities and event timings. But what strategies and tools help seamless collaboration and communication in the church? Read on to discover more about what communication strategies and

  Houses of worship are ushering in a new era with the adoption of interactive technologies. The pandemic drove churches to prioritize their video capabilities, but continued investment in technology has become a consistent priority for many. Before the pandemic, many houses of worship did not consider the benefits of interactive technologies, such as live

  You may be one of many who wanted to go on a traditional mission trip but felt hindered because of travel, time, or lack of financial resources. Now, with half the world’s population online, another branch of mission “trips” has been born: Digital Mission Projects. Use this guide to help your own launch a

  By Dani Henion Love them or hate them, cell phones are a common sight in church services today. Some people are using their phone to take notes or look up Scripture. Others are looking up nearby restaurants for lunch. Either way, church members are more technologically connected now than ever. Why, then, is it

  Need tips for building a photo directory for a larger church? Then you’ve come to the right place! A large church is an ideal candidate for a membership directory filled with photos of church members, their contact information, and other helpful details about the congregation and its day-to-day work. By creating an online directory

  By Jason Alexis While we were in lockdown and isolation, many ministries onboarded texting software for churches to help them stay in touch with their people. Now that the restrictions are more or less lifted and life is settling into the new normal, people are back in church. Why continue to text and keep

  By Jason Caston The digital age has brought about a revolution in communication. Never before have we been able to communicate so easily with people all over the world. The advancement of the web, email, social media, and mobile has played an enormous role in giving instant access to millions of people. What will

  You have likely seen and read articles about how online giving helps increase. It provides methods that more and more people are accustomed to—or getting accustomed to using. Since the pandemic began, churches offering online services and limited in-person attendance have been seeking solutions to keep the church doors open. Providing donors more options

  Churches of all denominations are firmly rooted in rich historical traditions and timeless truths. However, these houses of worship still find it necessary to keep up with technology to better serve their congregations and communities while enhancing security. Since many religious buildings can be more than 100 years old, great care must be given

  By Louie Cordovado The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdowns forced most churches to look for new ways of having services and maintaining donations. They turned to online meetings and electronic giving (eGiving). This article will give you an overview of the benefits of online giving and how to get it set up in your

  By Shannon Greene The ultimate goal of the church is discipleship, to guide people into modeling their lives and behaviors after Christ. After all, Jesus commanded his followers to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), not to simply get people in the doors of a church building. Discipleship in the church

  By Belinda King Most people are familiar with hybrids: cars, for example. Hybrid cars run on two different kinds of fuel — electricity and gasoline. But as we slowly rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, another kind of hybrid emerged: hybrid worship. Many congregations that scrambled to improve their digital presence during COVID have been

  While talking with churches over the years, they have described three main mistakes they have made with their Church Management Software. For some, these mistakes have led to a great deal of frustration, multiple software changes, and the waste of a lot of time and money. These issues may be very familiar to you,

  Corporate worship has been an essential function of a church gathering since the first century. In the Epistle to the Colossians, the apostle Paul encourages believers to gather together by “singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” For many churches, the worship portion of a weekly service

  It’s a challenge to create engaging church social media week after week. Many churches using social media worry how to keep their posts fresh and interesting. If this sounds like you, don’t worry—you’re not alone! For a little inspiration, check out these new ideas for engaging church posts. Adding just a few of these

  In 2020, churches everywhere entered into an unprecedented time of global shutdowns, mandates, and closed church doors. Although the past 18 months have been far from easy, beauty was found in the midst of it all. We’ve seen an echo of Genesis 50:20: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant

  Everyone knows the importance of keeping a church directory and roster up to date. But the big question that remains is: How often should you update a directory? The answer is…well, it depends! Here are a few key tips to ensure that your church’s directory remains current. Schedule at least a yearly update to

  Do you see glazed-over eyes and drooping heads when you look into the congregation during your church’s worship services? Corporate worship is one of the most important markers of what a church is, yet it can be easy to get into a groove . . . that turns into a rut. However, there are

  By Carrie Kaumans As restrictions are lifted, houses of worship, once shuttered because of COVID-19 transmission fears, are reopening. Numbers suggest that people are returning to in-person worship. That’s good news! So is this truth: Churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship have unique opportunities to reconnect with congregants and visitors and make

  By Jennifer Grisham None of us can really predict what the next phase of the pandemic will look like, but it’s a pretty safe bet that this fall and winter will look differently than planned. While it seems like a repeat of last year’s lockdown is unlikely, churches will need to plan fall and

  By Chris Martin The mission of the local church has not changed throughout history, but the way the church is led has certainly changed throughout history. Different geographical, historical, and cultural contexts all contribute to the various ways pastors and church leaders may direct the daily work of the local church. Though Christian churches

  As we’ve learned throughout the long pandemic, special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries are important to celebrate—no matter the method. Even when physical distancing protocols mean extra creativity is required, friends and family enjoy wishing one another well at life’s important milestones. That’s one reason drive-by birthday parades and virtual parties have lifted

  By April 2020, Brown Memorial Baptist Church had already lost several parishioners to COVID-19 and decided to move all of its activities online. It would be nearly seven months before anyone other than staff members would enter the church, which often hosted 450 to 600 worshippers on a Sunday. That included one of the

  It has been over one full year since the beginning of March 2020, when normal, as we knew it, changed. A full year has come and gone since church leaders had to make some of the hardest decisions they’ve ever had to make and scramble to find new ways to worship and embrace this

  By Matt Olphin We have exited a year that has become synonymous with change, and while its end came with a brief sigh of relief, the events of 2020 will continue to challenge and change how many worship centers operate for the foreseeable future. Faith communities have been creative in their determination to worship

  By Don Wambolt In February 2020, none of us had a clear indication of what was about to happen. We heard grumblings of “coronavirus” and “pandemic.” Some would be wearing masks in a store, and we wondered whether they had the virus themselves or were trying to protect themselves from it. Within a couple

  By James Segil When we look back on 2020, we will remember it as a year characterized by two things: public health, and social & political unrest. The coronavirus pandemic not only forced us to retreat to our homes and close down our places of work and worship, but it also put public spaces

  By Eric Doss The pandemic has been a time of loss, of change, and of opportunity. For faith communities, it has shown that you do not have to be in the sanctuary or even the same physical space to worship together. As many can return to the sanctuary in the coming months, we must

  By Aaron Senneff The global pandemic has had an incredible impact across nearly every industry, and the faith sector is no exception. Nearly overnight, churches had to close their doors as a precautionary measure to keep congregants safe, leading to residual impacts on in-person giving at Sunday service that churches often rely on. In

  By Boyd Pelley In 2 Corinthians 11:28, Paul writes, “Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.” In 2020, pastors faced these same daily pressures in new ways. They felt the uncertainty of cancelling services for the first time in their church’s history. They heard the conflicting

  Some may say that the unprecedented events of 2020 and the rapid shifts to our routines as a result is evidence that planning is futile. However, the many church and ministry leaders around the world who found that they were unprepared to shift to virtual church and socially distanced outreach know that the opposite

  By Donna Hammond A church body is more than just a single organization. The church body is often made up of smaller organizations that vary in their functions. They help the church meet its obligations not only to its members but also to the community. It takes more than just office staff to run

  By Monica Guelman With the onset of the Coronavirus outbreak in early March that forced many churches to cancel in-person Sunday services, church meeting,  and youth camps, and moved many of these gatherings virtually, houses of worship have been struggling to balance safety with the needs of the congregation they serve. Although churches and

  By Bob Pritchett Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, churches across the country have struggled to feel like they’re “getting it right.” Remain online for too long, and some congregants are critical of the leadership’s respect for biblical fellowship. But resume in-person church gathering too soon, and just as many if not more attendees are disgruntled

  By Valerie Russell Every church is unique in how and when they’ll reopen. States are moving at a pace set by their governors, and it differs from state to state. Even within states, you’ll find cities and counties have their own set of reopening guidelines. And, your congregation probably disagrees about whether it’s too soon

  Today’s environment is different than many of you ever envisioned, where safety has become an overwhelming consideration both personal and property wise. Hardly an hour goes by without a news story about vandals, riots, destruction of property and injuries to innocent bystanders. Lawlessness seems to go unpunished and, in many cases, is ignored or

  As a provider of reservation software services, we have seen the pandemic’s varied effects across a spectrum of geographic locations and industries. Even from the beginning weeks in March, clear communication as well as hygiene and safety protocols have been key components in any business or organization re-opening plan. For many churches, the many

  By Craig Chadwell In the new world of social distancing since COVID-19, we’re being forced to rethink the norm. Modern technologies and scientific knowledge are blending with the comfort of tried-and-true methods of thinking and of communication. “We’ve always done it this way” are words we often hear in the church, whether it’s in

  By Heather Wilkerson When maintaining a church, it is important to be organized. A Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) can be a very useful tool to help with this. Many think that this type of computer software is strictly for manufacturing plants, but that could not be further from the truth. Here are just

  By Donna Hammond Now more than ever, having accurate and handy contact information for your church members is imperative. We’ve seen how online and electronic communication options have made it possible to keep in touch with one another when we may not be meeting in person. From schedule changes to prayer requests, getting the

  By Bob Pritchett As the economic fallout caused by COVID-19 continues to spread across the country, churches, along with all businesses, are being noticeably affected. Aside from the fact that some church members are furloughed from work and have less financial facilities with which to give, many individuals who prefer to give in-person or

  By Renn Salo Along with other organizations across the country, churches have been flipped upside down in recent weeks. Aside from the most evident need to make church virtual and keep members connected, church leaders find themselves facing unprecedented hurdles to which they are learning to respond. These challenges are affecting various churches in

  By Kent Woodyard Digital giving doesn’t have to be complicated, convoluted, or otherwise intimidating. Sure, it requires a bit of research to find the right solution and a bit of legwork to implement, but – really – a successful giving solution comes down to getting a few basic things right. Any giving provider worth

  Faithlife Corporation, which was founded in 1992 as Logos Bible Software and today offers a full suite of church management solutions, is helping leaders ensure COVID-19 social distancing doesn’t disrupt their efforts to be the church by offering a number of free and low-cost tools to help them take their church online during this

  When it comes to Vacation Bible School, there’s usually both excitement and anxiety when you think about all that has to be done. As one of the largest outreach events at your church, planning for VBS can be overwhelming. However, utilizing a church management system for Vacation Bible School can help to make your

  Most churches get the answer to this question wrong for two key reasons: First, they forget that the vast majority of these kinds of apps fail (are not used, or don’t solve the intended problem). Here are some quick stats: * 23% of people who download an app use it once and never go

  By David May If you’re not familiar with church presentation software, you probably wonder if there’s a better way to display lyric slides, scripture text, and other media for your services. Maybe you’ve not even thought about software for the purpose of church projection being available. Well, it is available and has been for

  By Aaron Buer I don’t remember much about the first church I attended. It was the early 80s and I was just a kid. I couldn’t tell you much about the people or the sermons that were preached. Actually, the main thing I remember is an old wooden sign hanging up that showed attendance

“We’re a mission-minded and evangelistic church wanting to spread the word of God,” says Woody Davis, an elder of Adairsville Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) Church in Adairsville, Georgia, a city of under 5,000 residents, about 60 miles northwest of Atlanta. Spreading God’s word, Davis adds, depends on effectively spreading news to the church’s 100 members about

Every church should be using a church management software that works with their type of church philosophy. Church management software is a computer software (that works both online and offline) designed to help manage, automate and organize church daily operations. But it can actually do more than that. This type of church software assists churches

By Ryan Nelson Many churches count on a strong fourth quarter to compensate for decreased giving throughout the year. That’s not a bad thing. But what if the stakes were lower, because giving was higher—and more consistent—all year? (It would definitely make it easier to create a church budget!) Sure, some variation in giving is

We know that church communication can feel daunting at times. Helping to tackle that beast of a topic is what inspires us every day. Out of the hope to free up time and streamline processes for church leaders, we created the Top 15 Ways Thriving Churches Communicate with their people. You’ll find that these are

  This article originally appeared in the November 2013 issue. By George Sexton George Sexton is the president of MH Software, Inc. a web calendar software company, www.mhsoftware.com. To help you select the best calendar for your needs, the company has created a complete feature checklist in spreadsheet format that you can download. You can

A report from Informate Mobile Intelligence revealed that Americans are spending an average of 4.7 hours a day on their smartphones. Consumers spend most of that time on their smartphones using apps. It’s a fact that your church’s members are using smartphones. They are using mobile devices for daily activities such as keeping a calendar,

By Chaeli Ackerman Church Management Software (ChMS) companies provide a lot of really great resources for churches, from managing volunteers and child check-ins to contribution reporting and tracking small groups. We rally behind any technology that furthers the Kingdom and makes life easier for administrators. Most ChMS also provide their churches with an online and

By Kristen Greene One downside of creating your own church directory or using a do-it-yourself church directory software program is having to take your own photos of church members. We don’t want to end up with a directory filled with “mug shots” that simply don’t paint your members in the best light. After all, who

People attend church for comfort, safety, and a sense of belonging. They don’t expect to feel unsafe or to have their security compromised during mass or prayer but, unfortunately, places of worship have become targets in our increasingly polarized world. Aside from political-fueled violence and bigotry, churches also often store valuable items of cultural and

By Dan Willard You know the saying, “Remember the good old days when…”? Like, “Remember the good old days when you could buy a Coke for a nickel?” Well, I’m not quite old enough to remember that, but when it comes to displaying song lyrics in church, I remember the old days, which are not

  By Christian Valiulis Many religious organizations have difficulty understanding the relationship between human resources and finance. Some believe the two are unrelated, but the reality is you must have strong HR processes in place to be a good steward of your finances. Why? Because people are your biggest expense and greatest responsibility. So how

By Asaf Darash Church content marketing is a form of marketing that isn’t just having a Facebook page (though you should have one!), creating Facebook events or ads, posting photos on Instagram, or updating your blog. Content marketing is not just content, but creating content that is meant to engage with its readers and build

This article originally appeared in the April 2005 issue. By Frances Putman Most growing churches know they need a membership directory to help everyone in the congregation put names and faces together. Directories also help chronicle a church’s history and record the ministries and activities taking place within its walls and through its outreach in

By Carrie Keele Faith comes from hearing the message… – Romans 10:17 “Please turn off your cell phones” is a common request heard at the start of worship services, live performances and most any event where phones and other mobile devices are likely to distract users and those around them or prevent people from being

Are you getting the most out of your church management software? Is it helping to accomplish the unique ministry to which you and your church staff, leaders, and members are called? Do you have a dozen other separate programs – Excel spreadsheets, documents, email applications, etc. that are doing tasks that it seems like your

The preferences and behaviors of churchgoers are constantly changing. Vanco Payment Solutions’ 2017 Churchgoers Giving Study proved that when it was released late last year. Vanco places a high value on research to understand churches’ eGiving needs, and how they are succeeding with eGiving tools, www.vancopayments.com. In addition to the Churchgoers Giving Study, Vanco regularly

By Bill Buchanan Determining your bandwidth requirements or options can be a challenging task, especially for churches with limited or volunteer IT staff. As a senior or campus pastor of a church, remember that your IT staff is primarily dealing with items such as: the internal network (making all of your computers, printers, and other

By Michael Smith Live streaming events is a great way to expand your church’s ministry. There are lots of steps and a few different ways to approach this ministry of your church. If you’ve been charged with your church’s vision to begin, once you get started, there is often concern or even panic that can

By Bryce Button Congregations assemble each week by the thousands in houses of worship around the world, where large projection screens and hanging displays serve up a combination of live and archived sermon footage, worship band performances rivaling rock concert productions, presentation materials and more. Several facilities additionally offer live streaming and video-on-demand services to

By Jason Alexis We just can’t say it enough…having a comprehensive, relationship-building, digital strategy hugely increases your ministry’s ability to effectively communicate Christ’s message. A large part of that strategy is smartphone apps. You may be wondering what all the fuss is about. You may point out that technology has long been a part of

By Amy Bechdel When you think of a church directory, what do you picture? A book that sits on your shelf? A list of contact information your church administrator keeps? An old photo album? If that’s your current church directory, you may wonder how moving it online could really benefit your church. But an online directory

By Aaron Marsh Print, Digital, or Both? Online directories as well as printed directories are excellent options that help church members to connect. With either online or print directories, you can opt for photo directories (usually a massive effort of coordinating members’ schedules with the photographer). The advantage of a photo directory is that it

By Abby Kahler Though small churches rule the world at the moment, there is a lot of change going on in terms of church tech that affects even the tiniest church. It’s definitely important to have a strategy in place to implement these trends, but at the same time it’s easier than ever to access

  This article originally appeared in the August 2007 issue. By Lauren Hunter Lauren Hunter is a freelance writer and public relations consultant dedicated to the faith-based technology market. For more details on Bookstore Manager, visit www.BookstoreManager.com. If your church is anything like mine, automating your church bookstore, or book table, might not be top

A building can often be more than a mere amalgamation of bricks and mortar. Beyond providing shelter, it can also call forth a strong sense of shared experiences and values. This is especially true when that building is a house of worship with deep roots in its community. It was with this awareness that South

When the Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit invited the public for a celebration of international cultures this spring, AmpliVox Sound Systems didn’t hesitate to be an integral part of the festivities. AmpliVox donated the sound equipment and the expertise to help make the event a success. Over 500 guests including attendees from Russian, Islamic,

By Doug Wood Kindergarten was filled with lots of life lessons, and they weren’t overly complicated. I learned these lessons either from the kindergarten school of hard knocks or from stories with morals. Fast-forward 40 years or so. The world moves faster and is more complex than kindergarten. Choosing a CMS for your church can

By Kelsie Collins It’s Sunday morning, and you have five volunteers show up today to help with sound boards, child day care check-in, greetings, information distribution, and crowd control. In about a half hour, you need to greet potentially hundreds of people into the church, have them check their children into the day care, get

Relying on their websites to easily share large amounts of content with their congregations, churches, temples, monasteries, mosques and similar places of worship are increasingly looking for next generation websites to enhance their online presence and grow their spiritual family. Religious organizations of all sizes can build beautiful, powerful websites with unparalleled security and scalability

What were your New Year’s resolutions? Eat healthier? Work out more? Maybe you want to develop a rock-solid communication strategy for your church. If that is the case, we can help! When thinking through your communication strategy, it is important to identify the audience and purpose for each of your channels. Having too much overlap

By Matt Chandler Reaching out to the congregation for giving requires more than a “one size fits all” approach; learning more about the different types of givers will help you come up with a customized approach and allow you to make giving personal. 5 Types of Givers 1. Reluctant Givers These are the members of

By Maureen Wygant There are so many church office tasks that continue to be performed the same way because, “we’ve always done it that way.” We need to look at this and see how our lives could be easier and our tasks less daunting by using better tools. Businesses do this all the time, and