Even after restrictions were lifted and traditional services could resume, digital services continued to be a valuable asset for churches and their congregations. Digital outreach allows home-bound individuals to still feel connected to their church family. It attracts nearly 40 percent of adults who don’t currently attend church but prefer to do so online.
Technology such as audio-visual equipment, business phone systems, and IT services are essential tools that help churches reach and serve their members more effectively and efficiently. This allows church committees and leadership to be good stewards of their funds and provides church members with better access to education and assistance.
1. Strategic Planning
One of the most important ways technology can improve the church experience is through strategic planning. From church leadership to church committees, every member has a role to play. Strategic planning allows your church to outline the requirements for success and enables each group to work together as a team.
To successfully reach your congregation, you’ll need to look at your church through their eyes. Start by asking yourself how your church can help members grow spiritually. What are their needs? What do they expect to experience? Identify these areas and then create a strategic plan that considers those needs. This plan will be the driving force behind your church’s success.
You’ll need to consider:
- How you’ll gather the data needed to create the plan
- How you’ll evaluate your progress
- Who will be involved
Once you get your plan in place, everyone in your church will know what to expect. This will help you achieve the results you want.
2. Security and Content Filtering
An effective strategic plan will help your church increase its security by defining procedures and practices that help prevent problems. Security is one of the most important aspects of modern life. You’ll need to ensure that your church is equipped to deal with various security problems, from cyber attacks to sexual misconduct.
A good church security plan will offer:
- A way to handle data breaches
- The ability to manage and test your security
- Common-sense procedures for handling sensitive information
In addition to security, content filtering can help protect your members from inappropriate material. This is especially important for parents of young children. By deploying a church’s infrastructure in a way that filters content, you can make sure that your members remain safe and secure.
3. Multi-Site Services
Multi-site church services are becoming increasingly popular. More and more churches are opening satellite locations to reach more people and serve their communities. When you provide multi-site services at your church, you’ll be able to get a wider audience while saving money and resources.
If you’re using your church’s physical location to provide services, you’re probably using your centralized IT services. If you have remote areas and need to support them, you’ll need a remote site management plan. This will help you establish procedures for managing and supporting remote locations and their IT needs.
Conclusion
The most effective way to ensure that your church is ready for the future is by implementing a plan. Technology will continue to evolve, so you’ll need to be prepared. You’ll want to make sure the current problems aren’t going to be repeated in the future. Additionally, you’ll want to ensure you have the right IT solutions.
Underperforming worship technology limits your creative ability. At MessengerAVL, we design and install audio, video, and lighting solutions, so your technical dreams become a reality. We are a full-service design/builder and systems integrator for sound reinforcement, theatrical lighting, multimedia projection, video production and broadcast, and digital signage. If you need church video production services, we can help. Get in touch with us today and let’s talk!