church technology

Each year, Capterra updates a top 20 software list in a variety of industries. We have been grateful over the years for their attention to this market and find their website very useful in helping churches find the best church management software for their organization. In the past, they have published a "Top 20 Most User-Friendly ChMS infographic" and a "Top 20 Most Affordable ChMS infographic," Capterra is now only updating this one Top 20 Church Management Software list moving forward.

As the church embraces digital solutions for connection, leaders are looking for the platforms and tools that will give them the most for their money. In the realm of social media, Facebook and YouTube reign supreme. However, many leaders have expressed growing frustration with the reach and engagement of Facebook and the difficulty of creating content for YouTube. The best-kept secret of the social media world is Instagram, and church leaders and communicators are starting to wise-up to the power the platform offers.

I am not a naturally gifted speaker. I have worked really hard to improve as a communicator. One of the areas I had struggled in for a long time was speaking directly to a camera. If you have spent many years speaking to a live audience, then speaking straight to a camera in an empty room is quite different. When the congregation laughs at a joke or is audibly engaged in the message, it builds my confidence as a communicator. It also gives me momentum as the sermon progresses. This all goes away when preaching directly at a camera.

The main sound system controller at your church goes by many names: soundboard, audio desk, mixing console, mixer, etc. They all refer to the same thing. Selecting the right soundboard for your church might be the biggest audio decision you make. It’s hard to mix good sound without a good soundboard.

Ministry leaders must ask themselves whether streaming a church service once a week is enough to build an online community and discipleship. In many respects, the answer is no. Furthermore, there are a number of other pain points experienced by pastors when trying to grow their church community.

Portable church speaker systems have a lot of excellent uses for a ministry and worship team. Some churches are completely portable and need quality sound on the go. A church might need portable sound systems for the youth group or summer camp. And sometimes a small portable speaker is the perfect addition to fill in sound on a large stage or for use during a special event. Portable speaker systems can be configured many different ways. However, not all portable systems are created equal.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve had to contend with a new normal. Phrases like 'social distancing' and 'contact tracing' weren’t familiar terms until a few weeks ago. Large gatherings aren’t safe anymore, so we’re all turning to online forms of meeting and communication. This, of course, includes weekly church services. With state governors ordering people to shelter in place, church leaders were left scrambling in recent weeks to ramp up or start from scratch with online streaming services and more.

With the recent events requiring us to worship from home in many places around the world, church apps are proving themselves highly valuable. Whether you have a church app, or you're looking to get one, how do you encourage digital discipleship through the platform?