How the Latest Technology Trends Are Shaping Your Church

A few years ago, the concept of the online church felt relatively new. Mainly reserved for megachurches and big-budget congregations, streaming services were rare and difficult to manage.

But nearly three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, hybrid worship — where congregations meet in person and online — is standard. Now people can park and go inside or just pull up a website if they want to worship and learn on a Sunday morning. During the pandemic and beyond, technology continues to shape the present and future life of the Church.

In fact, new research from the annual Pushpay State of Church Technology Report reveals that ministry leaders are relying on technology to minister in their churches, connect with their parishioners, and solve critical issues. In other words, the dependency created between churches and technology was not an anomaly – it is a thriving relationship.

The hybrid church continues to thrive

The greatest indicator of this relationship is the church’s continued commitment to hybrid worship. According to the report, nearly 9 out of 10 churches still offer both in-person and online options, and 81 percent intend to continue doing so in the future.

While some have viewed these services as a stopgap measure due to social distancing, they are now a staple in many churches as pastors consciously consider access, inclusivity and outreach for those previously unable to participate in their church’s fellowship. This technology allows people who require a temporary absence from the Church, whether due to illness or extenuating circumstances, to remain easily connected and involved. And for those who are disabled, immunocompromised, or even those with unconventional work hours, online ministries are the invitation they need to find a church home.

For this reason, technology that supports the entire life of the church is invaluable – tools that strengthen communication between leaders and the church are no longer optional when a church is trying to build effective, impactful ministry. This can be as simple as an SMS program or as complex as a comprehensive church management system. Importantly, the technology considers and considers not just a physical or digital community, but the entire church.

Technology drives mission

The vast majority of today’s service leaders recognize that digital solutions not only enable hybrid services, but can also enable and empower service. In fact, the Pushpay report showed that 94 percent of churches believe technology is important to help them accomplish their mission.

Take the staff at River City Christian Church in Sacramento, for example. Leaders knew something had to change. Their church management system was clearly a disaster. And the clutter hampered her ability to reach her parishioners.

“There were 12,000 people in the database, but we couldn’t know who was active,” recalls Carolyn Melville, the Church’s database administrator. “Even making a report to make statements was terrible. Most of the time I did it by hand.”

Unfortunately, the logistical struggles didn’t stop there. The church lacked an efficient workflow for tasks like managing volunteers and tracking room capacity for events. Church leaders recognized that they were feeding a culture of frustration and exhaustion. If they didn’t want their employees to burn out, they needed to find a solution that streamlined their systems and eliminated busy work.

River City leadership decided to try an integrated technology solution that included a dynamic database synchronized with sign-up forms, process queues, and mail merge—all simple data management solutions. Once employees learned the system, stress levels dropped significantly. During the holiday season, a notoriously busy time for churches, River City saved 100 operating hours, managed over 800 volunteers and smoothly dispatched 12,000 declarations.

The River City story demonstrates what church leaders across the country are discovering: The right digital platform reduces staff strain and increases a church’s potential to serve well.

Optimized problem solving software

While church leaders recognize the need for effective technology, many digital platforms are suspicious, which feels like one more thing to maintain. According to the Pushpay report, 86 percent of church leaders say they don’t want additional technology — they want cohesive solutions that empower them to solve real problems.

One such problem arose at Bergen Park Church in Evergreen, Colorado. The church was growing rapidly and leaders had to figure out how to maintain a culture where people felt known and loved.

Bergen staff decided to try a comprehensive church management solution from Pushpay that would help them connect with their longtime parishioners while prioritizing visitors and new members. As a result, the church maintained an atmosphere that continued to attract people, and saw a 400 percent increase in attendance while its administrative work decreased by 65 percent. Instead of enlarging church leaders’ plates in an already overwhelming season, streamlined technology removed barriers and increased connection.

By identifying the problem and selecting the right technology solution, Bergen Park Church leaders were able to embrace its rapid growth as a blessing, not a burden, as its parishioners were being reached in meaningful, spiritual ways.

Dive deeper into the Church’s latest tech trends

Hybrid ministries that reach larger numbers of people, software that enables effective missions, and pastors seeking comprehensive, practical solutions to complex problems are just a few of the trends in today’s church. The Pushpay State of Church Technology Report 2023 highlights exciting developments that have taken place over the past year and will continue to shape the months to come.

Learn about shifting norms, rising trends, and empowering ways digital tools are empowering pastors, reaching communities, and empowering effective ministry.