Discover how to leverage technology in your church

As a continuation of Rev. Bill Johnson’s previous blog post, “Answering Common Questions About Using AI in Ministry,” this article takes a deeper look at certain cautions to be taken when using AI for ministry-related tasks.

Jump to the following questions: 

• Are there theological or ethical concerns? 
• What risks or limitations should I know about before trusting AI?
• How do I make sure I’m not replacing thoughtful, Spirit-led work?
• How has AI already helped church workers?
• What’s a task you’ve seen AI handle surprisingly well—and one it really doesn’t?
• If I want to start using AI but don’t have time to learn a new tool, where should I begin?
• How do I stay informed without getting overwhelmed?

Church administration is a job that requires a variety of skills, from attention to detail to interpersonal relationships, from organization to flexibility. Church administrators and office managers are valuable servants of the church that keep our churches running behind the scenes.

These days, we hear a lot about artificial intelligence (AI). While it has its pitfalls, it can be helpful in the ministry setting. In this article, Rev. Bill Johnson answers some common questions about AI in ministry and offers advice for getting started. 

In almost any season of the Church Year, there are special events or holiday services—from summer block parties to midweek Lenten services to children’s Christmas programs. Managing these types of church holiday events can be an overwhelming task for any church staff, especially if you’re responsible for all facets of an event.

Churches rely on volunteers to keep things running—from worship to events to community outreach, the members of your church are an integral part of the life of your church. Using a church volunteer coordination software to enhance your scheduling and communication can streamline your admin team’s efforts. 

Electronic giving is an increasingly popular method for giving among church congregations. If you’re looking to encourage church eGiving, you’re not alone.

When you’re choosing a church management software, you need to ask yourself (and your team) a series of questions to figure out which option is the best for you. It can be overwhelming to figure out what’s most important, especially when making a big investment like this.

Most church staff and volunteers use their church management software every day without thinking about the technology under the hood. But a little knowledge can go a long way in making these tools easier to use and adapt. Understanding the fundamentals of relational databases—the way data is structured in these systems—can empower church workers to better navigate their software and even customize it to fit their ministry’s needs.

Offering entry is just one of many administrative tasks that a church requires to run smoothly—and often, churches rely on volunteers to input offering data into a church management software or spreadsheet. And while this task might seem easy, there are certainly some ways you can make it easier on your faithful volunteers, ushers, and elders—to avoid entry errors and also prevent volunteer burnout. 

Congregations have varying needs, resources, and technical skills, so it’s important to approach a church’s web presence with a clear strategy. In the following blog, read about how Rob Davidson of Concordia Technology Solutions had the pleasure of sitting down with Rev. Bill Johnson, a tech-savvy pastor, to discuss how churches can think more intentionally about their website strategy.