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Discover how to leverage technology in your church

Technology should not transform ministry, but rather do the things that people don’t have to do so they can do what they do best.

Peter Frank

Peter Frank is full-time student at Concordia Seminary who also serves part-time at Concordia Publishing House as the Digital Product Owner. His responsibilities include leading Concordia Technology Solutions (CTS), the church management software division. A graduate of Concordia University Wisconsin, his background in theology, business, and technology gives him a unique perspective on technology in the church. He is married and the father of two young children.
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Recent Posts

How to Get Visitors to Return to Your Church after Easter

By Peter Frank | Mar 28, 2016 9:00:00 AM

I'm not a big fan of many holidays, but I love Easter.

There's something special about transitioning from the deep sadness of Good Friday and the quiet of Saturday to the joyful celebration of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday. It is, quite literally, the most exciting thing in the world; it is the gift of salvation won for us by Jesus Christ.

That's why I waited until after Easter to share this post. On Easter morning, our attention is best focused on the empty tomb, not on church attendance or figuring out how to reach visitors in the weeks and months ahead. 

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How to Reach Your Website Visitors through Remarketing

By Peter Frank | Mar 21, 2016 9:00:00 AM

Do you ever feel like you're being followed online?

Have you ever been shopping on a website like Amazon.com or Target.com, and suddenly you start seeing online advertisements for those products on other websites? Did you ever wonder how your favorite blog knew that you were interested in buying that pair of jeans, or that new book that hasn't even come out yet?

Well, wonder no more as I introduce you to the world of remarketing.

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5 Excel Formulas Every Church Worker Will Love

By Peter Frank | Jan 25, 2016 9:00:00 AM

I have, as some people call it, an unhealthy obsession with Microsoft Excel. I get excited about anything that allows me to be more efficient. With Excel, I keep finding new and better ways to do just that.

While much of Excel revolves around numbers (all right, most of Excel revolves around numbers), there are some pretty fantastic formulas and functions that allow you to quickly manipulate text. So even if you are more focused on Bible studies and mail merges than income statements, Excel can help you.

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3 Steps to Connect with Christmas Worship Visitors

By Peter Frank | Dec 14, 2015 10:30:00 AM

My guess is that this happens every year. Some well-meaning person comes up to you after the Christmas Eve service and says "Isn’t it exciting to see so our church so full? Wouldn't it be great if we could get them to all come back next week?"

If no one has ever said that to you, I’m sure you’ve at least had that same thought. I know I have!

Sometimes it’s really easy to get worked up about the number of people who worship at your congregation. Our culture defines success by numbers. When large numbers of visitors attend worship, we think that means we must be successful as a congregation, and our thoughts naturally turn to how we can keep them coming back.

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How to Make Your Church Website Conversion-Focused

By Peter Frank | Nov 16, 2015 9:00:00 AM

Have you ever converted anyone with your church website?

To be clear, I’m not talking about a digital altar call or anything like. I know the Holy Spirit can bring believers to faith through a variety of means, including websites, but that’s not the type of conversion I mean.

In the marketing industry, a conversion is when a website visitor takes an action that leads to a business result. This could be an initial action, like adding an item to a shopping cart, or a final conversion, such as a completing a purchase.

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Topics: Strategy

Basic Church Website Components to Help Visitors

By Peter Frank | Nov 2, 2015 9:30:00 AM

 

What if you went to Walmart’s website and couldn’t find any of their products or store locations? How would you buy your detergent, baby carrots, and hedge clippers all in one place?

The same goes for your church website. Think about what a visitor needs to know and would be searching for about your church. Is she going to want to know what you believe, where you're located, and what time your services start? Probably.

There are some basic components that every church—big, small, or in between—should include. Whether you are just getting started, fine-tuning, or completely revamping a site, these key basics should be included or added to every site.

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How to Make a Strong First Impression with Your Church Website

By Peter Frank | Oct 26, 2015 9:00:00 AM

When my family and I went out of town recently, I wanted to look for a church to visit. I immediately went to Google.

Although you could blame it on the fact that I’m a millennial, I am definitely not alone in relying on the internet (not a phone book) to find a place to worship these days.

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Top 10 Questions to Ask Sales Reps When Buying Church Management Software

By Peter Frank | Oct 12, 2015 9:00:00 AM

When I think of sales reps, I think of Billy Mays.

I know, I know. Infomercials. But he was a good salesman. Everyone knew him and what he sold. His style worked great on TV, but I would have been frightened to buy OxiClean in real life with him screaming at me.

Good thing most in-person sales reps aren’t like Billy Mays!

When you buy church management software, you’ll most likely work with a sales rep who guides you through  buying and training. Church management software is complicated, and it’s a big decision that can set your church back hundreds of dollars.

But first, you need to make sure the software will work for your church! When you find the right solution, it can help make managing finances and members effortless. To ensure you’re completely happy with your new software, ask your sales rep these questions before you decide to buy!

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Define the Audience of Your Church Website

By Peter Frank | Oct 8, 2015 9:00:00 AM

Before you write just about any document, you have to think of your audience. Who are you writing for? If I send a text to a friend, it’ll be different from a text I send to my parents. Even for a daily, unimportant task like this one, we automatically consider our audience.

The same goes for your church website.

Who do you want to reach with your website? In other words, what is the purpose of your website?

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6 Tips to Minimize Time-Consuming Tasks

By Peter Frank | Oct 5, 2015 11:00:00 AM

In college, I always tried to prioritize. I’d start by writing that excruciatingly long paper, then tackle the short, multiple choice quiz. Though I knew the paper would take a long time and the quiz wouldn’t happen until 3:00 a.m. when my brain power hit an all-time low, at least it was easier than writing! My plan got me through.

In the church office, work such as creating bulletins and newsletters will always take a while to complete. But you can still have a plan! We’ve compiled a list of six ideas to help you minimize those time-consuming tasks.

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