The summer slump has an uncanny way of carrying into the fall, further impacting communication, giving, volunteering, and attendance. Be aware of what could be and decide now to implement these two ways to stay digitally connected through the summer slump for the benefit of your church body and community. Think about it like this: failing to include a mobile strategy for your ministry is akin to preaching a message without a microphone. You might be saying something, but very few people can hear.
People access websites and apps on the internet using their smartphones more than any other device. Need some convincing?
- 85% of US adults have a smartphone, according to Pew Research Center.
- The average American spends 87 hours per month accessing web content from their mobile devices.
- The most recent numbers for overall online usage show that the average American spends 51% of their online time on a mobile device, 42% on a desktop, and 7% on other devices.
- 90% of time spent online using mobile devices is on apps, not websites.
And these stats are only – and always – trending up. So, you definitely need a good church technology strategy, and we’d start with these two:
First →
An app allows for much more functionality in ministry because of all the important data it allows to be consumed and shared. How? Just take a look and see how you can boost the following areas by going mobile with an app:
Communication:
Individuals will receive targeted communication based on the groups they are part of and the ministries they are involved in. And you don’t have to wait for them to check their email. Notifications, messages, and reminders will all go straight to their mobile device in real-time.
Connection:
By having a mobile app with a member directory, group communication tools, and events calendar, people can connect with your church and everybody who’s part of it in the ways they are currently involved. From the palm of their hands, your congregants can discover new people, reach out to friends on the fly, RSVP for and communicate about events, make conversations with their groups, monitor their giving, update their preferences, and so much more.
Collaboration:
With group communication, profile information, and calendars on mobile devices, your teams will have the tools to make it happen. Moreover, they can share resources and have a history of what’s been discussed to date. And when appropriate, leaders can review the conversations to stay current on what’s happening.
All that communication, connection, and collaboration via a mobile app will produce greater involvement. And it will look something like this for the answer to how to connect through summer slump months and beyond:
- Your church will experience numerical growth as people are empowered to share their mobile content.
- Giving will increase because people can manage giving, set up recurring payments, and make pledges from their phones whenever prompted.
- Group participation will be on the rise because members can now discuss group topics and share resources.
- Events will be more robust and better planned as people RSVP and get reminders sent directly to them.
- People will serve and attend in greater numbers because they’ll understand the need and stay connected.
Second →
Did you know that the average person in the US spends over 2 hours on social media every day? (Source: BroadbandSearch). We actually think it’s much more than that, but let’s go with that statistic. The point is that social media is free, where people spend their downtime. It’s the perfect platform to make your presence known and see who follows and engages with you digitally and how that can translate to discipleship. An easy way for people to be aware of and find you on social media is to add icons on your website for them to click and follow.
The ultimate playbook to soar this summer!
This year the summer giving slump will be real. It will be linked to the dip in attendance from people who still haven’t returned to church, relaxed attitudes toward travel, and concerns about a recession. Meanwhile, your church is quietly suffering the consequences. But it doesn’t have to be that way
Our How-To playbook contains:
- Downloadable content
- Site resources
- Free images and more!
Lauren is the Enterprise Accounts Team Manager at ACS Technologies. She’s been with ACST since 2019, working with churches of all sizes and, most recently, large churches (1200+ AWA). As the Children’s Director and Worship Leader for her church, she knows the everyday struggles church staff face in making it all happen. Lauren’s goal is to partner with as many churches across the country to help them move forward doing ministry.
