Your Church: What Mobile Apps Have To Do With It
Let's imagine for a moment if Jesus were living in this 21st century and He needed to connect with His followers and prospective followers. Do you think He would take advantage of the opportunities brought about by mobile apps? Well, I can't be completely certain, but I am inclined to believe that He would. Why, you may ask. Because of His intent on continually wanting to connect with His followers and other people from all walks of life... whether it was the Samaritan Woman at the well or Zacchaeus, the Tax Collector.
But what is a mobile app?
A Mobile app is software that runs on a handheld device (tablet, phone, e-Reader, iPod, etc.) that can be connected to Wifi or wireless carrier networks, and has an operating system that supports standalone software.
So let's look at how your communications to connect with your members and visitors is made possible through mobile apps. But first, here's a quick snapshot of the critical place that mobile apps occupy in our day and time.
· 25 % of Americans use their smartphones to access the Internet.
· 5.2 Billion People are said to own mobile phones at present.
· 62% of Millenials: ages 18 to 34 use smartphones.
· 19% increase in online gifts in 2011. Much of this came in via smartphones.
What then do mobile apps have to do with your communications to connect with your church, which seems to always be "on the go"?
1. Contact and connect at the push of a button
Mobile apps give you the ability to instantly communicate with your members. For instance, on a given Sunday, your designated Sunday school teacher does not show up because of some personal emergency. You have the ability to send an instant message to all those who have volunteered to fill that particular slot when such situation arises.
2. Tell the Story of Jesus
Mobile apps give you the ability to continually tell the Story of Jesus to people where they are and are going. Let's say if you wanted to relate the current news (example: the upcoming presidential elections) with what Jesus would do in this political atmosphere. You then have an avenue to keep your members and visitors abreast of Jesus' role as it relates to issues that impact all of us.
3. Update Your Members and Visitors
Reminding your members and visitors about recent happenings and upcoming events keep them informed. Do you have a theme of the week or the month that you can share with your members and visitors? Is it a daily Bible verse or a word of encouragement? Mobile apps give you the opportunity to be relevant in the eyes and lives of your members and visitors.
Your Next Step
1. Draw up a plan as to what your church needs in terms of using mobile apps to connect with members and non-members where they are, where they're hanging out, or where they're going.
2. Research and compare prices. Remember, the free ones may cost more for maintenance.
3. Find one that offers a trial period. Be intentional to see what results you get from your drawn-up plan during this trial period.
4. Be sure to get your questions answered by a real person before opting into a program.
And if you are looking and wondering what mobile apps could do for your church and its ministry, check out my free App at http://www.createprofitablecontent.com/.
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