For over 40 years I have served as a minister of churches in every region of Texas. About half that service was part time while I attended college and seminary and for a period when I worked full time in the computer and advertising industries.
As a result, I have accumulated considerable experience in the world of high tech as well as vast practical experience in the daily operation of small to medium size church.
I wrote the first Transistor Substitution Handbook for Radio Shack in 1969. I have programed professionally for wide range of computers including IBM 360, Apple II, the first CPM based computers, PC's running MS Dos, AT&T mini-computers running Unix and contemporary Window based PC's. I have managed the support division of a publicly traded computer firm and managed the computer systems and training in an advertising agency as it transitioned from paper to computer generated art.
My career has bounced back and forth between the Church and High Tech. The truth is - I find both wonderfully challenging and rewarding. I have never been able to choose one or the other because both are part of who I am.
Blending High Tech and Faith.
Early manuscripts were written on scrolls. The Romans invented a new system of witting in pages and then folding the pages into a book type form. They called this new form a codex. The codex made documents easier to transport. Early Christians used this technological advance to carry the gospels and epistles throughout the Roman world.
Since its beginning, the church as been quick to adapt new technologies. The first printed book was the Bible. Since then Christians have used radio, television, phones, automobiles, airplanes and any other useful tools provided by technological advance.
Today the opportunities are exploding. New technologies are opening the door to new avenues of ministry never dreamed of before. Unfortunately the explosion is happening so rapidly, it is nearly impossible for the average size church to keep informed, much less keep pace.
Mega Churches and mega change.
The largest churches have been quick to adopt the newest technologies. They employ massive sound systems, multi-screen projection systems, computer automated theatrical lighting systems, sophisticated web sites, streaming video, pod casting, internal networks, Facebook, Twitter, Blogs and the list gets bigger every day. There are multiple suppliers and publishers who service these large churches. Every week I get a new magazine that describes a super sized installation of a 6 figure sound system. But - that does not help my church or for that matter, any other church in my community.
What 's happening in 94% of American Churches
Mega Churches, over 1000 in attendance, represent only 2.5% of the churches in the USA and yet occupy 90% of the attention of vendors and publishers. This blog sets out to take a careful look at the needs and resources of the average church, with 500 or less in attendance, which represent 94% of American churches. A church does not need huge resources to take advantage of the exciting advantages that the new technologies provide. If you view a church simply as an organization you quickly realize its primary product is communication; exactly where the new technologies excel.
Older technologies are very expensive. The new communication technologies are very inexpensive and can actually save the church money. How much is you church currently investing in automobiles, printing and paper, travel, telephones, postage, office personnel and property. All these represent costs that can be significantly reduced by exchanging old technologies for new.
We are interested in practical solutions for average congregations.
Almost all of the opportunities, that high tech provides, can be adapted to the average (or even very small) church effectively and inexpensively. Learning and sharing those skills in the purpose of this blog. We will attack a wide variety of issues. Future topics include:
- How do you set up an inexpensive computer network?
- What is the best sound mixer for a small congregation?
- Why are our electric bills so high?
- Why should a church never lease anything?
- Do you really need a copier - is there a better way?
- How can we take hundreds of dollars off our phone bill?
- What type of computer does a church need?
- How can I quickly alert members of my congregation who are not on the internet?
- Is Twitter a useful tool or a silly waste of time?
- How big a projection screen to we really need?
- Do color printers make economic sense?
- What is the best cell phone for a minister?
Join Us
Join us as we launch a grand new adventure. Each day will bring new challenges as new technologies emerge. It can be both fun and frustrating but never dull.
Most important - we will find new ways to serve our congregations more effectively and spread the gospel more enthusiastically.
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