HomeDigital MinistryManagement (ChMS)5 Questions to Ask When Buying Technology for Your Church

5 Questions to Ask When Buying Technology for Your Church

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See if this feels familiar: A small group of people (or maybe just one person) just decided to purchase new technology they believe your church needs. Now, you are being asked to help implement the technology and make it successful. I know this sounds crazy but it happens more often than you think.questions

If technology buying decisions are made poorly, it can lead to all sorts of dysfunction. This is why churches often get disillusioned by church software companies. Sometimes it is the fault of the provider but more often, the dysfunction is the result of a bad process and wrong assumptions.

The first assumption is cheaper is better.

The cheapest is rarely the right choice. We wouldn’t put the cheapest roof on our homes, would we? No way. Why? Because it offers our possessions and our families protection from the elements of nature, etc.

The right church technology will give your church the ability to operate more efficiently and effectively. If you could increase the number of recurring givers, multiply the number of small groups, improve your assimilation process, and overcome your member retention setbacks, what would that be worth to your church? I bet it’s a lot!

The second assumption is that if something works for my buddies, it will work for me too.

Almost all technology is birthed and designed with a specific set of needs and goals in mind. Those needs and goals may or may not align with yours. Just because a software solution works well for the church across town doesn’t mean it will do the same for you.  Never confuse your needs and preferences with the preferences of others or the needs of another church.

So, before your church is attracted to the latest shiny object or chooses to pass on upgrading to a more robust solution, here are five questions (in no particular order) to ask:

  1. Does this decision align with the core values of our church?
    In other words, will this piece of technology help us accomplish what we’ve said is important to us? Can we increase our ministry potential through this investment?
  2. How much money can we spend?
    Though it’s not glamorous, it’s reality. What’s in the budget? I do want to caution you in this, though. Budgets are a great place to start but shouldn’t be the only factor in the decision-making process. While price is always a factor, I’ve learned that the churches who benefit the most from technology rarely make their decision exclusively on price.
  3. What functionality is fun, and what functionality is necessary?
    Don’t get distracted by cool features and marketing buzz. Take the time to evaluate your church’s unique systems and processes. Look for technology that will support those processes well, not force you to adapt the way you “do church” unless you are at a point where it’s time to do things differently.
  4. What is the potential impact on your staff and lay leaders?
    Technology solutions for churches should help distribute workload and empower people to fulfill their role in the church. It should make doing ministry easier, not complicate their lives. If software is complex and unintuitive, few people will use it and your investment will be a total waste.
  5. What “business” are you in?
    The last time I checked, churches are in the “business” of reaching people for Christ. They are not technology companies. However, a few seem to think differently and thus spend vast sums of money on technology infrastructure and staff. The business world recognized the value of outsourcing a long time ago. The truth is, your church is notthat different from others and there is probably software out there that can meet 80% or more of your needs very effectively. Don’t buy into the assumption that you must build and host it yourself to be successful. This is only true for a very small handful of churches out there.

What experiences have you had when making decisions about technology? What will you do differently the next time?

Steve Caton
Steve Caton
Steve Caton has been building teams and nurturing innovative growing organizations for over 30 years, successfully expanding a variety of companies such as The Giving Crowd, Newdea and Christianity.com. Steve is most recognized for his work at Church Community Builder where he assisted in catalyzing an eight-year period of double-digit growth and service to over 4,800 churches. Steve is passionate about Kingdom causes and has authored hundreds of articles and ebooks about effective leadership and organizational health. Currently, Steve is the Chief Growth Officer at Generis where he works alongside a team of over 45 generosity and leadership experts to increase their reach and impact.  

1 COMMENT

  1. Steve, these are some great guidelines and this is fantastic post. Buying technology on impulse (or receiving it) is a really bad thing to do.

    Technology is meant to make our lives easier, not harder. And often, when we go out and buy stuff without thinking, we run into all sorts of headaches down the road. Beginning with these types of questions is a great way to step back and look at the bigger picture.

    Ps… Nice products! 🙂

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