Embracing the Vision: Embracing New Things
"Social Media" has become a buzzword of marketing and networking, and many churches are feeling the pressure to join in or miss out.
Like anything that requires us to embrace change, however, technological advances can be intimidating, and sometimes it seems just too difficult to keep up with all of the new "stuff" that develops in the blink of an eye.
Realizing this very real difficulty, and the fear that can sometimes come with even incremental changes, can be the first step toward embracing a new thing. How does that old quote go, "Feel the fear and do it anyway?"
As the technology that facilitates our communication and connectedness advances, information flows ever more quickly. As a religious movement that has embraced growth in spirit, diversity, and numbers, our congregations have had to learn how to adapt in ways, and at speeds, never seen before.
How many of our congregations now communicate announcements mostly by email? How many have moved to strictly electronic newsletters, as a means of cutting costs, but also to speed up the rate of communication to our members? How many have chosen to put the congregational website at the forefront of outreach activities? How many have begun holding meetings electronically, even votes of the Board on minor matters?
The numbers grow every day.
Technology is a powerful tool that can allow us to do things that we've never thought of before. However, it is important to maintain some control of the message or vision that technology allows us to share so easily. For example, if your congregation has an account on Facebook, is the information there consistent with what is published on your home page, in your newsletters, on your email lists, and in your weekly orders of service?
The key to using any technology wisely is to decide first what goal your congregation seeks to accomplish. What is it, exactly, that you need to do?
Once you've answered this question as explicitly as possible, you can then evaluate the different tools of technology available to you.
- Do your members need a more immediate way of communicating announcements? Perhaps a Twitter feed could serve this purpose.
- Does your Religious Education committee need to collaborate on a policy document for children's programming? Consider a Google Docs account.
- Does your congregation enjoy extended discussion of sermon topics? Think about creating an online discussion forum on Facebook or directly on your website.
- Do you have a special event coming up, to which you would like to invite more than the "usual suspects?" Maybe your local Chamber of Commerce, or other organizations, maintain online calendars where you can list your event.
While examining these endless possibilities, keep in mind that doing a few things well is more important than doing everything halfway. The most important consideration is to remain open to change, and to take one step at a time.
Posted Monday, 16 August 2010 10:47 Written by Jess Cullinan