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Churches are usually operated as non-profit organizations and they often depend on the volunteering spirit of members to complete most of the tasks and projects.  Unfortunately, church members don’t always have a desire to sacrifice their time or offer some service for free.  If your ministry is struggling to get members to volunteer, this advice should be very helpful!  Outlined below are a few ways to encourage service in your church.

 

Obviously, the simplest method is to ask the congregants to volunteer since there are a variety of ways you can employ them.  For example, during a Sunday service, it would be good to talk about future projects you want to complete and request that congregation helps out.  Church websites, newsletters, and social media outlets can also be helpful as digital methods to spread the word about your projects and get members to volunteer.

 

When you create posts about looking for volunteers, your message isn’t clear and most people might ignore it as they think it’s not relevant to them.  Consider indicating the specific type of task that needs to be completed.  When you say you’re looking for ushers, it’s likely to work much better than just saying you need volunteers.

 

Imagine a fellow congregant asking you to help them prepare for an event next weekend.  That request is likely not compelling enough to make you offer your time for free.  If they tell you that you’ll be doing a task that utilizes your skills, that’s likely to boost your willingness to volunteer.  Furthermore, try explaining what volunteers may gain and it would be a great time to quote a few Bible verses.

Church websites are becoming more instrumental, not only for requesting help but also for keeping congregants engaged and motivated.  In order to show your volunteers that you truly appreciate them, make a post on your website or social media account to praise their service!

Data handling through software has become an important task for most organizations, including churches.  Through it, churches are not only able to provide online-based services like digital sermons but they can also keep track of their congregation and other functions such as tithing.  Whether you’re looking to update your church software or install it for the first time, the following considerations will be helpful despite the size of your ministry.

 

Having software that is technologically superior may seem like a good idea, but even that will be useless if it is too difficult to figure out.  How tech-savvy are you?  Is your team also tech-savvy?  Consider these questions when you’re determining the ease of use.  The factors to think about include the learning curve, the availability of information on the software, and whether or not there is a rapid search feature.

 

Some church management software, for instance, can be integrated with accounting software which makes it extremely easy for financial personnel.  What do you want to integrate with the software?  You likely want it to be compatible with the church website design so visitors can sign up with ease.  When exploring your options, make sure you keep the integration factor in mind.

 

Perhaps you want software that can help you manage events, track attendance, assist with the church website design, and arrange donations.  Ensure the church software you’re investing in has the ability to handle the tasks you have in mind.  If you’re looking for a tool that requires as little overseeing as possible, then choose an option you can automate.
Church software is incredibly useful for every church that wants to keep data in a safe place where it is also readily available.  Since there are a variety of options out there today, each ministry is advised to consider their individual needs first.  Beyond the factors highlighted above, support and pricing are key aspects that should always be thought about as well.

Preachers are typically expected to unite the congregation, understand the needs of members, plan and deliver sermons, preside over events, and ensure the ministry achieves future objectives.  With all that responsibility, your preacher might start to experience burnout as they face a great deal of stress each week.  From ministry websites to uninterrupted vacations, there are many ways to make your preacher’s life easier.

 

When it comes to making work easier, technology offers a variety of solutions and benefits for churches.  Ministry websites can help your church manage, organize, and automate daily operations.  As a result, this takes the burden off the shoulders of your pastor since they’ll have fewer tasks to handle.  Also, rather than the pastor having to travel back to the church to check certain information, they can easily access it from their smartphone or laptop.

 

Exhaustion is one of the main reasons why pastors decide to search for another ministry or choose a different line of work.  If the pastor is constantly bombarded with work and doesn’t have enough time to spend with family or take a vacation, they’re likely to become less efficient or quit.  To avoid this problem, make sure your preacher has adequate time to rest so they feel more refreshed and ready for work when they return.

Aside from that, understand that the pastor’s family doesn’t work for the church.  By not pressuring your pastor to bring their family to church, you maintain a respectful boundary and avoid the pastor getting exhausted.

Preaching the gospel isn’t an easy task.  The preacher has to organize and deliver sermons, teach younger disciples, track attendance, and handle a lot of other tasks.  Members of the congregation should make it their obligation to help whenever possible.  Even though technology can ease the workload, pastors still appreciate members that volunteer frequently to help complete some of the work.

You might remember the story in the gospel of Luke where a group of men lowered a paralyzed man from the roof to where Jesus was standing.  They made a way where there seemingly wasn’t one.  Today, ministries are using church websites to bring the gospel to places they couldn’t reach before.  But, what ways can you use them to remove barriers to Jesus within your ministry?  Here are some helpful suggestions.

 

In the story of the men who brought a paralyzed man to Jesus through the roof, you’re taught to never give up when facing major obstacles but to look for extraordinary solutions instead.  For instance, the praise experience may not be as lively as you had imagined.  One solution would be to bring in a music teacher or a sound engineer to improve the overall experience.

 

If you notice in the story of Luke’s gospel, the men that brought the paralyzed man to Jesus are not called by name.  Even though they performed an exceptional act, they never claimed any recognition.  Also, they didn’t have to ask Jesus to heal the man.  Upon seeing their faith and effort, he took control and healed him.

In addition to that, make sure you guide church members such as the worship and volunteer team to serve faithfully.  Not all acts of kindness will always be recognized or credited by the church but they should trust that the Lord knows their good acts.

 

Most of the well-known ministries are using all the tools at their disposal, like church websites, social networks, and video technology to enhance the delivery of their sermon.  When budgeting, focus more on these areas and motivate your teams frequently to perform at their best.  As a ministry dedicated to helping people, you need to recognize obstacles and create clever solutions so you bring the congregation closer to Jesus.

Whether it is to revamp your church website design or take charge of the choir, volunteers among your church members can be extremely helpful.  With skilled volunteers, you get to enjoy expert level services often without incurring any costs.  Unfortunately, volunteers can also be problematic, and sometimes you have no other option but to dismiss them.  Here are some red flags to watch out for regarding volunteers in your ministry.

 

One sign that a volunteer is going to cause problems is when they always want matters handled their way.  For instance, a bad tech volunteer will not accept that the church website design is unacceptable for the ministry or that it’s not responsive on mobile.  In addition to that, any attempts by other members to resolve the situation are usually met with disdain.

 

Being avoided by other members of the congregation is often a clue that something is amiss.  Perhaps the volunteer is being too controlling or disrespectful towards other members.  If you’re in a meeting with the group and notice that many members change their attitude when the person in question starts speaking, this typically means something isn’t right.

 

Giving to those in need is a great quality but some people use it as a tool for satisfying their own selfish desires.  A volunteer choir member, for example, might purchase guitars, a piano, and other instruments for the church to be thought of as a superior figure.  Then, they make certain parts of the church activities as their “territories” and never let a fellow member make decisions in these areas.

Keep in mind these indicators don’t always signify a bad personality, and you should investigate any matter thoroughly before dismissing the volunteer.  If a member displays these signs on a repeated basis, stop letting them hinder your ministry and dismiss them from their volunteer work!

Most ministry leaders realize the importance of IT infrastructure and use ministry websites to not only stay connected to churchgoers but they want to create a more engaging worship experience.  It can also give the church a wider reach and help with spreading the gospel efficiently.  On the other hand, a tight budget can make highly involved projects seem like a distant dream.  Luckily, there are a few ways to cut costs and avoid missing out on the benefits.

 

One important objective of a ministry tech strategy is to bring believers closer together.  Ministry websites and social media outlets provide a way that is not only fast and convenient but also budget-friendly.  If you want to establish a strong online presence, be sure to keep your content up-to-date so visitors and the congregation stay engaged.

 

The last problem any ministry wants to face is losing key data and having to collect it all again.  That’s why it’s advisable to invest in a good backup system.  In order to protect your data from malicious threats and other vulnerabilities, make sure you have an updated version of antivirus software installed on your computers and website.

 

Nowadays, emailing lacks the personal touch that a phone call offers but it can be a great option when you want to save time and money.  If you’re on a budget, sermon notes and reminders could be sent conveniently via email.
In 2019, IT continues to shape the way churches communicate with their members.  Therefore, a church that looks to grow their congregation should take advantage of technology innovations even though there’s a lot of hype about most of them.  Ultimately, it’s up to the pastor to find out what works best and to budget the funds only on IT needs that truly benefit the church.

A common concern among those with a business is whether or not they should give a portion of their business profits as tithe.  Often, this baffles many Christians as they want to do what is right and church websites have tried to clarify the issue.  Scripture says that every believer has a responsibility to give ten percent of their personal earnings to the church, but there’s no mention of tithing with regard to business earnings.

 

The Bible doesn’t demand that you give a portion of the profits that are generated from your business.  On the other hand, it doesn’t say that tithing on your business profits is a mistake.  Giving is usually an extremely desirable trait by most followers of Christ.  If your business or company is making a profit and you want to give to your church, consider incorporating a portion of the earnings over to your personal income before you tithe.

 

Some Christians have expressed concerns that their churches aren’t properly handling the funds they collect from tithing.  Maybe they have neglected major projects, invested the funds unwisely, or the leaders are using it for their personal needs.

The first consideration should be to follow the Bible’s take on the issue.  Many verses encourage followers to do what leadership says and Romans 13:1 asserts that God appoints the leaders.  If you’re convinced that the funds aren’t being used correctly, talk to the pastor about your concerns.

 

Since there’s no instruction on giving a portion of the profits from a business, you’re free to choose how to use it to benefit the church.  You could buy property for the church or sponsor less fortunate kids through school.  In conclusion, you’re not required to tithe on business earnings.

However, responsible Christians who follow the Lord faithfully think about leading by example and give from their heart.  Fortunately, there are many platforms available today that didn’t exist in the past such as making digital payments on church websites.

According to a reputable firm that conducts studies, only about 42% of Americans today know that Easter is meant to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus.  These are quite astounding statistics and most churches are probably unaware that so many people are clueless.  As a church leader, it’s in your best interest to reinforce that your congregation and online members understand the profound role and meaning of Easter.

 

First, realize that even though the word Easter carries a lot of weight with you, it may not be very significant to younger believers.  Many people think of it as a slang term to describe a merry time and that’s why Easter bunnies and chocolates dominate the theme of Easter.  Some pastors refer to it as “Resurrection Sunday” rather than just using the term “Easter” as it implies a significant event.

In your message to welcome visitors to the church for an Easter service, expand on the events that occurred during the death and resurrection of Christ.  This way, your audience fully understands that the most important part of the matter is salvation.

 

Start by implementing a church website design that corresponds to the season, maybe one with pictures of the last supper or images of the crucifixion.  Also, it might be helpful to include posts on the history and significance of Easter, as well as the perception of different classes of believers.

 

Social media can be a powerful tool for spreading the message of salvation.  Publish relevant posts on Facebook and Twitter so members of the congregation can share it with their friends.  Another way to grab people’s attention is to use the power of visual arts on outlets such as Instagram and show them the endless benefits they’ll enjoy at the service.

Of course, having a superior church website design and publishing posts about Easter isn’t enough to ensure you have a fantastic Easter service.  For that reason, be sure to use all of the suggestions above so your ministry gives churchgoers a more meaningful service!

Does your church accept tithes and donations through digital forms?  Is it in the church plans to use limitless opportunities offered through the internet to connect with the congregation?  Ministry websites are great for reaching a wider audience but church apps offer an extra level of convenience.  Today, more than 77% of adults in the U.S. have smartphones and the use of mobile apps is steadily increasing.  For that reason, now might be an ideal time to have a church app in your 2019 digital plan.

 

Even with the rise of responsive designs, accessing ministry websites on a mobile device is still not as easy as it is on a desktop.  Church apps offer a way to bridge that gap, ensuring most members have a fantastic experience browsing through your digital content.  A good church app is welcoming and engaging, enabling an audience to view prayer requests, videos, calendars, and other content quickly.

 

In the past, both the administrators and users had to go through a steep learning curve just to be able to use a church app efficiently.  Since the features are organized better today, it’s easy to setup and use most apps.  As a result, members of the congregation are likely to be more engaged with the ministry.

 

When church apps were first available, they were too expensive and often viewed as a luxury to only be enjoyed by big, wealthy churches.  In most cases, a custom app would cost a church hundreds of thousands of dollars, but now the price is much more budget-friendly.  One indication of this is that some packages require a setup fee of $199 and a maintenance fee of $49.

Ministry websites are essential, but all churches need to consider having a church app as well since it offers certain advantages.  With it, you bring members closer together and make it more convenient for them to reach one another.

Hosting an event at the church is an excellent way to not only attract new members but it also encourages existing ones to attend the services more often.  While planning the events can be straightforward, it isn’t always easy getting people to attend.  Fortunately, ministries can leverage the reach of church websites and social media to boost attendance for these events.  Here’s how to go about it.

 

One option when creating an event is to share all the necessary details on Facebook.  Be sure to include the date, time, location, and update it frequently in case there are any changes with the plan.  Additionally, the audience might ask questions and these should be answered promptly as it improves engagement.

Ministries don’t just use social media to inform people about their upcoming events; they use their church websites as well.  On the home page, place a noticeable banner there for the event that leads to a different page where readers can learn more about it.  Also, adding share buttons make it easy for an audience to help spread the word.

 

Most people want to know what value an event will add to their lives before going out of their way to attend.  Therefore, post pictures and videos that trigger past attendees to reminisce about previous events while compelling any potential visitor to go for the first time.  Testimonies and stories from the people who attended past events are typically effective for attracting new visitors.

Also, make sure you answer some questions that visitors might ask such as what the church events are usually about and how it benefits them.  Spreading the word about church events used to be a costly and tiresome process but with the power of social media, it can be inexpensive and easy.  Encourage the congregation to help you inform others about future events by sharing your posts.