A majority of American churches now embrace technology as an important tool in achieving their mission and agree that the digital church is here to stay. But less than half of them believe social media will be as “strategically important” as other online tools in the future.
The finding comes from The 2021 State of Church Technology Report.
The researchers found that while social media is overwhelmingly the most popular digital tool today, churches are saying mobile apps, scheduling systems, and livestreaming will all be more valuable to them in the near future.
This doesn’t mean Facebook and Instagram are going away; it means that they’re already in the fold, and churches are interested in expanding their tech portfolio as they continue to grow.
This finding comes in stark contrast to how churches looked at technology as the COVID-19 pandemic began unfolding in March 2020. At that time only 22% of churches livestreamed and entire service. Now only 6% of churches say they’re “resistant” to adopting technology.
Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research noted, “More than any time in history, churches are enthusiastic to adopt technology for the long haul.” The researchers concluded – “the pandemic erased any doubts regarding the viability of a digital Church. Ministries all around the world successfully adapted to the challenges presented by COVID by leveraging technology to strengthen their communities and continue accomplishing their good work.”