Technology has transformed our lives, but most of us can see that the transformation hasn’t been all good. That leads church leaders to ponder what the church’s relationship to technology should be.
We spoke with Pastor Brady Boyd to see how he feels about and uses technology in ministry. (View the video interview instead).
On reaching a younger generation: A Norman Rockwell painting of our time would show everyone texting on their phones and to-go boxes in the living room. You see kids with their heads down on their phones. It’s hard to connect with the younger generations, the older you get. We have to embrace what they embrace—the digital hand-held world. You have to purposely stay young or you’ll become old without trying. Learn to connect with them. They’ll text ‘til their thumbs bleed. Learn to text!
On social media: I use Facebook to know what’s going on in my members’ lives. Without it, their stories are lost to me. I’m not a technology guy—I made a decision to engage with students. If you’re going to be a pastor, you have to know the right questions to ask. If I didn’t embrace their lives, I couldn’t pastor them. Knowing them changes the way I preach. The number one reason people stay at a church is that they have some type of connection to the Senior Pastor. This is the only way!
On live streaming: This is the best decision we ever made. When we started, it cost thousands, but now it’s in the hundreds. We have 600-1000 internet campuses; 40-50,000 people podcast us. It’s not as good as being there, but it still allows people to feel connected.
On church management software: Ministry is about knowing what’s going on in peoples’ lives. With the F1 App, I have that information—volunteered information—available at my fingertips. It’s not a replacement for face to face, it’s an entry way to face to face.
On the cost of technology: Some say it’s too costly, I say it’s too costly NOT to use it. Used properly, it’s a brilliant time-saver.
Pastor Brady’s summary: “Technology is God’s creative expression. We don’t live in Gutenberg’s world anymore; we live in Google’s. The question is: are we going to embrace these advances and make them work for us, or are we going to ignore what’s happening in the world to our own detriment? Not to embrace them is foolish.”
Want to learn more about the church management software Pastor Brady Boyd trusts?
Join us at a special Virtual Open House on Thursday, May 21, 2015 at 12pm (CST).
In one hour, you’ll be guided through a tour of all the software features. You’ll be able to interact as much or little as you like, and you won’t be pressured by a salesperson.
See you there!
