As a next gen ministry leader, your greatest concern is ensuring the children you teach become more empowered, educated, and engaged in their faith. That is, after all, why you were called to next gen ministry in the first place. You want to see the children in your care go on to spread the gospel and create positive change as lifelong disciples of Christ. But every position comes with its challenges, and while you love the ministry aspect of your role, there are other aspects that can be a struggle— including dealing with complex computer systems and other forms of new technology.

It’s not that you’re opposed to the use of technology in next gen ministry. You understand the value it brings. You just wish there was an easier way to prepare and present your curriculum.

At Playlister, we speak with hundreds of youth leaders who feel exactly the same way, and we are always excited to tell them “It doesn’t have to be this way!”. There is a solution— our cloud-based digital signage app!

But before we explain what our app does and how it can make your life simpler, let’s take a closer look at what’s happening in the world of next gen ministry technology, what makes it so beneficial, and how to make it less complicated.

Technology in Church Ministry: What’s New?

Whether we personally prefer it or not, the world has evolved rapidly in recent years, integrating technology into more and more areas of our everyday lives. The rise of social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram completely changed the way we connect with one another. Cell phones made us reachable from nearly anywhere on earth. And online platforms like GSuite and Microsoft Teams made it possible to collaborate with others, regardless of how far away they might be.

In the church, specifically, technology has completely transformed the way leaders deliver the word of God. It has allowed them to:

1. Broaden Their Reach

The advancement of worship tech tools has allowed ministries to broadcast their sermons to folks across the state, country, and even the world. Leaders are no longer confined to the four walls of the church, making it easier to further the faith of others and strengthen ties within their congregation.

2. Remain Connected Outside of the Church

Building upon our first point, parishioners can now attend prayer and worship services without being physically present, allowing them to maintain their connection with God and continue His work despite circumstances that may make it difficult or impossible to attend in person.

3. Modernize Our Sermons

The use of technology in ministry has also increased engagement by making it possible to incorporate modern visual elements like presentations and videos into sermons and other teachings. This is a benefit that’s particularly impactful for youth, who respond best when their church is understanding of current culture and is willing to embrace these technologies to connect in a way that’s familiar to them.

5 Tips for Using Technology in Ministry

Using technology in youth ministry doesn’t have to be intimidating or overwhelming. Here are some steps you can take to integrate technology in a way that’s seamless and hassle-free:

• Create a Facebook group for your youth ministry and use it as a place to share pictures, updates, and reminders. Most of us are now familiar with how to use Facebook, but even if you aren’t social media savvy, don’t worry! There’s likely a younger member of your group who has the necessary skills and would be happy to set the group up and monitor it.
• Ask the young adults in your youth ministry to record a video testimonial on their cell phones and upload it to a shared online folder (like Dropbox or Google Drive). Teens today are very familiar with video apps. All you’d need to do is send them a link to the online folder and voila— you have video testimonials to use on your website, social media pages, etc.
• Hosting small group via Zoom is an excellent way to extend the reach of your church. It’s an incredibly user-friendly platform that makes meeting virtually a breeze. Plus, most school-aged children have used Zoom since the pandemic to attend class, so if you aren’t familiar with how to host a Zoom meeting, chances are there’s someone in your ministry who knows how!
• Recommend Christian podcasts, eBooks, and other digital materials that might be of value to young members. They’ll appreciate being provided with resources they can access on their devices, and it’s an excellent learning opportunity as well.
• Create an email newsletter specifically for your youth ministry. Use it as a fun way to connect, promote upcoming events, and discuss faith-based matters that are most relevant to young people.

The Best Worship Tech Tools for Kids Ministry

1. Kidcheck

Nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of the children and teenagers you care for and teach. Kidcheck is a mobile app that makes it easy to securely track attendance, document allergy, and medical needs, and accommodate parent-child communication.

2. Mailchimp

Mailchimp is an email marketing platform that’s incredibly user-friendly. Their drag-and-drop email templates make creating beautiful emails simple and painless. Plus, it’s free to sign up! It’s a great way to nurture relationships with ministry members and keep them informed at all times.

3. Zoom

Zoom is another fantastic example of how technology in church ministry can be both convenient and practical. This cloud-based meeting platform is available on mobile, desktop, or as a web app hybrid, meaning you can utilize just about any device to host your meeting. It’s also super easy to set up, and inviting others to your virtual session is as easy as clicking a button.

4. Stained Glass

If you’re looking for children’s ministry apps, we encourage giving Stained Glass a try. Available in the Apple App store and is essentially a puzzle game that allows players to unlock majestic scenes from the Bible, providing an opportunity to learn about the scene and its deeper meaning. This is a perfect resource to share with parents or use if you have extra time in your programming.

The Benefits of Using Technology 

There are countless benefits associated with incorporating technology into youth ministry practices and programs, but a few of the most notable include:

1. Accommodating Different Learning Styles

When developing programming forchildren’s ministry, keep in mind each child absorbs and processes information differently. Using computer programs and other forms of technology is a great way to accommodate every learning style. From interactive games to videos and songs, a wide range of educational tools are available to church leaders when they embrace technology.

2. Increasing Accessibility

There are many reasons why a child might not be able to attend programming in person. Using technology makes it possible to bridge the gap between in-person lessons and at-home learning— which, ultimately, allows members to continue engaging in prayer, studying the word of God, and deepening their connection with Christ.

3. Reducing Preparation Time

Every church leader would prefer to focus their time and attention on supporting the spiritual growth of their ministry, as opposed to setting up computers, TVs, and other forms of technology. You can streamline these processes and spend less time stressing about setting up when you invest in the right technology!

Playlister is Trusted By 5,749 Churches of All Shapes and Sizes

We cut your prep time down from hours to just minutes. We also save you time and money while making your teaching experience exceptional.

If you’re ready to invest in a cloud-based digital solution that:

• Integrates seamlessly with Orange curriculum
• Allows you to get your classroom or at-home experience ready in minutes
• Eliminates the need to edit videos with complicated software

All at a fraction of the price you’ll pay for any other alternative. Sign up for your free trial today!