Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

My girlfriend and I have been watching Downton Abbey, which you may have heard about if you live in the Western hemisphere. In the last episode of season one, set in 1914, the Earl’s country house gets a telephone. Some of the staff wonders whom they could possibly call. “No one you know has a telephone,” says a footman. “They will, you’ll see,” says a housemaid. “Will you show us how it works,” someone asks the head butler when the phone is installed. He refuses. “A telephone is not a toy but a useful and valuable tool.”

Indeed, technology has a somewhat fraught place in our lives and our communities. Churches need to stay relevant and connected, but they also need to keep in mind that technology is mainly a tool for the church’s larger mission, and maintain perspective.

Many churches, especially smaller churches, often undervalue technology. With tight budgets and busy schedules it’s easy to put buying new computers for the staff or upgrading the website on the back burner, but technology directly affects how the church and its staff are able to interact with the rest of the world. Our technology has progressed far beyond the telephone, of course. Now churches should be conscious of who they are cutting off when they neglect their website: an old website or non-existent Facebook page may prevent people from ever visiting a church. The Internet is where most people under 30 will start when looking for a new church, and so the webpage is the first thing they’ll see.

Keeping technology updated in the office is almost as important. That computer that is six years old and the copier that jams every five minutes is probably making your administrator’s job much harder than it needs to be. This can actually cost the church time and money. Computers are outdated fairly quickly now, but desktops have become relatively inexpensive, and worth the investment. I would argue that no church should have a computer that is more than four years old. A new computer not only lets the staff know you value their time and work, but it makes them more efficient 

Churches, however, don’t need to be early adopters. The other end of the spectrum is forgetting the technology is a tool, and getting caught up in imaging that the new technology or a new website will transform the church. The church knows, more than any other institution, that nothing can replace real engagement with God and community. With limited time and resources, there may not be any reason to start using Foursquare and Google+. Stick with Facebook for now, and Twitter if you’ve got the time. Investing in a few technologies and keeping them updated is the best way to keep your church working smoothly and engaged with the rest of the world.