4 Ways a Smartphone App can Benefit Your Church

Everyone remembers Apple’s initial campaign for the iPhone. Their brilliant marketing strategy truly changed the game of advertising. While others were going for more graphics, more animations, and more music; Apple went a more simplistic route, going for elegant yet simple designs, easily notable features, and no flashy campaigning.

In 2009, Apple began trademarking their marketing slogan; “There’s an app for that.” During this infamous marketing campaign, Apple would ask simple questions, such as “What’s the weather going to be like today?” or “Where did I park my car?” These questions were always followed up with the line, “There’s an app for that.”

What made this so appealing was that there was an app for almost any situation. Anything from WebMD, to Pandora Radio, Facebook, and Twitter, down to specific restaurants’ take-out menus; the app Store had it all.

Churches too have begun to take the opportunity to have their own app, which has a wide

1.   PROVIDING PEOPLE WITH QUICK DIRECTIONS TO WORSHIP SERVICES AND SPECIAL EVENTS

After implementing a digital ministry strategy, churches often are left with several options concerning directions and locations for both worship services and events. You could simply list the address, or maybe even have a mobile-optimized site containing a map.

However, when you’re in your car driving to the church cookout and trying to find directions on how to get there, the last thing you need is to thumb through pages of information, only to copy the address, paste it into your navigation app, and hope it connects.

With an app, you have a much simpler solution, such as connecting the address with Google Maps, which then allows you to simply touch the linked address, and your phone will open up the appropriate app and give you directions on the fly!

2.   EASY SERMONS ON THE RUN

Again, if your church is investigating having a smartphone app, you likely already have at least a general idea of your digital ministry strategy. At Koinonia, we have seen great benefit of having your sermons online, which helps nurture both your flock, and your community.

Rather than navigate multiple pages, and listen to a sermon that is not perfectly optimized for mobile devices, having sermons in your church app will allow people to easily catch up on this past Sunday’s message, whether while they’re out getting groceries, running at the gym, listening to them on their flight back home, or even preparing the after a vacation. Sermons could be heard and hearts could be changes all at the push of one button.

3.   QUICKLY GIVE ONLINE

Even working in ministry, how many times has this happened to you? You’re rushing to get the kids ready for Sunday morning, you’ve got your sermon notes in one hand, keys and coffee in the other.

You get everyone in the car, and you begin your 18-minute commute to the church. As you pull into the parking lot, you notice that you left your wallet or checkbook at home. So now, you have to preach a sermon and discuss worship through giving, and you are unable to give yourself.

But one app can make all the difference! With an app, anyone will be able to quickly access online giving, and even establish recurring payments, all on the go with a clean, easy to use interface.

4.   KEEP PEOPLE INFORMED WITH PUSH NOTIFICATIONS

Push notifications are one of the most useful benefits of having a church app. For our church, winters can be a bit harsh. It is nothing out of the ordinary for us to receive over a foot of snow overnight, which creates hazardous driving conditions for those who live on mountains.

In extreme conditions, church may have to be cancelled or relocated, and with an app, simply log into your account and send a push notification announcement. This means that everyone who has the app will be notified on their device in a matter of seconds. This could also be used for event relocations, time changes, and other emergency notifications.

With these benefits and many more in development for ministerial applications, if churches wish to maintain efficient communication in today’s society, they must consider apps in their digital ministry strategy. With low costs weighted with the increasing benefits, apps really have found their place in church ministry.