Is Your Church Website Ready for AI Search?
Something Has Changed
The year was 2004, and my wife and I were filling out paperwork to take home our very first cell phone. The helpful assistant asked if we wanted to add texting to our […]
Want Your Church Technology to Work? Start with the Right Team
Thousands of churches across the country are navigating the same opportunity: how to use technology to deepen engagement and disciple people throughout the week. These are churches focused on mission and looking for ways to […]
AI on Mission: Effectively Launching Artificial Intelligence within Your Church, Part 2
This is part two of a great webinar series! Have you wondered how your church can effectively implement AI at scale? Are your staff members at different stages in their AI journey, making it challenging […]
AI on Mission: Effectively Launching Artificial Intelligence within Your Church
Have you wondered how your church can effectively implement AI at scale? Are your staff members at different stages in their AI journey, making it challenging to move forward together? In this practical webinar, we’ll […]
Love Thy Nerd—Nerd Culture Ministry Summit
We live in a world that is growing smaller with every passing second partially due to the rapid growth rate of technology. Communication platforms provided by the likes of Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok give […]
Ministries Should Embrace Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence is a tool that, if used properly, can advance ministry. There is no doubt that AI has been a significant technological advancement and will continue to revolutionize our lives, with some suggesting AI […]
Building the Foundation: Structuring a Production Department
We will explore the essential elements of establishing a robust production department in a local church. The production department is pivotal in enhancing worship experiences, congregational engagement, and outreach efforts. We’ll delve into […]
Artificial Intelligence Brings Legal Liability
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a helpful tool for churches. Many are using AI to ethically research sermon ideas. Others use it to redact a 45 minute message into a 1,000 word article for their […]
Data Informed Discipleship: Leveraging Data for Spiritual Growth and Community Impact
The Church is evolving, and so is the way we measure engagement. Understand what metrics truly matter in assessing the vitality of your church and learn practical ways to measure and enhance your […]
Transforming Your Data into Discipleship
Every data point represents a soul. Are you treating it that way?
You and I got into ministry because we know people matter. We feel compelled to help people meet, follow and share Jesus. But over […]
5 Keys to Success with Your Church Management Software
Sometimes the relationship with your Church Management software becomes tired, brittle or even broken. No software is perfect, but is your ChMS working as well as it should? Your software does not have […]
Password Management and LastPass
I’ve been asked a lot of questions about password managers, especially due to the LastPass hack that started in 2022 and was fully disclosed in 2023. Before getting too far into this, let me be […]
What Does ‘Data’ Mean to Your Church?
What is data anyway? You don’t have to look far to find data. Megabytes in your cell phone plan. Visits and results in your electronic health record. Expenses and deposits in your bank account. Perhaps […]
Defending Your Church from Cybersecurity Threats
Data security breaches are constantly in the news, but the threat of phishing scams and ransomware attacks aren’t limited to large companies. In fact, ministries are increasingly under attack by savvy cyber criminals. […]
Freedom in Hiring vs. Software Platform Policies
The U.S. Supreme Court gave churches and ministries the legal right to only hire those who agree with their religious and doctrinal views, but many IT solution providers require churches and ministries to certify that […]
Three Strategies that Protect from Ransomware
Ransomware is a serious threat that costs a lot of unbudgeted dollars to fix. Effective protection is available! Here’s what I recommend. Ransomware is not like most malware threats that slip into systems under the radar. […]
How to Measure Online Attendance?
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated change in churches at arguably the fastest rate in history! Back in 2015, megachurches led the church world in offering online church: 30% of megachurches offered an online campus experience—defined […]
Keeping Data Secure for Remote Workers
Where are you working right now? If you are working remotely, it’s likely your employees and coworkers are, too. So how do you secure remote workers and the devices they use to access your resources? […]
How to Live Stream and Start Church Online
In light of the Coronavirus pandemic, XPastor is sharing an article that highlights one vendor of online streaming. There are many vendors and ways to accomplish a video worship service. Enjoy this as a way […]
It’s Time to Test Remote Operations–Conduct a Drill
Michael E. Batts, CPA, is the managing partner of Batts Morrison Wales & Lee, P.A., Certified Public Accountants. He gives great insight on what churches should be doing now regarding their financial operations using the Coronavirus […]
Email Scams Targeting Churches
There are two email scams occurring with increasing frequency. These scams hurt churches in two ways, by stealing finances and by breaking congregational trust. What are these scams? What can or should you do about […]
How to Keep IT Staff in the Local Church
Personnel salaries and benefits are usually the largest expense category for churches and ministries. Sometimes facilities is higher, but there’s no getting around the fact that salaries and benefits consumes a large portion of the […]
The Inherent Risk of Guest WiFi Access at Your Church
With the myriad of wireless devices in constant use, many churches provide Wi-Fi for the convenience of employees and guests. However, this complimentary benefit can come with a heavy price if security is taken for […]
Simple Steps to Online Safety
Malware. Ransomware. Identity and data theft. Phishing. Corporate account takeovers. Denial of service attacks. As recent headlines illustrate, cyber attacks are a real and growing risk for all organizations. It’s no longer a question of […]
Copier Leasing and Negotiation Tips
As an attorney, the vast majority of business and church executives I talk to dread their copier lease expiring as they must deal with leasing new ones. Recently, we helped a church with a multiple […]
Mobile Phones and Online Giving
With 87% of the U.S. adult population now carrying mobile phones, (52% of them internet-enabled smartphones), people are changing the way they buy things. According to a survey recently released by the Federal Reserve Bank, […]
Seven Questions to Ask About a Content Management System
This year’s hurricanes mostly “missed” us, but our basement flooded anyway. Days later I sat absorbed in my computer monitor, buried up to my eyeballs in search results and browser tabs. Search by search, each […]
The Role of Technology in a “Do More with Less” Environment
The dichotomy churches are experiencing during tough economic times creates an interesting set of challenges. On one hand, people are either finding their way back to church looking for help, guidance and answers or they […]
Webcasting Church Services
Imagine holding Sunday services with an unlimited number of available seats. Imagine those seats being accessible to anyone, anywhere in the United States or world. Surprisingly, these days it’s easy to turn those dreams into […]