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In this episode, Chris Jefferson delivers an engaging workshop on how churches can leverage digital tools to enhance evangelism, discipleship, and community engagement, offering practical strategies for building a robust online presence and using technology to support spiritual growth.
Leveraging Digital Tools for Church Growth: Insights from Chris Jefferson
In this engaging workshop, Chris Jefferson, Executive Director of Spire Network, addresses a diverse group from various states, guiding them on how to leverage technology for church growth. Chris focuses on the importance of digital presence, discussing tools like Church Post for social media management, VisitorReach for targeted ad campaigns, and Tether and Mission17 for discipleship initiatives. He underscores the need for churches to improve their digital visibility and engage more effectively with their communities. From addressing common challenges in church marketing to providing practical solutions for better engagement, this workshop is a comprehensive guide for church leaders aiming to thrive in the digital age.
https://reallifetheologypodcast.supercast.com/
Key Takeaways
00:00 Meet and Greet: Getting to Know Each Other
02:01 Interactive Session: Preparing for the Presentation
04:16 Introduction to Technology and Discipleship
08:06 The Importance of Digital Presence for Churches
15:36 Assessing Your Church's Digital Health
23:42 Outsourcing Social Media with Church Post
27:34 Introduction to Visitor Reach
28:42 Digital Health Check: Enhancing Visibility
29:34 Targeted Ad Campaigns: Precision Outreach
30:32 AI-Powered Mobile App: Real-Time Engagement
31:47 Visitor Reach: A Comprehensive Solution
33:43 Special Offer and Pricing
34:29 Introducing Tether: Discipleship Tools
37:14 Mission 17: Accelerating Discipleship
42:40 StoryPath: Customized Church Engagement
48:03 Final Thoughts and Q&A
See below for a longer description:
In this episode, Chris Jefferson delivers a dynamic and comprehensive workshop focused on leveraging digital tools and strategies for church growth and connectivity. He begins with a lively introduction, meeting and greeting attendees, establishing a rapport, and swiftly moving into the session's core message: the importance of embracing digital technology for evangelism, discipleship, and church development.
The first significant topic Chris discusses is the assessment of a church's digital health. He emphasizes the importance of knowing where the church stands in the digital realm, mentioning a variety of platforms and metrics crucial for church visibility and accessibility. Chris introduces the idea of a “digital health check,” which audits a church’s online presence across platforms like Google, Facebook, and more to ensure accurate and optimized listings that improve discoverability, including compatibility with voice recognition searches using Siri and Alexa.
Chris addresses common concerns and questions from the attendees. He provides guidance on managing digital platforms with limited resources and emphasizes the effectiveness of outsourcing to specialized services for tasks like social media management and digital health checks. For instance, if a church doesn’t have the bandwidth internally, he advises leveraging services like Church Post to maintain a consistent online presence.
Chris concludes by emphasizing the necessity of churches embracing digital transformation, stressing that it is not a change in the church’s message but rather an adaptation of the medium. He highlights the potential of these tools to position churches competitively in the digital space, thus maximizing their reach and impact in their communities.