Comments on: Does Technology Empower or Handicap Your Ministry Team?

By: Graham

Graham — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:27:01 +0000

Just remember…

“It’s not what the software does, it’s what the user does.”

First and foremost we must make sure the user is not overwhelmed.

By: Graham

Graham — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:25:33 +0000

I feel your pain. I’m the 25 year old “Director of Technology” in a church with mostly the same demo as your work with. It’s a battle for sure but it’s also quite a fun ride!

By: JayCaruso

JayCaruso — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 14:24:04 +0000

That’s great to hear!

By: jmgreenhill

jmgreenhill — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 23:02:01 +0000

I’m a youth pastor who has a college degree with “computer” in the title which means that I am also the computer guy at my church. i will say that switching to google apps was great. A good portion of the staff are self professed computer illiterates. It was my task to teach the secretary how to use google apps. She picked it up in a day. She’s running our calendar, sending out reminders, everything. Google apps is easy enough to release people from technology in order to do ministry.

By: JayCaruso

JayCaruso — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:11:17 +0000

Good point. I forget that too. What we think is “easy” is not necessarily the case for others.

By: Adam Lehman

Adam Lehman — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 20:38:56 +0000

Dang. Great point.

As a 24-year old working in a church filled with 40-50 year olds, I’ve become the tech guy by default.
And while I’m so excited at the possibility for how tech can help empower lay people to join our mission, I realize that sometime that can be pretty tough on others and they can end up feeling shackled to a computer screen.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:41:05 +0000

So if we’re expecting people to utilize that new technology we rolled out, we have to make sure it is working correctly and helping them use it well so people are empowered.

More people in IT and development need to understand this. Not everyone thinks like geeks (and that’s a good thing!).

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Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:45:59 +0000

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By: Alycia Williams

Alycia Williams — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 15:51:14 +0000

This happens in all areas of life. Personally, I have seen lots of technology purchased for classrooms without the proper, ongoing training for teachers. It ends up being a HUGE waste of resources.