Your ministry can’t wait for the next big thing in technology before you dive in. Why? Because there will always be a “next thing.”
I hear these things often when counseling ministries (and maybe you do too):
What if this technology becomes outdated next year?
or…
What if something better comes along in 3 months?
or…
How will I know when it’s time to switch?
All these questions seem reasonable except that they disregard a number of things.
First, “outdated” is subjective and contextual. For some ministries Twitter is already lame and proving to be ineffective. Same thing with Facebook. For others, it’s a boon for them.
Secondly, something will inevitably come along that’s better, but that’s not the point. Our goal as the Church is not to necessarily be on the cutting edge but to be on the cutting edge of the technology’s particular and strategic use, especially as it relates to building relationships.
Thirdly, anytime is a good time to switch if you’ve got the money, time, and the technology is a vast improvement. What a lot of ministries need to ask themselves is how they can commit long-term to a technology platform so that they can even remotely gauge its success.
Let’s do ourselves a favor and dive right in; besides, you’re late to the game already, so better get started.