Love Thy Enemy: 6 Ways Embracing Technology Helps Religious Institutions
[2.5 Minute Read]Religious institutions have been experiencing a steady decline in attendance in recent years. The enemy is technology, as it has taken part of the blame for this. The internet, video games, and a limitless amount of content battles for our attention daily. Our world has become so fast paced, that the ability to sit in gratitude and worship is challenging for many.
Here’s a thought: Instead of banishing technology, why not embrace it? After all, religion has always championed communication throughout generations. What if you could use technology to better communicate to your parishioners?
Here’s a thought: Instead of banishing technology, why not embrace it? After all, religion has always championed communication throughout generations. What if you could use technology to better communicate to your parishioners?
At firmCHANNEL, we are inspired every day to service our customers with becoming better communicators, to educate, empower and engage their congregations. Innovative digital signage solutions designed to support easier, efficient, and more effective communication. Communities across North America in venues great and small, from chapels, mosques, temples and synagogues to megachurches have been engaging their followers with technology as part of their services, or throughout their facilities.
Here are six ways to embrace digital display technology, to help you spread your word:
Here are six ways to embrace digital display technology, to help you spread your word:
1. In the Beginning…
A large, regular expense for places of worship is printing. Programs for multiple weekly services, additional events and postings throughout the building. Digital kiosks provide the functionality to post agendas, announcements, and other important information without the time and cost of printed materials. Don’t leave it there! Utilizing scannable QR code technology allows people to download take-home content to their phones, which keeps them engaged after services.4. Shake Up the Senses
Those of us who are blessed with sight, have been given the gift to see truth and beauty. Vision is a powerful sense. Our clients often tell us how excited and engaged their audience is after implementing digital displays into their practices. Keep the solemnity of ceremony and enhance the inspiration by engaging the senses.2. Deliver Us from Evil (and Germs)
As religious facilities open back up to in-person prayer, some are hesitant to attend due to concerns with COVID-19. firmCHANNEL's Safety-Line Technologies provide touchless hand sanitizing and temperature scanners integrated with digital display kiosks. Caring for your clergy and fellow worshipers by investing in measures to keep them safe is a selfless endeavor; plus, the safer people feel the more eager they will be to attend.5. Attract and Engage Youth
The youth of today have grown up in a visual world. A large number wouldn’t know a book if it was delivered by Amazon. If you want to engage with young people, you have to communicate in mediums that they are familiar with. A visual method of communication “speaks to them in their own language.” Ask yourself this, from the young people you know, how many will engage with a digital display quicker than grabbing a book?3. The Gift of Communication
The Bible warns that what we say and how we say it is important. There is so much information to communicate inside and outside of worship halls, it's easy to get missed or misunderstood. Digital displays empower the message during services and can educate congregants on community news, social programs, fundraising efforts, updates and events.6. Spreading the Word
Religion isn’t just about scheduled ceremonies, it’s a way of life. Your organization likely does a lot of work with the community, charities, and people. Highlighting your work isn’t bragging, it is sharing! Educating others about this work improves community and encourages others to get involved to pay it forward. Spread the word, your words and good words with digital displays.Many establishments may be slow to adapt new ways of doing thigs, but religious institutions have always recognized opportunities to be more effective at spreading the word. Some technology may be contributing to a decline in our society, but innovative tools like firmCHANNEL’s digital displays can better engage with a world that has grown up with adopting the latest technologies.
firmCHANNEL’s goal is to inspire our partners to find better ways to communicate their message to those who need to hear it. We would like to do the same for you. It starts with contacting us. We’ll have a conversation where our first step will be to really get to know you, and if we can help, we will.
firmCHANNEL’s goal is to inspire our partners to find better ways to communicate their message to those who need to hear it. We would like to do the same for you. It starts with contacting us. We’ll have a conversation where our first step will be to really get to know you, and if we can help, we will.