Discipleship & Technology (feat. Chris Jefferson)

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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.

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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.