Growth Points with Dr. Mc
Ministry in the Information Age
On Your Mark — Historians have identified three distinct ages which serve as a brief outline of history.
The Agricultural Age: This is the time period which spanned most of known history up to about 1860 in Western countries. Named for the main occupation which involved over 90% of all workers - farming. The main context for church ministry was the small rural town. The key unit was the extended family.
The Industrial Age: This is the time period from 1860 to about 1956. Named for the growth of industrial factories. The main context was the city. The key unit was the nuclear family.
The Information Age: This is the time period from 1956 to the present. Named for the rapid growth of technology. The main context is the world. The key unit is the fractured family.
Get Set — Peter Drucker called our current age a “knowledge-based society.” In such an information driven context data is the key resource and building block for every type of organization, including a church. Information is the new “money,” the currency upon which organizations rise or fall. Consider the following as an example.
Most churches now function as a hybrid church with worship services online and face-to-face. Giving is now collected via online deposits and face-to-face. Small groups now meet online and face-to-face. A fruitful ministry in this type of context requires good information. Thus, church leaders are asking questions, such as, “How long should a person be online for us to count them as attending?” “How many times should a person view our worship services before we attempt to get them into a small group?” Questions like these, and others, require good information.
If your church is over 65 years old, it likely has roots going back to the agricultural or industrial ages. If it’s over 25 years old, it likely has roots in the early Information Age, well before the online presence of church ministry. This often leads to stress as some ministry programs that worked in the past are not as fruitful today.
Go — Here’s this tips to update your ministry in the fast moving pace of what might be called “the Hybrid Age.”
Tip #1: Develop High Touch Ministries. Personal touch, whether in person or online, is still the main way to do ministry. Never has the old adage “High Tech-High Touch, been valid.
Tip #2: Remain Flexible. Ministry is not likely to settle down anytime soon. Continue to flex with new demands on time, ministry approaches, and relational connections.
Tip #3: Keep It Simple. Psychologist, George Miller, discovered years ago that only seven pieces of information, like a phone number, can be held easily in a person’s mind for short term memory. Thus, simplify everything, e.g., sermons, directions, announcements, etc.
Tip #4: Communicate, Communicate, Communicate! Use multiple communication channels and share everyone a minimum of seven different ways. Employ stories, images, and humor.
Tip #5: Focus on Long-term Growth. People are being forced to adapt to a new life-pace and novel situations. As they master new ways of doing things (e.g., online giving, worship, small groups, etc.), it’ll take some time for them to learn new habits. Keep presentng your ministry in concrete terms drip by drip by drip. Eventually, ministry will find a new equilibrium.
Okay, take these tips and get going.
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-Gary L. McIntosh, Ph.D.
Author of The Ten Key Roles of a Pastor