Home Ministry Tech Leaders Why Your Church Doesn’t Need a Custom Church App

Why Your Church Doesn’t Need a Custom Church App

It’s one more thing to communicate. The fact is, if you don’t constantly talk about your app, people will forget about it. Apps require constant promotion and all that bandwidth could be used to communicate something more important. And, if people don’t use an app on a regular basis, they tend to delete them — often within the first week. In fact, iPhone users will find their phone can remove apps automatically from their phone because of inactivity.

DO WHAT YOU DO WELL

Instead of trying to add another method of communication, look at what you’re already doing and do it better. Stick to a few things — and do them incredibly well. Stick to your website, social media, bulletin, and newsletter (or whatever your great communication methods are) — and do them so incredibly well that you won’t need to add something else.

Your website can do everything an app can do. That’s right, often mobile apps are just a portal to the website. In fact, a mobile-responsive website looks and operates just like an app (check out churchjuice.com on your phone). Sure, you can send push notifications via a mobile app, but only if the user allows notifications. Most smartphone users block all but a few notifications. Besides, your website can also send push notifications. Your website already does everything an app can do — and you obviously can’t get rid of your website. So I say stick to doing what you’re doing, and do it better.

There are options available that may help enhance your church’s communication. If your church has a clear purpose for a mobile app, is doing communication well, and looking to enhance your strategy, some denominations and organizations provide mobile apps that your church may be able to use. These options should enhance what you’re already doing — and usually can be created for a fraction of the cost of a typical custom church app.

 

This article about churches and a custom church app originally appeared here, and is used by permission.