PushpayPosted on 03/02/2023 7:23:16 AM PST by SeekAndFind
As many churches have now reopened their doors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic only a minority of them still view in-person worship services as the church model of the future. A majority see a hybrid model utilizing various online technologies as the new normal according to a new study from Pushpay.
In their 2023 State of Church Technology report, Pushpay, the leading payments and engagement solutions provider for faith-based and non-profit sectors, the company said when their researchers asked church leaders what the future of their church will look like in 12 months only 28% of respondents indicated in-person only while many had multiple outlooks.
“Surprisingly, instead of selecting a single answer, hundreds of respondents selected two or more options. This indicates significant uncertainty about what their ministries may look like in a year’s time,” Pushpay researchers said. “That level of doubt hampers a church’s ability to make informed tech decisions. Adopting new digital tools should be grounded in a vision of the future—but at this inflection point, that may be difficult for many ministries.”
While 28% of respondents saw in-person only services in the next 12 months, an almost equal share, 25% believe the church will be meeting in the metaverse which Facebook describes as “a set of virtual spaces where you can create and explore with other people who aren’t in the same physical space as you.”Pushpay
Another 20% said worship will be online only while a staggering 81% of respondents predict worship services will encompass a hybrid model.
The annual study, which is now in its second year examines digital trends in the Church. Data for the study was collected through a survey conducted between September and October 2022. More than 2,200 church leaders from all branches of Christianity across the U.S. participated and some two-thirds of them represented churches with an annual budget of less than $1 million.
The report noted that in 2022, 89% of churches used a hybrid model and only 10% said they were worshiping in person only.
Now, says Pushpay the new data reflects an expectation among church leaders for growth in online-only or metaverse worship services.
“Interestingly, when asked to speculate on how their church might operate one year from now, that hybrid figure slides down to 81%—but online only and metaverse spike upward significantly. So the lower hybrid figure doesn’t necessarily mean churches are abandoning digital church, but rather that they’re considering new tech-driven opportunities,” researchers explained. “The spirit of hybrid church is leveraging technology to increase flexibility, adaptability, and inclusivity in ministry.”
Molly Matthews, Pushpay CEO said in a statement to The Christian Post that: “We are seeing an exciting shift in the faith sector as church leaders are becoming more tech savvy and eager to explore new approaches to engagement in a digital era.”
A strong 94% of churches also still maintain that technology is important to their mission, and 53% define their ministry as “progressive” when it comes to technology, many however see cost as the biggest obstacle to investing in products that they need.
“Of the top five factors considered ‘extremely important’ when considering new tech, only price was judged more important versus last year. Notably, further down that list, there was also a large uptick in the importance of usage-based pricing. One possible explanation for this trend is the economy at large,” the researchers said. “At the time of the survey, churches were just emerging from a pandemic that likely strained their balance sheets, and they may be buckling down for an anticipated recession in the near future.”
Sounds, like our church. Offer both services and let the members decide.
One well off member’s wife isn’t able to attend the live in church services, so he bought a very high end tv broadcasting system. So people like his wife and my family can watch our services in our family rooms.
My wife has some health issues at this time, so we watch our services when they are happening, on our family room tv.
Every other week a church member brings us communion. My wife brought communion for decades to those not able to attend. Now, she and I receive communion in our family room about an hour after watching the “live” services in our family room.
One of our relatives has severe Parkinson’s, he and his spouse attend their church at home, watching the live tv in their family room.
Ouch...that’s gonna leave a mark! 😉
Still trying to figure out if you don’t consider NJ as “in the U.S.”, but...point taken.
I am from CT and never met an “authentic Catholic” yet...
and I have met thousands of “Catholics”—they just make it up as they go along....
I have, for years, felt that 90% of those who attend churches do so mostly to be seen...
I, myself, have felt closer to God sitting alone high in the mountains of the Great Smokies...Just sitting with an open mind....
We’ve had TV services for years. Our minister would rather sit home a read a sermon off a teleprompter but the purpose of The Church is more than listening to a paid leader.
Our parish missed one Sunday when the wu flu first took hold (the archbishop dispensed Sunday attendance), but our rector (a gruff and rock solid Irishman) smelled a rat. He said, OK, wear masks but I expect you to show up! We did distancing of family groups and choir members for awhile, but nobody got sick (two choir members got sick, but one caught it at school and one at work).
I actually suspect that we all were exposed at the very beginning, in the fall of 2019 when China was still very hush-hush. One of our choir members is Korean and travels to China on business. She came back from SW China between Hallowe'en and Thanksgiving with 104 degree temp and a cough like a horse with the heaves. Prob about a third of the choir caught it, nobody was hospitalized, even us old folks. My doc said, "Looks like a bad virus" and prescribed steroids and antibiotics. She was right.
We were back pretty much to normal within a few months. Nobody bothers with masks now except a few folks who are elderly or have medical conditions. But I still see people driving all alone in their cars and masked to the eyes . . . !!!!
So says the superficial Christian. Those of genuine faith understand God established the local church who would come together and meet together as His plan. The command of God is to “not forsake the assembling of yourselves together.” Being an active and present member of local body (if possibel), is essential in being obedient to God’s way.
It's not all that difficult.
I have no interest in organized religion—too many liars, frauds, perverts, con artists, fakers....toxic to me.
How perfectly atrocious of you to say that, Ceegy.
I think you just proved my point.
2) I do have devout Catholics in my family - my Uncle tried to raise his five boys strictly in the faith but it took with none of them.
3) Let’s face it, most baptized Catholics whether in East Brunswick or East Timor tend to be cafeteria Catholics.
All the local churches who have went virtual or to one service on Sunday morning in my area are dying slow deaths. The members are ignored by the pastor except for performing a funeral service. No calls, no visitations, no Sunday School, no Wednesday or Sunday evening services, no youth programs, no gathering to worship the Lord.
The ones that continue to have services seem to be thriving and the remnant from those churches who saw Covid as an excuse to go virtual or down to one service a week are seeking out those churches that continue to be there for their congregation.
Presuming you are baptized, you have quite regrettably been scandalized by what you’ve seen and heard from those quarters.
Presuming you are now an adult, it falls to you to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Consider getting past your lack of interest. Time passes and life is short. Much shorter for some than it is for most others.
It’s a big problem.
That is, both #1 and #3. No argument here.
I don’t do “fear and trembling”.
That is how the sociopaths get obedience from their victims.
Yet, another DIP-$HIT IDEA emerging thanks to the LIBERAL LEFT!
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