The Journal on Preaching & Ministry: September 2025, Tech & Ministry
Prep for Sunday
Al, design tools
Front Door - good website, advertising, map listings
Make Your Sermon Live
Past Sunday - social media, reels, video
TALKING
Welcome to an unusual edition of The Journal. This quarter we focus on Technology and Ministry Each issue we use multiple writers but this quarter we invited two leaders in the church today in the fields of tech to handle the writing We feel this will provide focus, consistency, and accuracy. So, Blaine McKinney the Tech guy who works with the Mt. Juliet congregatoin and , Haridson Moles who works with the 109 church in Lebanon will guide us.
Yet there is more, AI seems to be everywhere, so we invited six preachers who use AI to different degrees.
Listen in as they discuss ways to use AI and ways to not
Technologies come and go From fire, to the wheel to super semi-conductors to whatever will come up new next week It will change The Gospel will not We must do all we can to harness these tools to the glory and work of the Lord Thanks for taking the time to read this issue of The Journal. Let us know of any suggestions or input you have at
"Easy to read and has led to great discussion with each other." -TT
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"...send us 12 more, this is the best thing we've seen for new elders." -JS
digital spaces too?
Website - View your website with new eyes and as different audiences.
Be critical of your website as if you were, for example, a person who had no faith, grew up in the church, was visiting from another faith tradition, was a parent, etc
Was your website missing anything you felt like you wanted to communicate to one of those individuals?
Do you have these essentials pages/sections on your website?
● Home
● Leadership/Staff
● Plan a Visit/I’m New
● About/Vision/What We Believe
● Livestream (if you have it)
● Events (if you will update it)
● Location & Service Times
Is your website still advertising last year’s summer series? Does your bio say “started serving here two years ago, ” which is out of date, vs. “started serving here [insert year you started]”?
Is your website full of stale stock photos? Does your website look good on a phone, where the majority of people will view it?
WHAT TO DO: A good church website should be optimized for hose not yet integrated with your church. Keep things simple, yet clear.Use a modern website builder. You can use a simple template with a website builder like Squarespace (ex: rescueukraine com), Wix, or Weebly and have a decent website quickly Church-specific website builders like Nucleus (ex: mtjuliet org) or The Church Co (ex: wetumpkachurchofchrist org) are other options Take photos at events/activities and use them on your website! Your congregation is full of wonderful people who love their church family–represent genuine church life that draws others to the fellowship you share.
Social Media - We could spend much time considering platforms, but a I believe you should at
“Make friends with AI and be prudent with
it’s use!”
“ChatGPT for PowrPoint slides
least consider a Facebook page. Visit your social media platforms individually. Is your feed full of nothing but livestreams? Is your cover photo blank, or is it a photo/design that is welcoming? Is your feed full of announcements for an internal audience when social media should be more outreach-focused? Do you ever see faces in your feed or simply see cookie-cutter designs that don’t get much reach? Are you promoting things too much versus providing content for growth and encouragement?
WHAT TO DO: Find sustainable rhythms with posting. Consider streaming to YouTube exclusively, rather than filling your Facebook feed with livestreams. Do you have worship every week? Potlucks? Church-wide events? Baptisms? You already have content! Simply document what’s already happening in your church with photos. You’ll find that it's much more manageable when you shift your framework to documenting and repurposing content (Jason’s article has a lot more to say about this later). This is an excellent opportunity to get the youth in your congregation involved by discipling them and serving the church
Livestream - You may not have a livestream–I don’t think every church needs one
Considering the resources, time, and volunteers it takes Several congregations choose to have a list of congregations they encourage their church family to watch if they cannot attend in person. If you do have a livestream and give public access to it, how is it? Do you know you’ve had that hum on the audio for the last 3 years and just never fixed that? Is the song leader the only heard voice when the congregation is singing? Is the camera quality the same as that of an old tube television? A less-than-ideal livestream may not be bad for a shut-in or family who loves their church family and wants to stay connected when not in person, but it might hinder a guest who is watching online before ever visiting in person
WHAT TO DO:
In the following article, you’ll learn more about good lighting and audio quality impacts Both of these can really improve your stream! Consider switching to additional microphones for congregational singing to be amplified online. Assess how this stream would look to an online audience encountering your church for the first time If you’re already likely to acknowledge guests in person, acknowledge those online too You also may just need to improve your equipment Don’t go overboard, but consider how much you value what you’re doing vs the effort it takes Make changes accordingly and contact other congregations to see what they’re doing.
If your congregation’s digital spaces are anything like mine, you just walked through that exercise and found plenty of room for improvement In fact, I fixed a couple of items immediately for us It’s a never-ending process in the digital world
digital front door, continued
Before anyone ever sees your clean auditorium or your mowed grass, they’re likely to visit your digital spaces Do they communicate hospitality, care, and intentionality? If not, maybe there are some improvements to make. Never forget the people element–you can encourage seeking souls by having inviting digital spaces, but the church must also communicate that The congregation, the people, have to buy into that mission to be a hospitable church that radiates Christ’s light. People are searching for community, meaning, and salvation–make sure they can find it, and the digital spaces of your church say, “We’re right here, and let us tell you about our great God!”
Take a picture with guests and then share it with them, When you do, you have their picutre AND contact info!
Use the Tools At Hand
Rumblings spread through the region - with the things that were happening, it would naturally start to draw an audience The number of attendees that day was greater than most people would have expected; all gathered to see what all the chatter was about As the crowds pushed in closer on the shore, a problem quickly arose How could you reach this many folks? There was no way to speak to all of these people without the aid of acoustic support. Crowds continued to push in closer and closer to the shore to hear from this person they had heard so much about - a man named Jesus.
It was at that moment that Jesus got in a boat and pushed out into the sea The crowd on the land was now separated from him by the shoreline Jesus sat down in the boat and continued to teach just as he had done on the shore He told the parable of the sower He spoke of seed being spread all over different types of soil. In some soil, the seed would grow and then die; in others, it would never take root; and in others, it would be eaten by birds and never produce. However, some seed would hit good soil and would bear much grain Jesus told that the sower spread seed to all of these soils, then followed the teaching by saying "He who has ears to hear, let him hear"
As Jesus told the parable of the sower, we can learn much even today about how to spread the word indiscriminately to all those around us. The goal should be to have the most impact possible. The ability of the soil to take the seed and produce grain from it is not the focus; it is the spreading of the seed While we learn from Jesus's teaching in the record of this moment, we can also learn from how he delivered this great message
With such a great multitude around him, Jesus had to find a way to get this teaching to them all He had no access to the Roman theaters, odeons, or basilicas of the time, which were acoustically engineered to carry a voice to, in some cases, thousands. What Jesus had was a shoreline and a boat and with it, He taught a profound message. Jesus' teaching from the boat utilized a natural occurrence of acoustic design ingrained in nature from creation
The thermal conditions of the sea and the natural reflective properties of the water allowed Jesus' voice to carry further than it could have if he were on the shore with the people. Rather than throwing up his hands and saying that people were just out of luck or bemoaning the lack of sophisticated resources, Jesus made do with what was available. He utilized the tools at his disposal a boat and a shore to reach the largest number of people possible
Hardison Moles is the Media Outreach Minister
at the 109 Church of Christ in Lebanon TN. He can be reached at hardison@109.church
For today, this is a sobering reminder that our mission isn't restricted because of our resources In a world full of technological advances, it is easy to fall into the mentality that you cannot be effective without the latest and greatest tools. Unfortunately, we often find ourselves playing the comparison game with others. We look at the work being done by other people and try to excuse our shortcomings by noting things they have that we do not. This is not only a sinful practice of envy, but is also a vast underestimation of the power of God
If we truly believe in the power of the gospel and its life-altering impact, we will do everything possible to share it with as many people as possible. It is a blessing to have modern tools to help us share this message today Sound amplification, graphic presentation, and video distribution allow us to spread the gospel in ways unheard of many years ago. Every congregation's relationship with these tools looks different Some have bare bones systems, while others have state-of-the-art gear and professional operators
While we should always strive to do our best in this area of service, we must remember that our abilities may look different from someone else's, and that is okay.
We are called to reach those around us with what we do have. We can't be held back by what we don't have. If you have an advanced system, use it to the glory of God If all you have is something simple, use it to the glory of God. A sad reality is that many will sit around waiting for access to greater tools before they start to sow This can't be When God puts a tool in our hands, we must use it to serve Him
We must take what we have been given and put it to work There is a world that needs the Gospel It is our responsibility to share it with them. It's time to get in the boat and push out onto the sea. There is much work to be done and you have been equipped with the tools to do it He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Every generation needs a practical, biblical reminder of who we are as God's people. Ira North gave us "Balance" in the last century, and Dale Jenkins now offers "Growing Healthy Churches." His reminder that "the church still belongs to God and He still wants it to grow" calls us to action. This book comes from a servant who has devoted his life to growing healthy churches, sharing wisdom gleaned from decades of faithful experience rather than fleeting gimmicks. David R Shannon. President, Freed-Hardeman University
Seize the 167
We gather together for a limited time each week. One of my favorite church media personalities, Brady Shearer, is known for saying “Seize the 167.” If there are 168 hours in a week and we might get an hour from someone, what are we doing with the other 167? Are we wasting that time and leaving our congregants to their efforts entirely? Rightfully, most churches have additional gatherings during the week for fellowship and learning–make sure you are providing those opportunities! We also have an excellent opportunity to connect more throughout the week using various digital channels for further encouragement, growth, and relationship fostering and building. Let me say it here first–nothing will replace the joy and meaningful physical presence among the brethren. Let that never leave us. However, something like building meaningful community and opportunities through online groups, podcasts, and other digital tools can aid in encouraging one another.
Podcasts (audio and video) are one of the fastest-growing media right now In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if many of you reading have started a podcast (don’t worry–I won’t ask you if you kept up with it!).
Churches should consider adding podcasts if they want to engage their congregation throughout the week with additional content meant to encourage, equip, or inform.
It can sound daunting, but you might find that simply uploading your sermon to a podcast platform (like Apple Podcasts or Spotify) may benefit your church members who need refreshers or want to listen to old sermons during their commutes or while working around the house. What if you, who knows your sermon
better than anyone, created a 10-15 minute podcast episode released on Monday mornings to encourage the church with fresh, practical application of what they learned about yesterday? What if you took a step to start doing something, even once a month, where you interviewed church members and/or church leaders about how they came to faith or about a ministry they’re passionate about? You might be pleasantly surprised to see people get to know fellow Christians better, or how people retain more from the sermon because of your podcasting efforts.
One of the most powerful tools for creating an online community is Facebook Groups. I know our “MJ Family” group always seems to be a catalyst for activity of encouragement, prayer, ministry, and community throughout the week. “Urgent prayers needed…” “Does anyone have size X clothes for a new foster child?” “We need to set up a meal train for this family struggling because of a recent hospital stay.” “Does anyone know of a church in this area of my friends can visit because they’re moving?” “Thank you to everyone who came to the visitation the other night–it meant so much to me.” ” I could give dozens of additional examples, but just know moments like that are worth having during the week. As much of a toxic place as social media can be, there sure are moments where I’m glad I have it to connect during the week with my church family.
You may find several other outlets that are good for your congregation during the week. I know of churches that use Band, Group Me, or even Discord. In addition to our Facebook
SEIZE THE 167
Group, some of the groups and ministries at the congregation I serve also use Church Center Groups to connect, share, and encourage during the week.
Church Center is Planning Center’s church app. Planning Center is an example of a Church Management Software (ChMS). Hopefully, you have something like a simple church directory for your congregation to connect during the week, so they don’t have to bug you for sister so and so’s number every time. Well, a ChMS is a directory, but supercharged depending on how you use it. In a world where we are data-rich, we can use it to inform, encourage, and equip our congregation and guests on Sundays, Wednesdays, and beyond. An elder once said, “If I know my responsibility is to shepherd people, the first thing I want to ask is, ‘Can you give me a list?’” Well, ChMS can give you a list and much more.
At the very least, you should have a spreadsheet of your people, but might I suggest you take the step to use a fullblown ChMS and leverage that for the kingdom of God? Might I suggest that you intentionally think about how you shepherd, equip, and evangelize and how software can help you do that?
Because of the church management software, we can do this…
Sign up for ministries and give leaders a list of those who can serve in their ministry.
Keep track of our benevolence data, who we give money to, keep helpful data of how many we help, and report to our elders.
Invite guests, benevolence contacts, and those who have attended previous events to upcoming outreach events.
Assimilate new people and keep ourselves accountable with timed reminders and workflows. Distribute personal growth resources and other teaching resources online.
Keep track of medical release forms (youth ministries).
Track our background checks if you do that for volunteers in specific ministries.
Send emergency texts about worship changes/cancellations.
Create spaces for people to foster encouragement, like parents and caregivers emails, prayer groups, encouragement groups (fellowship groups) to communicate, etc.
Simply ask yourself–Is there something that I am doing already or that I think would be good to do that software could help me with? If the answer is “yes,” then you should consider leveraging a church management software to aid in your ministry of the church.
The main software solution I encourage people to view is Planning Center–they are the best in the industry. Other options include Breeze, Church Community Builder, Tithe.ly, and LightPost.
You can really get into the weeds with ChMS, but remember that anything you do in this area should be focused on people. Data for data’s sake is wasted time, energy, and money. Data that informs and equips shepherding, encouragement, and outreach is a blessing. What does it matter if you collect information on guests who come to your Fall Festival if you never follow up with them? What’s the point of tracking attendance if it never leads to you reaching out to those who may be missing and struggling? What’s the point of keeping everyone’s phone numbers stored if you never pick up the phone and call them to encourage them!?In the digital age, we can do so much even during the week to foster encouragement, growth, and outreach. Now, go do it! It’s hard to give specific advice as we’re all in different contexts, but look/ask what other churches are doing. Open your eyes to the needs, ministries, or individuals already in front of you who can make these changes happen.
“Seize the 167!”
Pursuing Excellence in Everything
By Hardison Moles
Each week, a preacher will sit down and spend many hours preparing to deliver a sermon. Time is taken to ensure that, on Sunday, the content and delivery are a compelling presentation of the lesson prepared. Skilled individuals set out to communicate the most important message on this earth - the gospel A good preacher spends time not only preparing each week but also growing in their skill set to refine their abilities This is done with the goal of being better every daylearning lessons along the way and implementing them in pursuit of excellence
So, after spending hours of preparation for a message in pursuit of excellence, how does your audiovisual experience play into this story?
Unfortunately, many men stand up to deliver a well- prepared lesson in an environment full of distractions Poor audio, distracting or unclear visuals, and even bad lighting can all be detrimental to the effectiveness of your message. Many studies show the importance of clarity in these areas for retention of messages, but this also applies to all aspects of a worship service When we remove distractions from an environment, people can focus on the mission at hand - fully engaged in worship of our God
Far too often, audiovisual systems are haphazardly deployed, causing ineffective utilization Church leaders frequently opt for the cheapest route, leading to the worst quality Systems are often neglected or run by untrained volunteers As crazy as it may seem to some, this can and does create hurdles for individuals in attendance to engage in worship and soak up the teachings being delivered We seek excellence in the content being shared, so what does it practically look like to do the same for the medium in which it is being shared?
provide flexibility and can move with the speaker for consistent sound.
Once a good microphone is selected, the rest of the system must be well-suited to the space in which it is being u sed Th is process looks different for all churches, but the primary aspiration should be that audio is clear, consistent, and at a comfortable listening level Don't make people strain to hear, and don't make their ears bleed. Levels should be loud enough to be clearly heard even when the air conditioner kicks on or a baby cries. For songs, make sure your leader can lead and not be entirely overwhelmed by the crowd so that everyone can sing together
The best sermon is pointless if it cannot be easily heard and understood From an audiovisual perspective, this considers many things, including microphone selection, placement, processing, and amplification. Wired microphones provide reliability and affordability while sacrificing mobility In many cases, however, wireless microphones are ideal and preferred as they
While audio is paramount to an effective setup, it is not the only area where we should seek excellence. Another significant area is visuals. In 2025, it is relatively commonplace for churches to utilize projection, televisions, and, in some cases, LED panels to display graphics to aid in worship. From song lyrics and notation to sermon presentations and announcement slides, ensuring your message comes across clearly is essential.
Screen size and placement are key for effective communication. If you utilize this aid form regularly, ensure you choose functionality over aesthetics Ineffective screens are often selected, leading to small text size and inhibited views Your graphics themselves also play into legibility Poor font choice and color selection can make reading hard for people. Try sitting in the back row of the room sometime and see how things read If you have trouble seeing everything clearly, chances are that someone else will have an even more difficult time Utilize contrast in your designs - dark colors with light colors. Use simple fonts rather than decorative ones.
Another consideration in this area is using a presentation to aid a sermon rather than pulling away from the message. Your manuscript shouldn't be your slides Use this to supplement and support instead of replacing or repeating what you already communicate verbally. If you use transitions in your
presentations, make them simple. Flashy moves and effects can look cool, but they bring attention to the visual rather than the message A good rule of thumb: sermon slides should support your message, not carry it If your sermon would fall apart without them, it may be time to rethink your approach
An often forgotten area in this sphere is lighting. Bad lighting can cause issues for those in attendance, but it also plays a massive role today as recording and live streaming become increasingly common. A fantastic camera with poor lighting creates a bad image. Meanwhile, good lighting with a simple camera can make a quality image Even if your setup isn't elaborate, consider a quality stream's impact on a shut-in. This isn't possible without starting with a properly lit space
A well-executed audiovisual experience for these scenarios means the audience never thinks about what's happening behind the scenes. This helps the message being presented to have the most significant effect and allows people to be actively engaged in worship It can draw people away if there are issues with the sounds, slides, or anything else. So when selecting equipment and deciding how it will be utilized, the system should ultimately be designed to be a helpful aid, yet also ultimately overlooked.
When developing these systems, many variables come into play Every church has different needs At the crux of it all, one thing remains the same - we must pursue excellence in what we do. Just like we learn in Colossians 3, we need to recognize that we are using these tools to aid in worship, and this is a service to God, so we should do it to the best of our ability.
When God told Moses the specifications for the tabernacle, he sent him a man named Bezalel Moses was a great leader and did amazing things for God. He played a vital role, but God sent Bezalel for something special. Scripture tells us that Bezalel was filled with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence He was sent to create artistic designs to help point people to the Creator
Bezalel was a skilled artisan with a calling to help point people to God. He and the men he worked with did the behind-the-scenes work to create the tabernacle
Maybe it's time to utilize a Bezalel in your congregation. A skilled worker with God given talents to help aid the work you are already heavily involved with daily. Bezalel's involvement with the tabernacle didn't inhibit Moses' role - it was amplified If the audiovisual world is not your skill set, find someone with those abilities and use them to serve God Trust their expertise in this field as you seek to help people develop in their relationship with God.
A newly developing ministry shift utilizes a dedicated individual to serve in technology-centered areas. Just as youth ministry was an answer to recognition of a need to serve kids as they develop, this is an answer to a growing need in the Church today. As the audiovisual and communications landscape rapidly changes, keeping up is becoming harder and harder Rather than fumbling through trying to stay current so that you can have the best impact possible, find someone to come alongside and join your team who can champion the mission of using ever- changing tools to share an unchanging message.
Excellence has long been sought in preaching and all aspects of worship. It must be recognized that the audiovisual realm should be included in this pursuit This work is being done for the Lord. Souls are at stake. Skilled labor offered in service to the Kingdom of God Pursuing excellence in everything
