By: Terry Wilhite

In that past, I’ve shared how important one’s presentation skills and credibility are in getting church members to support technology tools for the pastoral office and on the church campus. There are occasions, however, when the biggest hang up in adopting technology can be traced to a pastor’s communication with the finance or stewardship committee. I want to provide some advice that can help overcome that hurdle.

First, our top job in leading the finance committee is to refocus. The discussion should be refocused from technology and finance to the spiritual challenge that is at hand. The only reason we’re talking about technology in ministry is because it can help us be better stewards, not of just our treasury, but of our time as we work to reaching people for Christ and bring believers closer together. So question number one for the finance committee should be: Can this tool help us to be more effective and efficient in these goals?

Secondly, we must remind our finance committee that we are at war. The war being waged in Iraq has similarities of historic battles, but the tools of war used today are far more sophisticated than they were in the past. I want to reemphasize that in my opinion, the Lord is unleashing technological tools at a record rate today in order that we might reach every corner of the globe with the Good News as quickly as possible. So question number two is: Are we willing to employ the latest tools to help us reach people at record speed?

Thirdly, our finance committee needs to be reminded that technology is a short-term investment. It is much different from buying new carpet or even replacing an air conditioner. The lifespan of software and computer equipment, before obsolescence, is about two years. Therefore, options need to be thoroughly researched. So question number three is: Have we thoroughly researched the options available to meet our present need and settled on the very best, singular, recommendation for the church’s consideration?

Fourth, training is not an option! We must be willing to provide those who use the technology with the necessary training. One cannot be a good steward of the technology unless one is willing to invest in training. Question number four, then, is: Do we realize that we must budget for training?

Fifth, the finance committee and the church must realize there is learning curve in using any technology. Training helps to lower the learning curve. But the only way to gain proficiency is with experience. It leads to the question: Are we willing to be patient in the short term until we get “up-to-speed”?

Sixth, prices will drop eventually. Whatever you decide to buy, a year from now the price probably will be half of what it is today, and you’ll get far better and faster features. This is perhaps the biggest of all hang ups a church finance committees faces when considering the purchase of technology. A choice must be made whether the church should wait until prices are lowered (and lose opportunities in the meantime), or purchase at the current higher price to “redeem the time.” Consequently, the pastor or presenter needs to state these options simply but clearly to the finance committee and to the church, when the proposal is up for consideration. Everyone must understand, we can’t get hung up on second-guessing our past decisions or even wait until the price falls a year from now to adopt technology. We have to make the best decisions today to employ the right tools to reach people because we are not promised the next year, not even tomorrow.

Seventh, increasing the use of technology in a church usually is governed by a pastor’s comfort level in using newer tools. It would be unusual if you haven’t heard the complaint: “But we just don’t have the money to buy this new stuff.” Sometimes I wonder, however, whether churches lack financial resources for technology, not because church members have been unfaithful in their giving, but because a vision of how to reach people for Christ has not been communicated adequately.

Over the years I’ve often heard that the money simply was not available to purchase synthesizers, video projectors, projection screens, software and computers. Yet, when the pastor presented the “whys”, the “hows” took care of themselves. The congregation got excited and jumped on board - and the dollars were there to purchase the technology.

A resource I’ve recommended before is Tim Eason’s book, Church Media Made Easy. It is in my opinion, a must-read for pastors and finance committees considering the use of communications technology. You can order this valuable book at www.churchmedia.net. Other resources also are available at my website.