I  get at least a dozen emails a day advertising and promoting the latest software tool or app that will “change your life!” And I regularly see tools and apps that are aimed at the local church. And now, many of these tools use Artificial Intelligence (AI) or are a product of AI that are designed to increase efficiency of staff, proficiency of communication, and even sufficiency of discerning data and trends.

But unfortunately, the trend I have witnessed most frequently over the past 25 years has been that the vast majority of these tools and applications lay underutilized and even unused as the monthly subscription clicks on…

Easter is just around the corner, but then what? How are we calling our people to respond to God’s Grace we find in the empty tomb?

It is March 17, so I don my green button-down shirt (and green socks for good measure) and I head out to partake in the celebration we call St. Patrick’s Day. It is a day to patiently wait in long lines for a Guinness (IYKYK, true believer) or a solo cup of green beer. We celebrate Irish culture with frivolity and fun, the wearing of green clothes, and the celebration of all things Irish.

But would it shock you to know that we originally celebrated this day in the Church as a religious feast? I mean, the day IS dedicated to a saint for goodness sake. What do we really know about St. Patrick and why is there a day dedicated to his memory?

This blog post discusses how gated content, which requires an email address for access, might hinder your reach. According to Mark Schaefer, content value comes from transmission not just creation. Let's make our message accessible, especially with something as important as the Gospel.