I can recall my parents discussing some ancient relics of the past called “records” which played music from great big CDs. I thought they were so old. Now my kids laugh at stories about cassettes, the original Nintendo, and days from before Google even existed. This change impacts how Christians serve their community, which is a big part of how we serve our King.

I began ministering in small, rural churches in Kentucky. I can’t even recall a soundboard at the first church in which I regularly served. I was aware of a single microphone at the pulpit that had a power button, but there was no dedicated soundman, and I can only recall two small speakers. Folks who couldn’t hear well sat quietly in reverent duty, without being able to really receive what messages were given or to fully participate in worshipping through song. Those songs were often a cappella, with members holding their own hymnals.

I was briefly a youth pastor at a church where it felt like technology had taken a leap forward. They had a dedicated Audio-Visual area, a soundboard, multiple mics, speakers, and even a projector and a few small, older TVs in the kids’ area. The technology brought in young individuals who connected with the different style, but unfortunately the moral failure of the founding senior pastor, and the desire to keep him on staff despite that, led me to resign and leave. I was too young to deal with that conflict, but appreciated the lessons learned there.

I also served at New Hope Community Church in Corbin, KY, in several different capacities. Colonel Sanders himself use to attend in the building, which is just up the hill from the original KFC. When I first got connected to New Hope, it was because of family connections and their hearing I was looking for places to fill the pulpit and grow. I was a regular guest preacher, then a member, then youth leader, and finally assistant pastor. As of my last visit, at the time of writing, their technology was the same as it was 13 years ago: a few microphones, a soundboard, and a dedicated Audio-Visual volunteer. The congregation was primarily older, with many of the younger individuals who grew up in the church leaving it sometime during their high school or college years.

Later, I was able to attend and serve other larger churches, including two Calvary Chapels and Community Church Oxford. All three were more youthful and multigenerational. Each had many volunteers serving in different roles. Each utilized multiple forms of technology.

I’ve visited or filled in at many other churches, but I shared those examples to show I’ve seen the impacts of changing technology on different congregations and the success of technology helping engage younger people, and some reluctance to adopt or adapt from others.

Technology has changed drastically in my lifetime. While I grew up in a rural area in a lower-than –average income home, I can remember owning a black and white TV; now I carry a much more powerful smart phone in my pocket. At the time I write this, Tech site ZDNET.com reports that the average American spends 5.4 hours a day on their mobile phone alone. This has pushed out some TV time, but they also overlap, as well. If the average person outside the church communicates through technology — specifically, screens — what does that mean for the church?

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 records Paul adapting to cultures as he moved through the ancient world on missionary journeys.

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. (NASB 1995)

To reach a “techy” generation, we, too, must communicate the Gospel in a techy way. Matthew 28:19-20 tells us, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” In today’s world, to “GO” means going online.

The problem with being a tech-savvy church? It takes time, finances, and people. It’s not just a matter of equipment. Software and even rights to images and songs cost money, as well. In some ways, individual churches are “nickel and dimed” to death. As costs for churches have consistently risen, different things are required. Training on equipment to takes time and skill. The demands on church staff have also increased now that they are even more readily available to those they serve locally, as well as having a wider area of impact in a world that is more connected.

This is the biggest factor currently impacting the small side of what is called “The Church Squeeze.” This “Church Squeeze” refers to a perceived sweet spot in the health of churches: large enough to meet the needs of their members, but small enough to not be saddled with too much debt. The small end of the healthy size is usually estimated at 200 and the large end is 500.

Now on the other side of the Covid lockdowns tech is even more important. Approximately 20% of churches that existed at the beginning of 2020 closed their doors by the end of last year. Many, if not most of those who did close, didn’t have google business profiles, Facebook pages, online giving, streaming, or even websites. Quite simply, they weren’t speaking in an area where people were listening, and they were trying to reach a world that no longer exists.

What does all that mean? Said more simply, to be effective at reaching the lost and equipping the Christians in their doors already, churches need more volunteers than ever before, and running a church costs substantially more than even 20 years ago. It’s been fascinating to watch the increasing obstacles and demands pile up over just my nearly 20-year ministry career. (Remember, I started very young.)

How do we overcome it? Step 1 is honest communication. Step 2 is living out 1 Peter 2:9 which informs the church, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” (NASB) This means both serving inside the church, and living a life that tells others about the Gospel. Step 3 is making sure that we follow Romans 2:11 and treat each individual as having the same value. That means that we need to make sure multiple generations feel welcome in our churches. It’s a give and take that requires delicate balance. Step 4 is continuing to adapt.

Colossians 4:5 commands us to “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.” The speed at which our society is moving requires the church to be nimble and to think both quickly and long term if it wants to make an impact on our community. As the authors of U Turn Church let their congregation know, if they were trying to make an impact for Jesus in a changing world, there would have to be change there, as well. There should be no change in the essential doctrines, but the way messages are conveyed, the technology, the look, the illustrations used in conveying truth, may change.

Update/ Interruption from 2026: As I complied this past devotionals and articles, and came upon this one, it caused more reflection than most.

At the time of writing, I was preparing the congregation I was leading for yet another change. When I arrived there a very primitive website, a rarely used Facebook, and sound equipment geared towards an older style. The church had actually progressed a fair amount in previous years, and was more accepting of casual dress, had some amazingly skilled musicians and the Oregon, while present, wasn’t they key instrument anymore. Still, it was moving too fast for some, and much too slow for others.

When I wrote this originally, we were just coming out of the Covid-Lockdowns and we had managed to get cameras and start live streaming and recording our services for the first time. We ran into a big problem through, As the Summer hit, our big, beautiful windows behind the chancel (or church stage area) would cause the cameras to render musicians and message givers a like as black shadows. It also rendered the area of the wall were we projected lyrics and slides almost unreadable.

Not only was our “old fashioned look” commented on by our younger members, and visitors who didn’t return, but now the once beautiful open style windows were marking it hard for potential guests to know what was going on if they wanted to preview our service, and most do before coming in service.

We had changed a lot through the Covid lockdowns, but we weren’t able to complete the change to the windows before I left. We were, however, able to lay the groundwork. After that church, The Fountain, merged into Rise Church, something I was in favor of, rather than replace me, as Rise needed a building, and I wanted a pastor I could trust with the people I loved, there was eventually a nice cover on those windows, as well as other better equipment.

Having worked with other churches and talked with other pastors it’s sad how some of the biggest internal fights or divisions inside a church are over the personal preferences of the members who are already there vs. what needs to be done to better communicate with those who don’t yet know Christ.

At the time of writing, and with years of study and experience, the current landscape of churches seems to be hitting a healthy middle ground. Yes some churches will always be able to provide a unique and comforting type of pastoral care being more traditional, while others want to be on the cutting edge, but increasingly new believers are coming to churches that are modern yes, but also authentic and not as excessive as some services got pre-covid.

Wherever you land, please try to have patience, and don’t demonize the other side. The comfort of tradition has strong and Holy memories attached to it, and technology has pros and cons. From the older folks point view, I think we should be weary of confusing technology has a tool, with technology as a focus, and never forget the technology is not a replacement for the Holy Spirit. From the younger more tech-savey believers, we can be reminded that even if we want people to be less tech dependent, they are not. We are called to meet people with where they are for the gospel, not where we want them to be, nor are we called to convert them to our preferences, but we are to disciple them to be more Christ like. We should never confuse a great performance and tech with holiness, nor should we confuse boredom with holiness. And we can’t let the fighting about these things get us off our Great Commission mission.