Church Trends to Watch in 2024

Staying on top of church technology trends is a critical element for successful churches in 2024—and yet, most ministry leaders didn’t commit to their vocations because of a passion for tech. That disconnect is amplified by today’s fast-moving digital landscape: New digital tools tailored for ministry are released constantly. Purportedly revolutionary features are announced with trumpets, and every buzzworthy tech trend is confidently declared as the wave of the future.

Building faith and belonging in their community is the true passion of church leaders—as it should be—and tracking church technology is a secondary concern.

Which is exactly why Pushpay publishes the State of Church Technology report. This benchmark annual study reveals the priorities, concerns, and expectations of thousands of churches across the U.S. regarding digital solutions in the faith sector, providing leaders with unparalleled insight into how other ministries are engaging with the ever-shifting church tech space.

In 2024, many patterns remained steady from the previous years, while others pivoted in dramatic and surprising ways. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the most significant church trends to be aware of:

Leaders are abandoning the idea of in-person-only ministry

In last year’s report, 10% of churches said they were operating in-person only, yet nearly three out of ten of respondents thought their ministry might move to in-person only within twelve months.

This year, however, the number of churches operating in-person only remained steady at 10%—but the number of churches predicting a move to in-person only in the next twelve months tumbled by 21%. Why the drop?

Church-specific tech remains critical

The tried-and-true staples of the church technology space continue to gain popularity. The number of ministries livestreaming worship services remains steady, along with online giving and mobile app usage—though there are some exciting church trends regarding which specific mobile features leaders are leaning on in 2024.

Church Management Software (ChMS) saw the most significant jump in enthusiasm among mainstream tools. Compared to last year’s report, 30% more leaders acknowledge that ChMS will be strategically important to the future of their ministries.

Insecurity plagues the next generation of decision-makers

The State of Church Technology report only includes responses from those who have a voice in digital adoption choices for their churches.

And yet, despite the respondents’ influence, nearly half of the survey-takers in 2024 did not describe themselves as “confident” with regard to making tech choices on behalf of their ministries. There’s still a widespread sense of unease when navigating the church-tech landscape—which is likely tied to a variety of factors.

Churches are eager to experiment with cutting-edge tech

Not every flashy new feature maintains popularity with churches, but a few continue to increase in adoption year over year. Cryptocurrency donations, for example, are becoming more and more important to ministries, as are tools available in multiple languages.

The weight leaders place on data and analytic functionality continues to grow, and QR codes are proving invaluable for ministries looking for new avenues for intuitive engagement within their community.

Of course, there’s one cutting-edge feature that stands apart…

Is AI the next big church tech trend?

Of the over two thousand respondents who participated in the 2024 State of Church Technology report, a significant percentage say they’ve already incorporated generative AI into their ministry’s workflow. Even more say they could see AI playing a role in the future.

And yet, there are undeniable parallels with another much-hyped tech trend from last year, which is now merely an afterthought for most churches today.

Is AI headed for a similar collapse? Do you want to see raw numbers, data breakdowns, major trends, and dozens of other powerful insights? Dive into the full version of Pushpay’s free 2024 State of Church Technology Report!

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