Here at Subsplash we love hearing stories about how churches and ministries are using our Platform to improve engagement, reduce costs, increase giving, and share the Gospel. Check it out in this one minute video.
Curious how easy it is to build and manage an app with The Church App? Watch this.
In this short one minute video, we'll highlight some of the key elements of The Church App Platform. From learning how to build and manage your app in real time using our App Builder, to seeing those changes live in your apps across multiple platforms, to then seeing how your audience can share and enjoy that content.
It seems that everyone is talking about apps these days. A word once known more for its prowess at dinner parties has now become synonymous with mobile applications. With this craze, people everywhere are thinking, “hmm..maybe I should get an app for (insert creative thought here).” A word of caution, not all app ideas should be invested in and not every organization needs their own app. So how do you know if you should take this venture on, and if so, where do you start? The road of mobile development can be daunting, so it helps to plan well and to know where to start.
First off, there are many kinds of apps. For the sake of this conversation, I’m going to primarily focus on apps built for churches and ministries. For those looking to build an app for your organization, follow two simple rules: provide content and deliver quality. It needs to be done really well and it needs to have a reason for people to use it regularly.
If there is no reason for someone to download and then repeatedly want to use your app, it’s probably not going to be very successful. You need content, lots of fresh meaningful content. That’s one of the biggest reasons a lot of churches and ministries have had wildly successful apps.
At Subsplash, we have had the opportunity to work with incredible ministries of all sizes. We see over half a million page views daily on our platform. People are using it like crazy and the number one reason people use these ministry apps is to access media. Churches are in the unique place of being content creators and at least once a week there is a new sermon that they want to get into people’s hands. Not only are churches and ministries adding sermons to their apps, but there are a whole host of other things you can provide through the app such as blogs/news, events, online giving, sermon notes and bulletins, music, small group resources, Bibles and reading plans, and pretty much anything else you can think of. The app shouldn’t just be a duplicate of your site, but rather a source to get relevant content into people’s hands. Keep it simple and put your best foot forward.
Along with content, you need to make sure that your app is done incredibly well. As technology continues to develop, people demand more. They want it to be cooler, faster, smarter, and much more fun to use. So, if you have incredible content but you develop a sub-par app, people will hit the eject button before you get a second chance.
Apps are a powerful tool if done well. They can do much more than a mobile site or simply accessing the web through your phone. Take a feature like listening to audio in an app. If your app audio player only allows you to hit play and pause or do a simple fast-forward/rewind, you are going to add frustrations to the end user. What happens when you get a phone call while listening to a 45 minute sermon? Shouldn’t the app remember where you last left off? Or what if you live in a place where you don’t have the best cellular coverage, wouldn’t it be nice if you could download that audio for offline listening? These are just a few examples that seem like luxury items, until you start using the software and realize how important they truly are. We often don’t notice the quality until we use something that doesn’t meet our expectations. Don’t get caught being the church that built an app that was frustrating to use.
Overall, your app should be simple to use, it should work how you expect it to, and it should look really nice. It doesn’t have to win awards, but make sure it’s visually appealing and a delightful experience.
Most of the churches that have utilized our software have seen more downloads of their app than attendees in the church. Sometimes up to 50 times more downloads of their app than church members. Also, most churches see their sermon downloads increase as well as a spike in online giving. As an example, one church with a membership of 1000 people saw 2,000 downloads, 22,000 launches, and increased giving within the first six months of having their app. If your ministry has content and wants to present it well, doing an app might just be the right next step.
Discover more: Watch the video
Andy Stanley has quickly become one of the most sought after Christian speakers and preachers in America. Son of famous pastor Dr. Charles F. Stanley, Andy started North Point Community Church in 1995, which is now the second largest church in the US and provides teaching and influence to its congregations locally and more than 30 partner churches.*
With a growing demand and audience, it’s no surprise that Andy Stanley and the Your Move team have launched a new app providing relevant, helpful, and engaging content to help their audience make better decisions and live with fewer regrets. The core of the Your Move with Andy Stanley app is a 30 minute TV episode which airs locally after Saturday Night Live on seven NBC stations across the U.S., as well as via satellite on GMC and Daystar. From the app, which is now available on iPhone, Android and iPad, you can view streaming video content, subscribe to the Your Move with Andy Stanley podcast and newsletter, access TV and radio listings, sign up to receive free chapters of Andy's books or songs from North Point artists, and easily get connected with the ministry or partner churches.
Download here: http://get.thechurchapp.org/share/your-move
We spoke with Jeff Earnhardt from Your Move and asked him a few questions about the app:
Q: What was your heart behind creating the app?
A: "We have always placed a high value on meeting people where they are with Andy’s content. So our goal was to introduce our messages where our audience was already spending their media time: on TV, podcasts, video streams, and now apps."
Q: What purpose do you intend for this app to serve?
A: "We hope the app will serve two main purposes. First, our research indicates that close to 40 percent of Andy's messages are being viewed by iOS devices, so creating an app for those who have been introduced to Your Move is the next logical step. Second, the idea of personal choice and action are implied in our name, “Your” and “Move.” The next steps people take with us will vary based on where they are in their personal faith journeys. We believe the app is a great tool to help our audience connect with us when they are ready."
*Learn more about Your Move at www.yourmove.is
Check out some other videos by The Church App on YouTube!
