Async and Your Church: What Do You Need to Know?
Andy Mage • June 24, 2024
I'm not sure if you knew this, but async is not going anywhere. And YOU need a plan for your church to thrive in this.
The rise of remote work and distributed teams has brought the concept of "async" (short for asynchronous communication) into the mainstream. But what does async have to do with your church?
More than you might think!
Embracing async principles can actually help create a more engaging and inclusive church experience.
What is Async? In the workplace, async refers to communication that happens outside of real-time meetings or conversations. Someone sends a message, update or question, and others respond when they are able - not necessarily right away. This allows people to work on their own schedule while still maintaining team collaboration.
But in the church? Just like work teams, churches are also made up of people with varying schedules and availability. An async approach recognizes that meaningful participation doesn't require everyone to be present at the exact same appointed time. It enables more flexibility while keeping people connected.
Here are some ways churches can go async:
- Recorded Sermons & Services: You should already be doing this! Make high-quality recordings of sermons and services available online. Members can watch or listen on their own schedule and still be spiritually fed.
- Async Discussion Areas: Create online forums where people can asynchronously discuss sermon topics, scripture, prayer requests and more. This continues the conversation throughout the week. Discord, Facebook, Slack, Circle. All good spaces for this.
- Video Updates & Announcements: Communicate major church updates, announcements and prayer requests via video that members can watch whenever convenient. Put them on YouTube and allow commenting.
If all of this sounds like something YOU want to work on, join me for our
Asynchronous
Learning Community starting in July 2024!
While certainly not replacing the importance of gathering in-person, an async church model alongside physical meetings can richen the experience for all members. It's a way to enhance engagement and provide more access to the life-giving mission of your church.
What do you think? Share your ideas on Discord or on social media.
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