Churches making use of cloud computing

Churches making use of cloud computing

Four out of five large churches are making use of cloud-based technology, new research has revealed.

The survey – which was carried out by accounting software and cloud provider Intaact and polled more than 1,000 churches of all sizes – found that large churches with more than 1,000 weekly attendees are the most common users of the cloud. It also found that 55 per cent of small churches were also making use of the technology.

The report revealed that the cloud was having positive benefits for the churches, with those making use of the technology to support online giving more than twice as likely to see a rise in donations. While 72 per cent of large churches reported an uptick in giving as a result of cloud usage, 41 per cent of smaller churches reported the same increase, proving that there is still some way to go before the cloud is fully embraced by smaller churches.

More than half – 53 per cent – of large churches used the cloud to stream their events, compared to 32 per cent of those churches that did so but did not use the cloud. Just under half – 49 per cent – of large cloud churches reported making use of smartphone apps during their services, a far higher rate than those churches that were not making use of cloud-based technology.

Clark Newby, vice president of marketing at Intacct, said: “The results of our survey are encouraging because they show the positive impact that cloud and online technologies have in increasing giving at churches of any size.

“Yet we also see that not all cloud technologies are equal. Churches need more comprehensive, automated reporting to tie programs to results such as membership increases, so they can use funds to the greatest benefit of congregants,” Mr Newby added.

Businesses looking to move services into the cloud, should evaluate the performance of their existing network and consider setting up a leased line or MPLS network.