On April 20, 2011, ChangePoint released its mobile app to the world. After less than 1 ¼ years of use, they celebrated its millionth minute of use yesterday. This is a significant achievement for Alaska’s largest church! [img_assist|nid=161699|title=ChangePoint App Splash Screen|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=200|height=367]Church Visits blog has chronicled the ChangePoint app’s story from the beginning in these posts:
ChangePoint: First Alaska Church to Release an App!
Two Month Update on ChangePoint’s App
ChangePoint’s App Hitting Stride – 3 Months Along
ChangePoint’s App: Use Still Growing After 6 Mos.
ChangePoint’s Communications Director, Adam Legg shares some impressive statistics and answers to some of my questions.
• 4,500 – number of Apple & Android devices which have installed it
• 34,000 – times the app has been used since launching just over a year ago
• 1,000,000+ – number of minutes of use of the app since inception
Why was the app launched?
“It’s our job to communicate with people the way that they are already communicating. I noticed this sitting in our auditorium before services, seeing a lot of people on their phones. We tend to be a younger church so it makes sense that we are a bit more mobile connected, so if that’s how our church is already communicating why wouldn’t we utilize that?”
Was cost a factor in launching it?
“Cost has been a major factor, but not in the way you may think. In fact the app has allowed us to SAVE money. It has more than paid for itself in the simple fact that we are able to print less because people are getting information from us in a way that is more cost effective, environmentally friendly, AND utilizes technology that people are already using!”
Any ‘use’ stories to share about the app?
“I have a fresh story to share about how our app has made a difference recently. A couple recently moved to Anchorage, transferred here from Chicago, in connection with the husband’s job. When they found out Anchorage was where they would be located, they began looking at church websites and searching the internet for potential churches that could be “home” once they got here. They came across ChangePoint, visited our website, and downloaded the app. They began to listen to our messages via the app, started learning who we are, and what we are all about. When visiting Anchorage for the first time they visited us. Because they had been able to connect with us via the app, they already felt a sense of connection here. Now settled in Anchorage, they’re enjoying community here at ChangePoint. Usually, when I see them, they make it a point of telling me how much they loved using the app to connect with us prior to arriving in Anchorage!”
How is the app consistent with ChangePoint’s vision?
“At ChangePoint our vision is “Life in Christ for every Alaskan and the world beyond”. The ChangePoint app is one tool that allows us to take a message of Life in Christ to places and people across our state and around the world.”
Thanks for the good report Adam, and again, congratulations for a successful app! We look forward to the 1 ½ year report in October.
Quite frankly, I’m a bit stunned at the Anchorage church community’s lukewarm acceptance of this groundbreaking technology, i.e. apps, that has become a worldwide phenomena in less than five years in the burgeoning mobile community. Maybe churches are inherently late adopters of emerging technologies such as apps. The state of church websites in Alaska confirms this in my mind. Homepages lacking worship times or locations, pictures of mountains, lakes and streams, overly crowded and confusing homepages, a growing dependence on Facebook, and stale-dated material are good indicators apps, like websites, may be unsupportable by most churches.
I’m aware of only four churches in Alaska offering apps.
• ChangePoint
• ACF – Eagle River
• TrueNorth
• Soldotna Bible Chapel
Of this you may be sure; These four churches understand technology, how to use it, and it’s impact. I’ll feature the other three soon in a post.[img_assist|nid=161700|title=ChangePoint App Home Screen|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=200|height=367]