QR codes can be more useful for churches than just about any other organization.  A QR code is a special kind of bar code that has information encoded in it like the URL of a website. Businesses and organizations can create these codes and let people scan them in using their smartphones. When people do this, they can easily access a website without having to type in a URL (full web address).

QR codes are used by many organizations for a variety of reasons. You can find these codes on anything from the packages of products to magazines.

Now, what may look like a digital image gone bad can actually be an increasingly useful tool for inreach and outreach communications our digital age.

Here’s what I want you to know: Churches can benefit from using QR codes because these codes have many uses.

Here are a few ideas:

 Sunday Bulletin Expansion

If a church has more information about certain items that are on the Sunday bulletin, then the church could create a QR code and stick it next to every item on the bulletin to let people easily access additional information.

For instance, if the church has a bulletin item that is discussed in further detail on their website, then they should create a QR code with a URL that will take people to the specific page of the church’s site that discusses the item. Then, they can put the QR code next to that item to give members easy access to important information.

Easy Access to an Online Print Bulletin

Another great benefit of QR codes used in churches is the code’s ability to allow people to access the internet quickly and easily without having to type in a complicated URL that is difficult to remember.

QR codes make a church’s website a lot more useful because more people will be willing to check the website out since these codes make it so easy to access the site.

Because of this, churches can move their entire print bulletins online to save paper.

All they have to do is create a QR code with the URL of the bulletin and place the code where the bulletin usually goes. This particular QR code could also be placed anywhere else as well.

Linking to Podcasts for Sermons And Sermon Notes

When the pastor gives his sermon every Sunday, a church will usually have some notes that church members can read to help them understand the sermon better.  A QR code can be printed in the bulletin or even placed large on a projector screen for attendees to scan to get sermon notes.

Let’s take that idea a step further…

A lot of churches also are starting to create audio podcasts or even videos to go with the sermon. The audio podcasts are useful for a variety of reasons. QR codes with the URL of the podcast or video can be placed next to the sermon notes section of the Sunday bulletin. By doing this, people can easily use their smartphones to have immediate access to the podcast or video later, which also allows the church to continually be promoting the churches online media channel.

Doing this can really get people involved in the Sunday sermon – after the sermon is over and beyond.

Information about Types of Ministries

Churches that have several different ministries can benefit from using QR codes. For example, if a church has a youth ministry that meets in one room and a women’s ministry that meets in another room, then QR codes can be placed on the sign that is on or next to the door of each ministry. These codes can give members additional information about the youth or women’s ministry so they will know more about each one and feel more comfortable. Furthermore, people looking to join a certain ministry can scan the QR codes, check out the website, and decide if it’s something they would like to participate in.

QR Codes to Draw in New Members

Now let’s talk about QR codes for evangelism purposes.

One way to help do this is to place a QR code on a church’s sign. By doing this, anyone who is walking by or simply checking out the church from the outside can scan the code with their smartphone and be taken to the church’s main website or a special evangelistic page on the web site.

These people can learn all about the church, its pastor, and any other pertinent information – or even see, hear or read a clear Gospel presentation.

When people know more about a church, especially people who are searching around for a new church to attend, they’ll be more likely to attend or join it.

Another way to help get more people to join a church is to place QR codes on flyers or other direct mail pieces.  Remember, the ideal placement of QR codes is on printed pieces.  By placing a QR code with the church’s homepage encoded in it, people will be able to quickly pull up information about the church.

QR Codes for Special Events

Churches have special events every now and then, and they usually will send out invitations to church members and people around the community asking them to come to the event. QR codes can make invitations more useful and convenient when they are placed on the invitations. People who are considering attending can scan the QR code and learn all about the event from the website.

Items and Promotional Apparel

Another way to give churches more exposure, help them get more members, and spread the message of the church is to place QR codes on items like mugs, T-shirts, and caps. These items can be given to visitors and sold to members. The QR code can have a URL to any relevant part of the church’s website to help recruit new members. QR codes can be used for any purpose.

How many more times could the Gospel be shared if every time you put your church name on a t-shirt you also print a QR code with it that leads to a page presenting the Gospel and information about your church?  How many more evangelistic conversations would the wearers of said t-shirt have if they were constantly being “scanned” and then talking to the one curiously scanning, right then, right there?

Giving visitors mugs or other items that have QR codes on them can really help these visitors learn more about the church. It increases the chance of turning a visitor into a member. Simply giving away a mug without a QR code on it might cause it to be used once or twice by the visitor and then forgotten about. QR codes make the item more useful and memorable.

QR codes open up a world of possibilities for organizations. Churches can use them in many ways to gain new members, inform current members about new ministries or give them additional information about events, and let everyone have quick and easy access to podcasts or videos without having to remember a complicated and long URL. Churches can really benefit from QR codes, and these codes have so many different uses, from being placed on the church’s sign to being put on flyers.

Action Steps For Your Church To Start Using QR Codes:

1. Brainstorm with your leadership what information you would want people to see about your church or the Gospel on a mobile device.
2. Make the location online mobile-friendly. It needs to look good on a mobile device. Any reputable web designer will know how to make a “mobile webpage” very inexpensively.  If nothing else, use the URL of your church Facebook page.
3. Go to QRStuff.com and create a free QR code.
4. Print the QR code in the location(s) you decided!

Thoughts or comments? Leave those below!