Last week I was introduced to a cool product for churches called R04R, which is a creative spelling of the word “roar”. R04R is a customizable smart phone app for churches, that is packed full of features. I’m not affiliated with R04R, and they are not sponsoring me in any way, I just like what they’ve made and wanted to share it with you.
Communicating with a busy congregation is often difficult. People don’t pay much attention to announcements in church, they often don’t read the bulletin, and bulk emails are caught up in spam filters. R04R can help. The intent is to provide a portable communication tool for your church. R04R will build your app based on your choices, and you’ll be able to continually provide any information you want to your church.
Here’s a list of features:
- Stream your Sermons, songs and podcasts
- Publish your Calendar
- Send Verses, Message Notes, or Small Group Discussion Guides
- Post news stories with pictures and links.
- Dynamic wall widget and download badges.
- Facebook, Twitter and RSS Integration
- Integrate your Store
- Bring your Website into your App
- Track Stats
- Use Push Technology (at an extra cost)
I spoke to a R04R rep and was able to download the apps they build for two different churches. Overall, I was very impressed. I won’t tell you the names of the churches because it may mess up their stats if a bunch of people who don’t attend their church start downloading the app. However, when you talk to a R04R representative, I’ll bet they’ll give you a couple of examples.
It’ll cost your church anywhere from $950 to $1200 to build your app with a $35 monthly fee. That may sound like a lot, but consider what it would cost you to hire a programmer to write your app. It is vital that I note the key to effectively using this app: YOU. The app will never reach it’s potential unless you, the leaders in your church, will promote the app and use the app.
The bottom line is that this app is a great tool at a reasonable price. Check it out at R04r.com. Clarity in communication is always necessary and this app lives up to their tagline: “You will be heard”.