The Church of Pentecost, a global Pentecostal church with millions of members across over 151 nations, is undergoing a digital transformation agenda to achieve its vision of ‘Possessing the Nations’ and transforming lives with godly principles and values.
The church recognises the need to adopt modern technology to improve efficiency, productivity, and ministry decisions.
This was revealed by the IT Manager at The Church of Pentecost General Headquarters, Pastor Paul Odai Laryea, on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, during the annual Head Office Management and Staff Retreat underway at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC) near Kasoa.
According to Pastor Laryea, the digital transformation agenda addresses the church’s current and future IT challenges, such as integrating systems and processes, scaling up operations, ensuring security and compliance, accessing and utilising data, and enabling remote work and collaboration.
“The vision of this digital transformation is clear – strategically positioning the church on a robust digital path, aligning with its mission to possess the nations and transform lives with godly principles,” he said.
He added: “The mission is to sharpen the church’s digital edge, placing it on high-tech wheels, reshaping processes for data-driven information systems governance, and equipping ministers, staff, lay leaders, and all members to embrace technological advancements.”
He stressed that the ultimate goal is to utilise these advancements to reach more souls, raise leaders, establish churches, make disciples, and exemplify Christ-like character globally.
According to him, the church’s goals include the digitalisation of administrative functions, the acquisition of advanced systems, the expansion of IT infrastructure, policy documentation, information sharing, and skills training.
He explained that to increase productivity and corporate flexibility, the church is focused on automating various operations at different levels, streamlining reporting processes, and improving communication across church levels and among its workforce.
PENTERP System and Beyond
Central to this digital overhaul is the ‘PENTERP’ system, featuring a Financial Management System, Inventory Management System, Human Resources Management System, Asset Management System, and Project Management System.
Beyond PENTERP, the church is adopting various systems such as Church Management, Appraisal, Conference, and Ministerial Interview Management, along with integrating Microsoft 365, a Geographical Information System, Online Store, Job Portal, Document Management System, Online Payment System, and more.
Infrastructure Enhancement Initiatives
The church is actively investing in acquiring advanced systems, state-of-the-art IT devices for its offices, a central server to support a distributed computing environment, and improvements to its network infrastructure.
Pastor Odai Laryea emphasised: “As we digitalise our church’s operations, we are not just upgrading systems, but we are elevating our mission to possess nations.”
He indicated that the church is prioritising policy documentation, advanced IT security measures, and comprehensive skills training to align IT best practices with ministry goals.
He noted that digital transformation is not merely about technology but a strategic shift in delivering the message.
“As we embark on this digital transformation, we are not changing our message; we are changing how we deliver it to meet our congregation where they are in the digital age,” he said.
This ambitious initiative positions The Church of Pentecost as a forward-thinking institution ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the digital era, ensuring its messages reach a global audience effectively.
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