QR Codes: 10 Ways Churches Can Use Them

Have you seen these odd looking black and white squares (like the one displayed here) in magazines, on signs, and online? They’re called QR codes, and they have the potential to do some remarkable things for your organization.

What is a QR code?

A QR Code (short for quick-response code) is a two-dimensional barcode, which has information encoded in it, usually the information encoded is a URL or website address.

Believe it or not the QR code was invented all the way back in 1994 by Masahiro Hara of Japanese company Denso Wave for labelling automobile parts.

QR codes gained some some popularity back in the early 2010s with the use of smart phones, but that interest faded because Apple’s iOS did not support them. Users were forced to download special QR code reading apps to their phones, and most people didn’t bother.

How can I read a QR code?

In recent years, however, iOS and Android added QR code support into their operating systems and their cameras, eliminating the need to install a special app. As a result, there has been a resurgence in the use of QR codes and their use is more widespread than every.

Today, all you have to do is open the camera app on your phone, and focus on the QR code. Once the QR code is read, a link will appear on the screen which you can tap to open in a web browser. Easy-peasy!

What’s the point of QR codes?

QR codes link offline information to online content, effectively providing additional information and even multimedia to an offline experience. If you’ve created print material that included a URL for more information, a QR code for that URL could also be added to enable smartphone users to go directly to that web page without having to type in the web address.

Where are QR codes being used?

Everywhere! 🙂

More specifically, QR codes are being used in the following ways:

• All kinds of advertising – magazines, direct mail, billboards, and TV – so people who are interested can get more info and order the product or service.
• Payment and donation requests – Links to an online payment/donation page.
• Restaurant tables – Links to the menu and specials.
• Theater – Links to a virtual program or playbill
• Churches – Links to a virtual bulletin or program
• Museums – Links to more information on the art or exhibit.

For example, I was at the Florida State Fair and saw them using QR codes in “Cracker Country,” the area devoted to Florida History. The QR code links to a 2 minute audio file, which gives more information about the exhibit.

How do I create a QR code?

There are website you can go to to generate a QR code for free including qrcode-monkey.com, goqr.me, and qr-code-generator.com.

Or if you use the Chrome web browser, when you’re on a web page for which you want to create a QR code, you can simply right click and select the “Create QR code for this page” option

10 Ways Churches Can Use QR Codes

For those of you who are involved in church communications, lets look at some practical and innovative ways churches can use QR codes to communicate more effectively to their members and connect better with people in the community.

1) In the Sunday bulletin/program

Put a QR code next to each item for which there’s more info on the website.

2) In place of the Sunday bulletin

Some people (and entire churches) may want to skip the print bulletin entirely. Put a digital copy of the bulletin on the church website and place a QR code for the bulletin in the lobby, on the back of seats, and/or on the big screen so people can bypass the print version entirely.

3) Sermon notes

Put it in a “sermon notes” section of the Sunday bulletin. Link it to the audio (podcast), video, or notes for the message.

4) Church sign

Put a QR code on the big sign out front of your church building. Have it link to your church’s homepage or a welcome page, so those driving or walking by your church can get more information about your church.

5) Direct mail invitations

If your church sends out direct mail pieces to reach people in your community, include QR codes on them.

6) Ministry pages

If your church building has rooms for specific ministries, put a QR code on the sign outside the door that links to more info about that ministry.

7) Invite cards

If your church creates invitation cards for your people to use to invite their friends to church, include a QR code that links to the service or event you’re inviting people to.

8) Church staff business cards

If you church staff have business cards, put a QR code on back that links to the church homepage or to a profile page for that staff person.

9) Creative outreach

For evangelism purposes, your church could create a sign that says something intriguing like “Good News!” “Want a better life?” “Sick of being let down?” and below it put a QR code to a text or video gospel presentation on the church website. This could be put on yard signs, posters, stickers, or other things that could be posted and distributed in your community.

10) Coffee mugs

Create a coffee mug for your church with a QR code on it. Give it free to first-time visitors or sell it to regular attenders. In fact, you can put a QR code on any customizable items – a T-shirts, key chains, Frisbees, mouse pads, calendars, hats, tote bags, umbrellas, post-it notes, golf balls, thumb drives, and more.

QR codes are a great way to add online information to an offline experience.

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Comment and Discuss

• Is your church using QR codes in any of these ways? If so, how have they been received?
• What other ways could churches use QR codes?

Continue reading the series How to Design Your Website to be a Powerful Hub of Communications, Connections & Growth