Carl Wagner from Higher Ground IT by ACS Technologies joins us to explore the unique world of church technology. As a trusted partner to over 200 churches, Carl shares how their "mission-first" mindset helps ministries eliminate IT stress and focus on their communities.

In this episode, Carl recounts ACS Technologies' journey from predating Microsoft DOS to acquiring Higher Ground IT, marking their entry into managed IT services. He dives into the biggest tech mistakes churches make on tight budgets, the true cost of those errors, and what "future-proofing" church technology actually involves in 2025 – from hardware and software to essential cybersecurity. Carl also addresses the unique cyber vulnerabilities faith-based organizations face and the most common Sunday morning tech failures, offering practical solutions and insights into how the rise of hybrid and online services has permanently reshaped the role of technology in the church.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

· The origin story of ACS Technologies, predating Microsoft DOS, and the acquisition of Higher Ground IT.

· The strategic reasons behind ACS Technologies' entry into managed IT services.

· Biggest tech mistakes churches make with tight budgets and volunteer reliance, and their real-world costs.

· What "mission-first IT" looks like in practice and balancing robust security with ministry goals.

· What "future-proofing church technology" involves in 2025, from hardware to cybersecurity.

· Unique cybersecurity vulnerabilities faith-based organizations face compared to standard businesses.

· An interesting technical problem solved for a church that wouldn't arise in a corporate environment.

· How the role of technology in the church has permanently changed since 2020 with hybrid services.

· Emerging technologies Carl is excited (and cautious) about for churches, including AI applications.

· The most common Sunday morning tech failures and how Higher Ground IT prevents them.

· The most rewarding part of helping churches reduce IT stress to serve their communities.

· A key lesson for technical professionals on communicating complex IT concepts to non-technical leaders.

· What innovation truly means to Carl in the context of technology and service.

Join us for an enlightening conversation on how specialized IT services are empowering churches to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Connect With Carl Wagner:

· Website: https://highergroundit.com/

· Free Consultation: https://highergroundit.com/discovery/

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome Carl Wagner: Mission-First IT for Churches

00:53 ACS Technologies & Higher Ground IT: A Historical Overview

03:57 Strategic Reason for Managed IT Services in Church Tech

05:50 Biggest Tech Mistakes Churches Make & Their Real Costs

07:58 Mission-First IT: Balancing Security with Ministry Goals

09:38 Future-Proofing Church Technology in 2025: Hardware, Software & People

12:30 Unique Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities for Faith-Based Organizations

14:52 Interesting Technical Problem Unique to Churches (Online Giving, Sunday Support)

17:29 How Technology in Church Has Permanently Changed Since 2020

19:57 Emerging Technologies: Excitement & Caution (AI Applications)

22:07 Most Common Sunday Tech Failures & Prevention

23:41 The Most Rewarding Part of Serving Churches

26:18 Communicating Complex IT Concepts to Non-Technical Leaders

28:08 What Innovation Truly Means to Carl Wagner

29:55 Connect with Carl Wagner & Higher Ground IT

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