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The Wall Street Journal ran an article this week declaring the end of the email era. The general argument is we use the internet far differently than we did when email was first popular, so the way we use email has changed too. We used to go online by dialing up and checking a bunch of email in one setting. Now we’re far more connected. We can always be online, even from our phones. Because of that, email seems slow, just like postal mail. It’s far quicker to text message than wait for an email. It’s even easier to stroll over to Facebook or Twitter to find out an answer about something before even having to type a question.

Email usage is still growing according to Nielsen statistics reported in the article, but the usage of other social media tools like Facebook and Twitter are growing much faster.

I personally don’t think email is going to go away anytime soon, especially when it comes to the workplace. But I think articles like this are always a good reminder that one form of communication doesn’t fit all. For a particular congregation, sending out a weekly email may not be effective in getting information to people. Nor is Facebook alone the answer. The key is to find out how your congregation, and groups within it, prefers to communicate.

I was recently talking with a woman who’s in charge of coordinating who’s going to be a part of the worship services every Sunday morning. Her musicians range in age and tech savviness. She says a handful of her volunteers wouldn't even know when to show up to practice if she didn’t send them a message on Facebook. Her younger folks never checked the email sent out to the group. This story isn’t unique, I’m sure. But it’s a prime example of the need to adapt to communicate effectively. It’s a no duh sort of situation, but often times we run out of time to think about this sort of thing.

What do you say? Is email dying? How well does your church embrace changing communication methods?