Theology of Technology: Why the Church Should Contribute Back to Open Source
May 4, 2026
Should the Church contribute back to open source software? When we look at the theology of stewardship, the answer becomes clear.
The Church has always benefited from the work of those who came before. Hymnals built on centuries of composition. Translations of Scripture produced at great cost by scholars across generations. Curricula developed and refined by teachers who gave their best thinking away freely.
Open source software stands in that same tradition.
What Stewardship Demands
Stewardship isn't just about giving money. It's about recognizing that what we have, we hold in trust, and that part of faithful stewardship is making sure others can benefit from what we've been given.
When a church uses open source software, it's the beneficiary of thousands of hours of work donated by contributors who asked for nothing in return. Faithful stewardship means asking: what do we owe back to that community?
Three Ways Churches Contribute
Contributing to open source doesn't require a software engineering team. Churches contribute in several ways:
Financially. Supporting the organizations and developers who maintain the tools they use. This is the most direct way to sustain open source work.
Through feedback. Reporting bugs, requesting features, and sharing how the tools are actually being used helps developers build better software. A pastor who explains that a check-in feature doesn't work in a bilingual context is giving developers something they can act on.
By spreading the word. Every church that adopts an open source tool increases the community of users and potential contributors. Growth creates sustainability.
Why This Matters Theologically
The body of Christ isn't just local. It's global. When a church in California uses open source tools and contributes back, it's participating in a system that benefits a congregation in Uganda or Indonesia that could never afford commercial software.
That's not incidental. That's mission.
If you use ChurchApps tools, consider how your church can contribute, whether through financial support, feedback, or simply inviting another congregation to benefit from what you've found valuable.