It exasperates us when we talk to church leaders who see their church management software (ChMS) only as a glorified rolodex or tool for tracking contributions. We're so passionately opposed to this viewpoint that we encourage our sales team at Church Community Builder to point those leaders to a different solution. Sure, we can do those things but that is so far removed from our mission and calling that it would only frustrate us and the church if we chose to serve them.
It is frustrating to see innovative churches adopt technology as a way to measure, manage, and improve the core processes of their ministry and yet see others who still wonder if a ChMS is worth the money, time, and effort. We have some grace here because we understand this opinion is largely the result of existing technology that simply can't deliver on this promise or wasn't designed with that vision in mind. There are, however, some amazing solutions available today that will, over time, change this perception. Now THAT is exciting to us!
If a church will invest time in mapping out their core ministry processes and explore how a ChMS can support or improve them, they’ll discover a new “set of eyes” that provide details, insight, and intelligence that was previously hidden. It’s almost like having an in-house consultant informing your conversations at every staff meeting.
"...an effective church management system should demystify the process of growing a healthy church."
Here are a few leadership roles that your church management software can and should be supporting so that you can make more informed ministry decisions:
1. Volunteers
See how individual gifts, talents, and passions line up with the needs of your church. Gain visibility into who is serving, who isn't, and where they might have margin to serve.
2. Generosity
- Giving trends and habits are a huge indicator of commitment. Furthermore, budgets, giving, and goals should all be organized to paint a clear and accurate picture of the current state of the ministry.
3. Small groups
Check out who is plugged into small groups and, more importantly, who actually shows up!
4. Connections
Grade yourself on how successful you are at turning guests into fully engaged members.
5. Oversight and accountability
No matter the process, you can determine whether your staff and volunteers are executing tasks and strategies according to expectations.
6. Communication
Streamline and target your communication in powerful ways. Decrease your postage and printing costs while improving your ability to reach your intended audience. Discover which mediums work best for different people.
The more you know about what is working at your church and what isn’t, the closer you will get to truly caring for people and making an impact in their lives. In short, an effective church management system should demystify the process of growing a healthy church.
What markers do you monitor to be sure your church is healthy? In what ways are you leveraging your ChMS to measure the effectiveness of your ministry?
There's always a next step:
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