Church Management Software (CMS) has become an essential tool for church ministry and it can do far more than store data, so the real question is how to choose one that best strengthens your ministry?

Toby Neal shows how the right platform can shape workflows to help move your church forward, what you should be looking for in a church management system, how to make your choice, and what to avoid if you’re switching.

Key points

• How Toby tested whether a platform actually supported ministry or simply stored data
• The deal breaker features that ruled systems in or outs
• The hard parts of changing platforms, and what to expect in the first three months
• How aesthetics matter

TOOLBOX:

Ep 405 Church database nightmares and how to avoid them

Rejoice and Tremble by Michael Reeves

Church Management Systems mentioned:

• Planning Centre
• Fluro
• Tithe.ly
• ChurchSuite

Toby's list of checks:

• Name tags and checkin process
• Automated workflows (care, connect, explore, serve) from forms, from attendance, from tag
• All in one
• Robust registrations for events
• Groups that remind leaders to mark attendance
• Metrics and dashboards
• Workflows
• Automations
• Giving integrated with database rather than tithely and xero. tax statements that can be sent and can integrate bank info from xero.
• Robust system, apps work, online, speed, bugs
• Calendar for managing room bookings, venue hire
• Forms
• Clean easy to use aesthetic
• Big company, unlikely to be sold or close down.
• Manages duplicates well
• Secure

CREDITS:

This episode was brought to you by EA Insurance

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