A Beginner's Guide to Church Management Software

Churches are some of the most important institutions in many communities, providing spiritual guidance and support to people from all walks of life. However, as congregations grow, so do the administrative tasks required to keep them running smoothly. That's where church management software (ChMS) comes in.

A ChMS is a set of tools designed to help churches manage their daily operations, from membership and volunteer tracking to scheduling and communications. 

In this post, we'll take a look at what church management software is, how it can help your church, and what you should look for when choosing a solution.

What is Church Management Software?

Church management software is a suite of tools that help churches keep track of important information, communicate with members and volunteers, and manage their finances and operations. The exact features offered by each ChMS will vary, but some of the most common include:

• Member and volunteer tracking: This includes information such as contact details, attendance records, and giving history.
• Scheduling: This includes tools for scheduling events, such as worship services, youth group meetings, and other events.
• Communications: This includes email and text message communications, as well as tools for creating and distributing newsletters and other communications to members and volunteers.
• Financial management: This includes tools for collecting and tracking donations, managing budgets, and generating financial reports.
• Child and volunteer check-in: Every church knows how important this aspect is to running a successful weekend service.

Some ChMS tools will also have special features, such as Group management, customizable fields for your church database, and a mobile-accessible app.

Why Use Church Management Software?

The main benefit of using church management software is that it helps streamline many of the administrative tasks involved in running a church. By using a single platform to manage all of these tasks, you can save time and reduce the risk of errors. Additionally, ChMS can help you keep better track of important information about your members and volunteers, allowing you to provide them with the support and guidance they need.

Another benefit of ChMS is that it can help improve communication within your church. For example, you can use email and text message communications to keep members informed about upcoming events, changes to your schedule, or other important announcements.

Next, ChMS can help boost generosity. When you choose a ChMS with online giving, you increase the likelihood that your church members will give frequently. Online giving makes it simpler and more convenient to tithe regularly, and you can even automate the process with recurring giving. 

Finally, ChMS can actually help you become more efficient and effective as a church community. When you use technology to save time, reduce administrative workload, and increase giving, you make more room for ministry, outreach, and pastoring people towards a fuller life with Jesus.

How to Use ChMS

Depending on the size of your church, you could use ChMS in a number of different ways. 

In a small church plant, the lead pastor or a core church leader might be in charge of your ChMS. Or, you might give several different people on staff access to the technology.

A medium-sized church might have the resources to hire a church administrator to access, operate, and utilize your church management software solution. This person would oversee finances, volunteer scheduling, and more. Or, they might rely on the help of an intern or volunteer to help manage children’s ministry, communication, or volunteer coordination.

A very large church might have an entire administrative staff that uses your ChMS. They might have a separate staff member to operate financial management, volunteer coordination, communications (such as text and email), and more. 

Any ChMS will have a learning curve, but the best solutions are those that are super-intuitive and user-friendly. When learning to use your ChMS, you’ll typically rely on support staff to help you get set up. 

What to Look for When Choosing a Church Management Solution

When choosing a church management solution, there are a few key features you should look for:

• User-friendly interface: The software should be easy to use, with a clean and intuitive interface that makes it simple to access the information you need.
• Customization options: You should be able to customize the software to meet the specific needs of your church, including branding and data tracking.
• Security: The software should be secure, with strong encryption and data backup options to protect your members' information.
• Integration with other tools: The software should integrate with other tools you use, such as your email service and financial software (if applicable). 
• Designed specifically for churches: Your ChMS should be designed just with churches in mind. That means that you offer technology that’s tailored to the specific needs of church leaders, administrative staff, and your church congregation.
• Support: The software should come with comprehensive support and resources, including tutorials, training materials, and access to customer support.
• Data migration: The tool should come with free data migration, so that switching platforms doesn’t cost you a ton of money. 

There are plenty of popular options out there for church management software, but you need to do your research to choose an option that’s right for you.

Managing Your Church with Breeze

Church management software can be a valuable tool for churches of all sizes, helping to streamline administrative tasks, improve communication, and provide valuable insights into the health of your congregation. 

When choosing a solution, look for a user-friendly interface, customization options, security features, integration with other tools, and comprehensive support. With the right ChMS in place, you can focus on what really matters: providing spiritual guidance and support to your members and community.

Breeze ChMS has everything you need to manage your church staff and community. Breeze is super easy to use, highly functional, and very affordable (one simple price of $72 a month). Plus, the Breeze team offers free data migration to make switching easy. To learn more about Breeze ChMS, click here.