As the name would suggest, church management software (or ChMS for that matter) is software designed completely for the use of churches and ministries. A good church management software helps automate, manage, and organize all the daily tasks and projects that ministry leaders have.
In recent years, churches have started to incorporate more and more technology in their services. Studies have shown that 99% of churches use technology to enhance their services, such as lighting and sound booths, and 98.97% believe that Facebook is the most useful and effective social media platform available.
Since churches are harnessing these new technologies, it is time to start looking into good church management software. When searching for a new platform it may feel daunting and overwhelming.
Here are four important things to keep in mind as you search for the best church management software for you and your staff.
Why You are Investing
Think about this, when you invest in a solid church management software, you are going to make an important and lasting decision that will greatly affect your church now, and years into the future. Before you make a hasty decision, it is best to understand the path that your church is taking and if this software will help it along the way. You want your church management software to help you move closer and accomplish your goals. Just make sure that you understand your church’s needs before you invest in a church management software.
Ask the Right Questions
Now that you feel confident in your decision to invest, make sure that you are asking the right questions. You never want to have assumptions about a certain software simply because it is the cheapest option, or another church is using it. It is great to know what other churches are using, but don’t assume that because they use it it will be a perfect fit for you. Great questions to ask before choosing the right church management software are: who designed the software, what are other similar churches using, will this software work for us or will we work for it.
Consider the Impact
Your staff will be the people who interact with your church management software the most. They understand the needs of the church and the ministries that will be most affected by using technology like a management software. Consider what the potential impact will be for your staff and volunteers. They will be interacting with it on a daily basis, so make sure that it is functional, easy to use, and helps them stay organized.
Successful Implementation
Once you have finally decided to pull the trigger and invest in a church management software, you need to make sure that everyone is on board. For successful implementation, make sure that you understand the software so you can easily translate it to your staff and volunteers. You may want to think about having a training day so everyone feels confident when they start to use the new software. You should also allow yourself plenty of time to move all of your data and information over to the software.
Conclusion
Like we said earlier, choosing the right software for you and your church may feel overwhelming. But, that doesn’t have to be the case. When you start thinking and asking the right questions, it will help you narrow down your thought process and make the best decision.
If you would like more help with learning how to use a church management software or would like more information on it, check out The ChMS summit. It is a completely free summit designed with you in mind. We have speakers who are ready to help you make the right choice about church management software. Join us on January 19, 2022, for this completely free and online event. You won’t want to miss out. Register for your free ticket at http://www.chmssummit.com.
