7 Automation Tools for Churches

Feeling overwhelmed by everything your church staff is juggling? Between planning Sunday services, coordinating volunteers, and managing follow-up, it’s easy to feel stretched thin. The good news? You don’t have to do it all manually. These seven automation tools can help you stay consistent, avoid burnout, and spend more time in real ministry—not just admin tasks.

7 Automation Tools Every Church Should Consider

1. ManyChat

Automatically reply to social media comments and messages

ManyChat lets you set up automated responses through Facebook and Instagram Messenger. It’s incredibly useful to DM a link to people when they message you. 

For example, you could create an Instagram post where you tell people to comment “visit” and you automatically DM them the plan a visit link.

2. SmarterQueue

Recycle your best content without having to repost it manually

Social media takes time—especially when you’re creating new content every single week. SmarterQueue solves that by letting you schedule posts by category (scripture verses, quotes, reminders, events, etc.) and automatically reuses them on a schedule you define.

You can build up a library of content that keeps your church active online, even on weeks when you're stretched thin. It’s one of the best ways to keep a consistent presence with a small team.

Example Use:
Create a list of 12-16 “we can’t wait to see you tomorrow” type graphics (see our ideas here), create a category for it in SmarterQueue, schedule it for Saturday afternoon, and let the automation do the work. One of your graphics will post from the top of the queue once every three months (or four, if you design 16 graphics).

3. Breeze by Tithely

Create workflows for follow-up, volunteer reminders, and more

Breeze isn’t just a people database—it allows you to build workflows that save you hours of manual follow-up. For example:

• Automatically send a welcome email when someone fills out a connection card
• Schedule background check reminders for new volunteers
• Assign follow-up tasks to staff based on form submissions

Instead of remembering who to contact next, you build a system once—and it keeps working in the background.

4. Gain App

Automate your social media content approval process

If your church has more than one person involved in posting online, Gain App helps keep everyone on the same page. You can create, schedule, and submit posts for approval in one clean workflow.

The person creating the post doesn’t have to wonder if it's been approved. The communications lead doesn’t have to dig through group texts or emails. Everyone gets what they need—without chasing it down.

5. Zapier

Connect the tools you already use and let them talk to each other

Zapier is a powerful tool that connects different apps together and lets you create "if this, then that" automations.

Here are a few ways churches can use it:

• When someone fills out a form on your website, add them to a spreadsheet and alert your follow-up team
• When a new family is added to your church database, send a Slack message to your kids ministry leader
• When someone RSVPs for an event, automatically send them a confirmation email

Zapier isn’t flashy—but it quietly saves hours of behind-the-scenes work every month.

6. Canva’s Magic Resize and Bulk Create Tools

Turn one design into many with just a few clicks

Most churches already use Canva for graphics. But if you’re only using it to design individual posts, you’re missing out on its time-saving features.

Magic Resize lets you take a single design—like sermon artwork—and instantly convert it into multiple formats: Instagram posts, stories, Facebook banners, website graphics, newsletter headers, and more.

Bulk Create lets you build dozens of graphics at once using a spreadsheet. Think of it like mail merge for design. It’s perfect for making quote graphics, verse cards, or volunteer spotlights in bulk without starting from scratch each time.

Example Use:
Create a sermon quotes image using your sermon artwork, then attach a spreadsheet of quotes from the Sunday sermon and let Canva create quote graphics for you to post on social media.

These tools allow small teams to produce high-quality content fast—and repurpose it across all platforms with ease.

7. Project Management Automation Tools

Plan your ministry calendar and weekly tasks without reinventing the wheel

Whether you use Notion, Trello, Asana, or another tool, a good project management platform helps your team stay aligned—and helps leaders stop relying on memory and inboxes.

Use these tools to:

• Build reusable checklists for sermon prep, Sunday service flow, or event planning
• Assign and track communications tasks (like social posts, emails, and print materials)
• Create repeating tasks (weekly, monthly, quarterly) that trigger automatically

These tools are especially helpful for onboarding new team members. Instead of guessing how things are done, they step into an organized system. Everyone stays on the same page. Fewer details fall through the cracks.

Final Thought

Automation doesn’t replace ministry. It just helps you be more consistent in it.

Whether you’re following up with guests, posting on social, prepping for Easter, or communicating with your team, these tools can help your church stay clear, timely, and intentional.

You don’t need to use all seven at once. But picking one or two and building them into your rhythm could save hours each month—and help your church stay faithful to the mission God’s called you to.

Ready to lighten your ministry load? Start with just one automation tool from this list and see the difference it makes in a week. Whether it’s streamlining follow-ups or reusing your best social content, a little automation goes a long way.