How to Build a Stronger Church Community with the Help of Church Management Software

A friend asked me a profound question the other day.

“Why do you keep going back to Church?”

He went on to say, “Sure, I get why you’re into ‘being spiritual’ and helping people and stuff, but why bother with Church every week?  I just don’t get it!”

The question struck me.

I’d grown up in the church, and my relationship with Jesus Christ was number one.

But why did I go to Church?

As I began to think about the term “Church,” I realized that it wasn’t the structural building or the ‘being spiritual’ part that drew me there week after week. It was the people. The beautiful yet undeniably imperfect community of people. The bride of Christ, whom I belong to.

Build a stronger church community with church management software

As a church leader, you live in a hectic world, which makes keeping track of people difficult.

But knowing who’s coming and going is essential to leading your people well. You want to make sure no one is lost in the crowd.

With the help of a Church Management Software (ChMS), pastoral care becomes more natural.

You can spend more time with your people and less time worrying about administrative tasks.

To show you what I’m talking about, here are three practical ways ChMS can assist you in building a strong church community.

#1. Build small groups & encourage discipleship

Most churches understand the need for smaller community groups within the church to forge stronger relationships for the sake of accountability and support.

Did you know that having a Church Management Software to assist you in managing your small groups empowers your small group leaders and fast-tracks discipleship by connecting new guests to people with similar backgrounds?

Having your ChMS Groups set up correctly in your Church Management Software empowers you to implement processes that will help you engage and follow up visitors so that no one gets left behind. It also allows you to reach out to members on a regular basis through email and SMS.

Members who belong to small groups are more likely to:

• Participate
• Get involved as volunteers‍
• Give financially

Use their gifts to serve the church.

#2. Provide purposeful & consistent communication

Purposeful and consistent communication between members, leaders, volunteers, and church staff is critical when it comes to keeping everyone in unity and focused on one common goal.

A Church Management Software will help streamline communication within your congregation by allowing you to connect with individuals based on their personal preferences.

Members can stay up to date via a church-wide calendar which notifies them of important events or services and incorporates event, facility assets, and volunteer management into one tool.

There are four main ways of communicating with people in your ChMS:

1. Posts
2. Email
3. SMS
4. Calendar
   

In your church communication strategy, be sure to include these four channels when connecting with your church members.

#3. Create effective volunteer management

Building a strong sense of community within your church starts with effectively managing and empowering your church volunteers. Volunteers are the lifeblood of your church, and it’s their consistent commitment that makes your church run.

Thanks to your Church Management Software, managing volunteers no longer has to be burdensome. Use your ChMS to:

Build strong volunteer teams

Send out requests and schedule volunteers in specific positions

Keep them engaged through regular communication via email or SMS

Make it easy for your volunteers to serve and create an enjoyable experience for them so that they will stay devoted to serving your church for many years to come.

Over to you

So going back to the conversation I had with my friend.

Why do I “bother” with the Church?

It's the community.

I’m connected with people of like faith, providing me with encouragement, motivation, and protection that every person (and believer) needs and wants.

As Hebrews 10:23-25 reminds us:

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."

For more information about a Church Management Software that assists in building a stronger church community talk to us here at Tithe.ly.

Editor's Note: This post was written by Sarah Schelbach. Sarah helps out with customer success at Tithe.ly.

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