A solid church management system will help churches operate efficiently and cost-effectively.
Choosing a church management system is a huge undertaking. That’s why we asked leaders in our church planting network to share their preferred ChMS and provide some wisdom for others in the field.
Want to know which ChMS pastors and leaders like you are loving? We’ve got the top six here, and a few reasons why, too.
6 Church Management Systems Church Leaders are Loving
1. Breeze
No surprise, Breeze is a favorite among many. Between its user-friendly reputation and its effectiveness at improving efficiency, it’s no wonder it was the most popular pick among PCI’s followers.
A great recommendation comes from Esther Ward, ministry assistant at Vertical Life Church in North Carolina. Her team has been using Breeze for eight years to track attendees and giving, and she reports it’s “great for communication and very user friendly.”
Another responder gave the ultimate endorsement: “The name says it all.”
Looking for a ChMS that’s a breeze? Check out Breeze.
Stay safe: 3 Security Measures for Every Portable Church
2. Pushpay
Another popular choice is Pushpay. Many of our followers reported that Pushpay is their ChMS of choice, calling it simple, easy to use and understand, and efficient.
Others note that Pushpay provides great customer support, which is an important element for churches that might be new to using a ChMS.
Another word often used to describe Pushpay is “seamless.” Sounds like every church administrator’s dream, right?
It should be noted that, in 2019, Pushpay acquired Church Community Builder (CCB), which thousands of churches enjoyed for a very long time. Many still report their appreciation of CCB’s easy email capabilities, giving platform, and mobile app.
3. Planning Center
Over the years, Planning Center has mastered integration. What’s more—their customers have noticed.
The IT manager at Berean Baptist Church in Burnsville, MN, Sue Schintz, has been using Planning Center for three years. She likes that it’s inexpensive for small congregations and easy to use for tracking custom data on individuals within the church. Sue did note that churches are charged for gifts given, but it pays for itself in the long run.
Natalie Lopez is the communications director at Main Street Baptist Church in Georgetown, TX. She recommends Planning Center, citing its “pay for what you need” setup that keeps the cost low, as well as its user-friendly operations.
The strongest recommendation comes from Preston Jones, associate pastor at Living Branch Church in Vail, AZ. He says Planning Center “makes having a 30 000 foot view of the church very easy.”
Want an easy way to see your church’s Big Picture? Planning Center might be the ChMS for you.
Choosing a church management system? Get the latest crowd-sourced article from church planting leaders and ministry pros: 6 Church Management Systems Church Leaders are Loving on PCI’s blog. Click To Tweet4. ShelbyNext
Are you familiar with ShelbyNext ChMS?
This ChMS provides easy to use member management and, like its peers, offers a suite of tools that round out the system, like online giving, church accounting, background checks, and more.
NextGen Minister, Travis Harmon, of FBC Kingston in Kingston, TX, has been using ShelbyNext for more than 8 years. He confirms that it will help to improve communication among staff and solve the age-old “staff calendar” issue, as well as keep everything centralized and organized.
5. Servant Keeper
With more than 30,000 churches using this ChMS, Servant Keeper is worth checking out.
Users like the ease of communicating with church members via the platform. Also revered is its online giving experience. Here are a few phrases used to describe this ChMS:
- User-friendly
- Intuitive
- Capable
- Impressive
- Plenty of training opportunities
Users can choose to use the system locally or in the cloud, depending on the needs of the church.
Pivoting? How To Go From Permanent to Portable Church
6. ChurchTrac
One ChMS that’s being compared to the popular Planning Center is ChurchTrac. It’s less expensive but reported to have similar features, like worship events, registration, people, giving, etc.
Jessica McDonald, the communications coordinator at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Bryan, TX, appreciates the cost savings. She also reports generous and responsive customer service and an overall positive experience.
Looking for a less expensive option for a small church? Look into ChurchTrac.
CHURCH MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS SAVE TIME
Thanks to the responders to this crowd-sourced article. We work with church planters every day who love to save time and energy by learning from the experience of others in the industry and, in this case, we’ve learned about the ultimate time-saver, a solid church management software.
Because of the thoughtful responses to our query, we have the chance to give these upcoming leaders a leg up as they build their churches and expand their ministries efficiently and cost-effectively.
Need help choosing tech and management of your church plant? We’re here to help Book a free consultation call with us today.
