I’ve been in church for as long as I can remember—first as a kid, then a volunteer, and eventually a staff member. For 3.5 years, I wore multiple hats at a small-to-medium-sized church: Small Groups Director, Database Administrator, and Production Coordinator. If you’ve ever worked on staff at a church like that, you know what it’s like. You do what it takes to keep ministry moving forward.
The ChMS Decision That Changed Everything
I left my corporate job in 2019 to pursue full-time ministry, driving rideshare to pay the bills while volunteering every chance I got. Eventually, I came on staff and was handed a mess of a database—small, outdated, and recently acquired by a larger company. Despite trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, it was clear: they were developing features on the fly and couldn’t keep up with our daily needs.
When the time came to evaluate a new Church Management Software (ChMS), I was handed a list of three options. Where did it come from? Our part-time, 3rd-party accountant. Not a bad person, but not someone in the day-to-day grind of our church’s ministry operations. That list was built around what integrated with their general ledger.
Here’s a tip: Don’t let someone outside your staff dictate your ministry tools.
I ended up choosing a platform that a buddy down the street was using—set up one demo and skipped onboarding to save money. I figured I could lean on my friend when I had questions. What followed was a multi-year journey of trial, error, and learning.
Cleaning Up The Data Jungle
We migrated in late 2020, and I refused to delete any records—just in case someone returned to the church. I inherited 6,000+ records and manually merged families, archived old profiles, and streamlined the database. After three years, I brought it down to just under 2,000 active records—at a church averaging 350 attendees.
It took time. It took effort. But I was proud of what I’d accomplished. The data was finally clean, accurate, and usable for ministry.
The Training Gap No One Talks About
As the database admin, I was also the trainer. With a team of 13 and regular turnover (another story for another day), I had to train new staff members 1–2 times a year.
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- My youth and kids directors? Too busy texting kids/parents.
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- The worship pastor? Only needed it twice a year for events.
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- The care and facilities pastor? My most engaged user.
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- The early childhood director? Saw its value for parent communications.
Surprisingly, it was often the more experienced team members who were most eager to learn. The younger staff? Resistant. Vision casting just didn’t land, I suppose.
And then there were my Senior and Executive Pastors. Neither attended trainings. Their absence said more than their words ever could. Leaders, your presence matters. Even when you’re not the primary user.
When Leadership Doesn’t Lead
I was fortunate to have some autonomy and genuinely loved small group ministry. But after some time under a less-than-ideal leadership structure, I knew it was time to move on. In the summer of 2023, I put in my notice.
Then came the unexpected.
Some guy from Dallas flew in and waited in my office to talk ChMS. I brushed him off. But later, curiosity got the best of me. I looked him up, found him on LinkedIn, and realized—he was the real deal. He pastored my heart with his story. It wasn’t a sales pitch; it was ministry.
That moment led to a new chapter. I joined a company filled with people who’ve served in ministry, people who truly care about churches. For the past two years, I’ve worked in sales and marketing, talking to hundreds of churches—some who love their ChMS, others who feel trapped.
Stories From The Field
Here’s what I’ve learned:
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- Some staff members love their system. Others on the same team hate it.
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- Some leaders avoid change because they’re nearing retirement.
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- Some finance directors refuse to explore options for fear of disrupting the general ledger.
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- Others have been burned by poor onboarding—data lost, trust broken.
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- Many are stuck, not because it’s the best solution, but because they’re scared to start over.
That’s not “good stewardship.” That’s trauma-induced loyalty.
Time To Reevaluate?
Technology evolves fast. If it’s been more than a few years since your last evaluation, it’s time to window shop.
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- Book a few demos. They should be free and tailored to your church’s needs.
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- Ask your team: What’s working? What’s frustrating?
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- Identify your top ministry priorities—discipleship, communications, reporting, volunteer coordination—and see if your current ChMS aligns.
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- Make a list. Compare platforms. Invite voices from multiple departments.
Let’s be real: no ChMS is perfect. And as your church grows, 100% buy-in becomes unlikely. But inclusion leads to ownership. When staff feel heard, they’re more likely to adapt to change.
How Aligned Is Your Team?
A Word About “Bad Investments”
At a recent conference, I talked with a church using what I assumed was our biggest competitor. Nearly every staff member disliked it—calling it clunky and disjointed—but they felt “pot committed” because of the money they had already spent.
Listen, I’ve held on to bad investments in the stock market hoping they’ll bounce back. But sometimes, the smartest move is to cut your losses and reinvest in something that works.
Final Confession
If I could say one thing to every church leader reading this:
Listen to your staff.
If your people aren’t using your ChMS, ask why. Is it a feature gap or a vision gap?
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- Do they need more training?
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- Are their ministry needs being met?
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- Is your system siloing data or empowering connection?
You don’t need the most popular ChMS. You need the right ChMS—for your team, your culture, and your calling. Find the one that fits your mission, equips your staff, and supports your discipleship goals.
And if your current system isn’t cutting it, don’t be afraid to make a move. Not just for convenience, but for the long-term health and growth of your church.
If your team can’t catch that vision, maybe it’s time for some honest conversations.
If you’d like to see just how aligned your staff is regarding your ChMS, please take our free assessment and share it with your staff. I think you’ll be surprised by the results. You’ll either confirm what you think you know: You have the best system for your church. OR it will open up your eyes that you need to find a better solution. Take The Assessment Today!
