“The best ChMS is . . . ” (If only it were that easy.)
Picture it: for five easy payments of $19.95, I can provide you with the best ChMS (Church Management Software) on the planet. It does everything your ministry needs, and it does it how your ministry needs it done. The look and feel are perfect. All the reporting you need is already built in. The product is fully mature with a roadmap of features that are delivered early — and bug-free.
But wait!
If you act now, we will take off one entire payment! So, for only four easy payments of $19.95, this miracle software platform can be yours.
If you’re ready for the toll-free number or the website where you can enter your credit card number, then I’d encourage you to keep reading.
A little perspective, please:
Is there a Best ChMS?
It seems the discussion of the best ChMS is a lot more emotionally charged than it should be. Although we’re talking about software that impacts our ability to accomplish our eternal mission, we’re still just talking about … software.
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The Bible is full of references where ministry happened on a supernatural level, all without any software (or any technology at all, for that matter). While it’s a valuable tool, the Holy Spirit doesn’t need it. If your discussions about church management software tend to get emotionally charged or contentious, it might be a good idea to stop, take a step back, and…
Evaluate theology before evaluating technology
I believe that if you can remove all the bias and emotion from the discussion and look at objective metrics, there’s a clear winner. But, to determine a winner, you need objective metrics, which too often are left out of the discussion.
Why church leaders take on any software migration without clear, objective metrics baffles me. The financial expense, let alone the cost in time and ministry effectiveness, should cause any ministry leader to want objective metrics in order to validate the expense and show the value.
Objective metrics are data points that can be empirically proven; they’re not subjective. Here are some subjective phrases I hear all the time when folks want to justify switching software:
- “It’s easier.”
- “It’s more user-friendly.”
- “It’s better.”
- “It has a more modern look and feel.”
- “I used it at my last ministry, and everything was great.”
None of these reasons can be proven, as they’re all subjective to the individual. What’s “easiest” for me might not be easiest for you. What “feels modern” to me might not feel modern to you.
