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Technology and Personal Ministry

Ministry and community are a huge part of what the local church is and should be about. But in the age of the multicampus megachurch, how can the pastors, church staff and members realistically maintain authentic community and effectively minister to thousands of members?

If you’re in a church of 200 to 500 people and John Doe (one of 15 volunteers on Sunday morning) doesn’t show up for his shift of handing out bulletins and welcoming people, chances are that someone knows why he isn’t there. This is because in smaller congregations, personal connections happen organically due to family ties, long-standing friendships and social interaction inside and outside the church.

Now, if the same situation arises in a church of 1,500 or 15,000 attendees, it becomes much more difficult to maintain that personal level of ministry. If John Doe (now one of 200 volunteers on Sunday morning) doesn’t show up for his shift, it becomes much less likely that his absence will be noticed – and knowing the reason for his absence becomes even less likely.

A personal level of ministry is just as important to Christians attending megachurches as it is to those who go to smaller churches. The challenge is attaining essential information in order to be able to effectively implement personal ministry. With such high volumes of attendance, it’s imperative to be extremely intentional about making personal connections.

This is where church management software, such as Fellowship One comes into play. It is possible to have the same level of personal ministry in large churches as it is in small ones. As membership numbers grow, this ministry-facilitating software allows church staff to know who in their congregation needs help and how to help them.

Something as simple as each of our ministries keeping current information about their connections with people translates into key moments of ministry. Essentially, a small amount of organizational effort yields vast opportunities to serve people, create community and provide personal ministry.

For example, with good church management software, you can use digital check-in for children and adult activities, so tracking attendance is automated, allowing staff to provide follow-up for those who attended and for those who didn’t. This intentionality allows your leaders to know how someone is involved within your church and proactively reach out to those who may have missed as a way to make sure everything is OK. This data gives staff the ability to identify trends that may be early indicators of trouble and reach out to a family and try to meet a need.

I’m sure some readers will bristle as the mere mention of “software” in churches. Because after all, you’re a church, not a corporation, right? Your goal is helping people; not spending money on computer programs.

But think of this: A program such as Fellowship One allows church leadership to access real-time reports that provide detailed analysis of how each ministry interacts with their volunteers and people in their span of care. The numbers and data you get aren’t numbers for the sake of numbers. Each number and piece of data represents a ministry opportunity.

“What pastors need to see past is the idea that this cold piece of software is standing between them and doing ministry,” says Allan Kelsey, pastor of staff development at Gateway Church. “A program like Fellowship One is a partner who, when you include it in what you’re doing, will feed you what you need to effectively do ministry.”

From targeted email communication to volunteer management and following up with first-time visitors, you can place a premium on having as many touch-points as possible in an effort to connect with people and provide timely, pertinent information and personalized care.

This kind of sophisticated software will keep you from missing ministry opportunities and give you the ability within your church to make sure you can give a name to each “John Doe” as well as ensure that he feels at home, valued and care for.

(Disclaimer: I wrote this article at the request of Gateway Church, where I attend and serve, for MinistryToday Magazine. Also, I work for Fellowship Technologies, makers of Fellowship One, which Gateway Church uses as their church management software.)

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anthonycoppedge@churchleaders.com'
Anthony has worked in the secular world of A/V, the ministry world of church staff and the para-church ministry of three companies that serve the church space (Auxano, Fellowship Technologies and Worlds of Wow!). Today, his consultancy focuses on helping churches and para-church ministries leverage appropriate systems, processes and technologies for more effective ministry. Anthony leads out of his strengths of effectively caring for people, efficiently managing resources and enabling scalable growth. He has been consulting, teaching, writing and speaking to church and business leaders for nearly 20 years.