Keeping track of your members (who is eligible to vote), friends, pledge information, bookkeeping, and contact information is essential for congregations. Small congregations can use written records, or simple spreadsheets (with good privacy and backups).

Congregations larger than 150 members (or so) usually use some sort of Congregational Management software. Here are some guiding considerations in choosing from the many options that are available.

Identify Your Core Needs

Congregational Management Systems excel at providing a membership database that allows for sending “mail merge” emails, letters and texts, creating a photo directory, tracking participation, and defining membership status, family structure, gender, and leadership roles.

Most also have the ability to track pledges and generate and send statements.

There are different privacy settings that allow different levels of access to different information. There might be a pastoral notes section visible only to the minister and your lay pastoral care team, or a membership committee section that tracks return visitors.

Match the Complexity to Your Users’ Capacity

Once you have identified your core needs (and the capacity to grow during the next five years), you can choose software that will allow you to cover them easily. It should be easy and intuitive to add and find data, and extract the reports you need. If you rely on volunteers (and can expect turnover), choose the simplest option. Make sure there is good, professional technical support at a reasonable rate. (Avoid home-grown systems—they may be cheaper up front, but they are harder to maintain.)

Add complexity only if you have the people power to support it. For example, if you only enter birthdates for part of your congregation, lose the ability to track age demographics or send birthday cards.

Avoid Duplicate Databases

You want as few databases as possible. Many congregations have special software for bookkeeping, payroll, and other financial needs, and a membership database. Try to choose Congregational Management Software that meets all of your needs involving your membership and ministry programs. Options include:

• Sunday School registration and attendance
• Worship Planning
• Calendar
• Event Registration and Attendance
• Websites
• Path to Membership
• Pledge tracking and statements
• Online giving
• Email marketing platform integration
• Member join date