Church Departments: Everything You Need to Know
Running a modern, progressive church is a huge undertaking. Several church administration tools are needed to ensure all departments run smoothly. But what does it take to keep a large, diverse congregation happy? How does a church serve a large community? To meet the challenge, more and more churches are being operated like businesses.
Every staff hour and every dollar spent has to count when resources are tight. As a result, large churches rely on several specialized departments to take charge of everything from giving strategies to social media.
Using the best church admin tools on the market, the following church departments serve both their congregants and their wider communities with great pride.
Media team
Churches need to reach out to their communities in a range of ways. Websites, social media, and offline channels combine to create a comprehensive outreach strategy. But several technical skills are needed to make this happen. Video and audio specialists, social media experts, and marketing assistants create everything from inspiration videos to charity leaflets. Using various church administration tools, the media team is responsible for the content that persuades people to give.
Welfare team
Churches are there for the entire community, but it’s important not to forget the staff and volunteers behind the scenes. A welfare team is responsible for the well-being of everyone involved in a church. Advice on everyday issues such as paying household bills and debt is always available. And when things get too much for people, the welfare team is always there to offer emotional support.
Music department
What would a church be without music? Whether it’s a hymn during a service or a pop song at a church fundraising event, the music department is responsible for it. Comprised of accomplished musicians, technical experts, and willing enthusiasts, the average music department is an integral part of a successful church.
VIP team
What is a church? Some might say it’s a building. Others might say it’s a place of worship. But to many, a church is a collective of congregants who have surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ. Without faithful servants, a church is little more than wood, brick, and mortar.
A VIP or follow-up team is responsible for counseling and nurturing new, transitioning, and prospective congregants. Members of the VIP team are always on hand to answer questions, provide guidance, and ease new members into the culture of the church. When an initial inquiry is made online or in person, the follow-up team takes over communication — with a view to turning that inquiry into a devoted congregant.
Counseling department
Counselors help congregants through some of the most challenging issues in life. They’re there to ensure that Christian values and faith are embraced to overcome such issues. For example, the counseling team might get involved if a couple is having marital problems. Counselors might also offer guidance if a congregant is struggling with issues of faith and devotion to Christ.
Fundraising department
The fundraising department is in charge of giving strategies across offline and online channels. Liaising with all the other church departments, fundraisers inspire giving with the use of technical solutions such as a giving kiosk for churches and mobile giving apps.
A typical fundraising team is a diverse group of committed individuals. It includes social media specialists, web designers, graphic designers, outreach specialists, and admin staff. But for the vast majority of churches, these individuals don’t possess formal qualifications. They rely on church administration tools such as Donor Werx to ensure congregants have a wide selection of giving opportunities throughout the course of a year.
Choir
The typical church choir comprises talented singers who have the time and dedication required to achieve excellence. Choirs often meet several times a week to practice. They also have to commit to several services and fundraising events each year.
Ushering team
Ushers perform a vital role within a church. They’re the people that ensure all congregants are seated on time and in the right place for services and events. In some instances, ushers are responsible for collecting donations.
Ushers are expected to have an encyclopedic knowledge of their church, as well as its events, schedules, staff, and volunteers. They also have to be disciplined and authoritative, as it falls upon ushers to maintain order and good behavior during services and events.
Hospitality
A church’s hospitality department is responsible for providing refreshments during services and fundraising events. Service and safety are also important roles fulfilled by the department.
Hospitality workers and volunteers need to be personable and approachable. They, along with the ushers, are often the first point of contact for congregants during events and services. They also need to be proficient in cooking, food preparation, and foodservice. Particularly within larger churches, the hospitality department is crucial to fundraising efforts.
Church care
Churches are busy, welcoming environments that often become the center of the communities they serve. When buildings are subjected to constant footfall, general wear-and-tear becomes an issue. Continual maintenance and repair are, therefore, essential.
Church care teams include maintenance staff, plumbers, electricians, builders, and anyone who can administer repairs or maintenance in a competent manner. In most cases, church care specialists are chosen from the church’s congregation, and they freely give their time and skills for the benefit of the wider community.
A successful church relies on the efforts of congregants and volunteers to fulfill its primary obligation to the community. But running a modern church is a highly complex process — requiring business-like systems. To maximize giving revenues and optimize efficiency, more and more churches are turning to church administration tools such as Donor Werx. Tell us a little about your church, and we’ll show you how we can integrate our powerful suite of tools and services into all your departments.
