Why Your Ministry Needs a Church Directory Maker
People usually only attend church once a week. And thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is likely that some of your members and online donors dropped out of the usual attendance at increasing rates. This is when having the right tools and resources to stay connected to your members and donors becomes critical. A church directory maker is a great way to accomplish this.
Without open lines of communication and a way to stay updated on service themes or church missions, your potential givers could easily feel remote and on their own. Having a directory can avoid this issue. In fact, you may already have something that serves a similar purpose stored away in a hard-bound folder.
If you are thinking of upgrading to digital tools, here´s what you should know church directory makers and the essential resource they create.
Why Would Your Church Need A Church Directory?
A church directory is like the digital center for all your church communications. It also helps everyone on your management team stay organized. It can also be the central place for organizing other intra-fellowship activities. For example, youth activities with all the teenagers connected to the church, or play dates for the children of church members.
When you utilize a church directory maker, it makes it easier to post announcements and make updates easily accessible. A church directory also helps people feel like part of a greater family. You might have a directory, for instance, with a gallery for members to share pictures of mission events or church programs.
Seeing these happy, joyful faces and pictures of other church members gives a sense of camaraderie and unity of spirit.
Using Church Directory Maker Software
Some people may think it unnecessary to upgrade to digital directories. However, if you want to survive in the new era of doing things, this step is absolutely crucial. Having a digital directory makes workflow easy, secures data, and provides you with a way to manage the church no matter where in the world you, as a leader, are.
Any decent church directory maker software will allow you to store important church data in the cloud. This means that you don’t have to worry about paper documents getting lost, stolen, or damaged. You can access it (password protected or digitally encrypted) and then also ensure complete security for all your members.
Many churches already use other programs to store their church databases, such as Excel, Word, or Microsoft Office. The good thing with the Microsoft Office solution is the option to store your info in the cloud, with a backup solution, and updates available.
Another thing to consider is the event of natural disasters. These might not be so common where your church currently is, but what about missionaries in foreign fields where instability is the everyday norm? We have heard multiple stories about church members having their data lost or destroyed due to fires, hurricanes, and even civil war.
Don’t wait until it is too late to save your data somewhere safe. Accessing church directory software might take some time and investment, but it is worth every cent.
What to Include in A Church Directory
What should you look for when shopping around for the perfect church directory online? Here are some ideas that have proven worthwhile for many churches around the globe:
- Names of church members
- Names of church members’ children
- Ages and birthdays of church members (you might want to send out digital greeting cards
- Addresses of church members
- Records of donors and their gifts
- Newsletter data
- Project details, budget, costs and target calendars
- Helpful Contact numbers: your church leaders who can be on call in an emergency; doctors; nurses; volunteers
Tips for Keeping the Member Directory Private
The Member Directory is a valuable place where other members can also access the info and contacts of the directory. This is why you must proceed with caution and provide the best security possible.
When setting up a Member Directory, you as the church leader or pastor must wisely select the categories or demographics listed.
Give members the option to be added to the directory, and also the option to be visible or hidden online. A good directory will have personal accounts for everyone and allow people to customize those accounts. They can choose whether to select a profile picture, or list their job and work details, for example.
For more privacy options, allow them to also select their own privacy controls. This gives each member the power to choose how much information they are allowing the church to access, so they will feel more comfortable with their own data security.
Your church members must truly feel like the church is their extended family. As pastors and church managers, don’t take the issue of security for granted. Only select an church directory maker system which provides complete security and can guarantee swift service in case you encounter technical difficulties.
It also helps to work with directory providers who are aware of the specific needs of a church. At DonorWerx, we go to great lengths to ensure that all the resources we provide will serve the church and its donors.
Feel free to call us today for a consultation, an introductory call, and even online coaching—we’d love to get you started with your online transitions!
