Can Technology Help Your Church Run More Smoothly?
It’s been a while since I’ve shared a post about how technology—and more specifically, AI—can help the church. Over the past few months, many of my writings have leaned toward spiritual growth, relationships, and personal reflection. Those are core parts of who I am and what this space represents. But at the heart of this blog, from the very beginning, was a desire to help churches that need tech assistance reach the next level in ministry.
Church administration is often one of the most overlooked aspects of ministry. We focus on preaching, worship, outreach, and community—all of which are vital. However, behind every thriving ministry is a system that keeps individuals connected, manages resources, and facilitates the flow of information. Effective administration isn’t about replacing spiritual work with systems; it’s about alleviating unnecessary friction so that ministry can thrive.
Below, I’m sharing some of the best tech tools and systems for managing church administration—from scheduling and communication to finances. Whether you’re a small congregation run by volunteers or a growing multi-site ministry, the right tools can make all the difference.
The Core Capabilities Every Church Needs
Before naming tools, it’s helpful to identify what matters most. A good church tech stack should support these key areas:
- People Management – Keep track of families, attendance, volunteers, and follow-ups.
- Scheduling & Events – Avoid double-booking rooms or volunteers with clear calendars and reminders.
- Communication – Send messages to the right groups at the right time through email, text, or push notifications.
- Giving & Finance – Enable online giving, track donations, and maintain financial transparency.
- Accounting & Reporting – Handle expenses, budgets, and audits with confidence.
- Security & Check-ins – Especially for children’s ministries, ensure safe check-in and check-out processes.
- Integration – Avoid data silos; make sure your tools talk to each other.
- Ease of Use – Volunteers and staff need clear, simple tools—not steep learning curves.
When these core functions are established, ministry operates more smoothly, allowing your leaders and members to concentrate on what truly matters: people and the presence of God.
All-in-One Church Management Systems (ChMS)
If you want to simplify your tech life, an all-in-one platform may be your best starting point. These tools combine several administrative functions—membership, events, giving, communication—into a single hub.
- Planning Center – Modular and flexible, letting you pick only what you need (People, Check-Ins, Services, Giving, etc.). Excellent for growing ministries.
- Breeze – A user-friendly option for small to mid-sized churches, offering membership tracking, communication, giving, and simple reporting.
- One Church Software – Strong communication and event tools built right in, plus donation management.
- ChurchTrac – A solid, budget-friendly choice for smaller churches wanting administration and finances in one place.
- ChMeetings – Simple and affordable, perfect for smaller congregations getting started.
- Pushpay – Known for its strong giving and engagement tools, often paired with larger churches.
- FellowshipOne – Comprehensive and scalable, great for multi-site or complex organizational structures.
- ParishSOFT – Especially designed for Catholic parishes with features for sacraments and parish boundaries.
Choosing the right one often comes down to the size of the church, budget, and complexity. A smaller church might thrive using Breeze or ChurchTrac, while a large, multi-campus ministry may require something like FellowshipOne.
Scheduling and Volunteer Coordination
Even with a Church Management System (ChMS), sometimes you need a dedicated tool to manage volunteers, worship teams, or events:
- Ministry Scheduler Pro – Excellent for coordinating volunteers, managing conflicts, and sending reminders.
- Trello / Asana / Monday.com / Airtable – While not church-specific, these project management tools can help staff stay on top of events, building projects, or campaigns.
Think of these tools as your “behind-the-scenes stage crew”—they ensure that everything runs smoothly and on schedule.
Accounting and Financial Stewardship
Stewardship is not just about collecting offerings; it’s about managing them with integrity.
- QuickBooks (Online or Desktop) – Still the standard for many churches, offering nonprofit customization and robust reporting.
- Aplos – A great option for churches needing clear fund accounting and donor tracking.
- Some ChMS platforms offer built-in giving + basic accounting, but larger ministries often pair their ChMS with a dedicated accounting tool for deeper reporting and audits.
Example Tech Stacks for Different Church Sizes
| Church Type | Suggested Stack | Why It Works |
| Small / Volunteer-Run | Breeze or ChMeetings + QuickBooks | Low overhead, simple training, covers essentials |
| Mid-Sized / Growing | Planning Center (select modules) + QuickBooks or Aplos | Flexible, scalable, strong reporting |
| Large / Multi-Site | FellowshipOne or Pushpay + dedicated accounting | Handles complexity and multi-campus needs |
| Parishes / Denominational | ParishSOFT + local accounting | Built for sacramental records and diocesan reporting |
A Few Final Tips
- Identify must-haves before you start shopping. It’s easy to get distracted by shiny features.
- Plan for data migration. Moving from paper or outdated systems is often the biggest hurdle.
- Prioritize ease of use. A powerful tool is useless if your team doesn’t understand it.
- Check integrations. Make sure your tools work together or connect via APIs or Zapier.
- Think long-term. Budget for future growth—what works for 200 may not work for 2,000.
- Review periodically. Technology should serve ministry, not the other way around.
Stewarding Both Spirit and Systems
Technology doesn’t replace faith, prayer, or the anointing—it supports them. By wisely managing the administrative aspects of ministry, we create the structure for God’s work to flow without hindrance.
As someone who operates at the crossroads of faith and technology, I believe the Church has a significant opportunity to leverage modern tools not to follow trends, but to enhance its witness and effectiveness.
It’s time to think not just spiritually, but strategically.
District Elder & Pastor Harold Robertson, Jr. is a seasoned IT Professional and spiritual leader who bridges technology and faith to drive innovation in schools, churches, and communities. With certifications in ITIL, Google Workspace, AI, and church administration, he empowers organizations to thrive through strategic tech integration and leadership.
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Pastor Harold Robertson, Jr.
District Elder & Pastor Harold Robertson, Jr. is a seasoned IT Professional and spiritual leader who bridges technology and faith to drive innovation in schools, churches, and communities. With certifications in ITIL, Google Workspace, AI, and church administration, he empowers organizations to thrive through strategic tech integration and leadership.
