Transform Data into Discipleship [Guest Post]
Both you and I got into ministry because we know people matter. We feel compelled to help people meet, follow and share Jesus.
But over time, things got complex.
Our churches and ministries grew, which is great — but the growth made it difficult to see individuals through the crowd.
It’s not only frustrating, but it makes the weight of the responsibility of ministry feel even heavier.
You probably wonder…
How do I really know if our church is fulfilling our mission?
How do we know if each ministry area is winning?
How do we know if people are growing spiritually?
We can’t lean on gut feeling or random stories and call ourselves responsible stewards of the ministry God has entrusted to us.
Those help — but it’s data that has to guide us.
Data is gathered in a Church Management Software, but how are we taking that mountain of data and transforming it into discipleship?
Are we simply gathering data for the sake of having it? Or does it really make a difference in how we lead?
At PATH (the engagement software we created for our church), we believe every data point represents a soul.
Are you treating your data that way?
Different churches are at different stages in collecting and leveraging data to shepherd people, evaluate ministry effectiveness and to drive decisions.
Which one of the following best describes your church? BE HONEST!
(A) Your church has taken some important first steps towards gathering data, but there are most likely ways you can significantly improve what you’re collecting, and how you use that information.
Your next step is to decide what you’re looking for, create systems for gathering data effectively, and make it a part of your staff culture.
(B) Your church is several years into gathering data, and you’ve used it to inform some decisions and disciple some people.
BUT, it’s most likely a labor-intensive and ineffective process to extract the data.
Your next step is to simplify your data gathering and usage process so that it can be a part of every decision and point you toward real people in real time.
(C) Your church has put in significant effort to make your data work for you. Good job!
Your next step is to get holistic engagement in ONE place rather than in various locations (scattered spreadsheets across the organization).
This will make your staff more efficient and effective as the data is clearly visible and actionable. Your staff may spend as much or more time chasing reports instead of people.
• • • • •
No matter which scenario you find your church in, I bet you can afford to unleash the power of personal ministry by making the data you already have clear and actionable.
— Ronee
Director of PATH: an engagement software built by a church for churches
Hey Sherpas, Tommy here — I’ve got to tell you more about PATH, the engagement software that Ronee’s church created (FOR churches).
I can’t say it any simpler than this: PATH is the best software investment that any church could make if they’re serious about assimilation.
It connects to Church Community and Planning Center right now, and pulls in every bit of data you record.
Based on the parameters you decide on when you set it up, PATH instantly applies complex logic to your data.
The result is miraculously simple: actionable reports, lists of drifters, color-coded connection statuses on individuals…
It’s a Sherpa’s dream come true (which makes total sense, because Ronee has been a part of our community for a long time!).
Honestly, you technically could come close to recreating a lot of what PATH does on your own.
BUT… you’d have to be a ChMS wizard, a spreadsheet master, and have multiple hours per week dedicated to spreadsheet and report building.
And overall, it still wouldn’t give you something as user-friendly and powerful as what PATH does.
That being said — you’ve gotta see this thing for yourself.
They’ve got a 14-minute demo for our Sherpa crew that’ll run you through every report and feature that PATH offers, as well as a free download called “Shepherding Tips and Ideas” — grab it down below ↓
