Not Your Grandmother’s Database: Connecting Your Church Online

Carey Nieuwhof writes about 5 Disruptive Church Trends That Will Rule in 2016, mentioning several different ways churches use online communities. Back on the home front at Meadowbrook Church of Christ, we have launched our new fancy schmancy database/communication tool called Meadowbrook Connect. This replaced our well-intentioned, but often incompetent, database tool whose name no one cared about. We have about 400 people in attendance on Sundays, and we are already experiencing the benefits of this tool designed specifically for churches. Through Meadowbrook Connect, our church members can find other Meadowbrook members, join and connect with a small group or ministry team, view upcoming events, see what needs are posted, volunteer to serve, view their giving history, register for events, edit their own profile, and so much more. Meadowbrook Connect is for our members only, so the information is secure from those outside the Meadowbrook family.

Below is a Top 10 list that we used to encourage our members to log on. Within the first three weeks of the launch, over half of our members are logged on and active. Although I’m sure there are many outstanding choices, we’re using a company called Church Community Builder. As we strive together as a church to experience God, extend welcome, equip believers and engage community, we hope that Meadowbrook Connect will be a resource that helps us all connect more effectively to each other and to God’s work in Jackson, Mississippi.