I've been reading a few blogs the last few days about Church Management Software. I'm rather amazed that there is still an apprehension towards open source Church Management Software in the faith based community. I've sort of gleaned this "feeling" from both Tony Dye and Appian Way and Brian Bailey.
I would like to make a statement. "Open Source Church Management Software is here, it's mature and it's supported and it's global."
I'd like to challenge all three of these bloggers to take another look and respond to my post.
There I said it. Now here's the rest of the argument.
I am the open source project lead and owner of ChurchLedger.com. ChurchLedger has been in operation since 1999 and is available in multiple languages today. Also, ChurchDB is a rather mature project and is also available in multiple languages and has a wide assortment of features.
I'm not as versed in Web Empowered Church, but I read a lot of blogs about it. I would say it is also mature and supported.
So why is there so much apprehension about Open Source Church Management Software and Church Website Content Management?
My personal belief is that the current vendors that provide proprietary software to support Church Management and Church Website Content Management have a lot invested in their current product. If you are a proprietary vendor it is very difficult to let go of a ten year plus investment. An investment you have paid blood, sweat, tears, prayers and money into. Then along comes Open Source.
Microsoft has the same issues with Open Source that proprietary church software providers have. Microsoft's only weapon against Open Source has been Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD). Most of the proprietary church software providers are not as aggressive as Microsoft in spreading FUD. But, they definitely do not have an interest in seeing FUD undone.
So what can you do to undo "FUD" in the Church Management and Church Website Content Management ministry? Open Source, like the early church is involved in collaboration. The power of Open Source; like the early church is collaboration.
I'm going to speak here for ChurchDB and ChurchLedger.com. Our products are only as good as the input the community can provide. Even if you are considering a proprietary package/and or purchased a proprietary package. Please give feedback to our projects and let us know where the features came up short in delivering a solution for your Church Management or Church Website Content Management solution.
Let's stop the FUD!! After all, it's just code and code can change.
Last but not least. This site is a good resource for a wide variety of Open Source software for faith based organizations: http://www.christianfreeware.org/
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3 comments:
I am part of the Web-Empowered Church (WEC) ministry. WEC uses a very powerful Content Management System called TYPO3 and adds many advanced ministry-specific features (prayer, sermons, devotions, community, scripture, etc.) The Church Management features are limited but we are developing more now including event/calendar management and people relationships/groups. In my view, the web-empowered churches of the future must have integrated content and church management. So that is the direction WEC is heading. For anyone interested in learning how to web-empower your church or ministry, you may benefit from my book called Web-Empower Your Church: Unleashing the Power of Internet Ministry.
In Christ's Service,
Mark
What did I say to make you think I had an apprehension toward open source? We're a major supporter and user of WEC and I have specifically said "I think open source makes total sense for the church." See:
http://appianway.blogspot.com/2006/06/open-source-church-management-system.html
See also:
http://appianway.blogspot.com/2007/03/open-source-kingdom.html
http://appianway.blogspot.com/2006/12/wec-update.html
http://appianway.blogspot.com/2006/09/chms-buy-it-build-it-or-integrate-it.html
http://appianway.blogspot.com/2006/09/towards-open-chms-marketplace.html
http://appianway.blogspot.com/2006/09/chms-conversation-we-started-but-know.html
http://appianway.blogspot.com/2006/02/integrating-crm-and-web.html
Clif,
Your lastest post of Church Management tools completely leaves out any of the Open Source contenders in this arena. WEC is in process but it would help the cause if you could post what's missing.
ps. Thanks for your post.
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