Church presentation software puts lyrics, scripture and announcements on the screen. Church management software keeps track of people, giving, groups and volunteers. They solve different problems, and many churches need both, plus a website that ties them together. Here is how to tell them apart and choose well.
Church presentation software: what it does
Church presentation software runs the screen on Sunday morning. At its simplest it shows song lyrics, Bible verses, sermon slides and announcements, and lets a volunteer advance them from a laptop. Good ones add:
- A library of songs and scripture you can search quickly.
- Lyrics that follow the order of service.
- Support for a second screen or a livestream overlay.
- Backgrounds and motion loops that are easy to change.
- A simple interface a new volunteer can learn in one visit.
Ask three questions before you choose: can a volunteer run it with ten minutes of training, does it work with the projector or screens you already own, and does it handle copyright licensing for the songs you use?
Church management software: what it does
Church management software is the church office in one place. It usually covers:
- People and families: a directory, attendance and contact details.
- Giving: online and in-person donations, with statements for donors.
- Groups and events: small groups, signups and a calendar.
- Volunteers: schedules and reminders.
- Communication: email and text to the whole church or a group.
The priority is accurate, private data. Member records are sensitive, so ask where they are stored and who can see them.
How they differ
Presentation software faces the congregation on Sunday. Management software faces the staff and volunteers during the week. They rarely replace each other, and a church can start with one and add the other later.
Do not forget the website
Your website is the first stop for visitors. It should show service times, location, sermons and a way to give or sign up. See our page for church websites and technology for how we help, or start with our website builder, which includes hosting, SSL and a free domain on annual plans. If you need a church website builder with templates, see our website templates.
Tools your team will actually use
Church staff and volunteers also need shared calendars, email and file storage. Team collaboration tools such as Hub for Teams keep chat, files and a project list in one place, and our business email gives staff addresses on the church domain. A project list helps with larger efforts such as a building campaign or a summer camp, and our project management software guide explains how to run one.
A short checklist
- List the jobs you need done: the Sunday screen, giving, groups, volunteers, email.
- Pick the one that hurts most and start there.
- Ask each vendor where member data is stored.
- Run a trial with the actual volunteers who will use it.
- Make sure your website links to the tools you choose.
Start small, choose tools that are simple enough for volunteers, and add more as the church grows.