What Do People Do At A Multi-Site Church?

Note: This is the 5th post in a series about a data model for multi-congregational churches.  I will use the terms multi-site and multi-congregational churches interchangeably.

What Can People Do In a Multi-Congregational Church?  More specifically, what does an individual do that we want to track and measure

The database is a reflection of the real world. In the real world...

• People can join groups with specific ministry roles (ministry positions).
• People can attend events
• People can accomplish milestones along journeys like spiritual formations and connecting to the church
• People can respond to opportunities to serve
• People can submit feedback (prayer, praise, comments)
• People & businesses can make contributions
• People & businesses can make pledges for future contributions

It would be possible to store all the above data in just one or two database structures, but we decided against this approach.  We separated the different types of activity into separate structures.  Our approach can be summed up with the old adage “a place for everything and everything in its place”.  

This approach results in a few key benefits.

• Users with responsibilities in one area aren’t distracted by data from the others.
• Security can be used to keep users out of categories they should not see
• Reporting is easier since the data is already separated.
• Each type of activity can be related to the Ministry Departments and Campuses in the most appropriate manner.

This brings me to rule #6, #7 & #8 for a multi-congregational data model:

#6: Don't confuse activity by the church in relation to an individual with activity by the individual.

#7: Structure the database so that users will know where to put things in anticipation of the reporting needs of the church.

#8: Connect the various structures (groups, events, milestones, responses) to the ministry and congregation structure so we know which department is responsible as well as the campus where it took place.

Practical application:

A church is interested in knowing whether the people respond to an opportunity to serve are getting connected to that ministry.  People can respond online and through connection cards in the worship services.  The church can also send an email solicitation to people about the opportunity.

All responses are logged in the Responses table.  The response record is followed up by the contact person to that opportunity.  Periodically the church can see what percentage of responses are placed in the specific ministry group to which they relate.

The email sent to people about the opportunity is also tracked, but not in the responses table since that solicitation was initiated by the church.