5 Reasons Churches Love Online Directories (And Why Your Church Will Too)

See the features and benefits of having an online directory you may have overlooked.

Your Members Can Use the Directory to Connect With Each Other From Anywhere

Online directories are the perfect way to put your directory in your members’ hands at all times (as long as they can access the internet, they can access the directory).

You can link to your online directory from a button or menu item on your website. You can also embed the directory directly into a page on your website, or you can link to it from social media accounts.

Your members can use the directory from any device or computer with a browser, and the directory will automatically fit the correct screen size. Instantly, their smartphone can become a directory they are able to access on their way to visit another member, at the post office when they are mailing a card and need an address, or even when they’re at church and need to put a name to a face.

More Secure than a Website and Information Shared on Social Media

Your members’ security and privacy are protected in your online directory in a number of ways.

1. The online directory can only be accessed with a password that you administer, and share. – It’s easy for your church staff to share that password with church members. Just a click of a button can invite or re-invite members to log-in.
2. Your church staff can choose what kind of information your church wants to appear on the directory. Not only that, it’s easy to manage and share that password with all of your ministry, or anyone you want to have access to your directory. You can invite everyone with just the click of a button, and easily re-invite anyone who didn’t respond the first time.
3. Members can choose to not appear on the online directory at all, or just to limit certain information from appearing.

Saves Time and Cuts Administrative Tasks for Your Staff

Your members likely already use the internet to access all kinds of information, including updating their own. It’s only natural that they can do that with information they share with their church family. This will ultimately save your church staff time. Here’s how:

1. Fewer requests for information lookups – Members will find it easier to lookup another member’s contact information by getting on your website, or picking up their phone and doing a quick search.
2. Fewer requests for information changes – Members will also find it simple to log into their own online member profile, and update their information to appear correctly on the directory.

Better Community Connection Within Your Church Family

Make it easier for Members to Connect Outside of Church
It is hard to say how many times a member did not volunteer to get involved, send a sympathy card, give a call of encouragement, or drop off a meal because they didn’t have the contact information of another member, and then just never around to it. An online directory helps them to minister to one another as soon as they think of it.

Make it Easier for Members to Connect Inside of Church
How many times has someone avoided stopping to talk to a relatively new attendee at church because even after the third time meeting them, they still can’t recall their name? If you think of your own church, you can probably imagine additional ways you’d all benefit from everyone knowing each others’ names and their family members’ names.

Making member information available is key to improving community in your church, no matter how big it is, or how long everyone has been going there.

Continuously Up To Date

Because information can change so quickly, your printed directory can quickly become outdated. But with an online directory, members (and church staff) can update the directory at any time. As a result, your directory will always be up to date.

You Can Test Drive It

Demo the Servant Keeper online directory to see how simple it is to use.

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