ConnectionPower’s child check in and member care church software raises your children’s ministry to a new level by providing the leading web based church management software that empowers every sized church to both think big and act small.

The Great Truism

The slogan, “Think Big – Act Small” is one that works for both the very large church and the very small church. Large churches naturally think big, which plays to their advantage. Small churches naturally act small, which plays to their greatest strength. The trick is for the large church to act small and the small church to think big. This is the single greatest common denominator for church growth, in any sized church.

Vision

“Thinking Big” means that there is a vision for growth. The eyes of a critical mass of the church are looking expectantly outward. The church is anticipating, planning for and working towards expansion. The corporate intention is directed towards embracing growth and the changes that come along with it.

“Thinking Small” means that the vision is limited to what is readily visible. The majority of the church sees their needs as “the” big deal. The church is looking for, planning for and working towards “taking care of the flock.” The corporate intention is directed towards the development of events and programs to make the church a better place.

Action

“Acting Small” means that the church is focused on the needs of the individual. A high priority is placed on providing excellent customer service and customer care, for both visitors and regular attendees. A strategy is consistently executed that provide opportunities for people to develop relationships and create opportunities for belonging. Success is defined in terms of the quality of the experience for the individual as they interact with every aspect of the church. In the small church this happens on a more organic level as outsiders are more readily identified and responded to by congregants. In a large church this requires sustained intentional effort.

“Acting Big,” means the focus is on programs and events that meet the needs of the masses. The corporate intention is directed towards the development of events and programs to make the church a bigger place. Success is defined in terms of attendance numbers and the quality of the program or event. “Acting big” is not necessarily bad for the large church, which has the resources to pull of lots of need meeting events and programs. The key is that they also learn how to “act small.” Small churches, with limited resources, do better staying focused on their native strengths by acting small and thinking big.

Children’s Ministries

“Thinking Big,” when it comes to children’s ministry, means raising the bar to meet the common standards of professionalism of child check in, which visitors encounter in the largest of churches. Even a very small church can implement a professional child check in system that provides a critical level of security for the children in their care. This is surprisingly easy and affordable to do in a big way. All you need is a laptop (that someone already owns) and a label printer. ConnectionPower’s child check in church software (included free in PowerMember), is used in very large churches with many thousands in weekend attendance. It can be quickly installed and used in any setting. Child check-in can be done via barcodes or entering a phone number. It can be done in a staffed mode or self check-in mode. Children get a stick on ID badge with critical information and a security code. Parents get a pickup slip with a matching security code, which cannot be reproduced. Technology can level the playing field between and help every church to think and act big.

“Thinking Small,” in children’s ministry, means providing excellent follow up and care for every visiting and regular attending child. This is why our ministry dashboards automatically populate with second, third and fourth time visitors and absentees. Automated email alerts push this information to the right people who can respond in time to make a difference. It has been my experience that families are constantly falling through the cracks even in smaller churches. When it comes to those Jesus called the “least of these,” every church needs to think small.

Read "Thing Big Act Small - Part 2"