Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, has always had a mission-driven heart, focused on reaching people with the Gospel and equipping them for discipleship. As one of the largest churches in the country, Bellevue Baptist recognized early on that effective ministry requires powerful, adaptable tools—ones that not only streamline church operations but also enhance engagement, volunteer management, and ministry impact. 

What began as an internal need at Bellevue led to the development and release in 2007 of Bellevue Church Management System (BVCMS), a people-centric platform designed for discipleship and ministry tracking. Over the years, this system evolved into what is now known as TouchPoint Software, a robust church management platform that continues to serve Bellevue Baptist and hundreds of other large churches nationwide. 

Bellevue’s relationship with TouchPoint is more than just a software solution—it is a ministry partnership that has grown and evolved to meet the church’s changing needs. Through different seasons of leadership, innovation, and improvement, TouchPoint remains at the heart of Bellevue’s operations, ensuring that no person, volunteer, or ministry opportunity falls through the cracks. 

The Birth Of TouchPoint: A System Built By The Church, For The Church 

In the early 2000s, Bellevue Baptist was growing rapidly, with thousands of members actively engaged in ministries, events, and discipleship programs. However, their existing church management system was outdated, cumbersome, and lacked the flexibility and unity needed to support a dynamic, large-scale ministry. 

After evaluating various out-of-the-box solutions, Bellevue’s leaders realized that no existing platform fully met their needs. Instead of settling for a system that required expensive recurring costs and workarounds, they took matters into their own hands. 

With the help of David Carroll, a Bellevue Baptist member with software development expertise, the church built its own database—one that would be intuitive, accessible from anywhere, and adaptable to new technologies. 

This system, originally called BVCMS, quickly transformed Bellevue’s internal processes. Ministry departments took ownership of their own data, reducing the need for a department of staff dedicated to data entry. Lay leaders were empowered with limited access to member data, allowing them to take more direct responsibility in shepherding their groups. 

“It’s a different way of doing church management,” said Karen Worrell, Bellevue’s Systems Administrator at the time. “TouchPoint allows staff and lay leaders to do ministry on the go. Your minister can take his phone, go to the hospital, find somebody on the app, look at their picture, see their family members, and be prepared to walk into that hospital room.”

BVCMS became an indispensable ministry tool, so much so that other churches began asking to use it. In 2015, the system renamed as—TouchPoint Software—and has partnered with some of the largest churches nationwide since. 

A Season Of Development: Expanding TouchPoint’s Capabilities 

With a new name, TouchPoint entered a season of accelerated development, adding new features that strengthened its role as a ministry-driven platform. 

Bellevue played a crucial role in shaping the system’s evolution. Their feedback and requests directly influenced new tools, allowing TouchPoint to remain responsive to real-world church needs. 

“I’ve seen a lot of changes in TouchPoint that have been for the better, especially in the last couple of years,” said Nathan Barley, Bellevue’s Minister of Church Data. “Every month, new features come out, and I keep saying, ‘That’s cool. That’s going to be good.’ It’s very impressive and exciting to see the direction the development team is taking.” 

During this season, Bellevue leveraged TouchPoint for major church functions, including: 

• Volunteer Management: Tracking volunteer engagement, ensuring background checks were up to date, and automating onboarding. 

• Event Management: TouchPoint developed an in-database ticketing system, reducing significant costs for Bellevue’s large-scale events like their annual Singing Christmas Tree production. This also allows them to keep their data in-house and available for future use.

• Targeted Communication: With features like mass-texting and segmentation, Bellevue moved away from generic, one-size-fits-all email blasts, instead reaching the right people with the right message at the right time. 

Additionally, TouchPoint’s development team has been highly responsive to feedback, rolling out updates that directly impact Bellevue’s day-to-day operations. 

This period of growth cemented TouchPoint as a system that wasn’t just about administration—it was about ministry enablement. 

A Season Of Improvement: Streamlining Ministry 

While TouchPoint has always been an evolving platform, the current leadership has ushered in a new phase focused on efficiency, user experience, and partner-driven improvements. 

Nathan Barley has seen firsthand how the small, yet powerful refinements TouchPoint is making are transforming Bellevue’s workflow: 

“TouchPoint’s focus on reducing clicks and fixing functionality is really encouraging,” he shared. “Everything is just becoming more streamlined, and that makes a huge difference when you’re managing a church this size.” 

One of the biggest areas of improvement has been automation. TouchPoint has enhanced features like Process Builder, allowing Bellevue to automate steps in volunteer onboarding, membership tracking, and discipleship pathways. 

“The status flag system is one of the best tools for quick visibility on volunteer eligibility,” Nathan explained. “The rings on profile pictures—blue for background checks, magenta for MinistrySafe training—are a simple and clear way to assess a person’s readiness to serve.” 

TouchPoint’s ability to adapt to ministry needs in real-time ensures that Bellevue—and all its partner churches—are always equipped with the best tools for engaging, discipling, and mobilizing their congregations. 

A Partnership Rooted In Shared Mission 

What makes the relationship between Bellevue and TouchPoint so unique is that it’s not just a vendor-client relationship—it’s a true partnership. 

Bellevue’s influence on the software continues to shape its future, ensuring that TouchPoint remains a system built by the church, for the church. The partnership is a testament to how church technology, when created with ministry in mind, can empower churches to serve, disciple, and engage their communities more effectively. 

Senior Pastor Dr. Steve Gaines summarized it best: 

As Bellevue continues to serve Memphis and beyond, TouchPoint Software will be there—powering ministry, strengthening connections, and growing alongside the church in its mission to make disciples. 

Looking Ahead 

The future of Bellevue Baptist and TouchPoint remains intertwined, with both organizations committed to innovation, improvement, and ministry effectiveness. 

As churches grow and evolve, TouchPoint will continue to do what it has always done—listen, adapt, and provide churches with the best tools to fulfill their mission. 

Bellevue’s journey is proof that when church technology and ministry align, the results are transformational. 

At TouchPoint, we’re committed to making sure our church partners have the best tools to support their ministries. As part of this commitment, we want to let you know about an important update if your church uses the eSPACE integration. With our release tonight (March 10, 2025), there’s a small action needed on your end to ensure everything continues running smoothly.

eSPACE has informed us that their current API (v1) will be sunsetting in 2025, so we’ve updated TouchPoint to support the new Version 2 (v2), which uses JWT (Java Web Token). To complete the transition, you’ll need to take a few steps both in eSPACE and TouchPoint.

What You Need to Do:

✅ In eSPACE – You’ll need to generate a new API key. Here’s how:

An admin can navigate to their Profile by either:

Using the left-side navigation bar, OR

Clicking the person icon in the top-right corner of the dashboard and selecting Profile from the dropdown menu.

Scroll to the bottom and expand API Keys.

Once you have read the information on API Keys, choose Create New Key.

After clicking Create New Key, you can:

• Copy the new key and store it somewhere secure.

• Enter a description (e.g., a name for the key that makes sense to you, like “HR” or “Website”).

• Click Save | ⚠️ Important: You will no longer be able to see the full key after saving, so be sure to copy it first!

You can create as many API keys as needed. We recommend creating one for each system that requires API access, ensuring the same level of access as your login.

✅ In TouchPoint – Once you’ve generated your API Key in eSPACE, there is just one quick step in TouchPoint:

• Go to Admin > Advanced > Settings > Integrations > eSPACE.
• Locate the new eSPACE API Key field.
• Copy and paste your new API Key into this setting.

That’s it—you’re all set! 🎉

We appreciate your help in making this transition smooth. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out.

Ensure A Smooth Easter With Effective Volunteer Coordination 

Easter is one of the most significant days on the church calendar. It’s a time when attendance surges, new guests walk through your doors, and your congregation comes together to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. To create a welcoming, organized, and impactful Holy Week & Easter services, churches rely heavily on volunteers. 

Yet, effective volunteer coordination can be a daunting challenge. Between planning, recruiting, scheduling, communicating, and appreciating your volunteers, church leaders often find themselves overwhelmed. A well-structured volunteer coordination strategy can make all the difference. 

This guide will provide church leaders with practical steps to streamline volunteer coordination, ensuring Easter runs smoothly while fostering a culture of service and discipleship. 

1. Plan Early And Strategically 

A strong volunteer effort starts with clear planning. Easter services usually require a higher number of volunteers than a typical Sunday, so outlining roles and responsibilities well in advance is crucial. 

Steps To Effective Volunteer Planning: 

• Meet With Ministries: Schedule time with each of your ministry areas to compile their requests for the Easter season.  

• Assess Your Needs: Take inventory of all the roles that need to be filled (greeters, parking attendants, children’s ministry, hospitality, tech support, etc.). 

• Build a Leadership Team: Assign key volunteers or staff to oversee different ministry areas to alleviate administrative burden. 

• Define Expectations: Each role should have a clear job description, including responsibilities and time commitments. 

• Create a Process: Utilize a system that allows for easy volunteer signups, tracking, and follow-up with potential volunteers. 

2. Recruit With Vision And Purpose 

Recruiting volunteers isn’t just about filling slots; it’s about inviting people into meaningful ministry. Casting vision for why volunteers are needed and how their service impacts the Kingdom of God is key. 

Best Practices for Volunteer Recruitment: 

• Make a Church-Wide Appeal: Announce the need for volunteers during services, in bulletins, and on social media. The most effective way to get buy-in is a call to action from your Senior Pastor during services.  

• Leverage Personal Invitations: People are more likely to serve when personally asked by a pastor, staff member, or fellow churchgoer. 

• Highlight the Impact: Share stories of how volunteering has blessed both the volunteer and those they serve. A testimonial video to show during service can inspire people to join a serve team. 

• Use an Easy Sign-Up Process: A simple online registration system makes it easier for volunteers to commit. Create a QR code that be used across multiple mediums (sanctuary screen, church bulletin, social media, etc.) to reduce friction in the signup process. 

3. Schedule With Flexibility And Clarity 

Managing schedules can be one of the most complex aspects of volunteer coordination, especially when dealing with last-minute changes. 

Tips For Creating A Smooth Volunteer Schedule: 

• Use a Centralized System: A volunteer scheduling tool can automate sign-ups, send reminders, and prevent double bookings. This is the time to reduce data silos and have your whole staff implement the same system so that everyone is on the same page.  

• Offer Multiple Serving Times: Some volunteers may not be available on Easter Sunday but can help during the week leading up to it. Examples may include: setup and teardown team, a landscaping team, or additional administrative support before and after Easter to help lighten the load. 

• Pair Experienced Volunteers with Newcomers: This ensures new volunteers feel supported and learn from those with experience. Something as simple as having premade nametags, lanyards, or your church’s branded “serve” shirt for your team shows appreciation for their service. 

• Have a Backup Plan: Prepare a list of ‘on-call’ volunteers to fill last-minute gaps. Make a request for your congregation to be willing to serve in any area as a floater. (Remember to verify that background checks are in good standing). 

4. Communicate Clearly And Often 

A well-organized volunteer team relies on consistent communication. Keeping volunteers informed and encouraged helps them stay committed and confident in their roles. 

Effective Volunteer Communication Strategies: 

• Send Automated Reminders: Use text, email, or app-based notifications to remind volunteers of their upcoming service times. 

• Provide Training Materials: Share video tutorials, PDFs, or brief in-person orientations to equip volunteers with the knowledge they need to be successful.  

• Encourage Two-Way Communication: Allow volunteers to ask questions and provide feedback by giving them the appropriate contact information (email, phone, text). You can also utilize your church management system for concise and consistent messaging. 

• Host a Final Check-In: A pre-Easter huddle ensures everyone is aligned and prepared. Where should volunteers park? How early should they get there? All this should be clearly discussed to make sure that everyone is on the page and ready to serve your guests.  

5. Show Appreciation And Foster Long-Term Engagement 

Volunteers who feel valued are more likely to continue serving beyond Easter. Expressing gratitude and celebrating their contributions builds a culture of service within your church. 

Ideas for Showing Volunteer Appreciation: 

• Send Personalized Thank-You Notes: A handwritten note or email from church leadership goes a long way. 

• Host a Post-Easter Celebration: Gather volunteers for a special meal or reception to celebrate their efforts. Give out fun and creative awards to those volunteers that went above and beyond.  

• Publicly Acknowledge Volunteers: Recognize their commitment to the Kingdom with a Volunteer Spotlight on social media. This not only shows how much you love and value them but also helps your congregation continue to get to know each other by name and image.  

• Provide Small Gifts or Incentives: Consider offering a small token of appreciation such as a devotional book or church-branded merchandise. 

Elevate Your Processes & Celebrate Easter!

Easter is a prime opportunity to welcome guests, engage your congregation, and ultimately share the Gospel with more people. Volunteers play an essential role in making this possible. Through the implementation of a well-thought-out volunteer coordination strategy, churches can ensure that both volunteers and attendees have a meaningful experience. 

By focusing on planning, recruiting, scheduling, communication, and appreciation, church leaders can create an environment where volunteers feel empowered and eager to serve—not just for Easter but for years to come. 

With the right tools and a heart for ministry, your church can elevate its volunteer coordination efforts, leading to a more effective and impactful Easter celebration. 

Upgrade Your Church Software For A Streamlined Volunteer Experience

Feeling overwhelmed or lacking the right tools to implement these strategies effectively? It may be time to evaluate your church management software. TouchPoint’s Scheduler is designed with discipleship in mind, helping churches eliminate data silos, streamlining communication, and elevating volunteer coordination. Schedule a free demo today and discover how we partner with some of the largest churches in the country to enhance volunteer management!

As church leaders, you know that tracking engagement is key to fostering discipleship growth and ensuring no one slips through the cracks. But how can you effectively measure engagement across attendance, giving, volunteering, and other factors? In our recent webinar, Andrew Triplett, Head of Consulting at TouchPoint Software, walked us through Engagement Insights, a powerful tool for understanding the health of your congregation.

Key Takeaways From The Webinar

What Are Engagement Insights?

Engagement Insights provide a data-driven approach to measuring church involvement and discipleship. Rather than relying on assumptions, churches can track key behaviors—such as attendance, serving, and giving—to better understand trends and respond proactively with ministry.

The Five Engagement Buckets

To get a full picture of engagement, Andrew introduced five key areas:

• Membership – Who identifies as a part of your church?
• Attendance – How often do they attend services and events?
• Giving – Are they financially committed to your mission?
• Volunteering – Are they actively serving in ministry?
• Enrollments – Are they involved in life groups, Bible studies, or other church programs?

How To Use Engagement Insights To Strengthen Ministry

By setting up Engagement Insights in TouchPoint Software, churches can:

• Identify trends in engagement over time
• Spot early warning signs when someone disengages
• Use data to create personalized outreach lists
• Equip ministry teams with actionable insights to foster deeper connections

Watch The Full Webinar

If you missed the live session, you can watch below for the full webinar recap.

Looking for help setting up Engagement Insights for your church? Contact our team at [email protected] for expert guidance.

Another article you might like: Church Engagement Can Be Easy And Intentional!

How Volunteers Can Use TouchPoint

To effectively manage their groups, volunteers need access to specific features of TouchPoint’s church management database. Here’s how they can do so efficiently:

• Accessing the Database
  • Volunteers log in using their credentials.
  • Then, they navigate to their profile and select the Involvements Tab to view their groups.
    
• Viewing Group Information
  • If they are a member of a group, they can see basic information.
  • If they are a leader, they gain additional access to group details and member profiles.
    
• Managing Group Members
  • Leaders may view member profiles (depending on settings).
  • Additionally, they can track attendance and view reports such as the ‘Recent Absence Report’ to follow up with missing members.
    
• Communication & Reports
  • Volunteers can send emails or texts to group members directly through TouchPoint.
  • Moreover, they can generate reports using built-in tools to track engagement and participation.

By utilizing these features, volunteers and lay leaders can effectively manage their responsibilities while maintaining appropriate data security.

Why Volunteer Empowerment Matters

As Easter approaches, churches have a unique opportunity to rely more on their dedicated volunteers and lay leaders. These individuals are the backbone of a thriving church community, helping to create welcoming and organized worship experiences. By equipping them with the right tools and resources, pastors and church staff can focus more on spiritual leadership while ensuring that every aspect of church life runs smoothly. Ultimately, a well-prepared volunteer team enhances the church’s ability to minister effectively, making Easter services and events more impactful for everyone involved.

Churches thrive on community, and strong volunteer leadership fosters a sense of belonging and shared mission. Therefore, investing in your volunteers and lay leaders is crucial for several reasons:

• Easing the Burden on Church Staff: Pastors, church admins, and staff members often wear many hats, from pastoral care to event planning. Consequently, delegating responsibilities to well-trained volunteers allows staff to focus on spiritual leadership and vision casting.
  
• Enhancing Church Management and Organization: A church management database, such as TouchPoint, helps keep track of member involvement, attendance, and group activities. By granting volunteers the appropriate access—such as tracking group attendance or communicating with members—churches can ensure smooth operations while maintaining necessary restrictions on sensitive data.
  
• Improving Congregation Engagement and Care: Volunteers can keep track of attendance trends and identify members who may need follow-up or encouragement. For example, a ‘recent absence’ report allows leaders to reach out to those who have missed multiple small groups or reoccurring events, thereby strengthening pastoral care efforts.
  
• Fostering Leadership Growth Within the Church: By equipping volunteers with skills and responsibility, churches cultivate future ministry leaders. When volunteers feel trusted and prepared, they are more likely to take on greater roles in the church’s mission.

Equipping Volunteers With The Right Tools

A great church management system provides different levels of access, ensuring that volunteers and lay leaders have what they need without compromising church security. Fortunately, TouchPoint allows for completely customized access, creating flexibility for:

• Group Leaders: Leaders can view and manage their group’s attendance, send communications, and pull relevant reports.
• Church Admins & Pastors: Staff may maintain oversight while delegating day-to-day group management to trusted volunteers.
• General Members: Churchgoers have limited access to view their own involvement and family members’ details but cannot modify church-wide information.

Start Preparing Now For Easter

Easter is a perfect opportunity to train and empower your volunteers. As services grow in attendance, so do logistical needs. Thus, usher teams, children’s ministry volunteers, small group leaders, and hospitality teams all play crucial roles in creating a welcoming church environment.

To get started, consider the following steps:

• Identify and train key volunteers and lay leaders.
• Provide access to TouchPoint’s church database with clear guidelines.
• Encourage ongoing communication between staff and volunteers.
• Run test events or small projects to practice delegation.

By investing in your volunteers today, you ensure a smoother, more impactful Easter season—and ultimately build a stronger church community for the future.

Building A Stronger Church Community

Church leadership is a shared journey that thrives when the entire body of Christ is engaged. By equipping volunteers and lay leaders with the right tools, responsibilities, and support, you create a strong and vibrant church community. As Easter approaches, this is a wonderful opportunity to invest in your volunteers, ensuring they feel empowered to help welcome and minister to everyone who walks through your doors.

TouchPoint Consulting Team

Need support setting volunteer access? Our TouchPoint Consulting Team is available to assist with church database configuration and Check-In setup. You can email our team at [email protected].

For additional ways to enhance your Easter experience, check out our other TouchPointers and blogs!

As the glow of New Year’s resolutions begins to dim, February offers a timely opportunity to refocus on engaging your congregation in meaningful ways. The reality is that whether someone is new to your church or has been attending for years, life happens. People fall through the cracks and we want to offer some insightful ways to understand engagement amongst your community and church. 

Here are practical strategies to foster connection, re-engagement, and a deeper sense of community within your church family. 

Simple Ways To Engage And Re-Engage Congregations 

Create Connection Opportunities: 

Host events designed to draw people in without requiring a big commitment. Examples include: 

1. A Young Adults Game Night featuring board games, snacks, and fellowship. 

2. A Men’s Breakfast with a short devotional and time for sharing prayer requests. 

3. A Service Project with advanced signups to help serve the community.

4. A Ladies’ Craft Night or a family movie evening.  

5. A Worship Night with child care provided.

6. Plus…Use a “Plan Your Visit” button on your website to engage people before they walk in your doors.

Implement A Weekly Process For Engagement: 

Leverage your systems to create a list of people to connect with weekly. These might include: 

• Recent first-time guests. These people may come anywhere from Check-In to Connect Cards. When someone’s data is added to your system, thank them and let them know that you see them. 

• Members who haven’t checked their family in for a service, group, or event in a while. Utilize reports to identify when people are disengaging. Automate as much of the decision-making as possible but never lose the personal touch. Emails shouldn’t be canned but personalized to show how much your church cares about them.  

• Individuals who expressed interest in serving or joining a small group but haven’t taken the next step. A process-building tool in your ChMS should be able to have due dates to give your ministry leaders reminders when a particular step hasn’t been completed.  

• There are many ways to connect: grab coffee with someone, send a thoughtful email, or mail a personalized card to remind them they matter. 

Systems For Preventing People From Falling Through The Cracks 

Church management software can play a vital role in helping you track engagement. Use tools to: 

Pull Reports Regularly: Generate lists of members who haven’t checked in their kids, served, or attended a group in the past 30, 60, or 90 days. Consider why they might be absent and how you can appropriately reach out. Most church CRMs can automatically send a report to the staff to highlight these re-engagement opportunities.  

Set Automated Reminders: Have systems in place to alert leaders when someone’s engagement begins to dip. This makes it easier to act quickly. This can be particularly effective for lay leaders to help your staff keep people connected.  

Encourage Team Collaboration: Assign individuals to specific teams or leaders for consistent follow-up. 

When you proactively track attendance and engagement, you can offer personalized care that demonstrates love and commitment to your church family. 

Reaching The Disengaged With Creative Invitations 

Identifying individuals who aren’t engaged at all can be daunting. Start by reviewing guest sign-ins, online contact forms, and past event rosters. Once identified, extend no-pressure invitations that emphasize fun, community, and belonging: 

• Plan a “Welcome Back Sunday” with a special meal or reception with Pastors. 

• Send personal invitations to low-barrier events like a movie night or outdoor picnic. 

• Host a Ministry Fair where people can learn about serving opportunities or small groups and meet respective leaders. 

Simple gestures like offering name tags at these events can make attendees feel noticed and valued. Plus, these occasions can be great moments to collect updated information through quick, friendly interactions. 

Refining Your Vision For Fully Engaged Followers 

Engagement isn’t just about attendance. It’s about discipleship and transformation. Take time to reflect and pray as a staff on what a fully engaged follower of Jesus looks like in your church. Do they: 

• Attend services regularly? 

• Serve in a ministry? 

• Participate in a small group? 

• Give faithfully? 

• Take on leadership roles? 

Once you’ve defined these markers, share the vision with your team and congregation. Provide clear next steps so people know how they can grow in their faith journey and make a lasting Kingdom impact. 

Leveraging Technology To Enhance Communication And Engagement 

Email tools are invaluable for staying connected. Use these tools to: 

Segment Your Audience: Tailor messages to specific groups—new members, young families, or ministry leaders—to make communications more relevant and engaging. 

Create Appealing Emails: Work with your graphics person to create consistent images that can be used in email templates. A beautifully crafted email can visually and verbally draw people in to discover more about your church’s offerings.  

Evaluate Open Rates and Engagement Metrics: Low open rates or high unsubscribe numbers may indicate outdated contact information. Prompt your team to update records or verify details during personal conversations. 

Automate Follow-Ups: Use email templates to thank first-time guests, share event details, or encourage small group participation. Consistency matters and automation can lighten the load. 

Staying Focused On The Bigger Picture 

Ultimately, engagement is about stewarding the people God has entrusted to your church. By combining creativity with technology, you can: 

• Make informed decisions. 

• Free up time for personal connections. 

• Focus on nurturing discipleship and community. 

Let this February be a month of renewed commitment to your church’s mission. As you implement these strategies, remember the promise of Galatians 6:9: “your faithful efforts will bear fruit in due season.” Stay the course and watch as lives are transformed by the love of Christ. 

Thank you for your commitment and dedication to The Kingdom! If you need to evaluate or update your software to reach your ministry goals, Book a Demo with our team! 

Already a part of the TouchPoint Family and would like more information on Engagement Insights through TouchPoint’s church software? Save your seat at February’s Webinar to hear from Andrew Triplett, TouchPoint’s Head Of Consulting, to understand how Engagement Insights can support your mission.

Easter is an exciting time for churches, often bringing in larger-than-usual crowds of both members and first-time visitors. While this is a great opportunity for ministry, it can also create logistical challenges—especially when it comes to check-in for children’s ministry, classes, and small groups.

That’s where the Recommended Involvement feature in TouchPoint church management software (ChMS) can help. This tool streamlines the Check-In process by automatically suggesting the best class or group for each guest based on their age, grade, or family role.

By setting up Recommended Involvement ahead of time, churches can:

• Reduce wait times and Check-In confusion.
• Help returning guests find their place more easily.
• Keep children’s ministry organized and running smoothly.
• Ensure an efficient, stress-free Easter Sunday for both guests and volunteers.

What Is Recommended Involvement?

Recommended Involvement is a feature in TouchPoint that suggests the best class, small group, or ministry assignment for guests during Check-In. It helps churches guide attendees into the correct group without requiring manual input every time they check in.

This feature is especially useful for returning guests who are already in your database, as it helps them check in faster and find their place with ease.

Recommended Involvement assignments can be based on:

• Date of Birth – Automatically assigns guests to the correct age-based group.
• Grade – Places children and students in the appropriate grade-level class.
• Family Role – Groups family members together for easier management.

This automation eliminates confusion, reduces wait times, and ensures a smoother Easter experience for everyone.

Set Up Recommended Involvement for Easter

Preparing Recommended Involvement in advance ensures that Easter Sunday runs efficiently. Once groupings are set, you’ll need to activate them in the Check-In settings. To finalize your setup, confirm how guests will be added to their recommended groups. Most churches will use the Guest setting for Easter services, allowing first-time visitors to check in without automatically being enrolled in a group.

Why Recommended Involvement Makes Easter Check-In Easier

Using Recommended Involvement has several benefits:

• Faster Check-Ins – Returning guests can check in quickly without searching for their group.
• Less Volunteer Stress – Volunteers don’t have to manually direct every guest to the right place.
• Better Guest Experience – Families and children feel welcomed and placed in the right classes effortlessly.
• More Time for Ministry – Church staff can focus on connecting with guests rather than managing Check-In logistics.

For additional ways to enhance your Easter experience, check out our TouchPointer Guide on Engaging First-Time Guests Before They Arrive.

Final Easter Check-In Tips

• Test your Check-In system before Easter to avoid technical difficulties.
• Encourage families to pre-register so their information is already in the system.
• Train volunteers on using TouchPoint Check-In and assisting guests.
• Have extra Check-In stations or self-service kiosks to reduce wait times.

By implementing Recommended Involvement and planning ahead, your church can create a seamless, welcoming Easter Sunday experience for everyone.

TouchPoint Consulting Team

Need help setting up Recommended Involvement? Our TouchPoint Consulting Team is available to assist with church database configuration and Check-In setup. You can email our team: [email protected].

We’re just one week away from our next Engagement Insights webinar happening Thursday, February 27th at 2pm CST!

Our Head of Consulting, Andrew Triplett, will share the importance of knowing and understanding the power of Engagement Insights to support spiritual growth for the body of our churches and individuals. What does it look like to respond to engagement trends for celebration and outreach? If you’ve ever wondered how to identify early signs of disengagement where community is needed the most, and keep people connected to your church, this session is for you.

What we’ll cover:

• Measuring Engagement
• Monitoring Engagement Insights
• Creating A Support Team
• Actions Based On Informed Decisions

If you’re exploring better ways to manage church engagement, this will be a valuable session to see how TouchPoint’s tools can help you foster deeper connections.

Join us next Thursday, February 27th at 2pm CST. Register here.

We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Catch Up On Last Month’s Webinar!

Introduction 

First Baptist Dallas, a historic and thriving church in the heart of Texas, has served its community for over a century. With a large congregation and diverse ministries, maintaining deep connections and fostering meaningful and personal engagement across their membership is no small feat. In spring 2023, the church transitioned to TouchPoint to help them achieve their goals of enhanced connections and streamlined ministry operations. 

In this case study, we explore how Justin Krieg, Director of IT, and his team, utilized TouchPoint to improve First Baptist Dallas’s engagement, empower lay leaders, and drive discipleship efforts. 

The Challenge: Managing Engagement In A Large Church 

After reaching the limits of their previous church management system, First Baptist Dallas decided to upgrade to TouchPoint. This required careful planning and adaptation. The size and complexity of First Baptist Dallas posed unique challenges, but the leadership team quickly recognized TouchPoint’s potential to streamline operations and elevate member engagement. While initial hurdles were natural, the church’s commitment to embracing the new platform set the stage for long-term success. They brought Justin on initially as the Engagement and Analytics Associate to help achieve transitional success.

The Solution: Leveraging TouchPoint To It’s Full Potential

Change can be difficult, but the responsiveness from TouchPoint when any speedbumps arose showed that they could be counted on. Justin reflected on his thankfulness for their partnership with TouchPoint: 

“The work that was put in, learning the system and working with TouchPoint’s Consulting Team to get good processes in place, deserves a ton of credit because they’ve invested a lot in spending time with First Dallas to get trained up and get our system in a good spot.”

1. Building a Culture of Adoption 

Recognizing the importance of widespread adoption, Justin’s early efforts focused on showcasing the value of TouchPoint to ministry departments. By demonstrating how the platform could enhance their workflows and engagement efforts, Justin and his team successfully fostered a culture of enthusiasm around the new system. Whether it was training on email communication features or utilizing their Powered By Text integration, they were able to get their congregants to engage with them and deepen discipleship efforts.

“We’ve been able to shift mindsets and win over ministry departments that weren’t initially trained very well on TouchPoint. Learning TouchPoint and implementing improved processes has yielded a lot of fruit.” 

2. Engagement Score: A Tool for Meaningful Discipleship 

A feature that Justin emphasized was TouchPoint’s Engagement Score. God put on his heart Hebrews 10:24 as the driving factor behind the engagement score. He shared how this tool allowed their team to track and analyze member involvement effectively: 

“We’re accomplishing exactly this verse with the engagement score by knowing how our people are engaged in the spiritual disciplines that we’re called to do. By knowing that, we can, in fact, encourage them on towards love and good deeds.” 

Justin saw Engagement Scores as a way to measure how members were participating in spiritual disciplines and discipleship opportunities. By generating monthly reports for their Executive Pastor, they could pinpoint individuals whose engagement had significantly increased or decreased. This data empowered their ministry leaders to: 

• Celebrate individuals growing in their faith. 

• Reach out to those who were disengaging. 

• Tailor discipleship efforts to meet the needs of their congregation. 

3. Empowering Lay Leaders 

First Baptist Dallas took a unique approach to engagement by extending TouchPoint access to their Sunday school care group leaders. Each Sunday school class is divided into care groups of 10-15 people, with lay leaders tasked with monitoring attendance, reaching out to absent members, and logging interactions in TouchPoint. 

Justin explained the importance of this system: 

“If you’re deemed as a leader in our Sunday school class, then we allow you to have access to TouchPoint. Primarily for the purpose of outreach and logging notes. That’s our accountability system to make sure that people are getting reached out to.” 

By equipping lay leaders with the needed tools, the church created a structure that made discipleship efforts more personal and effective, allowing deeper connections to flourish. This has kept people engaged and the church staff aware of what’s happening in their ministries on a personal level. 

Results: Engagement In Action 

Since implementing TouchPoint, First Baptist Dallas has seen meaningful improvements in their engagement efforts. Outcomes include: 

• Enhanced Member Tracking: Monthly reports on Engagement Scores have enabled targeted outreach, ensuring that individuals are not overlooked during critical times. For example, a drop in engagement score may prompt a check-in conversation, revealing underlying struggles, unexpected illnesses, or personal challenges. 

• Lay Leader Empowerment: Care group leaders now have the tools to monitor attendance, follow up with members, and log interactions, creating a transparent accountability system to aid in ministry. 

• Streamlined Ministry Processes: Departments across the church have embraced TouchPoint, leading to more efficient operations and better communication between staff and lay leaders. The Tasks & Notes feature has been able to keep all necessary staff and lay leaders in the know for intentional discipleship. 

Key Takeaways For Other Churches 

First Baptist Dallas’s experience offers valuable lessons for other churches: 

• Prioritize Training and Adoption: Overcoming initial resistance to change requires clear communication of the tool’s value and ongoing training for staff and lay leaders alike. 

• Utilize Tools that Measure Engagement: The Engagement Score is a powerful way to track spiritual growth and identify members who may need additional support. 

• Empower Lay Leaders: Extending access to tools like TouchPoint can amplify outreach efforts and ensure deeper connections across the congregation. 

Conclusion 

Through their partnership with TouchPoint, First Baptist Dallas has transformed the way they engage with their congregation. By leveraging data-driven tools and empowering lay leaders, they have created a culture of intentional discipleship and meaningful connection. Their story serves as a testament to the impact that innovative tools and a committed team can have on a church’s ministry. 

In today’s digital world, connecting with your congregation should be simple and seamless. This TouchPointer highlights how QR codes and text reply words can boost engagement and create easy and efficient ways for churchgoers to engage with your events, gatherings, and more.

The Power of QR Codes

QR codes provide a quick and direct path to essential resources such as registration forms, event details, giving pages, sermon notes, and more. Using your favorite QR code generator, take the link generated in TouchPoint from the blue toolbar and copy it to a QR code to share. Display these codes on printed materials, screens, or bulletins to make sign-ups and information access instant.

Encouraging Engagement with Text Reply Words

Text reply words offer another simple way to enhance connection points through your church software. By displaying a keyword alongside a designated short code or text number, churches can enable members to RSVP for events, post attendance, join mailing lists, or sign up for volunteer opportunities. Within your church database, this information is automatically recorded and organized, making it easy for pastors, administrators, leaders, and volunteers to track engagement and follow up effectively.

A Seamless Digital Experience

Together, QR codes and text reply words make engagement fast, easy, and accessible, placing vital church interactions right in the palm of your congregation’s hands and creating a more connected and organized experience for both church leaders and guests.

For more tips and tricks utilizing TouchPoint’s Church Management Software, visit our YouTube Playlist.

Connect With Our Consulting Team

Would you like to learn more about how to setup reply words? Email our consulting team at [email protected] to schedule a session and learn more about utilizing this feature.

Looking For The Right Church Management Software?

If your church is looking for a reliable church management system that streamlines communication, engagement, and data management, we’d love to connect with you. Whether you’re exploring church software for the first time or looking for a better fit, TouchPoint is here to help.

Let’s find out if TouchPoint is the right church database for your church. Reach out to learn more, ask questions, or see how our church management system can support your ministry’s unique needs. We’d love to welcome you into the TouchPoint family.

Schedule a free demo and connect with one of our team members.

Special Discount for Partner Churches:

We are excited to pass along some amazing news from our friends at MinistrySafe. Through 2025, MinistrySafe is offering TouchPoint churches a unique opportunity to save $100 off the first year of your MinistrySafe Membership! This is your chance to combine MinistrySafe’s unparalleled child safety system with the organizational power of TouchPoint’s church management software. Visit MinistrySafe’s TouchPoint page to get started, and use code “TOUCHPOINT” to save.

Who Is MinistrySafe?

MinistrySafe, founded by Gregory Love and Kimberlee Norris, is a robust program designed to prevent child sexual abuse in churches and ministries. With over 60 years of legal and safety expertise, MinistrySafe educates and equips church leaders, volunteers, and staff to proactively protect children and maintain a secure environment.

What MinistrySafe Offers:

• Effective Trainings: Access engaging, prevention-focused training for your ministry team.
• Background Checks: Simplify and enhance your volunteer and staff management with thorough vetting processes.
• MinistrySafe Institute: Dive deeper with advanced, seminary-level training tailored for church leadership development.
• Custom Policies & Procedures: Develop tailored safety policies with expert guidance to protect your congregation.
• Legal Advice: Benefit from consultation with seasoned sexual abuse prevention attorneys specializing in church compliance and risk management.
• Risk Management Training: Strengthen your ministry’s safety strategies while leveraging church database solutions for improved oversight.

Strengthen your ministry’s child protection measures while enjoying significant savings. MinistrySafe and TouchPoint Software integrate together seamlessly to provide a comprehensive church technology solution for increased safety.

Ready to take advantage of this exclusive offer? Visit MinistrySafe’s TouchPoint page today! for safeguarding your community. Join us in setting a new standard for safety in ministries.

In this TouchPointer video, we explore simple but effective ways to build trust within your church community by incorporating consistent church branding in your church software. A strong brand presence across all platforms enhances engagement, fosters trust, and provides a seamless experience for church members.

Bringing Your Church Branding Into TouchPoint

TouchPoint offers various tools to ensure that your church’s branding remains consistent across all interactions. Here’s how you can implement it:

• Customizing Your Brand Kit
  Your church’s logo, colors, and font styles can be applied throughout TouchPoint, including online giving pages, registration forms, and the mobile app. This ensures that members experience a familiar and professional interface at every touchpoint.
• Branded Email Templates
  Creating email templates with your church’s branding ensures that communication remains cohesive and professional. TouchPoint allows specific individuals to manage and update these templates, keeping messaging aligned with your church’s mission.
• Event and Holiday Branding
  As your church prepares for events, you can incorporate themed graphics into check-in kiosks, online giving pages and email communications. This consistency enhances the overall event experience.
• Maintaining Church Branding Alignment Across All Platforms
  Your church’s brand isn’t just online—it’s also visible on your website, physical signage, service guides, and more. Keeping branding consistent in your church database reinforces a unified and trustworthy image.
• Using a Custom Login URL
  Churches can create a custom TouchPoint login URL that aligns with their branding. This not only adds a professional touch but also creates a seamless user experience.
• Why Customization Matters
  A well-branded TouchPoint experience provides familiarity and instills confidence in both church staff and members. By aligning your database with your church’s branding, you create a more positive and trustworthy experience.

If your church needs guidance in setting up branding within TouchPoint, TouchPoint Consulting is available to assist with customization.

For more tips and tricks utilizing TouchPoint’s Church Management Software, visit our YouTube Playlist.

Connect With Our Consulting Team

Would you like to learn more about consistent church branding? Email our consulting team at [email protected] to schedule a session and learn more about customizing your database.

Considering TouchPoint For Your Church?

Not yet a TouchPoint Partner? Schedule a demo today by filling out this form to connect to one of our team members. This is one of many ways TouchPoint’s powerful church management software can uniquely support your ministry’s needs.