For many churches, the ChMS (Church Management System) is an underutilized tool; so much potential but much of it unused. You’ve got the tool. But are you using it to support generosity, disciple your givers, and personalize pastoral care?

This post shows you how you can unlock your ChMS’s full potential—not just for data tracking, but for growing a culture of intentional generosity.

1. What Your ChMS Should Track (but Probably Isn’t)

Most churches only track attendance or general giving totals. But if your ChMS can tag and segment your donors, here’s what you should be watching:

First-time givers: Create a system to send handwritten thank-you notes to those who give for the first time. This is a great pastoral touchpoint.
Giving frequency shifts: Who used to give monthly and now gives quarterly—or not at all? Who used to give weekly, but now gives sporadically?
Recurring gift adoption: Are people moving toward sustained generosity?
Lapsed givers: Who has stopped their giving? These instances are always pastoral opportunities.
Giving Participation: What percentage of your weekend service attenders are giving?

🧩 Data + Discipleship: These trends help you identify who might need pastoral care, not just a receipt.

2. Using Generosity Data for Pastoral Care

Your ChMS isn’t just an administrative tool; it can uncover pastoral opportunities as well.

Here’s how:

Lapsed giver alerts help you proactively reach out to people who may be hurting or drifting. [Download: Why People Stop Giving Resource?]
First-time gift follow-ups can reinforce their step of faith with a personal note thanking them for helping advance the church’s vision and mission.
Giving engagement reports can show how people are participating in the generosity effort.

🧠 Remember: Changes in giving often reflect changes in spiritual life. Use data as an invitation to care, not to critique.

3. Build Simple, Ministry-Aligned Workflows

If your ChMS offers automation (and most do), you can set up workflows that serve people without becoming robotic.

Start here:

New Giver Sequence:

Create a reminder to send a personalized, handwritten “thank you”
Let them know how their gift makes a difference
Offer a next step (meet a pastor, join a class, etc.)

Lapsed Giver Follow-up:

Trigger after 90-120 days of no giving
Assign to a team member for a pastoral check-in
Don’t assume it’s financial; start with pastoral care as the objective

Quarterly Giving Updates:

Send a summary of ministry impact (How have lives been changed? Not just giving totals)
Celebrate ministry milestones and change lives
Emphasize the vision, how the vision advances the mission, and invite people to step into the larger ministry narrative

⚙️ No automation tool replaces relationship; but it can support it.

4. Pitfalls to Watch Out For

Many churches either ignore their ChMS or get buried in complexity. Avoid these traps:

Over-customization: Start simple. Add layers only as your team grows.
Poor follow-through: Don’t set up workflows you can’t sustain. Consistency builds trust.
Generic communication: Automated messages should still feel personal. Use names, specific examples, and voice.

5. Make Sure Your ChMS Supports Your Ministry Efforts

When used well, your ChMS becomes more than a database; it becomes a real-time feedback loop for spiritual engagement.

It helps you:

Identify where givers are emerging or dropping off
Automate meaningful follow-up
Equip leaders to shepherd more intentionally

Next Step:

→ Download the ChMS for Generosity Blueprint to access step-by-step guides, workflow templates, and report checklists you can use right away.

How to Use Church ChMS Tools to Track and Grow Generosity