Inside Nspire 

All about the world of church software and ministry

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Stuff we like 

Nspire Software

Ok, so this is our little home on the web. Apart from our software being friendly to the eye it is friendly to the user. No steep learning curves here, just simple, yet powerful, results. Its the way church software should be. Here you can find out about all the ways Nspire church software can help your ministry. From attendance to contributions... we provide relevant church software that produces measurable results.

Mars Hill Bible Church - Free Mp3's!

Here you can listen to all the new goodies from Rob Bell and Mars Hill Bible Church. All audio is updated weekly and is FREE! If you haven't ever listened to any teachings from this church, take a moment to go download a few. They are well worth it.

nooma - short teaching video's

nooma has made an excellent product. If you have ever looked for a, non-cheesy, quality teaching video to use in small group settings or service... then look no further. Each nooma is only 10 bucks and is on the same playing field of quality as the big guys... no half done stuff here. If you are looking for a good place to start, get nooma #1: Rain... it makes me want to cry every time. Sniff Sniff....

BattleCry - State of Youth Culture

I wrote a blog about this website a few days back on www.insidenspire.com . This website contains all kinds of information about the crisis facing our youth generation... If you do not go to any other link, make sure you go to this one. Ron Luce is the founder of TeenMania Ministries, who has developed this website. It is worth taking some time to look through.

Inside Nspire

This is our second home on the web, where we can really share our heart. The Inside Nspire blog is more than just information about church software. Inside Nspire is where you can find constantly updated resources that are relevant to ministry today. Stop by... we would love to chat with you.

Christian Computing Magazine

Article about Nspire church software that appeared in Christian Computing Magazine.

Why do I need Church Software??? 

Have you asked yourself this question before? I am sure you have, especially if you have embarked on the journey to find the perfect church software. Church software is more than just another old "app" on your machine. It is a tool... and a effective one at that. If you need to print something... you get a printer; If you need to build something... you get the right tools to do it; If you want to organize people information and do so effectively... you need a church software.

Now when I say church software, I am talking about more than some old Excel spreadsheet or a Microsoft Word document. All these programs can offer you is a bin to store information on people, but you can not really do anything with that information. The purpose of church software is to give you the ability to do something with the information you have, rather than just store it. Storing it does not do anything.

Church software will give you the ability to automate your mailings, organize your groups, and track your attendance and contributions. But a good church software will go beyond just storing this information. A good church software will allow you to EASILY search this inforamtion and then produce results.

One thing that is often overlooked when purchasing a church software is the ability to use that software. Now any church software salesman/saleswoman is going to tell you their software is user friendly. Let me reemphasize this EVERY ONE OF THEM WILL TELL YOU THIS. So how do you know if it really is user friendly. Here is what I suggest.

Request a working demo AND a live demo. This will allow you to see the software in action. Try to imagine yourself in the driver's seat using the software while watching the live demo. Remember, the salesperson is highly trained and can make the software look easy to use. It should be easy to use to you, not just the saleperson. The software should be pleasing to the eye and easy to navigate. Have a list of questions you would like to see answered by the salesperson and make sure you understand how the process works. Then try to replicate the process on the demo software you have from the software comapany. If you have questions... be sure to ask. Salespeople will help you understand how the software can fit in your situation. Also, do not base your decision on features. Church software is more than this, make sure it is a fit and you can use it. A church software can have all the features and still not be able to be used.

How to find the perfect church software. 

• Know ahead of time what you need to accomplish with church software. Do you need better management of small groups, easier attendance managing, or financial management.
• Put someone in charge of making the decision to purchase. Will it be a group decision by committee or will there be a certain person that makes the final approval.
• Set a realistic time frame that you would like to have the software Functional. This time frame should include more than just the time to approve the purchase. Consider installation time, training, data transfer, data correction, making reports, and adjusting to the new system. This typically can take 6 months to be fully functional.
• Make a list of software vendors you are considering and continue to add to this list the aspects you like and dislike. Ability to easily use the software should rank very high. Remember, it is not all about features... it is about usability.
• Do not immediately start talking price. Church software salespeople will work with you on price. Your first priority is finding the perfect software that fits what you need and then talk price.
• When a salesperson sends you a demo, schedule time to actually review it. A good start would be to schedule yourself about 1 hour to briefly overview the software. MAKE NOTES.. of questions or areas you would like more information on. This will make you more prepared when the software salesperson contacts you next. It will also make your calls more productive.
• Keep communication open between you and the salesperson. Most church software salespeople are not out to swindle you. The truth is most will really want to help you. If there is something you do not like in the software... tell them. Many of the times you will find what you are looking for is in the software and you overlooked it. Still yet, keeping communication open will keep you more informed and saine throughout this process.
• After you have decided what church software is right for you, talk with the salesperson about price and also factor in purchasing a membership program. This is an additional expense in most cases, but the benefit's far outweight the cost. A good membership program will serve your entire staff well while you go through the adjustment of changing software.

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Nspire Software
120 West Jackson St.
Cookeville, TN 38501

P.888-297-6495
information@tcshome.com