Yesterday I started a new series about the social church database. If you’re like me, you got excited about the possibilities. So, who is already doing this? How do I get more information?

I’m by no means an expert in this stuff, but I try to keep up-to-date with what’s out there. So here’s what I’ve learned these last few months.

The first instance I’ve seen of the social church database is The City. It’s gotten a lot of buzz the last few months, a connectivity tool developed at Mars Hill Church in Seattle. Several big churches have moved to it and more are looking at it. I totally understand why… it’s beautiful. I’ve spent many hours on The City and it is what’s been missing. It’s a powerful tool to connect people to each other and to communicate information to the entire body in clear and concise ways. It’s a tool you don’t have to “lure” your people to use, but something they’ll want to use on a regular (if not daily basis). Seriously, The City is a bold step forward for connecting with the people who attend your church.

The second instance I’ve seen of the social church database is Fellowship One’s Table Project. I actually watched a demo last week and I’m equally excited about Fellowship Technologies solution to the social media problem. Where The City is an approach to a new database for your church, the Table Project is a tool that connects to your already existing Fellowship One database (assuming you already use Fellowship One… or plan to move to F1). The Table Project is an outside tool that has partnered with Fellowship One and seems to offer most of what the City does, just in different ways. I’m a big fan of Fellowship One and seeing this demo last week was very encouraging, something I’m really excited about.

Here’s the bottom line. I’ve gotten really excited about both of these projects. Why? Because they’re addressing a huge need that you might not have even known you had. People are slipping out the back door of your church and these tools WILL help people get connected at your church as well as stay better connected. Honestly, I love that there are two solutions out there right now. This kind of competition breeds innovation and that means a better product for you and me. Bottom line, I just want a tool that makes my job easier and to a degree (in certain ways) these tools will.

Tomorrow I’m going to conclude this series of the social database with a very important warning. Contain your excitement for one more day!