- Aug 30, 2020
- 3
- 1
- 40
- Country
- United States
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Single
My church recently has talked about how the secular world does much better than the church regarding 'data analytics': maintaining comprehensive data on individuals and making informed decisions on how to run an organization based on that data. Church leadership also indicated that this is an area that this is an area they want to grow into. Recently, my church has made a more significant effort to capture more data regarding its congregation. At first things were relatively simple, such as needing to enter my birth date in order to join a small group. However, the scope has been broadening recently. For example, I was asked to submit a form noting whether or not I had been baptized in the past (even if it was at another church) and also provide the date that baptism occurred.
I have no problem being public about my faith and the world knowing that I am a Christian. What I do have an issue with is the church collecting large amounts of data about its congregation and asking questions digitally that I typically only share in person with people. I have not had a chance to think yet about whether I want these things in a database. I am also not sure whether or not I want them to be discriminating/filtering options for me based on electronic data I am providing them. For example: church involvement has become more digital recently, especially as my church has moved to electronic small group sign-ups.
Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing at their church or have any thoughts on this issue?
I have no problem being public about my faith and the world knowing that I am a Christian. What I do have an issue with is the church collecting large amounts of data about its congregation and asking questions digitally that I typically only share in person with people. I have not had a chance to think yet about whether I want these things in a database. I am also not sure whether or not I want them to be discriminating/filtering options for me based on electronic data I am providing them. For example: church involvement has become more digital recently, especially as my church has moved to electronic small group sign-ups.
Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing at their church or have any thoughts on this issue?