Curtis Simmons, the Executive VP of Marketing and Community at Fellowship Technologies (business behind the ChMS FellowshipOne), has announced his role as an Advisor with SoChurch, and we’re excited about the experience that he brings to the table as well as his insight into software development and web applications.
The capital “C” Church has struggled to master the art of communication – from within its four walls, from the Church to its congregation, from the congregation to the Church and from members to members. Technology in and of itself cannot fix these issues but it can provide a set of tools to enable, streamline, and promote good, effective and timely communication.
This is why I was so excited to learn more about a new tool being developed called SoChurch. It aims to simplify church communication by providing tools that will foster community without getting in the way.
I was honored when the SoChurch team asked to join the advisory board for this new venture that is backed by an amazing team of leaders, innovators and technologists that have an awesome heart for the Lord and the local Church. I believe that SoChurch may be the tool that can finally help bridge the communication gap that exists in many churches today.
And I know that the SoChurch Team feels the same way.
One of the neat things as well with Curtis joining our team is of the obvious relationship he has with Fellowship Technologies. This, of course, can help provide a framework of thinking for anyone in terms of where SoChurch “fits in” as a tool and a technology.
Obviously we’re not competing directly with Fellowship One with Curtis on our team and we feel that the tools are going to play very nicely together; complement each other on areas and fill in the gaps in others.
Most simply, perhaps, is that Fellowship One is an amazing Church Management System, SoChurch is a Communication Platform, System, and Tool.
Of course, more details are rapidly coming… and as we finish out our Advisory Team you’ll be the first to know.
If you’ve missed it, here are the other public announcements:
OK… I don’t know what you are exactly building, but here is a product I have been waiting for..
- one-stop communications tool
- spend time in ONE form that outputs to all our communications outlets
- modular so additional outlets can be added
- MUST-HAVE outlet #1 = SMS
- MUST-HAVE outlet #1 = Facebook Fan Page EVENTS
- MUST-HAVE outlet #2 = Raw text (via variable strings???) to any php file I want – example I would want to be able to provide a URL, like “http://thrivechurch.ws/post2news.php”, with check boxes or something that would http-get like “http://thrivechurch.ws/post2news.php?t=MyNewsTitle&d=MyNewsDescription&etc”
Herb, while outlet #2 might be down the road, I can tell you in regard to everything else that YOUR WAIT IS NEARLY OVER.
Sincerely, CSO of SoChurch
It’s good to have Curtis aboard… what a team!
well we know SoChurch will be well advised…I’m looking forward to it!
@sochurch Some cautionary advice: “Does SoChurch have too many cooks in the kitchen?” http://tr.im/W3gr
Martin,
Good thought, and I can see where you might get that idea, but the relationship between the advisors and the core team, the roles and responsibilities outlined, is unique and specific.
of course, that role is clearly defined in our contractual agreements but isn’t explicit anywhere else. I positive it’ll make sense when things get rolling.
Oh, and neat service you’ve got going yourself…!
john
Hi Martin,
Thanks for your insight. In general I would say that you have some good advice. But you are making two assumptions about SoChurch that make your statements not applicable to this particular situation.
They are:
1) That SoChurch has not been focusing its primary effort on ensuring the product is feature rich, well thought, and perfectly executed.
2) That there does not exist a clear leadership dynamic that can harness all the creative and influential power of our strong team for a common goal.
The product and its ability to meet the needs of the Church is our #1 priority. We believe that having a large and insightful team will only help inform and promote our dynamic product as well as ensure the company’s success for the long haul.
All that to say, we are all over it and expectations for the product and the business will be met.
Thanks for engaging in this conversation.
The handling of the pre-launch announcements has been exemplary and clearly the work of a skilful leadership team. My comments were no intended to attack the management team personally. I apologise if they came across that way.
In my own work with (US and UK) church software teams I have often seen examples of where the egos and over-reaching acts of well-intentioned (formal and informal) “advisors” have negatively impacted their success.
Maybe we are losing something in the translation; I look for “champions”, rather than “advisors”. I think my distinction is simply that product development remains user-led, while you retain your “celebrities” to headline your marketing efforts.
onward and upward
are those 11 slots deliberate? only 11?
It just happened that way
But we are happy to have all 11 members on board.
I find it frustrating all this talk about So Church. So What? literally, what is it. I keep reading all the posts but have no clue as to what this thing is. John would you be so kind to post a couple bulletin points as to what exactly this thing is?
thanks,
Jeff