It’s Technology With a Heart: Inside the Company Transforming How Churches and Nonprofits Operate
As more churches rely on digital donations for congregants to sow seeds and tithe, the technology enabling this generosity has never been more critical. According to recent industry research, 73% of churches have experienced increased or steady adoption of digital donation methods, with automatic recurring donations now constituting 43% of all transactions. This shift represents a fundamental change in how faith communities express their commitment and support their missions.
When Chris Bacon took the helm as CEO of Ministry Brands in November 2023, he brought two decades of Fortune 150 leadership experience from giants like ADP and Fiserv. However, what drew him to a faith-based technology company was not just the business opportunity. It was something more personal.
“It’s an honor to be entrusted with the leadership of Ministry Brands, a company that shares my values and holds a remarkable position in supporting churches and mission-driven organizations,” Bacon shared. “We’re not just providing software. We’re walking alongside our clients as partners in impact.”
That values-first approach defines Ministry Brands, a Knoxville, Tennessee-based company serving more than 90,000 purpose-driven organizations across the United States. What began in 2012 as a focused solution for church websites and digital donations has evolved into a comprehensive software ecosystem with over 30 integrated solutions.
Today, the company’s nearly 700 employees help manage over $6.45 billion in charitable giving annually, positioning Ministry Brands as a strategic technology partner in the nonprofit and faith-based space.
The company emerged from a simple observation: technology for missional organizations was falling short. Churches and nonprofits were juggling multiple platforms from multiple vendors, creating inefficiency exactly where these organizations could least afford it. Ministry Brands founder Ross Croley recognized this fragmentation and built a different model, one that would raise the bar for what faith-based organizations could expect from their technology providers.
After operating as part of Community Brands, Ministry Brands spun off as a standalone company in November 2021 following a majority investment by Reverence Capital Partners. The transition allowed the company to sharpen its focus on a specialized vertical market that generic business software companies often overlook.
Integrated Solutions for Complex Missions
Ministry Brands distinguishes itself through comprehensive church technology partner capabilities that address the full spectrum of organizational needs. The platform covers everything from people and donor management to digital giving, websites, communications, media streaming, event planning and background screenings, all designed specifically for faith-based contexts.
“We’ll never forget that on both sides of our technology are humans, working together to achieve a common goal: your mission,” the company emphasizes in its positioning. “You’re the expert in your mission. We’re the experts in helping you reach it.”
The company’s nonprofit digital giving solutions have proven particularly impactful. Ministry Brands’ February 2024 State of Church Giving Report revealed that digital giving now accounts for 34% of all giving dollars, demonstrating how thoroughly this technology has been integrated into the fabric of faith community life.
The product portfolio spans multiple specialized offerings. Church management solutions include accounting software, custom mobile app builders, online giving platforms, communications tools, live streaming capabilities and comprehensive church management software. ParishSOFT, designed specifically for Catholic organizations, serves more than 9,000 parishes and 185 archdioceses and dioceses with an integrated suite tailored to Catholic-specific needs.
Protect My Ministry, the company’s safety and background screening division, serves 35,000 ministries across all 50 states with solutions custom-tailored to the unique requirements of church programs and events, positioning it as the leading church background screening consumer reporting agency in the industry.
Recent product innovations demonstrate the company’s commitment to continuous improvement. In August 2023, Ministry Brands launched DonorShield, proprietary technology that provides nonstop donation processing while safeguarding donor contributions against unforeseen disruptions caused by intermittent third-party outages. Two months later, the company introduced Flex Content to empower church leaders to elevate their digital presence with custom pages, streamlined event promotion and simplified resource access.
Strategic Partnerships and Future-Focused Innovation
Ministry Brands continues expanding its capabilities through strategic partnerships that enhance client value. The company recently partnered with AvidXchange to bring meaningful innovation to churches and nonprofits, delivering a fully digitized payment process with enhanced security features that help reduce payment fraud risk while providing real-time data and reporting.
Looking ahead, Ministry Brands is doubling down on artificial intelligence to enhance operations and increase donations for the organizations it serves. This represents a significant opportunity for thought leadership in responsible AI application for purpose-driven organizations, a space where faith-based software solutions must balance innovation with the values of the communities they serve.
“I’ve always believed in setting the bar high and relentlessly pursuing those goals,” Bacon stated. “What excites me most about this opportunity is the boundless potential I see in Ministry Brands to drive innovation in the industries we serve and deliver true, meaningful and lasting impact.”
The Ministry Brands Amplify platform continues evolving as a comprehensive, integrated solution designed to give churches a single place to manage membership, collect tithes and offerings, stream sermons and engage with their community. A major upcoming refresh of the DonorDirect and Shelby accounting platforms’ design and user interface represents the company’s commitment to continuously improving user experience.
Ministry Brands: ‘Cheerful Generosity Is A Way Of Life’
What makes Ministry Brands distinctive is not just the technology. It is the people building it. Employees rated the company 4.3 out of 5 on Comparably, highlighting a culture that encourages work-life balance, offers generous time-off policies and provides strong wellness support through an Employee Assistance Program and wellness events throughout the year.
Employee testimonials reveal a workplace where talented professionals collaborate on meaningful work. Staff members report having management teams willing to go above and beyond, working alongside high-performing colleagues who sharpen their professional skills. Many team members actively serve in their own faith communities, bringing authentic passion and real-world understanding to the products they develop.
“The diverse and real-world experiences of our team members serving their communities makes our company stronger together and enhances our ability to advance digital transformation for the greater good,” the company notes.
This mission-driven purpose creates a unique value proposition for employees. Unlike generic technology companies, Ministry Brands offers professionals the opportunity to build software for communities they personally understand and care about. The company’s central belief that cheerful generosity is a way of life attracts people who want their professional work to align with their personal convictions.
Beyond employment, Ministry Brands contributes to the broader ecosystem through knowledge sharing and community building. The company hosts an annual DonorDirect client conference, publishes research like the State of Church Giving Report to provide industry insights, and convenes Healthy Church Summits throughout the year on topics ranging from holiday giving preparation to staff care.
“It’s an honor to lead a company that shares my values,” said Bacon, who joined the company in 2022 as Chief Operating Officer and stepped into the CEO role in 2023. “What excites me most is the potential to drive innovation and deliver meaningful, lasting impact for the people we serve.”
As faith-based organizations continue navigating digital transformation, Ministry Brands positions itself not just as a vendor but as a trusted partner in understanding and navigating trends in faith-based giving and operations. With continued innovation in digital giving, AI integration and platform expansion, the company aims to help its 90,000-plus clients create positive ripple effects that drive the real human impact that both the organizations and Ministry Brands’ team members strive to achieve.
“At Ministry Brands, the central belief is that cheerful generosity is a way of life,” Bacon shared. “Our purpose is to help clients enable a positive impact on the world by making passion actionable for associates and elevating the standards for technology for the faith-based technology industry.”
