Everyone: Over the past couple of months, I've spent many hours carefully researching the websites of 62 providers of branded CMS solutions for churches and parishes. I've identified as many features as I could by researching their websites (it wasn't always easy). I compiled this information into a searchable database or directory. I added to this database contact information (address, phone numbers) for each company, if listed on its website, as well as prices for its product(s), also if listed.

To search the directory, go to

http://www.greatchurchwebsites...

or click the "Choose a CMS" link under the banner on my website.

The database or directory can be searched by any of 200+ (yes, you read that right!) features, the most useful way to search; as well as by product name and by keyword or phrase. The latter option will be least useful, but can be used to find vendors located in a particular U.S. state (but not metro area) or, say, England.

I want to emphasize that my directory does not include open-source CMS solutions such as Joomla, TYPO3, Mambo, XOOPS, Drupal, DotNetNuke, etc., per se. I'm completely in favor of churches and parishes using open-source CMS solutions, but information about these products is already available elsewhere on the internet (including right here on Geeks and God) and I don't need to waste time duplicating the efforts of others.

What's significant about my research is that it makes clear that web CMS solutions for churches and parishes have really come of age. All of the products in my directory offer highly useful features for ministry and even church management. It would take an in-house web designer or programmer a long time to develop these features. And once developed, the features would have to be extensively tested to ensure they work.

Now, the downside is, some of these CMS products are quite expensive, but again, the solutions come packed with features, and the features are customer-tested. Not all of the CMS solutions in my directory are expensive, however. Even the most expensive ones typically offer several product "suites" at different prices; the more expensive suites have more features, as you might expect, but there are lower-priced product packages (with fewer features) that might fit your church or parish's budget.

As a final note, I'll add that there are many web design firms who have developed their own CMS for use on client sites, but these companies generally are not included in my directory of CMS solutions. (They're listed instead in my directory of web designers and web design firms; click the "Find a web designer" link under the banner on my website.) By contrast, my directory of web CMS solutions for churches and parishes strictly focuses on name-brand CMS solutions. In other words, the companies whose products are listed in my CMS directory basically do one thing: develop and sell a name-brand CMS solution.

(Oh, and two more things to note: a few of the CMS solutions in my directory are commercial solutions based on open-source software. Also, two of the products included in my directory are free as they were developed by ministries, for ministries.)

Thank you for taking time to read this.

Sincerely,

David Gillaspey
Great Church Websites
(an educational ministry)
http://www.greatchurchwebsites...
-
-