THE SUBSPLASH BLOG

Insights & inspiration for church leaders

Pastor Appreciation Day gift ideas: Unique ways to say thanks

The best pastor appreciation gifts combine personal gratitude with practical value. Meaningful gift ideas range from handwritten notes and restaurant gift cards to paid time off or hobby items. Choosing a thoughtful pastor appreciation gift acknowledges your pastor as an individual, while including their spouse and ministry staff ensures your whole team feels honored during Pastor Appreciation Month.

ChMS vs. church CRM: What’s the difference & which does your church need?

Lyndsi Bigbee

A church management system (ChMS) handles day-to-day administrative operations like check-ins, attendance, and giving, while a church CRM focuses on tracking individual relationships, engagement history, and pastoral follow-up pathways. Understanding the differences and similarities between ChMS vs. church CRM helps leaders select software that meets operational needs without creating fragmented donor records or extra costs.

How churches can support parents during the back-to-school season

Lyndsi Bigbee

As autumn arrives, churches have a unique opportunity to offer church support for parents by offering practical support that eases seasonal stress without cluttering busy calendars. Integrating simple digital discipleship resources, centralizing communication, hosting community events, and building local care networks help keep faith at the heart of daily routines. With intentional touchpoints, your ministry can serve as a steady anchor for families throughout the entire school year.

How Citizens Church raised $3.5 million after switching to Subsplash

Lyndsi Bigbee

See how Citizens Church secured over $3 million in pledges in just two months after moving to Subsplash and using their Campaign Giving feature. This case study explores how the right platform helped their team reclaim hours every week, run a multi-million dollar capital campaign with ease, and move closer to breaking ground on a new building.

Best practices for church app push notifications

Lyndsi Bigbee

What are the best practices for church app push notifications? Send up to 3 push notifications weekly, targeting high-engagement windows like 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Segment your audience for relevance and prioritize spiritual value, such as sermon highlights, over logistics. Use concise, front-loaded copy and AI tools to amplify your message.

A Guide to faithful AI adoption: Why the pastor is irreplaceable

Michael Whittle

Pastors today are navigating one of the most consequential questions of our time: How do we use AI faithfully? The answer, it turns out, starts in Genesis. This article explores a biblical framework for AI adoption in the church — grounded in the Creation mandate, the irreplaceable dignity of every person made in God's image, and the truth that no technology can substitute for an embodied pastor who knows their congregation. It also looks at what 300,000+ sermons have taught us about building AI tools that amplify your voice and theology, never replace them.

Youth group summer activities & games for high schoolers

Lyndsi Bigbee

This article provides eight practical and engaging summer activity ideas for church youth groups to help high schoolers build authentic community and deepen their faith. By moving beyond mere entertainment, these activities—ranging from sand volleyball to mission trips—create an environment where students can disconnect from their screens and engage in life-changing discipleship.

50+ Father’s Day Bible verses to encourage every dad

Lyndsi Bigbee

This collection of Father’s Day Bible verses is organized by theme to help encourage the dads, grandfathers, and mentors in your pews. From passages on godly leadership to verses that point toward the heart of the Heavenly Father, these scriptures are perfect for an upcoming sermon or a simple, handwritten note.