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Guide

How to Track Church Engagement in Planning Center

People rarely leave a church all at once. They step back a little at a time. Here is how to notice sooner and reach out with care.

The quiet signs someone is stepping back

None of these mean someone has left. They are simply good reasons to check in.

  • Groups: Their group keeps meeting, but they have not been recorded as attending for several weeks.
  • Serving: Their team keeps scheduling, but they have not been scheduled or confirmed lately.
  • Giving: Regular giving has paused. Only people with finance access should see this.

Why one list is not enough

Planning Center keeps groups, serving, and giving in separate products. Someone might leave a group because they started serving, which is good news. Looking at one product at a time can send you after the wrong people.

Looking across ministries shows who is still connected somewhere and who may need a personal conversation.

Describe connection in people words, not scores

A label like "69% disengaged" does not help a pastor care for anyone. Simple stages work better: Deeply Connected, Connected, Partially Connected, and Not Yet Connected.

People 360Illustrative example
Sarah Mitchell

Sarah Mitchell

Member

Deeply Connected

Small group

Young Families Tuesday

Leader: David Chen

Serving

Guest Services

Greeter

Sun 9am · Guest ServicesConfirmed
People 360 shows how one person is connected (illustrative example).

A simple follow-up rhythm

  • Weekly: Review who has gone quiet in groups and serving.
  • Reach out: A short text or call from someone they know goes a long way.
  • Record it: Mark Reached out, Planned break, or Dismissed so your team does not double up.
Care OpportunitiesIllustrative example

The Robinson family

Needs follow-up

Recorded group attendance most weeks until 6 weeks ago. No group attendance recorded since.

Needs follow-upReached outPlanned breakDismissed
Draft message
Care Opportunities in Ministry Lens (illustrative example).

Notice who needs a check-in, sooner

Ministry Lens points out changes in group and serving participation, with the evidence behind each one.

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