Why Churches Should Transition to Cloud-Based Systems: Reducing Risk and Unlocking New Possibilities

Jessica with SteepleMate here! Over the last 15 years, I've had the pleasure of helping ministries transform and enhance their services, empowering them to reach new heights with data-driven insights and technology.

There is an alarming number of churches still struggling to make the switch from desktop-based church management systems that are actively being phased out and replaced by modern, cloud-based solutions. These churches face a pivotal decision: move with modern technology or revert to paper records or basic tools like Excel spreadsheets.

Many of these churches operate on limited IT budgets and continue to rely on aging hardware and legacy software. This combination creates significant vulnerabilities and makes them attractive targets for cyberattacks.

For example, in a recent conversation a church disclosed that they are running on outdated hardware with Windows XP, a system that has reached its end-of-life in April 2014 and no longer receives security patches (Microsoft Lifecycle Policy - Windows XP). With their donation tracking software abandoned by the church management vendor, they are forced to move to a cloud-based platform despite lingering fears about cloud security.

In this post, I’ll address these concerns and offer practical insights into how cloud adoption not only enhances security but also improves flexibility, collaboration, and innovation for ministries.

Industry Trends: Transition from Desktop to Cloud-Based Church Management

The church management software market has experienced a significant shift over the past decade as vendors move away from traditional desktop solutions and embrace modern, cloud-based platforms. This trend is driven by several key factors, including the need for enhanced security, scalability, continuous updates, and improved operational efficiency.

1. Vendor Evolution and Product Transitions

ACS Technologies: Historically, ACS Technologies offered on-premise desktop solutions for church management. As security challenges and customer expectations evolved, the company shifted its focus to a cloud-first model.
Once a widely used desktop solution, Elexio now represents legacy software. Although some congregations still use it, its dated architecture and limited support for modern security protocols have prompted many churches to transition to more modern, cloud-based alternatives.
Sources: Community reviews and discussions on platforms such as Capterra and Software Advice.

2. The Rise of Cloud-Only Providers

A number of church management solutions were designed as cloud-based platforms from the start, reflecting the industry’s overall direction:

SteepleMate: Designed as a cloud-based solution from inception, SteepleMate emphasizes continuous updates, scalability, and remote access. Source: SteepleMate
Planning Center: Planning Center is built as a cloud platform to support modern access needs, offering robust security features and ease of use. Source: Planning Center
Breeze ChMS: Developed specifically as a cloud-based system, Breeze ChMS focuses on ease of use and regular updates to ensure optimal performance and security. Source: Breeze ChMS

These providers offer platforms built on cloud infrastructure that ensure automated patching, continuous security updates, and scalability to meet dynamic needs, features that desktop-based systems cannot match.

3. A Minority Holding on to Desktop Models

While most vendors have moved to the cloud, a few providers still offer desktop solutions. For example, Church Windows continues to deliver a desktop application model. However, these solutions generally lack the advanced security and operational benefits offered by cloud-based systems.
Source: Church Windows

The shift from desktop to cloud-based church management is more than just a technological upgrade, it is a necessary evolution to address modern security threats and operational demands. Cloud-based solutions provide continuous security updates, scalability, and improved collaborative capabilities. This industry-wide transition underscores the imperative for ministries to leave behind outdated, vulnerable systems and adopt modern cloud technologies.

Increased Vulnerability of Outdated Desktop Systems

Lack of Security Patches and Support

Windows XP reached its end-of-life in April 2014, meaning it no longer receives security updates or patches. This means unpatched systems are prime targets for cyberattacks due to known vulnerabilities that remain unaddressed.
Source: Microsoft LifeCycle Policy

Other Notables:
- Windows Vista: Support ended in April 2017.
  Source: Microsoft Lifecycle Policy – Windows Vista
- Windows 7: Extended support ended in January 2020.
  Source: Microsoft Lifecycle Policy – Windows 7
- Older macOS Versions: Versions such as OS X Yosemite (10.10), OS X El Capitan (10.11), OS X Mavericks (10.9) and earlier no longer receive security updates once Apple supports only the three most recent macOS releases.
  Source: Apple Security Updates
- Legacy Office Software: Older versions of Microsoft Office (e.g., Office 2003 or Office 2007) have also reached end-of-life and are no longer updated, posing additional security risks.

Industry Consensus on Unsupported Systems

Organizations like the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) consistently warn that unsupported operating systems dramatically increase the risk of data breaches.
Source: CISA.gov

Reported Data on Breaches and Vulnerabilities

Data Breach Exploitation: The Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) shows that a significant portion of breaches exploit known vulnerabilities that persist in legacy systems.
Source: Verizon DBIR

Cost of Breaches: The 2022 IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report indicates that the average breach cost in the U.S. is $4.35 million. Organizations using outdated systems often experience longer breach detection and response times, further increasing financial and reputational damage.
Source: IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2022

As cybercriminals leverage AI-driven attacks and automated hacking tools, older systems without modern intrusion detection mechanisms are at heightened risk. Industry analyses (including findings in the DBIR) support this trend.

Advantages of Cloud-Based Systems for Churches

Continuous Security and Compliance

Automated Patching and Monitoring: Cloud providers like Microsoft and AWS deliver continuous updates and automated patching, significantly reducing exposure to vulnerabilities.
Sources: Microsoft Azure Compliance Offerings, AWS Nonprofit Resources
Compliance Certifications: Microsoft Azure, for example, holds over 90 compliance certifications (e.g., ISO 27001, SOC 1, SOC 2, GDPR), ensuring adherence to high security and privacy standards.
Built-In Disaster Recovery: Cloud-based solutions come with integrated disaster recovery and backup capabilities, protecting sensitive donor and volunteer data from loss due to hardware failures, theft, or natural disasters.
Source: Industry best practices as documented by AWS and Microsoft.

Enhanced Data Protection Features

Encryption & Access Controls: Cloud systems implement encryption for data both at rest and in transit, along with multi-factor authentication (MFA) and granular access controls.
Sources: Microsoft Azure Security Documentation, AWS Security
Real-Time Threat Intelligence: Advanced threat detection and monitoring systems track suspicious activity 24/7—a level of security that legacy desktop systems cannot provide.

Tech Compliance and Best Practices for Ministries

Regulatory Alignment and Best Practices

Fact: PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) applies to any organization—for‐profit or non‐profit—that stores, processes, or transmits payment card data. While PCI DSS is not a federal law, compliance is required by the major payment card brands and acquiring banks. Non-compliance can lead to fines, increased fees, or the loss of the ability to process credit card payments.
Source: PCI Security Standards Council

Unfortunately for the average donor, this is a scary truth. For churches handling financial transactions and sensitive member data, compliance with standards like PCI DSS is critical.

These days, cloud providers maintain rigorous security programs to meet these requirements.

AWS’s Cloud Adoption Framework and Microsoft’s nonprofit guidelines emphasize that cloud systems not only meet compliance needs but often exceed traditional standards.

Operational Resilience through Disaster Recovery

Reduced Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs): Cloud solutions enable quick restoration of critical data and applications in case of disasters, minimizing downtime and ensuring continuity of ministry operations.

Unlocking New Possibilities with Cloud Adoption

Enhanced Collaboration and Productivity

Cloud-based platforms like SteepleMate enable teams to work collaboratively in real time—whether in the office or remotely. Volunteers and staff can securely access vital information from any device, boosting overall productivity.

Advanced Analytics for Ministry Growth

With integrated cloud-based analytics tools, churches can gain deeper insights into giving trends, attendance patterns, volunteer engagement, and more, enabling data-driven decision-making.

Digital Transformation with Microsoft’s Cloud Ecosystem

SteepleMate leverages Microsoft’s cloud ecosystem, providing nonprofits access to cutting-edge digital transformation tools, including AI-driven insights, automated workflows, and integrated communication tools.

Wrapping Up

The transition from outdated desktop systems to secure, scalable cloud-based platforms like SteepleMate is no longer optional—it’s essential.

By adopting cloud-based systems, ministries can:

Significantly reduce the risk of data breaches by eliminating vulnerabilities inherent in unsupported systems.
Maintain continuous compliance with evolving security standards.
Gain access to advanced threat detection and disaster recovery capabilities.
Unlock enhanced collaboration, productivity, and growth potential.

For ministries entrusted with sensitive donor and member information, moving to a cloud-based platform is a proactive step that safeguards their mission while enabling innovation.