Notion

Notion defies simple categorization - it's simultaneously a document editor, wiki builder, database manager, and project tracker. This flexibility makes it uniquely powerful for churches that want one tool for diverse information management needs rather than separate apps for each function. The fundamental building block is the page. Pages can contain text, images, embedded content, databases, and other pages. This simple foundation enables complex structures: a church wiki with nested documentation, a ministry database tracking programs and participants, or a project board managing event planning. Database functionality sets Notion apart from simple note-taking apps. Create tables with custom properties (text, numbers, dates, checkboxes, relations to other databases). View the same data as a table, board, calendar, gallery, or timeline. A single volunteer database might appear as a contact list to administrators and a scheduling board to coordinators. Templates accelerate common workflows. Create a meeting notes template, then generate consistent meeting pages with one click. Notion's template gallery includes community-created templates for project management, CRM, and content calendars that churches adapt to their contexts. Collaboration happens in real-time. Multiple team members edit simultaneously, seeing each other's changes instantly. Comments enable discussion on specific content. The activity feed shows what's changed recently. Sharing controls determine who can view versus edit. The free tier works for individual use or very small teams. For team workspaces with multiple collaborators, paid plans start at $8/user/month. The education and startup programs offer discounts, but churches must pay standard rates unless qualifying through other programs. Notion's flexibility comes with a learning curve. The blank page can overwhelm users accustomed to structured tools. Successful adoption usually requires someone building the initial structure and templates before bringing in the broader team.

Create a free account at notion.so. The personal plan is free forever with limited collaboration features. Team workspaces require paid plans for multiple editors. Start with a clear use case rather than trying to do everything at once. Common starting points for churches include: staff meeting notes, ministry documentation wiki, or project/task tracking. Pick one area and build it well before expanding. Create your workspace structure using pages and subpages. A simple hierarchy might be: Staff Wiki (parent) with pages for Policies, Ministry Guides, and Staff Directory underneath. Click the '+' to add pages and drag to nest them. Build your first database for something concrete - perhaps a task list or content calendar. Add properties relevant to your use case: due dates, assigned person, status, ministry area. Experiment with different views of the same data. Explore templates before building everything from scratch. Notion's template gallery includes project management boards, meeting notes formats, and documentation structures. Duplicate templates to your workspace and customize them for your needs. Invite team members when your structure is ready for collaboration. The free tier limits sharing capabilities; team plans enable proper multi-user collaboration. Set appropriate permission levels - not everyone needs edit access everywhere. Document your Notion system for your team. Create a 'How to Use Our Notion' page explaining your workspace structure and conventions. This prevents everyone organizing differently and creating chaos.