FLORENCE, S.C.—The Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board has turned to ACS Technologies for help in managing its work planting churches. ACS is the nation's leading provider of information management solutions for faith-based organizations. They will take over the NAMB's Associational Relationship Management System and Church Planter Management System software.

In announcing the new alliance, Richard H. Harris, church planting group vice president at NAMB said, "From its initiation in 1997, the goal of providing and continually updating CPMS has been to make accessible a reliable, credible, and functional tool that pastors and church planters all across North America could use for assistance in the growing of their New Testament churches."

"Seven revisions have gone into the software since its creation, with the most recent revision completed in May 2003. We have accomplished much, but want to ensure we can accomplish even more into tomorrow with the ever growing needs of church planters. ACS Technologies can help us do this," he said.

ACS Technologies has served churches for over 25 years, and has worked with NAMB for more than 15 years in various capacities. Today, ACS Technologies serves over 20,000 churches nationwide, working with many Southern Baptist state conventions and associations as well as churches.

Hal Campbell, president and CEO of ACS Technologies said, "For many years we have admired the work of NAMB and since early 1998 we have placed significant value on the work they are doing to plant churches through the use of their CPMS and ARMS software. They provide an exceptional service to new churches, a service that we will strive to build upon to yield even greater rewards for these growing congregations."

Mike Carlisle, chief technology officer at NAMB, is deeply involved in this new alliance, and says, "With ACS Technologies, we can take advantage of the power of the new technology and the internet to help further connect planters — with each other, with sponsors, associations, state conventions, and NAMB. By providing real time information, we'll be able to more effectively train, equip, and deploy Christians in communicating the good news of Christ's salvation, while ministering to the needs of the loving community called ‘his body.'"

ACS Technologies began the day-to-day servicing of pastors and church planters using the CPMS and ARMS applications effective April 1, 2004. ACS Technologies will also be responsible for the software training of existing and new users.