QuickStart: Setting Up your EzyChurch Account in the Baptist NZ App

Owned by Jonathan Warner (Unlicensed)
Oct 10, 2018
5 min read

Getting your App account within the Baptist App full of relevant content is the best way to ensure your users open it often and maximise the power you know it has to offer the people in your church.

Here's an overview of how to configure your app/website and make the most of its features.

1. Add your organisation's logo and select your brand colours

Add your organisation's logo and select your brand colours.

PURPOSE: This allows your whole app and/or website to look and feel like your organisation.

  1. Head over to Subscription, located under your Account Menu,
  2. Find the feature called Logos and Colour and click Config,
  3. Drag and Drop your logo onto the  symbol, (For more information on our image asset requirements, check out Platform Graphic Assets)
  4. Enter the Web Colour Codes of the colours you'd like to use. These can be generated by most graphic design programmes. (You can learn more about what each colour does at Platform Colour Configuration)

2. Connect Your Google Calendar

PURPOSE: This allows your app to list your organisation's public events by syncing them directly with your Google Calendar.

  1. While still in your Subscription Page, click Config on the Events Feature
  2. Name your site (this is only visible to your users if you use Multisite)

  3. Enter the site’s physical address (It's important to format this in a way that Apple Maps and Google Maps will recognise - verify it by typing your proposed address into Apple and Google Maps on your phone).

  4. Copy and paste the following two pieces of information from your Google Calendar. (For details instructions on finding this information please see Connecting Your Google Calendar)
           a) The public Google calendar ID
           b) The calendar embed code.

3. Select your Church Services

PURPOSE: Marking the events in your calendar which are church services automatically creates a menu item in your app menu to show church services to your users. 

  1. While still in your Subscription Page, click Config on the Church Services Feature.

  2. You will be offered a list of all the events in your calendar.

  3. Simply toggle the event(s) which are services and we’ll display them on the services page automatically in your app.

  4. View the full article here: Identifying your Church Services

4. Setup Online Giving

PURPOSE: Make Giving to your Church easier than ever with a Give button right in your app. You can also embed a Giving form into your website. 

  1. Ensure you have EzyStream Giving enabled in your subscription. Simply add the 'Engage' Function to your account if you don't have it available already.
  2. Head over to your Manage Menu, and select Giving.
  3. Set Up Your Giving Account by filling in the form to create your Giving Account and click Submit.
  4. Add at least one Bank Account, by clicking Accounts in top left of your Giving Dashboard.
  5. Create at least one Appeal. (You'll learn lots more at Understanding Appeals)

Please note that your account within the Baptist NZ App attracts different credit card charges to our standard rates. Please talk to the Baptist NZ for clarification on these.

5. Add your Newsletter

PURPOSE: Reduce printing and cut through email clutter by delivering your newsletter directly to your congregation's phone, complete with a Push Notification so they know it is there.

  1. Decide if you want to place your newsletter into your app as a PDF or as a link (from a system like MailChimp). If you'd like to use a link - please see add-ons below.
  2. For PDFs:
    1. Ensure you have PDF Viewer enabled in your subscription. Simply add the 'Connect' Function to your account if you don't have it available already.
    2. Click Config.
    3. Enter the name you'd like to give the menu item in your app (probably 'Newsletter').
    4. Click the (plus) Icon and select your PDF file.
    5. Decide if you'd like a notification to be delivered to your users and customise the notification text.
    6. Click Submit

6. Add your FaceBook Page

Purpose: Link your users directly into your Facebook page.

  1. While still in your Subscription Page, click Config on the Social Feature.
  2. Type the service name: Facebook
  3. Copy and Paste the URL of your Facebook page directly from Facebook.
  4. Click Submit.

7. Check and Activate your Contact Details

Purpose: Display a Contact button as a menu option in your app.

  1. While still in your Subscription Page, click Config on the Contact Us Feature.
  2. Name the button you'd like to be displayed in your app menu.
  3. Enter a message you'd like to display to your users in your app's Contact Page.
  4. Verify your Contact Details by going to My Organisation, under your Account Menu.

8. Add your first media clip (most likely a sermon)

PURPOSE: Distribute your media to everyone in your church with one single upload. You can have it publish into your app, your website and your podcast feed with one upload action!

  1. Click Add Media in Quick Actions in the top left of your dashboard.
  2. Click 'Add New Video/Audio Series'
  3. Drag and drop your audio and/or video file into the form. Learn about Supported Media Types and Media Graphic Asset Requirements.
  4. Fill out the fields in the form.
  5. Click Submit once your media has been uploaded.
  6. To learn how to embed your media into your existing website, please check out Embedding Media in your Website

NOTE: If you'd like to upload video and your screen does not give you this option, please add a Video Subscription under Subscriptions.

9. Add-On: Enable Push Notifications + Make your first Topic

PURPOSE: Push Notifications allow you to send a message to everyone who has your app installed, for example to remind them of an event.

  1. Ensure you have Push Notifications enabled in your subscription. Simply add the 'Engage' Function to your account if you don't have it available already.
  2. Create at least one Notification Topic. (Learn how at Push Notifications).
  3. Send or Schedule your first Notification. This is easily selected on the homepage of your dashboard and Push Notifications has detailed instructions on how to do this.
    Idea: For a first test message, you could send a 'Welcome to our app' type message. This will show in Notification History for 7 days.

10. Add-On: Add other content to your app

You can add other content to your app with a range of other features, by adding the 'Connect' feature to your account in your dashboard. This will allow you to embed forms, websites, link to website sites and more.

  1. If you'd like to insert your newsletter via a URL, please use this option.
    1. Ensure you have App Web Embed enabled in your subscription. Simply add the 'Connect' Function to your account if you don't have it available already.
    2. Click Config.
    3. Enter the name you'd like to give the menu item in your app (probably 'Newsletter').
    4. Copy and Paste the URL of your newsletter created by your email programme (e.g. Mailchimp offers this link to you once you click send).
    5. Click Submit
    6. If you'd like to send a notification, just click (plus) Notification in Quick Links. You can also learn more about Push Notifications.
  2. Easily collect data from your users by embedding forms from Infoodle or Google.
    1. Go to your Subscriptions under your Account Menu.
    2. Click Config on the Embed Form Feature. (Learn more at App Web Embed).
    3. Type the name you'd like to give your button (e.g Volunteer)
    4. Copy and Paste the URL of the form published by Google, Infoodle, etc
    5. Click Submit.

Plan Your Launch!

Once your app is ready, make sure you launch it strongly to your church!

  1. Plan a 'Device Day'
  2. Check out our videos and slides to help in your launch!

Want to extend your app further?

Try some of the following features:



Struggling to find an answer to your question? Send us an email: help@ezystream.com