For ServeWay™ Ministry Management Software and serveway.org
Version 1.0 · Effective October 7, 2026
Plain-language summary
- Your church’s member and ministry data stays in your church’s own database. If your church chooses Hosted by ServeWay™, we store that database on our server only to provide the service. We never sell it, share it, or use it for anything else.
- When you activate a license, we receive your church name, your church phone number only if you leave that box checked, and license information.
- Our websites collect only what you type into a form, plus the basic technical data and cookies the site needs to work and stay secure.
- We do not sell personal information.
- Outside services your church chooses to connect (such as Twilio, Brevo, or an AI provider) work under your church’s own accounts and their own privacy policies.
- Questions? Email support@serveway.org.
ServeWay™ Ministry Management Software is made and sold by Paul Franklin, a sole proprietor doing business as ServeWay™ (“we,” “us,” or “ServeWay™ Staff”), through serveway.org. “You” means the church or organization using ServeWay™, and anyone who visits our websites or contacts us.
This policy matches the ServeWay™ License Terms. If they seem to differ, please contact us and we will clear it up.
2.1 The ServeWay™ Windows desktop app stores your church’s data in your church’s own MySQL or MariaDB database, on a church PC or on a database host your church chooses. If your church chooses ServeWay™ database hosting, we store your church’s database on our servers. Member data in it is encrypted, and ServeWay™ staff cannot view it. If your church hosts its own database, ServeWay™ staff do not receive, host, or have access to your church’s member data.
2.2 Your church controls that data and decides who can sign in, what they can do, how it is backed up, and how it is used under your own policies.
2.3 Please do not send us member data when asking for help. If you choose to share a screen or a file that contains member data, we will use it only to help with that request and will make reasonable efforts to delete any copy we receive once the request is closed.
When a ServeWay™ license is activated, the app sends us only:
We keep these with your support number, a random number we email to you (for example, SW-4827-9153). We use the support number and your church name to confirm who is calling or writing before we help with your account.
We use this information only to manage your license and to recognize your church when you call or email support. The phone number is only a convenience for recognizing your call. It is not proof of identity. None of your church’s member or ministry data is sent.
When you buy a license or renewal, we keep the information we need to deliver your license file by email, to provide support, and to keep business records. That typically includes your church name, a contact name, email address, phone number if given, order number, purchase dates, and the date your paid support period ends.
Payments are handled by Stripe, our payment processor, under its own privacy policy. ServeWay™ does not see or store full card numbers.
5.1 Forms. serveway.org may collect information you choose to send through forms, such as the Notify Me form and other contact forms, using Contact Form 7. That typically includes what you type in, for example your name, email, phone, and church name. We use it to respond to your request, for example to tell you when the free trial download is available, or to answer a support or sales question.
5.2 Cookies. Our sites use the cookies that WordPress and our security provider need to work. We do not currently use advertising cookies. If we add analytics or other tracking, we will update this policy first.
5.3 Technical data. Like most websites, our web host and security provider may automatically record basic technical information, such as IP address, browser type, and the pages requested, to keep the sites running and secure.
6.1 Tier 1 (automated). Tier 1 phone support is an automated voice agent that answers from the ServeWay™ User Manual. To answer you, it processes what you say. Its answers are for information only and can be wrong.
6.2 Tier 2 (live person). Tier 2 support is a live person who may ask for your support number and church name.
6.3 Caller ID. If you shared your church phone number, we may use caller ID to recognize your church’s calls.
6.4 Recording and transcripts. Support calls may be recorded and transcribed, by us or by the outside service provider that runs our automated voice agent, so we can answer you, follow up, and improve our support. By staying on the call, you agree to this. Please do not give passwords or payment card numbers on a support call.
6.5 Email and chat. We keep support emails and chat messages so we can follow up and help with related questions later.
7.1 We use the information described above only to provide licenses, support, updates, and replies to your requests; to send important notices (such as changes to our terms or discontinuation notices); to keep our records; and to protect our websites and services.
7.2 We do not sell personal information. We do not share it with others for their own marketing.
7.3 We share information only:
8.1 Your church may connect optional third-party services, such as Twilio (texting and voice calls), Brevo (email), AI providers (xAI/Grok, Anthropic/Claude, OpenAI, Google Gemini), Google Calendar, streaming providers (YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, MUX.com), WordPress, PowerPoint/Microsoft 365, OBS, and OpenLP.
8.2 Your church signs up for these directly and uses its own accounts and API keys. When you use them, information goes from your church’s PC or website straight to that provider, not to us. For example, an AI question or a check image you send with an AI feature goes to the AI provider you picked. Each provider handles that information under its own privacy policy and terms.
8.3 WordPress plugins. If your church uses the optional ServeWay™ WordPress plugins, member-facing features (such as directory, events, or group pages) run on your church’s website and systems, which your church controls.
9.1 Our websites and support services are meant for church staff and other adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has sent us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.
9.2 Your church may enter children’s records into ServeWay™, such as children’s check-in records, allergies, medical notes, and authorized pickups. Those records stay in your church’s own database. Your church controls them and is responsible for getting any needed permission from parents or guardians and for protecting them. We do not receive them.
We take reasonable steps to protect the information we keep. No system is perfectly secure, so we cannot guarantee security. Your church is responsible for securing its own PCs, database, passwords, and API keys.
We may update this policy. For changes that affect existing customers, we will give at least 30 days’ notice by email to the address on file and on our website. The version and effective date are at the top.
ServeWay™ Staff
Related: ServeWay™ License Terms · Third-Party Software Licenses
© 2026 Paul Franklin. ServeWay™ is a trademark of Paul Franklin. ServeWay™ Privacy Policy, Version 1.0, effective October 7, 2026.