The problem: follow-ups that wait in a system nobody opens
Most churches on Planning Center have the same story. A first-time guest fills out a card, a workflow assigns the follow-up to someone on staff, and the card sits there. Not because anyone doesn't care, but because the person it's assigned to doesn't sign in to Planning Center every day. Part-time staff, worship leaders and ministry directors live in their texts, not in another login.
MyDeacon was built for that gap. It doesn't ask your team to open Planning Center more often. It brings Planning Center to them.
What MyDeacon does with Planning Center
Follow-ups in the daily plan
Each morning, Deacon texts or calls every staff member with their plan for the day, including the Planning Center workflow cards and tasks assigned to them.
Checked off in Planning Center
When a staff member texts that a follow-up is done, Deacon marks it complete in Planning Center, so the card moves on and doesn't come back the next day.
Directory lookups by text
"What's Gary's phone number?" Deacon searches your Planning Center directory and texts back the phone, email or address, without anyone opening a laptop.
Who's new this week
Ask "who was added to Planning Center this week?" and Deacon lists the new profiles, so new people get noticed by the staff who should reach out.
An example conversation. Names are made up.
How the connection works
- You connect it. Staff connect MyDeacon to Planning Center with their own Planning Center sign-in, and it can only see what that sign-in can see.
- Planning Center stays the source of truth. MyDeacon doesn't replace Planning Center or keep a separate member database. It works from what your church already keeps there.
- Nothing goes out on its own. Deacon drafts emails and lines up actions, but nothing sends without a staff member approving it first.
- Each church is kept separate. Your church's data is walled off from every other church's.
Does Planning Center use AI?
Yes. As of November 2026, Planning Center offers three AI features of its own, according to its AI page:
- Ask AI: a helper in the sidebar of every Planning Center product that answers questions about your account and how the products work. It can look things up but can't make changes.
- AI lists in People: describe the people you want in plain language, and it builds the list and its rules for you.
- The Planning Center MCP: announced August 20, 2026, it lets AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude read your account data, with admins choosing which products they can see. In People it can also add notes and fill out forms.
Planning Center says AI is optional and that it does not use church data to train AI models.
Those tools help someone who is already at a desk asking questions. MyDeacon does a different job: it reaches out to each staff member during the day, by text or call, and carries their follow-ups through to done. Many churches will find a use for both.
Questions
Is MyDeacon part of Planning Center?
No. MyDeacon is an independent company and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Planning Center. MyDeacon connects to your Planning Center account with your permission and works alongside it.
Does MyDeacon replace Planning Center?
No. Planning Center stays your church's system of record. MyDeacon works alongside it, so staff who rarely sign in to Planning Center still keep up with the follow-ups waiting for them there.
Do my staff need a new app?
No. MyDeacon works over regular text messages and phone calls. Anyone who wants a fuller view can add the free MyDeacon app to their phone's home screen from app.mydeacon.com/install.
What does it cost?
See pricing on the home page. There's a 30-day free trial.