The content management systems are listed from oldest to newest and you'll see that some of these have been around for over a decade, while others are only a few years old. I found a variety of approaches to church and ministry websites among the opensource CMS communities, but, as a group, they realize the non-profit sector is a major user group for them.
I have also provided links to demo installations of all the content management systems. Be sure to have your staff and volunteers visit those sites to perform the tasks you have identified as important to your web ministry.
Typo3
What they say -
"TYPO3 is a small to midsize enterprise-class Content Management Framework offering the best of both worlds: out-of-the-box operation with a complete set of standard modules and a clean and sturdy high-performance architecture accomodating virtually every kind of custom solution or extension." http://typo3.com/About.1231.0.html
My take -
A grandaddy in the CMS arena, Typo3 has its strongest following in Europe and Scandanavia. One of the things that makes Typo3 unique is the project sponsored by Web Empowered Church (WEC). WEC has developed and maintains a distribution of Typo3, so building a church website with this CMS is tailored for the problems you commonly want to solve. WEC also offers design and hosting options, so you don't have to setup and configure the platform yourself, they will do it for you. All you have to do is provide and maintain the content and structure of your site.
A lot of reviews of this (and other platforms) focus on usability and the learning curve necessary. In the case of Typo3, this is not a beginner's content management system. From the readme file included with their download -
"TYPO3 is not a portalpage toolset like PHPNUKE, or bulletin board like PHPBB2... it is not designed to offer one specific function. If you have a defined requirement, a product designed to address that may be a better choice. TYPO3 offers a huge toolbox for developing and managing your dynamic web site, with many built-in features and the possibility for an update from the Internet
TYPO3 however is not a ready-made solution to cover all needs. "
If you have outgrown your existing web solution and have the technical resources to dedicate to a web presence, Typo3 offers a lot of power and flexibility for your church website. Having looked at the demo myself, I would definitely be looking for some outstanding manuals and tutorials to get me up and running. But, the WEC does provide a lot of tutorials and online help for Typo3 and the extensions geared for church and ministry.
Homepage: www.typo3.org
Demo: http://demo.webempoweredchurch.org
Demo: http://www.php.opensourcecms.com/scri ... criptid=66&name=Typo3
Server requirements: Apache, PHP, MySQL
Last Update (version/date): 4.4/22 June 2010
Download: http://typo3.org/download/
Download WEC: http://webempoweredchurch.org/services/download-packages/
First Release: 1997
Drupal
What they say -
"Drupal is a free software package that allows an individual, a community of users, or an enterprise to easily publish, manage and organize a wide variety of content on a website." http://www.drupal.org/about
My take -
Drupal doesn't have an organization like Typo3 does for church webmasters, but there is groups.drupal.org/churches and Geeks & God. Both offer advice and support for using Drupal as the backbone for your church website.That aside, there is no church-specific download of Drupal with common modules and features ready for you to start using. This is also a very much a foundation for building websites, allowing skilled webmasters to create just the functionality they need for each site.
For some reason, the demo at OpensourceCMS is in Spanish, but the primary language for Drupal is English.
If you're looking for a hosted option, Drupal Gardens is just getting started. At this point, you'll be using an unreleased version of Drupal (version 7), but it is run by the company of the founder of Drupal. This will get you past the installation and setup of Drupal, but not the selection and configuration of modules for this content management system.
Homepage: www.drupal.org
Demo: http://www.php.opensourcecms.com/scri ... iptid=191&name=Drupal
Server requirements: Apache, PHP, MySQL
Last Update (version/date): 6.17/2 June 2010
Download: http://drupal.org/project/drupal
First Release: 2001
XOOPS
What they say -
"XOOPS is a web application platform written in PHP for the MySQL database. Its object orientation makes it an ideal tool for developing small or large community websites, intra company and corporate portals, weblogs and much more." http://www.xoops.org/modules/wfchannel/
My take -
What can I say? Christian Web Resources was launched as a XOOPS website and at that time, there were no other XOOPS resource sites for Christian webmasters. There still aren't. There were quite a few church websites built with XOOPS and some discussions in the forums. There were also some church- and ministry-specific modules written. There isn't a church-specific distribution of XOOPS, so you'll have to select the modules (features) you want yourself and install them. But, unlike Drupal, where you assemble components to create a feature, like a blog, the modules in XOOPS are complete.
The XOOPS project has been under new management for the past few years and they seem to keeping up and moving the CMS forward. Their overall vision isn't clear for the future of XOOPS development, which is worth noting as you make your selection. All of this aside, building church websites with XOOPS is a straightforward process and, depending on the modules you select, the people that will be maintaining your website will have a fairly easy time creating and updating content.
Homepage: www.xoops.org
http://www.php.opensourcecms.com/scri ... criptid=71&name=XOOPS
Server requirements: Apache, PHP, MySQL
Last Update (version/date): 2.4.5/11 July 2010
Download: http://www.xoops.org/modules/core/
First Release: 2001
DotNetNuke
What they say -
"DotNetNuke is the leading Web Content Management Platform for Microsoft .NET. DotNetNuke can be used as a web content management system (CMS) for simple web sites or as a powerful application development framework which enables businesses to quickly build and deploy feature-rich, interactive web sites and applications in Microsoft .NET." http://www.dotnetnuke.com/Products/Ov ... w/tabid/1206/Default.aspx
My take -
Well, I had to register to download the product and I had to register to try the demo. I included DotNetNuke for those that really wanted to use a content management system based on Microsoft technologies. One of the requirements I have for any web technology is that it is platform agnostic - visitors from all over the globe use different operating systems, browsers and have different connection speeds and bandwidth, especially now that mobile phones accessing the Internet outnumber computers.
I do most of my work for this site from a laptop running Ubuntu, which means I don't run Internet Explorer or have any of the Windows components available. The DotNetNuke website does not render nicely at all on this configuration. Once the demo site was created, I realized the Professional version is the only option for demo - you don't get to demo the Community (free) version.
I didn't find any church-specific downloads, modules or user-groups for building church websites with DotNetNuke. You really have to be dedicated to making DNN work for you - the barriers to entry are pretty high and the server requirements aren't what you'll find from most host providers. If you do want to use Microsoft IIS as your web server, check out their Web Platform Installer - many of the content management systems listed here are available for easy installation (including WordPress, Drupal, ImpressCMS, Silverstripe, Joomla! and DNN).
Homepage: www.dotnetnuke.com
Demo: http://www.dotnetnuke.com/Products/On ... o/tabid/1256/Default.aspx
Server requirements: IIS, .NET 3.5 SP1 or later, MSSQL Server 2005 or later
Last Update (version/date): 5.4.4/28 June 2010
Download: http://www.dotnetnuke.com/tabid/125d/default.aspx (registration required)
First Release: 2003
Concrete5
What they say -
"Anyone can start making their own website in seconds, and the editing experience is easier than using a blog; just click on what you want to change. Developers still get a flexible and robust framework for building sophisticated web applications." http://www.concrete5.org/about/
We designed concrete5 to be a great site management tool, not really a web design solution. While there are a number of ways you can personalize your concrete5 site without touching a line of code, we do think having a relationship with a web developer will likely get you a stronger web presence. Think of this like building construction: you can do some renovation just fine on your own, but you might want help building a sky scraper from the ground up. http://www.concrete5.org/about/trial
My take -
The only way to demo this site is to download it and install it yourself, or sign up for an account on their hosted site. Registration is quick and the demo is ready within minutes, so that's not a challenge, and the emails haven't started pouring in from them. Yet.
When you sign in with sufficient permissions for editing or administering your site, a toolbar appears at the top of the page, with options to edit, add pages and get to the administration control panel (dashboard). When you're in edit mode, just click on the area you want to edit and begin making changes. You'll have the opportunity to preview the change before making it public and you can save multiple revisions in case you need to go back to an earlier version of a page. You can also drag the areas around the page, but you will need to be careful about who has the ability to do this, or your site can look completely different than you intend.
Be sure you identify your future needs when selecting your CMS - some functionality may come at a price. To add a calendar module to Concrete5, you'll need to visit their marketplace a purchase a module for this. The same goes if you want a blog module.
Homepage: www.concrete5.org
Demo: http://www.concrete5.org/demo
Server requirements: Apache, PHP, MySQL
Last Update (version/date): 5.4.0.5/20 April 2010
Download: http://www.concrete5.org/developers/downloads/
First Release: 2003
WordPress
What they say -
"WordPress started in 2003 with a single bit of code to enhance the typography of everyday writing and with fewer users than you can count on your fingers and toes. Since then it has grown to be the largest self-hosted blogging tool in the world, used on millions of sites and seen by tens of millions of people every day." http://wordpress.org/about/
My take -
WordPress has come a long way from its inception and it is quite remarkable for what it does - provide a dead-simple way to blog. If you've identified the current goals of your church or ministry website are suited to blogging, then this is the platform for you. If you're looking for different types of content or being able to present additional content to logged in members, then you'll have to look at something else.
WordPress is trying to break its stereotype as a blogging platform and move into other uses. I may be wrong, but I think if you're really good at something that no one else can match, make the most of it and don't try to be something else. For a more social version of WordPress, check out BuddyPress, which is quite promising (and a WordPress plugin, actually).
Many of the sites found in our directory that were either built on XOOPS or ImpressCMS and have moved to another platform moved to WordPress. There is a site dedicated to using WP in churches - http://livingos.com/wp/churches/
Homepage: www.wordpress.org
Demo: http://www.php.opensourcecms.com/scri ... tid=88&name=WordPress
Server requirements: Apache, PHP, MySQL
Last Update (version/date): 3.0/17June 2010
Download: http://wordpress.org/download/
First Release: 2003
CMS Made Simple
What they say -
"CMS Made Simple is an open source package, built using PHP that provides website developers with a simple, easy to use utility to allow building small-ish (dozens to hundreds of pages), semi-static websites." http://www.cmsmadesimple.org/about-link/
My take -
They live up to their marketing - the site architecture is straightforward, pages are created in a hierarchy and the results are well-suited for smaller, mostly static websites. Not every church needs to build a highly dynamic and interactive website, so this tool would be well-chosen.
If you want to have a site with content for specific groups of people and control the access to that content through a login and permissions system, you'll need to add a module to the core system. If your needs will never change for your website, this could be a suitable choice. And, there may be other options as this system grows. But, since they've been around for 6 years, it seems like they have their niche - " small-ish (dozens to hundreds of pages), semi-static websites."
Homepage: www.cmsmadesimple.org
Demo: www.cmsmsdemo.com
Demo: http://www.php.opensourcecms.com/scri ... ;name=CMS%20Made%20Simple
Server requirements: Apache, PHP, MySQL
Last Update (version/date): 1.8.1/13 July 2010
Download: http://www.cmsmadesimple.org/downloads/
First Release: 2004
MODx
What they say -
"MODx helps you take control of your online content. An Open Source Content Management Framework, it frees you to build sites exactly how you want and make them 100% yours. Zero restrictions and fast to build. Super-simple templates in HTML/CSS/JS (any lib you want)." http://modxcms.com/
My take -
Their description seems geared towards techies, but most OSS projects aren't good at marketing. I was impressed by the installer - but things were definitely not as clear once the installation was complete. Looking through the administration area, you'll need a glossary just to figure out what you what to do and where to do it. They do have an online help system, but here is an example of what you'll find -
What are Namespaces?
Namespaces are organizational elements for Components. They relate lexicon strings and packages to one another, as well as provide a basic way for Revolution to know what objects belong to what package.
For churches, ministries and non-profits, the interface and usability is hampered by its terminology. Try the demos and see if it makes it to your short list.
Homepage: www.modxcms.com
Demo: www.trymodx.com
Demo: http://www.php.opensourcecms.com/scri ... scriptid=48&name=MODx
Server requirements: Apache, PHP, MySQL
Last Update (version/date):1.0.4/7 June 2010
Download: http://modxcms.com/download/
First Release: 2004
Note: As I was preparing this article, MODx 2.0 was released - there wasn't time to consider this version during this CMS round up.
Joomla!
What they say -
"Joomla is an award-winning content management system (CMS), which enables you to build Web sites and powerful online applications. Many aspects, including its ease-of-use and extensibility, have made Joomla the most popular Web site software available. Best of all, Joomla is an open source solution that is freely available to everyone." http://www.joomla.org/about-joomla.html
My take -
Joomla! has been working hard at being a user-friendly CMS and they are succeeding. One thing I would expect them to have in their base install is better user and group management - it appears this might be coming in version 1.6.
Of the Big 3 Content Management Systems (Drupal, Joomla! and WordPress), Joomla! is probably the easiest to get into with the most functionality. Its suitability for your needs is something you will need to determine. As you add the complexity of allowing multiple people to edit or add portions of your website, you also increase the complexity of maintaining a secure website, where unwanted content is added without your control. In some cases, you can even lose control over your site, so take that into consideration with any system that allows logins.
The demo.joomla.org site does require registration to get started and can take up to 30 minutes for your site to be activated. It is also only valid for 30 days. The demo at opensourcecms.com is available immediately and is reset every 2 hours. So, if you want to just see the features before making any further decisions, use opensourcecms. If you want an extended look, where you can begin to build some of the functionality you might need, use demo.joomla.org.
Sadly, the site that was dedicated to Christian Joomla! webmasters (joomlachristian.com) has ceased to exist. The largest number of resource for Christian Joomla webmasters seems to be for templates (themes). It does have the highest references to 'church' on its main site, beating Drupal almost 2 to1.
Homepage: www.joomla.org
Demo: http://demo.joomla.org
Demo: http://www.php.opensourcecms.com/scri ... riptid=39&name=Joomla
Server requirements: Apache, PHP, MySQL
Last Update (version/date): 1.5.20/18 July 2010
Download: http://www.joomla.org/download.html
First Release: 2005
Pligg
What they say -
"Pligg is an open source CMS (Content Management System) that you can download and use for free. Pligg CMS provides social networking software that encourages visitors to register on your website so that they can submit content and connect with other users. Our software creates websites where stories are created and voted on by members, not website editors. Use Pligg content management system to start your own social networking community in minutes." http://www.pligg.com/
My take -
The demo provided by Pligg (www.pligg.com/demo) does not provide any guidance on how to log in. You evidently must register for a new account and join as a regular member. If you want to see the adminstration area and functionality, you'll need to install it for yourself.
After poking around for a while, it became evident there was little 'content' being produced by a Pligg site. It's functionality is based on the bookmark sharing site, Digg. If you want to scour the internet for someone else's content, provide links on your site and then have your visitors join and comment on them, this could be just what you are looking for. But, generally, most websites, especially those for churches and ministries want to focus on original content. This would not fit those needs.
Homepage: www.pligg.com
Demo: www.pligg.com/demo
Server requirements: Apache, PHP, MySQL
Last Update (version/date): 1.0.4/7 May 2010
Download: http://www.pligg.com/download.php
First Release: 2005
SilverStripe
What they say -
"Our CMS is fast, flexible, and FREE. It's designed for people who edit website content." http://www.silverstripe.org/
My take -
The workflows in SilverStripe are not easily understood. The people who edit website content make take issue with the statement by SilverStripe - I certainly didn't feel it was designed for me and I've used a lot of different systems to create web content.
Like many of the content management systems in this review, SilverStripe has a separate backend. All content is created and managed through the administration interface.The demo on OpensourceCMS behaved differently than the demo at demo.silverstripe.com. OpensourceCMS has the latest version installed, while demo.silverstripe.com was still on v2.4.0.
One feature I did find interesting was the Draft version of the website. You could save any new entry as a draft and it would only be visible on the draft version, not your live site. You could also preview the site in draft mode. Useful for trying out new content or helping new editors and authors get used to the system before publishing everything.
SilverStripe does have a basic access permission system built in, so you can decide who can see specific content, who can edit specific content and who can manage the site. In theory, you could create different sections of your website and assign different groups of people to maintain those sections and still allow everyone to view them. Also, when you create a new page, you select the type of page it will be, allowing you to create a site architecture fitting your needs.
If their workflows were a little more intuitive, I would definitely put this on the short list for building your church website. A check of their forums does produce some topics around church websites, and their forums seem pretty active. I could find no groups or sites dedicated to using SilverStripe for building church websites.
Homepage: www.silverstripe.org
Demo: http://demo.silverstripe.com
Demo: http://www.php.opensourcecms.com/scri ... =61&name=SilverStripe
Server requirements: Apache, PHP, MySQL
Last Update (version/date): 2.4.1/23 July 2010
Download: http://www.silverstripe.org/stable-download
First Release: 2005
ImpressCMS
What they say -
"ImpressCMS is a community developed Content Management System for easily building and maintaining a dynamic web site. Keep your web site up to date with this easy to use, secure and flexible system." http://www.impresscms.org/
My take -
ImpressCMS started in 2007 as several of the key developers, designers and support members left XOOPS, moving the project in a new direction with a clear vision of their future. Again, I have personal connections to ImpressCMS and its history - Christian Web Resources is now run on ImpressCMS.
Currently, there is no church-specific download package for ImpressCMS, but there is ChurchLedger.com, an ImpressCMS-based hosted solution for churches, with modules tailored for churches and ministries. They also are the people behind the oscMembership module - a module for church management (membership, attendance, giving, visitors, child check-in and more).
As with XOOPS, creating and editing content is done through the frontend of the CMS. Other systems require you to create and update content through an administration area (Typo3, CMS Made Simple). Also, content and functionality can be customized based on the individual's login. This facilitates interaction with you and with each other.
Homepage: www.impresscms.org
Demo: http://demo.impresscms.org, http://www.impresscms.info
Demo: http://www.php.opensourcecms.com/scri ... id=37&name=ImpressCMS
Server requirements: Apache, PHP, MySQL
Last Update (version/date): 1.2.1/14 March 2010
Download: http://www.impresscms.org/modules/mastop_publish/?tac=Download
First Release: 2007
Pixie
What they say -
"Pixie is a free, open source web application that will help you quickly create your own website. Many people refer to this type of software as a "content management system (cms)", we prefer to call it a small, simple, website maker." http://www.getpixie.co.uk
My take -
Simple is good. For some. For others, it may be too simple. Once you get your site set up, you'll do all your content creation in the administration area. You do have the ability to edit some posts directly on the front (public) side of Pixie. The editor was pretty straightforward, except for a little difficulty discovering how to create paragraph breaks so different heading styles could be used. (section headings, for example. Note: use shift + enter to create a paragraph break)
No categorization hierarchy or group management for this CMS, so if you are looking for that in building your church website, you'll need to look for another option. And, there don't seem to be many modules or plugins available on their site.
As for Christian resources for Pixie, well, I didn't have much luck. There were no mentions of 'church' on their site. But, their forums are hosted on Google Groups. Even after signing in on Google to get access to the group, I still found no mention of 'church'. Pixie is such a common word that most search results are not relevant for the CMS.
Homepage: www.getpixie.co.uk
Demo: http://demo.getpixie.co.uk
Server requirements: Apache, PHP, MySQL
Last Update (version/date): 1.04/21 Mar 2010
Download: http://www.getpixie.co.uk/downloads/
First Release: 2008
