Privacy Policy

AUSTIN BAPTIST CHURCH

Privacy Policy – Updated December 2024

At Austin Baptist Church, our vision is to see God light up your life, your home, your neighborhood, and the world. In addition to that, we seek to be good neighbors and friends to all that come through our doors to participate in Austin Baptist Church worship services and events. Below is our Privacy Policy that will detail key points such as how you will be contacted by us, our policy on photographs, and other issues relating to your personal privacy.

While it is our intention to follow all the provided guidelines, we are human, so mistakes will and do happen. If you come across or have something in conflict with the guidelines below, please contact our church office at 512-491-9600, and we would be happy to help resolve any issues.

To view and download a document version of the ABC Privacy Policy, please click here.

1. Personal Data Collection

Any information willingly given to Austin Baptist Church by members, regular attendees, and guests may be used to contact you via snail mail, email, phone call, and/or text. This includes information collected through online registrations for activities and events.

We do not collect cookies, nor do we analyze individual website traffic data. We do collect and analyze general data and metrics related to our YouTube, worship livestream via Facebook, the Austin Baptist Church website, and podcast platforms; however, Austin Baptist Church does not give away nor sell any of the information obtained or given to it. 

1A. Shelby Next - Church Database System 

i. Who Has Access?

This database is accessible by all church staff and some church leadership if they elect to (Deacon leadership, Bible Fellowship Group directors, etc.). However, complete editing ability and access to information (giving records, personal information, etc.) is limited only to the Director of Finance. The Executive Pastor and senior administrative staff possess editing ability on contact information and attendance records. Financial gifts information by an individual is only available to the Director of Finance.

ii. What information of yours does it house?

This database houses information such as

• Financial gifts given by an individual
• Bible Fellowship Group attendance records
• Mass electronic communication records
• Email address
• Phone number
• Mailing address
• Familial connections (only if information is provided to us)
• Birthdays
• Marital status
• Dates of death (in the case of deceased entries)
• Dates of baptisms
• Dates of background check
• Dates of completion of online sexual abuse awareness training (required for all adults who volunteer with children/students)

This information is only available to us if it is willingly provided by a person through a Guest Connect Card (physical or digital), Bible Fellowship Group Guest Card, New Member Forms given upon request (digital of physical) to become a member of Austin Baptist Church, or through financial giving to Austin Baptist Church. It is entirely up to the individual what information they are willing to provide to Austin Baptist Church.

If you choose to give to Austin Baptist Church financially, your information will be and must be housed for our financial records so you may be contacted with any questions. If you choose to volunteer with ABC, your background check information must also be housed and processed. Austin Baptist Church does not give away nor sell any of the information obtained or given to it. 

To view Shelby Systems privacy policy, click the link here: https://www.shelbysystems.com/privacy-policy/

iii. Communication with Minors

If possible, all communication from Austin Baptist Church regarding children or youth will go through the provided email address and/or phone number of their parent or guardian. Once a minor turns 18, only then will they be listed as an adult in our system and be contacted as such if we have any provided contact information.

The only instances in which a minor’s email address or phone number may be obtained is through Connect Cards provided in our Student Ministry for 6th-12th graders or through event sign up forms automatically linked to Shelby Next. Preschool and Elementary age children will never be contacted directly and all communications regarding Kids Ministry will go through parents or guardians.

1B. Church Directory – Instant Church Directory

i. What is it?

Instant Church Directory is our digital church member directory system that is only accessible to Austin Baptist Church members and staff after they have officially joined and have logged into the site.

ii. What is it used for?

It is for the personal use of Austin Baptist Church members and staff to make it easier to contact each other as needed. It has never and will never be used for marketing or commercial purposes, nor will any information contained therein be shared with people outside of Austin Baptist Church members. All information contained must be willingly provided by the individual through the methods detailed above. If you would like to remove any part of your contact information that is visible to other members, please contact us and we will remove the indicated information.

iii. Your Member Photograph

Should you elect to, after you join Austin Baptist Church as a member, you may have your picture taken for the church directory and church database. You are not required to have a picture taken if you choose not to.

iv. Your Family Photograph

If you and your family join Austin Baptist Church as members, you may have your group picture taken for the church directory and church database. You are not required to have a picture taken if you choose not to. Minor children who are not yet members may be included in the family picture.

2. Electronic Communications

When you provide an email address and phone number to Austin Baptist Church, you give express consent to administrative staff to place your information into mailing groups to receive specific communications (such as The Bridge Newsletter, weekly reminder emails, communications regarding giving reports, messages from Bible Fellowship Group leaders, and the like) or to be reached via text or call by our staff. Should you wish to remove your contact information or to unsubscribe from a mailing list, please contact the church office at 512-491-9600, email any administrative staff, or the Director of Communications.

2A. Shelby Next:

Our Shelby Next database system has a function for mass contact via email. This is where we separate consenting individuals into mailing groups for mass contact. Should you wish to unsubscribe from Shelby communications, you may do so by clicking the green unsubscribe button at the bottom of any email coming from noreply@shelbynextchms.com. You may also reach out to our administrative staff, and we will handle removing you from any communications lists.

Typical communication you will receive from this avenue will be:

• The Bridge Weekly Newsletter
• Giving Reports via the ABC Finance Office
• Mass Notices from Pastoral Leadership
• Prayer Requests (must request to be a part of the Prayer team, which you can do through our Pastor of Care)
• Notices of Member deaths and funeral/memorial services

Please be aware, if you sign up or register for an event through the ABC Website, your information will be collected automatically through a Shelby Next Form and any contact information you provide will also be collected by Shelby Next. By registering this way, you give express consent to be communicated with by Austin Baptist Church through the contact information you provide. Should you like to have your information removed from this platform, please reach out to the ABC church office at 512-491-9600.

2B. Mailchimp:

MailChimp is also used for mass email communication. The same statutes apply as with Shelby Next. If you should like to unsubscribe, there will be a button at the bottom of the email, or you can reach out to our administrative staff to be removed.

Typical communication you will receive from this avenue will be:

• “This Sunday at Austin Baptist Church” Weekly Reminder Emails
• Invites to Events
• Announcements

To view Mailchimp’s privacy policy, visit the link here: https://mailchimp.com/legal/

3B. RingCentral:

The ABC Staff utilizes Ring Central for our office phone system. It is used to make calls or texts (via SMS) between staff as well as to members and guests. If you decide to call or text an ABC Staff Member through their provided work number, please be aware you will be interacting with the RingCentral phone service.

We will not use Ring Central to collect information from you or send out any mass communication through this communication service.

To view RingCentral’s full privacy policy, please visit the link here. (https://www.ringcentral.com/legal/last-update-july-29-2024/privacy-notice.html).

4B. Message Media:

Some of our ministry staff will utilize Message Media to communicate via mass text with church members, regular attendees, and guests involved in specific ministries. This service requires you to opt-in to receive messages from Austin Baptist Church should you like to receive communication via text.

To view Message Media’s full privacy policy, please visit the link here (https://messagemedia.com/us/legal/privacy-policy/#:~:text=Sinch%20MessageMedia%20does%20not%20sell,MessageMedia%20account%20through%20an%20API).

5B. Outside Communication Groups:

Some ministries and Bible Fellowship Groups will utilize mass group texting services (such as GroupMe, Telegram, etc.) to communicate on a smaller scale amongst themselves. This is not an official method of Austin Baptist Church Communications and will be specific to each ministry or Bible Fellowship Group should they choose to use an outside service. Austin Baptist Church does not oversee these kinds of services and cannot be held responsible for these communication methods.

3. Website, Photography, and Publication Policies

3A. Identification of people on this website

On this website, we may list or refer to staff or adult leadership members. The information includes names, email addresses, and photos for staff, as well as names and email addresses for adult leadership members. The items below refer to publicly accessible areas of this website.

1. For staff: We list names, email addresses, social media handles (if they choose), and may include photos.
2. For adult member leadership: We may list names when they are leaders or are involved in some activity or Bible Fellowship Group. We do not list their phone numbers but will sometimes include email addresses on pages available to anonymous website visitors if needed for certain events or projects. These individuals have consented to using their email as a form of contact. Full contact information and pictures are available to members only after logging in to Instant Church Directory as mentioned previously.
3. For youth and children: We will never give names or contact information on open pages. Photos of children and youth may be used on open pages of our website, but their names will never be identifiable. If you see your child’s photo used and you would like it removed, please reach out to the Director of Communications.

3B. Photography 

Having photos on our website and in our publications is an excellent way we showcase our community and offer those who have not yet attended a glimpse into the everyday life of Austin Baptist Church. Having real photographs of our members and those who attend Austin Baptist Church is a privilege. We do not seek to abuse or mishandle the privilege we have been given. Most of our photos come from events or services at the church.

i. General Photography Policy:

Overall, we do not explicitly ask permission to take someone’s picture since most of our captured shots are candid shots of the general population at events. However, if someone asks not to be photographed, our photographers have been instructed to politely honor that request and move on to a different subject.

If you notice your image has been captured, and you did not want to be photographed, please ask the photographer not to use your photo and they will delete the photo in real time if their camera allows.

If you know in advance that you do not want to appear in any photos used by Austin Baptist Church, please notify the Director of Communications.

ii. Where Photos Are Used:

We primarily use any photographs taken for Austin Baptist Church for the website, social media, blog posts, event graphics, and The Bridge newsletter.

Your new member photo will be used in our Shelby Next Systems and Instant Church Directory.

iii. Photos of Children and Youth:

Our photographers have been allowed to take pictures of children and youth at events unless their parent or guardian specifically requests they not be photographed. This advance request can be made to our Director of ABC Kids or Director of Communications.

At children’s ministry events (like Vacation Bible School, Creative Arts Camp, etc.) there will be a section on the sign-up form that will allow you to indicate whether you will allow your child to be photographed or not. If you choose not to allow it, the children will receive a specified colorful wristband that will indicate to photographers that they are not to have their picture taken. Should the picture still be taken by accident, this will indicate to those using the photographs for different communications that their photo cannot be published.

3C. Publications: 

Austin Baptist Church oversees and edits one churchwide newsletter called The Bridge. This publication houses upcoming events, the deacons on call for the week, church financial reports and attendance, and articles from pastoral leadership, and event recap photos.

You can request to have an ABC related article or advertisement in The Bridge, however in doing so you consent to have your contact information included if you are the primary contact for an entry.

If an individual’s contact information is listed at any point, this individual has consented to its use. You can choose to rescind your decision on this at any time by contacting the Director of Communications.

4. Linked sites on this website and effects on personal privacy

At Austin Baptist Church, we provide links to other sites within our website that are neither owned nor controlled by Austin Baptist Church. Examples include the websites of our ministry partners for the sake of visibility to the missions we are involved with. These external sites, however, are NOT subject to or bound by the Austin Baptist Church Privacy Policy. Such sites may or may not have their own privacy policies and may or may not collect personal information from you or place cookies on your browser. Austin Baptist Church is not responsible for the privacy policies or any information collection practices of these sites or any issues because of visiting these sites.

5. Updates and amendments to the ABC Privacy Policy

Austin Baptist Church reserves the right at our discretion, to change, modify, add, or remove portions of this Privacy Policy, at any time. It is your responsibility to check this Privacy Policy periodically for changes. Your continued use of the ABC website following the posting of changes will mean that you accept and agree to the changes.

While it is our intention to follow the above guidelines, mistakes may happen. If you see something in conflict with the above, please contact us here.