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Church Online Platform

 
Church Online Platform (ChOP) is a free tool for churches to launch an online ministry. ChOP allows you to broadcast church services, provide live chat, offer live prayer, and other ways to help create community. This integration supports a single sign-on experience for your church body using their MinistryPlatform accounts.

Initial Setup and Requirements

An account with ChOP must be established before the integration with MinistryPlatform can be configured.

Warnings!

  • Plan Ahead: This change may be disruptive. After enabling single sign-on, some users may have to reset some of their settings.
  • Admin Accounts: Double and triple check your admin accounts, otherwise you may lose access to your ChOP admin screens.
  • Pick the Right Day: We do NOT recommend setting up this integration without a few days' buffer before your next online service.
  • One Way Street: If you make some sort of mistake initiating this integration, you will be forced to contact ChOP Support to reverse the changes.

Single Sign-On Setup Overview

  • Create a new Church Online Platform API Client
  • Create a new complex secret (we recommend GUIDS)
  • Setup the proper redirect URI (copied from ChOP Admin screen)
  • Ensure the Admin Account exists in the Platform with the same email address as the current Admin
  • Make Config Changes to ChOP
  • Test the Login

Data in MinistryPlatform

If a User Record is created through this integration, that information will be populated on the Users' page.

FAQ

Q1: Is it possible to link multiple instances of ChOP to a single Platform instance? Yes, you can link multiple instances of ChOP to a single Platform instance. We have set up two instances and map them back using separate API calls so that we can identify which instance of ChOP is being used to initiate the login.

Q2: What do people's display names and avatars look like in ChOP after the integration is turned on? At this time, "current" users are bypassed. ChOP is creating a "new" user record that is tied to the Platform user. That user can then be customized with a proper display name and image.  

Q3: Since ChOP user profiles are bypassed, how do we go about creating and managing ChOP admins and volunteers to assign host roles and titles? Are we still able to do that in ChOP after the integration is in place and as long as their emails match in MP it will correctly give them the proper permissions? You can still assign *new* host roles. Older (pre-OIDC) hosts and roles are no longer visible, but you can update the MP user account (in ChOP) with new roles. 

Q4: How can we avoid confusion for users who are switching from using an email address to log in to ChOP, to their Platform username (which may not be an email address)?  Consider turning on Simple Sign On so your users can use email OR username OR mobile. 

Q5: Will I lose admin access if my Platform username is not my email? Does my Platform username need to be the matching email address of the existing ChOP admin? Or does the OAuth/OIDC process connect the dots by matching my contact record email? We recommend you test everything first. Don't be afraid to spin up a *new* CHOP and test it all yourself before you switch over.  

Cost

There is no charge from Think Ministry for configuring the integration.

Support

Contact Support for assistance.

Resources