Privacy Policy

BaptistFinder is an independent church directory. This policy explains what information the website handles, why it is used, and the choices available to visitors and church representatives.

Information in the public directory

Published listings may include a church name, location, pastor or public contact person, service times, ministries, public contact details, website and social links, statements of faith, source links, verification status, and supporter status. Please submit only details that the church is comfortable making public. Pending submissions are available to authorized administrators, but are not shown in the public directory until approved.

Information you send privately

The Contact page asks for your name, email address, subject, and message. These messages are stored so authorized BaptistFinder administrators can read and respond to them. Contact messages are not published as church listings. Church submissions may also include the submitter's public church contact details and source information. The listing update questionnaire may ask for your name, email address, relationship to a church, requested changes, and supporting sources. Its responses are stored through Google Forms and a linked Google Sheet so authorized reviewers can evaluate the request.

Information stored on your device

BaptistFinder uses browser storage to remember your saved church IDs and language preference. This information stays in your browser unless you clear it. The site does not use these preferences for advertising profiles. On the admin page, Supabase also stores an authentication session in the authorized administrator's browser so the administrator can remain signed in.

Optional website analytics

If you select “Accept analytics” in the privacy notice, BaptistFinder loads Google Analytics to understand visits and improve the directory. It may collect information such as pages viewed, searches, interactions, referring pages, approximate location, and browser or device details. Google Analytics may use cookies or similar identifiers to provide these measurements. BaptistFinder does not use this information for advertising and does not load Google Analytics when you select “Essentials only.” Google processes Analytics information under its own privacy terms.

How we use information

We use information to operate the directory, review and update church listings, display directory and supporter status, answer messages, prevent misuse, troubleshoot problems, and improve the website. We do not sell personal information or use contact messages for unrelated marketing.

Service providers and transfers

BaptistFinder relies on service providers to run the website. Supabase provides database and administrator sign-in services; Cloudflare provides website delivery and the Turnstile security check; and jsDelivr delivers the Supabase browser library. Google provides the embedded listing update form and linked response spreadsheet. These providers may process submitted information and limited technical information, such as IP addresses, browser details, security signals, and request logs, under their own terms and privacy policies. Their systems may process information outside your country.

Financial support

Supporter churches may be eligible for a clearly labeled featured placement in relevant local searches. When more than one supporter qualifies for the same location, those placements rotate fairly. Financial support does not buy verification or alter BaptistFinder's review standards. BaptistFinder's website displays payment instructions or QR codes but does not collect payment-card details; the provider used to complete a transfer handles its own payment records.

Retention and security

We keep public listing information while it remains useful to the directory. Contact messages and pending submissions remain stored until an authorized administrator deletes them after they are no longer reasonably needed for responses, review records, abuse prevention, or legal obligations; timing may vary. Listing update responses may similarly remain in Google Forms and the linked Google Sheet until an authorized reviewer removes them when they are no longer reasonably needed. Access to administration data is restricted through authenticated, allowlisted accounts and database access rules. No internet service can promise perfect security, but BaptistFinder limits public database permissions and reviews access as the site develops.

Your choices

You may ask to access, correct, or remove information you submitted, or report inaccurate public church information through the listing update form. For privacy questions, use the Contact page. We may ask for enough information to confirm that you are authorized to request a change. Some information may be retained when reasonably necessary for security, record-keeping, dispute resolution, or legal compliance.

Analytics is optional. You can review or change your choice at any time.

Children's privacy

BaptistFinder is a general church directory and is not designed to collect personal information from children. Please do not submit a child's personal contact details through the website.

Changes and contact

We may update this policy when the website or its data practices change. The revised date will appear at the top of this page. For a privacy question or request, use our Contact page.