Roles & Permissions
Nlarj uses role-based access control. Each member has a role, and the role determines which Church Admin features they can open. The final list of features a person sees is the intersection of role and church subscription plan.
Built-in roles
Pastor (ch_pastor) / Church Admin (church_admin)
Full leadership access.
Features: dashboard, members, events, prayer, worship, finance, give, reports, settings, announcements, groups, attendance, guidance, calendar, sermons
Elder (ch_elder)
Near-full access, minus finance, giving, and settings.
Features: dashboard, members, events, prayer, worship, reports, announcements, groups, attendance, calendar, sermons
Ministry Leader (ch_ministry_leader)
Runs a specific ministry.
Features: dashboard, members, events, announcements, groups, attendance, calendar
Treasurer (ch_treasurer)
Financial oversight only.
Features: dashboard, finance, give, reports
Prayer Coordinator (ch_prayer_coordinator)
Moderates prayer requests and runs prayer ministry.
Features: dashboard, prayer, announcements
Worship Leader (ch_worship_leader)
Manages the song library and leads live worship.
Features: dashboard, worship, events, calendar, sermons
Youth Leader (ch_youth_leader)
Runs youth ministry.
Features: dashboard, events, members, groups, attendance
Deacon (ch_deacon)
Member care and event logistics.
Features: dashboard, members, events, attendance
Biblical Guide (ch_counselor)
Provides biblical guidance and pastoral conversations.
Features: dashboard, guidance, members
Member / Visitor
Default for anyone who joins via a general invite. Access is through the Member app — not Church Admin.
Features: dashboard only in Church Admin.
Plan intersection
Features unlock based on your church's subscription plan. Free-tier churches get core features only (dashboard, members, events, prayer, announcements, attendance, calendar). Paid plans unlock worship, sermons, chat/groups, giving, and guidance.
The final permission is role features ∩ plan features — a Worship Leader at a church without a worship plan still won't see Worship until the church upgrades.
Changing a role
- Members → find the person
- Open their profile
- Choose a new role and save
The affected member sees the new permissions the next time their app syncs.
Best practices
- Match roles to responsibilities — don't hand out Pastor to someone who only needs to post announcements.
- Principle of least privilege — start small; upgrade later if needed.
- Review roles during staff transitions so departed people lose access promptly.