Last updated: 15 May 2026
1. Introduction
Empower Church ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and other applicable South African legislation.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use the Empower Church mobile application ("the App"). By registering for and using the App, you consent to the practices described in this policy.
2. Information We Collect
Information You Provide
- Name – your first and last name, used to personalise your account
- Email address – used for account login, communication, and verification
- Phone number – optional, used for contact purposes
- Profile photo – optional, uploaded by you to personalise your profile
- Campus preference – the Empower Church campus you are associated with
- Password – stored in encrypted form; we never store your password in plain text
Information Collected Through App Use
- Check-in records – attendance logs when you check in to church services or life groups
- Giving history – records of donations made through the App
- Streak data – your attendance consistency tracking
- Life group participation – membership and attendance records
- Device token – a push notification identifier
- Crash logs – anonymous technical data used to diagnose app errors
3. How We Use Your Information
- To create and manage your account
- To enable church and life group check-ins
- To process and record giving transactions
- To send push notifications about services, events, and church news
- To display your attendance streak and church engagement statistics
- To communicate with you about your account or church events
- To improve the App through crash diagnostics and performance monitoring
- To comply with legal and financial record-keeping obligations
4. Third-Party Services
- PayFast – payment processing for giving transactions. We do not store your card or banking details. See payfast.io/privacy-policy
- Expo / Firebase Cloud Messaging – push notification delivery
- Mailgun – email delivery for account verification and password resets
We do not sell or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.
5. Data Storage and Security
Your personal information is stored on secure servers. All data transmitted between the App and our servers is encrypted using HTTPS/TLS. We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse.
6. Data Retention
- Account data – retained while your account is active
- Check-in and attendance records – deleted when you delete your account
- Giving records – anonymised (not deleted) for financial and legal compliance
- Crash logs – retained briefly for diagnostic purposes then discarded
7. Your Rights
Under POPIA, you have the right to:
- Access – request a copy of your personal information
- Correction – update inaccurate information via the Profile section in the App
- Deletion – permanently delete your account via Profile → Delete Account in the App, or visit empower-app.co.za/account-removal.html
- Objection – object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances
- Complaints – lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator at www.justice.gov.za/inforeg
8. Children's Privacy
The App is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.
9. Push Notifications
With your permission, we may send push notifications about church services, events, and updates. You can opt out at any time through your device's notification settings.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by updating the "Last updated" date above. Continued use of the App after changes are made constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
11. Contact Us