If you and your congregation have not developed a website, you might be wondering if it’s worthwhile to build one. It’s a fair question, but a website can help with communication and engagement with staff and church members.
In fact, church goers report that a website can help in choosing a church and facilitating participation, according to Christian Reformed Church in North America.
Here are some reasons that your church should have a website.
Communicate with Your Congregation
You may have weekly announcements or a church bulletin that you share at the end of your services. But some people can’t make it to church every weekend, or they may attend virtually. How can your members access key information? A website can give patrons 24/7 access to:
- Up-to-date information (like a church service cancellation due to a bad storm)
- Calendars and schedules
- Photo galleries
- Your own blog articles as well as links to helpful or inspiring articles on other websites
- Social media links
- Recorded sermons or choir performances
- Biographical information on your pastor, staff, and leadership team
- Your church mission statement
- Online forms for volunteering or reserving the church hall
- Online contributions
Plus, creating a website for your church will help save the paper and printing costs of weekly bulletins and monthly calendars.
Your congregation can also use the website as a hub where they’re able to share. That might be an update on a volunteer project, a notice for an upcoming community event, or a favorite recipe. Church members will be more engaged and feel connected to each other.
Make It Easier for People to Find You
Whether someone is moving to your area or just visiting for the weekend, they might go online to search for nearby churches. If another local church has a website that makes it easy to find their service times and directions, the individual may go there instead.
View your website as a part of your church growth strategy. If someone is considering visiting church for the first time, make sure they feel welcome and reassured right from their first click. This is your chance to make a first impression, so ensure your church website is up to date, professional looking, and easy to use and load on desktops and mobile devices.
Before visiting your physical location, a prospective church member might go online to get a sense of what it’s like being a part of the congregation. They’re probably wondering about the types of programs and events you have, how involved the church is in the community, and exactly how’d they fit in.
How to Create a Church Website
To build your church website, follow these key steps:
- Determine the main purpose of your website and what it needs to include.
- Plan your budget for the website and hosting.
- Find a domain name.
- Choose a website builder.
- Create the content that will go on your website.
There are church website builders that offer free plans or trials. But you’ll need a builder that’s easy to use, has a professional template design, and offers tech support. Before you choose a website builder, make sure it can handle the features you want to include on your site.
Find a good domain name that’s short and easy to spell. But if your church has a common name (like St. John’s), consider adding in your town name, i.e. https://stjohnschurchriverside.com.
Keeping your website up to date is an important part of making it useful to your congregation and potential visitors. But the right church management software can help you stay on schedule or even automatically sync calendar updates on the website. You’d have to make sure your website and CMS are compatible, though.
We hope this article helps you create a fantastic website that allows your church to connect with your current congregation as well as potential new members. If you need new comfortable church chairs, get in touch with us. Our team is happy to answer any questions you may have.
