Whether you’re looking for inspiration to update your current church website, or you’re searching for a starting point for a new beginning, you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve compiled the best looking church websites so far in 2018 and outlined what design trends are common across them all.
Not ranked in any particular order, these ten beautiful church websites were hand-picked by our design experts after combing through nearly one hundred sites. This curated list of sites showcases a wide range of unique styles without overwhelming you with too many options.
Too many “best of” compilations focus mostly on megachurches, so we made sure to include the websites of smaller churches in this list as well. In our experience, the website design for megachurches often fall outside the scope and goals of most churches. As you’ll see, reasons for each selection appear beside each link. We’ve explained our reasoning behind each selection to help you better understand why we believe each site deserves to be highlighted
If you’re just getting started, or if you’re looking to make positive changes to your church’s existing site, there are some key questions that you need to be asking.
Who are the most important visitors to your site? Are you looking to grow your membership, with your church website focused on new visitors? Or are you a thriving congregation that’s nearing capacity, using the site as an informational resource and donation pipeline for existing members? Answering these questions can help you better understand your audience, a key first step in the web design process.
Don’t have a website for your church yet and wondering if it is a worthwhile endeavor? A church’s website plays an important role in growing and connecting with its congregation, and serves as a platform by which to communicate with a variety of unique audiences. Just take a look at some highlights from abide’s list of 12 Church Website Statistics:
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- 17 Million non-regular churchgoers check out church websites every year. \n
- 80% of new visitors will visit a church\'s website before attending in person. \n
- 64% of churchgoers say their church\'s website encourages participation.
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Whether your goal is for new members to find your church, or you’re hoping to help existing members stay engaged, here are some of the common features you’ll see throughout these great church websites that you might consider including in your own:
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- Prominently displayed location and directions \n
- Media of past sermons \n
- Easy spot for donations \n
- Large, beautiful images and videos \n
- Dedicated sections for both new and existing members
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Churchome
Welcomed by a warm, friendly image, Churchome’s site quickly focuses visitors’ attention on finding a location near them. There is a nice variety of media on their homepage and some strong calls-to-action (CTAs) as part of their rich footer, including an email list subscription button and an area to donate.
First Church
This site opens with a powerful hero image and two clear CTA buttons to direct visitors toward common actions. There’s an easily accessible archive of past services, and overall, it is a clean and simple homepage.
Arise Church
Starting with a strong welcome message, the ARISE church website has a live countdown to their next service, before highlighting their locations. As you scroll down their homepage, they’ve designed clear sections to focus attention - culminating in a powerful donate button. Although it’s a little tough to see, the hamburger menu (top right) provides easy navigation options without cluttering up the design when you find it.
Bethlehem Baptist Church
Bethlehem Baptist Church didn’t go with the standard .com website address, instead opting for a newer concept, choosing the .church vanity domain. Their immediate CTA for new visitors drives curiosity, and you don’t have to scroll far beyond that to see an easy layout of their church locations. You can watch recordings of recent services, which is beneficial for new visitors and existing members alike, and the church showcases its commitment to the community by prominently displaying an active blog, contact form, and area for donations.
Church of the City
Church of the City has a short home page with ample white space to focus visitors on taking action. Their simplified menu options with actionable words such as “engage” and “give” further highlight this objective. New visitors are welcomed front and center with the main CTA, while returning visitors are driven towards the different locations where they can find tons of multimedia, such as audio and video recordings of their services.
The Point Church
The Point Church is another great example of how using the .church extension can help you stand out online. Their modern site design has very focused sections with oversized fonts that can’t be ignored. The social media links at the bottom of their site help them stay connected with their community, and link to their podcasts on iTunes for their users on-the-go.
Hope Church
Hope Church is a large website that does a great job at simplifying their navigation so that visitors don’t feel overwhelmed and leave the site. By separating calendar, registration, and donations, they’ve made it easy for visitors to focus on the most important actions. They also have their social media links front and centre.
The Village Church
The Village Church’s website’s use of clean lines, very distinct sections, and a unique zig-zag pattern ensures that visitors are focusing on one message at a time. The drop down menu, located next to the donation and login buttons, helps users navigate the site with simple words displayed in large fonts.
CityGate Church
CityGate Church uses powerful embeds to simplify the management and increase the engagement on their site. For example, they use livestream next to a Twitter feed so that people from around the world can feel like they are participating in their services. CityGate also uses a Youtube playlist embed on their site to help showcase all previous sermons.
Jubilee Church
Jubilee Church’s creative blend of vibrant colors and layering of stunning images really makes their website stand out. Despite the impactful look, the website remains simple to navigate with a hamburger menu and three distinct CTAs. An iTunes integration allows visitors to download “Music from the House”, extending their reach across the globe.
Summary
As you can see with the examples above, building an amazing church website comes down to a few key points:
Use simple messaging and navigation so your visitors don’t get overwhelmed or lostEnsure your most important sections are easy to find, such as donations and media.Leverage integrations such as social media, video, and ecommerce to sell, showcase, and connect with your visitors.Use unique imagery, layout, and colors to ensure your website doesn’t look like those of everyone else.
PageCloud is a great website building tool to use if you’re just getting started, and was used by a few of the churches mentioned on this list!