Designing a church website: a step-by-step guide for 2025

In 2025, it’s fair to say that your church’s website has become one of the most important ways people get to know you. Before anyone walks through your doors or hears a message from the stage, they’ll probably visit your site first.

A quick Google search, a click on the link, and just like that, your website becomes their first impression of your church. And in a world where attention spans are short, that first impression matters a lot.

Designing a church website isn’t just about making something that looks nice. It’s about creating something that communicates who you are, reflects your church’s mission, and helps people feel like they belong before they’ve even set foot inside.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or simply giving your existing site a refresh, this guide will walk you through the process in a way that’s approachable—even if you’re not especially “techy.”

Step 1: define the purpose of your church website

Before jumping into layouts and color schemes, take a step back and ask: What is this website for?

Is it primarily for people who’ve never been to your church, to help them learn more and plan a visit? Or is it more for your current members, with updates, sermon links, and event info? For most churches, the answer is a little bit of both.

Here are a few common goals your church website might serve:

• Welcome and inform potential visitors
• Share sermons and media
• Highlight ministries and ongoing church activities
• Provide online giving options

If you’re not quite sure, take time to ask your leadership team, or even your congregation, what they think the site should focus on. Knowing your goals up front will guide the rest of your decisions.

Step 2: choose the right platform

This is one of the more significant choices you’ll make, deciding where and how to build your website.

Popular platforms include WordPress, Squarespace, and Wix. Some are general-purpose website builders, and others are created specifically for churches, with features like sermon archives and giving tools built in.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing your church website builder:

• What’s your budget? Some tools are free or low-cost to start, while others require a monthly subscription.
• Is it easy to update and maintain? (Especially helpful if you don’t have a dedicated tech person.)
• Does it support mobile optimization and quick load speeds?
• Are there church-specific tools you’d benefit from, like customizable templates or online giving integrations?

Choosing a platform is kind of like picking the foundation for your building. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it should be solid.

Step 3: plan your website structure

Once you’ve chosen your platform, it’s time to think through your site’s layout and navigation.

Every great church website includes a few core pages:

• Home – Provide general information like service times and a link to your church live stream
• About / What We Believe – Share your values and story
• Ministries – Highlight the ways people can get involved
• Events – Keep your community informed about what’s coming up
• Sermons / Media – A place to catch up on past messages
• Giving – Simple and secure ways to give online
• Contact – Include your address (linked to a Google Map), phone, and email
• Plan a Visit – Especially helpful for first-timers

Try to keep your navigation menu clean and easy to follow. And remember: most visitors will be browsing from their phone, so make sure your structure works well on mobile too.

Step 4: focus on engaging, Christ-centered content

What you say—and how you say it—matters.

Write in a voice that’s welcoming, clear, and sincere. Imagine you’re talking to someone who’s new to church or just checking things out. Each page should reflect your heart as a church and gently point people toward Christ.

Some helpful tips:

• Use real photos from your church instead of generic stock images whenever possible
• Include simple calls to action like “Join us this Sunday” or “Plan your visit”
• Avoid overly formal or corporate language. Just be yourself

Great content doesn’t just inform, it invites people in.

Step 5: prioritize accessibility and design

In 2025, your site has to work well on all screen sizes, and be usable by all kinds of people.

Responsive web design means your website adjusts automatically to look good on phones, tablets, and desktops. Accessibility means that people with disabilities can navigate your content too.

Make sure to:

• Add alt text for images
• Use high-contrast colors and easy-to-read fonts
• Create a logical flow for navigation

Take time to test your site on multiple devices before launching. It’s worth the effort.

Step 6: integrate key features and tools

Once the structure and content are in place, it’s time to add functionality that helps people stay engaged and connected.

Some helpful features:

• Online giving software for quick and secure donations
• Event registration forms for church activities and gatherings
• Sermon archive integration (audio, video, or both)
• Prayer request forms or even a live chat option
• Email or SMS signups for your church newsletter or updates

These tools help your website function as a living extension of your church.

Step 7: optimize for search engines (SEO)

It’s one thing to have a website. It’s another thing entirely to be found online.

Search engine optimization (SEO) helps your church website show up in search results when people are looking for things like “church near me” or “family-friendly church in [city].”

A few basics to get you started:

• Use clear keywords throughout your site (especially in page titles and headings)
• Write custom meta descriptions for each page
• Add schema markup for sermons, events, and your location
• Submit your church to local directories and claim your Google Business Profile

Even small tweaks to your SEO can make a big difference in helping people discover your church.

Step 8: launch and promote your new website

Before you publish your site for the world to see, take time to review everything.

Click through every page. Test each link. Read the text out loud. Ask a few trusted people to try it out and give honest feedback.

When you’re ready to launch:

• Announce it during your Sunday service
• Share it through email and on social media
• Encourage your members to send it to friends or family who’ve been curious about your church

A little bit of promotion can go a long way.

Step 9: maintain and update regularly

A church website isn’t something you build once and forget about. It’s more like your church bulletin board—it needs regular updates to stay useful.

Make a habit of:

• Updating your event calendar and sermon archive
• Reviewing analytics to see what pages people are visiting most
• Refreshing your content every month or so

An up-to-date website signals that your church is active, attentive, and cares about the people it serves.

Bonus: working with a web designer or agency

If the DIY route feels overwhelming, there’s no shame in asking for help.

When looking for a web designer, try to find someone with experience working on church websites. Ask to see their portfolio, and talk through how your church’s mission and ministry design might shape the layout.

A few helpful questions to ask:

• Will I be able to make edits after the site launches?
• Is this a custom church website or based on a website template?
• What’s included in terms of hosting, updates, and ongoing support?

A good web designer won’t just create a nice-looking website—they’ll help you tell your story well.

Wrapping Up

Designing a church website in 2025 means building a site that welcomes people, communicates clearly, and supports your church’s mission in every season.

Whether you’re creating a brand-new site or simply making updates, this step-by-step process can help guide your way. Define your goals, choose the right church website builder, keep your content focused on Jesus, and make it easy for people to take the next step.

Your website might just be the first step someone takes toward finding hope and community in your church. Let’s make it a good one.

DISCLAIMER: this content has been generated, at least in part, by artificial intelligence.