Your church’s website might be the best place for you to engage your congregation Monday through Saturday. It’s also the first place people go when they’re thinking of visiting your church. Clearly, we think it’s important for your church to put its best foot forward on the World Wide Web. While many churches don’t have the resources, inspiration, or conviction to create a great website, there are some shining examples. Here are four more church websites that combine aesthetics, organization, content for members, content for prospective visitors, and sense of purpose in order to create a welcoming digital portal to the church bodies they represent.
Grace Community Church (Clarksville, TN)
www.gcomchurch.com
The first thing that strikes you about the design of Grace Community Church’s site is the use of rich textures. The look of wood grain and aged paper are nothing new in web design, but they give Grace’s site an organic and inviting quality. The next thing that strikes you about the site is the incorporation of media content. The home page features links to the church’s media library and feeds for the Grace blog, recent news, and the staff Q&A of the week.
Other links on the home page make it simple for members to give online, learn about the current message series, volunteer, and connect with church staff via email and their personal blogs. We imagine prospective visitors to Grace appreciate the “Before You Visit” button on the homepage, which leads them to a five-point “survival guide” for visiting the church. If the church is as user-friendly as its website, first-time visitors are likely to feel at home.
Revolution Church (Kansas City, MO)
www.kcrevolution.org
We dig the raw, patchwork feel of Revolution Church’s site, especially the site’s main graphic, which says, “Experience a different kind of faith. Join the revolution.”
For all the site’s visual flair, the navigation is quite simple: There are seven options in the menu, buttons for the podcast, Flickr account, and MySpace profile, the church’s mission statement, an ad for the upcoming events page, and a daily verse graphic.
Prospective visitors to Revolution will probably be convinced that the church doesn’t fit their preconceived notions of church just by visiting the home page. If they need more convincing, the media library provides access to sermon audio, and the About Us page articulates Revolution’s heart and vision. After a visit to kcrevolution.org, it’s hard to imagine someone not wanting to give Revolution Church a try.
Kingsfield Church (Irvine, CA)
www.kingsfieldchurch.org
The best way to describe Kingsfield Church’s website is clean and classy. Its practical layout and cool color palette are easy on the eyes, and the tasteful design invites visitors to stay and discover all that is Kingsfield Church. Finding the information you seek is quick and easy, as the sophisticated site is not littered with links and media.
Visitors can quickly find information about the church, service times, and directions using the site’s navigation menu. For church members, the media section provides a rich library of downloadable sermon audio and video as well as a photo gallery. Getting connected and involved in the church community is simple thanks to the “Ways to Connect” and “Get Involved” pages. Kingsfield Church’s elegant and refined website serves as an excellent introduction and front door to the church.
Windsor Crossing (Chesterfield, MO)
www.wcrossing.org
Windsor Crossing Church is not only one of the best church websites around, it even rivals great corporate sites. The site has a grungy, rustic feel and uses license plates as its navigation menu buttons. The site utilizes Flash to maximize its functional layout and stunning look.
On the site you’ll find creatively labeled sections that invite visitors to get to know the church better, find out about the current message, learn how to get involved in ministries, or view the church calendar. Hidden in the bottom right corner is a music player disguised as a classic radio. Church members also have access to an online directory that encourages connection among the congregation. Overall, Windsor Crossing’s website compels both visitors and members to immerse themselves in the life of the church.
Read In Search of the Best Church Websites: Part One