Do you remember that app, "BeReal"? It hit the social scene with a bang around 2022 going viral as the "anti-Instagram." The idea was simple: one random notification a day, take a photo in 2 minutes, no filters, no curation. I loved watching people get the notification and immediately snap their picture and share it with their followers. There was something special about seeing a friend’s point of view – exactly as it was in that moment.
Why did this app take off so quickly and attract millions of users? Because, even before the true emergence of AI, people were craving truth and depth – not overly produced perfection. And while this specific app turned out to be more of a flash in the pan, the precipice it was built on is still true today: Trust is built by being real.
If you read our first article in this series, you know we’ve been equating being "real" with being "deeply human." One of the things Shayla said really stuck with me. She said:
"Discernment, empathy, nuance, purposeful restraint, tone, timing and instinct. Those are not small things. They are part of what it means to be deeply human."
These cornerstones of the human experience cannot be manufactured (yay!) but they also are very easy to miss especially as we think about crafting visual communication. The truth is, your visual communication will either build trust or create tension.
When we talk about visual communication we’re including your typical graphic design (sermon series graphics, event design, overall church branding, etc.) but also the way you use photos and videos and even the experiences you create both in-person and online.
Anytime someone sees something and associates it with your church (or Jesus) you are visually communicating with them. So how do we make sure our visual communication is built on "discernment, empathy, nuance, purposeful restraint, tone, timing and instinct?" We think about it as ethos not just aesthetics.
Ethos is the felt credibility and character of your church. It’s communicated visually before a single word is read. Thanks to some AI research (see not all bad) the word itself comes from Aristotle, who used it to describe the trustworthiness or moral character of a speaker. For today’s purposes let’s think about our visuals as "the speaker."
Before people ever hear a sermon, meet a pastor or even read about who you are, they’re already asking a few questions (subconsciously):
Do these people feel trustworthy?
Do they take their faith seriously? Too seriously?
Are they warm or distant?
Is this a place for people like me?
Your visuals impact the way people answer these questions (aka the assumptions they bring into the relationship with your organization).
Here are a few practical ways each visual choice either reinforces or undermines your ethos:
Real, imperfect, relational photos → communicates authenticity and pastoral warmth
Overly staged or generic stock → can signal distance or inauthenticity
Classic, restrained type → communicates tradition, stability, theological rootedness
Playful or trendy type → communicates energy, accessibility, maybe looseness
Muted, grounded tones → can feel reverent, calm, trustworthy
Bright, high-contrast → can feel energetic, modern, invitational
Clean, intentional layouts → communicate clarity and care
Cluttered or inconsistent visuals → subtly erodes trust
If you’re communicating something as weighty as the Gospel, but your visuals feel chaotic, outdated, overly trendy or emotionally disconnected it creates a quiet tension: Can I trust this place with something that matters this much?
I think we can all agree we want to have credibility. We want to build trust, not create tension.
So here are five tips for designing and creating visual communication that accurately reflect your ethos:
Use your real people - In photos, in videos, on social media and in service – using actual people who are part of your church community signals to others that there is space for them to show up just as they are (not a stock version of themselves).
Move from polished to personal - Especially when we’re talking about social media content, content that shows a true “behind the scenes” energy is what connects best. Instead of taking time to stage, shoot, edit and perfect, just post!
Don’t use AI to do your graphic design - This one is hard to say out loud because with platforms like Canva and ChatGPT you can so easily pull together a graphic. But when a machine designs for you, you’re missing the magic of the human perspective. Designers see nuances. They inject passion into their work. They ask questions that get to the heart of your ministry.
Ask, “what are we hoping people feel when they encounter this ____?” Then create something that evokes that emotion.
When all else fails, remember less is more - We know that designing is overwhelming especially if you aren’t trained. Often times we see graphic design falling into a church leader’s lap simply because there is no one else to do it. So if this is you, just do less. People would rather something be simple (and authentic) than trying to be something you’re not.
We hope what you hear in all of this is a new possibility – that you are free to be exactly who God created you to be! To communicate in ways that feel clear, and simple and quirky and unique and true to you. To simplify your visual communication in ways that help you truly build bridges of trust.