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Creating and managing websites are the easiest they’ve ever been. With today’s content management systems and AI-powered tools, almost anyone can log in, move things around, create a new page and hit publish in minutes. That ease of use is a gift. We love that churches can easily update events, sermons and stories without needing a web developer on speed dial.

But here’s where we put on our pants (a Fishhook value) for a moment. Can we share a few tough words that we think need to be said?

Just because something is easy to edit doesn’t mean it’s easy to steward. And many times we see churches prioritize ease of use or cheaper upkeep for their platforms but miss the strategic parts that are crucial for ministry purposes.

A church website is not just a digital bulletin board. It’s not simply a place to store information. It’s not merely a piece of technology. It’s a ministry tool!

An Integral Part of Ministry 

Your website is often the first interaction someone has with your church. Before they step into your building, they’ve logged onto your homepage. We like to say “your website is your welcome mat.” So this means long before someone hears your pastor preach, they’ve heard what your navigation, your language and your visuals communicate about who you are.

If your website feels dated, cluttered or confusing, people will assume your ministry is dated, cluttered or confusing. They won’t necessarily say that out loud … they’ll just quietly move on.

And the gospel message is too important for people to move past. As ministry leaders, we shouldn’t want someone tripping over poor organization, inconsistent messaging or design that doesn’t reflect the beauty of Christ and His Church.

Sharing the Gospel with Excellence

Jesus’ message of love deserves to be shared with clarity, excellence and intention. So that’s why we build strategic, beautifully designed websites rooted in story and brand because clarity, structure and language all matters. Your audience journey matters. A website should help someone move from curiosity to connection. The goal is to continue serving your people and help them move from a first-time visitor to a disciple. And this is ongoing.

If anyone at your church can change anything at any time on your website with a drag and drop editor (and they don’t have the original strategy or intent as context), the original strategy can slowly unravel. Pages multiply, your messaging shifts and your distinct story gets blurry. What started as intentional ultimately becomes accidental.

That doesn’t mean churches shouldn’t update their own sites. Quite the opposite. At Fishhook, we build on flexible platforms because we believe churches should own and steward their digital presence well.

But stewardship requires vision.

It requires a commitment to excellence for your online platform. Thinking about stewarding this ministry tool with people who are gifted in communications is ideal.

Similar to how a church wouldn’t let just anyone deliver a sermon on a Sunday morning because you care about the intentionality behind what is being shared. This requires remembering that your website is not just about what you want to say but it’s about what someone new needs to hear. It’s not just about functionality, it’s about formation.

Church Websites are Ministry Opportunities (Not Just Tools) 

Your website is a front door. A first impression, a ministry environment somebody is virtually walking into. It’s a guide to a next step. Jesus’ message of love deserves to be shared with clarity, excellence and intention.

We encourage you to make decisions on technology tools and platforms that don't override the possibilities for sharing your distinct stories. So I’m encouraging all of us to build … and steward … websites that help the gospel be heard. 

Continue reading for a practical assessment you can walk through for your church's website ...

Websites don’t typically fall apart overnight (but sometimes they do). They usually drift slowly. One small change at a time. Here are signs it might be happening ...

7 Signs Your Website May Be Drifting

1. Your navigation keeps growing.

If your menu has become a catch all for every ministry, event and announcement, it may be serving insiders more than first-time guests.

2. Your homepage feels like a bulletin board.

If everything is competing for attention, nothing is clear. A homepage should guide, not overwhelm people.

3. Your messaging sounds different on every page.

When language shifts tone or direction depending on who edited it last, your brand story starts to get fuzzy.

4. Your design feels pieced together instead of cohesive.

If fonts or colors change from page to page, button styles vary or graphics don’t feel unified, your site may be slowly drifting away from its original visual identity. Consistency builds trust and inconsistency erodes it.

5. You’re speaking primarily to people who already know you.

If a new visitor would need your church’s jargon or insider language translated, it’s time to refocus.

6. Technical health has slipped to the back burner.

Search engine optimization, accessibility standards, broken links and slow load times matter. If your site isn’t easy to find, easy to read or easy to navigate for everyone, you’re unintentionally putting barriers in front of people trying to connect. People who understand website strategy pay attention to these things and prioritize keeping them up-to-date

7. You’ve stopped asking, "Is this helping someone take a next step?"

Your church’s website shouldn’t only be informative. It should gently move someone toward connection, growth and belonging.

Your website isn’t just a collection of pages. It should be part of your bigger discipleship pathway! It helps someone decide whether they feel safe enough to walk through your doors or not.