Sound familiar? Here’s the thing nobody wants to tell you. The reason your church communications feel chaotic isn’t because your team is lazy. It isn’t because your volunteers aren’t trying. It isn’t even because you don’t have enough staff.

It’s because you don’t have a strategy.

You have tactics. Lots of them. A Facebook page. An Instagram account. A website. An email newsletter. Maybe a TikTok. A printed bulletin. On-stage announcements. Foyer signage. A church app.

But none of it ladders up to anything.

That’s the difference between a church that grows and a church that’s stuck. And in 2026, with attention more fragmented than ever and AI eating the search results your church website used to rank for, the gap between strategic churches and tactical ones is about to become a chasm.

Let me show you what I mean.

Strategy vs tactics: the mistake almost every church makes

I’ve been saying this for years. Marry the strategy. Date the tactics. (In church world we call the strategy the mission. Pretty sure someone else said this first, but don’t know who)

Most churches do the opposite. They marry the tactics and date the strategy. They get welded onto how they’re doing something, even when it’s not working. They keep posting on Facebook because they’ve always posted on Facebook. They keep doing video announcements because they’ve always done video announcements. They keep printing bulletins because they’ve always printed bulletins.

Tactics are things you do. Strategy is the reason you do them.

Strategy says: “We want every first-time visitor to feel like they belong before they walk in the door.”

Tactics say: “We post on Instagram three times a week.”

See the difference?

Without strategy, your tactics are just activity. They look like work. They feel like work. But they don’t move anything forward.

Strategy can compensate for lack of talent. Talent never compensates for lack of strategy.

You can have the best designer, the most talented videographer, the smartest social media volunteer in the country. If they don’t know what they’re trying to achieve, they’re just making pretty things that get scrolled past.

The cost of having no strategy: wasted time, wasted people, wasted opportunity

Let me make this concrete.

The average church communications person I talk to is spending 60% of their week on requests they shouldn’t be saying yes to. The bake sale flyer. The mid-week prayer group poster. The “can you just whip up a graphic” Slack message that lands at 4pm on a Friday.

None of it is bad. All of it is well-intentioned.

But here’s the cost.

Every hour spent on the bake sale flyer is an hour not spent on the Easter outreach campaign that could reach a thousand people in your community. Every hour spent fixing typos in the bulletin is an hour not spent making the website findable on Google.

Without a strategy, every request looks equally important. So your team treats them all the same. And the urgent crowds out the important. Every. Single. Week.

Burnout in church comms is rarely about workload. It’s about misaligned workload. People don’t burn out doing meaningful work. They burn out doing busywork they suspect doesn’t matter.

A strategy gives you permission to say no. Not because you’re rude. Because you’re focused.

Persona management: who are you actually talking to?

Here’s a question I ask every church I work with. Who is your communications for?

Most can’t answer it. Or they say “everyone.”

Everyone is no one.

If your communications speak to everyone, they speak to no one with any real power. You end up with the bland middle. Generic encouragement that lands nowhere.

The fix is persona work. And it’s not as hard as the marketing books make it sound.

For most churches, you need three or four personas. Here are the ones I use.

Persona 1: The Curious Outsider She’s 34. Two kids under 10. Hasn’t been to church since she was twelve. She’s googled your church on her phone after a friend mentioned it. She’s looking for one thing: “Will I feel awkward if I show up?”

Persona 2: The Returning Drifter He’s 45. He used to go to church. Life got busy. Marriage got hard. Faith got distant. He’s not sure he believes anymore but he wants his kids to grow up with something. He’s reading your website at 11pm.

Persona 3: The Newcomer Who Just Arrived She came last Sunday. Her kids enjoyed the children’s program. She’s now wondering: “What’s next? Is there a way in?”

Persona 4: The Member Who’s Already In He’s been at your church seven years. He volunteers. He gives. He needs to know what’s on, when, and how to invite his colleague.

These four people need different things from your communications. They need different tones. They need different channels. They need different calls to action.

If you’re trying to reach all four with the same Sunday announcement, the same Instagram post, the same email, you’ll reach none of them.

Pick one as your primary. At my church, Crossway in Melbourne, we picked the Curious Outsider for one, but know of more persona’s that come. Razor sharp focus. Did we get it right 100% of the time? No. But we were 100% certain who we were communicating to. (I wrote about this in The Eight Pillars Of Church Communications if you want to dig deeper.)

SWOT analysis: the 30-minute exercise that changes everything

Most church leaders I meet have never done a SWOT on their communications. So here’s the framework, and how to actually use it.

S — Strengths What’s working? What do people compliment? What channel actually drives action? Be honest. If your Instagram has 400 followers and three likes a post, that’s not a strength.

W — Weaknesses Where are people falling through the cracks? Where do first-time visitors get lost? What channel is sucking up time and producing nothing? Where is your team stretched thin?

O — Opportunities What’s changed in 2026 that you’re not using? AI for content. Short-form video. SEO that most churches still ignore. Local search on Google Maps. Email automation. Pick two.

T — Threats What could derail you? A staff exit. A platform shift like Meta deprioritising church pages. A scandal that hits the inbox. Most churches never plan for crisis comms. Then a crisis hits.

Sit down with your senior pastor and one other person. Whiteboard it. One hour. You’ll have a clearer picture of your communications reality than 90% of churches in your country.

That picture is your strategy starting point.

Communication Channels: the question to ask before you add another one

Here’s the test before you start a TikTok account, a YouTube channel, a podcast, a new email newsletter, or anything else.

Three questions.

1. Is my primary persona on this channel?
2. Do we have the capacity to post consistently for 12 months without burning out the team?
3. What does success look like, and how will we measure it in 90 days?

If you can’t answer all three with confidence, don’t start.

I’d rather see a church do two channels brilliantly than seven channels badly. (You can read more on this in Two Common Communication Mistakes.)

For most churches in 2026, the core stack looks like this.

A genuinely useful website. Mobile first. Fast. Findable on Google.

One social platform you do well. Usually Instagram or Facebook. Sometimes TikTok or YouTube Shorts if you have the team for it.

Email. Still the most underrated channel in church world. Owned, not rented. Not subject to algorithm changes.

A clear next-step pathway from “online stranger” to “in the room.”

That’s it. Everything else is decoration.

What goes in a one-page church communications strategy

You don’t need a 40-page document. You need a one-pager that fits on a fridge.

Here’s the skeleton.

Mission: What’s the church’s bigger purpose, in one sentence.

Comms goal for the year: One number. One outcome. Not five.

Primary persona: The one person we’re writing for.

Key messages (3 max): What we want our primary persona to know, feel, and do.

Channels we’re committing to: No more than four.

Channels we’re not using this year: Just as important.

Who decides what gets promoted: A single owner. Not a committee.

How we measure success: Three numbers. Reviewed quarterly.

That’s the strategy. Everything else is execution.

Why 2026 is the year to do this

Here’s what’s different about 2026.

AI is now answering the questions your website used to rank for. Search traffic is changing. Google’s AI Overviews mean people get answers without ever clicking through. If your church website isn’t built to be the source AI quotes, you’re invisible to a whole generation of seekers.

Attention has fragmented further. The average person sees somewhere north of 14,000 marketing messages a day. Your church gets 1% of someone’s week, if you’re lucky. You can’t waste it.

Volunteer time is more precious than ever. Post-pandemic, every church I work with is running leaner. The volunteer bench is shorter. You can’t afford to put your best people on activity that doesn’t move anything.

Trust in institutions is at a record low. People aren’t looking for slick. They’re looking for real. Strategy without authenticity dies. Authenticity without strategy never gets seen.

This is the moment to get clear.

Your homework this week

Block 90 minutes. Just 90.

Sit down with one other person from your team. Walk through these four things.

One. Write down the three things your church communications are supposed to achieve this year. If you can’t get to three, just write one.

Two. Write down your primary persona. Give them a name. An age. A weeknight problem.

Three. List every communications channel you currently use. Honestly mark each one as either “working,” “not working,” or “not sure.”

Four. Pick one channel to kill this quarter. Pick one channel to double down on.

That’s it. You’ve just done more strategy work than most churches will do all year.

The bottom line

You don’t need a huge team. You don’t need a big budget. You don’t need fancy software.

You need clarity.

You need to know who you’re talking to. You need to know what you want them to do. You need to know which channels will get you there. And you need to know what you’re not going to do.

Strategy first. Tactics second. Marry one. Date the other.

Get this right in 2026 and your team will spend less time scrambling and more time doing the work that actually matters. Your visitors will get a clearer welcome. Your members will get less noise and more signal. Your pastor will get fewer 9.47pm Saturday text messages.

That’s a win for everyone.

What about you? What’s the one thing you’re going to change about your church communications strategy this year? Drop me a comment. I read every one.

Related reading:

• The Eight Pillars Of Church Communications
• Two Common Communication Mistakes
• How To Make Your Church Announcements More Effective

The post Why Your Church Needs A Communications Strategy In 2026 (And What Happens If You Don’t) appeared first on Steve Fogg: Clear & Simple.

But with a dozen church-specific builders on the market, how do you pick the right one?

I’ve done the digging so you don’t have to. Here’s the honest rundown of the six church website builders worth considering in 2026, what each one actually costs, what they do well, and where they fall short.

Let’s go.

How to Choose a Church Website Builder (The Short Version)

Before we get to the list, here’s the filter I’d use if I were picking one today.

Ask yourself these five questions:

1. How tech-savvy is your team? If the answer is “not at all,” you need a done-for-you platform. If you’ve got a volunteer who can figure things out, a DIY builder may save you some money. But these day’s it’s not that much.
2. What’s your real budget? Not the one you wish you had. Add 20% for add-ons.
3. Do you need a mobile app? Honest answer: probably not on day one. A great mobile website does 90% of what an app does, for 10% of the cost.
4. What tools are you already using? Planning Center? Pushpay? Tithely? Whichever you’re committed to, pick a website platform that integrates natively.
5. How important is design flexibility? Every platform on this list looks good. Some are more templated than others. If your church has a strong brand, you’ll want more room to customise.

Get those five answers clear in your head. Then the list below gets a lot easier to work through. This list is in no preferential order.

1. The Church Co

Website: thechurchco.com Pricing: Plans start around $39/month. Free website build included with every subscription. Ultimate plan includes a branded church app. Free trial: Free simple setup included. Contact for demo.

Quietly one of the most popular church website builders going, especially for small and mid-sized churches who want a clean design without paying agency prices.

Features

• Website builder with church-ready templates
• Online giving (powered by Stripe)
• Sermon archive with podcast distribution
• Events calendar with registrations and ticketing
• Prayer request forms
• Small groups directory
• Livestream with live chat
• Members portal (Premium plan)
• Branded church app (Ultimate plan)
• One-page mini sites for events or campaigns

Integrations

Planning Center, Pushpay, ChurchSuite, Tithely, Church Community Builder, Stripe, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Facebook, Instagram, Intercom.

Pros

• Free website build included with your subscription
• Genuinely affordable entry point
• Clean, modern designs out of the box
• Strong integration with Planning Center
• No long-term contracts
• US and Australia time zone support

Cons

• Customisation is limited compared to WordPress.
• Originally the template library felt similar across sites, but it’s come a long way and there is much more design variations now.
• Ultimate plan required for a full church app

Best for: Small and mid-sized churches that want a professional website without a big budget or a tech team.

2. Subsplash

Website: subsplash.com Pricing: Custom pricing based on church size and features. Starts around $99/month for basic app packages, plus a setup fee. The website builder is included in the Subsplash One platform. Free trial: Free online giving available.

Subsplash isn’t really a website builder. It’s an entire digital ecosystem. Website, mobile app, livestream, giving, media, messaging, and church management all on one platform. The website is part of a bigger picture.

Features

• Drag-and-drop website builder
• Custom mobile and TV apps (iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku)
• Online giving with GrowCurve rate negotiation
• Livestream with in-stream giving and chat
• Media hosting and sermon player
• Groups and messaging
• Events with registration
• ChMS (church management system) built-in
• AI-powered engagement tools
• Email builder and communication tools

Integrations

Built-in everything. Subsplash is designed as a closed ecosystem, so most integrations are native rather than third-party. Connects with Planning Center, Pushpay, and Stripe where relevant.

Pros

• Everything under one roof, fully integrated
• Best-in-class mobile apps for church
• Industry-leading giving rates with GrowCurve
• Scales well for large and multi-site churches
• 20 years of experience in the space

Cons

• Significantly more expensive than single-purpose website builders
• Steep learning curve (the platform is big)
• US time zone support. Customer support can be hard to reach if you are in Australia
• Website builder reviews are mixed compared to the rest of the platform
• Pricing is not transparent; you have to request a quote

Best for: Growing, mid-to-large churches that want one unified digital platform instead of stitching five tools together.

3. Clover Sites

Website: cloversites.com Pricing: Around $29/month for hosting and support, with a $1,000 one-time setup fee (often discounted or waived via promotions). I believe it’s now part of the Ministry Brands family, so bundle pricing may apply. Free trial: Free demo available.

One of the longest-running church website builders. These guys originally were first movers may years ago with Flash. Clover Sites pioneered the “beautiful, affordable, simple” pitch for ministries over a decade ago. I remember when they had Flash built websites. IYKYK, just showing my age.

Features

• Template-based website builder called The Greenhouse
• Signup forms and contact management
• Events calendar
• Prayer wall
• Media uploads and sermon archive
• SEO basics built-in
• Mobile responsive themes
• Photo editing tools
• Integrated online giving via Clover Give
• Media graphics library via Clover Media (90,000+ images, templates, and files for an extra $20/month)

Integrations

Clover Give (native), Clover People (native church management), Clover Media (native graphics). Third-party integrations are limited compared to newer platforms.

Pros

• Simple, intuitive editor that non-technical staff can manage
• Attractive templates designed for churches
• Responsive design out of the box
• Part of the Ministry Brands ecosystem (bundling options)

Cons

• $1,000 setup fee is significant (watch for promotions)
• Fewer templates than some competitors
• Newer features (advanced design, integrations) lag behind platforms like Nucleus and Subsplash
• Mixed customer reviews on support responsiveness
• I’m not sure about Australian timezone support

Best for: Small churches that want a simple, attractive, responsive website and don’t need a deep feature set.

4. Ekklesia360 (by Monk Development)

Website: ekklesia360.com Pricing: Starts around $60/month. Design-flexible plans scale up for custom builds. Custom quotes for larger churches. Free trial: Contact for demo.

Ekklesia360 is one of the more established platforms in the church website space. Built by Monk Development, trusted by over 8,500 churches. It’s aimed at churches that want more than a template but don’t want to hire a full agency.

Features

• Content management system built for churches
• Event registration and RSVP module
• Members module and community tools
• Guest hospitality module
• Administrative tools and permission rules
• E-commerce module (for bookstores, merchandise)
• Syndication and outreach module
• Ready-made themes with customisation
• Full custom design available

Integrations

Integrates with major ChMS platforms, online giving providers, and has an API for custom builds.

Pros

• Strong option for mid-to-large churches and denominations
• Full custom design option available (not just templates)
• Trusted by 8,500+ organisations including seminaries and denominations
• Flexible permissions and approval workflows
• Scales from small church to multi-campus

Cons

• Back-end editor is less intuitive than newer platforms
• Help documentation can feel out of date
• Support is ticket-based, response times vary
• Pricing starts higher than DIY builders

Best for: Mid-sized to large churches and denominations that need more flexibility than a template builder offers and want a proven platform with a long track record.

5. Ministry Designs (Omega platform)

Website: ministrydesigns.com Pricing: Plans start around $57/month for the full Omega website builder and giving. Omega Plus is $97/month. Website management service available for churches that want the team to handle everything. Free trial: Contact for demo.

Ministry Designs sits between pure DIY and full agency. The Omega platform gives you a drag-and-drop builder with a massive library of pre-designed blocks, and their team can handle the heavy lifting if you want.

Features

• Omega drag-and-drop website builder
• Pre-designed block library (regularly updated)
• Sermon manager with unlimited storage
• Events calendar
• Online giving integration
• Mobile-responsive themes
• Built-in SEO tools
• Website management service (done-for-you option)
• Unlimited storage for media and pages
• AI-powered features and chat tools

Integrations

Works with every major online giving provider and church management software at no additional cost, including Planning Center, Pushpay, Tithely, and Church Community Builder.

Pros

• Good balance between DIY and done-for-you
• Strong design library with regular new blocks
• No long-term contracts
• Unlimited media storage
• Website management service is a standout for busy pastors

Cons

• Less well-known brand compared to Subsplash and The Church Co
• DIY editor has a slight learning curve (block-based, not free-form)
• Advanced features require upgrading to higher plans

Best for: Churches that want real design flexibility without the complexity of WordPress, and the option to hand over management when ministry life gets busy.

6. Nucleus

Website: nucleus.church Pricing: Starts at $39/month for the core website builder. Important to note, add-on products (Giving, Messages, Media) are priced separately, with a 10% discount per product added (up to 30% off the full subscription). Free trial: 15-day free trial. No contracts. Cancel anytime.

Nucleus is the newcomer that’s caught a lot of attention, and for good reason. It’s built from the ground up around one idea: helping churches turn website visitors into next steps.

Features

• Modern website builder with clean, conversion-focused templates
• Launcher (a universal CTA widget that lives on every page)
• Flows (smart next-step forms and follow-up)
• PrayerFlow (dedicated prayer request hub with team workflows)
• Sermon messages with podcast RSS to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more
• Events calendar integration
• Online giving (Nucleus Giving has some of the lowest fees: 1.99% per credit card; $0.25 flat per ACH transaction)
• Two-way texting (Messages add-on)
• Media and stock footage library (Media add-on)
• Free SSL, hosting, and SEO tools on every site
• CSS editor for advanced customisation
• Unlimited admins with granular permissions

Integrations

MailChimp, Google Calendar, Elvanto, HubSpot, Planning Center, and more.

Pros

• 15-day free trial (rare in this space)
• Best-in-class giving rates
• Launcher and Flows are genuinely innovative next-step tools
• Clean, modern design philosophy
• Fast customer support (under 3-hour average response time)
• Free website makeovers available for qualifying churches

Cons

• Fewer design templates than older platforms (by design)
• Less flexibility for churches that want a totally custom look
• Newer brand means smaller ecosystem of third-party integrations
• Add-ons stack up quickly if you want the full suite
• Not ideal for multi-campus or non-English churches (based on their own makeover criteria)
• Unsure about Australian time zone support.

Best for: Churches focused on next steps and conversion. If you’re serious about turning website visitors into first-time guests, small group attenders, or baptism candidates, Nucleus is built for that.

Quick Comparison at a Glance

• Cheapest starting price: Clover Sites ($29/month after setup fee) and The Church Co (~$39/month, no setup fee)
• Best free trial: Nucleus (15 days, no commitment)
• All-in-one digital platform: Subsplash
• Most flexible for larger churches: Ekklesia360
• Best done-for-you option: Ministry Designs (website management service) or The Church Co (free site build)
• Best for conversion and next steps: Nucleus
• Best giving rates: Nucleus and Subsplash

Which One Would I Pick?

Honest answer: it depends on where your church is right now. I would go back to the selection criteria I mentioned at the start of this post. Think about your functionality first and what you need there. Then narrow it down and make some calls.

One More Thing

The platform is only half the battle.

A beautifully designed website with confusing content is useless. A plain-looking website with clear content works every single time.

Pick a builder. Then put your energy into three things: your homepage, your Plan Your Visit page, and your local SEO. Get those right and you’ll be ahead of 90% of churches in your city, whichever platform you choose.

Final thoughts, I LOVE the fact that there are gospel focused entrepreneurs who are building for churches. I’ve met some of them and they have all been so passionate in serving the capital C church and we should all be grateful for them.

FAQ’s

What is a church website builder?

A church website builder is a platform designed specifically for churches to create, manage, and update their website without needing to code. Most church-specific builders include features like sermon archives, online giving, events calendars, and prayer request forms built-in.

How much does a church website builder cost?

Entry-level church website builders start around $29 to $50 per month. Mid-tier platforms range from $60 to $150 per month. All-in-one platforms like Subsplash typically run higher, depending on church size and features. Some builders also charge a one-time setup fee, so always ask about total first-year cost.

Do church website builders include hosting?

Yes. Every church-specific website builder on this list includes hosting, security, and SSL certificates in the monthly fee. That’s one of the main advantages over DIY platforms like WordPress, where you have to manage hosting separately.

Do I need a church website builder or can I use Squarespace?

You can absolutely use Squarespace, Wix, or WordPress for a church website. The trade-off: you’ll need to add giving, sermons, and event tools through plugins or integrations, which takes more setup and more ongoing maintenance from a person familiar with that Eco-system. A church-specific builder gives you all of that out of the box.

Can I switch platforms later?

Yes, but it’s a project. Most platforms will let you export your content (sermons, events, contact data). Design work usually has to be rebuilt. If you’re unsure, pick a platform with a free trial and no long-term contract, so you can test before you commit.

The post The 6 Best Church Website Builders in 2026 (Honest Comparison) appeared first on Steve Fogg: Clear & Simple.

Same email blasts. Same Sunday bulletin. Same “post the announcement on Facebook and hope for the best” strategy.

Meanwhile, the world your congregation lives in has completely changed. The way people discover churches, engage with content, and make decisions has shifted dramatically. And if your communications haven’t kept up, you’re leaving impact on the table.

The good news? 2026 is actually an extraordinary year to be in church communications. The tools are better, the strategies are clearer, and the opportunity to reach people has never been greater.

Here’s what’s changed, and what you need to do about it.

1. AI Is No Longer Optional. It’s Your New Team Member.

I’ve been saying this for a couple of years now. But in 2026, the conversation has shifted.

It’s not “should we use AI?” anymore. It’s “why aren’t we using AI yet?”

AI isn’t here to replace your communications person or your pastor. It’s here to do the stuff that eats up hours and drains energy, so your team can focus on actual ministry.

Think about what AI can do for your church right now:

• Write social media captions from your sermon notes in seconds
• Turn a 45-minute sermon into 10 short video clips for Reels and Shorts
• Draft your weekly email, your event announcements, your volunteer asks
• Translate your content for multilingual congregations in real time

Tools like Sermonshots, OpusClip, and even a well-prompted version of Claude or ChatGPT can transform what one communications volunteer can produce in a week.

Stop doing everything manually. That’s not good stewardship of your team’s time.

The practical step: Pick ONE content task your team does every week. This week, try doing it with AI. See how much time you save.

2. Short-Form Video Is Where the Gospel Is Travelling

Let me ask you something. When did you last scroll Instagram or TikTok and stop to watch a 45-minute sermon?

Exactly.

But a 60-second clip of a pastor saying something real, honest, and powerful? That stops the scroll every time.

Short-form video — Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, TikTok — is the single most powerful organic reach tool available to churches in 2026. And almost no churches are using it well.

Here’s what I’ve seen work over and over again:

• Pastors speaking directly to camera (not just sermon clips)
• Real, behind-the-scenes moments from ministry life
• Quick “one thought from this week’s message” videos
• Honest, unpolished moments that feel like a real person talking to you

Carey Nieuwhof put it well recently: most pastors who went direct-to-camera in COVID quickly went back to sharing sermon clips. That was a mistake. The direct conversation is what builds connection.

You don’t need fancy equipment. Your iPhone is enough. Just press record and talk.

If you want help figuring out how to create a short-form video strategy that doesn’t exhaust you, check out my post on social media strategies for churches that actually work.

3. The Death of Scattered Tools (and the Rise of Centralised Communication)

Here’s a scene I see in almost every church I work with.

The pastor sends announcements over text. The admin emails the ministry leads. The social media volunteer has their own login to everything. Nobody knows what’s going out, when, or to whom.

Sound familiar?

In 2026, the most effective churches are moving to centralised communication systems. One place where all the channels live: email, SMS, social, Sunday announcements, and ministry updates.

This isn’t just about efficiency. It’s about consistency. When your message is consistent across every channel, people actually understand what’s happening and they trust your communication.

Platforms like ChurchCopy.ai, Communicate.app and ChurchSuite are helping churches do exactly this. One plan. Every channel. No more chaos.

The practical step: Map out every channel your church currently uses to communicate. Count how many tools that involves. If it’s more than three, you probably have a fragmentation problem worth solving.

4. SMS Is Outperforming Email. By a Lot.

Your weekly email is important. Don’t stop sending it.

But here’s a stat that should get your attention: SMS messages have a 96% read rate, usually within three minutes of being received.

Compare that to the average email open rate, which hovers around 20-30% for churches. There’s no comparison.

In 2026, smart church communicators are using SMS for:

• Sunday morning service reminders
• Mid-week check-ins and prayer prompts
• Last-minute event updates
• Personal pastoral follow-ups at scale

This isn’t spam. Done right, it feels personal and pastoral. And it reaches people where they actually are.

Check out my guide to building a church digital strategy for more on how to integrate SMS without overwhelming your congregation.

5. Hybrid Church Is Now the Baseline, Not the Bonus

Post-COVID, a lot of churches thought online church would fade away as people came back in person.

It didn’t.

In 2026, hybrid church is the expectation, not the exception. People want the option to engage online and in person, often switching between the two based on life circumstances.

What this means for your communications:

• Your online congregation needs to feel just as welcomed as people in the room
• Your social and email strategy needs to speak to both audiences
• Your content needs to work on a screen in someone’s living room, not just in a Sunday environment

This also means your communications team needs to think about the full week, not just Sunday. What touchpoints are you creating Monday to Saturday to keep people connected?

6. Personalisation Is the New Professionalism

Your congregation isn’t one audience. It’s many.

Young families have different needs than empty nesters. New visitors need different communication than long-time members. People exploring faith need a different tone than committed volunteers.

In 2026, the churches that communicate best aren’t sending everyone the same thing. They’re segmenting their lists, tailoring their messages, and making people feel seen.

The technology to do this is now accessible to even the smallest church. Most email platforms let you tag and segment your list. You don’t need a marketing department. You need a plan.

The practical step: Create just two segments in your email list. New or irregular attenders. And committed members. Start sending each group a slightly different version of your weekly email. You’ll see engagement improve almost immediately.

7. The Pastor’s Personal Brand Matters More Than Ever

People don’t follow churches. They follow people.

In 2026, the most effective church communication isn’t coming from the official church social account. It’s coming from the pastor’s personal account. Their voice. Their personality. Their faith journey.

When a pastor shows up consistently on social media, not just posting sermon graphics but actually talking to people, sharing struggles, asking questions and responding to answers, it creates a level of trust that no brand can manufacture.

This doesn’t mean every pastor needs to become an influencer. But it does mean that your senior leader’s voice is your most powerful communication asset. Are you using it?

If you want practical help getting your pastor or team confident on camera and social, I work with church leaders on exactly this. Check out my consulting and coaching options here.

The Bottom Line

Church communications in 2026 is more exciting and more accessible than it’s ever been. The tools are better. The reach is bigger. The barriers are lower.

But none of it matters without a plan. Without consistency. Without someone in your church who actually owns the communications strategy and runs with it.

You don’t need a huge team or a big budget. You need clarity about who you’re trying to reach, what you want them to do, and which channels you’re going to use to get there.

Start there. Everything else follows. Got questions? Drop them in the comments or get in touch. I read every one.

The post Church Communications in 2026: What’s Changed and What Matters appeared first on Steve Fogg: Clear & Simple.

SEO. GEO. AEO.

And look, I get it. You’re a pastor, a comms director, or a ministry leader trying to reach your community, not a tech geek trying to decode Google’s latest algorithm update. The last thing you need is more jargon.

But here’s the thing. These three acronyms represent a genuine shift in how people find your church. And if you don’t understand the difference between them, your church could be invisible to the very people you’re trying to reach, and you wouldn’t even know it.

So let me break it down for you. Plain English. No fluff.

First, A Quick Reality Check

Before we dive in, I want you to sit with this for a second.

When someone new moves to your city and they’re looking for a church, what do they do? They don’t ask a friend (yet). They don’t drive around looking for a building with a cross on it. They pull out their phone and they search.

“Churches near me.” “Best church in [your suburb].” “Contemporary church for families in [your city].”

Or increasingly, they ask an AI chatbot like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google’s AI Overview: “What’s a good church for young families in Brisbane?”

That’s the world we’re operating in right now. And SEO, GEO, and AEO are three different ways people find you — or don’t find you — in that search journey.

Let’s look at each one.

What Is SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)?

SEO is the one most of you have heard of. It’s been around for decades and it’s still the foundation of everything.

In simple terms, SEO is the practice of making your church’s website show up when people type a search query into Google (or Bing, or any other search engine).

When someone Googles “church in New York” or “Easter Sunday service near me,” the results that appear on page one didn’t get there by accident. They got there because those websites are optimised, they have relevant content, they load fast, they have other websites linking to them, and Google trusts them.

For churches, SEO typically covers:

• Your website’s content (do you have pages about your services, beliefs, location, pastor?)
• Your blog and sermon content (is it written in a way people are actually searching for?)
• Technical factors (does your site load quickly? Is it mobile-friendly?)
• Backlinks (do other trusted websites link to yours?)
• Your Google Business Profile (more on this below)

Here’s the thing a lot of churches miss: SEO is a long game. You don’t publish a page today and rank on page one tomorrow. It takes months. But the investment compounds over time and the traffic you get is free.

Why SEO still matters for churches in 2026

You might be thinking, is SEO still relevant? The short answer is yes. Absolutely.

Google processes over 8.5 billion searches per day. The majority of people looking for a new church still start with a Google search. And while AI search is growing fast (more on that shortly), traditional Google results still drive the lion’s share of traffic for local searches.

If your church doesn’t show up on page one for “churches in [your city],” you’re invisible to those people. And unlike a paid ad, a well-optimised page keeps working for you 24/7 without spending a cent.

What Is GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)?

This one is newer. Much newer. And it’s where things get really interesting.

GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimisation, and it’s the practice of making sure your church shows up in AI-generated search results.

You’ve probably noticed by now that when you search for something on Google, you often see an “AI Overview” at the top of the page before any traditional results. That’s Google’s AI pulling together an answer from multiple sources and presenting it to the user, without them even needing to click a link.

The same thing happens with tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and others. People ask a question, and the AI synthesises an answer from across the web.

GEO is about making sure your church is the source the AI pulls from.

Think about it this way. If someone asks Perplexity “what are some welcoming churches for new Christians in New York?” you want your church to be one of the options it mentions. Not because you paid for it, but because your content is authoritative, structured, and trustworthy enough that the AI chooses to reference it.

What influences GEO for churches?

This is a field that’s still developing rapidly, but here’s what we know matters:

Content authority. The AI pulls from sources it considers credible. If your church website has in-depth, well-written content about your values, beliefs, programs, and community, that works in your favour.

Structured data. Adding schema markup to your website (this is a bit of code that helps AI understand what your content is about) makes it much easier for AI engines to identify and reference your church correctly.

Being cited by others. If other trusted websites, local news outlets, or denominational directories mention your church, AI models treat you as more credible.

Consistent, accurate information everywhere. Your name, address, phone number, service times, if these are consistent across your website, Google Business Profile, your denomination’s directory, and local listings, AI models trust your data more.

Here’s the honest truth: most churches have not even started thinking about GEO yet. That actually gives your church a real opportunity right now to get ahead of the game.

What Is AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)?

AEO — Answer Engine Optimisation — is the practice of structuring your content so that search engines and AI tools present your church as the direct answer to a specific question.

You’ve seen this in action. You Google something like “what time does church start on Sunday” and instead of a list of blue links, you get a direct answer pulled right from a website — a featured snippet, a Knowledge Panel, or a “People Also Ask” box.

AEO is about winning those spots.

The difference between SEO and AEO:

SEO = optimising to appear in a list of search results. AEO = optimising to be the answer at the top of the page, before anyone even sees the results.

As AI-powered search grows, AEO is becoming increasingly important. Google’s AI Overviews, featured snippets, and voice search are all forms of answer engine experiences. When someone asks their Google Home or Siri “when does [church name] hold its services?” — that’s AEO territory.

How to optimise for AEO as a church

Answer specific questions in your content. Think about the questions new people ask about your church: What denomination are you? Is there childcare? What should I wear? What’s parking like? Do you have an online service? Create content that answers these directly and clearly.

Use FAQ sections. Adding a frequently asked questions section to your key pages — your homepage, your “visit us” page, your services page — gives Google and AI tools exactly what they’re looking for.

Claim and complete your Google Business Profile. This is genuinely one of the most important things a church can do and it’s free. Your Google Business Profile feeds directly into knowledge panels and local answer results. Make sure your hours, address, service times, photos, and description are all complete and current.

Optimise for voice search. People ask voice search in natural language — “Hey Google, find me a church that’s good for families near Chatswood.” Make sure your content speaks that language too.

SEO vs GEO vs AEO: What’s the Difference?

Let me put it together simply.

The honest answer is you need all three. They’re not competing strategies, they work together. A strong SEO foundation makes GEO and AEO easier. Content that wins on AEO often also helps GEO. Think of them as layers, not alternatives.

What Should Your Church Actually Do Right Now?

Okay, enough theory. Here’s what I’d actually recommend, in order of priority.

1. Start with your Google Business Profile

If you haven’t claimed and fully completed your Google Business Profile, do that today. Seriously, before you do anything else. It’s free, it impacts your local SEO rankings, it feeds AI search results, and it powers voice search answers. It is the single highest-leverage action most churches can take.

Make sure your name, address, phone, service times, denomination, photos, and a well-written description are all filled in. Keep it updated. Respond to reviews.

2. Make sure your website answers the questions people actually ask

Walk through your website as if you’ve never heard of your church. Can you find out what you believe, when you meet, where you are, what to expect on your first visit, whether there’s something for kids, and whether you can watch online? If the answers to those questions are buried or missing — that’s your first content project.

3. Create content worth citing

AI search engines reference authoritative content. Start a blog if you haven’t already. Write about your community, your theology, your programs. Publish sermon summaries. Create “how to find a church” style content. The more valuable, specific, and consistent your content is — the more likely AI tools are to reference it.

4. Add schema markup to your site

This is a bit technical, but your web developer (or a plugin if you’re on WordPress) can add LocalBusiness and Church schema markup to your site. This tells search engines and AI tools exactly what kind of organisation you are, where you’re located, and when you’re open. It’s one of the clearest GEO signals you can give.

5. Add FAQ sections to your key pages

Think about the ten most common questions people ask about your church and put them on your website in a clear Q&A format. This directly targets AEO, featured snippets and AI-generated answers love well-structured Q&A content.

6. Get listed in relevant directories

Your denominational website. Local council directories. Community noticeboards. Australian Christian Churches. The Baptist Union. Whatever is relevant to your tradition — get listed there. Those citations tell Google and AI models that your church is a real, credible organisation.

The Big Picture

Here’s the thing I want you to take away from this.

The way people find your church is changing. It was already changing before AI came along, and now it’s changing even faster. The churches that understand this and invest in their digital presence will reach more people. The churches that ignore it will become harder and harder to find.

That’s not a scare tactic. It’s just the reality.

But here’s the encouraging part: most churches haven’t done the basics yet. That means if your church takes even a few of the steps I’ve outlined here, you will stand out. The bar is genuinely low.

And the whole point of being found online isn’t to win a digital marketing competition. It’s to reach the person who moves into your suburb next week and types “churches near me” into their phone at 11pm because they’re lonely and looking for community.

That’s who you’re optimising for.

Your Turn

Where is your church in this journey? Have you claimed your Google Business Profile? Are you thinking about AI search yet? I’d love to know where you’re at — drop a comment below and let’s talk about it.

Want help getting your church found online? Get in touch and let’s see what’s possible.

The post SEO vs GEO vs AEO: What Every Church Needs to Know to Get Found Online in 2026 appeared first on Steve Fogg: Clear & Simple.

1. ChurchCopy.ai

If you work in Church Communications ChurchCopy.ai is a game changer. ChurchCopy.ai is simply amazing and helps you create content for all your communications channels. If you work in a church where you don’t have a team doing all the bits of work across different channels this will help you stay on top of your weekly routine and will also free your time up. It will also write in your church’s tone of voice. The cost is so low that it basically a few hours pay for a person with the output of a whole team. You can also store all your visual assets in one place too. You can also save all your photos to use on different projects Simply amazing. Well done Brock, Holly and team!

Having worked in the church communications space for nearly 20 years now we work on a yearly cycle where much of what we create disappears into the collective memory and is never used again. You can store your projects and re-use them for new ones too. Again you save so much time.

It’s free to explore and try out. I highly recommend it.

2. CaptionKit

I serve in a large multi-site church that has people from my different cultural backgrounds. Some who have been in Australia for may years and speak English, but some who are more recent arrived from South East Asia. We’ve been looking for a solution that will help anyone no matter what their language access our church service in their own language – LIVE in the room. CaptionKit is does this and also creates subtitles for those who are hard of hearing. It’s a really simple set up and easy to use. In essence they create real time captions and translations for churches. And you can try it out for free.

3. SermonShots

While it’s not new, SermonShots has been adding new features all the time. It’s a world class product. A new feature I simply adore is the carousel post creator where it will create hook style posts from your sermon video. It just makes content generation so much quicker. We always go through and check it of course, but it really does speed the process up.

SermonShots also has translation and you can now embed the video of your sermon with a summary and make it much more SEO friendly which is very cool.

4. ChurchCanvas.ai

Who’d have thought that you could create a sermon graphic or a social media post just through a prompt? I’m a graphic designer and I wasn’t 100% sure about letting AI create this to be honest. But I’ve seen some of the design output from it and some of it has been amazing. Some of it has been not amazing. But I get this is in early development and will be improving all the time.

What I do like about ChurchCanvas is the innovation that is happening. Although I’m conflicted about the creation of graphics not by a person. Maybe I’m just old. But I do admire the team for having a go.

Final thoughts

AI is the new frontier, and while non of these products are completely perfect they usher in a new era of AI innovation. I know we are only in year one and I’m excited to see the potential of what’s possible as these new products develop and mature.

There will be different ethical considerations as AI grows in it’s influence and impact. I highly recommend your church consider developing your own AI Use policy to guide your staff team.

Your Turn

What are you seeing that is exciting you? Comment below and share it with the community!

The post Four AI Products Your Church Should Try Right Now appeared first on Steve Fogg: Clear & Simple.

Understanding the Change in Instagram’s Visibility

As it stands both Facebook and Instagram have been not really appearing in any great volume in Google’s Search results. Accounts have been shown, but really with no real impact. Google had been protecting it’s turf. YouTube, Search are it’s main income sources so it wasn’t in Google’s best interests to bring in more competition. But that has now changed. I still can’t see why

What Does It Mean for Instagram Posts to be Searchable?

When I say that Instagram posts are now searchable on Google, it means that public content from professional accounts, whether it’s a business or creator account, has the potential to appear in search results. Previously, Google Search primarily indexed Instagram profiles, but now individual Instagram posts, including public photos and videos, can be indexed by Google. This means that when users perform a Google search, relevant Instagram content can now appear in search engine results, leading directly to the Instagram post.

How Instagram Content Will Start Showing Up in Google Search

The way Instagram content will start showing up in Google Search hinges on several factors, primarily the use of relevant keywords in captions and alt text. Optimizing your Instagram post with strong keywords ensures that when someone searches for those terms on Google, your Instagram post has a higher chance of appearing in Google search results. This extends the reach of your Instagram content beyond the platform itself, allowing you to capture a wider audience actively searching for related information. Proper use of hashtags also plays a role in how searchable your posts can become on Google.

The Timeline: Changes Starting July 10

The changes enabling Instagram posts on Google began with a phased rollout, starting July 10. This is when Google started indexing and displaying public photos and videos from Instagram. The initial phase might not have included all content, but as the indexing process progresses, more and more Instagram accounts and posts will begin appearing in Google. This shift presents a significant opportunity for those with a business or creator account to enhance their visibility by ensuring their Instagram content is optimized for search.

The Impact on Instagram SEO

This is going to have a massive impact on how Instagram. While accounts have been visible for some time on Google Search now every post will be discoverable which means usage of the platform will only increase. And who knows? This may even in time include Facebook?

How to Optimize Your Instagram Posts for Google Search

To optimize your Instagram posts for Google Search, focus on Instagram SEO techniques, ensuring your Instagram content is easily indexed by Google. Begin by identifying relevant keywords that your target audience is likely to use when performing a Google Search. Incorporate these keywords naturally into your caption and alt text, making your Instagram post more likely to appear in Google Search results. Creating high-quality, engaging public photos and videos will also increase the likelihood of your public content appearing in Google.

The Importance of Captions and Hashtags

Captions and hashtags are crucial for improving the visibility of your Instagram posts. A well-crafted caption not only engages your audience but also provides context that helps search engines understand the content of your Instagram post. Incorporate relevant keywords naturally within your caption to boost your chances of appearing in Google search. Similarly, strategic use of hashtags can significantly increase your Instagram content’s reach. Choose hashtags that are both relevant and popular to maximize the potential of appearing in Google Search results and broaden your audience reach and discoverability.

Strategies to Enhance Visibility of Public Posts

To enhance the visibility of your public posts and increase your chances of appearing in Google Search, several strategies can be employed. First, ensure your Instagram profile is set as a business or creator account to unlock additional features and analytics. Regularly post high-quality, engaging public content that is relevant to your target audience. Use descriptive and keyword-rich captions and alt text to improve Instagram SEO. Encourage engagement through comments and shares, as higher engagement can signal to search engines that your Instagram content is valuable.

Implications for Churches and Non-Profits & Brands

Your content now on Instagram is now equally important in terms of how your church or non-profit gets discovered as your website or YouTube. I suspect that Google will still prioritise YouTube and websites as this is their bread and butter already, but it still opens up a storytelling aspect to how your church or non-profit will get discovered as you will be putting humans on camera!

How This Change Affects Content Creators

This new development, where Instagram posts are now searchable on Google, significantly impacts content creators. With public content from professional accounts like business or creator accounts now indexed by Google, creators have a greater opportunity to increase their visibility. Optimizing their Instagram content with relevant keywords in captions and alt text will be crucial for appearing in Google search, driving more traffic to their Instagram profiles and reels.

Marketing Strategies for Brands in the New Landscape

For brands, the ability for Instagram posts to appear in search results necessitates a shift in marketing strategies. Brands must now focus on Instagram SEO by optimizing their public posts, including public photos and videos, with relevant keywords and hashtags to ensure they are indexed by search engines. Creating engaging Instagram content that aligns with customer searches will improve their chances of appearing in Google search results, leading to increased brand awareness and customer acquisition.

Engagement and Interaction: What to Expect

Expect increased engagement and interaction on Instagram as more Instagram posts start showing up in Google search. Users who discover Instagram content through Google Search are likely to be highly interested in the topic, potentially leading to higher conversion rates. Brands and creators should focus on fostering a community by responding to comments and encouraging shares to maximize the impact of their visibility when appearing in Google search results. Furthermore, the enhanced discoverability offers opportunities to drive traffic and appear in search engine results.

Future of Search Engines and Social Media Integration

Trends in Search Engine Indexing of Social Media Content

The trend of search engine indexing of social media content is only set to increase in the future. As search engines like Google strive to provide users with the most relevant and comprehensive search results, integrating public content from professional accounts from platforms like Instagram becomes essential. This trend started July 10 and signals a move towards a more integrated and holistic approach to search, benefiting both users and content creators alike. This shift emphasizes the importance of Instagram seo.

Potential for Increased Traffic and Audience Growth

The potential for increased traffic and audience growth is significant with Instagram posts on Google. As more Instagram accounts and posts are indexed by Google, businesses and creators can tap into a wider audience actively searching for information related to their content. By optimizing their Instagram content, including reels, with relevant keywords and hashtags, they can significantly increase their visibility and attract new followers, which will help with increasing traffic. This also enhances their chance of appearing in google search.

Comparing Instagram’s Searchability to Other Platforms

While other social media platforms also strive for searchability, Instagram’s integration with Google Search marks a significant step forward. Instagram’s visual focus makes it particularly well-suited for appearing in Google search results, especially for product-related queries. Compared to text-heavy platforms, Instagram’s engaging public photos and videos can capture attention more effectively. The ability to optimize captions and alt text for search engines further enhances Instagram’s edge in driving relevant traffic. To boost your visibility, ensure that your instagram content is tagged with relevant hashtags.

The post Instagram Posts Are Now Showing Up In Google Search: And Why It’s SO Important appeared first on Steve Fogg: Clear & Simple.

It’s called Magai and I honestly love it. I’m like a kid in a playground with many more toys to experiment with. There are 30 different paid AI apps you can try out all for the same price as one AI app.

They include:

• GPT-4o + GPT-4o Mini
• o1 + o1 Mini
• Gemini (Pro, Flash)
• Claude (Haiku, Sonnet, Opus)
• Meta Llama AI
• Nova (Lite, Micro, Pro)
• Grok
• Saved Prompts
• Dall-E 3
• Flux (Pro + Pro Ultra)
• Stable Diffusion 3.5
• Ideogram 2.0
• Leonardo AI
• Runway ML
• Luma Dream Machine
• Minimax
• Deepseek
• Mistral
• Perplexity Sonar, Sonar Pro & Deep Research
• Veo2

The other cool features is that the team at Magai have actually built a very good UI interface that rocks with some added functionality ontop of the tools.

• Read website or Youtube links: While ChatGPT might be unable to read a website link in real time, Magai does it. Just paste a link in your message and Magai will relay the contents of the URL to ChatGPT. Amazing time saving for me.

• AI Personas (aka GPTs) Choose from pre-made specialized AI personalities or create your own custom ones (like GPTs) that will result in 10x better content. This seriously rocks. I can create my own or use ones others have created. It just takes your content to the next level so much quicker.

How Can They Do This?

I know what you are thinking. How can they do this when it costs so much just to use one app. Truth is, I have no idea. But it’s legal and it works. I’ve seen a few other aggregator apps around but Magai is the best of breed.

The post How To Get Access To All The Best Paid AI Apps For The Price Of One AI App appeared first on Steve Fogg: Clear & Simple.

There is a mixture of what you get, some are for social media, video, worship, background media. Like most free graphic resources you may need to exchange your email address to download the Easter Graphics, but hey, it’s free.

Church Canvas.ai

Download here

Download here

Church Fuel

Download here You need to sign up (for free) but there have stacks of free stuff.

Life.Church Open

I love how they provide free Easter graphics each year on their Open Network.

Download here Again you need to sign up.

Crossway

My comm’s team have created this graphic for our Easter Sunday Service this year. Feel free to contact me and one of my team will send you the file. We also have a more moody dramatic Good Friday graphic as well.

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Why make a shorter sermon video reel?

Apart from what I wrote above about the discovery opportunities, we live in an era where our attention spans are much shorter and actually we would do well to highlight and impactful point the preacher was making to the congregation.

In other words, just get to the point preacher! As my friend Dave Adamson says, we live in a YouTube world where people are used to shorter content. 

Step 1: Choose A Video Clip Editor

There are a few cool browser based video editor ai tools for churches that will help you turn your sermons into shareable videos that will reach more people. They have the capacity to create clips for all the major social media platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, Youtube Shorts and Facebook Reels. Here are some that I have tested and used to create videos for posting to social media.

Sermon Shots 

Post Sunday 

Pulpit.ai

Church.Tech

Opus Clip

I’m not going to review them in this post. Explore them all and learn the strengths and weaknesses in each product. All these products have other great features as well which I will write about in another post.

Step 2: Create Your BrandKit

Most of the good ai-powered sermon editor tools have brandkits. Once they are set up, you don’t have to think about fonts or colours for your captions and logos each time you create a reel. This saves your valuable digital ministry time. 

Step 3: Upload Your Sermon

What I love about these tools is that when you upload original content from your Sunday service like your sermon they will automatically select what they think are some of the main points and create engaging clips using the AI powered software.  

You can also upload any devotional thoughts that you have shot on video too. Don’t just think about sermons!

Why Use AI-Powered Sermon Clips

Some of you may be put off by the use of AI. But when you are harnessing the power of AI in the right way in your video editing, it will act as an assistant video editor (Not your Video Director) clipping you some of the best bits and save time for you to spend working on other things. I watch all our sermons every week, four times every weekend, so I always know what those points are. And so far, they are always matching what I have written down as what are best the shareable moments we should be posting across social media platforms. 

It’s important to grasp this key difference to use it as an assistant rather than a Director.

How To Make Your Video Clips Go Viral

You can actually help your content go further. For example on YouTube in the studio it will tell you the best times to post when your audience is online. That is a great start as it gives your video clip a good head start and if it resonates with them and they engage with it, then it will travel beyond your audience to more people.

A second factor is to test different types of content. Sermon clips is what I have referenced above. But there is so much more content you can post. For example, I find worship video shorts on YouTube go further than sermon video shorts on YouTube. We’ve had the occasional piece of worship content go well beyond our existing audience.

A third factor can be seasonality. If you post types of content in the right season you can trend jack the season and your content will go much further. For example. We love creating Christmas carols clips in the lead up to Christmas and they always go further than our existing audience. And they do it again the following Christmas as well.

There is no secret formula go making your content go viral, but you can give it a good push!

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As you may know if you’ve been reading my blog for some time you will have also read my posts about the ever changing face of digital comms and more specifically, social media.

The same now is happening in the creative communications arena. For Graphic Designers, writers, and in the near future in video. How we create what we create will fundamentally change forever.

Read that again.

How we create what we create will fundamentally change forever.

For many of us with a creative background we will be opposed to the introduction of generative AI. I get that argument. There is some beautiful in the way we express ourselves in creating what we create. However I’ve heard that argument since I started in the creative arts industry. When I started out as a graphic designer we set type in ‘Hot Metal’ (If you don’t know what that is, look at the photo at the top) Then computers came in and we could set type on a screen. Then Mac’s arrived and we could design whole pages. Then colour screens arrived. Then the internet arrived and it all changed again.

Editor’s note: I’ve found this cool app that will let you play with nearly all Generative AI app’s for the price of one. Read more here.

Change is a natural part of the creative process. How we create will always shift. The techniques we use change with the technology presented to us. At the heart of it all still was our talent and gifting. No matter how new the software was, the scarcity of our own talent was the deciding factor on the end product.

Now that’s changed for ever.

There is no longer scarcity of knowledge in creating. AI has flipped that idea on it’s head. Creativity is now open source and what has been limited to very few creatives is now infinite knowledge accessible to the many.

There are some examples out there, but one example I want highlight, because its the first I’ve seen of its kind is Church Canvas. Church Canvas is an AI Design Tool with a user-friendly platform designed specifically for churches to create professional-looking graphics, event banners, sermon slides, and other design materials quickly and easily in seconds by simply describing what you want designed.

While it’s only just launched I believe this product is a canary in the mine for all creative services. What was scarce, it now available to all. It’s not based on my talent. But on what knowledge the AI is fed. It’s not perfect as all new innovations aren’t. But I’d encourage you to give it a go and see for yourself. Yes there are products like Canva that have text to image prompts already, but there is nothing specific until now in the church niche.

On the overwhelmingly positive side of things, for all my creative friends, there will always be a place for artists and creatives. Just how we use the tools to create will be different.

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