How to Build a Small Church Website

When you're building a church website, know the church's goals so you can plan accordingly. The website should provide visitors and members of the congregation with the information they request frequently. This includes the church's address, phone number, order of services, upcoming events, and a photo of the church, pastor or special programs. You should start small and leave out excessive features, such as a membership database, but leave room for expansion as the church grows.

Instructions

1. Sign up for a web-hosting account and register for a domain name through a registrar or hosting provider. Use a hosting provider that has a website builder tool, which you can use to create the site if you're not familiar with HTML.

2. Gather the goals, content and colors the church wants to use. Then sketch a design based on the church's ideas and include any pages the site will contain.

3. Log in to the control panel of your hosting account to open the website builder. Select a category and theme that work with your layout and goals.

4. Follow the wizard to customize your color scheme and main images, saving your work as you progress.

5. Select your text colors, fonts and logo, then add the church's name, which will appear on each page. To insert the church's logo, choose the logo/image button within the program. You will be directed to pull the image you want to use from your computer or disk.

6. Manage the pages for the website and type in any page names you want to add, such as "Home," "About Church," "Events" and "Contact." Then save the updates when you are finished.

7. Insert your page content, starting with the "Home" page by highlighting any existing (dummy) text and removing it. Then add the order of services and any information you want members and visitors to see right away.

8. Insert a photograph of the church, pastor or an event by selecting the insert photo button within the application and uploading the image you want to use.

9. Link to another page on your website by clicking on the link button within the website builder. Then pick the page you want to link to. To link to an external website, type in the full website address you're linking to.

10. Save your changes and select the "About Church" page to add content to it.

11. Remove any existing text, then add content about the church, its history, beliefs and pastor. Save the "About Church" page and select the "Events" page to edit it.

12. Remove any existing text, then add special events and dates you want to share on this page. Save the "Events" page and go to the "Contact" page to edit it.

13. Remove any existing text and add the church's address, phone number, hours and directions. Save your work once you are finished.

14. Follow the wizard to add a footer to the website. Include a copyright note with the church's name and the current year, as well as links to the main pages on your website.

15. Use the inbuilt publisher within the application to publish the church's website onto the Internet.

References

• CM4All: Website Builder Tool