Free guides
Plain, practical guides for church and charity teams
Short, honest checklists you can use this week, written for busy people who carry a mission and do not have time to read long articles.
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Five guides, each one you can finish in five minutes
What every church website needs
If a first-time visitor can answer these in ten seconds, your website is doing its job.
- Your service times and address, right at the top
- A clear page that says what to expect when someone visits
- A design that works well on a phone, because most visitors use one
- Sermons or messages people can watch or listen to
- One simple way to give, with clear steps and a QR code
- Real photos of your own people, not stock pictures
- Easy ways to reach you: WhatsApp, phone, email and a map link
- A prayer request form, and an events list you update every week
- Pages that load quickly on mobile data
How to write a giving appeal people answer
Most people give when they can picture exactly what their gift does.
- Start with one person or one story, not with statistics
- Name one clear need and one clear amount
- Say plainly what a gift of a given size provides
- Show the steps to give in three lines or fewer
- Thank people quickly and tell them what happened
- Ask once per message, and give a gentle deadline
Grant proposal checklist
Donors read many proposals, so clear and complete wins.
- Read the donor’s guidelines twice, and follow their headings and word limits
- Describe the problem with one or two facts from your own community
- Write objectives you can measure
- Make sure every budget line adds up to your total
- Explain what happens after the funding ends
- Say how you will track results and report back
- Attach your registration documents and proofread before sending
- Submit early, in case of technical problems
A simple weekly rhythm for social media
Small and steady beats big and rare.
- Monday: a short devotional or verse
- Tuesday: a quote card from Sunday’s message
- Wednesday: a behind-the-scenes photo
- Thursday: a short testimony or story of impact
- Friday: an invitation to Sunday or your next event
- Saturday: a gentle reminder with the time and place
- Sunday: photos or a short clip from the day
Taking better photos with a phone
Real, warm photos make your website feel like you.
- Use soft daylight, near a window or in the shade
- Ask permission, especially for children, and explain how you will use the photo
- Get close, and show faces and hands doing the work
- Keep the phone steady, and clean the lens
- Take photos sideways for the website, and upright for stories
- Name your files clearly, so they are easy to find later
Want help with any of these?
Send us a message and tell us where you are stuck. You always get a clear next step, even when the honest answer is to do it yourself.