5 Reasons Your Church Website Isn’t Working (And How to Fix It)

If your church’s website looks like it was built with a “set-it-and-forget-it” attitude you’re not alone. Too many church sites feel like they were designed on a sleepy Sunday afternoon in 2008 and never updated. But your website matters. It’s often the first hello a visitor gets from your church. Here are 5 painfully common struggles and how to fix them without hiring a tech genius.

1. They’re Too Hard to Update

If it takes a seminary degree and a tech degree to change your service times, something’s broken. Many churches get stuck with platforms that are confusing or require coding just to update a photo. The result? Outdated information that makes your church look inactive.

👉 Solution: Pick a user-friendly platform (I recommend Showit, it’s drag, drop, done). Updating your website shouldn’t require prayer, fasting, and a tech hotline.

2. They’re Too Expensive

Churches on tight budgets shouldn’t be paying monthly for generic “church app” websites that deliver little more than bland templating.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Showit: Starts at around $228/year ($19/month) for basic site hosting…affordable.

So, while those other platforms could hit you with $600–$1,200/year in fees, Showit is staying quietly reasonable with one price that doesn’t leave you stressing.

👉 Solution: A one-time investment in a good template is often all you need. You get a professional website without blowing your budget.

3. They’re Too Generic
You’ve seen these sites: the same stock photo of people high-fiving, the same “Welcome Home” header, and the same cookie-cutter layout. Nothing about it feels like your church.

👉 Solution: Your website should reflect your actual people and community. Swap out the stock handshake photo for your youth group’s awkward-but-joyful pizza night. Real > generic, every time.

4. They’re Outdated (Like, Way Outdated)

If your homepage is still advertising last year’s Christmas play… it’s time. Outdated websites make guests wonder if the church is even still open.

👉 Solution: Keep events, times, and announcements fresh. Even if you only update once a month, it signals that your church is active and alive.

5. They’re Not Mobile-Friendly

Here’s the truth: most visitors will check your site on their phone in the parking lot. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, they’ll give up and go somewhere else (and no one wants to pinch-zoom their way to Jesus).

👉 Solution: Use a platform that automatically designs for mobile (again, Showit nails this). Your website should look great on phones, tablets, and yes—even grandma’s desktop computer.

Your website doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does need to be welcoming, accurate, and easy to use. Remember: it’s often the front door to your church.

If your site feels clunky, outdated, or just plain generic, you don’t have to start from scratch. That’s why I created easy-to-edit Showit templates made specifically for churches, so you can have a fresh, modern site without the overwhelm.

👉 Check out my church templates here and give your website the upgrade it deserves.