Church leaders are always told there's a new tool or trend they "have to" adopt — this newsletter cuts through the noise with a straight answer on what's actually worth your time. One trend, one verdict, and one step you can take this week. Let’s go.
Should your church website look like a nightclub?
Dark mode isn't just a phone setting anymore — it's showing up on church homepages, and some of the biggest churches in the country are betting on it. Before you scrap your light, airy design for something moodier, here's what's actually driving this and who it's really for.
Should a church change it’s website design?
Above the fold:
Dark mode isn't just a phone setting anymore — it's showing up on church homepages, and some of the biggest churches in the country are betting on it. Before you scrap your light, airy design for something moodier, here's what's actually driving this and who it's really for.
The Trend
A real shift is underway from the soft-blue, white-background church website toward dark backgrounds, bold accent colors, and high-contrast text — the kind of look Elevation, Transformation, and Vous Church have made their own. It reads as confident, modern, and premium, and it's spreading beyond the mega-church world.
The Translation
This isn't really about aesthetics — it's about who your website is trying to signal to. A dark, bold design says "we're contemporary, we're for you if you've never set foot in a church before." A light, clean design says "we're warm, familiar, easy to trust." Neither is wrong. But picking the wrong one for your actual congregation can quietly undercut the very people you're trying to reach.
Verdict: Worth a Shot
Not a blanket yes. If your church skews younger, is planting or rebranding, or wants to signal "this isn't your grandmother's church" — this is worth testing. If your congregation is older, more traditional, or your website's main job is helping existing members find service times and sermon links, stick with what's warm and legible. This is a "know your audience first" trend, not a "everyone should do this" trend.
One Move
Before you touch a single design file, pull up your site's analytics and look at who's actually visiting — new-visitor traffic vs. returning-member traffic. Let that number, not the trend, decide which direction you go.
If you’re ready for a new website, just reach out! We’re create something custom that fits your church culture.
Until next week,
Josh
The Church Comms Guy
Got a trend you want translated? Hit reply or reach out below and let us know.