Is good design important?
Yes, I think it is.
However, I still hold to the idea that churches put way too much stock in the design without thinking about how to engage their audience, which results in a throwback to the attractional church model of “if they think you’re cool enough, then they will come.” I don’t think that is as relevant to the culture today as it was in 2002.
But is design still really important? To quote midwestern soccer moms, “you betcha.”
Having said that, if you are able to pair great design with posts of substance, then you have a 1-2 punch for connection that can help you engage with new people in your community who haven’t heard of your church as well as continue inspiring your regular attendees.
Sidebar: Hubspot calls that second one “delight,” not inspiration, which I think sounds just adorable. Like Baby Yoda petting a puppy adorable. But I digress…
I started following designers that inspire me on Instagram and they are not only believers but fantastic people with skillz for dayz, ya’ll. Here’s a list of some of my favorite boys and girls that, like the Millenium Falcon, have got it where it counts, kid.
Click any image to enlarge.
Great Designers to follow on Instagram
Jon Carlson @jcdesign4
Creative Director and Designer for Church Media Squad (listed below) who is a wiz with typography.
Kyra Beaty @ky.beaty
She’s another great designer at Church Media Squad who took the hip out of hipster and made it cool again. Personal note: sorry guys, but she happens to be my favorite on this list at the moment!
Joe Cavazos @joecavazos
The creative force behind Sunday Social.
Megan Watson @Meganlwatson
She can go from illustrator to photographer to abstract designer in a second. So cool. She also leads Pro Church Media (mentioned below).
Rob Russo @russocreates
He’s a great freelance designer among other things you’ll have to find out for yourself.
JJ Getz @Jj_designs_stuff
She’s a fantastic designer who can work wonders with typography.
Diana Jenkins @Everygreenandivyco
She’s who you want for handwritten lettering or that drawn-on effect!
Tim Medina @timdesignco
Fantastic minimalist designer specializing in logos.
Renee De Beer @Reneecreatedebeer
She’s probably the purest practical artist on the list, working with pencils and paper and translating to digital.
Gabe Quick @gabequick.design
An incredibly versatile designer who can nail that retro vibe.
Amanda Souza @Amandsgn
She’s a spectacular abstract designer that can connect unrelated items in a really cool way.
Great Design Agencies to follow on Instagram
I highly recommend the three companies below because they do so much work for churches that you can get a really good idea about what others are doing by simply following them.
Not that you should copy the other churches, but it may help you identify some trends you want to jump on or just help your designers find inspiration for a new project.
Pro Church Media @prochurchmedia
DNG Creative @dngcreative
Church Media Squad @churchmediasquad
Who else?
Who do you follow on Instagram for design inspiration? Link to them in the comments so we can all connect with them! Thanks for reading.