How to build a church app – Everything you need to know!

Monday, 23 August 2021

 

Church apps can be great assets to the community they serve, with benefits both for the church itself and the congregation.

Going digital and, more specifically, mobile, allows every church to break through the confinements of its four walls and deliver its message well beyond the Sunday sermon attendees!

Read our comprehensive guide to find out how to build mobile church apps and benefit the same way other churches have benefitted over the years: increase engagement and membership, communicate instantly, and spread the word of God – among other things.

Further Reading: How mobile apps can serve the public interest during time of crisis?

Let’s see how!

How to create a church app in 3 easy steps!

1. Customize the template according to your theme and colors
2. Choose your plan – i.e., the features.
3. Publish your church app!

What are the best features for a mobile church app?

 

After customizing your church app according to the colors of your church or ministry, take your time to think about the features you can add to it. Every feature serves a different purpose, and we will be explaining all the possible benefits as we go, but it’s important to understand customization and simplicity are key elements in mobile app development.

 

Through the control panel, you can personalize your church app as you go, and don’t forget that Looksomething.com can provide unlimited menu items, to match your exact preferences and purposes!

1. Live streaming 

While building a church app, it’s important to add live streaming! This way, you can share your message to more people – people who live far away from your church and can’t attend your Sunday service, or even people who can’t attend because of covid!

Fact #1: According to Gallup, U.S. Church Membership fell below 50% in 2020, for the first time since the 1930s.

Live streaming can have multiple benefits depending on the nature of your app. Is it your Sunday morning sermon you want to stream? Perhaps a radio station playing religious music? Or an all-time-classic gospel radio? Live streaming is the number one feature every mobile church app should have!

2. “About” section

Another important feature you should consider adding to your church app is the “About” section. This way, newcomers will be able to learn more about you, easily and clearly. This is also an SEO-friendly way to increase your congregation. Looksomething.com also offers multiple languages for your church app, so you can communicate your message to a far larger audience!

Fact #2: A “contact us” button increases engagement! Add it to your “about” section, as it is an absolute must for community building, allowing app-users to email or call you instantly! You can also add GPS-tracking in case a member of your church is in need – lending a helping hand has never been easier!

 

3. Push notifications

Through the use of push notifications, you will be able to send reminders, share news and updates, and notify your flock for sermons and special services. Grow your church attendance via reminders and celebrate special occasions with your church members – engaging at its best, with minimum effort!

 

Fact #3: Giving your congregation the opportunity to access your church via a mobile app is a huge benefit, considering half of the Earth’s population, according to Statista, owns a smartphone!

 

4. Social sharing

Adding your social media to your online church app and allowing app-users to share anything with the click of a button is an absolute must of a feature!

Fact #4: People spend around 2.5 hours a day on social media, and it’s extremely likely to read or follow a post shared by a connection.

5. Media galleries

What better way to engage further with your audience and stay in their hearts and minds, than sharing photos and videos of your church?

Fact #5: Looksomething.com knows church app development like no other! If you need to create an ios app or an android app, get in touch!

6. Google Firebase Analytics

A great church app should be connected to Google’s Firebase Analytics, so you can track all important metrics that will help you grow and spread your message to the world.

Fact #6: Geoffrey Moore said, “Without big data, you are blind and deaf and in the middle of a freeway”. So, keep your ears and eyes open!

 

7. Live chat

Whether it’s only on while you live-stream your Sunday service, or 24/7, live chat is an excellent way to stay connected and be of service to your congregation whenever they need to talk and be heard. Being available whenever a member of your church is in need should be a top priority!

Fact #7: Looksomething.com gives the opportunity to all churchgoers to record a message and send it to you directly if they prefer this means of communication over texting or calling

8. Admob

 

Last but not least, you should keep monetization at the back of your mind. The best app developers, like Looksomething.com, utilize addons that you can use so as to increase app functionality and enrich users’ experience. By selling app space you will be able to earn some money during these hard times of low church attendance.

Fact #8: According to a recent study by Christian Web Trends, 20% of people replied that apps were more important that websites. When it came to bigger churches, the preference for apps was even larger, at more than 40%! 

Further Reading: How can I gain money from my app?

Looksomething.com can build your mobile church app, too!

Get in touch and find out how we can create an app for you, customized to your particular needs, so you can connect with your flock on a whole new level, today!

 

Get to know our mobile church app now