Your Church Marketing Team Is Missing Vital Organs – And Hampering Your Mission

The Anatomy of Ministry Ineffectiveness

We work with a lot of small to mid-sized churches, and a pattern emerges with disturbing consistency. They come to us burnt out and frustrated—trying to communicate a world-changing message with a team that’s woefully incomplete. A common challenge we hear repeatedly: they only have a few people responsible for marketing communication, and those people are drowning under too many responsibilities.

Imagine trying to run a marathon with one lung, no spleen, and half a heart. That’s exactly what your church is attempting with your current marketing communications team structure.

Here’s the painful Say-Do Gap crippling churches today: You say reaching people with the gospel is your highest priority, but what you’re doing—understaffing, under-resourcing, and undervaluing your communications team—tells a completely different story. Churches have limited resources in terms of people and money, but the allocation of those resources reveals what you truly value.

The solution isn’t just working harder or expecting more from overwhelmed staff—it’s strategic restructuring: Understand what roles and responsibilities are actually needed for effective ministry communications, then determine the best available options to fill those critical gaps.

When this Say-Do Gap closes, the transformation is immediate: When you have the right people doing the right jobs, you get dramatically better results and reduce the burnout that’s driving your best people away. Your communication becomes effective rather than exhausting.

Here’s the key takeaway that should reshape your approach to ministry communications: Just like the body of Christ has many parts with distinct functions, so too should your church marketing communications department. A body missing vital organs cannot function properly, and neither can your communications team.

“There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ.”

— 1 Corinthians 12:12

The Organizational Malpractice of Church Marketing

Let’s be honest about the state of most church marketing departments. They’re not just underresourced – they’re structurally deficient in ways that would bankrupt many business within months.

The typical church communications department is a case study in organizational malpractice:

• Too few people wearing too many hats, causing chronic stress, inevitable burnout, and consistently mediocre results
• Staff members with zero formal training or professional experience in marketing or communications
• Leaders who graduated from seminary school, not marketing programs, trying to navigate a communications landscape they barely understand
• A fundamental lack of understanding about what marketing communications even is—many churches we work with haven’t even heard the term “Marcoms” (Marketing Communications)

A marketing communications team is the group responsible for creating and delivering messages that inform, persuade, and engage target audiences about your church using various channels and tools. It’s not just the person who updates your Facebook page or creates the bulletin—it’s a strategic function that should drive your entire outreach effort.

Yet most churches have assigned this critical ministry to whoever happened to be somewhat tech-savvy or expressed interest in social media. It’s the equivalent of asking someone who enjoys cooking at home to run a five-star restaurant. The intention is good, but the result is predictably disastrous.

The most telling evidence of this dysfunction? Look at who’s responsible for your church’s communications strategy. Often it’s:

• The worship pastor who “seems creative”
• An administrative assistant who “knows computers”
• A volunteer who works in an unrelated field but is willing to help
• The lead pastor who already has 60+ hours of responsibilities

Would you ask your dentist to perform heart surgery? Would you ask your plumber to rewire your house? Yet churches routinely ask people with no relevant training or experience to handle the most visible aspect of their ministry—their communication with the world.

This isn’t just ineffective—it’s unfair to the dedicated people trying their best with inadequate support, training, and resources.

The Complete Anatomy of an Effective Church Communications Team

If you’re serious about closing the Say-Do Gap in your communications, you need to understand what a complete, effective marketing communication roles and responsibilities are actually needed. Here’s the list that will drive ministry impact:

1. Strategy: Every effective communications team needs someone who understands the big picture—how all communication efforts align with the church’s distinctive core belief and mission. This person develops campaign strategies, manages resources, and ensures all communication efforts work cohesively toward clear goals.

2. Copywriting: Words matter—especially in ministry. A skilled copywriter crafts messages that resonate with both believers and seekers, tells compelling stories, and moves people to action. Today’s copywriter is also adept at using AI to generate and refine content efficiently, maximizing impact while minimizing time investment.

3. Graphic Design: Visual communication is no longer optional—it’s essential. Your graphic designer creates the visual identity that people associate with your church, from logos and branding to social media graphics and print materials. They ensure visual consistency across all platforms and materials.

4. Photography: Authentic, high-quality photography humanizes your ministry and captures the life of your church. A skilled photographer doesn’t just take pictures—they tell visual stories that connect emotionally with your audience and showcase the real people and diverse moments in your community.

5. Videography: Video has become the dominant content format online. Your videographer creates everything from sermon clips and testimonials to promotional content and documentary-style storytelling that engages viewers and communicates your message in the most compelling format.

6. Content Creation/Social Media Management: Beyond just posting updates, effective social media management involves content planning, community engagement, and platform-specific strategy. This role creates and curates content that builds community, increases engagement, and extends your church’s reach.

7. Systems Administration: The technical backbone of your communications efforts, this role manages your CRM, email platforms, automation workflows, and other technical systems that keep your communications running smoothly and effectively.

8. Website Administration: Your website is your digital front door. This role ensures it remains updated, secure, functional, and effective at moving visitors toward engagement with your church.

9. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): When people in your community search for spiritual guidance or a church home, will they find you? Your SEO specialist ensures your content is discoverable by the people who need it most through strategic keyword optimization and content planning.

10. Digital Advertising: Strategic, targeted digital advertising extends your reach beyond your existing audience. This role manages ad campaigns across platforms to reach specific audiences with tailored messages.

11. Public Relations: Building relationships with local media and community organizations amplifies your church’s voice and establishes credibility. This role seeks opportunities to share your church’s story in broader contexts.

This list may seem daunting, especially for smaller churches. But acknowledging the complete picture is better than pretending these functions don’t matter. Now that you understand what roles are needed, you can develop a plan to address each one over time in a manner that works best for your unique church.

Practical Solutions for Real-World Ministry

The reality is clear: Churches need people to fill each role in this organizational structure, whether through paid staff, trained volunteers, or strategic partners. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s limiting how many different hats any one person must wear while ensuring every vital function is covered.

Here’s how to build a complete communications team with limited resources:

1. Hire Strategically: When Possible If budget allows, prioritize hiring top-tier talent for the most critical gaps in your team. Jesus recruited fishermen to catch fish; churches need to recruit marketing professionals to help “fish for people” through effective communication. Even one strategic hire in a key area can transform your entire communications effort.

2. Mine the Untapped Talent in Your Congregation: Your congregation likely contains untapped professional expertise. Accountants sit in your pews while your finances struggle. Marketers listen to your sermons while your outreach flounders. Teachers attend your classes while your discipleship process stagnates.

Develop a strategic process to:

• Identify the professional skills and talents of your members
• Evaluate their abilities against your specific needs
• Recruit them for appropriate roles that match their expertise

But a critical warning: Don’t settle for mediocrity. Just because someone in your church can take photos doesn’t mean they’re a great photographer. Strive for excellence in every role, whether filled by staff or volunteers.

3. Develop Internal Advocacy Programs: Your members should be your most powerful marketing channel. They understand your core belief, embody your behaviors, and represent your church in the community. Develop intentional programs to equip them as advocates:

• Train them to articulate your church’s distinctive belief and vision
• Equip them with language that authentically represents your church
• Create opportunities for them to represent your church at community events
• Develop shareable content they can use in their personal networks

Think of your church members as “ministry ambassadors” being equipped for their role. This requires intentional development:

• Training programs that build specific skills
• Clear expectations about quality and consistency
• Recognition systems that celebrate effective advocacy
• Resources that make representation simple and effective

4. Leverage Strategic Partnerships: No church can excel at everything internally. Identify specialized partners who can fill critical gaps:

• Creative agencies for brand development or campaign planning
• Freelance specialists for specific projects or ongoing needs
• Church networks that share resources and expertise
• Technology platforms that automate routine functions

These partnerships aren’t just expense items—they’re strategic investments in ministry effectiveness that free your internal team to focus on their core responsibilities. And oftentimes a single agency can fill most of the gaps that exist in your church’s marketing communication team.

From Dysfunction to Kingdom Effectiveness

Just like the body of Christ has many parts with distinct functions, so too should your church marketing communications department. A body missing vital organs cannot function properly, and neither can your communications team.

It’s time for honest self-assessment: How many vital roles in your communications structure are currently unfilled or inadequately covered? Who on your team is wearing too many hats? What critical functions are being neglected entirely?

Churches that implement strategic communications structures see remarkable transformation. Their message reaches more people. Their staff experiences less burnout. Their members become more engaged advocates. Their community impact expands exponentially.

The Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians that every part of the body is essential for proper functioning. Your communications team is no different. Each role serves a vital purpose in effectively sharing your message with a world that desperately needs to hear it.

You can close this Say-Do Gap in your church organization. You can build a communications team that effectively amplifies your message rather than struggles to be heard. You can steward your limited resources in ways that maximize impact without destroying your people.

But it starts with acknowledging the complete picture of what effective communications requires—and committing to build that structure one role at a time.Your message is too important to be handicapped by an incomplete communications team.

Your message is too important to be handicapped by an incomplete communications team.