As a web designer, I hear this a lot from people. I even hear this from people who kind of, sort of, try to hire me. I especially hear it from those who would rather get some free advice than actually hire me. The result, however, is often the same: nothing.
While admitting the church website needs help is step one, actually doing something is a very distant second step. I have even gone out myself and told churches exactly what to do in some occasions, and completely free. And those websites still stay mired in mediocrity. After you've noticed the 2008 copyright and gone to Google's Webmaster Tools to assess whether the website is mobile-friendly, it's simply time to act. Don't form committees to decide if it's time to act while your website sits there like a paperweight.
It's a cornerstone, really. Today, your cornerstone is your web presence. Without it, the whole church will eventually collapse. Not today, but in the near future. All those churches with cool websites and small messages will continue to get those messages out, while your printed newsletter reaches fewer and fewer parishioners.
Take a look at Brave New Church Website Design. Or Luthernet. Even Passive Ninja. All are based on the idea that a church, school, child care, or small business can use a simple website that looks as good as one costing ten times as much. Done fast, these websites work. They are better than the free templates at the "free" website builders because it's all there already. You just start writing.
Your church numbers might be in decline, and a website will not be the only thing you need to stop that decline. However, NOT having a decent church website is a way of declaring you've given up. You've given up reaching your own members and reaching out to the community. And if you claim to be evangelical in any way, then you cannot give up. Take the second step. Act on a poor website design. Add something to your current website, even if it's not perfect. Get involved in ministries and write about it. Do.
