Church branding should not be an afterthought. Church branding is about your identity as a church. Church branding is what you communicate as the body of Christ. Church branding is a reflection on the God you proclaim. Church branding is really important. As Justin Murphy wrote in his two-part series on church branding, “Getting that message across is what ministry branding is all about.” Today, we’re going to explain one aspect of ministry branding and how to do it. It’s about church logo design. We’re going to let you know about a special church logo design offer from Logo Design Guru.
What is a church logo?
A church logo is simply a graphic identifier for your ministry. Just like Starbucks has their iconic seal and Nike has the svelte “swoosh,” a church logo is a visual entity that communicates your church’s identity.
Why is a church logo important?
- A church logo is important because it is the foundation of your visual identity and branding. A logo is the first thing that a church should design when they’re going for a new look—or any look. A church would never start their new look by designing the letterhead or envelopes. The logo is the core. It is the church logo that will be printed on the letterhead, on the envelope, on the website, and on the church sign. The logo takes the lead. It defines the style of the visual identity, the colors, and the overall scheme.
- A church logo is important because it captures a sense of who you are as a ministry. The logo isn’t merely cool colors and a trendy shape. A logo is a communication tool. It says something about you as a ministry. Many ministries prefer to have a cross as part of their logo. Mission organizations often choose a globe or wheat as a component of their logo. Others like to have an open Bible or some similar design. A logo tells people in a brief snapshot, what they’re looking at.
- A church logo is important because it is a symbol of your ministry. A logo doesn’t have to blatantly communicate something just by itself, however, More important than what the logo looks like is what that logo represent. It represents you. Your ministry. Your church. Your people. Your building. Your friendliness or unfriendliness. Your reputation. The Nike swoosh doesn’t communicate anything concrete by itself. However, as a symbol it communicates a whole lot—athleticism, speed, sportswear, basketball, tennis shoes, and so on. Even if your church logo doesn’t have the explicit symbolism of a cross, or wheat, or a Bible, it does indeed serve as a symbol of your ministry. The symbol is important, not because of what it is inherently, but because of what it represents.
Do you really need a church logo?
You can have a church without a logo. Nonetheless, a church logo is an important part of branding your ministry. Here are a few reasons why you should have a church logo.
- A church logo gives your church a unique identifier.
- A church logo communicates that your church is interested in being identifiable.
- A church logo relates a concern for the visual image of your church.
- A church logo suggests that your church is stable and established.
- A church logo provides a core visual element that can be used on all your visual media.
- A church logo supplies your church with a compact form for communicating your ministry identity.
How do you get a church logo?
Most churches don’t need to be persuaded that they need a logo. When it comes to actually creating that logo, there may be some questions. Let’s clear up some common concepctions, or misconceptions about church logos.
- No ministry is too small to need a logo. Any church or ministry, regardless of size or age, should establish their own visual identifier.
- A logo should be unique. Generally speaking, a piece of clipart with your church name underneath it is not a good logo. You need something unique and aesthetic. Clipart has a reputation for being tacky.
- You should get your logo professionally-designed. Unless you have a professional logo designer in your church, you’ll probably need to go to the pros. It’s ok to do so.
- A logo design is going to cost you some money. Even though you’re a church, expect to shell out a little bit of dough to get a good logo. It’s hard to put a price tag on a logo, because it can be (and I use this word carefully) invaluable. Plus, you’re probably going to use that logo for ten years…or a hundred years.
Are you ready to get a church logo?
If your church doesn’t already have a church logo, Sharefaith would like to help you get one. Sharefaith is all about helping churches communicate better. You’re probably already familiar with our library of 34,000 designs. Now, we’d like to introduce a way for you to get a professionally-designed logo. Our logo design partner is www.LogoDesignGuru.com. Logo Design Guru
has experience in creating logos for churches and religious institutions. They are poised to create a unique and professional logo for your ministry. Here’s what you can expect from Logo Design Guru
:
- Variety and selection. Logo Design Guru
uses a diverse group of designers working independently, so you won’t have one or two design options with just minor variations. Instead, you will be offered a broad spectrum of styles, and you get to pick what you like best.
- Customization. You probably already have a sense of what kind of logo you’re looking for. That is, you may know whether you want your logo to look cartoonish or sophisticated, clean or grunge, cutting-edge or retro. Logo Design Guru
- Speed. Logo Design Guru
- Support. I don’t know about you, but I like to feel as if there are real people behind the company that I’m dealing with. With Logo Design Guru
there are real people. I’ve talked with them. And they’ll talk to you, too. They offer live support right on the website, and they’re very responsive. I like that.
- Low price. We didn’t say that designing a church logo was going to be dirt cheap, but Logo Design Guru