New Storytelling Tools for Second Baptist Church Memphis
Second Baptist Church has called East Memphis home since 1965. The congregation seeks to honor Christ by building unity while embracing theological diversity and ministering to the world around them.
That sounds like a tough needle to thread nowadays, but it’s not uncommon for more people to walk through their doors during a weekday than on Sunday morning. From basketball programs to pickleball, a vibrant Parent’s Day Out program to private support groups, the annual pumpkin patch to jumpstarting the new Front Porch facility…Second Baptist is a hub of human thriving for many in the local community, whether they are members or not.
They have a beautiful story, but for several years the church has lacked the tools to share it well. Hiring a marketing agency couldn’t be the answer because churches shouldn’t market themselves. Younger people are especially sensitive to a church trying to sell a product or firm answer, and that’s not the style of Second Baptist anyway. This is a church that is simply doing their best to be the church. What they needed was easy-to-use tools to tell their own story with authenticity and honesty.
After a few conversations to learn about each other and identify their needs, I suggested we start by making a new website and overhauling their language, creating a banner video for the homepage that can give people a sense of what the church feels like, and capturing new photos that can be used for years to come. Combined together, these basic storytelling tools lay a solid foundation for Second Baptist to better share who they are in a natural and authentic way.
New Website & Banner Video
Second Baptist’s website was outdated and had become sprawling over time. It also didn’t fully reflect the warmth and welcome found among the people here. In the new design I reduced the number of menu dropdowns and pages, worked with the staff to update and better organize information for members and guests, and used warmer colors found in the sanctuary’s gorgeous stained glass, all to lean into the welcoming culture of the church.
I also kept in mind bringing the website to life when I was capturing the new banner video found on the homepage and photos, which we’ll get to in a moment.
The new website is much warmer, cleaner, and better matches the culture of the church. Now when a visitor drops in on Sunday morning or during the week, what they saw online will more closely match what they experience in person. Members can find things more easily now, too. It looks great on mobile, is SEO-friendly, and can be updated by the church staff with ease as needed. This is what authentic storytelling is supposed to feel like.
A few more pages worth paying attention to:
New Core Photo Assets
In this age of short-form vertical video, people often forget that still photos remain critical in storytelling and communications. Having a large and diverse library on hand for web, social and email, and print is not only wise, it can save significant time and money over the long haul.
I worked with the church staff to make a list of core photo needs, then dropped in on Palm Sunday and a following weekday to capture Sunday morning activities, staff, facilities, and more. There were some special needs to be covered as Second Baptist is also a registered arboretum and hosts The Front Porch facility and a prayer labyrinth on their property.
The photos I captured cover a wide mix and a few different looks so they can be used across all forms of church communication. Some are formal while others are more candid or simply practical. Many can be used on their own or with copy laid on top. In total, I delivered almost 900 edited photos. You can see several examples above.
A Welcoming Church
Throughout my time at Second Baptist I found myself returning over and over again to the word welcoming. Everyone here made me feel completely welcome. There were several times when I lowered my camera to just chat with someone. This is the kind of work I love doing, and getting to know some of the staff and members along the way has been a real joy. It’s good to know Second Baptist is now much better equipped to share their own story, all at a fraction of the cost of what a marketing agency would have charged them.
If you find yourself in East Memphis and are looking for a new church to call home, I encourage you to visit Second Baptist one Sunday. Details can be found here.
