1. Use Canva.
Canva is free and super easy. With it, you can design blog graphics, presentations, Facebook covers, flyers, posters, invitations and so much more.
2. Borrow designs.
You don't have to design everything yourself. There are great church designers out there giving their designs away for free. Here are some great ones:
3. Stop using cheesy stock photos.
Use these free resources:
4. Use Squarespace for your church website.
I really don't see why most churches use Wordpress. Yes, it is one of the best options for a church who has a designer on staff; however, the great majority of churches don't have access to a professional. Wordpress has so many plugins, themes, and templates; it's strength? Customization. It's weaknesses? A huge learning curve and lots of room for design mistakes. Squarespace is amazing, because it doesn't allow a great deal of customization. It doesn't allow you to venture too far from the template; in the end, this forces you to make good design choices. Also, Squarespace is $8/mo.
5. Be consistent.
When people visit your church website, are they going to see current service times? The current message series? Is the calendar updated? Good design is consistent. If you don't have the right and updated information on your website and on the slides you show in church, they are essentially useless.
6. Minimize future work.
Don't create too many designs that you'll have to update each week. Be self-aware and realize - you're not going to have time to spend 5 hours per week on graphic design. Don't create a Small Groups design with just the dates for the upcoming week - instead, go with the 1st/3rd Thursday or 2nd/4th Friday method.
7. Ask for help.
Chances are, someone you know is a graphic designer. Ask them to design something for your church, or just ask them to proof and critique your designs!
8. Never stop learning.
Listen to the Pro Church podcast. Sign up for Skillshare. Join the Visual Church Media Facebook group. Follow designers and big churches on Instagram.