How to Get Your Church in the News (Without Hiring a PR Firm)
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Your church is doing remarkable things. But if no one outside your congregation knows about it, you’re leaving a massive opportunity on the table — both for community goodwill and for reaching people who need what you have.
That’s where public relations comes in. And no, you don’t need a PR firm to do it well.
What PR Actually Is
The simplest definition: public relations is using media to create positive brand awareness and build your reputation. It’s earned media — coverage you get because your story is worth telling, not because you paid for it.
PR is different from marketing in an important way: marketing is getting people to buy into your vision. PR is building the trust that makes them want to. Trust has to come first.
The Foundation Is Always Storytelling
Journalists don’t cover churches because they’re churches. They cover stories — human stories, community stories, stories of transformation. Your job is to find those stories in your congregation and present them in a way that a journalist cares about.
Is your church feeding 200 families a week? Providing job training for the unemployed? Running a recovery program that’s changed lives in your zip code? That’s a story. Tell it — and tell it to your local TV station, newspaper, and community news sites.
How to Write a Press Release
A press release should be 400–500 words, written in third person, and formatted clearly. Here’s the basic structure:
- Headline: One punchy line that tells the whole story
- Lead paragraph: Who, what, when, where, why — in two to three sentences
- Body: Supporting details, quotes from your pastor or a community member, event logistics
- Boilerplate: A short paragraph about your church — mission, brief history, website
- Contact info: Name, phone, email for the journalist to follow up
After you send it by email, follow up with a phone call. Journalists receive hundreds of pitches. A personal call sets you apart.
Build a Local Media Directory
Create a simple spreadsheet with every media outlet in your area: TV stations, local newspapers, radio stations (radio-locator.com is great for finding these by zip code), community blogs, and local news websites. Note the best contact at each outlet for community news stories.
Keep building this list. When something newsworthy happens at your church, you’ll be ready to move fast.
Think in Seasons
Newsrooms have slower seasons. Summer is typically a “news drought” — which means it’s actually a great time for a church to pitch a positive community story. Thanksgiving and Christmas are competitive. Easter is worth pitching, but you’ll be one of many churches trying.
Be strategic about timing. A great story at the right moment gets covered. A great story at the wrong moment gets buried.
Your church is worth knowing about. Tell the story well, tell it to the right people, and let the community discover what you already know is true.
📖 This post was inspired by my book Church Communications Methods and Marketing (B&H Academic, 2022). If you found this helpful, the book goes much deeper — grab a copy on Amazon and keep building your communications ministry.