September 17-19, 2025 | Park Near North Church, Chicago

When we launched the Church Communications Group years ago, it started with a simple recognition: church communicators needed a place to connect, learn, and grow together. What began as conversations between a handful of passionate ministry leaders has now evolved into something far beyond what we initially imagined—a thriving community of 35,000+ members and events like ComCon’25 that are genuinely transforming how churches approach communication strategy.

This year’s Church Communications Conference in Chicago wasn’t just another industry gathering. Under the theme “Built with Purpose: Practical Purposeful Church Communications,” nearly 200 church communications directors, pastors, and their teams converged on Chicago’s vibrant North Side for three days of strategic learning focused on one critical challenge: moving people from digital awareness to active discipleship.

The Challenge That Brought Us Together

The conference opened by addressing a reality every church communicator knows too well: people are more aware of churches digitally than ever before, yet fewer are taking meaningful steps to connect. It’s the modern ministry paradox—we have unprecedented reach but struggle with genuine engagement that leads to discipleship.

“What would it look like if your church had a purposeful and proven strategy for moving people from simply knowing about your church to becoming fully connected and discipled?” This question framed the entire conference experience, and speakers delivered practical answers.

A Strategic Framework That Works

ComCon’25 structured its sessions around three critical stages of the modern church communication funnel:

Awareness: Getting Known and Liked

Sessions focused on effective strategies for Google optimization, strategic advertising, and event communication. The emphasis wasn’t just on getting noticed, but on communicating in ways that build genuine affinity and trust from the first digital touchpoint.

Attendance: Building Trust and Engagement

The middle stage addressed the crucial transition from awareness to action—how churches can create compelling next steps, build authentic trust, and develop clear pathways for visitors to move from curiosity to connection.

Action: Creating Discipleship Communication Strategy

The final focus centered on perhaps the most challenging aspect: using communication strategically to foster actual spiritual growth, not just event attendance.

Speaker Insights That Moved the Needle

The conference featured industry leaders who brought both inspiration and immediately actionable strategies:

Mark MacDonald, bestselling author of “Be Known for Something” and communication strategist, challenged attendees to develop clear, consistent threads that run through all church communication—from websites to social media to weekend announcements.

Jason Hamrock, CEO of Missional Marketing, shared proven strategies for digitally reaching the “One ahead of the 99,” emphasizing how former communications directors like himself have learned to balance pastoral heart with marketing effectiveness.

David Thorne, CEO of Missional Software, demonstrated how AI-powered tools like SermonSpark can enhance rather than replace authentic ministry communication, showing practical ways to leverage technology for greater community engagement.

Breakout Sessions That Delivered Practical Value

The conference’s breakout structure ensured every attendee left with concrete tools:

• “The First-Time Guest Experience” equipped teams to communicate trust and build connection from the moment someone steps through church doors
• “From SEO to GEO: How AI is Reshaping Church Discovery” provided cutting-edge strategies for being found in an AI-driven search landscape
• “Close the Back Door: Building An Effective Engagement Pathway” addressed the critical challenge of retention through intentional communication
• “Discipleship Starts in the Inbox” showed how email and digital communication can foster genuine spiritual growth beyond just event promotion

The Community That Makes the Difference

What struck many attendees wasn’t just the quality of content, but the genuine community. From mental health check-ins to structured networking, ComCon’25 recognized that church communicators often work in isolation and need peer connection as much as professional development.

The conference featured real-world case studies from attendees themselves—budget-conscious solutions, creative workarounds, and honest discussions about what works and what doesn’t in various church contexts. This peer-to-peer learning approach reflected the same community-building principles that have made Church Communications such a valuable resource for ministry leaders nationwide.

Key Takeaways for Ministry Impact

Several themes emerged that every church communication team should consider:

Purpose-Driven Strategy Over Tool-Driven Tactics: The most effective church communications start with clear discipleship goals and work backward to appropriate tools and platforms, not the other way around.

Integration Across the Journey: Successful churches create seamless communication experiences that guide people naturally from awareness through attendance to active participation in church life.

Technology as Ministry Enhancement: AI and digital tools should amplify authentic ministry communication, not replace the relational elements that make church community unique.

Measurement That Matters: Beyond clicks and views, effective church communication tracks movement along the discipleship pathway—from first visit to regular attendance to serving and leadership.

Looking Forward: Building with Purpose

As we reflected on the three days in Chicago, it became clear that ComCon’25 represented something significant in the evolution of church communications. This wasn’t about keeping up with the latest digital trends or finding shortcuts to growth. Instead, it was about building communication strategies with genuine purpose—strategies designed to serve the church’s ultimate mission of making disciples.

The Church Communications community continues to grow because it addresses a real need: church leaders who care deeply about effective communication but need practical guidance for implementation. From those early conversations between a few ministry friends to events like ComCon’25 that bring together hundreds of practitioners, the mission remains the same—helping churches communicate the gospel more effectively while building meaningful community connections.

For those who attended ComCon’25, the real work begins now: implementing these strategies, testing new approaches, and sharing results with the broader community. For those who missed it, recorded sessions will be available for purchase, but more importantly, the principles shared can be adapted and applied in churches of every size and context.

The goal isn’t perfect communication—it’s purposeful communication that serves the church’s mission and helps people take meaningful steps in their faith journey. As we continue building this community of practice, that purpose remains our North Star.

Ready to connect with other church communicators who are building with purpose? Join our thriving community of 35,000+ ministry leaders in our Facebook Group where the conversation continues year-round. For information about future ComCon events and to register for upcoming conferences, visit churchcommunications.com/comcon-25.