Church Marketing Strategies for Pastors: From Online Ads to Real Church Growth with ChurchCandy.com

In today’s world, the mission field looks different. More people than ever are open—yet feel hesitant to step through your church doors. What most pastors don’t realize is that digital tools and social media aren’t just add-ons; they’re essential bridges leading people to real conversations, real community, and real faith.

That’s why I sat down with Brady Sticker, founder of ChurchCandy.com, who is passionate about helping churches move from “online views” to “people in the pews.” When you combine his practical marketing strategies + the disciple‐making heart of the church plant, you’ve got a powerful, on‐the‐ground approach. If you lead a church plant or are looking to build one, this post is for you. Let’s dig in.

Why Digital Outreach Matters for Church Planters

Many pastors ask: “Isn’t our job just preaching, shepherding, and community building?” Yes—but here’s the kicker: your mission field often begins online. Brady shared a story that stuck with me:

“We’ve worked with over a thousand churches … we’re on a mission to connect a million people to local churches.”

“We checked yesterday … 315,000 people have been connected to a church from the ads that we set up and ran for churches.”

That’s real. The numbers reflect real people—real souls—being invited into local church life. Now, you might say, “Okay—but what exactly does that look like?” That’s what we unpack next.

The “Coffee with a Pastor” Strategy: Make the First Step Soft

Brady’s approach is relational, not just promotional:

“There are people that would love to go to your church… but they’re too ashamed of their past to step foot in that church building.”

“Invite them to just go grab coffee… it’s a lot lower risk, a lot lower commitment.”

When you frame your outreach this way:

• You meet people where they are—not at a service, but over a conversation.

• You lower the barrier of entry, helping someone feel safe, seen, and heard.

• The service becomes the second invitation, not the first ask.

How to implement it:

1. Record a quick vertical video: “Hi, I’m Pastor ___ in city ___. Do you have questions about life or God? Let’s meet for coffee.”

2. Use that clip in a Facebook/Instagram ad targeted locally.

3. Collect name + contact info → show your calendar.

4. Send a brief, personalized follow‐up: “Hey [Name], I saw you scheduled time—can’t wait to meet you.”

5. After coffee, invite them to your next Sunday service with a personal reason: “I’d love you to meet [Name] who walked the same road you did.”

The “Plan Your Visit” Campaign: For Churches with Sunday Gatherings

If you’re already meeting weekly, you can elevate your guest‐funnel with one simple add:

“One of our main campaigns … we run for churches that are meeting every Sunday is a ‘Plan Your Visit’ ad.”

Step‐by‐step:

• Record a 25-35 sec video with three different hooks (faith, family, community).

• Edit it so it doesn’t feel like a commercial—treat it like an Instagram Reel with captions + B-roll of your church life.

• Run the ad, send people to a landing page: name/email/phone → calendar availability.

• Follow up: personal video or call, “Excited to see you Sunday—here’s what to expect.”

• On Sunday: ensure your team greets them by name, shows them kids check-in if applicable, connects them to a next‐step.

Why this works: People feel welcomed before they even show up. Which means they’re more likely to stay.

The 3 P’s Every Church Must Master

When Brady and I got practical, he laid out the backbone of this strategy:

1. Promote – Run ads, invite people, make the first connection.

2. Pursue – Follow up personally, make them feel seen and heard.

3. Plug In – Offer clear next steps and assimilation into your church family.

“It’s not just marketing — it’s ministry. Lives are being changed and churches are growing.”

If you skip pursue or plug in, even the best ad falls flat.

When It Does (And Doesn’t) Work

Here’s a simple litmus test:

• Does your team have the capacity to meet new people person-to-person?

• Are you following up within a few days, or asking people to wait weeks?

• Do you have someone (pastor/associate) whose role includes coffee-meetings + new guest follow-up?

“The issue isn’t getting people to show up to coffee or church. The issue is the handling of the demand.”

“The last thing you want is to run an ad that says ‘We’d love to meet you’ — and then someone replies three weeks later.”

If you run ads without the follow-up, you’re just throwing spaghetti at the wall.

Why This Works in Big Cities and Small Towns

Yes, it works in New York or Houston, and yes, it works in towns of 3k+ people—here’s how:

• Small towns: A tighter radius means more frequency. People recognize you.

• Big cities: You target narrower (5-8 mile radius) and treat ads like familiarity campaigns.

“I’ve got pastors telling me, ‘I prayed with the lady at my gym because she kept seeing me on Instagram.’”

The message becomes personally visible. When they see the pastor in real life, the online becomes real.

Church Marketing Strategies for Pastors

If you find the marketing side overwhelming, Brady’s agency, ChurchCandy.com, is a great partner. They specialize in helping churches with Facebook & Instagram ads, Google Ad Grant + SEO, and building funnels that work. This is a great option that provides real church marketing strategies for pastors.

Closing Thoughts

Church planting and digital outreach are not in conflict—they’re allies. After all, it's not marketing, it's ministry. When you lean into the strategy of “meet-them-where-they-are → invite them into relationship → welcome them into community,” your church can and will grow. The tools are there. The need is real. Big stories remain to be written.

Let’s press forward together. If you’re looking for clarity, tools, and momentum—lock in your Clarity Project call today. We’ll see you on the frontline.