Here are 7 current trends in church creative hiring since COVID, and what those mean for someone who wants to land a role in worship, production, communications, or film in a church. If you’re pursuing a church creative job now (or soon), these are shifts to be aware of — and how you can adapt.
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1- Digital / Hybrid Worship Has Become the Norm
What’s happening:
Since COVID, churches increasingly adopted livestreaming and hybrid models—mixing in-person and online worship. According to several recent surveys, many churches now see online service options, high-quality streaming, and digital worship content as permanently part of their ministry strategy.
Effect on hiring:
• More roles require digital skills: video editing, streaming tech, camera operation, remote production, managing multiple service outputs.
• Even worship or production people need to have comfort with digital platforms, remote collaboration, sometimes remote leadership.
• Candidates who only specialize in “in-person only” settings are less competitive.
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2- Increased Use of Technology & AI Tools
What’s happening:
Churches are adopting more tech tools—church management software, mobile apps, social media, generative AI (for content, graphics, social media posts), etc.
Effect on hiring:
• Employers are looking for people who are tech-savvy and can learn/implement new tools quickly.
• Ability to use or adapt to AI tools to speed up content creation or workflows is becoming an advantage.
• There’s more expectation that creative/communications roles will do more with less (leverage tools for efficiency).
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3- Broader Creative/Communications Responsibilities in Smaller Teams
What’s happening:
Many churches have smaller, leaner staff; budget constraints; and want staff who can wear multiple hats. A communications person might also do social media strategy, graphic design, video editing, perhaps even some production tech.
Effect on hiring:
• Candidates who are versatile are in demand. If you can do two or three of those creative tasks well, you are more hireable.
• Specialization still matters (especially in big/multi-campus churches), but being flexible is often necessary.
• When applying, emphasize cross-functional skills. Demonstrate that you’ve worked in hybrid roles or done tasks outside your “official” job description.
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4- Remote Work, Virtual Interviewing & Distributed Staff Models
What’s happening:
COVID forced remote work, remote collaboration, virtual meetings. That has carried over into hiring: virtual interviews are common. Some creative work can be done remotely, and some churches have remote or partially remote staff.
Effect on hiring:
• Candidates need to be comfortable and skilled in giving remote presentations or interviews.
• Remote working skills are now part of what many churches expect (managing your time, producing creative deliverables remotely, handling project coordination without always being onsite).
• Geographical boundaries are less rigid for certain roles—but local church culture, time zones, etc., still matter.
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5- More Focus on Creative Content / Communications
What’s happening:
With in-person attendance disrupted during COVID, churches doubled down on communicating their mission, vision, spiritual care, and connection online. Storytelling, branded content, videos, social media, small group digital content have become more central.
Effect on hiring:
• Demand for content strategists, social media managers, video producers, graphic designers has increased.
• Roles may require stronger skills in narrative, visual storytelling, branding — not just technical craft.
• Knowing how to adapt messaging to different platforms (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, streaming) is a plus.
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6- Emphasis on Connection, Assimilation, & Engagement
What’s happening:
As churches reach more people digitally, many are also recognizing that online viewers are harder to assimilate into church life. There’s more intentional effort in roles focused on connection — follow-up, guest/visitor experience, virtual engagement, online small groups.
Effect on hiring:
• Creative roles may need to think about audience engagement, not just content creation. For example: How does a video or livestream pull someone in so they want to stick around, get connected?
• There’s room for innovation: roles that blend communications + pastoral care or community management.
• Candidates who understand relational dynamics (online and offline) will be more attractive.
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7- The Candidate Market is More Competitive—but Also More Opportunity
What’s happening:
The “Great Resignation” and staffing changes during COVID stretched many people thin; some left church work; burnout has been real. But for those who stayed or are entering, there’s more opportunity in creative/digital roles as churches invest in tech and communications. Also, the hiring process has often become more deliberate.
Effect on hiring:
• Good candidates have more leverage. If you have strong skills and a portfolio, you may have multiple options.
• But at the same time, expectations are rising: churches want someone who can both deliver and adapt, who can pick up new tools, handle uncertainty.
• It’s no longer sufficient to ONLY have worship or production chops; soft skills, digital literacy, story sensibility, communications strategy matter.
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What This Means for You as a Candidate
Putting these together, here’s what someone wanting a church creative job should do to stand out in this post-COVID world:
1. Build or strengthen digital skills. Learn streaming tech, online video tools, remote production, social media, editing, graphic design. Experiment personally so you have real examples.
2. Show adaptability. Highlight where you’ve done multiple roles, learned new tools, responded to changing ministry needs (e.g. when in-person shifted to online). Give stories from your experience.
3. Emphasize story & connection. Churches want someone who can build connection—online and offline. Understand audience, show you know how to engage people, not just produce content.
4. Be comfortable with tech & innovation. AI tools, analytics, online engagement metrics are increasingly part of the job. Knowing about them helps; being willing to learn helps more.
5. Prepare for virtual hiring. Strong remote interview skills, clear online portfolio, being able to communicate how you work in remote or hybrid teams.
6. Keep growing your brand/portfolio. The “work you’ve done” matters. Be ready with examples across formats and platforms.
7. Understand that culture & trust still matter. Even with remote work and digital content, hiring leaders want staff who align with theology, worship style, team values. Being technical is great—being a fit is essential.
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