Frequently asked questions

About ChurchSearch

What is ChurchSearch?: ChurchSearch helps you find a church near you that fits what you’re looking for. Enter your location and answer a few optional questions about what matters to you, and we’ll show nearby churches ranked by distance and by how closely they match.
Is it free?: ChurchSearch will always be free for seekers, and claiming a listing is free for churches. Showing your church’s questionnaire answers is free today, too. In the future we plan to charge a monthly or annual fee to display a church’s questionnaire, but basic listings will stay free for every church, and any church that fills out its questionnaire before then will keep showing it free for life.
Is ChurchSearch affiliated with a denomination?: No. We list churches of every tradition and don’t favor any of them. Our goal is to give you accurate information so you can decide for yourself.
Where is ChurchSearch available?: Right now we only cover churches in the United States.

Searching for a church

How are results ranked?: Each result is scored on two things: how close it is to you, and how well the church’s answers match the preferences you chose. Closer churches and better matches rise to the top. If you skip the preference questions, results are ranked by distance.
Why does the questionnaire ask about a particular topic?: Churches differ widely on many things, and these are often things people want to know before they visit. We ask so you can find out ahead of time rather than on a Sunday morning. Asking a question isn’t an endorsement of any answer.
There’s something I’d like to know that the questionnaire doesn’t ask. Can you add it?: We’d love to hear it. Email admin@churchsearch.now with your suggestion. The questionnaire started with the questions we could think of, and it gets better as people tell us what matters to them.
Where does the information about each church come from?: Every church starts with basic details from publicly available sources, such as its name, address, and contact information. Answers to the questionnaire come from the church itself, after its staff claim the listing. A church that hasn’t been claimed yet will only show the basic details.
Do you store my searches or personal information?: We don’t save your searches, and you don’t need an account to search. If you create an account, you can fill out a questionnaire of your preferences so you don’t have to re-enter them. We save those preferences with your account, along with the email address you signed up with. We don’t sell your information or use it for advertising, and the site has no tracking or analytics.

For churches

My church isn’t listed. Can I add it?: Please do! Go to the Add a church page. You’ll need to sign in or create an account first, and it only takes a few minutes.
How do I claim my church’s listing?: Claiming is free. Open your church’s page on ChurchSearch and click Claim your church for free. You’ll be asked to create a free account or sign in. If your account’s email address is at your church’s website domain (for example, you@yourchurch.org for yourchurch.org), the claim is approved instantly. If your church has no website, shares one with other churches, or you don’t have an address there, click Request verification instead and tell us how you’re connected to the church. We’ll confirm with the church, usually by calling the phone number on its listing, and the listing appears in your portal once it’s approved. Once you’ve claimed it, you can update your church’s details and answer the questionnaire so seekers can find you.
A listing is out of date, or the church has closed. How can I fix it?: If you’re on staff, claim the listing and you can update anything on it yourself. Otherwise, email admin@churchsearch.now with what’s wrong, and we’ll look into it and fix what we can.
Someone who isn’t on our staff has claimed our church. What can I do?: Email admin@churchsearch.now right away. We take this seriously. We’ll confirm who should have access by contacting the church through its public phone number or website, and then give control of the listing to the right people.
Can I remove my church from ChurchSearch?: Yes. Before you do, consider claiming your listing instead. Then you control exactly what it says, and people looking for a church like yours can still find you. If you’d still like it removed, email admin@churchsearch.now.

Contact

How do I reach you?: Email admin@churchsearch.now with any questions, corrections, removal requests, or suggestions.