Lightning fast
Optimized for Core Web Vitals. Mobile-first CSS, lazy-loaded images, no jQuery bloat. Loads instantly even on slow rural connections.
Prime Bible Sanctuary · Free WordPress Theme
Beautiful church websites,
built in minutes.
Sanctuary is a free, open-source WordPress theme designed for churches. Fast, accessible, mobile-first, with native Bible verse integration. No developer required. No paywall, ever.
MIT licensed No signup No telemetry WordPress 6.0+
Why Sanctuary
Everything a church website needs.
Nothing it doesn't.
Most church themes are bloated, paywalled, or 10 years out of date. Sanctuary is the opposite — modern, fast, accessible, and free forever.
Free and open source
MIT licensed. No upgrade prompts, no premium tier, no telemetry. Use it commercially. Fork it. Make it yours.
Scripture-native
Drop in Bible verses with a shortcode. Verses pull live from Prime Bible with full Hebrew/Greek analysis available on click. Always current, always accurate.
Beautiful on every device
Designed mobile-first. Service times, sermon archives, prayer requests, give-now buttons — all look right whether a member is on an iPhone or a library desktop.
SEO that wins searches
Schema.org markup for ChurchOrganization, Event (service times), and Sermon. Showcases your church on Google Maps, voice search, and AI answers.
Accessible by default
WCAG AA color contrast, semantic HTML, keyboard navigation, screen-reader-tested. Everyone in your community can use your site.
No developer needed
Customize colors, fonts, and layout from the WordPress admin. Standard WP block editor — anyone who can use Microsoft Word can update your church's site.
Built for ministry
Pre-built blocks for service times, staff bios, sermon archives, prayer request forms, online giving, and small-group sign-ups. The essentials, done right.
Integrated by default
Scripture-first by design.
Every Sanctuary install pairs natively with the free Prime Bible toolset. Embed verses with a shortcode, generate QR codes for printed bulletins, create shareable verse cards, and host an OBS overlay for livestream worship. All free. All open.
<!-- Drop this into any page or post -->
[primebible verse="John 3:16" translation="KJV"]
<!-- Result: live verse with Hebrew/Greek
analysis on hover, pulled fresh from
primebible.com -->Quick start
Online in three steps.
- 1
Download the theme
Download the latest.zipfrom the GitHub repository. No purchase, no signup, no license key — just the file. - 2
Upload to WordPress
In WordPress admin: Appearance → Themes → Add New → Upload Theme. Pick the .zip you downloaded, click Install, then Activate. - 3
Customize and launch
Open Appearance → Customize to set your church name, logo, colors, and service times. Use the WordPress block editor for pages — same workflow as any modern blog. Publish when ready.
Stuck? Email [email protected] and we'll help. We're a 501(c)(3) nonprofit — there's no upsell.
Every church deserves a beautiful website.
Most small churches can't afford a designer. Most paid themes lock the good stuff behind a $99/year subscription. Sanctuary exists because the local church is the front line of ministry — and the front line should never be priced out.
We build and maintain Sanctuary as part of Prime Bible's 501(c)(3) nonprofit mission. It will always be free. Forever.
Common questions
Is Prime Bible Sanctuary really free?+
Yes. MIT licensed, no upsells, no premium tier. You can install it on any number of sites, modify it freely, and even use it commercially. We're a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ministry — this isn't a freemium trick.
Do I need to know WordPress?+
If you can use Microsoft Word or Gmail, you can run a Sanctuary site. The theme integrates with the standard WordPress block editor. For colors, fonts, and layout, everything lives in Appearance → Customize.
Does it work with my hosting provider?+
Sanctuary runs on any WordPress 6.0+ host — Bluehost, SiteGround, Kinsta, WP Engine, or your local web admin's setup. PHP 8.0 or newer recommended for best performance.
Can I customize the design?+
Yes. All colors, fonts, header layout, footer columns, and home page sections are customizable from the WordPress admin without touching code. For advanced changes, the theme follows standard WordPress conventions — any developer can fork it.
How does the Bible verse integration work?+
Sanctuary includes a [primebible] shortcode that renders any Bible verse live from primebible.com. Visitors can click any word to see Hebrew/Greek analysis. No API keys, no rate limits, no setup.
Does Sanctuary collect any tracking data?+
No telemetry, no phone-home, no analytics built into the theme. If you want analytics on your church site, install your preferred plugin (Google Analytics, Plausible, etc.). Sanctuary stays out of the way.
Where can I see a live example?+
A reference site is being built at sanctuary-demo.primebible.com. In the meantime, screenshots are on the GitHub repo, and you can install the theme locally to preview every layout option.