Chad Helmer

Hello!

My name is Chad. I build good sites and systems well.

I’ve worked with Christian nonprofits and businesses in the digital space for 20+ years, designing and developing with principles before they became today’s best practices:

Human-Centered

Intuitive, accessible (WCAG-compliant) experiences that serve real people and needs

Intentional

Solutions shaped by empathy and understanding of the mission, goals, and impact

Structured

Content, code, and architecture that’s clear, maintainable, and searchable

Resilient

Responsive designs, modern standards, and sensible defaults for the real world

Performant

Optimized interactions with top scores globally to support engagement and growth

Integrated

Data and design working cohesively across systems to empower teams

I understand the strengths and limits of the Internet, and design within them. The sites and systems I build are sensible, simple to maintain, and satisfy clients and their customers. Their long life has proven their value.

Work

My roles have spanned design, development, product, systems, and ministry:

Web Developer Freelance

Active sites include challies.com, missionary.com, radiusinternational.org, confessional.org (forthcoming); past sites include albertmohler.com, russellmoore.com

Web Manager Missionary

Site and systems development, including data pipelines, automations, systems integrations, and technical guidance

E-Commerce and Technical Lead Evangelical Bible / Schuyler Bibles

Digital operations oversight with performance engineering, custom pipelines and analysis for inventory, fulfillment, customer, and product data, and updated brand and package design

Web Product Manager International Mission Board

Lifecycle stewardship of high-profile sites and e-commerce for a large missions organization with a growing donor base

Technical Lead and Product Consultant SolaSites

Viable business platform to support missionary presence abroad, including a scalable content management system for church sites built with a small South Asian team

Missionary and Bible Translator International Mission Board

Contextual strategies for church planting and Bible translation in the Himalayas, Scripture engagement among Bible-less communities, and exegetical advising for the Bodo New Testament

Webmaster The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Scalable content management system for seminary, college, and faculty sites, with UX and web-standards improvements, multimedia and social syndication, and staff training

Webmaster The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood

Audience growth for nonprofit with content-driven website and marketing design

Collegiate Minister North American Mission Board

Regional initiative for churches and universities, with outreach, teaching, planning, and marketing

Web Designer Dyrect Media Group

Interface design for a custom website system and graphics for business, nonprofits and churches

Note: I wrote every line of this small site’s code for the joy of it. I remember when the web was young. (Go on, right-click and explore the page source.)

About

My work is shaped by training in design at the University at Buffalo, theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and linguistics at Dallas International University. I also hold a UX certification from the Nielsen Norman Group.

After being ordained to Christian ministry, I spent nearly a decade in South Asia. Like Paul’s tentmaking, web work traveled well and often opened doors. I learned the importance of efficient, resilient sites on unreliable networks and saw how technology can extend the reach of service and ministry. I partnered with churches, schools, and businesses, deepening cross-cultural understanding. I loved that vibrant, dizzying, hospitable place. The backdrop design of this page is inspired by the view my family had there: a Himalayan silhouette in monsoon.

I’m naturally skilled at my craft and work with care. But what matters most didn’t come naturally to me. To love, God came and changed me. I love my wife and our five children, and I love helping others along the way, just as many have helped me — professionally and personally. And I love Jesus, who came and gave: mercy for a sinner, the bedrock of Scripture, the fellowship of his church and Spirit, and the welcome and work of his kingdom.

I love to work with organizations and individuals who want good work done well. Let’s chat about your web project or any of these things.