If you've ever spent an afternoon scrolling through secular stock sites trying to find a baptism photo that doesn't look bizarre, you already know why Lightstock exists. It's the largest faith-based stock media marketplace on the web — a curated library of over 250,000 photos, 50,000+ video clips (including 4K), and a growing collection of design elements like vectors, icons, textures, and illustrations, all created with Christian creatives in mind.^1
Lightstock was born in 2012 when twin brothers Jon and Josh Bailey — who grew up building media for their father's church plant in North Dallas — saw a gaping hole in the market. After founding Graceway Media (a sermon graphics platform), they realized Christian designers had nowhere to find authentic, high-quality faith-focused stock content. So they built it, launching with 175 contributors and 20,000 images.^2 Their tagline said it all: "Faith-Focused, Cheesy-Free."
Today, Lightstock operates as a two-sided marketplace with thousands of contributors — photographers, filmmakers, and designers — uploading new assets daily. The platform is known for its safe-search environment (no NSFW content to wade through) and a strong ethical stance against "poverty porn," ensuring all people are portrayed with dignity and respect.^2 In February 2020, Lightstock joined The Igniter Company (founded by Rob Thomas), and in September 2025, Igniter was acquired by Gloo, a technology platform serving the faith ecosystem.^3
Why Churches Love It"Lightstock had me at 'cheesy-free!' The images are great, and I really like having vector files with which to work. The customer service is phenomenal!" — Brenda Lantz, Living Truth Christian Fellowship^1
"The amazing quality and breadth of the library make Lightstock essential for our website!" — Christian H., Editor, ChristianFamilyReformation.com^1
"I love having access to so many faith-themed photos that you just can't find anywhere else." — Joel Hoffman, Lutheran Church & Preschool^1
Notable- Over 1 million Lightstock assets used by organizations including Christianity Today, LifeWay, The Gospel Coalition, National Geographic, IMB, American Bible Society, and Tony Evans^1
- Co-founders Jon and Josh Bailey also created the Dwell audio Bible app and previously built Graceway Media^2
- Active contributor community: photographers, designers, and filmmakers can apply to join^1
- Enterprise licensing available for organizations needing unlimited seats and asset management^1
- Content featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and the cover of National Geographic^3
Pricing: Subscription (14-day free trial, then annual unlimited membership; enterprise option available)
