Setting up a Google Maps Platform API key unlocks the mapping and geolocation features in Church Admin — map pins on precise addresses for the address list, services and small groups.
Google requires a billing account with a card on file, but usage stays free for most churches: each API (Geocoding, Maps JavaScript, Maps Static) carries its own free monthly allowance — typically around 10,000 calls each, resetting on the 1st of the month. If you’ve never had a paid Google Cloud, Maps Platform, or Firebase account before, you’ll also get a one-off $300 trial credit valid for 90 days. Google updates these limits from time to time, so it’s worth checking Google’s current pricing page before you start.
Step 1 — Create a Google Cloud project
Go to the project selector page in the Google Cloud console and click Create Project. Give it a name — your church name works well — and click Create.
Step 2 — Enable billing
A billing account has to be attached to the project before any Maps API will work, even though your actual usage will likely stay within the free monthly allowance. From your project, go to Billing and link an existing billing account, or create a new one with a payment card.
Step 3 — Enable the APIs Church Admin needs
Go to the Maps API Library page in the Cloud console and enable each of the following individually — click into each one, then click Enable:
- Geocoding API — powers drag-and-drop pin placement when editing an address
- Maps JavaScript API — powers the interactive maps shown on the front end
- Maps Static API — powers the small static maps shown in the address list
Step 4 — Create an API key
- Go to the Google Maps Platform → Credentials page in the Cloud console.
- Click Create credentials → API key.
- Copy the key shown in the dialog — you’ll need it in Step 6 — then click Close.
Step 5 — Restrict the key
Don’t skip this step. An unrestricted key is both a security and a billing risk — anyone who gets hold of it could use it on their own site at your expense. On the Credentials page, click the key you just created, then:
- Under Application restrictions, choose Websites and add your domain as two entries, so both versions work:
yourdomain.com/*and*.yourdomain.com/* - Under API restrictions, choose Restrict key, then select only the three APIs you enabled in Step 3 (Geocoding, Maps JavaScript, Maps Static). Leaving this set to “Don’t restrict key” is no longer recommended by Google.
- Click Save.
Step 6 — Add the key to Church Admin
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Church Admin → Settings → General Settings. Paste the key into the Google API key field and click Save.
Troubleshooting
If maps still aren’t showing after about ten minutes:
- Double-check all three APIs show as enabled on the Maps API Library page.
- Confirm the billing account attached to the project is active, not suspended.
- Open a page where the map should appear, right-click a blank area, choose Inspect, and check the browser console. A red error naming a specific API tells you exactly which one still needs enabling or restricting correctly.