communicate. Instead of carving out ten service for live playback at service time, have a
minutes of sermon time to explain online giving, pre-recorded service “safety net” ready to go
consider offering a step-by-step booklet or in case a camera fails, a cable disconnects,
video for your people to click on a link to view. a prop or scenery piece malfunctions, or your
Create a video montage of people sharing internet upload speed slows.
answered prayer or testimonies about how the
Lord is meeting real needs.
Develop a production vocabulary with your
tech teams so that you can communicate
Use the new constraints under which we quickly. (Words and phrases like talking head,
now operate to find new ways to allow your spike, frame, lower-third, pan, close up, shot
strengths to shine. Even post-coronavirus, we’ll list, three-point lighting, white balance, wide
be stronger for it. angle, push and pull, cut, pre-production, post-
production, pre-record, fade....)
UP YOUR PRODUCTION VALUE
I’m a big fan of procedures. In addition to ALLOW MISTAKES
organizing our services minute-by-minute on They’re going to happen. Sometimes they
Planning Center Online, for every service I cannot be avoided, even with preplanning
provide a check list for each volunteer at each and
tech station under my direction. It even includes happen a second time. Even with a gracious
details that we all know like muting cell phones. congregation, repeated mistakes begin to
It’s a way of keeping things from falling through wear thin and start draining that storehouse of
the cracks. Nevertheless, we still discover goodwill. It makes sense to reserve that grace
surprises. So weekly we do a complete run for things that cannot be avoided. So after the
through of each element of the service as if it was service is over, review it, noting how to better
in front of a live congregation. Announcements, reach your win next time.
practice.
But
they
don’t
need
to
videos, transitions, prayers, message (at least
the intro and conclusion), everything. Even with CELEBRATE THE WIN
all our planning and preparation, every week You don’t have to be complicated to reach your
we identify little (or big) details that would have goal. Being deliberate helps. Everyone knows
otherwise distracted or disrupted the service. we’re in an unprecedented time. And even
This principle holds true for online services. though our enemy would love to sow discord
and frustration, we can still keep our eyes firmly
Before going live, have a thorough run through. focused on Jesus. The coronavirus certainly
reminding people about what they’re missing, Run the countdown. Check each camera didn’t take the Lord by surprise, and we can
perhaps it may be more effective to focus on angle. If the worship leader only partially enters trust Him to create the fruit. So have fun. Free
what actually draws them to your congregation a camera shot, spike (tape) the correct place to the gifts that the Lord placed within you so
in the first place. Instead of cancelling services stand. Listen to the audio playback to ensure that they can shine in the most effective way
and activities, move them online. Do your a quality mix and signal. Verify that the lighting possible.
people like to eat together? Share cooking levels are the same on every person on the videos or cook together using a video chat app screen. Pay special attention that all transitions Right now, that seems to be through streaming
like Zoom or Google Meet. Is praying together are smooth. Double check the people within on the internet.
a strength? Host an online chat room in which the camera view who are not speaking to your congregation can share and pray for ensure that their eyes are focused on the requests with each other. person speaking and that their body language
speaks engagement. If they’re communicating
Pastors no longer simply create sermons. that they’d rather be elsewhere or you find
We’re becoming content creators and video yourself drifting mentally, you can bet that the
producers. The churches that thrive right viewers will begin to feel that way, too! If you’re
now will learn to use technology to better a complete risk taker and don’t prerecord your
April 2020
Timothy J Miller
Timothy has served as a worship pastor and
technician for over 30 years in small, medium, large,
and multi-site churches. In addition to being the WSC
campus technology director at Bayside Community
Church (an 8-campus, 12k+ congregation along
Florida’s Gulf Coast), he writes for church leadership
and worship-related publications. His recent book,
Born For Worship: The Best You Can Be In Worship
Arts Ministry, uses mini-chapters to help teams and
individuals explore the biblical foundations that
result in growth and effective service.
htworship.com
[email protected]
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