video

In the old days, churches used to buy time on a local TV or radio stations to extend their reach electronically but today, that's happening more often through the Internet with live streaming services. TV, radio, and Internet services cost money and for many churches, the cost prevents them from broadcasting their service. Facebook Live now makes this more accessible to a large potential audience of viewers. In many cases, users can do so for free or for a fraction of the cost of the expensive Internet church streaming services springing up all over the place.

Having a great idea story idea is just the beginning of an effective church video. Before you start shooting, here are some video basics to keep in mind. Feel free to download and print these quick tips for how to compose, light and record audio on your next video.

Since before anyone can remember, human beings have been telling stories to each other. Stories have the ability to capture the imagination while passing on important information. Storytelling can entertain and educate, inform and inspire. Even Jesus used storytelling (or parables) extensively when teaching the multitudes. How else could one expect hungry crowds to sit on the hard ground for hours on end listening to a sermon? Most of us can barely last thirty minutes on a cushy chair. We owe much to Aristotle who formalized storytelling with the three act structure commonly used in theater. Storytelling has evolved from oral to written and now visual through the medium of film and video. "Story is the equipment of life." - Robert McKee, Story

Not too long ago, a filmmaker friend of mine, who had just wrapped on a large budget, 10-part video series for a mega church in the...

I am an introvert. There, I said it. So, going over to dinner at someone’s house, whom I have never met before, ranks right up there with a root canal or standardize testing. C’mon my fellow introverts, you know exactly what I mean. You have to smile constantly for 2+ hours, keep up some semblance of conversation, and maybe even play charades. Somebody push the eject button, please.

On the other hand, we have no problem spending hours over at a good friend’s house. We can be the best refrigerator friends money can buy. The million-dollar question is, “What is the difference?” The answer: familiarity.

Promoting church events used to be expensive. Even half-price ads on the newspaper church page, which not even the church people read, takes a chunk...

Valentine's Day is the time for couples to come together and show their affection for each other. It's been used to take the significant...