Here me say this: the money your church will save by bringing a qualified A/V contractor and consultant in at the beginning of the process will be saved by the mistakes that are not made. This isn't a sales-pitch; this is truth.
If in the renovation process, the same is true: earlier is better. Let the experts be the champion for the church. Allow them to fight the battles with electricians, GC's and architects. After the construction is complete, it will cost exponentially more to retrofit.
Finally, if your church is just beginning to use video, consider the applications you want to include (song lyrics, sermon points, video announcements, testimonial videos, IMAG) and pick up the phone to get some help. Find an expert that will work with your church and not only recommend
equipment, but also will train your volunteers and staff on the operation and maintenance.
Sit down with your consultant and tell them what you want to do and allow that expert to then design a system to fulfill your needs. Their research and your input will create a system. Make sure the system has a clear upgrade path for growth. That system will have a certain price. That
price is now your budget. If you can't spend that, find a way to raise the money or hold off on the purchase of the system.
"What should I consider for my video system?"
This will depend largely on what you want to do with video. In order to get you thinking along the lines of what's possible, I'll list different video options that churches are using.
- Song Lyrics
- Sermon Notes
- Video Illustrations
- Animated video backdrops
- Videotaped testimonials
- Announcement videos
- Sermon notes for Pastor to see
- Song lyrics for praise team singers
- Projection system in sanctuary facing choir loft
- Sound booth/ Tech booth reference monitors
- Foyer announcements
- Hallway information system
- Kiosks (You are here. Preschool is to your right)
- Foyer/Lobby overflow for parents with disruptive children
- Additional monitors on stage (could be projectors, plasmas, TV's) that has looping animations to enhance the look.
- Music videos synced with live band and live singers.
- IMAG (Image Magnification) of pastor, singers, etc. for large sanctuaries
- Shoot and edit testimonials, promotional spots for activities, create a Visitor's Video, etc.
The possibilities are almost endless. The information that people can utilize from these video displays is amazing. Don't be overwhelmed by all of these options. Consider what it is your church wants to accomplish with video and develop a plan to implement the technology and training in stages. Research how you want to reach your audience and then work with your consultant to formulate a plan to do it.
Be a good steward of God's money. That means spend it once, not three times.
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Experiencing Worship, The Study