Why Your Church Should Be Producing Videos

Video vignettes may be produced to emphasize a point. "Man on the street" interviews help to bring the average person's perspective into the Church. Editing video from a camp serves as a lasting testimony to what was experienced there. A visitor's video may be given to guests so that they may know more about the vision of your church and what it has to offer. Musicals and dramas may be relived through video. Event promotions...announcements...teacher recruiting... the list goes on and on.

I hear all sorts of excuses as to why a church does not implement video editing. "We don't have the money"...."We don't have the manpower"...."We don't see the need"....All of these factors may be eliminated with one attribute—vision. I believe that God has given a specific vision to media ministers worldwide. It is up to them to help other church leaders seek out that same vision so that the Church will utilize more effective means of communication.

On the financial front, the cost of the equipment needed to produce great videos has never been lower. Since the consumer market is being targeted so aggressively, video production equipment prices have dropped considerably. Now you can buy broadcast-quality equipment for less than what you probably paid for your projector. With a three-chip digital camera and a computer configured for editing, you'll have the necessary tools to create videos at a quality level that once would have cost tens of thousands of dollars.

It is also becoming easier to edit videos. Even young teens are doing it. I recently spoke with the marketing manager for a major video production equipment manufacturer. He told me that it takes an adult 1 hour to show a young person how to edit video with their product. That same youth can then teach another young person in 15 minutes!

If you think that media is the "language of our culture" now, you ain't seen nothin' yet! That is why it is imperative that the Church starts to master video production NOW. We are known for being behind the times. Let's be prepared for a change! With a strong web presence and finely tuned production skills, we will be ahead of the game and ready for the real communication revolution.

Tim Eason is president of ChurchMedia.net and travels the country training churches to use media in ministry. Media ministry resources are available at Tim's web site, www.ChurchMedia.net.