Yet I find advertisements in magazines and email that say things like:
"(Company name here) is the leading provider of multimedia equipment to the religious market." – How can they even begin to back that statement up factually?
"500 ANSI lumen image brightness for brilliant pictures even in normal room light." – This would maybe work in a 10' x 15' room with no windows on a 3' x 4' screen. Oh, and this is advertised by a Christian bookstore – obvious projection experts.
"Largest selection at discount prices." – When I called this company, they had 24 projectors in stock. Just for comparison, my company stocks over 2,000 projectors in our warehouse, and I'm not sure we're the largest.
Find an expert – and check references
I'm amazed that a few of these "church A/V firms" are still in business. One in particular is infamous in our industry for poorly designed systems. Yet, they're still in business. How is this possible? The answer is that a shockingly large percentage of churches don't check references.
How hard is this? Ask for a list of references. If you don't know or can't visit any on the list, ask for local churches near you that they've done. Or, ask for pictures of installations and call and ask the church Administrator, Pastor, Music Minister and (if they have one) Media Pastor if they are satisfied and would they recommend the company?
A simple exercise is to find churches in your area and ask them whom they used. Then go peek in their sanctuary and see if it's done the way you'd want yours done.
When is it time?
There are three main reasons to add/upgrade your equipment:
1) New building program
2) Renovation of existing building
3) Just beginning to use video
If you're about to begin new construction, bring your A/V expert in to meet with the architects during the building design. Implementing the A/V at this stage will save your church thousands of dollars down the road as important infrastructure such as conduit, power runs, screen placement,
control point access, wall plate and floor box locations that affect the A/V will be mapped out early on.
Well-meaning architects want a pretty space, but marrying form with function isn't an easy process. I've been brought in after the building was mostly constructed only to find out that we couldn't move the screens to the correct location because large steel I-beams are irrevocably located in the way.
Experiencing Worship, The Study
Used by churches all over the world to help teach worship, the Experiencing Worship study can help your worship team too.
Your team will learn why we worship and gain a better understanding of how to worship.
One user said..."Your 5 week study course has made a tremendous impact on my life in the study of worship... I would like to express my thanks for a well written study course that leads into a higher realm of praise and worship."
Experiencing Worship, The Study