(The following is excerpted from a recent Sharefaith white paper publication.)
Don’t let these new digital media opportunities confuse or intimidate you. They are quite easy to use once you understand how they work. Chances are you have church members who are already familiar with using digital media.
Introducing media, such as professionally designed slide presentations and email programs, is now more affordable than ever. With a computer, digital projector, and easy-to-use software, such as Microsoft® PowerPoint® or other church presentation software, you can access and download thousands of high-quality resources for your services. Here are three simple steps to guide you to adding media to your church services:
1. Start with a plan that works best for you
The first step in adding media is to create a simple plan for introducing images/videos to worship services. This plan should include sending email announcements to members, creating a monthly newsletter, and finding church volunteers to help manage and execute the plan. Your plan should also include an annual budget. If you already have a projector and computer, the budget can be as low as $100 per year.
2. Find a professional, affordable source for Church media
With over 16,000 members and 34,000 designs, Sharefaith is the largest online provider of Church digital media, giving you professional, affordable, and easy-to-use sermon templates, videos, worship backgrounds, email and newsletters, and bulletin covers.
3. Introduce new media into your worship service
Finally, it’s time to introduce the new media to your congregation. This is where the fun begins. If your church has never used presentation media before, introduce it slowly. Many churches begin with an announcement slide prior to the service, then go on to add visual song support during the worship time. After a month or two, you may want to introduce other media, such as welcome slides and visual sermon support.