In recent years, Christian video has become a big deal. Walk into just about any church in the country, and you’re likely to see video at some point during, before, or after the service. Why this meteoric rise in video usage? How should churches respond to the Christian video trend?
By “Christian video” we are referring to just about anything that moves on the screen and is Christian. Obviously, we’re dealing in a church atmosphere, so this could include sermon videos, worship loops, countdown videos, welcome videos, and other video loops.
Why is Christian video so popular?
- Christian video is cost effective. It doesn’t cost much at all to setup for and display videos.
- Christian video is powerful. The combination of motion, music, and text creates an incredible response in people.
- Christian video engages attention. You don’t have to be a behavior psychologist to know that the human eye is attracted to moving objects. This is a human instinct. That’s why our eye tends to gravitate toward the television in the room. Videos engage the senses, and this is another reason why Christian videos are so popular.
- Christian video is accessible to designers and amateurs. With a personal computer and the right software, just about anyone can design a video. It’s that easy. The digital video boom has given rise to millions of amateurs who can create anything from elaborate church promotional videos to a video about the church VBS week.
- Christian video is easy to set up and display. How do you display videos in church? It’s not hard at all. With a computer plus a projector, you’re in business for church videos.
What to Do about It
So, how do you respond to this popularity in Christian video?
- By all means, use it. The correct response to something that is popular is not to reject it out of hand. Instead, you should examine it, consider it, and then use it redemptively. Christian video is popular for a reason, and it is a wise move to use it in your church.
- Don’t overuse it. Steward it. Like anything, church video can become an obsession. Many churches have fallen prey to the “more is better” fallacy, thinking that more and more and more video will create a better church or worship experience. Still other churches try to syncretize Hollywood blockbusters with church service worship, creating an troubling mashup of the worldly with the sacred. Video is a gift to be stewarded.
- Don’t spend too much money on it. Play it smart. Another problem with video is the potential cost. But, as mentioned earlier in this post, isn’t church video inexpensive? Yes, but still churches spend big bucks on it. Some of the more popular church media sites charge $20+ bucks for a single download of a Christian video that lasts just a couple minutes. That’s an easy way to waste a lot of cash.
Sharefaith, recognizing the importance of videos in church, has a vast collection of Christian videos to enhance your ministry. Unlike the huge costs of other church media companies, Sharefaith provides a single annual fee by which users can download an unlimited number of church videos.