How to Connect with Your Church Online During Social Distancing
Some churches are adjusting to holding services online for the first time now that social distancing guidelines are in place across the country. How can we help pastors live streaming for the first time avoid mistakes and interruptions to their broadcast? Here is a list of tips and insights to help make the transition smoother.
- Avoid being kicked off of Facebook and Youtube by not playing copyrighted music in your pre-service buffer video.
- For example: if you are playing Hillsong on your pre-service countdown video you can get kicked off for copyright infringement.
- Live music is fine, but playing tracks could cause the music to be picked up as copyrighted.
- Combine your efforts. If you do not have a permanent location or equipment team up with other churches that do.
- Maybe one person has the equipment and the other has the permanent space. Or maybe you have team members that can do worship that will be used by all on the team-up. What a witness this could be for your community.
- Encourage people to share the premier instead of hosting multiple watch parties for greater interaction.
- “For greater interaction on Facebook live (both live or pre-recorded)… watch parties and multiple services actually hurt interactions. Doing just one 10am service allowed us to exceed all my expectations with interactions online. Watch parties took people away from the momentum of numbers in our primary group chat and viewers.” Contributed by Brad Hampton, Soco Church, Bentonville, AR.
- “Designate someone to run and man the stream chat as there were questions and comments in real-time that needed to be addressed and or deleted.” Contributed by Michael Matthew, Eternal Rock Church, Houston TX
- The benefits of pre-recording vs live streaming.
- “Higher resolution on broadcasting prerecorded. Post-production editing. Adding text, videos, slides in post-production editing, for churches that are unable to steam that content in real-time. Broadcasting prerecorded overall decreases the room for error. We have the ability to live stream. But just pre-recorded last night for this weekend. And they’re going to pre-record for the next two or three weekends Starting tomorrow.” Contributed by John Pomeroy, New Anthem Church, Mount Clemens, MI
- Free live streaming is available. Church Online Platform from Open Church (Life.Church and the Bible App) is totally free and will always be free. You can find out more here: https://churchonlineplatform.com.
- “At Life.Church, one of our core values is irrational generosity. We’re committed to equipping the “capital C” Church in every way we can. That’s why the Church Online Platform is available completely free of charge. Our definition of “free” extends to support and updates, too. You’ll get personalized customer service, software upgrades, and new features for the life of the tool.”
- Free Resources for Kids:
- The Bible App for Kids offers free videos and curriculum for kids. They have access for churches and for parents. Parents can simply access the parents portable and set up their kids with a kids service while they want your regular live stream. There is also a church portal you can access to get free curriculum and additional resources. Find out more here: https://open.life.church/4605-complete-online-kids-service, https://open.life.church/preschool, and https://bibleappforkids.com.
- Church of the Highlands has produced free online kids services that you can use to create an online kids service for your church. You can find out more here: http://covid19.growleader.com/ and https://www.arcchurches.com/covid19
- Worship Solutions from Substance Church
- A Church Communications Strategy/Calendar during Covid-19. Live Stream Content Starting at 9:44 https://youtu.be/35QtLDdLrsM (Contributed by Jon-Michael Sherman, TheRocket.Media)
- More live stream options:
- Quick Guidelines for Live Streaming a Church Service
- Zoom
- Facebook Premiere
- Youtube Premiere
- Church Online Platform
- Yellowbox Stream Sit
- Webinar training on live streaming from Ministry Brands. Also, here are some additional free resources provided by Ministry Brands.
- Live Streaming Breakout Training
- Free tech to support any disruptions ministries may experience as part of Coronavirus. Please, let us know if your church could use the following by emailing [email protected].
- 90 days of free live streaming: Reach those who choose not to attend services and events, or in the case of cancellations, with Church Streaming. Our team is here to help new churches get set up and running ASAP.
- With free text giving and a free mobile church app, your ministry can equip people to be generous anywhere, anytime in seconds.
- 30 days of free mass texting: Keep ministry lines of communication open during the U.S. outbreak. You’ll be able to quickly text your entire congregation about any service disruptions or changes.
- Free guide Using Technology to Prepare Your Church for Coronavirus (COVID-19) as well as the ShareFaith Kids 30-Day Family Devotionals Challenge.