Category Archives: Leadership

Church Video Announcements; An on-going conversation

I struggled with calling this post ‘an on-going conversation’, it’s probably more of an obsession. While I would never classify myself as a communications expert, I’m passionate about communicating well within the church. I’ve posted about this passion before (See 8 Simple Rules for Video Announcements), and I’d really like to hear from other video producers who are tasked with making video announcements at other churches. If that’s you, drop me a line in the comments… I’d love to hear the philosophy behind the how and why from others.

I’ve been doing my current version of announcements at Seacoast Church for about 6 weeks now. I call it “The Dispatch” and thankfully, I was given a lot of artistic liberty on how to execute each week.

Some of the parameters that I work within:

  • Keep the final piece at about 2 minutes long. We roll the announcements right before the message roll-in and the idea is to keep it short but informative.
  • Cover no more than 3 calendar items. I believe that any more than 3 items will be quickly forgotten.

Here is one of my favorites:

–

Some of my philosophy:

  • Video announcements allow me to tell a better story. I don’t ever want to just move a “talking head” from the stage to the screen; with the bit about the Harbor Cruise, I was able to to get onto the boat that they were using for the event. The boat, the water, the bridge… these are strong visuals and they tell as much of the story as the spoken word. A third layer in this was the music; “Come Sail Away” by Styx was a great way to help people remember that event as well. Never underestimate the value of getting a song stuck in people’s heads!
  • Pictures and a little bit of information get the point across. In the bit about Serve Saturday, with just a little bit of footage from a previous event, I was able to show that anyone can get involved, from someone with car skills to people who can throw a little paint around. An interesting side note is that the event organizer came to me after that piece ran with a concern that it needed more information, I assured her that it would be okay; all that people needed to know was already in the piece. They had only been averaging about 20 people in the past few months for Serve Saturday… we ran that bit for two weeks prior to the July event and they had 70 people show up! You don’t have to over-sell… keep it short, give people the what/why/when, and they will respond.
  • Quick reminders work! At the end of the piece, I had the talent simply ask folks to silence their cell phones and I was amazed at how many people were reaching into pockets and purses to do just that! Beyond that, finishing with a way for people to get more information is another key to communicating well; Our website will always have more information than we will ever try to fit into 2 minutes, I like to finish each week with the church’s website address.

If video announcements are something you’re already doing, or looking to start doing, jump into the conversation! Let’s help each other out by swapping ideas. Feel free to include links to stuff you’ve done so we can all see what you’re doing.

Taming the Chaos

As much as we might deny it, the first church service of the weekend, whether it’s Saturday night or first thing Sunday morning, often times really is a dress rehearsal.

There really is no end to the possibilities as to why… The bottom line is that this is the first time that we’re doing this service and there can be bumps in the road.

In one recent Saturday night service, it seemed that Murphy’s Law was going to play out in every possible way… everything that could go wrong, just about did. All of what went haywire really isn’t the point of this post, just know that it was a tense evening in the booth.

The point is this: After it was all over and I had some time to process things and talk to people about how we might avoid some of these snares in the future, I sent out a tweet that said,

“It will never cease to amaze me how chaotic things can be behind the scenes.”

A friend of mine, who is a Technical Director at another church, responded back to me with:

“We just love to tame the chaos.”

Thanks, Rick… That about sums it up!

As I thought about that some more, I realized that it’s a choice to tame the chaos. I’ve worked in the production of live television and events for many years, and in that time I’ve been around some leaders who seem to actually thrive on the chaos and it rarely made things any easier for anyone.

Our gear will fail… people will make mistakes… stuff will happen…

Whether you’re a staff leader at a church or a volunteer who runs the Power Point slides, you must choose to be a chaos tamer. Be quick to do what you can to remedy the problems and even quicker to speak peace over those who you are working with. When things seem to be falling apart, choose to be a strong part of the solution.

A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.

The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

Proverbs 15:1-2

Sharing Your Stage

A few years ago while I was still working in the freelance video world, I had an opportunity to work on a show with the amazing Gregory Hines. While I’d love to regale you with the part of this story where I got to hang out backstage and talk about life and fatherhood with him (coughNAMEDROPPERcough), there really is a point to this.

He was an incredible performer; one of the best I’ve ever seen. You see, most of the content of his stage show was a showcase of his amazing tap-dancing ability. (If you have no idea what I’m writing about, click HERE) About 2/3 of the way through his show, he made an announcement that anyone who brought their tap shoes should line up by the stage and wait their turn. I remember thinking, “Come on; who in their right mind would bring their tap shoes to a Gregory Hines show?” You might be as surprised as I was to find out that about 30 people had done just that. I learned that this was a common practice for Mr. Hines… nearly every time he did a live show, he would allow anyone with enough courage to try it an opportunity to share his stage.

One by one, he welcomed every person in line to center stage, stood to the side, and said the same thing:

“Show me what you got”

Easily adding another 30 minutes or more to his show, he gave each person their own moment. Some showed great skill, others stumbled through… Mr. Hines watched each one with the same level of interest, and when they finished he applauded their effort with great enthusiasm.

As I ponder that experience, I’m convicted about how often I tend to be critical rather than encouraging towards those who haven’t learned or experienced all that I have… times that I default to feeling threatened by some one who may show me up in my chosen field rather than being excited about the gifts and talent of a young person who is finding their passion… moments when I have shrugged my shoulders and walked away when I could should have offered an a vote of confidence.

I want to be better. I want to be a teacher… an encourager.

Just one of those moments when I realize again that He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30 ESV)

Thanks for reading this.

Moving Pictures – Story telling

I’m sure if you polled a few hundred people and asked them what they think is the primary function for any video, you’d get a mix of answers:

  • Communication/information
  • Historical/documentation
  • Entertainment

These are all valid views, but what I’d like to stress is that the best videos, in any category, are those that tell a good story. Good story telling is what separates an hour of unwatchable, random footage and 3 minutes of captivation. It’s careful consideration of good planning, well composed shots, and intentional editing… and everything in between.

Good storytelling doesn’t happen by accident. It is a skill that is learned and practiced, but rarely mastered. This is one huge reason why I’m constantly looking at how other people do things; I want to tell good better stories!

(embedded video HERE)

Become a student of story telling. Check out what others are doing to convey great stories. Stretch yourself so that all of your work doesn’t look the same.

And, maybe most importantly, always be ready to help some one who isn’t as far along as you are; we all have a part in building up the next story tellers.

Lessons for a good departure

My friend Mac Lake recently resigned his position at Seacoast Church to take a job with another organization where he will be over-seeing the planting of new churches all over the country. He recently spoke to our staff about the process he has been going through in taking this new job… and while I’m very sad to see him go, I was encouraged as I considered what he has taught me about the importance of a good departure:

Learn well. Mac was quick to point out all that he had learned in his time at Seacoast; about his faith, about serving people, and about great leadership. Learning well along the way means that you never arrive at some magical point where you stop learning – when you learn, you grow.

For the LORD gives wisdom,
and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6

Live well. In the 7 years that Mac has been with us, he has raised 3 kids, started a mentoring program for current and future leaders, and helped other churches develop leaders all over the world! Great examples of living well. It is vital that in what ever time you have in an organization that you are fully engaged and contributing to the growth of others.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

Love well. Mac loves his wife and kids; what does that have to do with a proper departure? He has been a great example to other husbands and fathers by continuing to date his wife and spending quality time with his kids. He also loves his church family and is loved in return… he will be greatly missed; this is evidence that he has loved well.

If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:3

Leave well. I respect Mac for how he has handled his departure; praying for hours, seeking the blessing of our senior pastor, and stepping out in the faith that is required to make this kind of move. Mac didn’t just put in his two week notice and start cleaning out his desk, he’s been meeting with people who will be taking on some of his responsibilities and making sure that this is a smooth transition. Leaving well means walking out the front door with the admiration and respect of those whom you have worked with.

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. Galatians 6:4

Mac, thank you for your friendship, mentor-ship, and leadership. You will be missed, and I look forward to hearing about the amazing things that God will do through your obedience to His call!

Media vs Ministry: the Thursday Bomb

The following article is re-posted with permission from Tim Allen. Tim has spent several years creating media and motion graphics in the local church. He owns Tribal Iris, a post-production and finishing company. He lives in AZ with his wife and son. Find other great articles like this at www.shrinkthechurch.com.

I have said for a while now that media and ministry have a hard time working together. That is not to say that they can’t, or that they shouldn’t. It’s just difficult.

On one hand, ministry can be very spontaneous and last minute. God can move just before a gathering or event, and it’s off on another direction. I think that’s great, even ideal in some cases.

Media on the other hand is not last minute. A designer might be able to slam a logo together, but then there’s formatting, and printing and any kind of supplemental content that goes along with that. Then you bring video in the mix: scheduling, equipment needs, shooting, and the post work. Rendering can take hours – or days – all by itself. A recipe for disaster.

There’s not a lot you can do avoid certain circumstances, but there are ways to lessen the toll they may take to those involved.

Here is what I will say to the pastors out there:

Please, please say what’s on your heart. Don’t think you’re going to hurt our feelings because you’re not going to use our work. The roll of a creative team is to provide support and supplemental content to your message. So the message comes first. But here’s what I will ask. Respect our time, our families and our talents. If you walk in on Thursday (assuming your work week is Sunday – Thursday) and change everything, that is fine. Just don’t expect your team to be to produce the same caliber of material – if by then they can produce anything at all – that is custom-tailored for that message. If the media was that important to the message, I think God might have told you sooner, or spoken directly to the creative team as well.

I realize there are moments in every ministry where sometimes a sacrifice is asked of us, and we have to go above and beyond. That’s cool. But it can’t be the norm. You can’t play the “ministry” card every time you want to change your mind. Respect your creatives’ time, and give them room to breathe. Then when you really, really do need to ask them to go the extra mile it won’t feel like such an unreasonable ask.

To all you creatives out there:

Don’t get frustrated that the content has changed. Be grateful that you have a leader who is sensitive to what God wants to say in that moment.  It are moments like these that amazing things often happen, and you should be able to provide what support you can.

Here is a possible solution: create a couple different design packages around your church identity. Make sure these elements are fully produced in the event of a “Thursday Bomb”. This is especially helpful for you video + motion graphics guys. Have something on standby that can fill in that gap and allows for consistency without you having to kill yourself every time these things happen.  Pastors and leaders, give your team the time they need (in addition to their normal weekly tasks) to put these backup, standardized media kits together. It may not seem important right now, but trust me the day will come when you will be glad you have – or wish you had – these elements on standby.

Media and ministry have a tough relationship. However, if we take the time to understand each perspective – and respect what is involved on both sides – the process to get through the tough moments will no longer be stressful, but could prove to birth some of the most powerful moments in your ministry. Pastors will not longer get frustrated with missed expectations or a lack of consistency, but will value their creative team’s preparedness and the support they provide. Creatives will no longer be frustrated with unrealistic expectations and feeling like their time is not valued, but will grow to respect their pastor’s spontaneity and sensitivity toward what God is trying to accomplish in their ministry.

Moving Pictures; Find something to inspire you

Ever feel like you’re in a creative rut?

Like you’re doing the same thing over and over?

I do.

Don’t ever allow yourself to get stagnant! Recognize that you’re in a funk and do something about it! God created you to be a creator… it’s His DNA… his gift to you and in you!

What can I do to be sparked to new levels of creativity?

1. Pray – Talk to God, it really is just that simple. Tell him whatever you’re feeling. Thank Him for wiring you the way He did… and most importantly, commit your gift back to Him! Ask Him to bless your mind with incredible new ideas that will bring Him glory!

2. Read – Find a book that will feed your creativity; Fiction or non-fiction, it doesn’t matter… just feed your mind! And make sure you’re reading God’s Word; find one scripture that fires you up… memorize it, pray it, and then repeat it to yourself all day. Today, mine is Proverbs 11:25

A generous man will prosper;
he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

Lord, please help me to use the gifts you have given me to refresh others!

3. Find a creative video clip that makes you want to create; sad as it is to say, youtube is losing it’s appeal for me (too many useless wastes of bandwidth!). Go to vimeo and check out the “discover” section. Here you will find some very good work by very talented people. I’m amazed at how quickly I’m inspired to want to shoot something when I find a really good clip!

4. Call a friend. I hope that you have a good friend that shares your beliefs and understands creative ruts… call them up and ask them to help you shake off the rust. Ask them what they’re working on. Ask them what has inspired them recently. Ask them if there is anything you can do to help them.

Did I miss anything? How do you find inspiration?

Salt and light and a prayer cross

Confession; I used to be one of those people who liked Christian book stores and the trinkets that lure well-meaning believers of the Way. I got giddy every time I saw a new t-shirt that depicted a well known product re-named as something in Christian-ese.

reebok = reborn

*sigh*

Thankfully, I got over all of that.

Now, the last thing I want is to be perceived as a bitter, cynical believer… that’s not who I am. I’ve just come to a point where I’m convinced that the cheesy t-shirts and bumper stickers do nothing more than isolate the bearers and turn away those who don’t share our beliefs. I might change my mind if I were ever to meet some one who claims to have come to faith because of something they read on a Christian hoodie, but to this day I haven’t. I’m not suggesting for a minute that any of these things are bad, but they do tend to speak a language that is often only understood by those on the inside thus alienating those who don’t understand.

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. Matthew 5:13 ESV

Salt is best used in small amounts, never over-powering… just a pinch, right?

I have a neighbor across the street who I haven’t officially met yet. We’ve gone from the awkward “don’t make eye contact” stage to a hearty wave when we pass on the street. Some day soon, I’ll initiate a hand shake and introduction, and when I do, I won’t be wearing a LORD’S GYM t-shirt that might automatically make him stand-offish about who I am. I want to get to know him and his family… get to know what they’re into, and ultimately what he struggles with.

I’m looking to make a friend, not a convert.

I’m looking to add value… and just a pinch of salt.

Help for Haiti

I mentioned in a post this past December about our Christmas with a purpose at Seacoast Church. It was amazing to see how so many people, of all ages, gave so unselfishly to a something that could have such a great positive impact on countless people. We took our eyes off of ourselves and saw a global need that we could do something about.

You can imagine with so many people giving water bottles full of coins, bills and checks, that it took a while to get an accurate count on exactly how much money came in. Before we could even get a final number back from the bank, disaster hit the small nation of Haiti. Seacoast Church was able to immediately issue a check to Water Missions International so that a water purification system could be sent to Port-au-Prince to help the hurting people who had no source for clean water. Several other groups and individuals also gave to WMI and they were able to send 12 systems to Haiti just days after the quake. People can live weeks without food but can easily perish without water after just a couple of days. Clean water for Haiti is critical!

I was so encouraged today when I saw this:

I realize that you have many options when it comes to helping out with monetary donations. Please consider giving to Water Missions International… you can give $10 simply by texting “WMI” to 85944 (text ‘yes’ when prompted to confirm). You can also give online through their secure site (click HERE).

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40). Please consider giving to WMI as they work diligently to help these hurting people… and continue to pray for all of the relief efforts in Haiti.