Michigan Conference Communications releases the first six episodes of its Church Broadcast School, a recorded version of the popular training that toured in 2021.
JAMES DEATON
Content Editor
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the temporary closing of in-person worship, Michigan Conference Communications launched a statewide tour in the summer of 2021 to educate churches on the fundamentals of implementing online worship. That tour visited 10 cities in 10 days, reaching over 150 churches, but staff knew other churches needed this training.
So, in the summer of 2022, staff filmed the training. And now, they are glad to offer churches the first six episodes of Church Broadcast School (CBS) to take their online worship to the next level. A CBS Facebook Group was also created for churches to discuss ideas and pose questions.
Although a recent poll by the Pew Research Center (click to read article) noted that in-person worship remains more popular today, online religious services still appeal to many Americans. About a quarter of adults in the United States regularly watch religious services online or on TV.
“Online worship became necessary during the pandemic,” said Michigan Conference Communications Director Mark Doyal. “And while many have returned to in-person worship after COVID-19, online worship remains a critical access to the local church.”
CBS provides fundamental education and support for the ministry of online church, which is a significant part of a church’s presence in the community and an essential tool in a church’s communications and evangelism toolbox.
Bishop David Bard, in his opening comments in the first episode, noted the opportunities technology gives us today in communicating the gospel. “The technology we have enables us to touch people’s lives in ways we had considered inconceivable years ago. . . . This is a time for those of us with basic technology skills to learn how to use our phones and other equipment to reach out, share the good news of God’s love, and stay connected with other people. This is an exciting time to learn, grow, and be in ministry in new ways.”
This video series is intended for churches with the least access to technical knowledge, equipment, volunteers, and the internet, but there is something to learn for churches at every stage. Are you currently producing online worship using a cell phone, tablet, or basic web camera? CBS will focus on improved outcomes for content development, delivery of worship, connecting with online worshipers, and other discipleship-building opportunities online.
The first six episodes are built around the in-person training done in 2021, with updates given the ever-changing nature of technology and the needs of churches.
- Episode 1: Introduction—What you will learn in this series is the faith-filled reasons you should broadcast your worship services.
- Episode 2: Quality Online Worship—What makes for a quality online worship experience? Dive into how other churches have succeeded in their online approach.
- Episode 3: Quality Online Audio—Hear the good news! You can only offer that with quality online audio. Learn the fundamentals of ensuring you can be heard with quality online audio.
- Episode 4: Online Video—They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but not without quality online video! Learn the fundamentals of video for online worship.
- Episode 5: Streaming Systems—In this episode, learn about the best basic streaming systems for online worship, and choose what is best for your worship team.
- Episode 6: Live vs. Pre-Recorded Worship—Is it better to broadcast live or pre-record your worship services? This episode dives into the pros and cons of each approach and helps you determine the best avenue for your worship team.
Michigan Conference Communications plans to release additional episodes in the future, including one on copyright and licensing matters. “Online production is a journey, not a destination,” said Doyal. “We expect this to be a starting point of training, adding more episodes and information on our CBS page in the coming months. And we welcome those producing online worship in the local church to share with us what additional training they need.” Email staff at [email protected] with your comments and questions.
Another avenue for sharing ideas and collaborating with other United Methodist churches is utilizing the Michigan Conference CBS Facebook Group. “Every church has some experience to share that will be helpful. That is why we started this group, where local churches can share, discuss, and pose questions about online worship that the group can offer input,” added Doyal.
The CBS landing web page has additional resources for churches needing support on various aspects of online worship, such as webcasting, lighting basics, Zoom for worship, and Facebook Live for worship.
Last Updated on August 15, 2023