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Have you considered live streaming your church services?
Technology isn’t what it used to be.
If you had told me when I was younger that a single rectangle small enough to fit in my pocket would function as my camera, photo album, calculator, map, phone, computer, notebook, and more, I’d have assumed you were pitching a new sci-fi movie.
If you had told me I could connect with people all around the world, I’d have assumed you were talking about pen pals and months of waiting for letters to return.
If you had told me I could find answers to just about any question I could think to ask and learn at least the basics of anything from plumbing to car maintenance, to martial arts, to crocheting, to marketing and accounting, I’d have assumed you were introducing me to a new type of school (and a very expensive one, at that!).
You get the picture, right? Technology has transformed the way we connect with others, and the technological advances we’re making are only accelerating over time. These advances have allowed even the smallest budgets to open up the world and connect globally without ever stepping foot on a plane.
One more. If you had told me I could participate in a church service from my couch, I’d have assumed you were talking about watching something broadcasted on TV or the radio from a church that was widely known, popular, and rich. But that’s not the case anymore, is it? Today, thanks to the advances in technology, even the smallest church has the opportunity to hold online services. Even the smallest church can have a radiating impact that touches lives around the world through the power of the live streaming your church services.
What’s The Problem?
There are more people alive than ever before. There are more generations alive than ever before. The way we interact and communicate with each other is ever-changing, as is the way we access information.
When the pandemic happened, we saw a major barrier thrown up against the ability to connect physically. When everyone was forced to stay home, it created a need to find a way to connect virtually in real-time. We saw a rise in the use of apps like Zoom, Google Meet, Marco Polo, FaceTime, etc. YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook Live videos took off.
The truth is, even though this barrier to physical connection seemed to explode with the pandemic, it was forming well before that. Because people are living longer, more individuals are moving to assisted living facilities or just aren’t able to leave home as easily.
More jobs can be worked remotely or with a smaller number of people because technology has allowed for more efficiency. Families move across the country and no longer live just down the block from parents, grandparents, or other extended family. The world is both shrinking and growing at the same time, and connection is both easier and more difficult. Things are different now than they were even a handful of years ago and will continue to change.
For some, it’s harder to travel because their bodies physically cannot get out of the house. For some, it’s easier to travel so they go all over the world. For both, they may not be connecting in person the way they used to because their world has either shrunk or grown too much. It’s hard to reach everybody and connect with people who don’t have the chance to be there in person. Video conferencing and live streaming your church services have become the answer for connection when unable to be in the same physical location.
How Does A Live Stream Help Your Small Church?
There are jobs that require people to work on Sundays. Some children are involved in sports that have games on Sunday mornings. Sometimes people get sick. Older individuals experience a major decrease in mobility and an increase in health issues that prevent them from getting out of the house as easily as they once did. We travel more. It’s hard to get out of the house with a newborn. Sometimes we just can’t make it to church.
Live streaming church services has become a vital part of helping people gather to worship when they are unable to be in the building physically. It allows the body of Christ to experience a little more of that wholeness even when there are absences.
True, one thing that came out of the pandemic was a realization that there is no real substitute for being gathered physically together, but it also showed us that sometimes you just can’t all gather together, and something is better than nothing. We need each other, and while real, human physical contact is the best, sometimes it’s not always an option. When you live stream your Sunday service, you are providing a pathway to connection and worship.
Another benefit of live streaming your church services is that it gives potential guests a chance to experience your service without the commitment. Today, many people like to know *exactly* what to expect before they walk into a building – whether that building is a hotel, restaurant, church, etc. By live streaming your church services, you provide people with the opportunity to peek in the window or kick the tires. When those guests then do visit the building, they’re more likely to stay because they already have a level of connection.
The Impact Of Live Streaming Your Church Services
In case I haven’t made it clear or you haven’t noticed for yourself, we live in a technology-driven world. We live in a world that is now more than ever used to connecting virtually to each other when a physical, in-person connection isn’t possible.
Yes, I’ve heard the comment “If we stop live streaming services, people will return to in-person worship.” The truth is, if you have been live streaming your church services and stop, you’ll be cutting off people who want to be there but can’t (for a variety of reasons) while those who had no intention of being part of your in-person service will simply go find another church to watch online.
Yes, I’ve heard the statement, “People online are just consuming and aren’t participating.” I can’t argue that it feels far more “consumeristic” to simply watch a service instead of participating in the physical service. However, I would argue that consuming is better than nothing, and through your live streaming service, you can make watchers aware of church events and invite them to join in person. You can give them a reason to move from consuming to participating.
Unfortunately, church members and regular attendees are going to miss your Sunday service from time to time. It doesn’t matter how faithful they are, there are always seen and unforeseen circumstances that will prevent them from being there every single Sunday. The good news is, whether those circumstances are illnesses, a death, vacation, work, or something else, live streaming your church service will allow them to attend and worship with you even if they can’t be there physically.
An unexpected bonus of live streaming is that you are not confined to people who live near your physical location—the online world scales in a way the physical world doesn’t. Limitations of distance disappear. Even limitations of language diminish as there are many auto-translators. When you live stream your service, you offer hope and joy to people whom you would potentially never be able to include in a physical service. Your social media platforms and church website are accessible beyond those who live in your town.
Easiest Way To Get Started
Whether you were live streaming your church services and stopped or have never streamed your service, there are a few easy steps you can take to get going.
1. Include Others In The Conversation
Before you even set up a camera (or even daydream about what kind of camera or phone you want to use), you need to include others in the conversation. Live streaming is going to take more than one person. The best person to start with is your pastor (if you aren’t them!). Share this article with them and your heart for reaching people beyond the doors of your church.
Depending on the type of church structure you have, you will likely also want to seek the approval of any necessary leadership. We don’t want to start live streaming covertly – we want people to be excited about the prospect.
2. Talk To The Tech Team
Talk to whoever falls into the category of “tech person” (if this isn’t you). This may be the person who does sound. It could be whoever makes the slides for your screens. Maybe it’s whoever runs those slides on Sunday morning. It could be whoever maintains your church’s social media pages. (And yes, I realize there’s a good chance that all of those hats fall on one person).
Whoever is doing the tech (especially if it’s all done by one or two people) needs to be on board with the idea of live streaming, and they need to know that their skills are valuable and appreciated – we aren’t just dumping one more thing in their lap and telling them “go do this.” We are inviting them on the journey and experience of reaching others who are accessible to our internet-dependent world.
3. Get People Excited About It
Get your church excited about the idea of live streaming (either again or for the first time). Cast the vision of them being able to share the church experience with friends and family members who aren’t local. Share with them that, while you still love seeing their smiling faces on Sunday morning, you know that they can’t always be there in person but you still want to be able to worship with them.
Once you’ve set up your livestream (which could easily be a whole other blog post in itself and probably will be), share that with your church! For several weeks (longer than you think you need to and in more places than you think are necessary), share the new livestream information, whether that’s the link to your YouTube channel, encouraging them to like your Facebook Page, etc. Post about it on your social media pages and encourage your church members to share those posts and get the word out. Share the link to the live video each week.
If you have people who are unable to get to church anymore, talk to them directly. If they have a computer, offer to come and set up a bookmark or an easy-to-find link to make it easy for them to access. If they have a smartphone, offer to help them get the app and subscribe to your Facebook Page or YouTube Channel so that they can easily access the new livestream each Sunday.
This group of individuals is easily one of the most forgotten groups when it comes to the belief that livestream isn’t helpful. Chances are, many of these individuals dedicated years of service to the church and to be able to connect again in worship, even virtually, would mean the world to them.
Extending Your Church Beyond The Physical Building
Technology and connecting virtually aren’t going anywhere. By opening your doors to the broader world by live streaming your church services, we offer hope that extends beyond the physical building. We provide a place for people to join in worship even when they can’t join physically. We offer the chance to stay connected even when circumstances don’t allow for face-to-face connection.
Live streaming your church service is important. It opens the door to broader connections and gives potential visitors a chance to experience your service before they walk in the door.
It may feel intimidating or like you’re late to the game if you aren’t live streaming already. But it is doable! You can reach new people, share the hope and joy found within your church, and connect to those who aren’t able to be there in person. The church is not a building, it’s the body of Christ, and that body can gather physically and virtually to worship the One God. Blessings on your live stream adventure!
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