Technological advances over the last several years have made it possible for an increasing number of churches  particularly medium to large churches  to integrate high-tech audio and visual components into the Sunday morning worship service.
Video technology is transforming the worship experience into a big-screen extravaganza
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WHAT'S IMPORTANT |
The advances also have brought down the prices of equipment, letting even small churches get into the act.
"The video technology is probably the hot button right now. More and more churches are getting interested in using video as a communications tool," said Jerry Horn, marketing manager for All Pro Sound. "The pricing on video has really made it affordable and within reach of even smaller congregations looking to have a better or more effective way to communicate in their services."
Indeed, it is difficult to find a congregation that does not use a varied assortment of
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 Jerry Horn, |
We believe that church video has become the latest technology frontier for the contemporary church to conquer.
Horn said many of the questions he fields at Pensacola, Fla.-based All Pro Sound come from church leaders who are curious about video, but unsure about the specifics involved in bringing it into the church.
"We believe that church video has become the latest technology frontier for the contemporary church to conquer," Horn said.
Maximum benefit
Today's churches use video projection for worship, teaching, and informational meetings. Horn said the typical setup for a worship service includes one or two projectors with corresponding screens and a computer with dual monitors in the control booth.
Churches use projection screens in worship services to display inspirational pictures, announcements, video clips, sermon notes, and Bible verses. Technicians can page parents when there is a problem with a child in nursery care or children's' church by flashing a number or name on the video screen.
"Worship leaders use video to help set the mood of worship and to direct congregational singing, oftentimes replacing the traditional printed bulletins and hymnals with onscreen versions of the lyrics," said Horn. "Pastors use video to emphasize key points in their sermons, thus helping the congregation to better understand the message being presented."
Elmer Hilker, owner of Hilker Media in Tampa, Fla., said the equipment allows churches to choose between a slick, professional production feel to a more relaxed, home video perspective about what they are doing.
"If you're trying to (produce) something like Rick Warren is doing with 40 Days of Purpose  that is going across the country and is going to be seen by a lot of people  the way it's presented is very important," Hilker said. "However if you're doing an outreach
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 Elmer Hilker, |
Hilker said regardless of the approach, if used properly, video could help enhance the Sunday morning experience and help glorify God.
"Of course, God is glorified because of the effort, but the whole idea is you want to give your best effort," Hilker said. "Because I'm in the business I'm kind of sensitive to that."
Software Control
When video first began finding its way into the worship experience, technicians used the software that was available at the time, which, in most cases, consisted of business applications like Microsoft PowerPoint. In addition, while PowerPoint is quite useful, it is essentially a digital slide show and does not allow programming changes on the fly.
On the other hand, a good church software program allows the technician complete freedom to change screen views at a moment's notice by simply pointing and clicking with his mouse.
A well-written church video software program will also include other convenience features such as a quick learning curve and dual screen capacity. The dual screen gives the operator a preview screen so that he can see the image before he sends it to the projector, Horn explained.
When shopping for video equipment, church leaders should make certain the packaged software is compatible with other components and ready to use.
"We preload the software into a computer and, basically, all the customer needs to do when they get it unpacked is set it up, plug it in, hit one key and it's ready to go," Horn said. "It's very user-friendly. Someone who has never worked with video presentation software can easily adapt to using this within a matter of minutes. It's very intuitive."
Bottom Line
Ten years ago, a basic video equipment package would have cost a church between $12,000 and $15,000, putting it out of grasp for most small churches. While there is still a substantial investment, the bottom line has dropped as the technology and demand improved.
"A basic video system that we sell runs just under $5,000, which will get you a projector, a VCR/DVD combo player, a projector mount and preconfigured computer system with the software program," said Horn. "The only additional piece that would need to go into a system like that would be the screen itself. Of course, the screen needs vary depending on the type of venue you have."
He said screens could cost from as low as $80 to as high as $1,500.
When purchasing, Horn insists church leaders should seek out a reputable dealer to help guide them in their selection.
"The commitment to purchase and install a video projection system represents a substantial investment of your church's budget, so make certain that your dealer can answer all of your questions and provide the support that you need to correctly match equipment to your facility," he said.
