Our Livestream Journey: Priorities and Improvements
By Andre Arrais
It was July of 2020. I was pastoring in New Mexico amid a global pandemic when I received the invitation to become the Worship & Outreach Pastor at New Hope, in Fulton, MD, a church of about one thousand members. Relocating under those circumstances was a unique experience. Most churches were closed at the time. It didn’t matter if you were a big church or a small church. Churches were relying on some format of streaming to keep their congregations engaged and fed. And even after churches reopened, there were still many individuals and families who decided to continue watching their church service from the comfort of their homes. This new era/mindset added an enhanced emphasis not only on a continuous need for streaming but also on the quality of the streaming.
New Hope had already been streaming their services for many years. But the pandemic led to a more intentional approach to improving the online experience. This was achieved by prioritizing a few things:
1. RELATIONSHIPS
Relationship building, volunteer/staff appreciation, and developing community are at the core of a healthy ministry environment. The improvements that have taken place at our church in the last 3-4 years would not have happened without a healthy culture. The long-term effects are clearly visible. Whenever we are faced with challenges, we know we can count on our team, not because they HAVE to be there to help, but because they WANT to be there to help. Love, kindness, and joy are at the foundation of what we constantly strive to be as a team.
2. AESTHETICS
Improving the aesthetics of our livestream was another priority. This was accomplished by painting the stage walls in a dark color, changing the carpet, adjusting our lighting, and adding a haze machine to highlight the light beams. Now, whenever someone asks me why a church needs all these elements, I answer by saying that it’s not about needing these elements specifically, but it’s about creating beauty in the best way we can. God is a God of beauty, a God who prioritized aesthetics when giving instructions to Moses on how to build and furnish the Sanctuary. So our decision to make these improvements was not motivated by the need to improve our livestream for the livestream’s sake, but by our desire to create a space that points even more to this attribute of God—a God of beauty. Aesthetics can take different shapes and forms. They can exist in a bright room, but also in a darker room. They can exist with “fancy” lighting, or “basic” lighting. Either way, there is value in being intentional about beauty within the boundaries of our local church budget.
3. FINANCIAL INVESTMENT
I’m sure that many of you who are reading this right now face limitations when it comes to your church’s financial resources. Risk management and responsible spending should always be considered. However, within those boundaries, there are creative ways to make things happen. And it’s not about trying to do everything all at once, but at least taking steps forward in the direction of the vision you have as a church. If you want to make improvements, there is just so much you can do at NO COST. But at some point, for your church to have the ability to take things to the next level, financial investment will be needed.
About 2 years ago our church decided to add another pastor to our team who would oversee our Online Community. Around the same time, we added a part-time Broadcast/Media Director. These two hires increased the quality of our Online Streaming as well as our In-Person service in a significant way. Their expertise led to improvements that we didn’t know could be possible in such a short time frame. Their presence and time availability resulted in a higher number of volunteers being plugged into our church service (camera operators, production team members, etc.), but also the strengthening of our church as a whole.
FINAL THOUGHTS
While there’s much more that I could share, I believe these three key points summarize the broad foundational changes that took place for us to improve our church livestream. These improvements didn’t come without challenges. There is a process to everything. And there will be times when our patience and motivation will be tested. But I pray that you may find strength and resilience when faced with obstacles.
Finally, even if our church size or experience might not be exactly where your church is currently, I hope that the principles found here can inspire you to always continue improving as a church, as a team, and as a pastor.