A Practical Perspective: The Importance of the Audio/Video Ministry within the Local Church

Throughout this blog, we have seen multiple methods for expanding the audio/video ministry within the local church. Today, we will be looking at the importance of this ministry through the eyes of the pastor. For this interview, we specifically chose Pastor Chad Prigge of Fellowship Baptist Church in Watertown, WI for his love for the ministry and his interest in technology.

What value do you place on the audio/video ministry at your church?

The A/V ministry is important for any church seeking to expand its influence by getting out its message, an opportunity that is ripe for our media-saturated society.

It is also important as it seeks to ensure a pleasant, non-distracting listening experience for those attending the services.

How large is this ministry within your church?

In terms of our annual operating budget, our a/v ministry is not very large. In terms of equipment, we have several wireless and hard-wired microphones, a video camera, an analog soundboard that will soon be replaced by a digital board, two recently installed monitor speakers above the platform, and a couple of computers to process the recordings.

How many individuals are involved in this ministry for a morning service? Evening service? Mid-weekservice? What is each one doing?

There is usually one volunteer overseeing the audio during our church services. We no longer video record our services for broadcast on local cable tv.

We recently had several seminary students preach in church for a class requirement. The requirement included that the sermons be video recorded and then uploaded to the internet. One of our members operated the video camera and another uploaded the sermons.

What do you see as its primary purpose or goal?

First, as already mentioned, the audio ministry exists in order to ensure a pleasant, non-distracting listening experience for those attending the services. Since faith is the result of hearing God’s Word (Romans 10:17), it is imperative that everyone who comes to church be given the opportunity to hear clearly what God is trying to say to them.

What services does this ministry provide to the members?

One of the greatest benefits of our a/v ministry to church members, especially members who are physically unable to attend church, is recording and distributing the sermons or lessons to them. The sermons are available for download from our church website, or they can be transferred to a disk and distributed upon request.

Does this ministry give your church more or less outreach opportunities? Why or why not?

We recently decided to discontinue recording and broadcasting our Sunday morning service on local cable tv for two reasons: it was becoming too great of a time commitment for our volunteer staff, and there were no significant measurable results from it. We concluded the program was making very little impact in our community. A likely reason is that the low quality of the program made it unattractive to the average viewer.

I believe a church’s media presentation must conform to the personality of the church if it is going to be effective. We struggled to do this well.

What do you see as the Biblical basis for the audio/video ministry?

Romans 10:17 emphasizes the importance of hearing God’s Word which has the power to convert souls and change lives. The fulfilling of the Great Commission to the church hinges on the communication of truth. We should use every resource available to aid and enhance that communication.

What might be some areas that you might expand this ministry in the future?

We hope to purchase a digital soundboard to replace the current analog in the near future. In addition, we have discussed the benefit of installing large tv screens on either side of the platform in order to broadcast the text of various musical numbers (e.g. instrumental offertories, unfamiliar choral texts, etc.) and possibly the significant points of sermons.

What advice do you have for someone wishing to expand their audio/video ministry?

It is important to evaluate and take inventory of your a/v equipment regularly to see what technologies may be growing obsolete or to discover any technology gaps that should be addressed.

What final thoughts would you like to share?

We should strive for excellence in every aspect of ministry. This is especially important in the area of a church’s A/V production. It is better to produce no medium than to produce one that misrepresents or detracts from the reputation of our most excellent God.

Conclusion

Thank you, Pastor Prigge, for your willingness to let us interview you. We greatly appreciate the time that you were willing to invest so that we might gain a better understanding of how the pastor views this vital ministry.

You can visit Fellowship Baptist Church at: http://www.fbcwttn.org/

In this interview, we saw several additional areas in which a media ministry could expand. In addition to these, what might be some more? How might we go about expanding in that area?

You can respond via the comments section below. Also, feel free to comment on other topics as well!

Have you checked out all our previous posts? Be sure to check them out below!

• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/looking-ahead-future-developments-for-the-media-ministry.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/physical-and-virtual-various-outlets-for-audio-distribution.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/a-necessary-component-for-live-streaming-audio.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/how-to-legally-broadcast-and-record-copyrighted-music.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/copyright-regulations-and-audio-video-distribution-within-the-local-church.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/a-photo-illustration-of-live-streaming.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/interviewing-audio-video-specialist.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/maximizing-media-through-live-streaming.html

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Looking Ahead: Future Developments for the Media Ministry

So, now that our audio/video ministry is actively live streaming our services, what might be some areas that we could improve as we go forward? We do not simply want to remain stagnant with our technology and practices, but we want to keep pressing on to provide quality video streaming to our live viewers. In this post, we will be looking at what we can do better now and soon.

What we can do better NOW

First, we will be looking at areas that we can do better now. While it may not seem normal to start implementing improvements immediately, there are certain improvements that are too important to not implement. These vital improvements consist primarily of how we handle our equipment. Here, we will be looking at various techniques that will improve the quality of both our audio and video.

Improving our audio

There are two primary things that we should take note of when we are running the sound board. The first is that when we are running the sliders, we need to move them smoothly yet confidently. In other words, when we see someone step to the pulpit, we need to confidently push the slider to approximately where we think this person will need it. While this may take some getting used to, it is a vital element in running the audio because the audio will sound much better when we confidently move the slider to the right spot.
 
The second area that we should note when we are running the sound board is that we should remain active at our post. We are not to simply set the volume when someone starts talking or singing, but we should remain ready to adjust the volume if the person should get quieter or louder. Our prompt response to the changes in an individual’s voice will directly impact the audio feed. In contrast, if we did not adjust the volume, those watching the live stream may not be able to hear what the individual is saying. In summary, being confident and active are vital characteristics for the person running the audio.

Improving our video

In addition to improving our audio, there are also some simple ways in which we can improve our video. These consist primarily of how we zoom and pan. In other words, how we zoom and how we move the video camera will directly impact the video quality. The first thing we should do here is to do it slowly. Moving slowly is important to not make the broadcast jerky. Similarly, the second thing we should do is to move smoothly. When we move both smoothly and slowly, we are providing our viewers with a quality video feed. Also, we are actually helping ourselves when we move slowly because that gives us more time to find the exact place to be zoomed in on rather than being so hurried that we accidently take the viewer across the room unnecessarily! One thing I like to add when talking about this topic is that we can pretend that the viewers are actually sitting inside the video camera. But, rather than actually being at church, they can only see what you let them. As such, we should be sure to give them a smooth and comfortable ride. It may seem like an odd comparison, but I believe that it helps give the proper perspective when running the video camera.

What we can do better SOON

While we have looked at various ways to improve our techniques, there are also some other important areas that we can improve as well. These consist primarily of improving our hardware and improving our video cameras.

Improving our hardware

When we go about improving our hardware, the primary piece of equipment that we see here is the computer. The computer is the tool that links the video feed to the internet. Because this piece of equipment is so vital, we will have to ensure that we have a fast and powerful computer that is capable of live streaming our video feed. While our current computer may work for what we do right now, updating our computer will enable us to broadcast a better feed because it should be able to handle a higher video quality.
 
Another extremely vital element for having a good quality video feed is the internet speed. While this may seem like a no-brainer, we must be sure that we get a high internet speed that will enable us to live stream high quality video. While we do not have to initially get high speed internet, we will have to have it if we want to ever really improve our video quality. If you want to check your internet speed, you can visit:

• www.speedtest.net

Improving our video output

While we have looked at the various hardware perspectives for improving our video feed, none is more important than the cameras themselves! Here, we see two primary avenues for increasing the quality. The first route we can take is to use quality cameras. While there are many different cameras available, High Definition (HD) cameras can provide great quality for our video broadcasts. There are much better cameras available, but HD should be sufficient for live streaming.
 
The second avenue through which we can improve the quality by the cameras themselves would be to purchase additional cameras. Utilizing additional cameras increase the number of angles and provide variety for the video feed. While adding cameras may seem like more work, it provides the viewer with a much better broadcast. Also, having multiple cameras enables one camera to be moved while a different one is being used. This process provides a much better view because the cameras can pan or zoom while not being used. Also, it is important to note that if we are going to use multiple cameras, we will need multiple video inputs on our computer or a video data board to mix the signals in order to efficiently stream from multiple cameras.

 Conclusion

In summary, we have seen various ways to improve the live streaming environment. There are things that we can do now, and there are things that we can do soon! So, let us get busy and improve our video broadcast because there will certainly be people who will appreciate any improvements that we make!
 

Here is checklist based off of this post for you to implement at your church:

1. Improve our audio
• Are we confident when we run the sliders?
• Are we active when we run the sliders?
2. Improve our video
• Are you zooming and panning slowly and smoothly?
• Are you pretending the viewers are sitting inside the camera?
3. Improve our hardware
• Is your capable of processing high quality video?
• Have you secured a high Internet speed from your provider?
4. Improve our video output
• Have you added additional cameras?
• Do you have HD cameras?

Any comments or interactions? Feel free to comment below!

Missed a recent post? Check them out!

• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/physical-and-virtual-various-outlets-for-audio-distribution.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/a-necessary-component-for-live-streaming-audio.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/how-to-legally-broadcast-and-record-copyrighted-music.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/copyright-regulations-and-audio-video-distribution-within-the-local-church.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/a-photo-illustration-of-live-streaming.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/interviewing-audio-video-specialist.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/maximizing-media-through-live-streaming.html

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Physical and Virtual: Various Outlets for Audio Distribution

Audio… It is easy enough to record it, but how are we supposed to distribute the recording of the audio to others? Let us say that we recorded a sermon, and someone wants to listen to it again. Or, we recorded a special event, and everyone in the church wants a copy. How are we to effectively and efficiently distribute the recordings to those who want to relive the occasion? In this post, we are going to look at several different ways to distribute our recordings in both physical and virtual environments. We will be looking at the normal way, the new way, the easy way, and the better way.

Physical Distribution: CDs and FDs

When we decide to distribute audio physically, we have several different choices of physical devices. For instance, we used to have tapes, records, reel-to-reel, etc. But, in today’s constantly changing environment, which system should we use? The two most popular devices that are used today for distributing audio recordings are CDs and flash drives.

The normal way: CDs

First, CDs provide a standard convenience that almost everyone can easily utilize. In order to make the CDs easier to use, I use a program called “Slice” to divide the mp3 recordings into files of two minutes each. This procedure enables the listener to be able to jump to a certain track more easily. Once the files are all cut up, we then need to burn them to a CD. While there are many different programs available for burning audio CD’s, I use a program called “Cyberlink Power2Go” that enables me to easily burn mp3’s to a CD without having to do the converting process myself. In summary, CDs provide a standard method for distributing audio recordings to others. The programs that I mentioned above are available at:

• www.nch.com.au/splitter
• www.cyberlink.com

The new way: Flash Drives

Whereas CD’s provide a standard method for distribution, flash drives have become a popular method for sharing audio files. One major convenience with flash drives is that the audio files can be easily and quickly copied off of the flash drive onto an mp3 player or phone to provide easy access whenever the individual wishes to listen to the recording. Flash drives can be especially useful when a certain person wants a lot of recordings. In summary, flash drives have been gaining popularity for their ease of use and their growing availability.

Virtual Distribution: Online Storage

In stark contrast to physical distribution, virtual distribution provides an easily accessible location where the most recent audio recordings can be located. One primary advantage that online storage has is that users can download the recordings at any time of day rather than being limited to a set schedule when copies can be made of physical media. In terms of distribution online, there are many different services we could use, but we be limiting it down to two services that are free to use: Dropbox and WordPress.

The easy way: Dropbox

Dropbox provides an easy way to share files. There are basically three steps to share files on Dropbox: signing up, uploading files, and sharing the files. Dropbox make their website so easy to use that the entire process is simple and can be done quite quickly. The first step is signing up. With their free service, they only give users an initial two gigabytes of space, but if you sign up with my referral link below, you can receive an extra half gigabyte of space. Second, we have the choice to download and use the installer or just use the web interface. Personally, I find it much easier to use the desktop application rather than having to always login to the website version. So, once we have installed the program, we can simply copy our audio recordings into a folder within our new Dropbox folder. Ideally, we want to name the folder in which we are placing the recordings to reflect what it is going to contain because others will be able to see the name. Finally, once the files are uploaded, share the folder by sharing the Dropbox link. The easiest way to do this is by going to the website and clicking “Share” and then “Send Link.” You can then either use the email feature offered within Dropbox or copy the URL and share it with those with whom you wish to share the recordings!

• Sign up here for extra space: https://db.tt/EK72N2T0
• For more tutorials, go to: https://www.dropbox.com/help

The better way: WordPress

While Dropbox provides an easy method for sharing our recordings, a better method would be to utilize WordPress. WordPress offers free websites as long as the website is a subdomain of theirs (***.wordpress.com). If your church already has a WordPress website, then you do not need to do the first step. If you do not already have a WordPress site, you have to go and create an account and a subdomain. Once we have that set up, we need to add the widget for sermons. Next, we need to upload the sermons. Once we have our new page up and ready, we need to simply share the URL to our new page! While this method may be a little more complex, it is a much better route to go that will enable users to listen to recordings directly on the website.

• For more information and to sign up, go to: www.wordpress.com

Conclusion

In summary, we have seen several different ways for distributing our recordings both in physical and virtual environments. While physical media provides a great resource for the local church, online storage with its ready availability is becoming a popular choice. Are you ready to distribute your audio recordings? More than likely, there are individuals in your church who would love to listen to a service they missed or one they want to listen to again. So, get ready and distribute your audio via one or more methods!
 
Did we miss your favorite method for distributing audio recordings? Please let us know in the comments section below!


If you have not had a chance to do so, please visit our recent postings!

• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/a-necessary-component-for-live-streaming-audio.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/how-to-legally-broadcast-and-record-copyrighted-music.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/copyright-regulations-and-audio-video-distribution-within-the-local-church.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/a-photo-illustration-of-live-streaming.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/interviewing-audio-video-specialist.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/maximizing-media-through-live-streaming.html

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A Necessary Component for Live Streaming: Audio

The audio—what’s that? The audio is the most important part of a video broadcast. Without audio, all video is practically worthless. This fact is evidenced clearly in the first minute of the following video. This video is from Faith First Media and comes third in a series of "Setting up the Equipment for a Video Ministry." To view the first two, go to:

• Part 1: Introduction - https://vimeo.com/12675479

• Part 2: Making the Connections - https://vimeo.com/12674390  

Part 3: Audio for Video

After watching this video, what value do you place on audio within videos?


Remember to check out our most recent posts!

• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/how-to-legally-broadcast-and-record-copyrighted-music.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/copyright-regulations-and-audio-video-distribution-within-the-local-church.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/a-photo-illustration-of-live-streaming.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/interviewing-audio-video-specialist.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/maximizing-media-through-live-streaming.html

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How to legally broadcast and record copyrighted music

There are several different ways to legally broadcast and record copyrighted music. In our last post, We looked at specific Copyright Regulations and Audio/Video Distribution within the Local Church. Today, we will be analyzing these different avenues for legal distribution through a Prezi. Have fun!

Once again, our three different options were:

1. Get Permission
2. Tread Carefully
3. Avoid the Issue

Have you had any experience with copyrighted music? Which option do you recommend? Please leave your answers in the comment form below!


If you have not already done so, please check our previous posts!

• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/copyright-regulations-and-audio-video-distribution-within-the-local-church.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/a-photo-illustration-of-live-streaming.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/interviewing-audio-video-specialist.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/maximizing-media-through-live-streaming.html

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Copyright Regulations and Audio/Video Distribution within the Local Church

Have you ever done it? Have you ever copied music illegally? According to Church Music Publishers Association’s (CMPA) website, penalties can range “from $500 to $100,000 per copyright infringed.” In other words, there are severe penalties for copying music illegally. These penalties not only apply to individuals but to churches as well. But, churches do not have to be fined for making copies of music if they get the proper permission. In this post, we will be looking at why churches need this permission, how they can obtain it, and what it will do for them.

Why churches need permission

Exclusive Rights

First, churches need permission to record or broadcast copyright music because the exclusive rights to the music have been given to the owner. Usually, the owner is the author or composer but can also be a publisher, etc. The important factor is that there is always someone or some organization that has exclusive rights to all copyright music. Further, these exclusive rights mean that the owner has the right to decide who can make copies. Under copyright law, churches have permission to perform copyrighted religious works within a church service. Thus, permission is still necessary when the church wishes to broadcast or record the music.

Incentives

Another reason why churches need to get permission is that the government hands out stiff penalties for those who copy music illegally. More specifically, when copyrighted music is streamed via the internet without permission, the penalties can be even more severe. According to the Christian Copyright Licensing International’s (CCLI) website, “the penalties can be severe…up to $150,000 per infringement.” In summary, the penalties provide the incentive to do what is right. And the right thing to do is to get permission.

How to get permission

The Basics

Now that we have seen the need to get permission, how are we to get it? There are multiple ways to get this permission for broadcasting or recording. The first method is to get permission from the individual authors or composers, but this method causes for a lot of extra work. While this route may be fine if we were to just get permission for a couple songs, we would not want to do this for long! The better option would be to go through a licensing program that has already done the work for us. While there are a few competitors in this market, the one that is most widely used by churches is the CCLI. This organization provides its services at an annual cost to churches.

CCLI

Now that we have learned the basics of getting permission, we need to know a little more detail. CCLI provides various different licenses so that churches can choose which would be best for them. In order to broadcast our services, we need to choose the “Stream License.” While prices vary depending upon the size of the regular attendance, the starting price comes out at $60 per year. But, this is not all we need because CCLI requires their basic “Church Copyright License” as a prerequisite. The starting price for this comes out at $55 per year. According to their website, this only accommodates up to 24 people. So, most likely we will have to go to the next option. Here, we see the price as being $116 for up to 99 people. Once we have purchased our annual membership through CCLI for both of these licenses, we are ready to go!

What this permission will do

Recording/Streaming

There are two primary actions that our new licensing will allow us to do. These are recording and live streaming our copyrighted music. In order to clarify the distinction between the two licenses, the “Stream License” is the essential element for streaming our services. Without it (or a similar service), we cannot legally broadcast our copyright music. If you did not actually want to live stream your services, but only wanted to record them, then only the basic “Church Copyright License” is necessary.

Benefits/Restrictions

While we purchased the “Church Copyright License” with the sole purpose of live streaming our copyright music, this license also opens the doors for other exciting opportunities as well. As I already mentioned, this license allows us to record the music. In addition, this license also allows us to “Store Lyrics,” “Print Songs,” “Make Custom Arrangements,” “Create Projections,” and “Translate Songs.” Especially useful of the new legal rights that we now have is the ability to copy music for congregational songs. Notice that I said congregational songs. CCLI makes it very clear on their website that the license has certain restrictions attached to it. One particular restriction that we should note is that they only grant permission for religious songs on their list. Their licensing does not allow for the recording or streaming of secular songs.

Conclusion

In summary, we have seen the need for permission, how we are to attain it, and what it will do for us. While the legal restrictions and penalties are a great incentive to do what is right, we must also remember that we have another reason to do what is right. And that reason is that we are to do all to the Glory of God. As such, if we are going to broadcast or record any copyrighted music, we need to be sure that we are doing so legally.

Helpful articles/services:

• www.cmpamusic.org/copyrights/
• www.ccli.com/
• www.onelicense.net/

If you have not already done so, please check our previous posts!

• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/a-photo-illustration-of-live-streaming.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/interviewing-audio-video-specialist.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/maximizing-media-through-live-streaming.html

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A Photo Illustration of Live Streaming

Today, we will be looking at the path that the video takes from the video camera to the internet. For each picture, the captions will clarify the steps and help you to be live streaming as well!


If you have not done so already, be sure to read our previous posts about live streaming!

• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/maximizing-media-through-live-streaming.html
• http://maximizingmediaministries.blogspot.com/2015/04/interviewing-audio-video-specialist.html

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Interviewing an Audio/Video Specialist

Today, we are going to interview someone who has had considerable experience in various audio and video ministries. We chose Mr. Rex Munyon because of his experience and love for ministry.

Introduction

Rex Munyon, before we actually get to the interview questions, could you introduce yourself and briefly explain what brought you to this point/position in your life?

I’ve been a Watertown resident thru my years of schooling in the Academy and college. After college, I married my wife and we lived in Indiana for 16 years. We moved back to Watertown to work at MBBC (now MBU) in 2001, and worked there for 10 years. I have a Bachelors Degree from MBBC, and a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. I became interested in sound board systems while in junior high. I followed that interest and worked the sound board at the churches I’ve been a member of. I was interested in video as well, and spent a number of years working at Maranatha in charge of the audio and video needs of the campus, including events in the gym and A/V needs in classrooms.

Live Streaming

What tools do you use to live stream?

My church (Calvary Baptist in Watertown) does live streaming. I’ve helped with it very little, and have not done anything with it in over a year. I know the church uses a service to live stream, but I don’t know much beyond that.

What are the primary benefits of live streaming?

Live streaming allows those not able to attend a service in person to still watch a service. I’ve personally benefited by watching live stream while sick and while recovering from surgery.

Who do you see as being benefited by live streaming?

Live streaming can benefit a wide variety of people. My first thought is the elderly who can’t physically attend, although some of them would not have the tech savvy or the equipment to live stream. Others who are sick for a day, or invalid due to surgery, or on vacation, or former members who are no longer in the area can all benefit from live streaming.

Audio Distribution

What software do you use for recording/editing audio?

Calvary Baptist uses a computer and “Audacity”, a free recording software package to record audio. It is very versatile for a lot of the audio editing needs as well.

What software/services do you use for distributing audio via the internet?

I’m not totally sure, but I think it is Sermon audio, an internet service.

What are some other avenues of distribution that you use for audio?

There are some who still like to have cd’s. I see more things moving to mp3, although I don’t see a service like iTunes or similar being used to distribute sermons. Many churches can keep their library of sermons on a server at the church, but services like Sermonaudio can also be used.

Copyright Concerns

What do you see as the primary copyright concerns?

Music is copyrighted. I will only record special music if the person performing it requests it. Then I will record for that person, but I won’t put it on the website or sell to others. I’m not certain of all the copyright laws, and I see them changing a lot over the next few years. I don’t think copyright will be as great a concern in the future as it is now.

What would you recommend to churches that are wishing to broadcast/distribute copyright music?

Hire a lawyer who is an expert in that area, and pick his brain for a couple of hours. A year later, hire him for an hour to see what has changed, and let that be a method of practice on-going.

Final thoughts

What advice do you have for someone wishing to expand their audio/video ministry?

Don’t skimp on decent sound system. Find what is current and use it as much as possible. These areas are changing quite rapidly, and it is a challenge to keep up.

What tools/websites do you recommend to those expanding?

Just do your research. There are multiple sites that have good information for “houses of worship”, which is the new catch-all phrase for churches. I personally like Shure microphones. Hire a consultant, or have 2 or 3 come in to give bids and recommendations before deciding what to do or how to expand.

What final thoughts would you like to share?

I look at the audio ministry as a supplement to the purposes of the church (which is the distribution of the gospel). The audio ministry should always enhance what is happening, and otherwise be transparent (like it isn’t there). If things work well, no one notices. If they work badly, everyone notices. My goal is to have no one notice, because the sound works well and adds to the services. If someone were to not come to Christ because something in the audio distracted him/her at a critical time, the audio system has failed and possibly prevented a person from going to heaven. That would be a tragedy.

Conclusion

Thank you Rex Munyon for your letting me interview you! I greatly appreciate it, and am sure that those here at Maximizing Media Ministries also appreciate it!

Now that we have had the opportunity to learn such valuable insight, let us switch gears a little and bring out a few points of focus by asking some follow-up questions:

1. What/who are the prime benefits of live streaming?
2. Can you think of any other ways to address copyright concerns?
3. What idea impacted you the most?

You can respond via the comments section below.

If you have not had a chance yet, check out our most recent post: “Maximizing Media through Live Streaming”

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Maximizing Media through Live Streaming

Maximizing Media through Live Streaming

Have you ever wished you could be at a special event, but were unable to attend? Maybe the event was too far away or perhaps you were sick. Whatever the case, you were probably sad that you were unable to attend. Thanks to technology and the internet, we now have the capability to stream services and special events around the world! In this post, we will be looking at the components necessary to stream these special events. These three components are hardware, software, and time.

Hardware

Prior to actually setting up our equipment, we need to make sure that we have the necessary hardware. I am not going to go into the greatest detail on most of these items because there are many variables that affect the choice on each item. Here is a list of the five most essential elements:

• Video camera
• Cable (tailored specifically to the camera)
• Converter
• Computer/laptop with sufficient capabilities
• Internet connection

Now that we have seen the basics, I will illustrate the process by explaining what I use to stream. First, I use a Sony DCR-SX40. Next, the cable that I use came with the camera, but it basically plugs into the camera and then provides an output via RCA cables. From here, I then use a USB converter to input this video feed directly into my laptop. There are many expensive versions available, but I purchased a device called an EasyCAP (picture on right) to process the video. One way to bypass some of these elements would be to use a USB video camera that provides an easy input directly to the computer without using the extra cable and converter. Let me pause here for a moment and say that it is essential that a relatively fast computer is necessary for doing the streaming. On my laptop, the problem that has caused me the most trouble is not the processor speed but the hard drive speed. But, to get back to the topic, we now have the video feed on the computer. Our final piece of hardware is the internet connection. This final stage is absolutely essential for streaming via the internet. And, the higher the internet speed, the better the quality of the video that we can stream. We will next look at the software available to actually do the streaming…

Software

Now that we have all of the necessary components, we now have to decide what software that we will use to do the streaming. There are many options available, so we will just look at a few. Also, it is important to note that most of the options can be rather expensive to use. But, seeing that many of them have both paid and free options, we will begin by looking at Ustream and Livestream. Both of these have paid and free options, but Ustream provides a much easier to use web-based panel for streaming the video. One major drawback that Ustream has on its free edition is that it has ads go every fifteen minutes or so. On the other hand, Livestream never uses ads. At the same time, Livestream does not allow the user to specifically choose when to begin and end recording but records the entire broadcast. In summary, both of these services are great options that should be tested when setting up to stream an event. But, you don’t have to limit your choices to just Ustream or Livestream because there are many other options from which to choose.

Experiments

The final and most important stage in preparing to stream an event is when we take the time to experiment. This stage is extremely vital in order that we can provide a quality broadcast to those watching the event. When we take the time to make sure that we have the necessary equipment and software and ensure that it all works together, we are enhancing the end-user experience. While there may still be glitches in the end product, we have to do our part by taking the necessary time to experiment. In order to experiment, we need to have all of our equipment ready and in position prior to the event. And what I mean by prior to the event is to try it out the day before the event, not an hour before! But, we not only need the equipment, but we also need to set up an account on the streaming service (i.e. Ustream, Livestream) prior to the experiment session. Once both the hardware and software are ready, we should do a test run so that we can know for sure that everything will run well. And by this, I mean having somebody watch the live stream and give feedback on the quality and ease of use.

Conclusion

Now, with the technology available to us, we have the capability to provide high definition video to those who would otherwise be unable to attend our next service or special event. We should make every effort to provide this opportunity because the need is great. I am sure that there are many who are saddened when they are unable to attend. Remember when you could not attend a special event, they have the same sad thoughts. Let’s gather our gear and start streaming!

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Welcome!

Welcome! Here, we will be focusing on various means by which ministries, and especially local churches, might expand their media outreach. Primarily, we will be looking at expanding ministries in both audio and video. Further, we will also cover some copyright concerns.

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