Video streaming for your Church
If you do not stream your services each week then it is quite simple to do so. You can record a live sermon at the time when your normal Sunday Service would start. If you have a computer with a camera or a smartphone then you will be able to stream a live video of your Sermon.
There are a number of platform options we would recommend:
Facebook
Facebook is free to use for live streaming. Here is a guide for Facebook Live.
A lot of churches will already have a Facebook account so there is minimal set up involved.
Youtube
Youtube is another free platform. We have a Guide for this here YouTube. The benefit of using Youtube is that it will be easy for many viewers to access/watch on their Television, which could enhance the viewing experience.
Church Online Platform
Church Online Platform is a free resource that churches can use for their live stream. You can use it as a place for people to view a Youtube live stream. There are added features such as a live chat, prayer request facilities and a bible app for viewers. It adds extra, ‘church’ layers to a live stream you may have already set up.
Zoom
For a more interactive service or meeting, Zoom is a platform that allows users to meet in one meeting room using their webcams and microphones.
There is slightly more set up involved for users as they will need to create accounts and link their webcam and microphone, but it will mean you can have more interactive meetings.
Pre-Recorded
While it appears that many churches are doing live streams at the moment, it may be a lot of pressure if your team is small or you do not have the technical resources or confidence to do this all live on a Sunday morning. You could always record a message and some worship during the week, in a less pressurised environment, to share on a Sunday.
Direct your congregation to another stream
While the UK has many churches, we are after-all, one body. If you don’t have the resources to stream your service, that is OK. This may be a great time for your church to partner with another church who are already doing a live stream. Is there another local church that have been hosting their service well, that you can direct your congregation to? This is a great time to connect and share with other christians and churches in your area or network.
Equipment
A video and audio source
You will need a source of video and audio. This could simply be a phone, a laptop webcam and microphone, or you could use a DSLR + Microphone. If you use an external camera, there is extra set up involved. Here is a detailed blog post with information about that.
Chosen platform
Choose one of the streaming platforms from above
Reliable internet connection
It is important for a live stream that your internet connection is stable and reliable. If you do not have connection you can rely on, perhaps consider a pre-recorded service.
Good lighting
Ensure you set up some bright lighting around where you will be filming to make the image clear for viewers.