Want to start live streaming your church services? Whether you need to because COVID-19 is forcing you to cancel in-person services or you just want to reach a larger audience, we can help. Here are some curated resources to help you get started on live streaming your church service. First, you might want to check out this slide deck, titled “So You Want to Live Stream Your Church Service.”
Indigitous Webinar
Indigitous recently held a webinar titled “So You Want To Live Stream Your Church Service?” Below are links to recordings from that webinar, including the main sessions and breakout rooms for small-group discussions.
- Main Session: So You Want to Live Stream Your Church Service?
- Breakout Room B1
- Breakout Room B2
- Breakout Room C
- Playlist for all videos in the webinar
General Resources
Streams of Life was recently set up in light of the COVID-19 situation to help Singapore churches find a quick start to connecting digitally with their congregation. Read this article from Salt & Light to learn more about them. See more resources below.
- Streams of Life: Singapore National Church Resource Center
- The Ultimate Guide to Live Streaming Your Church Services Right
- How to Live Stream Your Church Service: A Practical Guide
- Church Live Streaming Guide (vendor provided)
- 6 Things to Know Before Starting a Webcast (vendor provided)
Streaming Platforms
One of the big decisions you have to make is which platform to use for streaming your church service. There are a lot of options available, from those that specialize in church services to the secular social media sector. First, you may want to read this guide on choosing a streaming provider from Life.Church (requires an email signup to view).
Church-specific Providers
- ChurchStreaming.tv
- StreamingChurch.tv
- Church Online Platform from Life.Church
Technical Resources
- Optimized Settings for Facebook Live
- Video Stream Engineering: A Critical State
- Facebook Live Tips for Broadcasters
- Live Streaming Setup Guide — OBS, ATEM, and Web Presenter
- Church Streaming: How to Increase Viewership by Improving Production Quality
- Conquering Big Streaming Issues
- White Paper: eGuide to Church Streaming with Intent
- Live Streaming: How to Reach TV Audiences
- When Should You “Pause” a Live Stream?
Engagement
With your congregation taking part in the church service at a distance, you don’t want this to become passive content consumption. There are some tools that can help you create two-way engagement with your church stream to make the service more interactive. Read this guide for details.
Audio, Video, Lighting Equipment
Streaming a service is completely different than doing it for a live audiences. The lighting, mixing, and other technical aspects are done differently. These guides will help you navigate the equipment side of streaming.
- The Essential Equipment to Start Streaming Your Message
- Mixing Methods for Streaming Audio at Church
- Mixing Sound for the Multi-Site Church
- Live Video: IMAG vs Live Streaming
- Lighting for Video — Not as Simple Anymore
- Step Up to Better Video Production
- Choosing the Right Keying Method for Your Live Stream
- Improving Engagement With Better Shot Selection
Copyright Considerations
If you’re going to live stream worship songs that are not your own, there are copyright considerations that you will have to navigate. These two resources will guide you through that process.