25 Ways to Use Video at Your Church (Part One)

Many churches use mini-movies for holidays and special occasions, but let me encourage your to consider using them more frequently. You can use mini-movies for your next series, as a transitional element in your service, as a stand alone seasonal video and more.

A Sermon Bumper usually airs right before your pastor comes to the platform. You can use mini-movies or a pre-packaged video as a Sermon Bumper at your church but I strongly suggest you have a custom bumper produced with your church or series branding. I’ve found the best length for a Sermon Bumper is between :30-:45 seconds. Also, consider how your service flows- You may have a full :60 bumper one week, air a :15 cutdown the next, or even change the music based on the elements in your service.

Our team can produce Sermon Bumpers from scratch for your church. Click here to check out our Plans and Pricing.

A Series or Message Trailer would play in your services, website and other channels in the weeks leading up to a new series. You could produce a Sermon Bumper and change out the ending tag to make it a trailer.

Countdowns lead your congregation into your service. Usually a 5-Minute Countdown is the best length. Countdowns keep everyone on the same for when your service starts – your congregation, your band, and your leaders. Countdowns help your congregation be in their seats and ready for the first element in your service.

Blank Motions are looping backgrounds that have empty space for lyrics, sermon notes, scripture, announcements and more.

Custom Motion Backgrounds are produced with text related to your service elements or your church. You could produce a Welcome Motion, Closing Motion, a Loop of your Church or Series Logo/GFX, Social Accounts, Website, or Announcements.

Soft Roll Footage isn’t tied to timing of any kind. It can be a little early or late or come in and out with no big consequence to the flow of the service. You can use soft roll video footage of your Green Room/VIP Room, Guest Services area, Kids or Student facility, or Highlights from a Camp or Mission Trip.

Baptism Videos can air before a baptism in your service or on your website. These can help with the timing in your service. They help you tell salvation stories in a short, concise and powerful way.

-Keep them short.

-When shooting these videos, ask the question “Why” as many ways as you can: “Why did you accept Christ?” “Why did you make a decision to follow Him?” “Why are you getting baptized?”

-Ask open ended questions that make them think. Listen well.

You can use promotional videos to promote any ministry or activity in your church. You can air them in your service, on your website or on your Facebook and social accounts. Promote a ministry area, promote student or kids camp, promote a campus launch. Keep these short – past 2-3 minutes, people start tuning out, no matter how great the video is.

These are videos for small group Bible Studies, Membership Class and other Classes at your church. These could be of one of your staff pastors teaching on a certain topic or book of the Bible.

-Short :15-:30 Opener Video that teases information about the class or topic.

-5-10 Minutes of Teaching Content – with a Lower Third name key or tag when your pastor first appears on screen.

-:10-:15 close with your church website or links for more information.

-Either have two or more camera angles to cut between or don’t edit any of the teaching content- unless its very intentional. Jump cuts are unacceptable in video unless you really know what you’re doing.

We’ve all used Movie clips or funny clips we’ve found on the internet. This isn’t dead. If it fits your sermon or service, use it. Keep it short. Make sure it’s good quality and executed well.

Logo Animations are short :10-:15 second motion graphic animation of your church or ministry logo. Similar to “20th Century Fox Logo” or other studio logs at the beginning of movies. This is great to put at the front of all your in-house videos that you play on your website or on social media.

These can be produced as a motion graphics piece or can be a video you shoot on your phone. Quality video can be shot on your phone or tablet. Use technology to serve your church. These can be short announcement videos from your leaders, to your volunteer team, to parents if you are in children’s or student ministry. Flip your phone sideways to make sure you are shooting your video horizontally if you can. Get the best audio and lighting you can.