Introduction to Projection Ministry

For the past five years or so, my greatest passion in church media has been projection/imagery.
It can be somewhat of an adjustment for churches at first, but they all seem to quickly understand the benefits once they see it in action. Rotating announcements on the screen before the service help to keep members informed, lyrics on screen allow you to sing songs that aren’t in the hymnal, sermon notes and illustrations emphasize the message in ways you can’t understand until you see it in action, and as time passes your staff and volunteers will become more creative tying your services together as you could never have dreamed before.

Two years ago I started posting reviews about church projection software on OVM Online. Before long I was graciously contacted by several companies asking that I use their software in exchange for reviews. To date, I have tried pretty much every projection software available on the market and have two favorites.

For the past 5 years, I have regularly used Easy Worship in or church and in my personal ministry. I have to say that it is the easiest software to use and volunteers pick it up quickly. I strongly suggest that you try to recruit volunteers that have some understanding of computers, but I assure you that you will be impressed with the ease of use involved in this software.
Easy Worship supports the importing of Powerpoint, Video Clips, Pictures & is constantly evolving. It has a built in nursery alert system and customizable announcement text scroller. Learn more about this program and sample the free trial at http://www.easyworship.com/home.php.

Media Shout has long been a favorite among church media professionals, however, it requires a little more understanding of computers and takes some getting used to. For those of you with a little more understanding of computers and technology, this may be your best buy. It allows the use of flash and has it’s own text creator that allows you to quickly put text on the screen. One of my favorite features is the ability to import audio files, which I have used for OVM on several occasions. If your church currently uses Media Shout, I strongly recommend making the move to V3.

Recently, the manufacturer introduced Media Shout Express for those who are ready to start their own projection ministry, but have older computers or don’t want to spend the money. Media Shout Express give you the most popular features of the software with less system requirements and is nearly half the price. Visit www.mediashout.com for more information.

The Church Leadership Event of the Year!

WFX 2007, now in its third year, will bring together 5,000 church and industry leaders and 400 exhibitors from around the world to create the must-attend event for facilities and technology decision-making teams for churches of all sizes.

WFX is dedicated to growing churches that are seeking information and resources to help plan, execute and manage their growth objectives through the use of their facilities and today’s revolutionary audio, visual and lighting technologies.

I was able to attend WFX two years ago in Nashille, TN and was quite impressed at how one conference could cover all aspects of the church so completely, and expansions this year have made it even more exciting. Church Administrators, Pastors, Media Personnel, Webmasters, groundskeepers, building committees, and more will find tons of useful information in this exciting event through workshops, church tours and a HUGE showroom.

For more information on WFX Atlanta (2007), visit http://www.wfxweb.com.

~Shawn