Over the last few years, live streaming has become an important aspect for many churches, but your small church might not have taken the plunge yet. There are a number of reasons why your small church might not be live streaming, but there are also some good reasons to start.
Reasons Why Your Small Church Might Not Be Live Streaming
- Lack of awareness – Your congregation may not be aware that live streaming exists or how it could benefit them.
- Cost – Live streaming equipment and services can be costly, and your church may not have the budget for it.
- Technical know-how – Live streaming can be technically difficult, and your church may not have anyone with the necessary skills to set it up and run it.
- Time commitment – Live streaming takes time and effort to produce, and your church may not have the resources to commit to it.
Reasons to Start Live Streaming
- Reach a wider audience – Your church can reach people all over the world who would otherwise be unable to attend in person.
- Increase engagement – Live streaming can help keep your congregation engaged and interested in what’s going on at the church.
- Increase giving – Live streaming can provide a way for people to give to your church, even if they’re not able to attend in person.
- Connect with members who are unable to attend – Live streaming can allow people who are unable to attend services for various reasons (e.g., illness, work, etc.) to stay connected to the church.
Should your small church be live streaming?
If your small church is on the fence about live streaming, here’s something to consider. According to a report from the Unstuck Group, things have changed, even in the last 12 months.
The most recent report was published in February 2022 and shows that in-person average weekly attendance has dropped by 30% in the last 12 months. Does this mean that churches are now reaching fewer people than before?
Not necessarily. In fact, people added to the church database have increased by 17% and volunteering has gone up by 38% – but that’s not the most significant statistic.
Online service views have increased by 152% year on year. No, that doesn’t mean 52% more people are watching, as that would be an increase of just 52%. This means the number of people watching 12 months ago has doubled, and then added half as much again.
It’s vitally important that this is considered in your church strategy going forward. Churches need to consider live streaming as a way to reach more people and keep them engaged with the church.
Why are more people viewing services online? There is a multitude of reasons, but the three most likely are:
- It’s convenient and can be done from anywhere
- There’s no chance of catching COVID when you’re sitting at home
- People are not into “church” but they want to know more
You’ve probably discovered that more and more people have had questions about life, death, the afterlife, spirituality, and so on since the start of the pandemic. People have taken stock of their situation, and that feeling that there must be something more has intensified.
As a small church, livestreaming can give you the opportunity to reach people who would not normally attend church. You can also provide a service that is convenient for people who are unable to attend services in person. Live streaming can help keep your congregation engaged and interested in what’s going on at the church, and one side effect is that it can also increase giving from people who are not able to attend in person.
Live streaming is not just for the big churches anymore. It’s an important tool that can help your small church, but you must keep it in perspective. You’re not a megachurch, you don’t have the funds or the team to replicate Elevation or Hillsong – but you can keep connected with a relatively cheap camera setup and a connection to YouTube or Facebook.
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