You Should Get This on Friday!!

Show Some Love

We started giving “Video Shout Outs” to our volunteers on our Facebook page this week.  I thought about a cool way to really recognize the peolpe who actually make church happen every week.  I mean stop right now and ask how well your ministry would be doing without the work horses.

Go show some love!!

Volunteers

At Reality we struggle more than the average church with consistent volunteers.  Most Christians understand the heart of serving in the church to “keep it afloat” per say, where the unchurched or new believer have not grasped that concept.

So I put it out to you: What are some successful ways you recruit and keep your volunteers??

Did You Miss It The First Time? It's Back.

A special offer from BluefishTV.com

As a non-profit ministry, we know that you’re trying to make the most out of every dollar. This year you can literally SAVE HUNDREDS of dollars by using our library of over 600 video sermon illustrations for only $1.99 each. It’s the same high quality you are used to, but at a price that puts money back into your budget.

To get you started, we’ve highlighted our Top 10 Video Sermon Illustrations below. There is also a promotional code at the bottom of this email that allows you to download 10 FREE Video Sermon Illustrations. This is only for the first 1,000 people to respond, so start downloading today.

Visit BluefishTV.com to search through over 600 Video Sermon Illustrations - priced at $1.99 every day and give your budget a break.

1. A Man Fell in a Hole (Lesson Available)
A modern parable, this insightful video illustration examines the life of a man searching through the false promises of other religions and finding his salvation in Christ.

Regular Price: $1.99 - with Code FREE

2. Famous Failures (Lesson Available)
Abraham Lincoln, Lucille Ball, and Michael Jordan are success stories that first began with failure. This entertaining and thought-provoking sermon illustration will inspire and encourage you to keep persevering…

Regular Price: $1.99 - with Code FREE

3. He Was
A moving contemplation of the suffering that Jesus willingly endured. And a poignant reminder that He did it for each one of us.

Regular Price: $1.99 - with Code FREE

4. Abraham - God’s Provision
Abraham was faced with a decision about Isaac that anyone would dread. Through this gripping example, we learn that God always fulfills his promise, even in our most dire circumstances.

Regular Price: $1.99 - with Code FREE

5. The Story Behind the Hymn - Come Thou Fount
In 1757, Robert Robinson penned the words to the famous hymn, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. This moving video illustration follows Robinson’s struggle in finding the joy he once had when he wrote the hymn.

Regular Price: $1.99 - with Code FREE

6. Noah - Stepping Out on Faith
In this creative video sermon illustration, host Chris Seay illustrates the enormity of the project to build an ark in Noah’s time. Just like the challenges we face in life, nothing is too big for God.

Regular Price: $4.99 - with Code FREE

7. Albert Einstein - Search for Faith (HD Available)
This intriguing video illustration with Margaret Feinberg reminds us how the Bible makes a clear distinction between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God.

Regular Price: $1.99 - with Code FREE

8. Tithe (Donuts)
When we give our tithes and offerings, we aren’t giving away our own possessions, but offering back to God what is already His. This clever illustration visually sets up the reality that everything comes from God.

Regular Price: $1.99 - with Code FREE

9. Amena Brown - He is Here (HD Available)
A unique and artistic worship experience from spoken-word poet, Amena Brown. This inspiring video illustration reminds us that no matter where we are, God is with us.

Regular Price: $1.99 - with Code FREE

10. Bubble Creek Canyon
Take a tour of Bubble Creek Canyon, a master-planned community where you can live in a Christian bubble and truly be set apart. This exaggerated illustration challenges us to make an impact in our world.

Regular Price: $1.99 - with Code FREE

10 FREE Video Sermon Illustrations
Be one of the first 1,000 people to enter the code below during checkout at 
BluefishTV.com to receive your 10 Free Video Sermon Illustrations:

TM10FREE

Get That Film Look (on the cheap!!)

I know I have posted quite a bit about these DIY 35mm adapters, but I have recently down-graded from my Redrock Micro to this adapter.

With HDV and AVCHD camera prices plunging in price, nearly any size church can afford the jump into HD Video!!  Adding one of these adapters in front of your camera can make a huge and professional looking difference.

Let’s talk money: a Canon HV30 is $599.00 right now here. A used HV20 is only $479.00 here.  

Now there are several kits out there you can purchase. There’s The Jag35, the GT35Pro, TwoneilHD, just to name a few. They range in price from $199 - $574 making that film look very obtainable even on a budget. I personally went with the GT35Pro because I have a HV20 and a XH A1 and his adapter will fit both of my cameras.  I will post a review and footage when I receive the kit.  There is also a great site on how to make them yourself here! 

Here are a few examples.

The Jag35

Ready for summer from Baden on Vimeo.

The GT35Pro

GT35pro in the cold Canadian north from Scott Simmons on Vimeo.

TwoneilHD

Twoneil 35 mm adapter test from Adam Örsvik on Vimeo.

Our New Site.

When I started at Reality Church our website was sad!! So, we had a big push last summer planning what we wanted.  We decided to wait until Catalyst to see what vendors were offering as far as show specials.  There we met John from Faith Network.  We worked tirelessly from then on to help produce the site we launched on March 1st.  This does not fall under my cheap or free category but it is great quality from a great company!

We attacked our web presence (for our church specifically) in two ways.

1.   The main focus of our church is to attract the UNchurched. Period.  It’s not that we don’t accept the believer, we just focus on the NONbeliever. We wanted a simple one   page design that when they clicked on anything on the page it pops out and blurs the background on the one page design.  Simple and direct.

2.  Our home site was designed with our members or regulars.  Much more informative and designed with multiple pages and their brand new media center.  

Check them out and let me know what you think!!

RealityChurch RealityChurchHome

Small Fish in a BIG Sea.

I am so honored to be leading breakouts at the Echo Conference. There are going to be some big boys and girls there and then there’s me!

Here is a description of the classes I will be leading in:

Between Sundays

A look at how the small church can use free video sites/services as a means to connect between Sundays. Whether you’re a church plant without a building, or an established church, money only goes so far. Using services from YouTube, Seesmic, Viddler, FaceBook, TokBox etc. you can connect with your staff, volunteers, team/ministry leaders, church body, the list goes on and on. Come experience creative ways to connect Between Sundays.

Between Sundays - A Deeper Look

Diving a little deeper we will look in depth at ways to make these services work for you. To help you look and think outside the box of how to mold these tools for you and your ministry. We will be more “hands on” with the of creation of videos, show you how to get the best audio and video quality, and reveal how to put these videos in any location you need them to be.

I believe that there are so many valuable FREE services out there to use.  If you’re at Echo I hope to see you there!!

Hope to see you there!!

Affordable Greenscreen.

99% of our children’s ministry video is all filmed on greenscreen.  I use DV Matte Pro. ($199.00)  I cut all my work in Final Cut Pro (1299.00)  not exactly affordable, but it’s baby brother is. (Final Cut Express 4 $199.00)

All I knew about greenscreen when I edited my first piece was keep the talent as far away from the greenscreen as possible (10-15 ft. is optimal) and light the talent separate from the greenscreen.

BUT, I pulled my first key in 10 mins. with DV Matte.  Affordable software, check. Easy to use, check.

Watch this 9 min tutorial on DV Matte and see if this might work for you!!

Here is the greenscreen setup we purchased.

Examples:

A Shift.

When I started this blog I was a youth pastor at a church of around 400.  I had around 50 students and a LOT of free time because of the mandate to BE IN THE OFFICE?!? (How effective that was… student ministry in an office) So, this blog was born!

When I started at Reality last August the first step in my dream had been realized. A Full Time Media Director.  WOOHOO!!  Well, I thought now I can blog my experiences as the media director now my blog will be amazing…. Not So Much!! I don’t have the time to do the podcast, can’t find time to edit a stock pile of Short Takes, and the blog has come to a standstill.  

Now the SHIFT. 

The amazing thing about God is:  

I have NO formal schooling to be doing what I’m doing.  The first time I picked up a camera was our HoneyMoon in 2001.  Yet I have filmed promos for The Virginia Baptist Mission Board. Have a contract with the Norfolk Baptist Association for video work. Filmed, created and sold The WhiteBoard Sessions.  Sold the rights of that DVD to Catalyst.  Started working in media full time, and have the unbelievable honor of leading two breakouts at The Echo Conference.

GOD ROCKS!!!  

If you know me at all, my passion is the small church.  The internet has made the world small and brought major attention to the BIG NAME churches.  Did you know the average church size in America is around 100 people??  What about them?? 

Let’s look at my church.  MAJOR focus on the lost. Period.  We average about 250 people weekly and I’m a FULL TIME MEDIA DIRECTOR?!?!?! WHAT?!?!?  Unheard of, I know.  I’m so blessed. 

Oh Yeah, THE SHIFT...

I am going to use this platform to share how we achieve what we do.  I had a $3000.00 budget to buy cameras and other necessities and off we went.  We just launched our new website a couple of weeks ago and it’s coming along. 

Anyway, I will still be shouting out the FREE stuff I come across but really want to be here to share how we pull off what we do with as little money as possible.

Did You Know...

I hear of so many people discouraged to use Twitter because of the “Setup” process.  Several ministries want to use it in a very strategic way but are sidelined when trying to get their people signed up.

Here’s the work around.

Have a meeting, tell them to bring their cell phones.  Ask if they have a texting plan and if they’re a willing to receive texts (updates) from you or the church ministry involved. 

Now have them text to 40404 this exact wording:

follow (enter the specific Twitter name here) You’re done!  It’s that easy.

Example:  text: follow churchydave to 40404

Now if the recipient wants to Twitter themselves then they must signup online.