3 Key Questions to Clarify Your Vision
3 Key Questions To Clarify Your Vision
When it comes to leadership, vision isn’t a new concept. It’s been the calling card for today’s most respected and emulated church leaders, and for good reason: A clear vision has a demonstrably greater impact on organizational success than just about any other factor.
However, when it comes to church video, I think a lot of us need to own up to the fact that our vision, so far, has been pretty simple: Survive.
Considering the way 2020 has unfolded, that’s not really hyperbole, and in more ways than one.
However, now that we’re in November, it might be time to step back a bit and re-think where we are, and where we’re going with video. The virus is still around, but we seem to have come to a place of greater stability as churches.
Below are 3 key questions to ask if you want to gain more clarity around your vision of online church.
1. Are we committed to this for the long-term, or is this still a temporary solution?
Back when quarantine first started, video was a life raft for all of us. No matter how big or small you were, you found a way to “do church” for those first few weeks and months. The alternative was to basically stop existing until things got “back to normal.”
I heard so many incredible stories of church leaders stepping up, learning new things, making mistakes on the fly, and finding a way through it. The dedication, resourcefulness, and persistence paid off in a major way, allowing our churches to keep going through an utterly unprecedented situation.
At first, many churches (maybe even most churches) thought the video thing was going to be a band-aid - two weeks, four weeks, maybe even six weeks, and we’d be back on our feet.
Obviously, things didn’t turn out that way.
The question you as a church leader need to be asking is, “Do we still feel that online church is just a temporary solution?”
If you do, then conversations around your long-term vision would include a phasing-out process for video services and everything connected with them. You may use Zoom or something similar to let people join small groups remotely, but you should set a time-horizon for going back to all-analog services.
If you’re in the other camp, and are ready to commit long-term to video, congratulations. In my opinion, your church will likely still exist in 18 months.
The question for you is, “What does online church look like for us long-term?”
I don’t think you can aim too high here, honestly.
Which brings me to Question #2…
“If you’re in the other camp, and are ready to commit long-term to video, congratulations. In my opinion, your church will likely still exist in 18 months.”
2. Are we treating online church like a legitimate campus?
Let’s look at some numbers:
50-90% of church attendance right now comes via online services. In states with restrictions of 50 or less, that number is likely above 90%.
Over 40% of people have expressed a hesitation to meet in large groups, even with a vaccine.
Prior to Covid-19, the average churchgoer only attended 1 out of 4 Sundays in-person
A majority of people prefer visiting a church virtually before attending in person for the first time.
What’s the bottom line?
Online counts. More specifically, online church right now is where the vast majority of your church is gathering.
Unless you know something I don’t, that’s not likely to change next week.
Even beyond providing opportunity for those in our congregations, online services are the primary vehicle that new members use to see if a church is right for them.
And for those 3 out of 4 Sundays that people weren’t attending before, live and archived services allow families on vacation, at a soccer tournament, or dealing with life issues to continue to worship with their church.
If they’re done well, they are a lot more likely to engage with it. If they look like a home video or a Zoom call, it’s a lot less appealing.
When people who attend online feel like second-class citizens, they’re a lot less likely to engage. When they feel like you’re thinking about them, like you prepared for them and expected them to show up, people can tell, and they want more of it.
So, considering that online church is here to stay, how can you make it an experience people don’t want to miss? How can you integrate it into your weekly rhythm and overall church philosophy? How can you make sure people are actually pastored online, and not just watching?
“When people who attend online feel like second-class citizens, they’re a lot less likely to engage. When they feel like you’re thinking about them, like you prepared for them and expected them to show up, people can tell, and they want more of it.”
3. What areas do we need to improve in order to provide our best online experience?
If you’re reading this, you have some kind of online service offering, whether it’s pre-recorded or live-streamed.
If you’re doing that, then it’s also true that your online service could be better.
In some cases, a LOT better. You might still be limping along on a borrowed camcorder and old laptop. Or you might be pre-recording still, holding out on live-streaming so your online quality doesn’t drop (btw, not the worst option, but the clock is ticking…).
In other cases, what you’re doing is working, but it’s not great. Your cameras look fine, but you’ve got no team, so you have static, boring angles. Or your team is awesome, but your cameras and gear are limiting you.
Maybe your stage lighting is a mess, and everything looks bad. Or your audio is just getting by as an Aux Out, instead of getting someone’s full attention on a separate rig.
Or maybe all of that is fine, but your online church platform is getting neglected, and people aren’t getting engaged and shepherded.
Whatever it is, you can be better.
The important thing for you, though, is to be better in the areas that matter most to you and your church.
Don’t look at Hillsong, Bethel, Life.Church, and just blindly use them as your target.
Honestly, that’s just lazy leadership.
Pray, meet as a team, talk with the actual people in your church, and figure out what areas matter most to you.
What areas are going to get the greatest return on investment if we make them better? What areas are causing people to drop out and stop engaging?
Answer these questions, and you’ll have a lot better road map for your future.
-Spencer Trefzger
P.S. - Want help figuring out the areas you could improve to start seeing major improvement online? Schedule a call today and talk through your specific situation with an expert.
