In partnership with the Church IT Network, we hosted a series of webinars with sound advice and tested tips and Q&A from churches already "doing church" online! First in the series is...
Take church services and prayer online in this season of "social distancing" due to COVID from experienced churches in the Church IT Network and MinistryPlatform communities. Strengthen and encourage your community by continuing to provide worship services and prayer gatherings in an online format.
Getting a Church Online
thechurch.digital – Here’s where to get started
Resi (Resilient Streaming Protocol) – Getting Started Quickly Guide
Live Streaming or Gathering Solutions for Services/Groups
Resi – for multisite venues and online
How-to article for churches interested in streaming for the first time
Church Online Platform – free and includes live chat, live prayer, and other ways to help create community
ChurchStreaming.tv – free for 90 days
Boxcast – also has a Broadcaster app for iOS devices
Office 365 – free for 501C3 nonprofits through TechSoup. This includes Teams which can host 250 participant video conference calls and 10,000 live event broadcasts. If you aren’t a 501C3 you can still get the same free for 6 months.
Jitsi – multi-platform open-source video conferencing. Good for group meetings
Talky – simple video chat and screen sharing for groups
Zoom – video conferencing, web conferencing, webinars
PocketPlatform – can publish MP driven Roku and Apple TV channels; has group messaging in their mobile app platform
Marco Polo app – similar to a walkie-talkie, messages are sent immediately and are available for the recipient to view and respond to almost instantly
Other Solutions
Prayer Engine – prayer walls and calendars
Panelists/Attendees shared what their churches are up to
Jason Lee @ Northwoods
Prayer Nights – live @ 7:20 pm eastern
Launched new series called CoronaVitals
Jason Morris @ Westside Family Church
Westside’s ongoing response to COVID-19
Brandon Donaldson @ Life.Church
Life.Church’s COVID-19 updates page
Open Network COVID-19 resources for churches
If you or your teams would like to jump in to help support others using the Church Online Platform version 3 and version 4, you can sign-up here
Matt Pugh @ McLean Bible Church
McLean’s Master Page For All Things Corona
We’d like to thank Jason Powell, CITN Founder/President, for coining the Rules on Resource Usage:
“If you don’t come and steal these ideas and use them for your own, then shame on you.”
Thanks, Jason, we couldn’t have said it any better.
Taking Church Online: Community Outreach & Care
Tuesday, March 24, at 3 pm ET
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AND RESOURCES
Taking Church Online: Classes & Groups
Thursday, March 26, at 3 pm ET
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AND RESOURCES
Taking Church Online: Giving & Financials
Tuesday, March 31, at 3 pm ET
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AND RESOURCES
Taking Church Online: The CARES Act
Tuesday, April 14, at 3 pm ET
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AND RESOURCES
