April 01, 2020
Using Zoom for Your Online Bible Study? Watch Out for Bad Intruders
With so many churches taking services online, some have also held live Bible studies on web meeting platforms like Zoom. It's a great way to stay connected, but unfortunately there are reports of people purposely targeting web meeting platforms to speak and show hateful, even vile things to any meeting, including those with school children.
The easiest way to stop a foul actor from crashing your church meeting? Don't make your meeting link public. If you're using Zoom, they've got a great set of instructions to help ensure that you host only those with genuine interest in your meeting, and don't miss the suggestion to restrict screen sharing to keep control of the images your participants see. There's even a Waiting Room function to give you the opportunity to understand who wants access to your meeting.
For more information, head over to the Zoom article: How to Keep the Crashers Out of Your Zoom Event
March 31, 2020
New Features Coming to Facebook Live
Facebook Live viewing numbers have jumped by 50% from January to March 2020, which likely isn't a big surprise to churches. In response to increased use, Facebook is pausing work in other areas to focus on new features and upgrades to the Facebook Live platform. In an article from Search Engine Journal, look for these to show up in Facebook Live in the next few weeks:
- Watch Facebook Live videos without a Facebook account
- Automatic closed captioning
- Expansion of digital tipping capabilities to more streamers
- Toll-free phone numbers for charity streams to take live callers
- A new tool called Facebook Producer for better control on Live Broadcasts
For more details on what's to come, head over to the Search Engine Journal article: "Facebook Focusing on Live Streaming As Usage Spikes During COVID-19 Lockdowns"
March 25, 2020
How to Start Recording Your Sermon Podcasts
If you don't have a soundboard or church member who can record your sermons, there are fast and inexpensive ways for pastors to get started recording your sermons for podcasting.
Record with Your Cell Phone
Almost everyone has a recording device in their pocket: a smartphone. While it won't make the most polished recording, just placing it on the pulpit or somewhere nearby should get the job done to communicate your sermon. You need to make sure that your recording app will record in the MP3 format. If it doesn't, you have two options:
- Find an app that will convert your recording to an MP3 (see Editing Your Sermon below), or
- Use a different recording app to record as an MP3 in the first place. There are many, many audio recording apps out there for both Android and iPhone. One that should work for you is Voice Record Pro, available for free on Apple and Google Play.
Or Use a Digital Audio Recorder
A digital audio recorder (sorry, analog tape recorders will not work for this) can be an inexpensive way to record your sermon; you might already have one available in your home or church. There are many to choose, Read More...
March 24, 2020
Create a Connection Card for Online Worshipers
With church these days moving to online-only viewing, it can be a struggle to keep connected to your attendees. Some of our churches have been creating a "Connection Card" page with a form for people to register when they're watching the online worship service. During the service, the pastor has directed people to use another computer or cell phone in their home to fill out the Connection Card while still watching. What should you ask in the form? Check out a great example Connection Card from First Baptist Church of Fair Oaks in California.
March 23, 2020
How to Compress Your Video Sermon or Service for Upload
With so many churches canceling their live services to go online with video, we recommend recording your services or sermon and uploading them ahead of Sunday. We've been hearing back from churches about how long it's taking to upload their videos. I spoke to one pastor and his service that they recorded came in at over 4 gigabytes due to the quality of the recording. Some church video recordings are coming in around 1.2 gigabytes, and that's still going take hours upon hours. Depending on your upload speeds from your internet provider it could take 8 to 12 hours or even longer!
So we want to show you a free program that we've been using in ministry for over 10 years that should greatly speed up your upload speeds: Handbrake. Be sure to watch the video for our instructions how to use this free video compression program.
March 20, 2020
Special Update: Church Communication Helpful Links
We know you're scrambling to adapt to new demands on how you keep church going. So are we! Here are links to some free services (recommended from OCS clients, or we've found) for you to better communicate with your church members.
We've had many questions about how churches can continue communication, Bible study, and even sermons or worship services by going online. To give you a push in the right direction, the following are suggestions to free services that may help you better keep in touch with your church attenders.
It's not a complete list by far, so if you know of similar helpful services please let us know. Also, we haven't had time to test the services nor are we affiliated, so keep us updated if these work for you.
- Streaming Live on Facebook: How-To information on free streaming using Facebook Live
- Streaming Live on YouTube: How-To information on free streaming using YouTube Live
- Live Bible Study: If you want to hold an interactive Bible study like a web conference video call, Zoom.us has a free option
- Facebook Group Alternative Option: Not all of your church members use Facebook? This free Community Platform from Tribe.so may help group interaction
- Online Interactive Church Service: Already streaming or posting your services online but want Live Prayer and Live Chat when "on air"? Check out the free Church Online Platform from Life.Church
Resources OCS Clients Have Right Now
We're hearing from clients who are now beginning to send Email Newsletters and/or Group Texts to keep church members updated and connected. These tools are already included right now in your OCS Account, so now is a great time to click on the links above and check out how you can quickly communicate church changes.
March 17, 2020
An Important Note From Mark and Alisha
Well, I never thought I’d be writing a post like this on the OCS 8 Year Anniversary! Weeks ago I had put together a splashy celebration post, but in light of times like these, today it doesn’t seem right.
Instead, please know we’re praying for everyone’s health and safety, for God's provision for all who must alter their daily routines, and for all the churches having to adapt to disruption in church attendance. During this time, we also wanted to update you, our churches and ministries:
- Work on 3.0 continues uninterrupted. 3.0 is still on track for wider Beta Invitations to start by the end of this week—yes, THIS week. We want to get this right for you, so thank you for your patience!
- Don’t forget that you have many communication and church management tools already included and available right now as part of your annual price. Please take a moment to review our site or your dashboard for the tools and features ready right now to help you communicate with and manage your church.
- We’re still here to help and answer your questions. And since we’ll be spending even more time at home, we'll have plenty to do in the weeks ahead with the remainder of the tools that will have their own 3.0 upgrade.
On a personal note, it’s been nice to see so many more folks in our neighborhood out walking and enjoying our warmer spring weather. Our typically quiet streets are alive with children playing basketball and riding their bikes. While we’re already pretty adapted to working from home, we’re facing in Idaho the same things as everyone else. We’re doing our best to stay healthy, adusting our schedule to this new normal, and we pray the same for you.
God bless,
Mark and Alisha
