Approximately 25 percent of American adults watch church services online or on television. Two-thirds of them are highly or extremely satisfied with these virtual religious services. Many have indicated that the sermons and music are significant factors.
It's a positive trend that shows signs of continuing. However, as a pastor, reaching the remaining one-third that doesn't share the same experience is just as important.
Videos can do this without increasing your costs. There are many free church videos available online that you can include in your livestream.
This article provides a guide to the types of free worship videos for church services, how to access them and how you can create your own custom videos on the cheap.
Table of Contents
- Types of Free Church Videos
- Welcome or Intro Videos
- Meditation Videos
- Announcement Videos
- Mission Videos
- Supplemental Videos
- Testimony Videos
- Children’s Videos
- Lyric Display Videos
- Creating and Tailoring Free Worship Videos for Church
- Start With Timing
- Use Engaging Editing
- Pay Attention to Video Quality
- Consider Audio Quality
- Unlock the Power of Digital Ministry with Vanco's Expert Resources
Types of Free Church Videos
Video is a medium that continues to grow in popularity across all platforms. Videos are engaging, entertaining and are usually easy to follow and understand. They are also effective when included while livestreaming church services.
However, it's important to know the types of worship videos to use and where it’s best to include them in your church livestream. This can help to make your services appealing and make your viewers look forward to returning for more.
Welcome or Intro Videos
Welcome videos provide the perfect segue before starting worship services. Intro videos can incorporate music, images and greetings to welcome churchgoers. You can also use these videos to set expectations for the service ahead.
You can choose looped videos with or without sound.
Here are a few links to videos you can include before your next service:
- “Free Church Video Intro Welcoming Members & Guests”
- “Free Welcome to Our Church Video Loop”
- “Inspiring Welcome to Church Intro Video Loop”
- "Free Welcome to Church Video Intro”
- Free Holiday Intro Videos
- Christmas
- Easter
- Thanksgiving
- Good Friday
- Mother’s Day
- Father’s Day
Meditation Videos
A meditation video can set the tone and help viewers get into the right frame of mind for worship. They include soothing music and images that evoke a sense of calm. They can quiet the mind and help viewers become more receptive to receiving the Word.
And what better way to prepare for the Word of God than seeing His creation in all its splendor? Here are a few examples.
These sites also have royalty-free relaxing videos. They include various sights and sounds of nature:
Announcement Videos
Announcement videos are a practical way to let attendees know what is going on in the church. They could include upcoming events or important notices.
You can also include these videos before the start of the service. They eliminate the need for spoken announcements.
Vocal updates can often seem monotonous. They often diminish the tone set by an exciting welcome video.
Here are some tips on creating effective church announcement videos.
Mission Videos
Mission videos can include videos of your church's missions or those you support. It's also a great way to garner support through offerings for upcoming missions.
Is there a specific mission trip your church is interested in supporting? Contact the mission organization for a free video. If you're hosting a mission, you can create an informational video for your congregation.
You can also use event ticketing software to effectively manage your mission trip. It's one way to disseminate event information, facilitate online registration and receive payments.
Mission Global allows you to search for mission trips locally and internationally. It includes information about each mission organization and trip details. It also provides comprehensive insight into what each mission would entail.
Some of the featured missions also include videos. Here are a few examples of videos you can find on the site:
- Students International in Central America
- Women's Missions - Las Vegas
- Commit Ministries International
Supplemental Videos
A meditation video can be a great way to end a sermon. It allows time for viewers to reflect on the words you've imparted.
However, you can also use supplemental videos to support your sermon. These can include images and words from Scripture. It can even include a mini-movie that reflects the teaching.
Here are a few free Christian videos for church that support particular scripture readings:
Testimony Videos
Testimonies reflect how God works in members' lives. Unfortunately, they can lose their effectiveness when unstructured and long-winded.
Using filmed testimonies allows you to convey important aspects of the member's experience. These structured videos are more powerful and impactful.
Testimonies by non-members can also be inspiring. Here are a few examples:
Children's Videos
Videos have a unique way of holding the attention of younger church members. Tailored content that includes animated videos is especially engaging. They're an effective way to convey messages from Scripture.
These videos can also support the Scripture reading for the day's service. They help to include the children of the congregation, allowing your message to reach them too.
Lyric Display Videos
Music plays a crucial part in church services. It uplifts attendees and allows them to participate by singing along with the choir.
Lyric display videos can help online viewers become more involved. They'll have the words to sing along in the comfort of their homes.
Here are a few options from the Worship Lyric Videos site:
Creating and Tailoring Free Worship Videos for Church
There are quite a few online resources that allow you to download free church videos. However, there will be instances where you need to tailor the message. Announcement and testimony videos are examples of this.
Creating a video may seem daunting, but online resources can also help here. Some sites provide free stock videos.
Simply choose the appropriate imagery then include your message. These sites usually have free stock music tracks as well.
Investing in church worship software can also help. It allows you to video stream material from your content library. Additional features such as live chats and eGiving tools can also help support your church initiatives.
Here are a few tips for creating your own videos.
Start With Timing
If you plan on making engaging videos, the first step is to consider what time span makes sense for your video type. Although the modern person has an abysmal average attention span, the duration someone can sit and watch a video depends on its context.
In-church video announcements should be between three and five minutes long. Online video explanations on Scripture or theology should be roughly two to 10 minutes each and broken up into bite-sized concepts if possible. Full-length sermons can go on for the length of a regular sermon, but cutting off the musical worship makes it easier for people to find the sermon if they're rewatching it after the livestream.
Use Engaging Editing
There are many affordable video editing tools your church can use to make great videos. Good editing is a must-have in the modern age of videomaking.
Eye-catching transitions and clever editing can make announcements, sermons and worship videos far more engaging. It's much easier for an online audience to connect with the church if they see shots of the congregation during worship videos or video sermons. Transitions and animations also help keep a viewer's focus on the screen, whether at home or in the venue.
You can also outsource your video editing to an online service or someone in the congregation if you have the resources and ability.
Pay Attention to Video Quality
A clear image and low blur go a long way in keeping viewers engaged. It almost doesn't matter how good your editing is if the image is grainy. That's why investing in a quality video camera is vital to a thriving video ministry.
An unsung element of video quality is minimizing the distraction of camera shaking. If you can, train a few camera operators and invest in good tripods and monopods.
Consider Audio Quality
Having a good-quality microphone setup is almost as crucial as a good camera. This is especially important if you post long recordings of your sermons or worship sessions to your church's social media. People often turn these videos on in the background or close their eyes when they play them, which means the sound quality becomes the most important aspect.
It's relatively easy to have good audio quality for sermons. You just need a lapel microphone and a few ambient mics if you want viewers to hear the congregation.
Creating videos for a church worship service is a different story. The first step is to minimize the venue's echo. It's also ideal to have an audio channel for every instrument and vocalist and a skilled engineer mixing it all together.
Unlock the Power of Digital Ministry with Vanco's Expert Resources
You've seen the various types of videos that can enrich your church services and how to craft them effectively. But the journey doesn't end there.
The realm of online church services is vast and brimming with untapped potential. To truly harness this potential, you need more than just free resources and tips — you need a partner that can elevate your church's digital presence to new heights. That's where Vanco comes in.
At Vanco, we understand the unique challenges and opportunities that come with digital church services. Our YouTube page is not just a collection of videos; it's a treasure trove of knowledge, creativity and inspiration designed to empower your church. From engaging intros and timers to captivating holiday videos, we've got it all.
Ready to make a difference? Visit Vanco's YouTube page today. Discover the endless possibilities of church media and learn from the best in the business.
