Digital/Communications:
Technology & Online Worship:
- New video series on ‘Copyrights in Worship’ now available from PC(USA): Click here
- Beginner’s Guide to Church Sound with Jake Gosselin (Worship Ministry School), $: Click here
- Church Tech resources from PRC: Click here
- Tech in Church podcast
- Church in the digital age: Measuring, and understanding, online worship metrics, 9/2022 article: Click here
- Digital First Community, 3/9/2021 (PRC webinar): Click here
- Hybrid Worship: How to be engaging online AND in person, 3/18/2021 PRC webinar: Click here
- Getting Started With Church Online, 3/2020 PRC webinar: Click here
- Tips for Bringing Worship Alive and Keeping It Real in Live Stream, 3/2020 PRC webinar w/ Marcia McFee: Click here
- Livestreaming: You don’t need to spend big to have a big impact, pdf: Click here
- Making sure your livestream worship service is copyright compliant, 8/2021 recorded workshop: Click here
- Framing and lighting tips for professional videos, 11/2021 article PC(USA): Click here
- Audio Tips For Hybrid Worship: Achieving optimum sound in both the sanctuary and online, 9/2021 PC(USA) article: Click here
- Even while livestreaming worship, churches must comply with copyright laws, 8/2021 (PCUSA article): Click here
- Making sure your services are copyright compliant, 9/2021 article: Click here
- What Approach to Digital Worship is Best for Your Church? 4/2021 (Lewis Center for Church Leadership Article): Click here
- Steps for Livestreaming on Facebook, 3/2021 PMA article: Click here
- Resource List for Online Church PRC document: Click here
Online Ministry & Podcasting:
- How Podcasting Can Build Your Church Relationships, 7/2024 article from Church Juice: Click here
- Sustaining Faith Online, 9/2021, a PRC webinar: Click here
- Building Community Online, 9/2021, a Church Juice Podcast: Click here
- 3 Simple, High-Potential Things Most Churches Miss In Their Digital Strategy, a 10/2022 Church Juice article: Click here
- Sustaining Faith Online, 9/2021, a PRC webinar: Click here
- Building Community Online, 9/2021, a Church Juice Podcast: Click here
- Finding Intentional Community Online: The Story Of Queeranteen Camp, 10/2021 PRC webinar: Click here
- Connecting your church with prayer communities: Click here
- Synod of the Northeast seminars encourage online church relationships, 9/2021 article: Click here
- Does your church need digital ambassadors? 1/2021 Digital Congregations Blog article: Click here
- Online Ministry Help Wanted (PCUSA article): Click here
- The theology of podcasting, 4/20221 PCUSA online workshop: Click here
Social Media & Website:
- 3 Must-Try Social Media Posts for Smaller Churches, a 13- minute video from Brady Shearer with Pro Church Tools, offers a master class on video making with just your phone: Click here
- Tic-Toc Tech tutorial from PC(USA) Communicator’s, 30 minutes: Click here
- Don’t Just Post, Tell A Story, 5-minute video from Social Media For Churches: Click here
- Social Media For Small Churches, video: Click here
- The Complete Guide To Building A Church Instagram Strategy from Vanco, 5/2023: Click here
- PC(USA) guidelines for using AI at their national offices: Click here
- Creating a Strategic Social Media Plan for 2024, an article from PC(USA) Communicator’s Network: Click here
- Five free and discounted digital services for churches, an 11/2023 article from the Outlook: Click here
- Church, free AI enhanced tools to help with church social media, finance, and more from Carey Nieuwhof: Click here
- The best and worst times to post on Facebook, 11/2023 blog post: Click here
- Unlock the Power of Texting: 3 Mistakes to Avoid, 5/2023 Church Juice article: Click here
- Church Websites: 7 Helpful Ways to Guide You to Greatness, a free Church Juice webinar on March 16 at 1:00 pm central: Click here
- Church Marketing University, free church growth resources: Click here
- Social Media For Churches from Ann Russ, both free and for pay: Click here
- Impactful Social Media for Church: A Comprehensive Guide for Communicators, Church Juice article, 3/2023: Click here
- 14 Church Communication Resources to Save You Time and Money, Church Juice article, 3/2023: Click here
- How to Boost Your Church’s Social Media Ministry, a 15 minute video by MWS Anne Russ, 3/2023: Click here
- Tik Tok as Ministry, a PRC webinar: Click here
- Short video from Anne Russ on how to easily make a video in Canva using scripture for a social media post: Click here
- Upgrade Your Church Social Media Feed with These Free Tools, Church Juice 7/2022 article: Click here
- Church in the Digital Age: Creating engaging content is the goal, 5/2022 article: Click here
- Understanding Social Media Analytics, 3/2022 recorded workshop designed to teach individuals to identify patterns and trends on various social media platforms. From PC(USA) Communicator’s Network: Click here
- Social media needs a strategy: An online presence isn’t enough, 3/2022 PC(USA) article: Click here
- Social Media image sizes cheat sheet: Click here
- Best times to post on social media: Click here
- Best social media practices, 10/2021 webinar: Click here
- Six Ways Your Church Can Use Texting to Engage More People, 12/2021 article by Carey Nieuwhof: Click here
- Communications Trends Post Covid-19, 11/2021 article from Presbyterian Communicators Network: Click here
- The Downside of Social Media, and What Your Church Can Do About It, 11/2021 article from the Christian Reformed Church: Click here
- Get your social media noticed with hashtags, 7/2021 (Ann Russ, PCUSA article): Click here
- Tik Tok as Ministry, PRC webinar: Click here
- Weebly Live Build, 3/2022 recorded webinar, Join Eric Seiberling as he builds a simple yet powerful church website in ONE HOUR using Weebly: Click here
Online Newsletters:
- Help for church newsletter writers – The Inbox Collective (to help you write better electronic newsletters): Click here & feature this article
Grants:
- Columbia Seminary received a Lilly endowment that allows it to offer ReKindle grants that will make Impact Grants of up to $10,000 to support projects designed to enhance congregational vitality in a post-COVID-19 context to congregations that are accepted into the program. 2023: Click here
- Google Grants for non-profits. Up to $10,000 a month in google search adds: Click here
- Utilizing Google Ad Grants for Church Outreach, podcast with Molly Pelic Ep3.04 from The Unstuck Group: Click here
Resource Sites:
- Church and partner churches make countless resources available for free like best social media and video practices, small group guides, graphic assets, and more.: Click here
- Church Media Drop if you need a last-minute graphic template or inspiration for an upcoming project. No account required: Click here
- Church Juice, free resources for energizing church communications: Click here
- Pixabay, free online graphics: Click here
- Artillery/Website Designers $: Click here
- Vibrant Church Communications, stickers and more $: Click here
Suggested Resources:
- Becoming a Hybrid Church by Dave Daubert & Richard Jorgensen, 10/2020 – This book will take the reader through an overview of several areas of congregational ministry and reflect on how to begin to move every aspect of church life to a dual platform – on-the-ground and online. This “hybrid” kind of ministry will be the new norm for the next season in most congregation’s work. Written in crisp form, each chapter is concise and helps leaders begin to reframe their thinking on a particular aspect of congregational ministry. There are Bible readings, discussion questions and prayers at the end of each chapter making it perfect for leadership teams and small groups. Becoming a hybrid church is one path forward to both strengthen the church and reach new people with the gospel in bold, creative new ways. $ or free on Kindle
- Six Questions About the Future of the Hybrid Church Experience, State of the Digital Church Series from Barna, $18
- The Wired Church 2.0 by Jason Moore and Len Wilson, (Abingdon) “Wired Church 2.0 is the guidebook for a new generation of technology, addressing new multimedia trends, including blogs, podcasts, streaming video, and more. Wired Church 2.0 is a comprehensive how-to book written in an easy-to-understand “dummies’ guide” style. Church media coordinators will learn about the technology, costs, methods, and tricks-of-the-trade for producing high-quality web and video elements for worship, education, and marketing.”