A brother from the integrated media ministry of a congregation in Zhejiang says that the church must, first of all, have the vision to establish an online ministry, and secondly, someone must be willing to set up that ministry. A team then needs to be formed that can serve and learn together.
Brother Daye, a second-generation Christian, attended Sunday school since childhood, has been a believer and is now a part-time volunteer at Juexi Church in Xiangshan County. He graduated with a degree in computer science and is now serving in a media integration position. Brother Daye's secular work path is the same path taken for developing the integrated media ministry in Xiangshan Church.
After the church purchased a projector in 2008, Daye began to participate in the ministry of playing Powerpoint slideshows for church services. In 2018, sound control was added. On March 20, 2022, the church broadcasted live for the first time, which went smoothly except for the playback settings. There was consequently no playback for the first live broadcast.
Brother Daye told Juexi Church that it needed to prepare many devices for a weekly live broadcast, such as a video camera, a mixer, a live broadcast computer, a guide software, and a computer for playing Powerpoint. Live broadcasting mainly involves inputting the pictures taken by the camera into the live broadcast software through the capture card and then sending the sound from the mixer to the live streaming software.
Juexi Church uses the Church Cloud platform to do the live streaming services. Before the live broadcast, Daye had no idea how to input the sound from the mixer into the studio. Later, he followed the tutorials and taught himself. For that which he could not understand, he would ask others.
Knowing the learning needs of various churches in the integrated media position, Brother Daye established the "Christian Integrated Media Exchange Group" on April 29, 2022. In it, co-workers exchange information on Powerpoint, audio control, websites, and live streaming.
Last July, the church organized an online course and invited a national, top-class sound engineer to offer systematic training to the church staff. "I have listened to each of the instructor's lessons more than 10 times," Brother Daye claimed.
During the three years of the pandemic, if a gathering was suspended before the live worship broadcast began, the church could only send out the sermon recording through a WeChat group. With live streaming, believers could then gather in groups at a believer's home, connect to the live broadcast with a mobile phone and show the screen on TV. Older believers who didn't know how to set up could get help from other church members.
According to the Administrative Measures for Internet Religious Information Services (the “Measures") introduced on December 3, 2021, a congregation needed to apply for a license to carry out live broadcasting while also applying for a WeChat official account and a website domain name. After obtaining the license, the official account and website could start to operate.
As there are the materials of the cult Shincheonji or New Heaven and New Earth posted on the Juexi Church website, some believers called to ask for related information.
In addition, Pastor Huang Weiguang collected and compiled many touching witness stories from local churches. Juexi Church decided to open a column for Pastor Huang on the website to publish these stories so that additional believers can be encouraged and nurtured.
Since starting the live broadcast, Juexi Church has updated much equipment. It spent RMB 27,500 on an Allen mixer from the UK, switched from analog to digital, and replaced all microphones while adding computers and cameras. There are now more co-workers involved in the media service and two sisters involved in Powerpoint are also doing proofreading.
Brother Daye is currently focusing on updating the mobile version of the website and managing the official account, through which believers can access the church website. The "Gospel Hymns" section under the video and audio column in the official account contains hymns commonly used in memorial services at Juexi Church.
"As most people attending memorial services don't bring hymnbooks and some songs are hard to find in the small books, the staff has collected 43 songs, which are 90% of the hymns sung. With a click, you can access the audio, texts, and song lyrics," he said.
The website of Juexi Church includes live worship, Bible study, devotions, worship and praise, and skills training.
In terms of equipment, Brother Daye said that a congregation’s mindset often needs updating. When buying equipment, a church should consider whether the equipment can keep up with the times. It should not choose to buy old equipment just because no one else will use it. Co-workers should learn actively, for some churches have very advanced equipment that no one can use.
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
浙江一教会的融媒体事工的弟兄说：教会首先要有建立网络事工的看见，其次要有人愿意为这个事工摆上，组建团队一起服侍，一起学习。
大叶弟兄是二代基督徒，从小参加主日学，一直在象山爵溪教会信仰，现为教会兼职义工。他计算机专业毕业，在融媒体岗位侍奉。大叶弟兄的服侍之路也是象山教会融媒体事工的发展之路。
2008年教会买了投影仪之后，他开始参与PPT服侍。2018年增加了音控。今年3月20日教会第一次直播，第一次直播还算顺利，但回放设置出了问题，所以第一次直播没有回放。
大叶弟兄介绍，爵溪教会一场礼拜直播需要预备的有摄像机、调音台、直播电脑、导播软件，还有播放PPT的电脑。直播工作主要是两块，一是把摄像机拍摄的画面通过采集卡输入直播软件，二是把调音台的声音送入直播软件。
爵溪教会使用教会云平台直播。直播之前，他根本不知道怎么把声音从调音台输入直播间。后来又跟着教程自学，不懂的就问。
了解到各个教会在融媒体位置上侍奉同工的学习需要，大叶弟兄在2022年4月29号建立了“主内融媒体交流群”，大家在群里交流PPT、音控、网站以及直播相关的信息。
今年7月，教会云组织了线上课程，邀请国家一级音响师和青广老师给教会侍奉人员进行系统性培训。“和老师的课程，我每节课都听了10遍以上，”大叶弟兄说。
疫情三年，开展礼拜直播之前，若是遇到因疫情暂停实地聚会的情况，教会只能将讲道录音通过微信群发送。有了直播以后，信徒分小组聚集在某位信徒家中。用手机连接直播，电视投屏。不会设置的老年信徒，教会同工会过去帮助。
根据2021年12月3日出台的《互联网宗教信息服务管理办法》（简称“办法”）。为了正常开展直播，教会决定申请许可证，同时申请了微信服务号、网站域名。拿到许可证之后，服务号、网站也开始运营起来。
因为爵溪教会网站上有新天地的相关资料，还有信徒打电话来询问关于新天地的信息。
此外，黄伟光牧师收集整理了很多当地教会感人的见证故事。爵溪教会想为黄牧师在教会网站上开个专栏，将这些故事连载出来，让更多信徒得着鼓励和造就。
开始直播之后，爵溪教会陆续更新了很多设备。花了27500买了英国艾伦牌全英文的调音台，从模拟台换成了数字台。话筒全部更换，添了电脑和摄像机。参与融媒体服侍的同工也多了起来，两个放PPT的姐妹参与了文字校对的工作。
大叶弟兄目前侍奉的重点是网站手机版的更新和服务号的管理，信徒通过服务号可以进入教会网站。服务号里视频音像栏目下的“福音诗歌”，里面收录了爵溪教会追思礼拜常用的诗歌。
“大家参加追思礼拜，很多人不带诗歌本。有些诗歌本比较小，歌也不好找。我们收集了四十三首歌，90%的追思礼拜要唱的诗歌都在这里，点一下很方便，音频、文字、歌谱都有。”
爵溪教会网站内容包括礼拜直播，查经，灵修，敬拜赞美以及技能培训。
“音控、直播，这些是学不完的。” 在设备方面，大叶弟兄谈到，教会的观念要更新。买设备的时候，教会要考虑设备能不能跟上时代，不是因为没有人会用就选择买老的设备。同时，侍奉的同工也要积极学习。有的教堂设备非常先进，但没有人会用。
浙江一教会融媒体的发展
A brother from the integrated media ministry of a congregation in Zhejiang says that the church must, first of all, have the vision to establish an online ministry, and secondly, someone must be willing to set up that ministry. A team then needs to be formed that can serve and learn together.
Brother Daye, a second-generation Christian, attended Sunday school since childhood, has been a believer and is now a part-time volunteer at Juexi Church in Xiangshan County. He graduated with a degree in computer science and is now serving in a media integration position. Brother Daye's secular work path is the same path taken for developing the integrated media ministry in Xiangshan Church.
After the church purchased a projector in 2008, Daye began to participate in the ministry of playing Powerpoint slideshows for church services. In 2018, sound control was added. On March 20, 2022, the church broadcasted live for the first time, which went smoothly except for the playback settings. There was consequently no playback for the first live broadcast.
Brother Daye told Juexi Church that it needed to prepare many devices for a weekly live broadcast, such as a video camera, a mixer, a live broadcast computer, a guide software, and a computer for playing Powerpoint. Live broadcasting mainly involves inputting the pictures taken by the camera into the live broadcast software through the capture card and then sending the sound from the mixer to the live streaming software.
Juexi Church uses the Church Cloud platform to do the live streaming services. Before the live broadcast, Daye had no idea how to input the sound from the mixer into the studio. Later, he followed the tutorials and taught himself. For that which he could not understand, he would ask others.
Knowing the learning needs of various churches in the integrated media position, Brother Daye established the "Christian Integrated Media Exchange Group" on April 29, 2022. In it, co-workers exchange information on Powerpoint, audio control, websites, and live streaming.
Last July, the church organized an online course and invited a national, top-class sound engineer to offer systematic training to the church staff. "I have listened to each of the instructor's lessons more than 10 times," Brother Daye claimed.
During the three years of the pandemic, if a gathering was suspended before the live worship broadcast began, the church could only send out the sermon recording through a WeChat group. With live streaming, believers could then gather in groups at a believer's home, connect to the live broadcast with a mobile phone and show the screen on TV. Older believers who didn't know how to set up could get help from other church members.
According to the Administrative Measures for Internet Religious Information Services (the “Measures") introduced on December 3, 2021, a congregation needed to apply for a license to carry out live broadcasting while also applying for a WeChat official account and a website domain name. After obtaining the license, the official account and website could start to operate.
As there are the materials of the cult Shincheonji or New Heaven and New Earth posted on the Juexi Church website, some believers called to ask for related information.
In addition, Pastor Huang Weiguang collected and compiled many touching witness stories from local churches. Juexi Church decided to open a column for Pastor Huang on the website to publish these stories so that additional believers can be encouraged and nurtured.
Since starting the live broadcast, Juexi Church has updated much equipment. It spent RMB 27,500 on an Allen mixer from the UK, switched from analog to digital, and replaced all microphones while adding computers and cameras. There are now more co-workers involved in the media service and two sisters involved in Powerpoint are also doing proofreading.
Brother Daye is currently focusing on updating the mobile version of the website and managing the official account, through which believers can access the church website. The "Gospel Hymns" section under the video and audio column in the official account contains hymns commonly used in memorial services at Juexi Church.
"As most people attending memorial services don't bring hymnbooks and some songs are hard to find in the small books, the staff has collected 43 songs, which are 90% of the hymns sung. With a click, you can access the audio, texts, and song lyrics," he said.
The website of Juexi Church includes live worship, Bible study, devotions, worship and praise, and skills training.
In terms of equipment, Brother Daye said that a congregation’s mindset often needs updating. When buying equipment, a church should consider whether the equipment can keep up with the times. It should not choose to buy old equipment just because no one else will use it. Co-workers should learn actively, for some churches have very advanced equipment that no one can use.
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
The Integrated Media Development of a Church in Zhejiang
