How to do Live Church
According to recent statistics, 40% of Americans attend church every Sunday. In person or virtually, people gather every Sunday to worship, pray, and form connections with other church goers. For some, going to church is a foreign concept, and some may not understand the flow of a usual church service. While not all church structure their services in the same way, most have the same end goal: Worshipping as a community.
Are you thinking of starting a church? Here are a few essential steps you need to take when starting a live church:
Step 1: Decide on a destination (In Person or Online)
Nowadays there are many possible destinations where a church service can take place. While most opt for the classic, in person, church with a steeple route, there are more options. You can have an outdoor church service in the park, on the beach, the possibilities are endless! Also, what people don’t realize is that it is possible to hold church services online. Don’t believe me? Read this article to learn about the benefits of an online church service
While some may argue that an online church service isn’t “live,” we are here to tell you that with the technology we have today, online church services can be just as personal and engaging as a normal in-person service (if not more!)
You may ask what kind of live streaming platforms can be used for an online church service. Here are a few:
1. Altar Live
Altar Live is an online church platform designed for faith communities to stream and host interactive and engaging events and services. Our simple, intuitive platform gathers your people together online where they can worship together in watch parties, freely socialize at virtual tables together, and find private places to pray with each other.
Want to learn more? check out this article or watch this video:
2. The Church Online Platform
Designed specifically for online and live church, Church Online allows attendees to engage and connect with their church community. If you choose this platform, you may have to invest in Zoom to allow your members to have small group meetings to connect. Church Online is a limited service and only allows one event at a time and can only host services.
3. Facebook and YouTube:
Free and easy to use and great for live church. Many people already have easy access to both sites and are familiar with the platform. While both Facebook and YouTube allow seamless streaming, aside from a chat feature, they lack a sense of community.
If you want to learn more about starting your own online church service, read this
Step 2: Assemble a Team
When forming a strong community for a live church, it is essential to have a strong and trustworthy team. Gather your most trusted, and gifted people to support you in this endeavor. While this article was written with digital pastors in mind, it is also a great resource for anyone who is a part of the church team.
Step 3: Spread the Word
Your destination is decided, the team is assembled, now what? Time to spread the word! Tell all your friends and family, post to social media, and email the congregation about the service. Let them know where the service will be held (online or otherwise) and inspire excitement! If you want to make your newcomers feel welcome, check out this awesome article about writing the perfect church welcome letter.
Step 4: Host your Service
Congratulations! You are ready for your live church service!
