What's the difference between Events and Meetings?

There are two types of sessions you can schedule on Altar Live: Events and Meetings.  Although they’re similar in many ways, there are a few key differences to keep in mind while you’re setting up your community and planning sessions.

Here are some ways to look at the differences between Meetings, Events, and Personal Meeting Rooms (and some suggestions to help you choose):

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Events

If you’re looking to have:

• One main speaker (or multiple speakers in the same physical location)
• All attendees viewing the same thing at the same time
• Discussion after the main event (not throughout)
• A large number of attendees and/or non-logged-in attendees

Then you’ll want an Event.  

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Events allow you to have a live stream that attendees can watch by themselves or in rows with up to 4 other users.  You can have lobbies with both tables and rooms for post-event discussion.  You can learn more about Events on Altar Live in this article.

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Events without rows are included on all Altar Live plans.  Events with rows are included in Engagement Plus plans.

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Event Examples:

• Weekend Worship Service
• Conference Speaker Session
• Classroom Lecture

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Meetings

If you’re looking to have:

• Discussions where everyone can speak
• Smaller groups
• Everyone (who’s comfortable) on camera
• All attendees logged in

Then you’ll want a meeting or a meeting room (included in Engagement Plus plans).  Meetings allow you to create rooms (similar to  Zoom or Google Meet) but you can also add lobbies with tables and multiple rooms.  To learn more about Meetings, check out this article.

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Meeting Examples:

• Small Groups
• Round Table Discussions
• Prayer Groups
• Interactive Workshops

Personal Meeting Rooms

If you’re looking to have:

• A space for staff to meet (that isn’t necessarily at the same time every week/month/etc.)
• A private personal office for 1-on-1s or counseling

Then you’ll want a Personal Meeting Room (included in Engagement Plus plans). During the “Who Can Join” step, you can make the room only accessible to a few people using the “Knock to Enter” setting. You can learn more about Personal Meeting rooms in this article.

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Personal Meeting Room Examples:

• Pastor or Elder’s Office
• Ministry Meeting Space
• Planning Commitee Space
• Event Staff Debrief Room

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Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions about Events, Meetings, and Personal Meeting Rooms?  Here are some frequently asked questions about Events and Meetings!

Can I add a Lobby to an Event or Meeting?

Yes!  Lobbies are included in the Engagement Plus plans and can be added to any Event or Meeting.  To learn more about lobbies, check out this support article. 

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What’s the difference between a Meeting and a meeting room in a Lobby?

Meetings and meeting rooms in Lobbies are very similar with a few key differences:

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Meetings:

• Have their own invitation/links
• Have their own chats and interactions
• Allow recording the session

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Meeting rooms in Lobbies:

• Are contained within the Lobby state of an Event or Meeting
• Use the same invitation/link as the Lobby
• Share a chat and interactions with the Lobby
• Don’t have the ability to record the session

Will scheduled Meetings appear on my landing page, even if they are invite-only?

Yes, all scheduled Meetings will appear on your community landing page.  However, only signed-in users who are on the invite list will be able to join.

Do Events and Meetings require visitors to be signed in?

During an Event, users can watch the live stream as an anonymous user without logging in.  If they attempt to use chat (except with a Host or Greeter) or take a seat in a row they will be prompted to sign in or create an account.

For security reasons, users joining a Meeting or Personal Meeting Room are required to log in.  If a user attempts to join without logging in, they will be prompted to either sign in or create an account.

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Why do my personal meeting rooms not appear on my landing page?

Personal meeting rooms are only accessible via link (or if you’re an admin, via the admin dashboard).  If you’d like your meeting to appear on the landing page, consider creating it as a scheduled Meeting instead.

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Do I need a live stream to create an Event or Meeting?

Events require a live stream source (or recorded video) - to learn more about connecting your live stream to Altar Live, check out the live stream section of our Help Center.

Meetings use your device’s camera and do not require a live stream source.  If you’d like to share pre-recorded video during a Meeting as well, check out this support article on How to Share Video and Audio in a Meeting.

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Still didn’t find what you’re looking for?  Check out our Help Center, or take a peek at these related support articles:

• How to Create an Event (or Service)
• How to Create a Meeting
• How to Use a Personal Meeting Room

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