The communication project started out as an email plea for help. Our mission committee was working with two orphanages in Mexico and they wanted to provide backpacks for the children there. I got a frantic email for help--the committee knew they needed a way tell the congregation about it, but they didn't know where to start.
They gave me lists like the one here and a jump drive of photos.
Below is the video I created for them. I also did up other materials, (detailed brochure, posters, website materials), but the point of what I wanted to share here is that, as I thought about it, I realized this project illustrated one of the most important things we do as church communicators--we incarnate ministry vision.
To incarnate literally means to put into bodily form, to put on flesh and bones. Jesus did that when he came to earth. Peter worshipped an invisible, holy God as a child. When Jesus became incarnate, Peter could go fishing with him. He could hug him, laugh with him, go to a party with him. God became real to Peter in the incarnate Jesus.
So many of the ministry dreams and visions of the leadership in our church are wonderful, godly visions of what God can do. But until we put them into tangible form in our communications, they remain the intangible stuff of vision. When we create a video like the project--people see the children; they see the need; they know what to do. Lord willing, we touch hearts and motivate minds to action. We incarnate. We put flesh on the vision of the ministry to our people.
Often when we do this, not only do we help our congregation get involved with the ministry, but it touches us also. I became very involved in this project and became a back-pack making maniac for a few weeks. Since then I've been involved in other Backpack projects and below the video are some flyers/bulletin inserts and social media you can use to advertise back-pack ministries at your church.
Resources to help your church share backpack ministries
Note: I used animoto.com to create the video above. It is very easy to add pictures and text to the program and then a video comes out! Really, it is that easy.
Other materials for Backpack Ministries:
PowerPoint Slides for Backpack Ministry to remind and motivate your congregation to give: https://wp.me/pDky9-88N
Instagram Images for Backpack Ministry to remind and motivate your congregation to give: https://wp.me/pDky9-898
Bulletin inserts and Flyers for Fall Back-Pack ministries: https://wp.me/pDky9-7rX
My personal motivation for Backpack ministry—my memories and prayers about crayons and little kids in need: https://wp.me/pDky9-pL
Nice job, Yvon. You are exactly right about the role of church communication being to incarnate ministry vision. We’re in the middle of a couple of “big vision” things here, and I’m finding my role includes helping define what it is we’re trying to do, and then developing a strategy to get the congregation and the community on board. Thanks for your perspective.
A couple of questions about your video:
How did you produce it? Was it After Effects? Any special plug-ins or tips you’d care to offer?
How are you using the video?
Thanks and blessings.
David
David,
Thank you so much for your kind comments
About the project overall–either this week or next I’ll do a more complete piece on the whole project–I think you might find that interesting.
About the video–the production of it was so simply it is almost embarrassing. I used animoto software. Here is the how-to video I did on how to use the software from my training website (it’s just a few minutes and so easy): No Adobe, no special plug-ins, nada. I do have the “Pro” version of the software so I can save it in HD.
How to create multi-media videos EXTREMELY easily, cheaply or for FREE!
https://www.effectivechurchcom.com/2012/05/how-to-create-multi-media-videos-extremely-easily-cheaply-or-for-free/
I did another one using the same software and this video and article (part of this article is for ECC Members):
How I created the Father’s Day Video
https://www.effectivechurchcom.com/2012/05/how-i-created-the-fathers-day-video/
As for how I am using it–as I said, more later on that–as it was just finished and is part of a larger mission project. I am doing a number of things to go with it (signs, brochures, website links etc.). One thing I realized just today as we are getting ready to show it at church is that I need a simple list of needs for the backpack to put into the bulletin, on the web, at the church info center. We need to both inspire and make things immediately doable and practical for people.
If you’d like I’ll sign you up for my email newsletter and that way you’ll know when the complete project is done.
Hope that helped a bit, let me know if you have other questions.
Yvon Prehn