While tech companies were some of the first to adopt live streaming technology to bridge gaps and increase efficiencies, other non-profit organizations are quickly learning the huge benefits that live streaming technologies provide. Churches around the world are turning to live video and audio streaming to increase their reach as well as to grow their congregations and even generate more funds.
Traditional Churches Have to Adapt to Changing Technologies
For decades, Churches were some of the least technical organizations on the planet. Computers were rare, sound equipment was dated and video was nonexistent. As the majority of Church congregations have aged, Churches have been forced to adapt to the changing technology or essentially shut their doors for good. The Churches that have taken a more contemporary approach to worship and began to utilize the latest in technological advancements are seeing their congregations grow along with the dollars in their offering plates.
Benefits of Live Streaming Church Services
Live streaming technologies offer huge opportunities for Churches that are willing to use technology to more effectively reach their congregation as well as those that may not yet have a Church home. Some of the benefits that Churches are seeing from live streaming technology include:
- Ability to reach disabled congregation members – In the past, Churches had trouble reaching disabled congregation members who found it difficult to leave their homes – even for service. Some Churches recorded sermons on tapes and took them around to congregation members who could not travel, but this was difficult and did not offer a great experience for disabled members. With live video streaming, congregation members can enjoy the message, music and total experience of Church from the comforts of their own home.
- Reach those turned off by the Church – Unfortunately, some people have had a bad experience with the Church early in life and are intimidated by the physical aspect of Church. With live video streaming, you can allow interested parties to view your Church service without feeling any pressure. This can allow people who are a bit wary about returning to Church in general to have some time to determine if your congregation is a good fit for them.
- Reach busy Church members – With baseball games, vacations, work commitments and standard family responsibilities, carving out an hour each week for Church can be difficult. By streaming your services online, busy Church members can easily catch the service online and not feel disconnected from the rest of the congregation.
- Congregation Outreach – Not only are Churches around the country using video streaming for their services, they are also using this technology for other events such as Bible studies, Sunday school classes and other enrichment activities. Think about the benefit of Church members in the military being able to participate in a Bible study or to watch the Sunday service from Iraq or Afghanistan.
- Inclement Weather – With many congregations having large numbers of elderly members, injuries during inclement weather are a real concern. By streaming live church services, your congregation members can rest easy knowing that if the weather is too severe they can simply watch the service online. With most elderly members having access to a broadband Internet connection, this offers another way for you to reach your congregation.
- Economical – Streaming your Church services does not have to cost a lot of money. By partnering with a Content Delivery Network like TikiLIVE, you can easily record and stream your services for a reasonable price. Many churches are learning that streaming online is a much more economical alternative to buying TV airtime. Broadcasting Church services on TV is extremely expensive, and with more people turning to the Internet for their live streaming needs, it is becoming much more economical to stream content online as opposed to buying expensive air time.
Grow Your Congregation With Live Streaming
The benefits of live streaming for churches are truly astounding. By streaming your church services and activities, you instantly extend the reach of your church worldwide. Think about the ability to reach people across the world who are hungry to learn more about your church. No longer are you bound by the walls of the church, you are able to reach and potentially help people around the world. Using a provider like TikiLIVE allows you to not only grow your congregation, but also to track how well your online streaming campaign is working. Think about the power of being able to track where people are viewing your content and which services are the most popular. TikiLIVE offers robust analytics which allows you to track users by location and to determine exactly which of your services are gaining in popularity.
Combine Live Streaming with Online Giving to Boost Funds
By allowing congregation members to not only view services online, but also to donate money, you can quickly see how you can boost funds for your growing congregation. Some people are intimidated by going to church because of the thought that they have some responsibility to give large amounts of money. By offering online giving, you can remove the anxiousness that is experienced by some of your less well-to-do followers.
Partner with TikiLIVE for Your Live Streaming Needs
By aligning your church with one of the top streaming providers available, you can ensure that your content will be able to be consumed efficiently and effectively. TikiLIVE offers a host of advantages not seen by other content providers.
- Robust Infrastructure – With TikiLIVE, you can turn your message into a global one. With our CDN, we can serve your viewers based on their physical location to reduce latency.
- HTML5 Encoding – Your followers will also be able to view your content from any device including smartphones, tablets and all types of PCs. This is a great benefit to those members who are often away on business but still want to attend service.
- Live or Recorded Content – TikiLIVE allows your congregation to view your content live or to watch it after it has been broadcast. This allows visitors to get to know your church without ever entering the doors of your building.
For more information on TikiLIVE’s live streaming services, contact us today! We look forward to working with you to extend the reach of your budding congregation.
