Your Software
Is it limiting your impact?

You've heard all about how projected graphics, sermon notes and song lyrics can breathe new life into your sermons. Yet despite all its practical benefits, the technology boat still sails past some church leaders. Sound familiar?

You've heard all about how projected graphics, sermon notes and song lyrics can breathe new life into your sermons. Yet despite all its practical benefits, the technology boat still sails past some church leaders. If this sounds familiar, experts have some advice for you.

"I've been in some of the largest and some of the smallest churches, and if people come to a service and hear a lecture or see an overhead projector, they think you just don't 'get it,''" says Dan Ondra, 30-year pastor and Chief Technical Officer of PowerPointSermons.com. According to Ondra, part of the problem is that many church leaders jumped into the multimedia-enhanced style of worship without a technical or artistic perspective. Knowing this, Ondra says his goal is to help pastors communicate the Bible in a way that is enjoyable and educational, using software.

Two experts who share Ondra's motivation are Resource Consultant Nancy S. Armstrong and Information Technology (IT) Director Aaron B. Spiegel of the Indianapolis Center for Congregations. In fact, they're even willing to "foot the bill." To date, the Center has given away more than $1 million to leaders seeking to incorporate computers into their operations.

"Whether or not churches will or should use computer technology is no longer the question. The real question is how [they] can best use these technologies to enhance their communities and missions," they write in "Computer Savvy," a recent Congregational Resource Guide article.

Ondra, Armstrong and Spiegel say they have all witnessed even very traditional congregations getting into the act with simple programs. Most pastors are using these programs to replace worship bulletins, provide visual sermon outlines, display songs and music, and show illustrative video clips.

For most pastors, the most popular program of all, Microsoft^® PowerPoint^™, needs no introduction. Many report that it's almost as easy to use as its famous sibling, Microsoft^® Word^™.

"Let's face it, Microsoft has all the money in the world," Ondra says. "And if you have all the money in the world, what are you going to do? Invest it in your product. They've in effect created the world's 'wizardry' so everything you need done can be done with a Microsoft product."

Even so, technology tunnel vision has its drawbacks. Most of all, pastors get stuck with Microsoft's thinking, as Ondra points out. "That gets really boring fast," he says. "In fact, I'd recommend two or three programs that are much better."

One of the newest software tools on the market is SmartChurch™, released in January by Fowler Productions, Inc. It works with the Fowler's popular SongShow program to control all the functions normally performed by an entire audiovisual team with the click of a mouse. Another new tool, Inspirational Worship lyric display software, offers pastors a creative ways to display lyrics. Right now, many song leaders copy the words onto slides, but co-developer Caryn Boelema, says she wanted to find a better way. At one time, she projected lyrics but says the harmonies were missing, and singing acapella was out of the question. So she joined the reverend of her church, Don Steenhoek, to create a program that displays not only words but notes as well.

According to Steenhoek and Boelemea, the decision was met with almost unanimous enthusiasm. Now the congregational singing is "fantastic," she says. It's also more interactive, which is something the praise team especially enjoys. "They can see faces singing upward instead of the tops of heads looking down at books," Boelema explains. "And the interaction this allows--the exchange of smiles, the ability to communicate through eye contact--it's awesome!"

Man and machine unite

Although music display programs are generally designed for ease of use, the results are even better when the right people operate them. Since slides need to be advanced by the computer operator (in sync with the music), experts recommend enlisting the help of someone with musical aptitude. This person has "an innate sense of rhythm and timing, knowing when to advance to the next slide at just the right moment," explains Tim Eason, noted media minister and founder of ChurchMedia.net. There will, however, be other times when the slide shouldn't be advanced, he adds--during musical interludes, for example. As such, this person should attend practices and get involved with the worship team--but not too involved, Eason warns. "Musically inclined people love to worship, and sometimes forget what [they are] supposed to be doing."

Coupled with the necessary "music nut," Eason recommends adding a "computer geek"--intended as a compliment, he says--and one of the "artsiest" people in the church.

"Find someone who really knows the software you're using and is the type of person who knows every detail of the program and loves to use acronyms," Eason advises. "Then, find the person who enjoys decorating and coordinating--maybe even a painter--but not necessarily computer-savvy. Ask the computer expert to show the artistic person how to use graphics/presentation software. By teaching an artistic person to use your software as their canvas, you'll be surprised at how their eye for color and design will enhance your worship service." --R.S.

PowerPoint^™:
Is That Your Final Answer?

Although Presentations magazine contributing writer Jim Endicott says presenters often make the mistake of using PowerPoint^™ for every occasion, if your church already relies on this popular program, there are ways to maximize its impact. His advice:

For Internet-bound sermons: If you want to put your sermons on the Web, Endicott recommends the following:

1. Avoid full-color backgrounds and use templates with more white space.

2. Keep the text succinct.

3. Pay attention to better quality supporting graphics.

4. Keep the file sizes as small as possible.

5. Create a slide show that moves quickly.

For interactive sermons: Use hyperlinked pages and other nonlinear options for a more spontaneous, interactive environment. "This aids the presenter in pulling up points as needed," he explains. Also, keep elements organized to avoid the "clunky" presentation created by hyperlinking to multiple areas within the same presentation. Uninitiated viewers--and even you--may forget how to get back to where you should be. A better idea: hyperlink to a separate presentation instead of trying to squeeze all the slides into one document.

For sermons on television: "If you handle them correctly, PowerPoint slides transfer to videotape with sound, video and animation cleanly intact," Endicott says. However, images can be very low-resolution and the conversion process can severely crop the image you see on your computer monitor. To avoid this, create a video-safe frame in the masters that keeps content 20% away from the edges. Also, exaggerate the size of these features and keep everything "larger than normal."

If, however, PowerPoint sounds like a less-than-ideal option, Endicott says you might be right to seek another program. Apply what he calls the "acid test for appropriateness," which he bases on one question: If you want to convey an important message, does the caliber of your final PowerPoint product reflect the real stakes?

"Before you try to save a few dollars by forcing PowerPoint to do the work of some other application, take a moment and consider the real cost-to-benefit equation," he says.

Jim Endicott is the owner-manager of Distinction, a business communication company that provides creative and consulting support services for effective presentations.

Where Do You Fall On the Software Spectrum?

When it comes to choosing software, are you new to the scene, aging gracefully or wise beyond your years? Church Business^® interviewed Brent Bill, associate director of the Indianapolis Center for Congregations, and consultant to its Computers and Ministry Grants Initiative, to help you find out.

Q: HOW MANY OF THE PASTORS YOU WORK WITH USE SOFTWARE TO DEVELOP SERMONS?

A: We don't have any hard numbers, but many of the pastors we've worked with use Microsoft^® Word^™ or some other word processing software. Of those who don't, PowerPoint^™ has been the software of choice. This is especially true of pastors whose churches use presentation software as part of worship for hymn singing, announcements, et cetera. Many of them use the built-in templates for constructing presentations--length of presentation, number of points and so on.

Q: WHAT ARE THE MOST APPEALING FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE PROGRAMS THEY CHOOSE?

A: The features that appeal are the ones that make sermon writing easier, like PowerPoint's AutoContent Wizard that takes you from presentation type, style, content and options through conclusion.

Q: ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY IS A PASTOR WILLING TO SPEND?

A: Typically, churches don't see software as a ministry tool the same way they do offering envelopes or visitors cards. Funds aren't budgeted for software, so they tend to pick up what looks like it might work and is cheap. The more technology-savvy the congregation, the more they understand that software can be a ministry tool, and then budget for it.

Q: ARE THERE ANY NEW TECHNOLOGIES ON THE MARKET--OR ON THE HORIZON--THAT THEY SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?

A: Many of the pastors I've worked with are using Web-based solutions for help with sermon writing, like Homiletics' site at http://homileticsonline.com/default.asp, Dynamic Preaching's www.sermons.com, or www.sermons.net by Theological Publishing.