4 years in the making // over 3 years of filming // over 2000 individual tapes // over 150,000 minutes of footage // over 25,600 gigabytes of memory space // edited over 550days //
NOW here we are, ONLY LESS THAN ONE WEEK OUT from THE PREMIERE of ‘The I-HEART Revolution’ Film Documentary: ‘WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER’!!
The date is set // The invitations are sent // The theatres are filling fast (don’t miss out, get your tickets here… [USA Tickets] [CANADA Tickets])
Never before seen or heard //
Hillsong United are streaming new songs of worship LIVE from Sydney, Australia, and directly to your theatre //
What has been a huge journey already, is only really beginning – because now, it’s up to US – & we’re all in this together!
This new book by Douglas Estes, SimChurch: Being the Church in the Virtual World, tackles the brewing questions surrounding the legitimacy of an online church. Many church leaders are discerning and discussing the “what is the church?” question that’s been going for years, and now, growing numbers of church leaders are asking it in the context of online worship experiences and forming relationships and communities virtually.
The book’s official website poses the question as: “Church on the Internet? Seriously?” This is the question many people are asking as more and more people chose to congregate online, and more and more churches look to launch internet campuses. But are these internet churches real? Are they healthy? Are they productive for faith? This is a conversation you can’t afford to miss as together we ask, “What does it mean to be the church in the virtual world?”
As I’ve started reading through the book, I appreciated the author not taking a cautionary posture, throwing up warnings and fears of how technology could be misused. Estes digs behind the assumptions and cultural lens we have about being present with one another in inter-personal relationships. This is excerpted from page 60-61,
“If we want community to flourish in the virtual world, we’ll need to scrutinize our learned understanding of presence. Most people raised and educated in the Western world think of presence or being present as a physical act… Though defining presence simply as the location of our bodies is one of the foundational bricks of modern Western understanding of the world, itis not a God-given or biblical idea.” [emphasis added]
I think the book makes a compelling case for how relationships can occur through telepresence, and that a biblical community and a biblical church is not limited by the geography of a physical location.
And, last week, a SimChurch blog tour connected bloggers with reviews, commentaries, and interviews:
While I’m not so sure the discussions and reviews will change a lot of minds at this stage of the dialogue, I do think this book is one to be reckoned with. Where are you at with your thinking about the church in the virtual world?
Church Planters Roundtables or (CPRs) rock. I’ve been to a live one and I watch another one nightly as I work with a video editor on the upcoming CPR Online project that ARC will unveil in the new year. For now, you can still catch a CPR on the west and east coasts. Here’s what’s coming up through the end of the year with ARC:
CPR
N o v e m b e r 1 2 – 1 3 , 2 0 0 9
N e w B e g i n n i n g s C h r i s t i a n C e n t e r , P o r t l a n d , O R
Sunday night I stayed up late (with my wife) to see U2 again – this time live via the web. YouTube made history when it broadcast U2′s Rose Bowl concert live over the internet to the entire world. Millions watched and if you missed it, you can watch it HERE.
By the way, I think U2 is genius for giving the world what they want: a free live concert. This was a smart and strategic move and should be applauded by all for those that made it happen. It will be interesting to see what YouTube continues to do in the realm of live streaming.
Below are some screenshots I captured while it was happening live…
1. This is the band hanging out backstage before they went out. Note the links to buy their album, join their newsletter, visit their website and donate to RED – a passion of Bono’s:
2. This is how close the cameras got:
3. Of course the event incorporated live Twitter feeds – which was very cool:
4. This is a view of their sweet stage and set from a distance:
Yesterday I was in a worship service and the worship leader broke out Mercy’s Me’s song “Word of God Speak”. I love the song, but hadn’t heard it in a while and it just hit me in a new/fresh way. The words of the song really ministered to me. I just thought I post them today…
I’m finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it’s okay
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say
[CHORUS]
Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You’re in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness
Word of God speak
I’m finding myself in the midst of You
Beyond the music, beyond the noise
All that I need is to be with You
And in the quiet hear Your voice
[REPEAT CHORUS 2x]
I’m finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it’s okay
*** When’s the last time that God’s word really spoke to you?
My friend, Don Chapman, just shared about his experience of looking for an inexpensive video solution. Here’s his latest article:
Video is the wave of the future – and here’s how your church can inexpensively get in on the action.
Since YouTube and other video sites have exploded over the past few years I’ve wanted to try recording some videos for WorshipIdeas (if you’ve noticed I’ve put several up in the past few weeks.) Even in the past few months I’ve noticed more and more video clips turning up in Google search results and on news websites.
I started my research in late August. It seems there are two extremes in HD video records: $200 and under (inexpensive) and $800 and over (expensive.) Since I just wanted to dabble in video (and didn’t know if I’d even like it) I wanted to go cheap.
The little Flip cameras are popular, but I tend to shy away from the popular as experience has taught me there’s probably something out there not as well known but twice as good.
I learned that a key to great video is to have an external microphone for the best sound quality. Internal mics produce crummy sound with lots of room noise. Unfortunately all the mini, cheap HD video cameras have only internal mics – except one!
The newly released Kodak Zi8 is the only mini HD video camera with an external microphone jack. I overnighted it and started playing with it.
Most of the new WorshipIdeas videos (except for the Kristian Stanfill video) were created on the Zi8. And unbelievably, my latest clip of the Jamestown church was aired yesterday on CBN News!! Let me restate that: a cable news channel just broadcast my clip made from a $180 video camera!! Here’s the clip:
The possibilities are endless for a church – man on the street interviews, skits, website greetings, sermon illustrations… great, clear and crisp Hi-Def video at an affordable price.
The Kodak Zi8 is not hassle free. If you want to shoot videos of your cat dancing and upload them directly from the camera to YouTube, you’ll have no problem. If you want to edit video (on a PC,) you’ll have problems.
I spent an entire day bashing my head against the wall trying to figure out how to get video out of the Kodak into my editing software. Here’s the problem: the video shot is proprietary – it’s in a modified QuickTime MOV format. But even though I installed QuickTime I still couldn’t get the video to work in my Sony Vegas video editing software. The included MediaImpressions software has a lousy editing feature that makes Windows Movie Maker look high-end. So here are the hoops I jump through to make great videos and edit them with the Kodak Zi8:
Buy memory. The Zi8 needs a memory card, purchased separately. I got a 16 gig SDHC card and have nowhere near filled it up yet.
Shoot video in 720p (the camera will shoot in 1080p but will not export in an editable form for Sony Vegas.)
Buy a “steadicam.” This is a contraption pros attach to their cameras to make the image steady so they can walk around and get action shots. Even though the Zi8 has image stabilization built in, you really need a steadicam if you’re going to move with the camera and want smooth and professional footage. I bought an amateur steadicam that works wonderfully – the Manfrotto ModoSteady is $99 and props the camera up against my chest for a very steady shot. Notice how I pan across the church in my video – that’s using the ModoSteady.
Once you have shot your video, plug the Zi8 into your computer’s USB slot and copy files to your hard drive. The first time you plug your camera into your computer it will ask you to install the proprietary software.
Convert to MP4. The camera’s videos are in the QuickTime MOV format. Even though I installed QuickTime the videos would play but without sound in Sony Vegas. Launch the MediaImpressions software you’ve installed from the camera and use it to open your videos (browse videos.) Select the videos you want to edit, then click “Media Converter” at the bottom of the screen. Convert settings: Manufacturer=Sony, Select Device Model= Sony PS3, click the edit button, resolution=1280×720, Audio Bitrate=128bps. The software will convert the MOV files into MP4 files.
Convert to AVI. Now that the videos are MP4, Vegas will play sound but not play video! So I found a weird little program, probably coded by some kid in his dorm room, that will strip something or other out of the file and turn it into an AVI file. Download MP4Cam2AVI Easy Converter here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/mp4cam2avi/
Now, finally, the video is ready to edit! Sony Vegas works much like Sonar in that you have different tracks to play with – video, audio, music, etc. I create a little bumper graphic, pick the videos I want, fade them in and out, add some compression and EQ to the voice to make it stand out, and throw in a little background music.
If you want to upload your edited video to YouTube, that’s yet another step. A YouTube help page offers rendering suggestions (I render to MP4) and a Google search for “Sony Vegas YouTube” found several settings. I tried a few – one setting rendered fine but when I uploaded the clip to YouTube the sound was out of sync. I tried another and it worked fine.
Whew! If somebody ever figures out how to easily shoot video, edit it and upload it without the hassle of codecs and converting, they’ll be rich.
Bottom Line: The Kodak Zi8 has opened up the world of video to me. Did I mention that within a month of shooting my first video I had a clip on a cable news network? It’s an affordable HD video camera with knockout, broadcast-quality video at a rock-bottom price. It’s the only mini HD recorder with an external microphone jack. PC users will have to jump through hoops to edit videos, Mac users may not have as many issues.
“When the music fades, all is stripped away and I simply come…” – Heart of Worship by Matt Redman. For the last 6 months (wow – that’s half a year!) I’ve not been on a church staff. This has been a first for me. I’ve served on a church staff for the last 15 years.
I’m still involved with “ministry” as you know – speaking, writing, consulting, secret shopping, coaching church planters through ARC, etc., but for the first time Sunday doesn’t come every week – if you know what I mean.
It’s taken a while, but God is starting to capture my heart again. For the first time I’ve truly realized that my first ministry is to my family and I’ve started to take action to really be the spiritual leader of our family – leading family devotionals and prayer, etc.
In the past, I didn’t seem to take this privilege seriously or consider it my ministry. Now, I see with new eyes and God has given me a heart and vision of raising Godly kids to love, serve and honor Him with all their hearts. This is not just a new ministry, it’s my first ministry. I think I had to get out of the game for a bit to see what’s most important.
This is what matters most to me:
I’m also starting to dream again and God is planting vision and ideas in my heart for the first time in a long time. My desire is to live a life of worship and please God. That’s a little of what’s going on in my world. What’s going on in yours?
Last week I took my wife on a date to see U2 at the new Cowboys Stadium. Here are some pictures from that show.
The following was a cool spotlight rig that held 3 people up in the air. There were 4 of these.
The following is a look at their speaker arrays. The sound was good where we were on the floor, but I heard it was bad up in the upper decks of Cowboys Stadium.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to take my son, Tommy (age 7), to meet with the Family Pastor at our church since he’s getting baptized this Sunday. He asked Tommy a series of questions and Tommy showed a clear understanding of the Gospel and salvation. I was proud.
The Family Pastor remarked that Tommy was a deep thinker and kept being blown away by his answers. The moment that made me swell up was when the Family Pastor asked Tommy what the act of baptism represented. Tommy said, “Before you go down into the water it represents Jesus on the cross. When you go under it represents Jesus in the grave. When you come up out of the water it represents Jesus’ resurrection.”
I was shocked because I never taught him that. AND the Family Pastor said Tommy was the first child to ever get that right and not have to be told what it symbolizes. Needless to say, I was a proud daddy. This Sunday I’ll have the privilege of baptizing my second child. Praise God.
is the only mini HD video camera with an external microphone jack. I overnighted it and started playing with it.
video editing software. The included MediaImpressions software has a lousy editing feature that makes Windows Movie Maker look high-end. So here are the hoops I jump through to make great videos and edit them with the Kodak Zi8:
is $99 and props the camera up against my chest for a very steady shot. Notice how I pan across the church in my video – that’s using the ModoSteady.
Last week I took my wife on a date to see U2 at the new Cowboys Stadium. Here are some pictures from that show.
