Greg Atkinson

I’d like to tell you a little more about one of the regular readers and comment contributors on this blog – his name is Richard Gaspard and he’s the Media Director of Crossroads Church and Director of Production of Crossroads Creative. Richard is a talented, visionary leader and has developed a video ministry that is truly on another level. (Remember my article: “The Next Level“?) Well, Richard and Crossroads have taken that step to the next level and started offering their media created in-house to other churches.

If you’re looking for media resources created by another church that can relate to your world, you’ll probably find something you can use at Crossroads Creative. Their videos are available for download or you can order the DVD volumes. They have creatively divided their resources into different series. Their series are called:

• On Ramps (video sermon series intros)
• Scenic Routes (video parables)
• Fast Lanes (video skits)
• Video (video clip-art or generic video announcements that you can customize for your church)

* PLEASE NOTE: For you, the readers of my blog, you can get 30% off your order through January 31st by using the promo code: CVIDEAS.

Personally, I’m proud of Richard and what he’s done at Crossroads and hope to see our video ministry expand in the future so we can offer “Bent Tree Media”. Well done Crossroads Church!

Yesterday was a 14 hour day, so I’ll be brief. I’ll be reviewing some new Christmas media resources in the near future. For now, I’d like to mention 2 things: One from SermonVideos.com and one from WorshipHouse Media.

My boy, Craig, and his team at SermonVideos.com have created a new Christmas Pak for ’07. Their Christmas Paks are a favorite each year. I’d encourage you to check out the first two if you don’t have them and if you do, it’s time to purchase their new Christmas Pak 3. Go HERE and look for the newest resource on the right.

My friends at WorshipHouse Media are giving away a FREE download every weekday until Christmas! That’s right… every weekday. Also you can watch a daily podcast from Dale and Kent. Go HERE and click on the “Daily Freebie” ad to go to each day’s freebie.

EXTRA:

If you’re a fan of Paul Baloche (like I am), you may want to check out his video of the Christmas version of his song, “Offering”. You can watch it HERE.

Last night after our last service I held the first gathering of our just formed “Technical Arts Leadership Team”. This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while, but was busy settling in and focused on the new building. Now as we get closer to the transition into the new worship center, I see that forming this team and multiplying myself is essential.

The majority of staff and ministries at my church won’t be affected much by the move. My world (the Tech Arts Ministry) will be in store for a HUGE change. We have to train a large team of volunteers on all new, professional equipment. There will be learning curves across the board – new sound board, new lighting board, new video switcher, new cameras, new Video Suite/environment, new computers with new presentation software (we’re switching campus-wide to EasyWorship). New, new, new….my head is swimming with the newness of everything and the learning curves that lie ahead as I will attend each training session and need to be able to explain each new piece of equipment to a volunteer that misses the training (you know someone’s going to miss it).

I’ve attempted to share the burden and responsibility with my newly formed Tech Arts Leadership Team. The meeting went great. I gave them an update on what’s been going on lately, when we’re expected to move-in (it looks like Jan. 27 will be our first Sunday in the new worship center) and what the training and commissioning schedule looks like. I’ve asked each team member to step up, take ownership and leadership in their given area and be pro-active in seeing that their teams are trained.

Besides myself, as the leader, the Tech Arts Team is made up of one person overseeing the following:

• Audio
• Lighting
• Video Production
• Live Video
• Graphics/Social Events
• Volunteer Scheduling/Assimilation
• Stage Managers
• Systems/Equipment Maintenance

So, how do you do it at your church? Do you haves some sort of team like this in place in your tech or media ministry? If so, how does it work? How often do you meet? If not, maybe this is something worth considering. I’m excited about it!

EXTRA:

If you haven’t already, you need to check out Collide Magazine. In their second issue, I wrote about my Top Ten church media producers. Check out my list (plus 5 new up-and-comers) and see what you think. You can subscribe HERE.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE:

Lest I forget: Yes, the Cowboys are 10-1. Just thought I’d mention that.

I’m off work today and hope to catch up on some long overdue reviews. You would not believe the amount of products that I receive from companies/producers. I have a stack of unopened packages sitting on a shelf in my house. I hope to review them today and tell you about them soon. Look for reviews of new media resources from LifeWay, Crossroads Creative and Christmas resources from Angelhouse Media, Flashlight Films, Highway Video and Worship Films.

If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to join my Facebook group for my upcoming book: Church 2.0. You can find the group HERE. I’d love for you to be a part of the group and join the conversation. Please feel free to post new topics and items for discussion.

EXTRA:

Who’s hoping to get a Kindle this Christmas?

This past Sunday, my church beta-tested the unreleased Igniter Track: “Here Is Our King” by David Crowder. Igniter Media Group (one of my favorite church media producers) is coming out with a new line of products called: “Igniter Tracks“. They’ll be starting with 2 very cool volumes, which include some great songs and good song arrangements recorded professionally by Igniter.

As I mentioned, we used the “Here Is Our King” Igniter Track in our services this past weekend and it went very well. Our congregation was singing along to the video created by Igniter and our band was playing the song live with a click-track in their ear (all our band and singers where in-ear monitors).

This is like an iWorship video on crack. Every conference I do I hear from people that are tired of the same ‘ol, same ‘ol iWorship videos with stock aerial footage. Igniter Tracks offers cutting edge, creative, cool looking video tracks to play and/or sing along with. It’s truly taking the iWorship concept to the next level. If you haven’t already, you can pre-order both volumes now HERE. You can preview a video HERE.

That is the question and the topic of my weekly column on Monday Morning Insight. Go HERE to read this week’s article.

My friend, Don Chapman, of WorshipIdeas.com has partnered with my friends from WorshipFilms on a new Christmas project called “Complete Christmas“. WorshipFilms made videos for of Don’s HymnCharts Christmas carol arrangements. This is a product similar to the Integrity iWorship series that you may be familiar with, but these are actually in normal keys that congregations can sing and use in church.

Chris Sligh, the Seacoast worship leader that was on American Idol, sang on “The First Noel”, “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”.

Here is the description of the product from WorshipFilm’s website:

• “Complete Christmas” is a unique collection of great music and great media for Christmas worship services. Included in this collection are:

- 6 Christmas songs (5 traditional carols in contemporary arrangements, plus an original Christmas worship song) – all accompanied by original videos! For each song, there is a demonstration version, a split/click track version with lyrics, a split track version without lyrics, and a chord chart.

- 6 Long Plays, taken from the accompanying song videos

- 7+ Looping Backgrounds

- 2 Five Minute Countdowns

- A video Sermon Illustration

SPECIAL NOTE: The downloadable individual song packages each contain: MPEG-1 demonstration version, MPEG-1 split/click track version with lyrics, MPEG-1 split/click track version without lyrics, MPEG-1 version of corresponding Long Play loop, and a chord chart. – which I think is pretty cool. Also note that this collection is available in both SD and HD versions!

Two quick props:

1. First off – WorshipHouse Media has a great new FREE download entitled “One Need” by Erwin Brother Motion Pictures. You can get it HERE.
2. Second – And I’m really pumped about this… eleven72 gets a huge shout out and “Job well done!” for already releasing their Christmas video. Every year I beg producers to get seasonal media out in a timely manner and it seems to get a little bit better each year.For 2007, my hat is off to eleven72 for being the first ones on the scene with their new video set to a classic/favorite Christmas song, “Breath of Heaven”. They sent it to me to check out, as well as a new video for New Year’s – talk about ahead of the pack! You can preview the Christmas video HERE.

   * As I mentioned the other day, job well done to WorshipHouse Media for launching their seasonal stores for Thanksgiving and Christmas at a great time.

EXTRA:

Was just watching “Friday Night Lights”. A girl invited one of the wild/rough football players to church. He came and it was a pretty cool scene. The song the worship team/choir was singing right before the commercial was by Dallas’ own Kari Jobe.

This just in from SermonSpice: 25% Off Organic Videos: Organic is your source for distinctive backgrounds and one of my favorite producers of motion backgrounds. If you are looking to create a worship environment that communicates the power of the cross in a unique way, check out the Organic Collection. The new Liquid Distressed Collection features textured backgrounds with subtle water motions that will add a touch of motion without distracting worshipers. Right now, the entire Organic Collection of over 800 motion backgrounds is 25% off. Use the coupon code: 25ORG and stock up today. Offer ends November 12th.

EXTRA:

Did anyone catch MuteMath rock Conan O’Brian’s show Wednesday night?

PERSONAL:

I just got back from taking my 2 youngest kids to play Putt-Putt. My middle child is a 5 year old boy and my youngest is a 3 year old girl. My boy got 4 holes-in-one. Watch out Tiger!