Beyond the Headcount!
I love analytics but when managing a church live stream, it is easy to fixate entirely on a single number: the total view count. While seeing a spike in views is encouraging, a raw number only tells part of the…
Category Church Solutions Podcast
The 5-Second Rule: Capturing the Attention of the Digital Drop-In
No, not that 5 second rule! I’m talking about when someone visits your physical building, they’re greeted with a friendly face, coffee, and clear signage. They feel welcomed right away. Now, imagine a first-time visitor landing on your live stream.…
Answers to Pastoral Burnout and Declining Public Trust
I have witnessed this first hand as a pastor, in recent years, the conversation around church leadership has shifted dramatically. While the acute survival panic of the pandemic era has eased, ministry leaders are now facing a quieter, more complex…
Leaving the Booth Well: Why Every Church Tech Person Needs an Exit Strategy
Working for and with churches as I have for decades I sadly see this far too often. The tech person decides to leave the church but exits in a bad way. In many churches, the tech booth is the unsung…
Extending Sunday’s Message All Week Long: Why Your Church Needs a 24/7 Digital Library
As a retired pastor, I know Sunday services are the heartbeat of your church community, but a powerful message shouldn’t end when the final song is sung. Making your past services easily accessible on-demand ensures that your congregation can stay…
From Vacation Mode to Back-to-Church: Leveraging Your Streaming Video “Front Door” for the Fall Season
As August rolls on and the lazy, hazy days of summer start winding down, a familiar shift begins to happen in communities everywhere. Schedules are tightening up, back-to-school shopping is in full swing, and families are getting ready to slide…
25 Years of Ministry Tech
What does it take to build technology for the church that lasts a quarter-century in an industry defined by rapid turnover? In Episode 530 of the Church Solutions Podcast, co-hosts Phil Thompson and Steve Lacy celebrate a monumental 25-year milestone…
Why Churches Need Biblical HR
Whether a church has a dedicated human resources department or leaves personnel management to the executive pastor and the church board, handling people comes with unique challenges. In Episode 526 of the Church Solutions Podcast, host Phil Thompson sat down…
Software vs. Hardware Live Encoders: Which Is Right for Your Ministry?
For churches, live streaming is no longer just an extra perk—it’s an essential front door for your ministry. Whether you are trying to reach homebound members, military families, or seekers checking out your church online before visiting in person, your…
Beyond the “View” Count: 3 Keys to Leading an Online Congregation
Just before the pandemic lockdowns hit, very few churches had active streaming setups. Only around 22-27% reported streaming their church services. By April 2020, an astonishing 97% of churches had spun up some form of digital service to keep their…