Why We Use Video Teaching at Next Level Church

October 11, 2012
          At Next Level Church, we are passionate about using whatever means necessary to reach as many people as we possibly can with the message of Life-Change found in Jesus Christ. A little less than a year ago, we began using video teaching in some of our weekend services each week at Next Level Church. And the response has been incredible! We hear reports every week who “love it” “think its cool,” and “forgot they were watching a video at all.”  It truly has been an incredible season at NLC and Video Teaching is a big part of that.


Why Behind the What on Video Messages from Next Level Church on Vimeo.


            Here are the reasons behind why we use video teaching at Next Level Church…

1. Sustainability of the Speaking Pastors.
 
          At Next Level Church, we value Health over Growth in every way, including and especially with our staff and pastors. We place a high priority on “Taking a Day Off” and “Taking Care of your Health and Family” for all of our team and leaders. That being the case, we knew that once our church added a 4th weekend service last year, and now, this fall, having added a 5th service to our weekend schedule, it was paramount to the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of myself and our speaking pastors that we not speak “in-person” in all of those services.

           Additionally, our weekend services are not all our pastors do. During a typical week, our pastors are teaching, leading meetings, coaching other pastors, having conversations, etc. It takes energy to lead and motivate the hundreds of volunteers that make NLC the place we know and love, keep a few dozen staff inspired and trained and influence other pastors and leaders across the country. Our leaders work hard not just on Saturdays and Sundays, but throughout the week as well.

        I have heard it said that preaching a 40 minute message exudes the same amount of energy as a working an 8 hour day. Speaking personally, preaching on the weekend is the physical equivalent of running hard on a treadmill for 40 straight minutes, taking a 30 minute break and then getting back on again for another 40 minutes of hard running. Having to do that 4 or 5 times in a 20 hour period of time over a weekend exacts a physical and emotional toll that takes more than just Sunday evening to recover from.

          We believe there is a better way to communicate messages at Next Level Church without our pastors paying such a high price. And we do that by leveraging technology and video teaching. By utilizing our 21′ HD Screen in 1 or 2 of our weekend services, we are creating a near identical NLC Experience for attenders while honoring our value of health for our pastors.

 
2. Video is a Tool God has given to us to use for Him.

          We believe video teaching is a tool that can expand what we are capable of. In the last 50 years, video has changed the way Americans and the world receive information. With the invention of the television, people suddenly began receiving the majority of their information through a “virtual” person in their living room. I grew up watching my parents and grandparents huddle around the TV to watch a news anchor bring us the day’s stories on the Evening News.

          Today, with the advent of the Internet, computers and smart phones, receiving information and content through video is an expected norm. In fact, we prefer it. Video gives us the ability to see angles on things we otherwise couldn’t see (think watching a football game from the stands or from your couch…) and be closer to communicators then we otherwise could be. 

          I am always amazed when I’m speaking, at how many people watch the screens, even though I’m standing on the stage in front of them! (Including my wife, by the way!!! She says I’m clearer and she can see me better when she looks at the screen! She says I’m more handsome too?!?)

         Of course the logic makes sense as it relates to our TV’s or Videos on our computers, but what about “God’s Spirit?” “Can God work through a video in the same way He does when the speaker up front is in-person?” A great question, and for the answer let me say this: Last week in both of our “Video Message” services on Sunday, we had over 30 people raise their hands to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior at the end of the message!

          Thankfully, because our world is so video savvy, our minds have become accustomed to receiving from someone on a video screen. And to our spirit, there is no difference. Video is simply a medium of communication, just like paper and ink are, or an audio CD is. It’s merely a platform for communication, and therefore a non-factor for the Spirit of God to flow through. God’s Spirit is at work regardless of the medium, be it written, spoken, in-person, or by video. The Word of God is faithful, regardless of the medium!

3. Prepares us for the future

          A third reason we are using video teaching more and more at Next Level Church is because it positions us for the future. The vision of Next Level Church has always been to be 1 Church in multiple locations. We believe the most effective way to reach people in a community is by having an expression of God’s Church in that community. Said another way, we believe the best way for people to be apart of the Life-Flow of a Church is not for them to have to drive 30 minutes or more to attend a program or service, but rather for the church to have a “campus” in their city or community.

          Video teaching gives us the ability to do that. We truly can be 1 Church in Multiple Locations. Technology gives us the ability to be growing as a church family together, even though we may be living in different cities or communities across southwest Florida.

          Here are 4 examples of churches who use Video Teaching every week in multiple locations in other parts of the US.

http://churchofthehighlands.com/campuses
 

http://www.lifechurch.tv/locations

http://www.gatewaypeople.com

http://www.newlifechurch.tv

4. We had a choice to make.

          The final reason we use Video Teaching at Next Level Church is because we came to a crossroads about a year ago. When our church began to explode and close to 2,000 people began to attend each weekend, we were running out of space. In that moment, we knew, as a leadership team, we had 2 choices:
 

  • First, stop adding services and creating more seats for people to attend. or

  • Second, continue to add more services, create more space, and leverage video teaching to make it sustainable and scalable.
          As we pondered that decision, we began to think about so many of the stories we were hearing of friends, family members, co-workers and classmates whose lives were being changed through NLC. The thought of not being able to create space for someone else’s friend, or loved one to come and experience Jesus like that was not an option for us. We couldn’t stand the thought of turning someone away, or worse yet, seeing a car pull on the parking lot and then drive off again, because they couldn’t find a spot in our most popular service times (it happens just about every week).

          If using Video Teaching is a method God has given us to continue to create more Next Level Church environments where people’s lives can be transformed then we will do it! People are worth it! Lost people are worth it! We didn’t start Next Level Church so we could turn people away, we started it so we could invite them in… into a relationship with Jesus Christ! And praise God, video teaching gives us the ability to do that.

          Let me say thank you to so many of you who get this vision. So many of you who give up your seat at the “most popular times” and serve. So many of you who sacrifice and give and leverage your talents, gifting and abilities to make a difference in someone else’s life.
 

         It’s working, Next Level Church, let’s keep doing everything we can to reach more people for Jesus Christ!

I love being your pastor,

Pastor Matt Keller
@MatthewKeller

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