The Pro Church Tools Show with Brady Shearer

Latest Episodes:

BIG Changes Coming To Instagram And Facebook This Year May 14, 2019

Show notes

Social media is constantly changing and it can sometimes feel like an impossible task trying to keep up. But that's why this channel exists! And so by the end of this episode, you'll know all about the big changes coming to Facebook and Instagram right now and what it means for your church online.

***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/16611-2/

What's In This Session?

Facebook Developers Conference held at the end of April/early May (0:28)
An experiment was run to Get rid of like counts on Instagram (2:37)
Instagram announced at its F8 developer conference today that it'll start testing a new feature later this week that'll hide users' public like counts on videos and photos. (2:55)
Likes are a currency on social; devalue the currency - upend the culture (3:22)
Problem #1: Do it for the gram - Iceland/Scotland trip research - the performative nature of IG (3:59)
Problem #2: Like for like (6:48)
New Facebook app design Is called FB5 - it's cleaner, faster, and isn't blue anymore (13:23)
For the longest time, I've said "The only reason I use Facebook is because of groups" - both as a consumer AND a publisher (14:08)
Good #1: Less emphasis on news stories generating outrage (16:05)
Good #2: Focus on communities (16:48)
Why is this important? Americans are very unhappy "Happiness and life satisfaction among United Stated adolescents which increases between 1991 and 2011, suddenly declined after 2012" (19:05)
Correlation does not equal causation (19:25)
The responsibility falls on the social platforms, the parents/leaders, and the church (22:05)

Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:

Destructive Church Trends In North American Christianity May 09, 2019

Show notes

Christian churches in North America are facing a crisis. Attendance is down, giving is down, young people are leaving churches at alarming rates - but that's not the worse part. The worse part is that our Christian churches are exacerbating this crisis thanks to a handful of shoddy beliefs. And by the end of this video, you'll know what those beliefs are - and how to resist the pull of them.

***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/16590-2/

What's In This Session?

Branding is what others think about you - before our churches can truly reach our city and/or community - we need to understand how we are perceived (2:22)
#1. Persecution Complex (2:55)
More than 245 million Christians in the world are highly persecuted for their Christian faith. 1 in 9 Christians worldwide experience high levels of persecution (2:59)
White evangelicals think they're super persecuted (4:23)
God's Not Dead feeds the narrative (4:43)
Don't belittle the real persecution of others by manufacturing fake persecution for yourself (5:10)
James Harden comparison (8:48)
#2. Theological Certainty (11:14)
Hundreds of denominations and translations and you're certain yours is the absolute correct one (11:18)
Theological certainty is a symptom of trusting beliefs more than God (12:47)
Surrendering the need to be right, and our pride opens the door for empathy and compassion (15:47)
Judge them by their fruits? The Protestant quest for theological certainty has led to a staggering number of different denominations and sub-denominations that disagree sharply about how significant portions of the Bible should be understood (19:35)
Things that matter: incarnational living, selflessness, laying down one's own life for others, generosity, bringing life to death, bringing heaven to Earth, redemption, reconciliation, love being the uniting/redeeming/ultimate force in the world to do good (20:06)
#3. Celebrity Worship (22:25)
Canadian commercials versus American commercials (22:49)
The face of American Christianity is Donald Trump, Mark Driscoll, Perry Noble, Bill Hybels, Pete Wilson etc. (23:46)
The true danger of each of these beliefs is that they are ancient sins masquerading as Christian virtues (31:29)

Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:

The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Church Testimony Video May 07, 2019

Show notes

Today, I want to share with you my step-by-step system for creating gripping church testimony videos. This is the type of video that shares the real story of someone in your church - their story of life change in Christ. So follow along, and by the end of this video, you'll know what questions to ask during your interviews, the best way to light your setup, and I'll share with you a pair of real examples I've produced as well.

***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-creating-a-church-testimony-video/

What's In This Session?

Core Value #1: Show don't tell (1:07)
Core Value #2: Don't force resolution (2:41)
Core Value #3: No story is too small (4:03)
Core Value #4: The responsibility falls on the storyteller (4:54)
Stage #1 - The Interview (5:33)
Finding interview candidates (5:40)
Interview prep (6:45)
Film location - interviewee's home (8:58)
Record for about an hour of talking (12:07)
Keep the questions open-ended - ex. Tell me about a time when, or tell me the story of (12:43)
Shift from story questions to introspective - ex. How have you changed in the last 5 years (14:35)
Find the bruise: Identify the meaningful moment and dig deep (16:15)
Stage #2 - The Story (19:45)
Your main job here is to cut upwards of 90% of the footage you captured in the previous step (19:50)
You don't need your story to follow the same linear path of your interview (20:20)
Once you've completed the first edit of your story elicit feedback by asking two questions #1: When are you confused? #2: When are you bored? (20:38)
Stage #3 - The B-Roll (21:47)
Plan to capture as much b-roll as to cover every second on your video (22:22)
Edit your story with 80% b-roll and 20% interview (22:33)
Visual Element #1: Location (23:40)
Visual Element #2: Stabilization (24:08)
Visual Element #3: Framing (24:44)
Tip #1: Hold each shot for at least 10 seconds (24:50)
Tip #2: The 3:1 Rule (25:22)

Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:

The Best 11 CHURCH LOGOS Of 2019 May 02, 2019

Show notes

Your church's logo is the foundation of your visual identity. And with the prominence of digital platforms, your church logo is now more visible than ever before. So to get you inspired, I want to share with you eleven of my favorite church logos - along with seven rules for logo design to help put you on the right path toward better church branding.

***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/?p=16552&preview=true

What's In This Session?

#1: Rileyville Baptist Church--Design by Ariel Rudolph Harwich (4:30)
Rule #1: Meaningful (4:40)
#2: Risen Church--Design by Michael Sevilla (6:30)
Rule #2: Scaleable (7:28)
#3: Trinity Presbyterian Church--Design by Peter Voth (9:15)
Rule #3: Work well in monochrome (9:30)
#4: Lakeside Church--Design by Even place (10:24)
Rule #4: Simple (10:30)
#5: Limitless Church--Design by Bruno Nascimento (11:32)
Rule #5: Unique (12:29)
#6: Harvest Church--Design by Benjamin Oberemok (13:22)
Rule #6: Memorable (13:50)
#7: 20 MIle Church--Design by Joel Davis (14:20)
Rule #7: Timeless (14:25)
#8: Grace Generation--Design by Stephen Costello (15:35)
#9: City Hope Church--Design by Ben Stafford (15:43)
#10: NewSpring Church--Design by Dave Keller (16:10)
#11: Rush Creek Church--Design by Allan Peters (17:50)

Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:

The New Rules For Church Buildings (With Futuristic Examples) Apr 30, 2019

Show notes

As church attendance continues to decline, ministries are beginning to confront a glaring problem with how we do church today. The problem? Our buildings are extremely expensive, they only get used once or twice per week, and they're often removed from the everyday life of our communities. Thankfully, there are churches working to solve this problem in innovative ways. And by the end of this video, you'll learn the new rules for church buildings and how your church can begin applying these principles immediately - whether your church is big, small, young, or old.

***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/?p=16525&preview_id=16525&preview_nonce=4110ca7c64&post_format=audio&_thumbnail_id=-1&preview=true

What's In This Session?

Century Church: A United Methodist church plant meeting at Pike Road School in Pike Road, Alabama has grown to about 500 people - lead by their lead pastor Dr. Patrick M. Quinn. (2:11) Century is ready to build their own building - but, they've set out to create a church campus that will abandon the 20th Century church design formula in favor of directly addressing some of the factors that are contributing to decreases in church participation. (2:42)
If present trends continue, the percentage of the population that attends church in 2050 is estimated to be at almost half of 1990's attendance. (4:07)
Only 2 in 10 people in the U.S. under the age of 30 consider attending church "important". (4:36)
Over the last several years we have thought church attendance was dropping because of relevance. (5:10)
"The 20th Century model for building churches focused on the church buildings, whereas we believe that the future of the church is to focus on how to build the community first," says Quinn. (8:23)
Instead of creating a large church building that is surrounded by a sea of parking and only used once or twice a week, Century wants to create a campus that is vibrant throughout the week because: #1. It has buildings that cater to the entire community, #2. They are designed to be so welcoming and comfortable that people will simply want to hang out there. (10:20)
What most churches offer has become commoditized; this move towards community and meeting space cannot be commoditized by the Internet. (12:23)
Four basic principles can be applied to any church of any size. (15:49)
1. Community first, church second. (16:07)
2. Partnerships that matter. (17:58)
3. Incremental design. (19:44)
4. Sense of adventure and creativity. (22:26)
It is a fiscally responsible solution, it's a theologically smart solution, and it's a practical solution. (26:10)

Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:

How We Lost A Teacher In The Burning of Notre Dame Apr 25, 2019

Show notes

One of the most iconic houses of worship in human history recently burned, leaving the world stunned and shocked at the loss of such a precious artifact. Most American churches look nothing like the Notre Dame Cathedral, but what if there's something about that specific building that we could learn from? Today, we'll talk about being intentional with your church building and creating something to last.

***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/how-we-lost-a-teacher-in-the-burning-of-notre-dame/

What's In This Session?

Creating things that last (0:36)
Catholic theology (4:40)
Built with intention (5:45)
Curating a church environment 96:05)
Retelling the greatest story (11:55)

Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:

How To FINALLY Ditch Paper Signups For Digital At Church Apr 23, 2019

Show notes

Churches all around the world are beginning to embrace digital signups and are saying goodbye to papers and clipboards. But why? If we've done something for so long and our church is familiar with it - is it worth changing? Today, you'll get the ultimate comparison between paper and digital signups. And you'll learn how to smoothly make the transition.

***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/how-to-finally-ditch-paper-signups-for-digital-at-church/?preview=true

What's In This Session?

#1: Volume of church attendees (1:20) #2: Volume of events (2:08) #3: Storage (2:39) #4: Acess (3:10) #5: Backups--digital backups are neater and easier to store (3:38) #6: Complexity--Digital forms allow for conditional logic (4:35) #7: Changes (6:03) #8: User and church data (6:35) Seize the 167: Paper signups limit the ability for your congregation to sign up for events beyond Sunday service (9:14) Switch over cold turkey: Station volunteers at a kiosk (12:20)

Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:

The Best YouTube Strategy For Churches in 2019 (And Beyond!) Apr 18, 2019

Show notes

YouTube is the second most visited website in the world. And it's far and away the most popular platform amongst Gen Z. And yet, most churches are completely absent from this platform. Thankfully, there's a solution. Frankly, it's been right in front of my face this whole time and I've been missing it. So in this video, I'll reveal to you the absolute best YouTube strategy for churches that you can start implementing right away.

***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/?p=16464&preview=true

What's In This Session?

YouTube is the second most visited website in the world. (1:41)
500 000+ searches are made on YouTube every month on how to study the bible. Churches are not stepping up with YouTube videos. (1:50)
One study suggests 75% of kids want to be YouTubers (4:40) 95% of Gen Z use YouTube, 50% say they can't live without it, and 75% say they use it every day. (6:59)
Churches should be empowering young people to create YouTube content. (8:12)
56% of Gen Z want to see Vlogs--document what your church is doing. ()
Search popular YouTubers to find ideas for video content. (12:58)
So much of what makes student ministry "sticky" has to do with autonomy and empowerment. (14:06)

Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:

How PreachersNSneakers Exposes All Christians Apr 16, 2019

Show notes

A viral Instagram account has riled up a lot of Christians and church leaders over the past couple of weeks. @PreachersNSneakers on Instagram publishes photos of prominent pastors in costly sneakers or designer clothes next to their price tags. And while the account was started as a joke amongst friends, it blew up overnight amassing tens of thousands of followers. So what should we make of all this? Well, you're in the right place, because by the end of this video, you'll know why God works in mysterious ways.

***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: http://prochurchtools.com/3-advanced-church-service-prep-tips/

What's In This Session?

The origin story of @PreachersNsneakers (0:43)
Should a pastor be paid? How much? (8:34)
Can a pastor have a second job? (8:43)
Cultural standards: everyone who drives slower than I do on the highway is a slowpoke; anyone who drives quicker is a lunatic (9:54)
An average of 38 thousand consumer debt in America: we are all spending on things we shouldn't, and drawing arbitrary lines in the sand (11:33)
You who is without sin throw the first stone (13:48) Optics: Is it a sin, probably not. Is it stupid, maybe. (19:50)
Should you give all your money away to have the median income? (27:44)
The biggest takeaway is inconsistent standards (28:53) Looking inward and realizing our own fallibility and error opens the door to self-reflection (31:20)
Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:

How to Capture Amazing Staff HEADSHOTS Apr 12, 2019

Show notes

For the first time this year, the entire Pro Church Tools team was all in one room. Our team that works remotely joined us for the launch of RebelGive which gave us the perfect opportunity to shoot new headshots! And so in this video, we'll walk through our setup, production flow, and editing process for capturing new staff headshots.

***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/how-to-capture-amazing-staff-headshots/

What's In This Session?

How to achieve clean, moody, and dramatic style (1:43)
Attire: neutral and everyone on the same page (2:18)
Backdrop: black wall, black sheet, or savage paper (3:00)
Lighting: single light, big diffuser (4:16)
Camera angle: locked down on a tripod, slightly elevated (6:10)
Editing: black and white, create preset or free download (7:38)

Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:

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