Beyond "Times New Roman" – Ideas on Projection in Worship

(On Saturday, May 12, 2012 I gave a workshop at the TX-LA Gulf Coast Synod Assembly. These are the notes/images from that workshop!)

Introduction

The video screen has become the new stained glass in 21^st Century churches.
Why projection?
- We live in a visual culture. The common currency for communication has shifted from text to images.
- “It’s not either image, or text. It’s both/and, image and text. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus was a man (image) living among us. He was also text (the Word become flesh).” ~ Leonard Sweet, The Gospel According to Starbucks

Basic components

How to make a great looking PowerPoint slide

Don’t just throw a Times New Roman font on a white screen! Creating beautiful slides is intensive and time-consuming.
Helpful Guidelines:
- Don’t overload the slides with content (MAX: 6 lines of lyric, 6 words to summarize point).
- Limit your font choices to 2. Choose fonts that are easy to read and use the styles consistently throughout your presentation.
- Backgrounds:
  - Not distracting, but not too simple.
  - Choose a background that will attract the viewer’s eye to the words. If your background requires the words to have an outline and a drop shadow to be readable, it is no longer attracting the viewer’s eye to the words.
  - Use the negative space (Dark background/light text; light background/dark text).
  - Use imagery that tells the story of the text.
  - Avoid clipart at all costs. Use stock photography or artwork.
- Use simple transitions (cross fade).

The move toward presentation software

CCLI integration, Bible integration, moving backgrounds, announcements, real-time editing, PowerPoint integration, etc.
EASY WORSHIP, ProPresenter4, MediaShout, ProWorship, etc.

Web resources for graphics

Q&A

Resources:

ClaytonFaulkner.com