Before we get into all of the tips and items to consider when updating your place of worship with a state-of-the-art audio/visual setup, it’s worth taking a brief look at the state of religion in America today and what it means to any church leader who may be considering investing in new A/V equipment.
The State of Religion in America
Many surveys and studies conducted over that past 10 years have demonstrated that there are indeed trends indicating a nationwide decline in attendance at houses of worship and the holding of faith in general.
For instance, many churches from a broad array of denominations close every year, and a significant percentage of millennials, in particular, are eschewing belief altogether. In fact, the Pew Research Center has estimated that fewer younger Americans attend services consistently or identify as religious than any other current generation.
Two other interesting developments across the country—and seen worldwide as well—in recent years that could provide the silver lining here for religious leaders is that many people of all ages are feeling increasingly comfortable changing their religion, denomination, or house of worship—either because of moving or due to the fact that religion is not the monolithic societal force it once was.
So what does all of this have to do with updating or installing A/V equipment in a brand-new church, synagogue, or mosque?
The point is that despite the foreboding signs and cynical prognosticators, opportunities to broaden a church’s appeal and attract diverse new members to one’s flock abound.
Commercial AV Solutions
Whether you intend to update your existing institution with new and effective A/V solutions, or you’re a church leader looking to break ground on a new church to serve your local community, the key is to appeal to as many potential believers as possible while retaining complete integrity in one’s ultimate vision and driving purpose.
Firstly, envision what kind of church you would love for your flock to experience. Whatever decisions you make, be sure to acquire high-quality equipment that is seamlessly integrated with each other. Such vital AV equipment includes mixers, soundboards, speakers, microphones, video cameras and displays.
Also, ask yourself what kind of music do you plan to play? Will there likely be live music with an orchestra, a choir, a band, or a blend? Will you offer multiple services catering to different demographics? These decisions affect what size and kind of speakers you will need, as several types of music are heard best on various speakers featuring different perceived loudness levels and bass producing abilities. Further, different speakers require amps with specific wattage levels.
The soundboard you select is another major decision. More modern, less traditional music usually needs additional inputs. This factor also affects the differences in live performed music and necessitates the need for an appropriate mixer for your needs, preferences, and tastes. The ability to store and reproduce different audio scenes on-demand is a vital feature that will come in handy if you have multiple services catering to people with different tastes and expectations.
Next up is the “V” in A/V solutions: video.
Live-streaming and recording services in high-quality video with dependable and well-done web-streaming has proven to be successful for many new churches. It not only serves those whom may be homebound or at a distance, but can effectively broadcast your church’s message to anyone with an internet connection, meaning potentially hundreds of millions of people.
Further, an integrated and high-quality display setup can keep people of all ages more engaged with the service and can allow you to share interesting, beautiful, or inspiring graphics and targeted messages and notes to help communicate your key message to your audience during services.
Whatever choices you decide upon for your new A/V setup, it’s beneficial to get church members to collaborate, agree to change, and get on board to fulfill whatever mission or vision you are trying to achieve.
We recommend consulting with a professional A/V systems integrator about enhancing your place of worship.
