I’ve been with RT Creative Group (the parent company of Echo Hub, Igniter Media, and Graceway Media) for more than seven years, and I’ve spent a lot of that time thinking about a very specific aspect of a worship service: the screen. Most of our work and conversation deals with imagery, motion graphics, and short films, and so we often focus on what happens on-screen at a church.
But do you know what other area I’ve enjoyed exploring in recent months? The stage. There are so many churches who are doing stage design well. Throw in events like Catalyst and world-class musicians on tour like Radiohead, and there is a whole world of people who are being innovative and intentional with the setting of their live experiences.
To see what I mean, check out Kent Shaffer’s list of creative church stages from 2012 (and previous years), as well as Church Stage Design Ideas (run by our friend and Echo 2012 breakout speaker Jonathan Malm).
Some of what you see on those sites might be too much for you and your community. That’s okay! All I want to do is inspire you to start using design thinking when it comes to your stage. How might it benefit you to change the way your stage looks and feels to match the way a particular worship service is going to look and feel? Could you make it smaller and more intimate on a stripped-down night of worship? Could you make it big and bright on Easter Sunday?
I think you could. And I think it would help you communicate that which God has put upon your heart to communicate.
Many of you may already see your church’s stage as a canvas. In that case, check out those sites above and maybe you’ll get a good idea or two. If you haven’t yet thought of your church’s stage as a canvas, consider it. Maybe there’s a new opportunity there.
Scott McClellan is the Editor of Echo Hub and the Director of Echo Conference. You can follow him on Twitter: @scottmcclellan.