I didn’t anticipate posting on the iPhone for a second consecutive week, but hey, life is full of surprises. Late last week Apple released a 20-minute video tour of the iPhone in order to pull back the veil a little bit and give prospective buyers a more in-depth look at the features of the device. With the big release just four days away, the video is a great way to lure people from being undecided on the product to being giddy for its arrival. While 20 minutes is a pretty long video (confession: I had to watch segments of it spread out over the day), I think this kind of video is a great idea for the local church.
Whereas before I watched the video I was full of questions about what features were included, how the features would work together, and what kinds of processes the phone was designed to perform, after the video those questions were answered. I still haven’t held an iPhone in my hands, but now I am comfortable with it, and I’ll know what to do when I do hold one. In the same way, a guided tour video of your church or ministry can be an effective way to move people from confusion or discomfort to informed and excited. A short video on your church’s website could introduce prospective visitors to the church facilities, show them where to park, show them where to grab a cup of coffee, introduce them to the senior pastor, and give them a preview of the worship team. Giving people an idea of what to expect when they come to your church for the first time is a good thing. Instead of a lack of expectations, or expectations formed by fear or hearsay, visitors could walk in excited by what they’ve seen on your video tour, ready to participate in your service. If you’ve got an examples of a church that is doing this effectively, please feel free to send it my way.