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Thanks for listening in to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. Today we’re joined by Jason Held, the Executive Pastor of Administration at Journey Church, which has campuses in Wisconsin as well as a campus in Lithuania.

Jason is with us today to talk about how Journey Church overcame the technological challenges that are inevitable with growth and developing multisite video venues.

• Determine your video needs. // Many multisite churches use some aspect of streaming video at their campuses. When Journey Church was approached by another church about a merger, it happened rather quickly. They needed to examine what sort of teaching structure would suit them best since this was their first foray into the world of multisite. Because they had amazing communicators and wanted a consistent teaching experience at all locations, Journey decided that streaming the video teaching would be best for them. In addition to being a cultural fit, it also allowed the campus pastor to focus on shepherding and community involvement at the new campus. If you’re planning to go multisite, or are approached about a merger, consider the format that would work best for your church and be ready to evaluate if you have the technology needed to move ahead.
• Examine your current technology. // After deciding on a video venue format, Journey Church realized that their existing systems and AV/tech equipment was nowhere near where it needed to be to support multiple campuses. Are your cameras and technology up to date so that you can get a strong signal to your campuses when streaming a message? What do you need to capture the sermon effectively so that your campuses have the same, excellent experience no matter the location? Work with experts in this field to learn what it’s going to take to get a successful multisite video venue off the ground and running well for the long term.
• Get advice from others. // Journey Church began by reaching out to other churches they respected who had gone through similar experiences and were connected with the company Risepointe. Journey and Risepointe met for several listening sessions so Risepointe could thoroughly understand Journey’s vision and needs for their campuses. Ultimately Risepointe provided multiple technology solutions in order to allow Journey to decide what route would be best for the vision they have for their church.
• Money well spent. // Jason found that working with strategic partners was critically important to the success of launching their first campus. The biggest barrier in finding the technology you need is thinking that you can get away with doing things on the cheap, or without outside help. But Jason advises that instead you should get the right people at the table early on to keep from prolonging the problem and making it more difficult to set up the system. Money well spent in the right areas will save you thousands of dollars when things are done right the first time.
• Find a long term partner. // When consulting experts, look for someone who has the experience and knowledge to train you and walk the path with you long term. Make sure they understand who you are as a church, what your core values are, and support your mission and vision rather than trying to push you into a solution that doesn’t fit your church. What it came down to for Journey Church was developing a relationship with Risepointe not just for a timeframe, but as a strategy for the long haul.

You can learn more about Journey Church at jrnychurch.com.

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Thank You to This Article’s Sponsor: Risepointe

What is the facility lid that is preventing your church from living out its Mission? Let the team over at Risepointe get to know what makes your church unique and craft a realistic plan to help you continue to grow!

Head over to Risepointe.com/360 for your free Facility 360 Evaluation.