A Quick, Inexpensive Way to Shoot a Great Video Greeting for Your Church

Karl Vaters · April 6, 2018
Walk them through the parking lot

The first impression people have of your church campus will not be in the building, but in the parking lot. Show people what that looks like, including if there are any confusing aspects to it, or if you have special parking for first-time guests.

Point out any obvious landmarks or quirks

As you saw in our video, I pointed out our skateboard park, simply because it’s the most distinct feature seen from the street. If your church has a huge cross, an unusual entrance, or is right next to (or behind) a large store or other landmark, point that out visually so they know what to look for.

Show them where their kids will go

First, this allows newcomers to know there will be something for kids. Second, it gives them a comfort level about where to bring the kids when they get there.

It’s not necessary to show them the kids’ rooms, but if you have really nice ones, drop in a video clip of them.

Shoot it in one take, if you can

The main part of our video was shot in one piece, mostly because our church is small enough for me to walk through the entire process in one take, without making the video too long. But if your campus is bigger, you may have to do some stop/start edits.

If you can do it in a single walk-through, I recommend it. This will give the newcomer a genuine feel for what their first-time experience will actually be like.

Let them experience coming in the main doors

If you do have to make edits for the size of your facility, don’t skip the front doors. First-time guests need to know where they are and what they look like.

Help them know what to do when they enter the main room

The church lobby seems obvious to church regulars. But for newcomers, it’s their first time in a strange environment. If you have a guest station or info table, show it to them. If they have to walk through a maze of hallways to find the main sanctuary entrance, show them that as well.