Shift Worship Tips: Quick Editor

Out of all the options for digital media, Shift Worship stands out as a go-to resource for churches with leaders and creatives looking to boost their visual services. In this segment, on Shift Worship Tips, Mariah and Dale are excited to expand on one of their favorite features – the Quick Editor. This tool is used and loved by so many people who want to take their service to a new level with customizable media! Jason, one of Shift Worship‘s designers, walks Mariah and Dale through his thought process while using Quick Editor!

Jason Demonstrates Quick Editor

Jason kicks off the demo with an exciting concept that he has been considering called – “Forward.” To bring this idea to fruition, he decides to use the vibrant and visually captivating Colorful Cosmos collection. To get started, Jason heads to the collection’s page and clicks the “Quick Editor” button. In a flash, he is ready to use the customization tool. With the option to choose the size and format of the design, Jason decides to go with a motion title, an amazing feature that Quick Editor offers.

Choosing the Perfect Text and Font

Quick Editor lets you choose from a variety of backgrounds and pre-designed titles (motion and stills). Jason begins with a blank background and clicks on the text option, and changes it to say “Forward.” If you’re not happy with the default font, don’t sweat it – the Quick Editor has the option for you to select from a range of fonts. (Pro tip: Upload your own font to make it better) Jason then switches to the “Summer Loving” font that he has already uploaded from his computer, and then gives his text a fresh and unique look. A quick change of color to white, a font size adjustment, and some centering, and his title is ready for the next step.

Creating Depth and Style

Jason knows that adding depth (simple colors) to your text can make it stand out even more. He duplicates the text layer and changes the color to a vibrant color, creating a stunning drop shadow effect. This simple yet effective technique adds a layer of sophistication to the design. With a few adjustments, he achieves the perfect look.

Fine-Tuning the Subtitle

With the title complete, Jason moves on to the subtitle: “Always Moving.” He demonstrates how easy it is to adjust the text layout for a two-line effect and fine-tunes the font size and letter spacing. A change of color to a bright blue gives the subtitle a retro 80s vibe, adding a unique touch to the design.

Adding Decorative Elements

Jason takes the design up a notch by introducing elements. Quick Editor offers a wide range of built-in elements that you can incorporate seamlessly. Jason selects transparent triangles and skillfully positions them, achieving a captivating effect. Duplicating and fine-tuning the triangles on both sides of the title brings balance and symmetry to the composition. An adjustment of opacity blending further enhances the overall look.

Customizing with Personal Elements

For a final touch, Jason showcases how you can upload your own elements into Quick Editor. This feature expands your creative possibilities, allowing you to tailor your design to your unique vision. This is a great feature to incorporating a church logo into your slides. In this case, Jason adds an arrow graphic to accentuate the message of moving forward. The result is a striking and dynamic design that perfectly complements the sermon series concept.

Exploring Motion Backgrounds

But Jason’s not done yet. He realizes that the design could work equally well as a motion title. With a few clicks, he explores various motion backgrounds available in Quick Editor. The options are diverse and visually captivating, offering a broad range of choices. It is also very simple to switch from background styles, without having to restart your work. Jason settles on a dynamic background that beautifully complements the design.

Rendering the Final Creation

Once satisfied with the design, it’s time to bring it to life. A simple click on the “Render” button sends the project to the renderer, where it’s transformed into a stunning motion background. Shift Worship sends you an email once the render is ready for download. With Quick Editor, you have the power to create custom-made sermon titles, social media graphics, announcement slides, and much more with ease and creativity.

Available to Everyone

The best part is that Quick Editor is available to all Shift Worship users, including those on the free trial. You can explore its full potential with both the Media Plan and the Pro Plan. What’s more? Every collection on the Shift Worship site is Quick Editor-compatible, providing endless possibilities for your creative projects.

In Conclusion

The Shift Worship Quick Editor is a game-changer for churches and creative individuals looking to take their services to the next level. With its easy-to-use interface, a large library of elements, and the ability to upload your own, Quick Editor empowers you to design with ease and precision. Jason’s demonstration shows just a small amount of the tool’s potential, and with a little exploration, you’ll discover its countless creative possibilities.

We hope you’re as excited as we are about the Quick Editor. As Jason said, the possibilities are endless, and we can’t wait to see what you create with it. Stay tuned for more Shift Worship Tips, where we’ll explore more collections and features. Thank you for joining us, and special thanks to Jason for his enlightening demo. Until next time, stay creative and inspired!


7 Strategies to Increase Church Attendance

7 Strategies to Increase Church Attendance

In today's culture of high productivity, and long "to-do" lists, churches are facing the challenge of maintaining and increasing attendance. There are several ways in which the church can use well-known resources to its advantage. Follow along as we discuss how to boost church attendance as well as create a welcoming and educational faith-based community.

1. Utilize Digital Outreach

With the increase of technology, the room for audience growth is huge! Create and use media that can be used across platforms, and social media allows churches to reach potential new attendees, as well as communicate with current members. Digital media is a fascinating tool that allows the word of God to be shared on a whole new level. Not only does it serve as a way to highlight God's word, it can be a main source of knowledge. With live-streaming or podcasts, churches can reach their current congregation, along with those who may not be able to attend in person. Social Media can reach widespread audiences, and be utilized as a free outreach tool to connect with younger generations. Churches can use these platforms to highlight why people enjoy attending!

Examples of social posts:

  • Summary of the sermon - perfect for lesson retention
  • Schedule of service times and locations
  • Events happening each season or month
  • Special announcements (birthdays, weddings, celebrations of life, etc.)
  • Class or small groups offered

2. Enhance Your Worship Experience

It's no secret that a Church's worship experience can be very influential for attendance and the level of engagement for the sermon. The worship experience remains a large reason as to why members return, and why new guests want to stay. By investing in this portion of the service, churches can see an increase in congregation attendance. What would this entail exactly? The first would be to provide music that the congregation as a whole can relate to. From there, churches can make sure they have amazing volunteer or staff members to lead the congregation during this time, and to ensure that the music ties into the sermon to come. Another factor for enhancing the experience is the level of technology used. If sound systems are used, then it is crucial to make sure these are up to date-and working as correctly as possible. Lastly, any screens or lyrics should be displayed in the best possible format. Any lyrics that are displayed should be readable on screens with interesting and unique media backgrounds.

3. Reach Out to the Community

Meet people halfway by exploring your community for guests! Whether it be through goof drives, clothing giveaways, or community service projects-there are tons of events that the church can host to highlight the acts of God, while keeping a causal environment.

4. Focus on Youth and Family Ministries

Youth and families are a huge part of the church! Families usually attend church together, and can have unique needs that the church should be prepared to meet. Childcare, accessible parking, and youth groups are some fantastic way to make attending church easy and fun for everyone in the family.

5. Curate a Visitor Friendly Culture

First impressions are crucial for churches looking to grow their congregation. It is very important for first-time guests to feel welcome, and picture themselves as part of the church. Create a warm welcome with this awesome strategies:

  • Have a Welcome Team established to great and guide first-time guests.
  • Set up a refreshment station for people to mingle over.
  • Create a center point to welcome guests and provide more information about the church (ex: a Welcome Table)
  • Gather guest information to follow up with them after the service.

6. Small Group Connections

Having multiple small groups, each with different focuses can an unique tool to retain first-time guests, along with current members. Small groups are a great place to create connections, expand on sermons, foster community and provide supports. For individuals that may not feel comfortable in large congregations, small groups provide a gateway into their involvement in the church.

Small Groups can exist of:

  • Marriage Counseling & Connection
  • Young Adults
  • College Students
  • Grief & Loss Sharing
  • Financial Advising

7. Optimize Your Church Building

Church is more than just a place to hear a sermon. It can be a place of community, fun, connection, and education. Churches can create these feelings by using what they have! Depending on the layout of your building, you can have special events, booths, meeting places, ect.

What else can you do?

  • Utilize lawn space with yard games the the whole family can play 
  • Have youth ministries draw Biblical images on sidewalks/pathways
  • Spruce up windows by with special paint to decorate or share announcements
  • Pull out tables and chairs into a courtyard to encourage

Shift Worship Tips: Illumination Collection

In this segment of Shift Worship tips, Mariah and Dale delve into the captivating world of the Illumination collection. As they show and demonstrate the various media within this collection, it becomes clear that it offers a unique and visually stunning experience. Let’s follow along!

 

The Illumination collection captivates congregations with an enchanting blend of visuals that make you feel as though you are floating in space. (Dale is using one of the pixelated graphics of the collection as his background). The dark palette of this collection creates a perfect backdrop for white or light-colored text. This collection can be used anytime during the year! The convenience of using white text on dark backgrounds eliminates the need to search for the perfect spot to place your text.

 

One of the best aspects of this collection is the variety of media it offers. With almost two variations of each backdrop, you have the choice of using motion backgrounds or still backgrounds. The pixelated media, reminiscent of a video game, incorporates a unique element to your services. Also, each file comes in multiple formats, from HD to 4K, (triple wide as well) ensuring that you can pick the one that fits your screen size as well as your desired use. This flexibility extends to the downloading process, allowing you to choose between Dropbox or a direct download to your computer.

 

Here at Shift Worship, we are big on making your service design and planning as easy as possible. This is why some of our collections come with pre-existing text, while others are left blank. You can use these pre-designed slides or customize them to match your needs. The font used is also linked on the right side of the collection page. Use this link to download the matching font and then upload it into Quick Editor. 

 

While browsing through the Illumination collection, we suggest utilizing the three countdowns! You will see a 10-minute, 5-minute, and trivia countdown. Our team regularly updates trivia countdowns with creative questions and answers to engage your congregation as they prepare for the service. These trivia sessions are a fantastic way to keep your audience engaged and interested!

 

Mariah, a self-proclaimed social media enthusiast, emphasizes the value of the collection’s social media resources. The fonts and styles in these assets are especially interesting. However, it’s important to note that the existing text on these resources cannot be edited. If you want to make changes or add your church’s logo and/or handle, you’ll need to utilize Quick Editor. Mariah walks us through how easy it is to customize social graphics, even for those who may not consider themselves designers!

 

Dale and Mariah are big fans of Quick Editor and express that it is designed to be user-friendly. There’s no need to be a professional designer to make the most of it. Quick Editor is a powerful tool that anyone can utilize with ease. The Shift Worship team is always ready to provide support and assistance if you encounter any challenges!

 

Shift Worship offers two subscription plans, the Pro Plan at $249 per year and the Media Plan at $149 per year. The Pro Plan provides access to Dropbox, simplifying the download and sharing of files. The Media Plan is an affordable option for members who do not require Dropbox access. Both subscriptions include unlimited access to a wide range of resources as well as weekly media additions. 

 

The Illumination collection is an amazing collection that churches and worship services can benefit from using. Shift Worship Tips gives us a full understanding of the unique aspects of the collection and how to utilize them in services. It’s clear that Illumination is created to cater to both design enthusiasts and novices alike. So, whether you’re planning a calm church service or an engaging social media post, the Illumination collection from Shift Worship has you covered! 


Christmas Media Ideas for 2023!

 

The 2023 holiday season is almost here! Churches, teams, volunteers, staff, and congregations are gearing up for their annual Christmas services. Whether you’re a church leader veteran or someone who’s planning a Christmas service for the first time, Shift Worship’s Christmas Idea Page is here to make holiday service planning the easiest and most memorable it’s ever been. Our special idea page is the ultimate resource of media that will bring the true spirit of Christmas to your congregation.

Preview the New Collections

Shift Worship’s priority is to always be at the forefront of providing high-quality media resources, and this holiday season is no different. The Christmas Idea Page provides an exciting sneak peek at three new collections set to be released before Christmas. Each collection was thoughtfully designed to help tell the spread the faith of Christ’s birth in a fresh and captivating way:

1. Christmas Manger – A unique twist on the classic nativity scene, this collection combines art with the timeless story of Jesus’ birth.

2. Nostalgic Christmas Villages  – Take a trip down memory lane with a timeless Christmas village atmosphere.

3. Christmas Flourish – Set the Christmas tone with dynamic and colorful backgrounds.

Other Christmas Collections

In addition to these brand-new collection, Shift Worship’s Christmas Idea Page provides links and images to other collections that are perfect for your Christmas services. Whether you’re looking for traditional, contemporary, or Advent-focused resources, there’s something for every need. Each collection is designed to fit your sermon or service topic! (Pro tip: Use your membership or sign up for a free trial to customize these collections)

Benefits of Planning Holiday Services in Advance

Planning your holiday services beforehand is something that we highly recommend! Not only does it reduce stress, but it also provides the following benefits:

1. Freedom to be Creative: Creativity requires inspiration, and we all know that does not happen overnight. Planning ahead creates room for idea to flow, mistake to be made, and the best services to be produced.

2. Volunteer Engagement: Know exactly what you need this holiday season! Plan ahead for special events connected to your services, and make sure that everyone has the opportunity to see and hear the amazing creation come to life. By having a plan, you can communicate that with others, who will only assist in reaching the end goal together.

3. Create Excitement for Service: Send a preview of the service to the congregation, neighbors, friends – anyone who would benefit from the message. This preview can encourage people to attend!

4. Prepare Spiritually: Calling all pastors, and leaders! Knowing what content your service will have, you will be able to allow God to work through with you with minimal distractions.

The Importance of Christmas Services

Christmas is way more than just gifts, trees, snow, and fancy cookies; it’s the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Church services play a crucial role in refreshing everyone of the true meaning of Christmas (Charlie Brown who?). These services offer a space for reflection, worship, and community, allowing all attendees to connect with the heart of the Christian faith.

Christmas services also serve as an open invitation to those who might not regularly attend church. It’s a time when people are more receptive to the message of hope, love, and salvation. These services can be a bridge for those seeking spiritual answers and a sense of belonging.

Shift Worship’s Christmas Idea Page is the best place to receive an inspired and organized Christmas service planning experience. With a sneak peek at our upcoming collections and an array of existing resources, you can create meaningful, engaging, and transformative Christmas services that will leave a lasting impact on your congregation and community. So, start planning ahead and be ready to embrace the beauty and significance of Christmas this holiday season.


Shift Worship Tips: Beautiful Day Collection

Welcome to Shift Worship Tips! In this video, Mariah and Dale highlight one of our newest collections, Beautiful Day. It is a great collection to use during the spring, summer, or any time of the year when you just want to brighten up your service.

A cool thing about every collection on Shift Worship is that there are so many different visuals to choose! In the video, Dale shares how to assemble just some of the backgrounds to create a cohesive worship service. Dale uses Keynote to demonstrate how to import and organize these graphics into your service plan. You don’t need to use Keynote… our content works with all types of worship presentation software!

Starting service with a countdown is always a good way to go! It creates excitement and prepares people to be engaged in the service. After a countdown, we suggest using a Welcome slide. Did you know that Shift Worship also offers a welcome background for your live-streaming service?

Social media graphics are another great way to create cohesion with your Sunday service. Mariah uses Quick Editor in the video to demonstrate our custom design tool, Quick Editor! Once the editing is finished, you can download it straight to your computer. 

(Pro tip: Make sure your ratio is 1:1 when editing social graphics)


A Creative Collision: Shift Worship Sponsors AI & the Church Hackathon Hosted By Gloo

AI & The Church Hackathon

In a world where technology is reshaping our future, innovation has never been more critical. Shift Worship recently had the incredible opportunity to sponsor AI & the Church Hackathon, hosted by Gloo in Boulder, Colorado. The event attracted an astonishing 41 diverse teams, each showcasing their creative prowess in 

the field of using artificial intelligence for the Church’s benefit. The hackathon was a testament to the immense potential of AI and how to use it for good. For those who want to relive the excitement, we’ve included a link to the video of the event!

A Surge of Creativity

With 41 teams in competition, the hackathon was a whirlwind of creative energy and innovation. Participants ranged from seasoned AI experts to aspiring students, each contributing their unique expertise and perspectives. The main goals? To use AI for good, and meet the needs of the church. 

The Nine Winning Products

The hackathon concluded with an awards ceremony that celebrated the most groundbreaking AI solutions. Below, we highlight the nine winning products, each a testament to the power of AI to help the church grow and prosper. 

  1. Best Overall Value to the Ecosystem: Basil Tech

Details: Basil Tech created an app called ‘Kidechisms’, which provides a unique tool that educates children with spiritual information. The app can also assist parents with implementing the foundation of biblical doctrine as well as Christian practices.

  1. Best Tech: Innov8 Reach

Details: Innov8 developed a personalized AI advertising experience that helps organizations connect to churches with unmet needs. 

  1. Best Generative AI Tool: Pastors.ai

Details: This team created an AI Voice Chatbot that responds to questions based on pastor teachings and voices. The Chatbot allows questions and communication to be met in a more intimate and comforting way. 

  1. Best Product Design: Bible Mate

 

Details: Say hello to an AI Bible Study! This tool was created to help individuals study the bible with real-time answers to questions, advice, and increased biblical knowledge.

  1. Best Storytelling: Marriage Score

Details: Marriage Score created an AI-based app that is designed to answer questions submitted by each spouse, create customized challenges, and generate conversational responses. 

  1. Best In Category ‘Streamlining Church Administration’: Deep Space Robots

Details: This team developed a web app called Accord.us. This app allows pastoral teams to build, schedule, and manage volunteer teams with ease and efficiency.

  1. Best In Category ‘Equip The Church’: Alpha International

Details: Alpha International created a chatbot within their app, Beta. With the intent of providing support and opportunities, the chatbot reduces time and investment for those practicing the Alpha Course Material. 

  1. Best In Category Intimacy with God: Servant.io

Details: This team designed an app that assists users while they are dealing with personal struggles. Using AI, behavioral data can be u

sed to reveal new growth opportunities. 

  1. Best In Category Beyond Boundaries: Biblechat.ai

Details: Creating an AI platform, AiForTheChurch.org- this team enabled Christian organizations to align custom LLMs to their biblical doctrine. 

Relive the Excitement

If you missed the AI hackathon, or if you simply want to relive the excitement of the event, check out the video of the hackathon here. It’s a fantastic opportunity to witness the innovative solutions and creative energy that unfolded during the event! 

Shift Worship would love to thank Gloo for allowing us to sponsor this amazing event that is using technology to advance and better the church! 

 

*All images are from the Hackathon event hosted by Gloo.