One of the most important elements of enhancing your Online Worship Experience is utilizing Online Hosts.
Using Hosts would be similar to a Campus Pastor. When launching a new campus, the first hire you would probably make is the Campus Pastor – the leader of that location.
The same is true for Online.
Your hosts are people who can be on-screen before and after your experience guiding people to what they are going to see OR they can be your main conversation starter interacting with people in the chat or both.
This person or persons is the Virtual Guide for your Online Worship Experience.
They are helping guests along, providing important information, answering questions, giving encouragement and walking people through the experience.
Here are 4 quick Online Host Ideas from my friend Ben Stapley, who has been an Online Host:
Use the Same Hosts at Each Service.
This builds community and consistency week to week. This might mean that you need a staff member for this position. Or you might have a rotation of two teams of two that are your Online hosts every other week. Either way, be consistent.
Steer the Conversation.
Ben suggests, which I think is good, that hosts should help steer the topics away from contentious subjects like politics. Keep things positive. Maneuver the conversation to things that are helpful to the majority of people.
Clickable URLs
Make sure all URLs that you put in the chat can be clicked on. One sure-fire way to do this is to go to the site on a browser tab and copy the URL and paste it into the chat. You want to give people an easy way to take action.
Don’t Feed the Trolls
If someone is in the chat with toxic language, handle it right away by blocking them. Don’t waste your time trying to engage with them, it might only grow. Just block and handle it offline or move on.
Ben gives 6 more ideas for Online Chat Hosts in a blog on our site. We’ll link you over to it at 1230.media/ChurchOnline
You can also catch this entire Web Series and more Resources for your church. 1230.media/ChurchOnline
Carl Barnhill has served on staff at some of the largest churches and organizations in the country. He served as Media Director at Precept Ministries International, directing the television and radio program Precepts for Life with Kay Arthur, broadcasted to over 98 million homes around the world. He served as Video Production Director at Pinelake Church in Brandon, MS. He most recently served as Video Coordinator for Newspring Church in South Carolina. He currently serves as Creative Director and Owner of[twelve:thirty]media, serving churches and ministries all over the world through motion graphics content and church media coaching.
