Happy August! As we move into startup mode for the Fall I wanted to invite congregational leaders — religious professionals, staff and volunteers — to join Video Ministry Academy.
Video Ministry Academy is skill training, strategy masterclass, and learning community for congregational leaders. For all the details including a new video with me walking you through the program visit http://www.videoministryacademy.com.
These are challenging times. If you’re like most leaders I know, you know that these times require you to skill up and implement new strategies. Be kind to yourself and prioritize learning that is going to support your success.
Word on the street is that I’m a joyful and enthusiastic trainer who delivers practical tips and strategies in a way that makes learning fun.
Hi friends! I wanted to let you know that the COVID19 pandemic has me working primarily with congregations right now, my core training community.
In response, I am shifting the focus of my podcast — congregations, digital strategy, and helping leaders of community organizations adapt to digital life online. Interested?
You may subscribe on your favorite podcast platform including:
Previously I was working with a growing range of organizations with an increasing focus on helping people build community face to face. I’ve put that community building work on hold.
I am now focusing my working on supporting my network of congregational, nonprofit, and community leaders as they work to adapt to covid19, learn new digital skills, and implement new strategies.
Feel free to subscribe or unsubscribe in response as appropriate.
Friends, during this COVID19 season, one of my priorities is helping you bring your ministry and leadership online using video!
Over the last five weeks, I produced a new training designed to help you skill up and rapidly advance your video strategy. This new video strategy masterclass is called Video Ministry Academy.
I had a founding class of nearly 200 leaders from the United States, Canada, and Ireland. I had these leaders go through the training as I developed and released each of the training modules. That gave me real-time questions, feedback, and other ideas which I could incorporate into training as I developed it.
Now Video Ministry Academy is ready for you. You may enroll for immediate access to the on-demand training content, join our Video Ministry Learning community, and be invited to additional strategy sessions for my training community.
Now showing up and leading online using video is essential.
That’s why I’m launching a new training program to help clergy, staff, and other congregational leaders skill-up and rapidly integrate video into their digital ministry efforts.
This new training program is calledVIDEO MINISTRY ACADEMY. It is a video skill training and strategy masterclass for ministry leaders.
1) Rapidly skill-up and start producing video content with ease using computer webcams or smartphones. Video is the heart and engine driving my recommended strategy right now.
2) Implement a video-driven approach to engaging people in congregational life. You need to use video to lead online, maintain relationships, keep people invested in the mission of your congregation, and, if interested, scale your ministry.
3) The above includes the critical task of developing a digital path to membership producing supporting video. Online visitors want and need all your intro and orientation content online and on-demand.
We have much to do!
My goal is to give you the essential video training and strategy you need as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Here’s how it is going to work
• Every Monday of the five-week Video Ministry Academy program, I’ll release a new on-demand module within the course site.
• Each module will include video presentations, handouts, and video assignments. They’ll be practical exercises designed to move you rapidly forward.
• Each week, I’ll do member-only Facebook live sessions to answer questions on that week’s module as well as answer questions from previous weeks. Exact details are being finalized now.
• Participants will share their recorded video assignments in our program member-only Facebook group or complete the assignments by going LIVE in the group.
• Within the Facebook Group, I will offer video feedback, cheerleading, and other coaching.
I know this is a challenging time.
That’s why I’m committed to helping leaders like you learn the skills and strategies they need to succeed.
Look for my email tomorrow with your official invitation to enroll.
It will include details on cost, what the five modules are, etc…
I’ll be sharing more about the program on video – of course! – and answering questions over the coming week.
Friends, in this session I share foundations of the strategy I’m recommending congregations implement to thrive in these times.
I also preview the training programs I’m rolling out to support you. They include strategy and skill training in three primary areas:
• Video for ministry leaders • Small group ministry • Social media strategy
A few key points from this session
VIDEO SKILLS: Religious professions need to become highly proficient in creating and using video content in their ministry. That content, live and recorded, is the foundation of a DIGITAL FIRST ministry. That’s the context of our ministry with other gatherings to be integrated as we are able.
SMALL GROUPS: Small groups translate beautifully to an online Zoom meeting environment and are the first kind of groups that we’ll be able to phase in — small groups in controlled spaces with people we know. If you plan to accomplished your ministry through small group ministry, you can knock it out of the park.
SOCIAL MEDIA: If ever we’ve needed to rock social media, now is the time. But not just random social media. We need to use it with integrity and purpose! I recommend using social media to deliver video content that engages people in the life of the congregation — worship and small groups – and expands the reach and impact of your ministry.
If you weave these three pillars together, I believe any congregation that was successful pre-covid19 can thrive in these times. If you didn’t have a strategy before COVID19 and social distancing, these strategies can serve you.
I’m launching three training programs corresponding to the areas.
First video, then small groups, then social media.
Zoom bombing is on the rise! Don’t let your online meetings, worship services, and other gatherings get hijacked. Here are tips, settings, and practices to help you protect your meetings.
Zoom Update: Fri, Apr 3rd Zoom emailed users an announcement noting that “Starting April 5th,we’ve chosen to enable passwords on your meetings and turn on Waiting Rooms by default as additional security enhancements to protect your privacy.”
This means that your accounts will soon default to having the PASSWORD and WAITING ROOM features turned on. Think through your security before turning these off.
What is Zoom Bombing
“Zoom Bombing” is when someone crashes a Zoom meeting or webinar and shares inappropriate content, hate speech, or other nasty disruptions.
In short, you shared a meeting link online, the internet trolls found it, and they’re making serious trouble. Best to protect your meetings before you ever have to face such a situation.
12 Ways to Protect Your Zoom Meetings
There are many settings you may enable to help protect your meetings. Everyone hosting Zoom meetings should change their global settings before their next meeting so participants can’t screen share or share files.
Here is a screen recording sharing the same content. I walk through the primary meeting setting and controls you should be aware of.
This includes how to remove someone from a meeting, turn off a participant’s video, mute participants, and disable the chat.
Meeting Links Already Public?
If you have already created and shared unprotected Zoom meeting links, you should think through your plan for if or when you get Zoom bombed, as make sure you turn off screen sharing and file sharing for participants.
How are you going to manage the situation?
In most cases, I think you are going to want to END YOUR MEETING immediately.
Keep in mind that if ONE Zoom Bomber enters your meeting, you should expect MANY MORE to follow. I know someone who had 30 people crash a meeting! It was horrific.
Be Prepared, Know the Controls
If you are Zoom bombed, it is likely to be shocking and traumatic. Be familiar with the controls you’ll use to manage the situation. You don’t want your delay to give more the Zoom Bomber more chat and screen time.
Be ready to say, “Hey, we’re being Zoom bombed! We’re going to end this meeting and will be in touch shortly.” and click END MEETING.
The following walks through some relevant controls. Note that this is an excerpt from the longer screen recording video above.
LOCK MEETING FEATURE
Someone asked me my thoughts on using the “Lock Meeting” option.
This is a great feature to be aware of, especially if you’ve already shared some links in a way that might tempt the trolls.
Once a meeting has started and all participants are present, you can lock the meeting so no one can come in. This doesn’t help you if you are doing a drop-in office hour session or it is the start of the meeting.
If you are Zoom bombed and there is only one offender, you could immediately lock the meeting to prevent others to come in and then remove the Z-bomber.
LOCK MEETING from the bottom of the PARTICIPANT MANAGEMENT panel. Click MORE next to the mute all / unmute all options. Then select LOCK MEETING. This prevents anyone from entering the meeting from that point on.
REMOVEPARTICIPANT by using the ••• three dots over their video and then choosing REMOVE, or by hovering over their name in the participant list and choosing MORE and then REMOVE.
Do you need help with your strategy and bringing your work online? Contact me to discuss strategy and skill training sessions to support your organization.
UPDATE: Due to increased demand, I am setting up an application form to collect basic information about your organization and needs so I can choose to work with the organizations I am the best match for. This will be rolling out after the weekend. I’ll send out to my email list as soon as it is live. Subscribe here.
Peter Bowden 