Church Spotlight, continued...

I really like Oxygen because there is such a breadth of images to choose from. I recently did 12 messages on the Holy Spirit, and Oxygen has 10 or 15 slides to choose from. Plus, for each image there are multiple options available. So I could use a dove in the corner or centered on the slide, or some other symbol of the Holy Spirit. It results in a very professional presentation.

How long have you been using visual graphics in your church service, and why did you start using visual imagery with your sermons?
When I first came in 2000, we didn't have a video projector, but we did use a 35mm slide projector to show Bible passages. When I became senior pastor in 2003, we installed a good multimedia projector. We now use MediaShout software, which imports my PowerPoint slides easily.

If you can engage the audience, and use as many of their 5 senses as possible, I think it helps the message stick much more effectively. Most of the time I'll give a written outline handout for the congregation to follow along, and visuals enhance the communication. We live in a very visual society--that's what we're immersed in. The church is falling behind if we don't do our best to use powerful images in our messages. For the younger people, it's just understood that this should be done. But even the older people who have never seen this before have come to appreciate it. It helps the congregation to track with the message.

What has been the response to using graphics with your sermons?
It's been really good. On rare occasions I just won't have time to put together slides for the sermon, and that's when I hear about it. A couple years ago my flight was delayed coming home from a trip to Israel. I arrived just a few hours before Easter Sunday, and it was hard enough just to get my notes solidified for the message. It was wonderful to share about my experience in Israel, but afterwards I heard it from several people. "No PowerPoint? Are you still going to be doing that?" So every time I speak they know I'll be using visuals.

Several of us pastors have been holding a weekly Bible study here in McMinnville at Evergreen museum, which now houses the Spruce Goose, the world's largest airplane ever flown. Evergreen is a global aviation company, whose president, Dell Smith, was in the audience at the Bible study. Afterwards, he told me that the presentation was very professional looking, and invited me back. The nice PowerPoint had something to do with that return invitation.

How does Oxygen fit in with your sermon preparation?
Oxygen streamlines the process for me, and saves a tremendous amount of time. Oxygen graphics are very easy to access and to use. The graphics and backgrounds are already put into PowerPoint, with the text blocks already created--the formating is all done. I can just open up the slide and it's there. The slides are exquisite, and I can vary them so the image is small or large, in the corner or centered.

I usually compose the PowerPoint slides at the same time as my sermon. I'll have Word Perfect, PowerPoint, and my Bible software all open on my computer. It works for me, to coordinate the slide creation with my sermon preparation. It adds time to the sermon prep, but I find it helps to create a cohesive message.

One of the best things about Oxygen is that I can almost always find an image that fits the theme of my sermon. I did a sermon on the parable of the talents, and I found an Oxygen image with a guy digging a hole to put money in. There's the widow's mite, the prodigal son, even the serpent on the pole from Numbers 21. It's a lot of variety available.

What is one Oxygen image that has been particularly powerful in your ministry setting?
There are so many that are just magnificent. Two years ago I did a message about the Passion of the Christ. I used images from the movie, and I also used Oxygen images from the first Easter CD, too. I preached on Psalm 22, and the Oxygen images were really helpful. There were some who told me that they saw and heard the crucifixion in a new way, and some were very moved.

It's hard to pick one powerful image, because each time we get a new Oxygen volume there are always more. They're all favorites.

Where are you headed with multimedia in your worship services?
Media is very important, and I see us continuing on with what we're doing. You don't want to overdo it, because it's about the message, not the graphics. I've occasionally used short film clips, especially from Sermon Spice. Of course, you can only use video clips once or twice, before people get bored with it. It needs to help enhance the presentation.

Here are the results from last months survey when we asked, "What print media have you matched to your presentation graphics in the last year?"

Answer	Results
Bulletin Shell	34.40%
Sermon Outlines	46.54%
Outdoor Banner	9.66%
Indoor Banner	13.69%
Mailers	21.26%
None	41.38%

What kind of motion clips have you used in your services over the last 6 months?

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