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Knowing your audience is absolutely the basis of what we do. Universal axioms like: "Everyone has the same need, Jesus" is so shallow, that it is hardly applicable for ministry purposes. We do well in having graded-ministries for age categories and various needs of life experience. Somehow that begins to break down when we go cross-cultural or even make the assumption that everyone after 18 years of age can be put into one worship experience.
Understanding felt needs does not dumb down the gospel (unless you allow that to happen), it creates thirst. Be salty. And pure.
{gallery}graphics,single=fishing.jpg,salign=right{/gallery}Gathering information for demographic studies can be accomplished with various methods:
1. Use your eyes.
Take walks through the community and take notice of commonalities. Where do family units spend their time? What businesses draw interest among your target audience? What colors are popular? Are houses clean and well kept? Does that indicate that people place more emphasis on things or on relationships? When do people gather?
2. Local authorities.
Within German communities your local governmental offices (Rathaus) will have community breakdowns along demographic lines. Reference these. If your strength is young families, then you would certainly want to count the number of young families within your area. If there has been a trend for young teens to move away to find jobs, then what demographic is staying in your area? What is their educational level? - which will determine what language and intellectual level you will need to use.
Don't forget to search out school authorities and ask them about their greatest needs within younger families. They will generally share their expertise, insight and opinion if you ask at a convenient time.
3. Relationships
People are proud of their city. Ask them to inform a foreigner as to the strengths of their city. Ask them why they have stayed so many years. Ask them what you should know about the city. What changes have they observed in the past couple of decades.
4. Surveys.
Processing lots of information will be necessary. So here are a few tips: Use multiple choice answers, not essays. Ask about the felt needs. Get a survey that will take around 30 seconds to complete. If you need further information, do a second survey. Go to a public place, where lots of foot traffic will generate a ton of answers. You might want to consider a database to process those answers. If you are in a western society that is internet literate, you might even consider an electronic survey.
In the next issue I will provide some questions to consider for a community survey.
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{gallery}graphics,single=fishing.jpg,salign=right{/gallery}Successful fisherman know what bait to use. And where to fish. They do not control if the fish bite, that is out of their control. They have surveyed the water, looked at available food supplies, checked temperatures, well ... the list goes on.
At the same time, you might know someone (be someone) who was taught to fish by sitting on the bank waiting for something to attach itself to the line. That is called: One jerk waiting for a jerk.
The point being - some wait for something to happen, others plan for something to happen.
Jesus called us to be fishers-of-men. He knew that his audience could extrapolate from their life experience to apply that to kingdom life.
For those ministering in a cross-cultural setting, for those working in a demographic that is not their own age, you must know what type and needs of the fish you desire to target. Comprehending felt needs is not reducing to gospel to consumerism, it is showing the relevancy of Jesus.
Unfortunately, in church after church it has often been my experience to witness a group that is answering questions, that no one in their society is asking. And we wonder why the seats are empty.
To understand your audience, you can go about that in a couple of different ways:
1. God's Word won't return void.
Just bait a hook with a verse and toss it out. Does anyone believe that words of God are spoken accidentally without relevance to a particular happenstance? Then let's exposite Revelation 17-21 in the preschool Sunday School class. And then just wait for the phone calls from parents whose kids are having nightmares to arrive, thanking you for your biblical expertise. Just wait.
2. Ignore the felt needs,
because church is for believers and worship of God. You have no believers as a start-up. While a church is exclusively made up of believers, a church service is not to be used as a synonym. Any church service is not exclusively called-out sanctified followers of Christ.
3. Intuitive ministry.
Some have never really given analytical thought to the process of fishing; they are intuitive in their skills. It is nonetheless a good proposal to add another skillset, moving from doing something intuitively to doing it intentionally. That means that we understand the process involved. Only then can it be conveyed to others.
4. Gather information pertaining to the target audience.
Perform demographic studies, gather intrinsic information based on relational gatherings, ask questions, read widely, check in with local officials - politicians, city officials, school representatives, etc.
In the next couple of days I will further develop the process of doing demographic studies.
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Getting great video on the camera is only part of the task, then it has to be edited. This is where software comes into play.
Adobe Premiere
I can't say that I know much about this alternative. It does a quick job of getting a video put out.
Adobe After Effects
This is the powerhouse delivery system that is essential. There is a huge learning curve in this software, but it simply has to be done if you are going to produce something that is edgy, appealing to the modern viewer.
The benefit of this mainstay is the ability to produce both computer-generated graphics, a 3-D surface, audio support and programming support.
If I could only have one product, this would be it.
Newtek Video Toaster and Speed Edit
This is a proprietary software that our church uses. The Video Toaster 5 (VT5) allows us to do multiple camera shoots and superimpose graphics on a live basis. Part of that package is an editor that will edit HD material called Speed Edit. I use the version attached to the entire package, although it is also a stand alone product. The main benefit of this software is the speed that you can edit a storyboard and render a finished product. A couple of nice software features are available, such as users being able to build their own presets and then use that to adjust other clips.
One of the main things about this software is the ability to write code that will control the program. By having that ability, the user can take a lengthy text and turn it into subtitles in less than a few minutes. It has become a great feature.
Magic Bullet Looks
This software plugin assists in coloring footage so that it will give an appearance as you were imagining. Basically in short, never ever present footage that has come straight out of the camera.
Audio software
I am just learning this side of post production, but the audio track will be what sells your footage. Do this well, add effects, check the equalizers and normalize the tracks. It is essential. Believe me.
Right now I use Sony Sound Forge. Like I say, I don't have great experience with this side of production, but enough to get the job done.
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Shooting great video requires a handful of tools. Following a description of what is in my camera bag, here is a listing of the tools that I use to shoot video.
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This is actually one of my most favorite tripods (full disclosure: I have maybe four or five at present). This monopod is easy to pack away on a trip (it has accompanied me to three continents so far). I use it to stabilize shots, but also use it as a mini-crane by shooting live video and then elevating the camera.
One thing that I attempt to do is stay within the Manfrotto family. Using the quick release plates allows me to change from head to tripod, to monopod quickly.
Igus DryLin W slider:
{gallery}stories/graphics,single=igus_slider.jpg,scaption=Monopod,single_gallery=0,salign=right,ratio_image=1{/gallery}This is my favorite, favorite, favorite piece of equipment for shooting video. Really. It is actually a Do It Yourself (DIY) project, but it has saved me a bunch of bucks over store bought items. With a little drilling, tap and die, a couple of bolts, and cheap feet, then I have a 2 foot unit that can either be used as a stand-alone unit, or attached to a tripod. On top of a tripod you can shoot any angle: inclined, or horizontal takes.
This is basically a mini-dolly, which allows for slow movement of the camera on a stable platform. Although I have never owned another unit, I find this one durable and portable. Those are two of my greatest requirements.
There are a few websites that show the same unit being outfitted with a motorized sled, which is helpful for time-lapse shots. That is outside my needs at present.
I have also put a Manfrotto fluid video head on top of the igus slider. That is bolted into place via a 3/8" course-threaded bolt - the standard of video heads.
Mikestand
A standard boom mikestand is used to attach the Zoom H4N and position near the talent when recording. That gives me a close audio signal and does not necessarily require a wired mike. The Zoom H4N has a 1/4" threaded screw hole for direct attachment to the mike stand.
Timer:
I recently picked up an ultra-cheap timer. Attached to the camera, I can schedule the series of shots I desire, thereby producing time lapse shots. I don't get to shoot many of those - the time required is generally not available to my schedule.
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I don't believe that there is anyone on the planet that really enjoys being criticized. Coached? Yes. Encouraged? Yes. Criticized? Hardly. Maybe that is the reason that we are selective about reading from the prophets of old.
Isaiah starts his written statement to his people: God says the following - you guys are creeping me out. You call it worship and I call it disgusting. You call it prayer and I call it pure monologue, not dialogue. You don't worship me, you just do your ritual. And it makes me sad. Even mad. So here is something that will get your attention.
Ouch.
It is not at the top of the to do list to analyze personal worship (Jesus has to take what he can get... at least that is what we present), but what does Jesus say about my worship? Acceptable or annoying? Are my hands clean when I come, or am I too busy to even take notice? Do I really want to assist the disenfranchised, or I am solely seeking to please self?
It will take someone that is serious to assess heart matters and address them without either running towards self-righteousness or falling into hopeless despair. Satan would have no greater delight than to see that happen.
Here is the bottom line to prevent something like that from occurring: Your heavenly Father never rebukes without the intention of addressing an issue that is hindering intimacy. Neither self-righteousness nor hopeless despair addresses the root. So the Father rebukes, but lovingly calls back to His own heart. He desires not just to point out wrong, but to remove whatever prevents intimacy. That is good news.
What does Jesus say about your worship?
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