How to Film an Update Video that Churches Will Want to Show to Their Congregation
What is an Update Video?
An Update Video focuses on a specific aspect of your ministry that is relevant to the real-time work you’re doing. What has happened this week or this month?
This also has to be directly relevant to your supporters or churches. How has their ongoing funding or one-time donations played a role in what you’re doing this week?
Church communities want to know specifically how they can be praying for you and your family. Not just the ministry work you do, but how you’re really doing.
What isn’t an Update Video?
An Update Video isn’t long or all-encompassing of your entire ministry or journey. It’s even less about the “Vision” or “Why” of your ministry and more focused on the “What” and “How.”
It’s not an introduction video to your ministry. So many global workers I’ve chatted with think they have to share their origin story in each video because they don’t know who in the audience knows them. Keep the Introduction Videos for your website or social media platforms — for the supporters that already sponsor you, even fluid ones like churches where new church members might not know you — let the church leadership bring context and vision for why they support you from the stage, in-person.
What should I say?
It can be both a celebration, a Praise Report, or sharing what’s been difficult & challenging. It has to come from a place of honesty. Authenticity builds connection, connection over time builds relationship.
When the video is for a specific church, talk directly to their community and how they’ve uniquely been supportive of your ministry.
Sample Structure:
• Hey [church name], we are so thankful for you (give a specific reason why you are thankful for them).
• We want to share an update with you about how your support has directly made an impact this month
• Hey [church name], we are so thankful for you (give a specific reason why you are thankful for them).
• We want to share an update with you about how your support has directly made an impact this month
OR:
• We want to share an update with you about how we’re doing and what you can be praying for (these provide enough context about the relationship and where you’re heading in your update).
• Update time. Less about the backstory and context, more focus on the journey and where it’s heading — even if where it’s heading is unknown to you.
• Share a prayer request. This will usually be related to the update you’re sharing, because too many prayer requests on different subject matters will start to become confusing when unrelated to the Update, specific to Video Updates. It’s not that the church doesn’t want to hear about it, but it’s a better use in another Update Video or in a newsletter.
• Close with a note about how you plan to keep the church congregation in the loop about this. It can be as simple as “Thank you again for your support. We’re looking forward to sending you another update video later this Spring.” — This keeps the conversation going, piques curiosity and interest for those who want to learn more, and also holds you accountable for following through!
• Update time. Less about the backstory and context, more focus on the journey and where it’s heading — even if where it’s heading is unknown to you.
• Share a prayer request. This will usually be related to the update you’re sharing, because too many prayer requests on different subject matters will start to become confusing when unrelated to the Update, specific to Video Updates. It’s not that the church doesn’t want to hear about it, but it’s a better use in another Update Video or in a newsletter.
• Close with a note about how you plan to keep the church congregation in the loop about this. It can be as simple as “Thank you again for your support. We’re looking forward to sending you another update video later this Spring.” — This keeps the conversation going, piques curiosity and interest for those who want to learn more, and also holds you accountable for following through!
Note that I didn’t dive into funding and donation requests. Remember the audience — these are updates to churches that already provide ongoing financial support. And if the church doesn’t support you financially, but does so in other ways, like through prayer or by sending missional teams, highlight that in your updates!
When the video is for general use, like for your newsletter or online supporters, think more about the individual donor rather than the collective sum of “everyone” — structure more “you” language than “all of you.”
How long should it be?
The most effective Update Videos are 1-2 minutes. This allows churches to give space in their services for your update. Anything over 3-4 minutes will start to take up too much time — not because the content of your video isn’t good, but rather think of it this way:
In our church’s announcements/news time, we categorize what we want to share with the congregation into two categories: Focus and Info.
“Focus” is 1, maybe 2, key pieces of church news that we want to share broadly and deeply. Casting vision and giving it a lot of attention. The “main story,” so to speak.
“Info,” on the other hand, is 3-4 quick, brief, and practical announcements that are just to inform the community of an upcoming event that might only target a select group.
If your update video is too long, it would require it to be a “Focus” piece, limiting its placement amongst the church’s local ministry initiatives that are also trying to be Focus pieces. When your Update Video can sit as an Info piece, however, it becomes a lot easier for churches to place it in their service order.
You may have a lot to say about your ministry or family — consider that each thing you want to say can be its own update!
In my next article, I'll be sharing a simple video setup for Global Workers, breaking down some essential tools for filming update videos & more.
I hope this has been helpful to you! If you have any questions related to this, please send me a note, and I’d love to help. Feel free to share it with others you know serving in ministry or nonprofit work.
Thanks for serving where you are. Keep telling the stories that matter, and may the work you’re doing be seen. Grace and peace.
Here to serve,
Rob
Rob
