Why not have a New Members page on your web site, complete with video clips? The idea would be to let each new member record a video clip right after they joined. The topic would be their personal testimony of faith. This is appropriate as a witness to their faith. In most Churches, joining requires that you either profess your faith or reaffirm the vows of membership. The video clip would capture a word of testimony from each person that the community of faith would then be able to see outside of the Sunday morning event. Families could share together or separately. Each clip would be limited to 3 minutes.

The assimilation of new members is an ongoing challenge in many Churches. This idea would give that process a jumpstart. Staff could review the video as it went up on the web site to tailor the assimilation plan for each new member. Other members of the Church could watch the new member’s video and identify like interests. The video clip would make each new member more visible, and open opportunities to get involved with various small groups based on shared life experiences. This would open the door to new members, who might otherwise stay put in the pew. Video clips would stay up for about a month, and then rotate out as others joined.

What are the primary elements of a video illustration?  There has to be an opening image, an attention-getter. And there has to be an ending image, something you want to leave the congregation with. In between there can be anything you like to get the Word across. You can use the same content as a parable, or fall back on standard elements:

• Setting – evoking a mood by presenting a background that people will recognize, e.g. the Holy Land

• Theme – presenting the main idea, e.g. Love of Neighbor

• Point of View – demonstrating a point of view, e.g. Stewardship

• Character – developing a character through their action, e.g. Acting on the basis of Love

Whatever the content, remember that the objective is to get the congregation thinking along the same lines as the preacher. If you can do that, then you’ve succeeded.