It’s the end of week one of working totally from home due to the coronavirus. After hours of Zoom and Teams video meetings and researching online ministry for youth, here are few thoughts to a big question we really need to ask.

Why would someone want to watch my ministry oriented video for more than two minutes?

Most students and people in general love to watch online videos that are funny or well produced. If you have a multi-million dollar budget you can make a Lord of the Rings movie and someone might watch for three hours. But the truth is, we will never be as funny as the comedians nor have the money of the movie studios. Be as funny as you can but for most of us it will probably not be funny for more than two minutes. So why would someone watch your ministry video more than two minutes (besides a parent making their kids watch something which I have done :)

1) I know you and like you. RELATIONSHIPS MATTER. If I miss you, I will look forward to hearing from you and in a time of crisis, it will bring comfort to see a spiritual leader that I have a relationship with.

2) Conversations and interaction. A speech online can’t compete with a drama online. But a movie can’t compete with social interaction. Responding live to comments and questions will keep me listening to you more than two minutes. A great online game is Quiplash from Jackbox.tv. (There is family friendly setting and you will need separate computer to run it on and stream from your phone.). As you plan out your ministry online, don’t just imitate Sunday services that stream a service. Consider a giant zoom call or instagram live or Hangouts Meet where you can interact with your audience.

3) Stories - learn to tell amazing stories. Don’t read the story memorize it. Tell it like you were there. Envision and live in your mind and tell the story in such a way that you both paint a picture and people are in suspense wanting to know what happens at the end of this story. Make the story 80% of your talk and your point 20%. A five minute story should be 4 minutes story and 1 minute driving home your point. A great book to help you improve is “The Art of Storytelling” by John Walsh. Matthew 13:34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.

4) Object Lessons - Doing something that is visual and has suspense. Kids watch those science shows with science projects and learn but it is not a lecture. If you have a pet or other visual things … that is different and more than a speech but you can still drive home a ministry point.

5) Timely word. - I have watched 30 minute webinars this week because it was a training I needed right now. I don’t care about plumbing until I have a plumbing problem and then I am searching for one online. If you are meeting a felt need or addressing an issue that is top of mind, I will listen until I get the answer. If it someone who wants to learn a skill, they will stay until they learn and maybe even watch twice. For the coronavirus season, you need speak to where people are at. And God will use a video with his power more than a million dollar production if you are speaking with his power.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5. And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

Make sure you are doing your devotions and spending time with God in prayer and walking in the Spirit and maybe not the whole world will listen, but the people that know you will and even if you are shaking with fear.. the power of God will impact someone spiritually.

Make some comments for your tips and advice…