I know, I know you think it’s old and outdated. We are still, in our situation, fans of PowerPoint. Why you ask? For several reasons:
1. Non-linear ability. Despite naysayers, PP can be run non-linearly by either using a dual screen mode or ol’skooling it printing out 9 slides per page and numbering them. Then to skip from say slide 2 to 24 you hit 24 enter. Several of our techs run them this way actually.
We put our songs in forward click layouts. Rather than simply putting one slide of verse, one of chorus and one of bridge, etc., we input the songs in the actual structure order in which we do them (ex. V-V-C-V-C-B-C-C). It drives me nuts to have the slides to a song change after we hit the new section (the dreaded “late click” that you so often experience in the “more flexible” programs while the tech tries to figure out where you went in the song). If we do audible, it tends to be at the end of a song and our crew knows what is probable (repeat a chorus, etc.). I’d rather have that moment of “late click” instead of having it throughout the whole service. Late Click Syndrome is fine if congregants know the song well, but we want to create an environment that as inviting as possible for newbies who want to worship.
2. Inclusiveness. One of our values to include as many people in the worship ministry as we can. Most folks have at least dealt with the basics of PowerPoint. We can get them up to speed and involve them quickly as a team member.
3. Aesthetics. We really tweak our fonts, typesets, and where the font sits to match our metaphor for the current series (more on that concept soon). PowerPoint does this better than the other programs we have experienced.
4. MPEG stuff. “It won’t cue a service mpeg video from the presentation software,” you say. Our screens are really big and we can only use a very clean mpeg4 source (think DVD quality or better) or it looks very grainy so the ability to do this from a presentation software doesn’t help much.
“But it won’t put moving mpeg’s in the background.” Okay now for a brief soapbox. About two years ago I was asked to critique one of our church plants (their WL rocks and their church does too, so they shall rename nameless in this post.) They were doing a series related to Jonah. During the musical worship time, they had random backgrounds of candles playing. The text of the songs had nothing to do with that. Later, I asked my friend, “Why didn’t you use some water backgrounds?” They hadn’t thought of it. Many WL’s don’t use mpeg backgrounds to reinforce the content of worship. Instead, they are used meaningless filler candy simply because it can be done.
Will we use PowerPoint at NorthWood in our 2,000 seat sanctuary due in November? We will have three giant screens which can all receive an individual source. So, don’t know. I am not the biggest fan of image magnifying the vocalists and band members. It can sometimes reinforce a performance environment rather than the participatory environment we have spent so much time designing our room to be. I know it can be used well if done right. We’ll have to see. Who knows, maybe Gates and the MS boys will come along for the ride or we might be forced to turn to the darkside…a Mac. Above all, we feel they are merely tools to get things onto the screen. The worshipers want to meet God and don’t really care what you are using if it is distraction free.