This is the Moment to Broadcast Your Easter Service on Local TV

One of the challenges of not knowing about the COVID-19 lockdown is when churches will be allowed to open again – and the big concern is having to miss gathering for Easter. In that event, certainly thousands of churches will be live streaming their Easter services. However, one idea that I’ve been talking to a number of pastors about is actually buying time on a local TV station and broadcasting the service to their community.

That would mean a number of things:

1. You’ll need a bigger set up than a mobile device to record your services. This will only be possible if the church already has multiple cameras and video editing capability.

2. You’ll need to pre-tape the service, and it will need to be produced a notch higher than a normal live stream. (And yes – it can be done without an audience.)

3. A media time slot will have to be purchased on a local TV station.  Plus, you’ll have to move quickly, because local TV stations like to see the production quality of a program before they’ll agree to broadcast it.

4. It would be best if you could advertise and promote it – not only to your congregation, but the larger community as well.

Think about it: the biggest concern pastors have is people from the congregation drifting off the longer this quarantine lasts. Live streaming will help, but think of the splash you could make for your church (and the gospel) by broadcasting a version of your Easter message and service on local TV. And I’m curious that since so many sports have been cancelled, how many Sunday time slots are opening on TV stations across the country?

Note: Local stations in your market may be limited. If your church has the capacity to pull something like this together quickly, it’s a great way to share a message of hope during this difficult time. If you’d like to talk more about it, drop us an email at Cooke Media Group. We’ve been producing national television programming for decades and we’d love to help put your church on television in your area.

Photo by Paul Zoetemeijer on Unsplash