recommended links & resources
As we've navigated our way through the world of contemporary worship (and still continue to do so), we've found some helpful videos, websites, and books along the way. Here's a few from our ever-growing list - if you think we're missing something, make sure you send a link our way!
Live Sound Resources - Multimedia Resources - Open Source Software
Recommended Reading - Sermon & Preaching - Tutorials
Live Sound & Church Audio Resources
If you're looking to do a little on-site training, the resources listed below can be a great way to learn more about church audio, speakers, mixers, microphones, and just about anything else!
A Field Guide to Contemporary Worship
Audio Systems Guide for Houses of Worship
Basic P.A. Systems - A Primer for Using P.A. Systems by Yorkville Sound
Mackie Compact Mixer Reference Guide
Live Sound Reinforcement, Bestseller Edition (Hardcover & DVD)
Guide to Sound Systems for Worship
Microphone Techniques for Live Sound
The Soundcraft Guide to Mixing
Yamaha Sound Reinforcement Application Guide
Yorkville Professional Audio Basics and User Tips Guide
Multimedia Resources for the Worship Team
Finding quality media, be it video clips for sermons, background images for song lyrics, or the tear-jerking ending of “Field of Dreams” can be a challenge, but we hope the list of audio/video/photography resources below will make that search a little less painful.
Floodgate Productions
Igniter Media
Open Source Software
If you're looking for a way to put up a church website on the cheap, need a content management system (CMS), or have desktop publishing needs, the open source software listed below may be a great way to meet the needs of your congregation. In addition, you'll find a few great resources for editing church videos, music, and other multimedia needs.
Audacity
Joomla
Recommended Reading
Some of the reading listed below ties in directly with contemporary worship, and others are simply picks that we have found to be helpful/enlightening/controversial/engaging. Have a favorite that you'd like to recommend? Send us an email & we'll check it out!
Sermon & Preaching Resources
Every preacher has his or her favorite commentaries to use for sermon preparation. Dialing into culture is no longer as simple as the old instruction often attributed to Karl Barth that every preacher should hold a Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other. Here are some resources a preacher may want to consider using in preparing sermons to better address culture.
Tutorials and Educational Resources
Need to learn how to use Dreamweaver? Wondering how iTunes can work in conjunction with your contemporary worship service? Confused about how you should hook up monitors or microphones? Looking for some good advice on what music gear to purchase? The resources below encompass a wide range of knowledge, including searchable databases and forums - if you can't find what your looking for, just ask!
Flickr: Church Marketing Lab (beta)
a field guide to contemporary worship
Now available for purchase via Augsburg Fortress, A Field Guide to Contemporary Worship is a must-have guide for anyone thinking about starting a contemporary worship service, and an essential reference work for those wondering about the nuts and bolts of instrumentation, arranging, working with microphones and speakers, and much more!
Written by a church musician and a pastor who have experienced the joys and challenges of this popular form of worship, A Field Guide to Contemporary Worship provides field-tested ideas and hints and a wealth of illustrations.
In this book you will learn how to form a worship team, how to build a repertoire, how to lead effective rehearsals, the basic of music arrangement and orchestration, how a PA system works, and how to arrange/assemble a sound system (including info on microphones and speakers).
If you've already been so kind as to purchase a copy [thanks, Mom], please make sure you take advantage of the supplementary material to the book found in the "Field Guide Extras" section. You'll find a ton of free contemporary worship resources, including a searchable index of contemporary worship songs organized by theme.
Order A Field Guide to Contemporary Worship (via Augsburg Fortress)
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