Messiah Media: Building the Church for Tomorrow Equipping Congregations to use New Media to Draw the World to Christ - Prepared by the Rev'd Tay ...
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Messiah Media:
Building the Church for Tomorrow
Equipping Congregations to use
New Media
to Draw the World to Christ
Prepared by the Rev'd Tay Moss
The Church of The Messiah
Date: 15 April 2013
1Messiah Media:
Building the Church for Tomorrow
Equipping Congregations to use New Media
to Draw the World to Christ
Executive Summary
“Messiah Media” is an organization proposed to equip members of our churches throughout the Diocese
with the training and tools they need to communicate the Gospel in a wireless world. This parish-level
initiative would supply resources, training, and equipment in Toronto and beyond.
We request an investment of $517,758 over a three-year period in order to establish
training events, hire teachers, and create a production facility capable of producing
professional quality studio and live-streamed events to benefit the entire Diocese.
Building the church for tomorrow begins today – by equipping the church with knowledge, skills, resources
and tools that enable us collectively to re-imagine, plant and build our church. In Our Faith, Our Hope,
the Diocese has allocated $14,000,000 to equip the church and all its leaders with that knowledge; with
those skills, resources and tools.
This proposal addresses three key ministry opportunities and needs:
• Leadership Development
• Pioneering Ministry
• Communicating in a Wireless World.
In the proposal that follows we will outline, in brief:
• the case for the ministry opportunity
• the broad support that exists for this project
• the structure and scope of the project
• the desired deliverables and evaluation benchmarks
• the prospects for long-term sustainability and risk assessment
• the benefits of investing in this new way of communicating
This document is accompanied by the “M2 Pitch” Video that further presents and explains this project. It
contains details not covered in the video. The Pitch Video may be viewed at any time from the following
address:
http://www.churchofthemessiah.ca/m2
2The Case for the Ministry Opportunity
Although the church is traditionally on the lagging edge of technological adoption, the wave is quickly
sweeping over us. The explosive growth of new forms of communication is remarkable and well
documented. Few times in history have witnessed such epochal change in how people form community and
construct social networks. The confluence of several factors, including the rise of sophisticated mobile
devices (“Smart Phones” and tablets), the ubiquity of wireless communications networks (wifi and 3G), and
democratization of the means of broadcasting content (YouTube, Flickr, Instagram, SoundCloud) have
provoked an enormous cultural shift in the way we communicate with each other. The emerging generation
are “digital natives,” whose attitude towards privacy might be summarized by “If I didn't share it, it didn't
happen.” Phyllis Tickle has postulated a new form of the faith, “Emergence Christianity” will rise up from
the confusion of the current era, and we invited to rise up with it 1.
Illustration 1: The growth of Facebook users over time.
We contend that these new forms of communication create a powerful opportunity for relationship-based
evangelism. This trend is about more than simply a new channel of communication—it is a real cultural
shift taking place that we must reckon with. People are occupying a new social space defined by digital
networks such as Twitter and Facebook. It is not uncommon for people to meet “in real life” (“IRL” in
slang) for the first time only to realize that they already know a great deal about each other: pictures of
children, cooking habits, and inspiring experiences of worship have already been shared between them.
Virtual neighbourhoods have formed linking people into new configurations—sharing their lives in ways
that create relationship every bit as real as those created by face-to-face interaction. People will share things
about their lives and experiences online that they never would have shared publicly before.
Most of these tools are actually free or very low cost—the primary obstacle for the church has been the
necessary shift in mindset as well as some skills in basic principles of modern marketing strategies.
1 Tickle, Phyllis. Great Emergence, The: How Christianity Is Changing and Why. New York: Baker Books, 2011.
3However, in the case of video production (whether in the form of live-streamed or edited content), there is
a necessary technological infrastructure that would need to be created or enhanced in order for churches in
to Diocese to become a content producer rather than simply a content consumer. This is why investing in
video production capabilities is an important component of this proposal.
Like all technologies before it, the church could take several postures in response to the rise of “New
Media” (an intentionally broad term that encompasses virtually all forms of communication that have
emerged with the Internet): outright rejection, idolatrous embrace, or faithful use 2. The temptations of the
first two must naturally be avoided in favour of the Anglican middle-way.
While some have suggested that we treat the New Media universe as though it were a distant and newly
discovered land full of people with a strange culture who have never heard the Gospel, the truth is that this
world is really just a layer imposed on the one already familiar to us. These are our friends and colleagues,
neighbours and children. What is needed is not to send specially trained missionaries to a dark and foreign
land far distant from us, but rather to simply teach a new language to our existing communities of faith.
That means equiping our people, now, with the training and tools they need to engage the emerging
connected culture.
The question we ought to engage is not whether our churches will become more technologically savvy, but
when and how. These new ways of doing church and connecting to those not yet a part of church will
never replace brick-and-mortar places of worship or the well-used coffee urn, but they will augment those
realities by superimposing a new layer of engagement for those who desire it. Sermons will be preached and
heard, sure, to congregations that are more or less sleepy—but they will also be tweeted, posted, tagged,
and otherwise disseminated through the ether. Yet this constant need for scribes trained for the kingdom to
draw from both new and old is part of the resurrection life.
3 Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing.’ They said to him, ‘We will go with
you.’ They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4
Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it
was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, ‘Children, you have no fish, have you?’ They
answered him, ‘No.’ 6 He said to them, ‘Cast the net to the right side of the boat,
and you will find some.’ So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in
because there were so many fish. (John 21.3-6)
Besides the pragmatic reasons for investing in this new way of relating the world is the straight forward
missional implications of passages such as John 21.3-6. The church has spent a long night putting the net
down in the same patch of water again and again—each time hauling in fewer and fewer fish. Isn't it time,
with the dawn of a new era upon us, to be faithful to our Lord's command and try fishing on the right side
of the boat? By doing so we will reach not only the unchurched or dechurched, but faithful disciples
seeking renewal and fresh forms of engagement.
Tay, the project leader for this proposal, has interviewed scores of colleagues in ministry from around the
2 Here I am borrowing heavily from the helpful essay “Practicing Virtue With Social Media: An 'Undetermined'
Response” by Jason Byassee. http://www.cpx.cts.edu/newmedia/findings/essays/practicing-virtue-with-social-media.
4Diocese and he has heard again and again that many are eager to engage this work but lack the skills to do
so. The recent study conducted by the Communications Department revealed that most respondents were
eager to learn if opportunities were presented to them. Now is our opportunity to embark on an ambitious
programme of training and capacity-building.
For the last several years the Diocese has been slowly building up video production capacity. This began by
investing in equipment and then hiring free-lance videographers on a project-to-project basis to use it. Tay
recruited, trained, and supervised these videographers as the Diocese began to make more and more videos.
This equipment investment of approximately $20,000 was paid for out of the York-Credit Valley Area with
the intention that the resources created would be available to the entire Diocese. Soon parishes were
commissioning projects, as well. To date more than 15 videos have been produced for a variety of different
“clients” including the Congregational Development Department, the Communications Department, St.
Patrick's, St. Paul's Bloor Street, Fresh Start, the Vital Church Planting Conference, and many more. At
this point the free-lancer, Tim Harry, is employed full time as he goes from project-to-project.
The Church of the Messiah currently hosts this modest semi-official Diocesan production office. We set up
an office for the workstation and for securely storing the camera, lights, and other gear. Certain aspects of
the Messiah Media Proposal are really just an escalation of this arrangement.
The Church of The Messiah has approximately 8,000 square feet of prime program space that will become
available this summer. The daycare that operates there will close because it is no longer viable with the
advent of full-day Kindergarten. The church is centrally located in the Diocese and has some parking. The
space would be perfect for establishing a basic production facility with a TV-studio, editing bays, storage
space, offices, and even a classroom.
Another advantage of hosting this project at Messiah is to place the programme under the administrative
umbrella of the parish. Issues like insurance, payroll, and safe-church screening procedures can be elegantly
handled by existing structures.
There are many bushel baskets in the Diocese of Toronto. On any given day one could attend inspirational
worship, beautiful concerts, fascinating lectures, and fun events of every type. Now is the time to start
sharing God's grace and beauty with world. We already have the space and we have the existing pattern of
hosting the Diocesan video production capacity already. Thanks to the Our Faith Our Hope Campaign
there is also now the financial resources to capitalize on these early investments and to establish a base of
operations at Messiah properly resourced to do this work.
5The Broad Support that Exists for this Project
We would not submit a proposal of this kind, without having determined that there exists significant and
far-reaching support for this work. Success depends upon supporters—those who will use and champion
the use of new media in their ministry. The following is a partial list of people who have indicated their
support for this project:
• Douglas Stout, Dean, St. James Cathedral
• Charles Waterman, Warden, Church of The Messiah
• Barry Parker, Rector, St. Paul's, Bloor Street
• David Openheim, Rector, All Saints', Sherbourne
• Jenny Andison, Rector, St. Clement's
• Kirk Vandezande, business leader and member of St. Paul's, Bloor Street
• Nicholas Bradford-Ewart, film maker and member of St. Clement's
• Judy Paulsen, Associate Priest St. Paul's Bloor Street and Director Institute for Evangelism
• Erin Martin, Incumbent, St. Peter, Scarborough
• Simon Bell, Rector, St. George the Martyr
• Brian Bukowski, Web Manager for the Anglican Church of Canada
• Dawn Leger, Associate Priest, Christ Church, Stouffville
• David Giffen, Priest-in-Charge, Church of the Transfiguration
• Andrew Graham, Priest Associate, St. John Willowdale (Chinese)
• Michelle Childs-Ward, Incumbent, St. John, Weston
• Jason McKinney, Jeremiah Community
• Ron Duncan, Incumbent, St. James, Brampton
• Naomi Miller, Incumbent, Evangelists, New Tecumseth
• Mark Kinghan, Rector, St. Mary's, Richmond Hill
• Marty Levesque, Incumbent, St. Andrew's, London
• Dave Krause, member of St. George the Martyr
• Warren Leibovitch, Incumbent, St. Paul's, Lindsay
• Gary Van der Meer, Priest-in-Charge, St. Anne's, Gladstone
• Beverly Williams, Priest-in-Charge, Christ Church, Scarborough
• Rachel Kessler, Curate, Grace Church-on-the-Hill
• Ted McCollum, Incumbent, St. Paul, Beaverton
• Catherine Bryant, Parish Administrator, St. John's, York Mills
• Judy Herron-Graham, Priest-in-Charge, Trinity, Port Credit
• Anthony Bassett, Associate Priest, St. Clement's
These are some of the most enthusiastic supporters of the project, though many others have also expressed
their interest and support. This list is also included to give some sense of the breadth of different types of
people and talent available to help execute this project. The parish of the Church of The Messiah, where we
intend to host the project, voted unanimously in a Special Vestry Meeting to authorize the Wardens to
make this application. Many members of the congregation voiced their excitement to be involved in this
new form of ministry.
6The Structure and Scope of The Project
The structure of Messiah Media would consist of several components, all of them easily portable and
adaptable in case of changing circumstances.
The Board of Trustees
First, we would establish a Board of Trustees to govern the project. The Board would consist of eight
members: four chosen by the Our Faith Our Hope Committee and four chosen by the Wardens of the
Church of The Messiah. The Board would be responsible for the hiring and firing of personnel, setting the
strategic vision of the project, and ensuring accountability to Diocesan Council for the resources granted
through the OFOH Campaign. Critically, they would also develop and implement the business plan that
will gradually increase revenue through billable services over the three years and establish a sustainable
configuration by year four. Also, establishing a Board ensures continuity of leadership and gives Messiah
Media enough independence from the parish to ensure continuity should it ever need to move.
Staffing
We envision two full time staff members in this project: a Videographer and a “Guru.” The role of the
“Videographer” is essentially to continue the video production work already being done for the Diocese
and parishes. However, instead of being paid project-to-project, we would put Tim Harry, the current
Videographer, on salary. Like a video version of Michael Hudson (the Diocesan Photographer present at
nearly every diocesan event), Tim has built up numerous relationships with people in the Diocese, and we
wish to capitalize on his expertise. Additionally, we would ask him to function as the Equipment Manager
in charge of maintaining the Diocesan Equipment and keeping track of it when it is being borrowed.
The “Guru” would be, first and foremost, a teacher and secondarily involved on the production of content.
The “Guru” would be the Executive Director and report to the Board of Trustees. He or she would be
responsible for establishing training events and programmes throughout the Diocese. In the next section of
this proposal we will discuss some preliminary ideas about what kinds of events and programmes we would
like to see.
Both the Videographer and the Guru would charge churches and the Diocese for their professional services
with billable hours, and this cost-recovery model is an important component of establishing the long-term
sustainability of the programme (which will be discussed later in this document).
Studio and Equipment Library
Although the bulk of the funding requested would go toward staff expenses, we would like to take our
video production capacity to the next level by creating a modest studio. The advantage to having a small
studio is that it is faster and easier than constantly shooting on location. Additionally, the studio would
have editing workstations that people could come and use for their projects. Individuals could also check
out equipment to use on church projects.
We have spent a great deal of time consulting experts on what sort of equipment would be appropriate for a
media centre such as this one. We have been told that it is not uncommon for corporations to establish
media departments like ours, and Vistek has offered us a bulk discount and their expertise in selecting an
appropriate package of gear. The result is a group of cameras that range in complexity. We would have some
simple cameras that are relatively inexpensive and easy to use. Then we would have some intermediate-level
7cameras for those who have mastered the basics. Finally, we would have some very nice cameras for use on
major projects, studio work, and live-streaming events. We have selected cameras with versatility in mind,
so, for example, the “intermediate” and “expert” level cameras use interchangeable lenses.
Besides the cameras (and some more audio and lighting gear) another major investment we wish to make is
a video switcher. This is a devices that allows one to switch between video cameras during a live event. It is
the essential piece of gear that would allow us to create a professional-looking live streamed event with
multiple-camera angles, microphones, and title effects. Although they aren't cheap (approximately $15,000
for the model we have in mind), the cost is quickly recovered, however, when one considers that it isn't
uncommon to spend $12,000 and up to live-stream a single event using an outside company. If we plan to
live-stream even two events in the next three years, the investment will pay for itself.
The Messiah Media Community
We are confident that a group of committed volunteers will begin to establish itself in orbit around Messiah
Media. In fact, a community of tech-savvy Anglicans has already established itself in the Diocese and makes
itself known by live-tweeting Synods, posting on Facebook, and maintaining blogs. Hosting events, a
virtual help desk, and a studio to work in will simply enrich and build that community.
Financials
Here is a preliminary budget. The total amount requested over the three-year period is $517,758.
Projections for cost-recovery have been intentionally modest.
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Costs Recovered3 $26,000.00 $52,000.00 $78,000.00
The “Guru” Salary4 $75,000.00 $76,500.00 $78,030.00
Videographer Salary $70,000.00 $71,400.00 $72,828.00
Shared Cost with Messiah5 $25,000.00 $25,000.00 $25,000.00
Equipment $85,000.00 $35,000.00 $15,000.00
Misc./Travel/Subscriptions6 $10,000.00 $10,000.00 $10,000.00
Total Expenses $265,000.00 $212,900.00 $195,858.00
Total Requested from OFOH $239,000.00 $160,900.00 $117,858.00
3 Most of the services available from Messiah Media would be free (use of the workstations, studio, cameras, etc.), but
professional services from the Guru or Videographer would be paid for on the basis of “billable hours.” Alternatively,
the board may decide to charge a nominal fee for borrowing the equipment, depending on demand and estimated
maintenance needs.
4 Both the “Guru” and Videographer Salary include modest year-to-year increase to adjust for inflation.
5 This refers to a modest amount paid to the parish to compensate for costs associated with housing the project including
cleaning, utilities, building up-keep, etc. The church does not expect to make money from the project, and could
certainly rent out the space for far more if finances were the only concern.
6 Many professional tools now operate on a “Subsciption” model. For example, in order to live-stream events will need a
subscription to a live-steaming service such a Ustream. However, there is no reason why other churches couldn't use
Messiah Media's Subscription to live-stream their own content.
8Desired Deliverables and Evaluation Benchmarks
Since the primary goal of the project is to equip people with the tools and expertise to evangelize, this
might be difficult to measure objectively. However, we can set some specific goals that we wish to achieve in
this project.
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Conferences/Workshops Held 2 4 6
Live Streamed Events 4 8 12
Videos Published 12 24 36
Billable Hours of Services Provided 520 1,040 1,560
We believe that Conferences and Workshops will be an important method for training. The Vital Church
Planting Conference has been an enormously successful venue for spreading missional thinking among our
churches, we expect that hosting technology and church conferences will do the same. As with VCP, we
fully expect these conferences to draw people from outside our Diocese. The shape of these conferences will
largely be determined by the expressed needs of people who wish to attend. Already Tay is leading a group
of people who wish to organize a conference this fall. Topics will likely include social media engagement for
churches, using Skype and other tee-conferencing technologies, and website development for parishes. By
the end of year three at least 200 church leaders will have participated in at least one training event.
Live streaming events is an important way for our churches to reach new people. Our goal, by year three, is
to do at least one such event a month. We certainly hope that churches will take it upon themselves to live
stream their own events, and we will train them to do so, but what we have in mind here is sophisticated,
multi-camera productions. They could be worship services but they could also be lectures, concerts,
Synods, or virtually any other event that could draw outside interest.
Another objective benchmark will be the establishment of a virtual help desk where people can ask
questions and get answers from either the Messiah Media staff or volunteers. We want to develop a whole
cadre of people excited about telling stories in this way and eager to help each other. Exactly how this
“virtual help desk” will be structured will depend largely on the needs of the people using it, more research
will be needed to determine who will answer these questions.
There is an inherent ecumenical quality to New Media forms of evangelism, and one outcome that we
would like to see is engagement with other denominations. We can imagine partnerships developing
between Messiah Media and other church groups.
A more subjective benchmark for the board to consider will be the qualitative and quantitative difference in
New Media evangelism being done by parishes. We want to see churches improving their websites, posting
more content online, and utilizing technologies like skype to connect in new ways with new people. Of the
parishes that have engaged in our training, we would like to see at least 50% increasing their New Media
engagement by the end of year 3.
9The “Billable Hours” benchmark is important for the long-term sustainability of the project. If it is going
to be a self-sustaining project it is going to need a revenue source. Billing for professional services such as
editing and shooting seems entirely reasonable. If the project is having difficulty meeting this goal, however,
it would be possible to generate revenue by renting equipment and studio time to non-church groups and
secular organizations with compatible values. Note that we expect the demand for the “Guru's” services to
expand, in particular, as parishes realize what is possible.
The Prospects for Long-Term Sustainability and Risk Assessment
As with many projects of this type, the long-term sustainability will depend on the demand for what it
provides. If New Media forms of ministry continue to grow (and we have every expectation they will), then
the demand for this project will increase and revenue sources will become available to fund it (either
through billable services or through further grants). In all likelihood, at the end of year three we will wish
to change the staffing configuration to accommodate whatever financial situation exists. If it needs to scale
back to a part-time position and volunteers, the programme could easily do it. However, in order to jump-
start the process of getting churches in the Diocese to Communicate the Gospel in a wireless world, hiring
a “Guru” to train us seems like a good way to invest in people and knowledge for at least the first few years.
If the project is a complete failure, there are several options for cost recovery. Most of the equipment we
propose purchasing maintains its value exceptionally well, so selling it off is an option. A more likely
scenario, however, is that it would be absorbed into the Diocesan Structure and subsumed under the
Communications Department.
Part of the long-term sustainability involves the notion of ownership. As time goes on, we imagine the
board wishing to change or modify the goals of the project as needs change. Our hope is though the system
of appointments, a broad and committed group will ensure that the strategic vision remains fresh and
relevant. As established platforms peak and decline, new ones will emerge and the programme will need to
adapt to that if it continues in perpetuity.
Another risk some might consider is whether this ministry would form a “distraction” from parish ministry
of Church of The Messiah. We do not believe that telling people stories of God's work could ever be a
“distraction,” but it is worth noting that since this ministry exists in a totally different part of the building,
it will in no way hamper the church from its current or future programming.
Knowledge has a viral character, and we believe that as these skills spread opportunities for learning will
propagate. We could easily imagine volunteer-led area-level workshops and programmes. Yet there is always
more to learn in every discipline, and a sign of success of Messiah Media might be that it becomes more
specialized over time. We might find that Messiah Media becomes focused exclusively on producing
content for the Diocese itself, in which case absorbing into the Diocesan structure might make sense.
Overall, it is difficult to find many risks associated with the project. Messiah Media's leadership model (a
Board of Trustees) makes financial or administrative maleficence unlikely, and is both robust and portable
should the project need to be moved out of Church of The Messiah.
10The Benefits of Investing in this New Way of Communicating
The mission of the Diocese of Toronto is “to strive to build communities of hope and compassion through
healthy, vibrant parishes and fresh expressions of church.” We believe that investing in new methods of
communicating is part of that building process. Building the Church for Tomorrow requires investing in
the people that we have, now, by giving them access to the expertise and tools necessary to proclaim the
Gospel in a rapidly changing context. If this project receives funding it will push us forward in this work.
Besides imparting mere technical skill or creating a capacity to create compelling content, it will have an
impact of the very culture of the Diocese itself—forming us into a community quick to share the Good
News of how God is at work in our lives. We will become a connected Diocese, where every member is an
Evangelist empowered to witness.
Answers to Application Questions
1. How do you plan to spend the grant money?
To hire two full time staff, one to continue producing video content and the other to train others in
the use of New Media through training events, consultations, and other education projects.
2. What are your objectives and goals for this project?
See “Desired Deliverables and Evaluation Benchmarks” above.
3. Who will be doing the communicating? Who will be the leader responsible for this project?
Anyone and everyone will be empowered to be a communicator to tell the story of God's redeeming
work. Our intention is to train both lay and ordained Anglicans (and ecumenical partners) how to
effectively communicate the Gospel message. A board of Trustees will supervise the project and hire
a Programme Director (the “Guru” position outlined above).
4. Do you have experience with this form of communication? If not, how will you acquire the skills
that are necessary?
Yes, I have been involved in New Media production since the early days of the Internet making
websites and other content. Later I learned the skills of live event production (I was a sound
engineer for rock bands in college), photography, and videography. I've manitained a blog for years
and am active on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, FourSquare, and Google+.
5. What will you be communicating?
God's love in Jesus Christ.
6. Who will be your audience? Will this project allow you to increase the number of people you’re
currently reaching?
We intend to teach people to reach the maximum number of people possible using a variety of
techniques including viral marketing, live-streaming, and social media campaigns.
117. How will you measure the effectiveness of your communications? What does success look like?
See “Desired Deliverables and Evaluation Benchmarks” above.
8. Why is new media or new technology particularly appropriate to this project, as opposed to
traditional methods of communication?
See “The Case for the Ministry Opportunity” above.
9. What funds will you or your church contribute to this project?
In lieu of funds, we are going to cover the project under the church's insurance and house it,
physically, in our building. We would like some funds from the project to offset the cost of utilities
and cleaning, but we are offering up about 8,000 square feet in Yorkville for $25,000 a year—a
substantial contribution from the church since we could rent the space commercially for many
times that amount.
10. What is the time-frame for your project?
This is a three-year project that may continue indefinitely after the life of the grant. We can begin as
soon as we receive word that the project has been approved.
11. How will this project continue to be funded after the Our Faith-Our Hope grant has been spent?
See “The Prospects for Long-Term Sustainability and Risk Assessment” Above.
12. Please describe your participation in the Our Faith, Our Hope Campaign.
Our parish faithfully participated in the Our Faith, Our Hope Campaign. We scrupulously
followed the direction of our Consultant, and although we did not achieve 100% of our goal, we
did raise a substantial amount. Monies coming back to the parish are designated for improved
exterior signage and replacing aging sanctuary chairs.
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