Someone asked me what software we’re using to stream at the church. That’s a good question, but I am guessing they are going to need more information, so I am putting it here.

Software

We have some good tech guys that use OBS. It’s a free application.

If you want something a little friendlier and still affordable, you might try vMix.

Camera and Cables

We use a camera with HDMI output in the front of the sanctuary. Since the building is long, we have to run that HDMI signal through Black Magic Design’s HDMI to SDI so we can send it over coax to the PC in the back of the church. Then back through another (opposite) Black Magic Design SDI to HDMI converter to get it back to a standard HDMI cable.

We run that HDMI signal into an elgato HDMI to USB3 Converter. Plug that elgato into a USB 3 port on a PC.

We take the audio from the soundboard which is right next to the PC. OBS and vMix will mix those together for you if you add them as sources.

On the PC

The PC software (OBS or vMix) readies the video for Facebook or YouTube. You’ll have to enter the sources (both audio and video). Refer to your software manual for how to do this. When the software is set up, you should see the video from the camera on the screen of your PC in the software.

Open either Facebook or YouTube in a web browser, log into your church page, and start a live stream. Somewhere on that web page, you’ll see Facebook (or YouTube) provide you with the “stream key”.

Copy that key into the settings on OBS for whichever platform (FB or YouTube) you are using.

Then you can start the stream in OBS and it will feed it to your browser (either Facebook or YouTube, depending which you chose). If it’s YouTube, it starts streaming immediately. If it’s Facebook, you have to go back to Facebook and press “start stream”.

Easy, huh?

Over a decade ago, Rock Dillaman had a timely message from Philippians 3:20-21.

It’s as timely today as then.

First the Scripture text…

Philippians 3:20-21 (NIV) But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

And some quotes from the message…

I want to remind you that no matter which candidate finally gains the presidency he will not be able to profoundly impact the spiritual strongholds that are the source and the sustenance of our national problems. Because, as Paul said, the weapons — the only weapons — that work in spiritual warfare are spiritual weapons. The anointing of the Holy Spirit. The power of the Holy Spirit. The sacred Scriptures. Prayer. Fasting. Discernment. Prophetic gifting. Those are the only things that work when you’re facing spiritual strongholds. And the last time I checked Washington doesn’t specialize in spiritual weaponry. They function with the inevitable compromise of political expediency.

And so…real change in this nation must originate with a God-empowered spiritual movement in the hearts of the only people through whom God can and will accomplish that, the Church. Real change will come from Spirit-led grass-roots efforts that “rush up,” not political decisions that “trickle down.” A good example would be the civil rights movement. It didn’t start in the halls of congress. It started in a pulpit in a church.  And that’s where spiritual change has to come from — from the people of God.

….

When you say to be Christian is to vote this way, to endorse this candidate you have just politicized your faith. And that isn’t patriotism, that’s blasphemy. That’s heresy. Be thankful you don’t live in Old Testament times, they would have stoned a lot of people today.

….

Dear friend, God is not Republican nor is he Democrat. To suggest he is either is blasphemy…. God is not liberal or conservative, though he has been accused of being both…. God is not a citizen of the United States of America. And the United States of America is not the kingdom of God; we are just one more sinful, fallen nation-state.

….

To attach God’s name to human political structures is to use his name in vain.

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The fact someone disagrees with your political persuasion doesn’t make them evil — doesn’t mean they are the spawn of hell…. If you are eager to pronounce hell on somebody else, you are probably flirting with it yourself.

….

Don’t politicize your faith. We’ve done so much politicizing of our faith, there’s a whole bunch of Americans who won’t listen to us talk about Jesus ’cause they assume what the church is about is the Republican party and trickle-down economics and so on. They won’t even give you a hearing. That’s what happens when you politicize your faith — you shut down evangelism.

….

My President will not be elected in a few weeks. My President ascended to his throne a long time ago and declared that he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He’s already given his inaugural address — it’s called the Sermon on the Mount. And I live as a citizen of heaven waiting for his return when he will subject all things to himself. In the meantime, my beloved, beloved brothers and sisters, be Christian and don’t be heathen and know who you are and live like you’ve read the Bible rather than letting it collect dust on your nightstand. And don’t lose your soul in an election. Because when the election is over the work of the Church will remain.

In his book, Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer has a rather lengthy chapter titled, The Day with Others.

As he unfolds his thinking, it’s evident that he is teaching his readers how to be the Church – in whatever environment find themselves.

When I say, “how to be the church,” I am referring to experiencing God’s presence together — as friends, as a family, as a couple. It’s what we do Sundays, on Susquehanna Avenue, when we can.

Bonhoeffer is pretty straight forward in this area. He speaks of several practices that believers should enact together — as believers.

Some of those practices are…

• Reading the Scriptures — with others
• Singing the New Song — with others
• The Fellowship at the Table — with others
• Noonday and Evening — with others

This video speaks about some of those practices.

Had you given any thought as to how you might begin to do these things in your home during this unusual season of human history?

God might enable you to do things you’d otherwise never considered.

And such things might come with an unexpected blessing.