Matt met up with Martin Campbell to ask him about how technology can be used in worship, and how young people across the diocese can get involved...

What has your involvement with the youth ministry office been over the past couple of years?

Over the past couple of years, I've been working as a volunteer with the NYMO team to produce the various audio-visual materials that have been used at conferences, presentations and events.  Initially this meant putting together and running powerpoint presentations, but over time this has developed into various short videos for the The Vigil, Exodus and Velocity, as well as some other bits and pieces, for example the mobile phone text-prayer screens that we used at the Exodus event.

How did you begin to get involved with using technology in churches?

By training I'm an engineer, and I work in the media industry producing digital media: websites and video etc for a variety of Christian charities, so I am used to being the "techy" in any creative team that I become a part of.  I've been involved with various church groups and projects and find that those skills are often in demand.

What place do you feel that technology has in the church, and in particular in youth ministry?

We're used to being surrounded by media driven by technology, from print and advertising through to TV, Radio and the Internet, and it seems to be a language that many people understand and are comfortable with.

When we talk about using "technology", we're really showing our age because our young people treat the internet and the mobile phone in the same way that the older generation treats the radio: it's not about the technology at all, it's about what's "on" it.

For the church, that means that there's a language that our young people are fluent in, and it's an absolute must that we use that language alongside all the other communication methods we use to share the church's message.  I think our biggest challenge is in mastering the technology so that we can truly use video, audio and the internet as an integrated part of our ministry - not an add on or an afterthought.

Is this stuff that only a few people can do, or is it something that every church could get involve with?

Every church and every church group can benefit from using technology.  This can be anything from using a computer to produce printed literature - from postcards to posters, through using Powerpoint, to using video and music in an imaginative way during worship.  The most important thing that I've learned in my experiences with NYMO is that none of these things can be done by one person. Many churches and groups will have a willing volunteer who has a technical turn of mind, but to use the media properly, it's essential to pair this with some creative brains, and ensure that there's the appropriate liturgical guidance.  Rather than starting from a clean sheet, I'd recommend that any church or group that's interested should investigate what others are doing that they admire.  Often all it takes is a group of people from a church to visit an event or a service in a different style in order to understand how it works and realise that they could do the same thing for their own church.  The various worship events that NYMO run are a great place to start of course, because as well as the experience of the event - which will usually contain more than one style of worship, there's always a resource pack which can give the leaders many of the tools they need to take a similar experience back to their own church.

Isn’t using technology really expensive?

Not at all.  Most churches and church groups will have in their ranks someone with the appropriate computer or laptop with the required software, and for larger undertakings, many can borrow a video camera, computer projectors and DVD players.  For printed materials, professional printing for the sorts of quantities likely to be require isn't expensive, and when it comes to events, the other bits and pieces, screens (sheets of muslin are great for this), drapes (try the attic, or your local fabric supplier) and the other bits and pieces you might need are usually readily available to beg, borrow or hire.

Are there ways that young people can get involved with what we’re doing with technology at NYMO?

We've always encouraged interested leaders and young people to be involved in many ways with our events, including working with the technology.  One of our ongoing current projects is to take this a stage further and recruit a team of volunteer apprentices.  We're looking for artistic, creative and technical people who are interested in how technology can be used in their church.  The volunteers will work with the NYMO staff team and our volunteer professionals on the various aspects of our events and projects, from marketing, printed material, event planning, and audio/visual production right through to technical presentation and event management.  As well as delivering some technical training in various areas, this will give our volunteer apprentices an insight and experience which will mean that they'll go back to their churches and groups buzzing with ideas, resources and a knowledge of how to make things happen.

If you are interested in getting involved with the apprenticeship scheme, get in contact with Neil, who will advise you about what events and on-the-job training is coming up! You can email him directly on neil@nymo.org or alternatively call the office on 01844 273337. 

Download a Church PA Handbook written by Martin Campbell