In a recent conversation with Rick Dempsey, former Disney executive and current Senior Vice President of Creative at Come and See Foundation (The Chosen), he shared powerful insights about why visual quality matters in ministry. As church leaders, we can learn valuable lessons from his 35-year journey at Disney and his current work spreading the Gospel through The Chosen series.
The Reality of Our Media-Saturated Culture
"We are so media saturated these days," Dempsey emphasizes. "People just don't pick up books anymore like they used to." This reality presents both a challenge and an opportunity for churches. Our congregation members—from kids to adults—are consuming high-quality visual content daily through their phones, tablets, and TVs. They've developed sophisticated visual expectations that affect how they engage with content.
Quality as a Bridge, Not a Barrier
When our visual presentation lacks quality, it can become a barrier to the message we're trying to communicate. Dempsey notes, "As soon as you start thinking, 'that looks cheesy' or 'that doesn't look right,' it immediately takes you out of the reality of what it needs to be." This is particularly crucial for youth ministry, where students are especially attuned to production quality through their daily media consumption.
Practical Steps for Improving Visual Quality
Prioritize Planning Time Don't leave visual preparation for Saturday night. Quality requires intentional planning and execution.
Focus on Authenticity Ensure your visuals authentically represent your message. This includes appropriate lighting, props, and art direction that support rather than distract from your content.
Invest in Basic Tools While you may not have a Hollywood budget, today's technology offers affordable tools to create professional-looking content. Start with what you have and gradually build your capabilities.
Maintain Consistency Develop a consistent visual style across all platforms—from Sunday presentations to social media posts. This builds trust and recognition with your audience.Excellence as a Testament
Dempsey reminds us that "we're called to do everything to the best of our ability. Everything we do should be to the glory of God." This applies to our visual communication as much as any other aspect of ministry. When we create high-quality visual content, we're not just following cultural trends—we're demonstrating excellence in our calling to communicate God's truth.
The goal isn't to compete with Hollywood productions or create viral social media content. Rather, it's about removing unnecessary barriers to the Gospel message. As Dempsey points out from his experience with The Chosen, when visual quality matches the power of the message, people are more likely to engage and remain engaged.
Start by evaluating your current visual communication. Are there areas where quality issues might be distracting from your message? Remember, you don't need to transform everything overnight. Begin with small, intentional improvements in one area, whether that's your Sunday presentation slides, social media graphics, or video announcements.
The message of the Gospel is timeless, but our methods of communicating it must remain relevant and excellent. As Dempsey concludes, "We have to stay relevant to an extent to where our youth, this generation, can observe the things of the gospel and we can reach them through media because that's what they're watching. That's what they're doing."
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