I’m starting a new series here on the blog to help people find resources. If you’re in a small or medium size church with a small budget, then this series is especially for you. I want to share the sources and companies that have been helpful to us in starting our church. I will focus this series on computer and technology resources, although I will share about facility needs and equipment in later posts.

Look for posts on sermon series resources, video clips, stock photos, a/v equipment, and more. If you have an idea for another post in this series, leave a comment and I’ll see what I can do.

One of the hardest things to find are good quality backgrounds. These are typically used as looping backgrounds behind song lyrics using worship presentation software like ProPresenter, EasyWorship, or Mediashout. But they can also be used as the basis for creating your own countdowns or sermon series graphics. Think outside the box!

Free Video Background Loops

• NLC Creative - incredible site of backgrounds created and used at New Life Church in Arkansas
• Open.lifechurch.tv – Background Loops from the crew at Lifechurch.tv
• CMD.tv Freebies – From the CMD.tv podcast
• Worship VJ Vimeo Group - videos that have been shared and available for download
• Centerline New Media Freebies – Check out this site for a new freebie each month. Look for the link to the free download.
• Videos for Worship on Vimeo
• Open Resources
• FreeHD Countdowns – I included this because it has greenscreen counters that you can add to any background above

Where to Purchase 

If you are looking for more and are willing to pay, then check out these sources.

• WorshipHouseMedia
• Igniter Media
• Digital Juice
• SermonSpice
• Motion Worship
• Playback Drive
• iStockPhoto
• Centerline New Media
• Christian Collages 
• Graceway Media
• ShiftWorship
• Church Motion Graphics

If you are at a church with a full staff of graphic designers and videographers, this post probably won’t apply to you. But for the majority of churches, when you want to have great looking graphics for your bulletins, video screens, and website, you turn to the internet for help.

I like preaching in sermon series. It builds continuity from week to week and allows me to teach the Bible as a story. But it also saves time because I don’t have to create new graphics each week. When I’m planning sermon series, I first pick a book of the Bible or a topic and start my preparation. After study and research, I start listing possible series names. I then start looking for graphics that will reinforce what I’m teaching. At times, I can’t find anything and I decide to create the graphics myself, but many times, I find great graphics that are readily available for download and use. My only caution for you is that you should start with what God is teaching you, then find a graphic that works. If you reverse the order you will struggle with connecting the sermon to the topic.

It can be hard to find what you’re looking for, so I wanted to share a few great places to look. Check these links out for sermon graphics. Some even have photoshop files, powerpoint backgrounds, video openers, countdowns, and video loops included.

Free Sermon Graphics

• Open from LifeChurch.tv 
• Elevation Church Resources
• Stuff I Can Use – from Southeast Christian Church
• Resources from Newspring
• Vintage Church Resources
• Seeds from Church on the Move
• Creation Swap
• Muddy River Media
• Open Resources
• The Church Box
• Inspiks

For Purchase

• Graceway Media
• Sermoncentral Pro
• Outreach Church Campaigns
• SermonView
• Midnight Oil Productions
• Church Leader Insights – click on sermon series
• Creative Pastors
• Saddleback Resources
  
• Church-wide Journeys by Zondervan

Sermon Series based on Books or Ideas

• r12 – Chip Ingram study on Romans 12
• Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman
• One Month to Live by Kerry and Chris Shook
• 40 Days in the Word
• The Elephant in the Church by Mark Batterson
• Chase the Lion by Mark Batterson
• Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson

What else would you add to the list?