Run a polished worship stream with a volunteer team — collect media from ministries, drive lower thirds and graphics into OBS, follow a service running order, and engage your congregation.
Church production has a particular shape: a volunteer team of varying experience, content coming in from different ministries during the week, a service that follows an order, and a congregation you want to include both in the room and online. Show Runner helps a small, often-rotating team produce a service that looks considered rather than improvised.
Collect media from ministries during the week
Announcements, testimony videos, kids' ministry clips, guest messages — the media for Sunday often comes from several people across the week. Give each a simple upload slot and key so they submit directly, verified, with a title and notes attached, instead of a pile of emailed files and USB sticks on Sunday morning. See collecting VTs from contributors.
Simple, consistent graphics your volunteers can run
Lower thirds for who's speaking, the sermon title, announcement bugs, and a giving prompt — the graphics that make a stream feel produced. Show Runner runs them as live, transparent overlays in OBS or vMix, so a volunteer takes a graphic on and off on cue without touching the mix. See broadcast graphics and overlays and the OBS walkthrough.
Because overlays are URL-based and driven from a control surface, the person running graphics doesn't need to be the person running the switcher — helpful when you're spreading roles across volunteers.
Follow the order of service
A service has an order, and different people need to know what's next. Build it as a shared running order, put the host's or preacher's words on the teleprompter, and keep segments to time with a show clock — everyone reading the same live plan. See running a live show.
Include the congregation
Bring people in with a live poll for feedback or prayer response, or a QR code linking to connect cards, giving or a next-steps form. See audience engagement for live streams.
Organise volunteers and stay safe
A volunteer team needs clear roles and call times, and safety matters as much in a full venue as anywhere. Build the crew list with call times, keep the week's tasks in one place, and get H&S documents signed off by everyone serving. See managing crew, tasks and safety.
Why Show Runner for church
It gives a volunteer team one shared, real-time system for the whole service — collect the week's media, run the graphics, follow the order, include the congregation — so a rotating crew can produce a consistent, polished stream week to week.
FAQ
Is it manageable for a volunteer team?
Yes. Graphics are taken on and off from a simple control surface (no editing the switcher), the running order is shared and real-time so everyone sees the plan, and contributors upload media themselves — so the load is spread and roles are easy to hand over.
How do ministries send in their videos?
Each gets an upload slot and a key; they verify their email and upload directly during the week, with a title and any notes attached — no account, and large files upload reliably. See collecting VTs from contributors.
Can we show giving or connect-card prompts on screen?
Yes — as overlays for on-screen prompts, and via a QR code that links the congregation straight to giving, a connect card or a next-steps form on their phones. See using QR codes for audience interaction.
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