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Countless local churches have taken up the challenge of using the latest video technology to creatively communicate the Good News. As they travel down this road they are beginning to see the incredible impact these new tools can have on their worship experience.

Those churches that haven't yet taken these first steps, but would like to, should have no fear. Dedicated and passionate consultants stand ready to educate, train, and guide churches as they effectively integrate the latest technology into their services and activities. Once a church gets behind this vision (spiritually and financially), it is only a matter of putting the right people and equipment into place.

Fortunately, the future looks bright in terms of products for the church environment. Manufacturers of audio, video, and lighting equipment are realizing the significance of the church market and are developing professional and affordable solutions for it. Churches have no lack of fine options. The sky's the limit!

Many churches are interested in using video technology, but their facilities present a challenge. Most traditional and some modern church buildings have beautiful window-lined sanctuaries that allow plenty of ambient light to enter the worship space. This may be wonderful architecturally, but projection systems need darkness or at least control over lighting.

"It's no easy task to clearly display video images and messages in a large space characterized by grandiose ceilings, bright window treatments, and ubiquitous sanctuary lighting," says Tim Butler of Digital Projection.

Nevertheless, churches shouldn't abandon hope. Multiple new equipment options can help. Digital Projection, a major industry player with a projector lineup featuring three-chip Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology from Texas Instuments, has invested time and effort into solving such problems.

With a nationwide network of dealers, Digital Projection specializes in high-quality, high-brightness projectors that can offset the kind of sanctuary lighting that would normally result in unclear images. Chuck Collins, Digital Projection's national vertical market manager, says, "In large church environments, a super-bright projector is a visual necessity. It is only effective to show video, computer messaging, hymn texts, graphics, and live image magnification if every worshiper can see these things clearly."

Digital Projection offers an impressive list of projectors designed for mid- to large-scale worship facility needs, including the HIGHlite, POWER, and LIGHTNING Series projectors. These range in brightness from 3,500 to 14,000 (+/-10%) ANSI lumens. In addition, Digital recently introduced a new projector for smaller environments, the SHOWlite. It offers around 3,000 (+/-10%) ANSI lumens of brightness.

Other manufacturers also are producing smaller and brighter equipment capable of solving church lighting problems. This June at INFOCOMM International, the annual video industry showcase convention, Eiki International introduced several future models of projectors. Each will be newly designed and significantly brighter than current models. Among the new models is a brighter version of the popluar Powerhouse (SXGA-resolution), the LC-SX4L, which delivers 5,800 ANSI lumens.

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