Whether you are the media minister, technical director, or church volunteer, there is so much you can do with your church presentation software to bring a touch of creativity to your worship services.

Church presentation software allows you to choose Bible verses from a built-in library and find songs for worship, then accompany them with motion backgrounds or still backgrounds. You can manage your presentation with a dedicated presentation computer or even through a remote app on your phone using MediaShout 7.

However, things are not always black and white. Even having the best worship presentation software does not guarantee you an engaging and high-quality presentation.

Below are some basic rules on how to create the best worship backgrounds and slide styles for your church gathering.

Church Slides and Backgrounds Tips

1. Choose a font that is easy to read

Choosing the right font is essential for your congregation to easily be able to see the words displayed on the screen. A good rule of thumb is to keep it simple and basic. Choose a font that is not too embellished and looks clean and neat.

Search for Sans Serif fonts that are easy to read from any distance and you’ll be good to go. You should typically avoid more traditional “Times” fonts because of their extra curves and edges on the characters. Also, check out our “9 Easy to Read Fonts for Worship Presentation Software” blog for more tips on this.

2. Don’t put too much text on the slide

To make it easy for people to sing along, keep each slide around 1-4 lines max! Don’t try to pack as much text as you can onto a slide.

This will make it easier for people to glance up at the slide and join in with the song without having to search for the next words to sing. At the same time, keep the size tasteful so it can remain consistent from slide to slide. Check out another of our blog’s “Important Things You Should Include On Scripture Slides” for more tips on this as well! 

3. Choose the right colors for the text and background

It is not a secret that a projector or TV’s brightest light is white, so white text will be more visible on your presentation than the text of any other color. If even more contrast is needed for visibility, using a dark background helps to be sure the text is legible. Remember to keep it clean and not too busy with the worship background design. No matter what you choose to do with the motions, graphics, and backgrounds, worship is the focus.

4. Don’t use unnecessary labels or designations on the slide

It’s not necessary to write the labels like Verse, Chorus, or “(Repeat)” on the lyrics slides. If the line should be sung repeatedly, it is better just to duplicate the slide as many times as it is repeated, as it will look cleaner and remain more consistent. This also leads to our next tip–

5. Don’t use too many punctuation marks

Keeping with the general rule of thumb to keep it simple and neat, it’s a good idea to eliminate as much punctuation as possible. Remember that you will only be using 1-2 lines per slide so using punctuation is unnecessary and also gives you an overall cleaner look. It’s helpful to use the features of your worship presentation software’s slide editor to break the lines in a place that makes sense musically, so periods are generally not necessary.

6. Try using all caps or elements like dividing boxes

When displaying lyrics on songs for worship, try using all capital letters. This can give your slides a modern look and also make them easier to read. Some included templates with MediaShout 7 work great with all caps, especially the ones with light or dark covered boxes around the center screen area. This is a popular modern style for worship slides.

7. Quality Check

Spend time ensuring that your slides are designed properly and consistently. Do a quality check to make sure there are no typos and the text is clearly visible. (Luckily, the features of worship software like MediaShout 7 allow you to edit on the fly if you miss one!) When possible, it helps to quickly run through your slides in the auditorium on your projectors or TVs so you can check that they look the way you intended in every seat– especially the back row.

8. Slide change/advance timing

During worship, be sure to display the next lyrics just as the worship leader is singing the last word of the previous slide. This way people can sing along and will be able to participate with ease. Apply the same concept to scripture slides and sermon slides for teaching time as well. Sometimes adding a slide transition can help allow your presentation to advance at just the right time!

9. Eliminate distractions

It can be distracting when a cursor, desktop background, or another program appears on the screen during the presentation for your gathering. Church presentation software like MediaShout 7 ensures that your other programs don’t show and you don’t have to flip between things like you do with Powerpoint. You can use it to control your external monitors, projectors, and/or TVs independently, while the operator has a control screen to navigate and display your slides).

10. Follow the worship leader, pastor, or speaker on the platform

Be prepared to make changes on the fly. Stay flexible with the order of the worship lyrics you’re displaying. The worship leader may feel led to sing out different parts of the song as needed while they lead the congregation.

It is helpful to be familiar with the worship songs so that you can anticipate which part is coming as the band plays. Also, if your church sings spontaneously, get comfortable with your worship presentation software so you can go the extra mile and add lyrics on the fly if a certain phrase or chorus is being sung repeatedly.

Be creative, have fun, and give your best when serving your church in the area of media ministry! 

Following these 10 tips will help you create clear and easy-to-read worship song slides as well as scripture and sermon slides that will encourage your church congregation to participate in your worship gathering.  Are there any tips we’ve missed out on?  Let us know in the comments below!