This is a post from our partner company, ChurchComputers.com! ChurchComputers.com is an extension of the MediaShout team, providing custom-built and custom-configured computers for ministry with over 20 years experience. View the original post here.
Every December, churches all over the country prepare for some of the most attended, memorable, and meaningful services of the year. Christmas Eve gatherings, kids’ programs, live nativities, candlelight services, and full-scale Christmas productions all demand extra planning—and could usually benefit from extra technology.
And one of the most common questions churches ask this time of year is:
“Do we have the right computers to handle everything Christmas requires?”
Whether it’s live streaming a candlelight service, running visuals for a Christmas musical, checking in 150 kids for a children’s event, or simply helping your office team stay productive and avoiding frustration through the busy season, your computers matter more than ever.
This guide walks through the biggest Christmas tech needs churches face each year—and the computers that best support them.
We’ve also created a FREE downloadable PDF checklist you can use to evaluate your systems and prepare for Christmas this year. Get it here!
1. Running Christmas Services & Productions Without Glitches
Common searches & questions:
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“What computer specs do I need for church presentation software?”
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“Best computers for ProPresenter / MediaShout / EasyWorship at Christmas?”
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“Why does my church presentation computer freeze or lag?”
December services often push presentation computers harder than normal. You may be juggling:
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High-resolution Christmas graphics and motion backgrounds
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Multiple videos (kids’ choir intros, special elements, countdowns)
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Lyrics and scripture synced to worship teams
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Stage display outputs
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Added volunteer operators who need systems that are simple and stable
Your presentation computer should handle heavy media loads and allow operators to focus on worship—not on whether the machine will crash during “O Holy Night.”
What churches need for media computers:
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A modern CPU (Intel i5/i7 or Ryzen 5/7)
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16–32GB RAM ideal, with 8GB being acceptable for simpler needs
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Dedicated graphics (like NVIDIA GTX/RTX)
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Fast solid-state storage (SSD)
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Multiple display outputs (for screens, projectors, livestream, confidence monitors)
At ChurchComputers.com, our worship-ready models are pre-configured for church presentation software and built to run cleanly during the highest-pressure services of the year.
2. Supporting Christmas Live Streaming
More people watch Christmas Eve services online than any other service of the year. And churches regularly search for:
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“Best computers for church livestreaming”
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“What kind of computer do I need for OBS or vMix?”
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“Why does my livestream buffer or look choppy?”
Christmas adds extra challenges:
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Higher attendance → more online viewers
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More cameras and inputs
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Lower lighting (candlelight services) → heavier GPU processing
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More graphics and pre-produced elements
What churches need for a smooth livestream:
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Strong CPU performance (multi-core processing)
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Solid GPU for encoding and live switching
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Plenty of RAM
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Quiet, cool-running hardware that can handle long services
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Tested compatibility with your capture cards and cameras
Our livestream-optimized builds ensure the Christmas message reaches your congregation—whether they’re in the room or across the country. Or think seniors who aren’t able to make it out who would enjoy watching from home. Even the older generation has come to expect to be able to pickup the TV remote and tune in.
3. Computers for Children’s Ministry Christmas Events
Parents quite possibly check in more kids in December than any other month. If check-in computers freeze or lag, the entire flow of service gets backed up, from the sanctuary to the parking lot.
Common searches include:
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“Best KidCheck / Planning Center check-in computers”
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“Why is Kids Check-In running so slow?”
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“Church computer for printers and label stations”
Christmas kids’ ministry needs:
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Fast, reliable check-in stations
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Computers that work well with barcode scanners and label printers
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Systems that boot fast and stay responsive even under heavy use
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Durable hardware for mobile or hallway stations
Our Everyday Ministry computers include models built specifically for Kids Check-In, youth rooms, and education spaces—lightweight, affordable, and perfect for high-traffic holiday events.
4. Office & Admin Staff Still Need Reliable Machines in December
It’s easy to overlook office computers during the Christmas season—but the staff workload skyrockets:
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Printing Christmas programs
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Managing communications
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Scheduling volunteers
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Preparing year-end giving statements
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Designing sermon slides, graphics, and videos
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Handling guest follow-up after Christmas Eve services
Searches often include:
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“Affordable church office computers”
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“Best computers for pastors/church staff”
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“Church computers for multi-tasking and admin work”
Our Everyday Ministry lineup includes budget-friendly office and admin machines that can handle desktop publishing, email, spreadsheets, service planning, and graphic design without slowing down during the busiest season of the year.
5. Start the New Year With the Right Tools
Once Christmas services are over, pastors and tech teams often reassess their tech setup for the year ahead. Many of the same issues that show up in December remain pain points:
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Slow computers
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Unreliable livestreams
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Outdated operating systems
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Inconsistent performance during services
Upgrading your church computers isn’t just about Christmas—it’s about setting your ministry up for a stronger new year. Even if it’s too late to deploy a new system before Christmas this year, it’s the perfect time to observe what your needs for Christmas are and make your move so you’ll be ready next year (and enjoy the benefits all year long)!
Ready to Prepare Your Church for Christmas?
Whether you need a high-performance worship presentation computer, a powerful livestream machine, or reliable Everyday Ministry models for your staff and kids’ ministry, ChurchComputers.com builds systems designed specifically for the unique demands of churches.
If you’d like help picking the right computers for your Christmas services or ministry events, our team can recommend the best options for your church’s size, software, and budget. Call us at 615.983.5910 or schedule a call today.
