Ways you can make money at your church [Vlogcast]

November 4, 2019

by Matthew Kurtz

Nov 4, 2019 by

Matthew Kurtz

Should you run your ministry like a business?

When you work for a church, diocese, or nonprofit ministry, you may not typically think about making money. Your job is to evangelize, not sell stuff. As a result, you simply rely on the generosity of donors to fund your efforts... and you just keep on keepin' on.

But what if more Catholic churches and dioceses took a more business-minded approach to their ministry?

Check out the following episode of the eCatholic Vlogcast where we break down three revenue opportunities that are under-utilized (or completely missing) at many Catholic organizations.

Why it's not bad for Catholics to approach ministry with a business mentality

Simply making money isn't corrupt. Whether you're a secular business or a Catholic ministry, it takes money to operate effectively. And if you want to grow and expand your influence, having more money will help you achieve greater results.

Just think of all the good things your church or diocese could do with an extra $10,000 in your operating budget. You could:

Give a key team member (or two) a healthy raise, helping ensure their daily satisfaction and reducing the chance of losing them (and their valuable talents) to another employer.
Purchase a crucial piece of technology that will help you work more efficiently and make more money.
Invest in your ministry so that you can improve your existing methods, reach more people, and tackle your next big idea.

What if more Catholic organizations were laser-focused on growth, quality, and the scalability of their efforts? What if more churches were dedicated to hiring - and retaining - the most qualified, talented, and passionate staff? What if churches had the money to make it all happen?

How to monetize live streaming at a Catholic church, diocese or school

Very few Catholic churches have embraced live streaming technology. While many Protestant and Evangelical churches have been streaming live video for years, Catholics have been slow to adopt.

Why? It seems that technical limitations and cost are the biggest barriers. There's a perceived "technical headache" of purchasing live streaming equipment, getting it set up, and having the confidence that everything will actually work. Many church teams don't have a staff member with the technical talents to manage the effort, and it all just seems too expensive and not worth the hassle.

However, live streaming presents a significant revenue opportunity for Catholic churches.

If more churches offered live streaming as a paid service for their members, they could easily turn a profit. Here's how it works:

Your Catholic Live Streaming Profit Plan

Offer families a live streaming event package for weddings, funerals, ordinations, and other types of special Masses at your church.
Charge a simple event fee (e.g., $250) for those who want the event streamed live.
Provide a private landing page on which extended family and guests (unable to attend live) can stream the event as it happens.
Deliver a high-quality digital video recording of the event immediately afterward.

Now, instead of spending $7,000 to hire a videographer to cover their wedding, an engaged couple can opt for a $250 package from the church. Their out-of-state family can experience the special day online, and their digital recording will be available for download by the time the couple arrives at their wedding reception hall. I think you'd get a few takers.

Consider all the events that happen in your sanctuary each year. Many would jump at the chance to have their special event privately streamed and recorded. They would be willing to pay for the value they receive. And you suddenly have an extra revenue stream for your church.

Let's break down the numbers

You can start live streaming at your church for about $4,000 total startup cost:

$1,800 for one year of live streaming service
$2,200 for equipment

In year one, you'd need to stream 16 events at $250/event to bring in $4,000 of profit and ultimately break even.

Related: Live Streaming Equipment Guide: What you need to broadcast live

In year two, let's say you sell 30 live streaming packages, which brings in $7,500. Since you already paid for your equipment, your only cost in year two is the annual $1,800 live streaming service fee. That leaves $5,700 in profit for your church.

Add in the donations you receive from homebound parishioners who view each week's live stream of Sunday Mass, and you've got a significant amount of money you can reinvest in your parish ministries. Now, you can get creative and find ways to grow your revenue. Why not aim to double the number of packages you sell next year?

The bigger picture: The impact of a simple wedding live stream

Live streaming camera location

Offering a valuable service (such as a special event live streaming package) isn't just a one-and-done scenario. It's an investment - part of a strategy that can pay dividends for your organization over time. Consider the following hypothetical scenario:

Last year, St. Joseph's church started to offer a special event live streaming package for weddings and funerals. This year, the parish has been getting 30% more inquiries from engaged couples about booking their wedding at the church. Couples have found the wedding live streaming option at St. Joseph's Church to be an attractive choice that saves money in their wedding budget.

This year, 15 more couples get married at St. Joseph's, despite the fact that they grew up attending a different parish in town. Ten of the couples register as parishioners. They raise their families at St. Joseph's. Their kids enroll at St. Joseph's School. They become regular supporters of the church and engaged members of the church community.

How could your parish benefit from having more weddings each year?

Want more ways to bring in money for your church?

Watch the full episode of the eCatholic Vlogcast (embedded at the top of this post) for two additional revenue-generating ideas for your Catholic church, diocese, or school!

Watch Full Episode!