Network Central will be a new focal point of this year’s Capture Summit. It’s a gathering place located physically in the middle of the event where church techs and creatives can gather, network and build community with other attendees, and get to know a number of groups and associations that exist to support those in church technical arts.
Why?
Getting better at what you do isn’t just about gear and techniques. Being successful at content creation is also about the people you surround yourself with to celebrate the successes and having the support you need when things aren’t working or you’ve hit a creative wall. This year’s Capture Summit will feature a host of associations and organizations that have been created to bring church creatives together for support and encouragement. Here we list the groups and hear a little bit about them from the people who run them –people you can meet at the event.
Association: Church Creatives Network
Patrick Elkins, Co-Founder of Church Creatives Network and Volunteer Youth Worship Leader, Bethel Church, Redding, California
Patrick Elkins is co-founder of the Church Creatives Network.
CPM: Briefly describe your organization.
Patrick Elkins: The multifaceted vision of the CCN (Church Creatives Network) entails both a social community where Church Creatives can connect, engage, intersect, and interface with one another, but also a conglomeration of tools and resources consolidated into one location. Our members are able to both glean from others, but also share their experience and expertise within the community. Staying up to date across multiple social platforms, 1,000’s of websites, 1000’s of influencers & content creators, organizations, groups, conferences, cohorts, live events, training platforms, digital tools, and the list goes on can get really noisy and cumbersome… Our vision is to curate one space where Church Creatives can network with one another, but also where valuable content, tools, and resources can be discovered which are designed to equip and empower Church Creatives to better serve the Church.
CPM: Tell us why you’re excited to come network with Capture attendees and what they can learn from you.
Elkins: Relationship is the driving force behind ministry, and surrounding yourself with community combats isolation, and cultivates inspiration. We're so honored to provide Church Creatives with a new vehicle created to help them succeed in ministry. When we come together, we can facilitate learning opportunities that flow in every direction. “This” person has the experience “that” person needs to glean from, and “that” person also has experience they’re willing to deposit into “this” person (as well as others). It’s a powerful exchange when we interface, encourage, and empower one another.
Association: North Texas Church Production Group
Josh Chilton, Founder, North Texas Church Production Group and Technical Arts Director, Frisco Bible Church, Frisco Texas
Joshua Chilton is founder of the North Texas Church Production Group
CPM: Briefly describe your organization.
Joshua Chilton: North Texas Church Production Group is a fellowship of Church Technical Directors, Media Ministers, and Production Staff and Volunteers in the area of Collin County, Texas and bordering north Dallas areas. Our goal is to develop community with our local church production staff and Volunteer leaders sharing ideas, goals, and needs. We coordinate regular meet-ups, lunches, and church tours to foster in-person relationships with the churches in our communities.
CPM: Tell us why you’re excited to come network with Capture attendees and what they can learn from you.
Chilton: North Texas Church Production group is excited to join Capture ’23 this year and engage with the local church in sharing the latest techniques and technologies to help tell God’s story in each of us and in our ministries. Our fellowship of production staff and volunteers are excited to learn from the amazing line up of Capture ’23 speakers and to learn from each other during this unique conference.
Association: Atlanta Church Creatives and Phoenix Church Creatives
Ellis Maryland is co-founder of the ATL Church Creatives.
Ellis Maryland, Co-Founder of Atlanta Church Creatives and Media and Technology Director, Peace Baptist Church, Decatur, Georgia
CPM: Briefly describe your organizations.
Ellis Maryland: Atlanta Church Creatives and Phoenix Church Creatives groups are communities where creatives within the Atlanta and Phoenix area can come together, share their passion for creativity, and use their artistic gifts to serve the church community.
Our group provides a platform for creatives to connect, support one another, and grow in their faith. We organize regular meetups, workshops, and events where members can share their work, collaborate on projects, and gain inspiration from one another.
CPM: Tell us why you’re excited to come network with Capture attendees and what they can learn from you.
Maryland: I'm excited to come network with the Capture attendees to learn and grow with other creatives. I get a chance to engage in conversations and discussions with individuals who approach creativity from different angles. Something I believe capture attendees can learn from me is the importance of building creative teams within the community by encouraging and supporting local church creatives. This creates a rich and dynamic creative environment by bringing together individuals with diverse skill sets, perspectives, and backgrounds. Others can learn from my experiences in fostering collaboration and how it can enhance the quality and impact of creative projects.
Association: Church IT Network
Jason Lee – Treasurer CITRT and Digital Innovation Pastor, Northwoods Community Church Church, Peoria, Illinois
Jason Lee is treasurer of the CITRT and Digital Innovation Pastor, Northwoods Community Church Church, Peoria, Illinois.
CPM: Briefly describe your organizations.
Lee: The Church IT Network began in 2006 as a series of events called the Church IT Roundtable (CITRT). Today, the CITRT has grown into a network, a peer learning community, of Church and ministry IT people not only across the US, but around the globe. Today, the Church IT Network consists of 1000+ church staff and volunteers who have been involved with this group in one way or another.
Our Vision
- Create people networks of Church IT professionals (both Church staff, volunteers, consultants and companies) to assist and support Church IT
- Provide regular Church IT discussions through online social networks, slack and discussion forums, and face-to-face meetings twice a year
- Encourage and inspire one another
- Provide online forums to express ideas, ask questions, work out solutions to current challenges, and document best of class solutions to Church IT
- Provide assistance and best value at the lowest possible cost to the Church IT professional
CPM: Tell us why you’re excited to come network with Capture attendees and what they can learn from you.
Lee: We are excited to come to Capture and connect with others who are supporting the Church as traditionally different worlds of technology (IT and AVL) continue to converge.
Association: Metro Media and Communications Association (MMCA)
James Harding is president of the Metro Media and Communications Association.
Will Chapman is Online Minister at Cottonwood Creek Church, Allen, Texas.
James Harding, President, MMCA and Director of Ministry Coordination, First Baptist Rogers, Rogers, Arkansas
Will Chapman, Online Minister at Cottonwood Creek Church, Allen, Texas
CPM: Briefly describe your organization.
Harding: For 39 years, MMCA has been a place for community and encouragement for those faithful men and women that serve on the front lines of media, communications, and production ministry. MMCA has a fundamental goal of serving our members. Even though we all love ministry, it is often fast-paced, intense, stress-filled, and exhausting. MMCA serves as a way for all of us to bear one another’s burdens. We do this through prayer, encouragement, idea-sharing and inspiration. There is a real energy that comes from knowing that you are not alone in ministry… knowing there are others who really do understand the struggles you face and have a desire to help you and encourage you.
MMCA serves the leaders and decision makers and their families. Unlike other organizations that can be overwhelming and overly inclusive, MMCA has a focused directive to minister to those that make decisions and serve the church full-time as leaders of these crucial areas of church leadership. In addition, MMCA spends a great deal of time and effort ministering to and caring for the families of these church leaders.
Every year, in July, we encourage our members to join us for our annual conference. This conference is intentionally a smaller gathering of only department leaders. The intent is to gather for leadership development, community discussion, small group breakout sessions with directed topics, and engaging
worship. Families are welcome and encouraged to attend as we provide moments of ministry and growth for the family as well. Our annual membership fees cover basic operating costs and expenses for leadership planning. The membership requirements can be found on our website at www.mmca.online. Please note that these membership requirements are not meant to be exclusive. In fact, membership is determined on a case-by-case basis and church size, denominational affiliation, and other requirements may be waived if leadership agrees it is the proper decision to do so.
Lastly, our leadership is not paid. They serve voluntarily as elected by the membership to serve the organization. The officers of the organization serve in order to provide opportunities for growth for the membership, their families, and the betterment of the organization’s ministry reach.
CPM: Tell us why you’re excited to come network with Capture attendees and what they can learn from you.
Chapman: The Metro Media and Communications Association is excited about participating in Capture this year. Other than looking forward to the training and education at the conference, we’re excited about Capture's networking opportunities. We’ve known the power of networking and being “iron” for each other in our organization since our inception almost 40 years ago. We look forward to expanding our membership’s networking opportunities at Capture and finding new ways to sharpen our ministry skillsets.
Other groups to be represented at Capture: Digital Great Commission Ministries, and Creatives and Coffee.
