Recording the Book of Acts

In recent weeks, the recording of teaching by Martin Charlesworth on the Book of Acts has been completed. The set of 47 episodes are set in 6 series to reflect the movement of the Gospel out from ‘Jerusalem . . . to the ends of the earth’ 

The practicalities of recording have gone well. A higher quality of output has been achieved for lesser effort than the ‘Life of Jesus’ material.. Several factors have facilitated this process:  no green screen was needed as the venue, Barnabas Community Church had revamped its Centre and invested in lighting and sound damping; having a set venue meant it was more sustainable than previously, as it was possible to record one day a week; a third camera was used giving a greater choice of shots for the editor to use; and it is better for the band of volunteers who are now working through the episodes at a more measured pace.

A camera operator on site meant Martin could concentrate more fully on the material rather than the production. He also greatly appreciated having a small live audience. These are comments from some of them.

Lady called J: 

‘For me, Word Online has been a huge blessing. Each episode is engaging and interesting. The presentation is simple and clear, which enables understanding of the passages and the times in which Acts was written. It is such a brilliant resource.’

Man called G: 

‘A fascinating and stimulating journey through the book of Acts, delivered with clarity and depth of knowledge. Enjoyed it immensely; never a dull moment! My understanding of Acts has been deepened as a result of this experience.’

Lady called C:

‘Listening to Martin’s teaching through the Book of Acts has been so refreshing. He has expanded on the mission, challenges and miracles worked through the Early Church, bringing a much deeper understanding of the different missionary journeys and a better appreciation of the various places and people groups encountered by the Apostles and disciples. At the end of each teaching, Martin draws out points to help us to consider what we can learn about mission, discipleship and leadership from the Early Church pioneers and how we might apply them to our own contexts today.’

Having recorded the videos, the process of editing, creating subtitles, writing transcripts, creating tagging and study guides and getting the material on to the website is moving ahead in preparation for launching on Word Online. Much of this has been undertaken by volunteers.

Each episode is 30 minutes long and includes reflective thoughts.The continuation of the storyline of the Book of Acts is emphasised, as each episode is placed within its context and leads on to the next episode. People watching the videos, listening to the material or reading, can follow the whole story, or dip into a specific series or episode as each one stands alone but is very much a part of the whole. We look forward to sharing this exciting new resource with you shortly. Look out for news on Social Media towards Easter!