Daniel Gourley, CEO of 5 Word Media announced the winners of #FreeChurchAV Season 3 giveaway week. As the Grand Prize Winner, Community Church of God in Fort Lauderdale, FL received a brand-new AV and Lighting system valued up to $200,000.00.
“This is more than a win for Community Church of God,” says Pastor Jeffrey Compere. “This is a win for our region!”
In September 2021, 5 Words Media, an audio, video, and lighting production company located in Phoenix, launched Season 3 of their annual giveaway to support churches and provide an opportunity to receive a completely free AV and Lighting system. Previous seasons of the giveaway awarded only one winner, but this year 5 Words Media made the decision to add a second winner at a $100,000 level and chose Calvary Chapel Northside of Hixson, TN.
“We are so excited and overwhelmed by winning this giveaway”, says Ashlyn Greene from Calvary Chapel Northside. “I heard about this at a conference and thought ‘why not’ and here we are as winners!”
After selecting and announcing Community Church of God and Calvary Chapel Northside as the winners, 5 Words Media began the process of fully evaluating their existing venues and gear and designing and building the perfect systems for their facility and ministry needs. The annual sponsors of Season 3 of #FreeChurchAV include prestigious AVL manufacturers like Altman Lighting, Sony, CODA Audio, Marshall Broadcast & Elation Lighting.
With the conclusion of Season 3 of #FreeChurchAV, 5 Words Media has personally awarded almost $700,000 in free AV & Lighting systems to deserving churches all across the United States. This equipment has supported churches from Danville, VA to Honolulu, HI and now Community Church of God in Florida and Calvary Chapel Northside in Tennessee.
“Being a part of #FreeChurchAV and providing these systems to deserving churches has been one of the highlights of my life”, says Gourley. “Being a part of these churches’ stories, seeing their needs and being able to fulfill them has changed not only the churches’ lives, but ours as well!”
Throughout the process of spreading the word about #FreeChurchAV, 5 Words Media partnered with Brian Tabor, Jenn Smale, and Scot Longyear of Worship Leader Probs (@worshipleaderprobs). Worship Leader Probs is a social media platform and publishing company that is firmly rooted in the worship and tech ministries of the local church. WLP strives to meet the needs of their community by creating and promoting content that meets the high standards of the three E’s: Entertain, Encourage and Equip. The teams at 5 Words Media and Worship Leader Probs are passionately committed to serving and supporting local churches by equipping and training their leaders for effective ministry. Together, 5 Words Media and Worship Leader Probs shared the #FreeChurchAV giveaway opportunity with churches all across the nation with the goal of blessing a church that is doing incredible ministry and in need of some support with better AVL gear to increase their effectiveness and reach.
COMMUNITY CHURCH OF GOD (Season 3 Grand Prize Winner)
According to 5 Words Media, Community Church of God was selected because they are exactly what they sound like: a Christ-centered church focused on serving the community. CCOG (as their members affectionately call it) is currently focused on many community initiatives, including programs for Middle and High Schools, a baby pantry for single and homeless mothers, health fairs, and evangelistic outreaches. Their mission is to preach the gospel, teach about Christ, and reach the community, and they seem to be doing just that. They are vibrant, fun, and their community embraces them with open arms. The 200,000.00 Grand Prize awarded to CCOG will help to update old equipment, fix audio, video, and lighting issues, allow for greater in person and online experiences, and help to meet the needs of a church who is meeting the needs of everyone else.
CALVARY CHAPEL NORTHSIDE (Season 3 Winner)
Calvary Chapel Northside is a rapidly-growing church located in Hixson, Tennessee that focuses on Biblical teaching to bring clarity and peace, and equipping families so they can thrive. They recognize that they are imperfect people following a perfect God, and encourage their congregation to lay their worship, time, talents, and treasures before the Lord. Why? Because, “Jesus changes everything”. And the church has change. They have been experiencing so much rapid growth, they can’t keep up with the AV purchases they require to facilitate the increasing ministry needs of their church. Currently using borrowed equipment to get by, the $100,000.00 prize they have won will allow them to thrive in both their spiritual and church growth.
OHANA BAPTIST CHURCH (Season 2 Winner)
Ohana Baptist Church is a small church in Honolulu committed to serving those in need, reaching those who are far from God, and planting more churches that will live to fulfill that same mission. Around 50% of Ohana’s community is made up of active military deployed on Oahu. Ohana is overjoyed about how #FreeChurchAV is empowering the church to minister to and support this awesome military community. Ohana seeks to bring the local church into more island communities in an effort to reach more people with Jesus’ love.
HOPE CHURCH (Season 1 Winner)
Hope Church is a thriving community of Jesus followers and has planted seven churches, making a significant positive impact in the local communities of Danville, VA. Their new AV & Lighting system has greatly increased the worship experience within their auditorium, as well as maximize their impact through their church plants and on their online live stream services.
If you are interested in submitting your church to win 5 Words Media’s upcoming Season 4 of #FreeChurchAV, visit www.freechurchav.com to follow the simple 3-step process to enter your church to win an AV & Lighting system valued up to $200,000. To see reactions from this year’s winner, go to https://vimeo.com/711781195.
