What the app does
- An admin saves the church's YouTube channel on the church page.
- When the service starts, they paste the live video link and tap Go Live.
- Members who have not turned live alerts off get a notice. The push title is LIVE NOW, and the message is the church name plus "is live."
- The feed shows a LIVE NOW banner that opens the worship room.
- The video stays on YouTube. The worship room plays it, and people can chat there.
- Ending the stream in the app closes the live session. A replay can be opened later from the church page.
- A discoverable church can also appear on the live feed for someone nearby, within about 25 miles, when that person has a location on their account.
What it does not do
The Gathering does not encode the video, sell a camera, or replace YouTube. If YouTube is down, or the stream link is wrong, there is no second copy of the video inside the app. A step-by-step setup for a small church is in the guide.
Questions pastors ask
Do we need special streaming equipment?
No. Use the phone, laptop, or camera you already send to YouTube. The Gathering does not sell or set up that equipment, and there is no platform fee right now.
Where does the video live?
On YouTube. The app sends a LIVE NOW alert and opens a worship room that plays that stream.
How do members know we are live?
An admin pastes the YouTube link and taps Go Live. Members who still have live alerts on get a notice, and the feed shows a LIVE NOW banner.
What if YouTube is down?
There is no second copy of the video in the app. Fix the stream on YouTube, then paste the live link again.