When North Boulevard Church of Christ in Murfreesboro, Tennessee began livestreaming services during the pandemic, something unexpected happened. Their congregation became global.
Now, after six years of livestreaming, Sunday worship gatherings include between 600 and 800 people joining online, in real time, from across the United States and around the world. Including places as far away as Colombia, Madagascar, and Sierra Leone.
For the church’s production team, streaming quickly became more than just broadcasting a service. It became a way to connect a community that was no longer limited by geography.
To support that vision, North Boulevard turned to BirdDog and NDI to build a flexible video production workflow capable of serving both in-person worship and a growing online audience.
The transformation ultimately led the team to adopt BirdDog X4E and MAKI Ultra cameras in their studio workflow — a partnership that began several years earlier with the successful deployment of BirdDog P240 PTZ cameras at their second campus.
A Church with Multiple Campuses
North Boulevard church has served the Murfreesboro community for more than 75 years. Today the church operates:
- East Campus, the original location
- West Campus, a newer campus that moved into its own building two years ago
- Online Campus, which grew rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic
Every week, around 2,400 people attend services in person, while hundreds more join the livestream and video replay throughout the week
“We realized we suddenly had people joining us from all over the country and world,” explains Forrest Doddington, leader of the church’s SPARK Technical Arts team. “The question became: what do we do with that opportunity? And how do we promote engagement and involvement rather than passive viewership?”
The answer was to build a production workflow that could support multiple campuses and a global congregation.
Discovering BirdDog
When the church prepared to equip its West Campus in 2022, the SPARK team began evaluating camera systems.
Their main campus already used a broadcast system, with cameras costing $13,000 to $15,000 each. Replicating that setup for a new campus simply wasn’t practical.
Instead, the team discovered BirdDog. The West Campus installation includes:
- 4 × BirdDog P240 PTZ cameras
- BirdDog PTZ Keyboard controller
- 1 manned camera for additional coverage
The five-camera setup provides full coverage of services while remaining simple enough to operate with volunteer production teams.
That early success led North Boulevard to continue expanding their BirdDog ecosystem. As the church developed a new studio space and expanded its online programming, the team upgraded to BirdDog X4E cameras and began incorporating MAKI Ultra cameras into new projects designed to bring more of the church experience to their growing online congregation.
Building an NDI-Based Production Network
One of the biggest advantages of the BirdDog system was the ability to build the entire West Campus around NDI video networking.
Instead of running traditional SDI infrastructure, the church designed a fully network-based video system using:
- Netgear M4250 switches
- Fiber interconnects throughout the campus
“We didn’t pull SDI for the video production system at West Campus,” Doddington explains. “Everything is built on NDI.”
This approach makes the system significantly more flexible. Video sources can be accessed anywhere on the network, allowing cameras and production gear to be placed wherever they are needed without complex rewiring.
The move to an NDI-based workflow has also helped North Boulevard go on-the-road for offsite conferences and community events in the park. “Using BirdDog cameras and PTZ controllers with NDI integration means that video, control, and POE power all happen across a single Cat6 cable,” says Doddington. “This simplifies our production setups.” These remote video events are another way the church involves online members across geographic distances.
Expanding Production with a New Studio
Recently, North Boulevard expanded its production capabilities again by building a dedicated studio space inside the East Campus.
Previously, part of their Sunday programming had been produced in the church lobby. Moving production into a studio allowed the lobby space to return to its original purpose, in-person community and fellowship.
The new studio setup features:
- 3 × BirdDog X4E cameras
- 2 × BirdDog MAKI Ultra cameras
- A slider system for dynamic camera movement
The X4E cameras replaced older units from another brand and immediately improved the visual quality of the studio environment.
“The low-light performance has been really impressive,” Doddington explains. “Compared to the older cameras we were using, the X4 performs incredibly well in the studio. The image feels brighter and cleaner, and the color and contrast have been a real improvement.”
The cameras also handle challenging visual elements effectively — including a rear-projected window backdrop used in the studio set.
A Window into the Church
The SPARK team refers to the studio set as their “window into North Boulevard.”
Using their NDI network, they can bring live video from almost anywhere in the building directly into the broadcast.
Hallways, the lobby, the auditorium — and even entirely different parts of the campus — can become part of the program.
This allows online viewers to experience more than just what’s happening on stage.
It helps them feel connected to the life of the church.
Bringing Easter Activities Live into the Broadcast
The flexibility of the BirdDog and NDI workflow becomes especially valuable during large events like Easter celebrations.
During Easter weekend, hundreds of children participate in activities in the church’s gymnasium. In previous years, the production team would show pre-recorded footage from earlier events during the program.
This year will be different.
A BirdDog MAKI Ultra camera will be placed in the gym and connected to the network. That feed can be brought directly into the studio broadcast, allowing online members to see the activity happening in real time.
“If you can’t be here in person,” says Doddington, “you’ll still be able to see what’s happening right now in the building.”
Looking Ahead
As the church continues expanding its production capabilities, the SPARK team is already exploring future upgrades, including AI tracking PTZ cameras that could simplify coverage inside the main auditorium.
For North Boulevard church, BirdDog has become an important part of how they connect with a congregation that now spans multiple campuses and continents.
“What started as a way to stream services has turned into a way to serve people all over the world,” reflects Doddington.
Why BirdDog
For North Boulevard church, BirdDog delivered the right combination of performance, flexibility, and value.
Instead of investing in traditional broadcast systems costing tens of thousands per camera, the church was able to build a professional multi-camera production environment across two campuses, all connected through NDI.
From PTZ cameras covering services, to studio production with the X4E, to portable cameras like MAKI Ultra bringing live moments from around the building into the broadcast, the system continues to grow alongside the church’s needs.
Most importantly, it allows the team to focus on what matters most: connecting people, no matter where they are joining from, and getting them involved in the mission and vision of North Boulevard church.
