The power of media has been studied for decades, but only the Holy Spirit transforms lives.

When it comes to creating media, churches unwittingly produce streams of content that idolize our human leaders rather than glorify Jesus. Here’s how we install the Holy Spirit as your church’s Creative Director, so that your content––and the way it is produced––will nourish souls.

Our Operating System

 

  • Rather than pursue slick production values and hype, we skillfully employ the tools of creativity, art, and media in ways that glorify God, not humans.

  • Rather than walk in the ways of the industry, which seeks to maximize production at great human and environmental cost, we design systems that uphold the Creator’s intention for work and rest, and that honor the worker’s gifts and expertise.

  • We believe when people engage in creative work, they have a distinct opportunity to commune with their Creator. We intentionally train media teams to sense the Spirit moving and speaking through their God-given talents and acquired skills.

 

Methodology

Through dialogue and discovery, we will work closely with you and your team to understand your church’s unique context and mission. We will come alongside you to uncover any gaps in your current media operations. Then, together, we will chart a course towards sustainable and scalable growth for your operations and teams.

 
 
 

Leadership

Trellis is founded and directed by Christen Smith, a lifetime active serving member of the local church, whose professional experience includes nearly 20 years as a creative professional in New York City’s media and entertainment industries.


  • Founder, Director

    Christen’s career in New York City’s media and entertainment industries took an unexpected turn with an assignment to serve as the creative director on the staff of a growing church in Manhattan. During her time, she scaled their media operations to 5 services across 3 locations, and built specialized serving teams for the church across all the creative and tech disciplines. She then guided the church’s successful transition to livestream and remote operations during the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Christen founded Trellis Creative Strategies as an artist and filmmaker who believes in the strategic Kingdom impact of the local church. She seeks to demystify the expectations surrounding media production that is increasingly thrust upon church staffs. Her desire is to create a structure underneath their current media operations that supports a sustainable and scalable way for growth and ultimately, discipleship.

    Christen also serves as an adjunct faculty in the film department at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.