Church Technical Ministry: Seven ways to put the word “clear” in clear communications

In a recent seminar, I suggested seven ways to help improve communication between the worship leaders and the congregation by way of the technical ministry of your church. The technical team (media, sound, lights, etc) can greatly help spread the Word of God like a conduit between the people on stage and the listener’s ears and eyes. Worship interruptions can be greatly reduced or eliminated by people serving on the technical teams through praying, planning, practicing, perfecting their skill as unto the Lord. The role of technology is not to replace the Gospel message but to enhance the receiving of the message. Use technology to help people clearly receive the Word of God but do not become a slave to technology. Some of the ideas below are spiritual and others practical. Take what fits and discard the rest.

1. Keep in mind the technical team is a service ministry. You may not speak the words or sing the songs but you help provide a way for the congregation to receive the Word. Your attitude is of highest importance.  Philippians 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
2. Show up before rehearsal and stay until everything is over. (Practice with the music team and put gear up after church or rehearsal.) Have the systems turned on and tested and gear set up prior to the worship team’s arrival.
3. Do everything you can to eliminate “worship interruptions” by testing and practicing. See number 4 below.
4. Be proactive. Anticipate problems in advance. You can knock out almost all of the potential worship interruptions before they happen (batteries, test mics, check levels, check video, etc.) Have a checklist and use it every week to make sure you don’t forget anything.
5. Participate in the rehearsal but remember you are not in charge of the rehearsal. (That is hard for some.) If you have an important question about your job, write down a note and ask during a break. Agree with your worship leader on a process to check monitors, mics, mains, lights, sound and video before the music portion of the rehearsal begins.
6. Don’t serve alone. Two sets of eyes and ears are better than one. If at all possible, don’t try to run sound and video at the same time. Constantly look for others to serve. Get students involved. Get a couple of teams working on a schedule so no one gets burned out. Cross train on gear so you can step in for someone.
7. If you are the leader, make sure you praise and encourage your team (because the tech team is a ministry that is only really noticed by the congregation when things go wrong). When you have group prayer before a service or a praise team fellowship be sure to include your tech team.

Remember your technical team can also be a small group for discipleship. Why not form a Bible Study unit since often they are still working when Bible Study begins? Does your church have those early arrivals that are too late (probably on purpose) for Bible Study buy way early for worship? It is a perfect venue to have a sanctuary class for musicians, technical team and those early birds who otherwise would sit in the sanctuary and pass time until the service begins. The sanctuary class can serve as a first step to get new people involved in Bible Study or Sunday School.

Steve Hamrick is the Director of Worship and Church Technology for the Illinois Baptist State Association.