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Seven Ideas for Low-
or No-Budget Situations
The pages of Church Production Magazine are filled with ideas, demonstrations and illustrations of installations of all types in houses of worship all over the country. If you’re like me, you read each issue of the magazine cover to cover and sometimes think, “That system would be nice in my church, but that will never happen.” Let me challenge you to take heart.
1. THE FIRST THING THAT YOU CAN DO IS PRAY. Now, it’s not my goal to turn this article into a sermon; nevertheless, prayer is an important part of anything church related. Take time to pray not only for the technical needs of the church, but also for the spirit of the people of the church. It’s amazing what a spirit of prayer can do for your attitude and perspective.
2. THE SECOND CONCEPT IS THAT OF APPROACH. Your approach to the situation of low budgets (or no budgets) should not be one of offense. In other words, approach the leaders of your church with a caring attitude, concerned with the people who attend the church and not just spouting off about how you still haven’t gotten that new wireless microphone. The core issue is beyond the fact that you don’t have the gear you need. The deeper issue is, or should be, that the people who come to church to worship every week will benefit from some piece of gear. Maybe you can eliminate a distraction by using a new video switcher or maybe the worship leader can be more effective with a new wireless headset microphone. The bottom line is the people. When the needs of the people drive the needs for the equipment, your case for “getting new stuff” takes on a whole new dimension and purpose.
3. THIS NEXT IDEA REQUIRES A MEASURED LEVEL OF TACT AND COURTESY. Persistence. Stay on it, and press the issue. With the proper approach, attitude, respect, perspective and continued prayer, continue to talk to the leaders of the church about the issues you are convinced are critical to the relevancy of the church in the area of technology. Don’t give up. Pray. Press on. Pray. Don’t give up. Did I mention ”pray?”
4. KNOW THE EQUIPMENT THAT YOU DO HAVE. Make it a point to know what every button and knob on every piece of gear does and how it affects the overall application of the system. For example, know what the attack and release knobs on the compressor do, and how that affects the overall sound. Know the difference between “mic level” and “line level.” Know how your lighting controllers communicate to the dimmers. Know the path of every cable you find. You’ll discover that the more you know about what you already have, the more effective your use of that equipment will be.
5. IN ADDITION TO KNOWING WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE, KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. It’s not enough to say you need a new sound system, or you need a new projector. What aspect of the current sound system needs to be upgraded and what does it need to become to be effective in the church’s ministry? If you need to add more microphone lines from the stage to the mixer, how many do you need? Why is it so important? If you need to add theatrical lighting, what problems will it solve? Who will it benefit? Where will it be installed? What will it take to maintain it? Knowing the answers to these and other questions will go a long way toward preparing you to present a complete proposal that can address the concerns of others. Having a direction and plan will help to solidify ideas and keep them focused. You could also involve leaders of the church in defining a direction and plan for technology, sharing with them the responsibility for carrying out that plan.
6. THE SIXTH CONCEPT IS RESEARCH. Know what equipment is available. Research the dozens of audio mixers that are available that will fit your application. Find out more about a manufacturer with whom you’re not very familiar. Read all the documentation you can find and know the features and benefits of the various equipment models. There are many resources available, both in print and on the web. Take the time to find out what will best suit your church’s needs. There may be something out there with which you’re not very familiar, but which fits your particular needs better that you could have imagined.
7. FINALLY, DON’T SETTLE. Too often, churches are guilty of buying the least expensive item. Whether you’re looking at buying a new microphone, mixer, amplifier, projector or any other type of equipment, don’t settle for the least expensive because it is the least expensive. In some cases the least expensive may be exactly what you need, but that is usually not the case. Don’t sacrifice quality to save a few dollars. There is a lot of equipment available that is very inexpensive, but lacks important features or lacks quality. You’ll find a wide selection of equipment that is very good, easy to use, and is neither super expensive nor super cheap. And while we’re talking about not settling, I’d like to suggest that you, with the help of your pastor or other leadership, establish a policy for accepting equipment donations. I’ve seen many churches use equipment that was donated by an organization or individual that upgraded their outdated equipment. This holds especially true for computer donations. There are certainly things that come along that are useful and beneficial, however, in most cases, if it is outdated for someone else, it may well be outdated for you as well.
High-tech gear doesn’t equal excellence. Take what you have and do the best you can with it. Be prepared to expand and upgrade by knowing what you need and how it will benefit you. Be persistent and stay positive. Push for excellence in every aspect of your church’s ministries. You may be in a low- or no-budget situation, but you can still work toward excellence with what you do have. It may take time, but you’ll get there.
