Let’s face it, the greatest thing about working in church tech is playing with all the toys. There is a certain exhilaration that comes in manipulating the faders, hitting just the right lighting cue, and nailing a worship service that was spot on. Yet, for most new church techs, that joy quickly fades once the realities of maintaining gear, the need for advanced production skills, budgets, balancing running multiple ministry events while still devoting time to your family, and volunteer training begin to pile on. It can seem overwhelming. To be honest, it is going to take time before you truly learn how to balance all those responsibilities. But, if you are looking to get started in church tech, by just investing in three key areas a little bit each week, you can easily become a seasoned pro in no time: Connect, Learn, and Grow.
First: Connect with others.
God commands us to do church together—with one another, and that includes with running our tech ministry. The central group to connect with is your volunteer team. As a tech leader, whether you are 20 days in or 20 years on the job, you are their ministry shepherd. They will look to you for guidance in serving the Lord, and they will be your key asset in times of struggle to lend a helping heart and hand. Investing in the health of your team aids in relieving much of the daily load. But it doesn’t end there.
Reach out to the church down the street, the megachurch TD in the next city over, and the tech “legend” you see on Twitter.
We must also connect with other church techs outside of our churches. No one knows more about what you are going through and your developmental needs than those who have been there, done that. Reach out to the church down the street, the megachurch TD in the next city over, and the tech “legend” you see on Twitter. It may be intimidating when you are just starting out, but I challenge that there is no better group of professionals who love to mentor other new professionals than church techs. That is because we know that when we invest in you, we are investing in a like-minded Child of God and the future of God’s Kingdom here on earth. So, offer to meet up for lunch or find a local trade show to connect at. Having a strong church tech support network will be the single greatest investment you can make for long-term success, because when you feel you need to talk about daily tasks and challenges, they are the ones who know exactly what you are experiencing. You can do so with no fear of negative consequences from your own church.
Second: Learn your craft.
Above all else, we have to be able to do the job day-in and day-out. When we’re new and excited it’s easy to get up to a certain acceptable competency level and become satisfied because the joy we are experiencing blinds us to our inadequacies. Therefore, we must continue to increase our skill level, and not in just one aspect, but all. The easiest way is attending manufacturer trainings for the gear currently in your church. Most of them are offered at very little to no cost, either in-person or online. Search their websites for certification tracks for your audio desk, lighting console, mics, cameras, etc., as well as other competencies like Dante and display mounting.
... we must continue to increase our skill level, and not in just one aspect, but all.
Once you are comfortable with the equipment in your church, look up trainings for other related manufacturers in order to grow a wider base of knowledge. For example, if you have a Behringer desk, get well-versed in that first, but don’t stop there. Continue by becoming certified in Yamaha, Avid, etc. The principles taught will be useful across the board, and each class will allow you to experience the skills and workflows in a slightly different manner. As a church tech, our role also requires soft skills of working with volunteers and church administration when it comes to budgeting and scheduling. Therefore, basic accounting, time management, and project planning courses at local community colleges or even through church ministries will help with the “business” aspect of the job. After you have covered the general bases, earning a CTS certification through AVIXA will demonstrate to others, both in your church and outside (to contractors, consultants, manufactures, and integrators), that you are also a professional and “one of them.”
Third: Grow in your relationship with Christ.
We may use tools and techniques of the secular world, but what we do is greater than simply a job. We connect people with the living Christ. In order to ensure we do that in the most appropriate and professional manner, we ourselves must have a strong relationship with God. It is extremely easy to get caught up in the daily tasks and slide into our “production zone” when services are going on that we often forget to feed ourselves spiritually. I know for myself, I cannot truly focus on the message during service because I’ll be too obsessed over the 1/2” misplacement of the headset mic or one up-light that is not perfectly centered alongside the others. We know that no one notices these things but us, but because we care about perfecting our craft, we can easily forget to stop and marvel at the gospel truths the pastor is presenting.
... find time to invest in your relationship with Christ: private prayer time, men’s/women’s small groups, marriage ministries, watching the service online later, or simply sitting down and systematically reading the Scriptures.
So, find time to invest in your relationship with Christ: private prayer time, men’s/women’s small groups, marriage ministries, watching the service online later, or simply sitting down and systematically reading the Scriptures. Search Church Production Magazine for articles on how your craft relates to your ministry. Remember the purpose behind what we do: we mediate the message of God from the stage to the congregation so their lives can be changed for eternity through the saving power that only comes through Christ.
As you begin your journey in the awesome world of church tech, enjoy the ride. God has specifically chosen you and placed you in that production chair because that’s how He wants you to serve His people. Rejoice in knowing that fact. Developing yourself in the industry follows the same model as how God works in our own lives. Connect with Him and others; Learn everything about Him; Grow in your relationship with Him. Congratulations! Your production of sound, light, and video are essential elements in guiding others to experience the saving power of Christ, with whom you’ll be celebrating with for eternity.
