I think I speak for most everyone that works in a production role at a church when I say I want things to be perfect. I want transitions to be clean. I want sound to be perfect, with the exact right amount of low end. I want the lyrics to be there at the perfect time, not too early, not too late. I want our congregation to not even realize we are there. Create the perfect environment that leads us all into moments of worship.
But that rarely happens. Often a transition to a video is a disaster. Or the announcement slide doesn’t exist for what the pastor wants. Or the lyrics are too early, and then change too late. And sometimes, the sound guy must be listening to something totally different. The normal feeling in these moments is frustration and failure. It’s immediately, “How can that not happen again.” The reality of our role is that, while the goal, perfection is mostly unattainable. I don’t know about you, but even though it’s my job, sometimes I screw up. And most of the roles that are helping to operate our services are being run by volunteers. Volunteers that are wanting to give happily to the church. But also volunteers that are late coming back from the bathroom between services, or that get an itch on their nose while their camera is live on screen, or that honestly don’t know much of how to react on the fly to changes.
ROMANS 11:36
For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.
At The Summit Church [Raleigh, N.C.], production exists to create an environment that draws people into worship. I assume we all have that goal. But what I have started to realize is that our team behind the scenes is also called to worship. To use our service as an offering to worship. It’s so easy to forget, while we’re executing a service, to worship in the moments. A scripture that helps me place these things in my mind is Romans 11:36. “For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” When I am tempted to have too much pride in a thing I figured out, I remember it’s from Him. When a moment lands in a worship set or service in a way I never would have imagined, that’s through Him. And when our people connect in ways that allow them to worship, it is for Him. Often, as I pray for our teams before service starts, I’ll ask God to work through us and in spite of us. Because there are moments where God will use us to reach people, and then there is the true reality that the Gospel doesn’t need us. God doesn’t need you or me to reach people, He will do it in His way and at His time.
It’s easy to lose the point. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the details, and how I am going to make things happen. But it’s so much better to worship, to offer your preparation and talents as an offering of worship to God. Because really, He doesn’t need our help to change lives.
Justin Manny is Production Pastor at The Summit Church, Raleigh-Durham, NC.
