Ultimately, any sound system is only as good as the people operating it. Their ministry is every bit as valid as the music director, the instrumentalist or the choir member. In reality, the effectiveness of the aforementioned ministries may depend on the sound operators’ ministry. Therefore it is very important to provide the same level of personal and spiritual attention to your technical staff as you would any other church ministry, life group, etc. We all know that a certain investment must be made in order to produce quality sound in a church. However, it is not the value of the equipment that assures the quality of the sound. It is the value the church places in its volunteer tech or tech team that produces the desired end result. We often evaluate the technical aptitude of the volunteer sound team but fail to consider their spiritual gifts and contribution aside from their talents. The leader of such a ministry may not necessarily be the most experienced technical member. Whether you are just building the technical staff or already have a team in place, it is important to address all aspects of this ministry.
One of the most critical and often forgotten elements in any endeavor or quest, is the understanding of clear direction or purpose. Without this key element, the focus of what we do or why we do it can be confusing or even lost. The church’s direction and purpose is clearly given to us in the Bible. What about the Tech Team? Is it important for us to have clear direction and purpose? The answer is obviously yes!
Regardless of the size of your team, whether you’re going it alone or are part of a large team, a statement of purpose is a must. The need for such a statement is especially important for techs. This is because we have a tendency to focus on the hardware and its operation instead of why we are serving. The purpose statement keeps us focused on why we do what we do. It can be reviewed as conflicts arise (often caused by major production stress) and serves as a tool to get us refocused. This statement should be a formal document, developed by the team, and should include three basic elements: a single statement of purpose, statements of direction, and finally a biblical basis for ministry.
Statement of Purpose
The Technical Ministries Team exists for one purpose:
“ To invest ourselves in a ministry that will directly support and reinforce anything and everything that goes forth from this church that requires the support of lighting, audio, video, graphics, or any other form of technical or stage support, in a manner that is pleasing to God, and will provide for a better reception and understanding by all those who are touched by our efforts”
Statement of Direction
We are to encourage and support other members of the team and those whom we serve through our technical gifts.
We are committed to being professional in our craft, in the execution of our skills and our relationships with others.
We are to submit to each other and to our leadership, out of respect for each other as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
We are responsible, individually and as a team, for our technical and spiritual development through study and commitment.
We are to build up one another, and have the responsibility of eliminating any word or action that in not constructive to our team.
Biblical Basis
As we serve, we embrace the scripture “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain
conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should
look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Philippians 2:3-4 NIV
Ministry Goals
1. To infuse a vision of a worship lifestyle into all those who attend. I am truly thankful for the privilege to lead a lifestyle of worship to the God of the Universe.
2. To show by example how to operate as a team and still be leaders individually. Make it your goal to minister to the Father, to your Senior Pastor, to your Music Minister, and to the church body during every service, especially those services you are assigned to work. Recognize that there is a corporate anointing that takes place when we enter into his presence with thanksgiving, and that this corporate anointing is far more powerful than we might experience alone. So don’t tamper with it; instead, seek to enhance it.
3. To find ways to stir up and build up your fellow team members. Bind intimidation (2 Tim 1:6,7) Find ways that you can minister to them and stir up their God-given talents. Think twice before you speak. Be available. Don’t overemphasize skill, but rather total dependence on the Lord.
4. To pursue God’s best through technical excellence in everything we do. Strive to honor Him through a “whatever it takes” work ethic. (I Cor. 9:24-27) Recognize that God isn’t looking for perfection, but excellence. Realize that we can minister to Him and others through a mutual desire to seek God’s best.
5. Through the combination of these points, that we would continue to build and strengthen a ministry of people who care for and pray for one another. That we would go out of our way to spend time getting to know one another. That we would actually follow through with our promise of “I’ll pray for you.” That we wouldn’t be afraid to be vulnerable in expressing our prayer needs in confidence. That we would help each other grow in an understanding that our significance on this planet is found only in God, not in ourselves or our performance; not even our performance on stage.
Once you have written and adopted your own statement of purpose, print it on a large sheet of paper, have everyone on the Tech Team sign it, and post it for all to see so that it can be looked back upon when needed. Without such a reminder we can lose focus on what we do and why we do it.
It is the skills that God has given us that allow us to do what we do. It is the statement of purpose that keeps us focused on how and why we do it. I would encourage all Tech Teams consider the adoption of such a document, review it regularly, and keep it at the center of their ministry.
Hello and Welcome to Sound Advice, the technical forum for worship leaders and technical staff in today�s church. My name is Leon Sievers, and while I have more than twenty years of professional audio experience, it is out of obedience and my faith in God which prompted me to create Sound Advice. I have a passion for worship and a strong commitment to prayer. The goal of this web-site is to inspire a commitment to technical excellence within the church. It is my prayer�. that you can benefit from my experience, and I from yours.
I want to dedicate this ministry first to our Lord and Savior, to my wife Laura and daughter Katie, Stephen Newman for creating EXW, my Pastor John Reed and to my brothers in Christ and Sound; Larry Aitken, Lance Enos, Mike Austin, Darryl Brice, Shaug Evans, Erik Yourshaw and the entire worship team(s) at Canyon Hills Church, without whom I would have never come to know the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Before we get started, would you please join me in a prayer for our respective ministries�
Oh Lord, please bless this ministry that it might glorify your name. May the talent that you have bestowed upon me be used only to serve you. Let this work be a witness to your majesty and love, and remind us that you are always watching, and listening, from your throne above. May your presence and beauty be found in every note, and may the words that are sung reach the hearts of your people so they will draw closer to you. May your Spirit guide us through every measure so that we might be the instruments of your peace, and proclaim your glory with glad voices���Amen.
Let me begin by saying that this is your web-site and I have no pre-conceived notions of what it should be. I found EXW to be a valuable resource for information, which helped me grow in my faith and understanding of worship. When the Lord first spoke to me about creating Sound Advice, I conducted my own research into those who have gone before me. And I want to tell you�. there are some tremendous people who share our passion for Christ and have technical insight. And true to their faith, they have agreed to share in their experience and knowledge so that we may all benefit. A lot of ground has already been covered in creating technical materials and articles that apply to the church. Rather than duplicate their efforts in an attempt to be original, I will continue to collaborate with the leaders that God has inspired and aid you in filtering the vast resources of information. I will remain open to the spirit in featuring the topics that are of most interest to you and of importance to God. I will translate the technical into real world terms that the layman and novice can understand and APPLY. I am open and committed to developing this ministry into whatever God will have it become.