Most technicians are content to stay in the background, pushing buttons and not talking to anyone.
Many church technicians have said that despite trying, they have never personally lead anyone to Christ and it bothers them. God created us all to worship Him so why didn’t He create us all to be platform speakers or missionaries? In Matthew 28:18 and Mark 16:15, God gave us a Great Commission: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Technicians may feel like they are missing out on participating in the Great Commission because they see themselves as just “doers” – a service department that simply does what it’s told.
Suggested Tweet: "Techs lead many people to Christ through the use of our technical instruments of worship. @davidleuschner"
Some churches misinterpret the calling of a tech and reinforce a tech’s naturally negative suspicion that they’re only “doers.” If this is you, here are some practices that may help. First, make sure your team knows and appreciates what other teams are doing and contributing. You can do this by forcing one on one engagement. Prayer time together and a few minutes of interaction before rehearsal is a positive way to know what the Worship Teams, Facility Teams, etc. are going through.
If possible, get the worship and production teams together for outings that build relational bridges. Provide a path for ideas. Don’t kill ideas, but encourage them and have a process for vetting them. Clearly define how your team operates, but leave enough room for creativity, which makes the tech areas an art and not just a job. Review what your teams are doing and provide praise or correction as needed. A brief meeting with your teams right before the service will provide a breather, quick prayer for the service and re-focus the teams on the real reason why we do tech.
Suggested Tweet: " Clearly define how your team operates, but leave enough room for creativity. @davidleuschner"
The real reason we do tech is to be part of a ministry that, at the heart of it, fulfills the Great Commission. Most technicians have lead people to Christ by fulfilling their part in the service. Sure it’s important to have one on one contact with people and help lead them to Christ. But why would our technical talents and abilities be any less of a ministry to the lost than the pastor preaching on the platform? I don’t believe it is.
Technicians are in ministry just like a missionary that travels around the world or a pastor who speaks on the platform. As a matter of fact, I firmly believe that many souls have been won to Christ through the ministry of tech. If it wasn’t for technology, how would multi-site video church happen? How would ministry tools like CDs that we can hand to our neighbors come about? Digital witnessing through podcasts of a sermon or webcasts that are sent around the world in a manner of seconds are reaching lives for Christ. None of that would happen without a technician willing to come in early, stay late and work hard to fulfill the digital great commission.
Suggested Tweet: "Most technicians have lead people to Christ by fulfilling their part in the service. @davidleuschner"
Let’s re-frame our mindset. Your role in tech is a ministry. Remembering this gives the team a mission, a vision and a goal to attain. It changes how we act, react and interact with each other. Our job is now more than just pushing a button or moving a fader. Through the use of technology, our ministry is to paint an atmosphere of worship that helps engage or introduce every soul to the Holy Spirit. That’s our biblically mandated Digital Great Commission. Let’s go fulfill it.
