worship tech

When working in church tech ministry, there always seems to be “what next” moments. What’s the latest gear? How do I get things to look and sound better? Many church techs, and for good reasons, are always looking to improve the church experience. At some point, however, we need to take a step back and ask ourselves the question: WHY are we doing this? Is it to make it look good or is it to bring glory to God?

Creating a thorough soundcheck process is one of the best ways ensure that a consistent audio mix is achieved at church each week. There are different ways to approach a soundcheck, but the end result should always be quality sound from the stage to the main loudspeakers, a good monitor mix for each musician and vocalist, and a sound tech that is prepared to mix the live event.

We know as ministry leaders that you often don't get the chance to visit other churches on Sunday mornings. One of the perks I have is that I don't work for a church and can take time each month to visit churches in my area. Recently, our family visited a new church plant that meets at my daughter's middle school. I immediately noticed the lack of clutter on the stage area. I also noticed that there worship leaders were leading from iPads with no sheet music.

With the rise of multi-campus churches, the question of live or video sermons has been a question at the forefront of this movement. Some churches have multiple pastors preaching at different campuses. Some churches have one pastor that travels to each campus to preach. But others have one pastor that preaches at one location and a recording is fed via video to the other campuses. The debate still rumbles regarding what is best. But whether we like it or not, video venues are here and they are here to stay.

Part of being a good steward with church technology is to ensure that you get the best value for your money. While many churches face the challenge of being underfunded in the technology department, it is important to consider things other than price when shopping for new gear. The following tips can help churches avoid some of the common problems that can end up costing more money in the long run.

Your new lights are shining bright, your new sound board is installed, and your now worship looks and sounds amazing. Now the only question that remains is what to do with the gear you just replaced. The last thing any church wants is to have unused equipment collecting dust in a closet. Here are a few options that can help your church save space and potentially be a blessing to other churches:

Audio quality for the spoken word should be of utmost importance when it comes to church sound. It is common to address things like loudspeakers, acoustics, EQ, and compression when we think about manipulating the sound quality. And those things are very important.

In-ear monitor systems are a great way to control stage volume and craft a better main mix. There are three primary things that a good in-ear monitor system does: Reduce the volume and acoustic energy on stage Give the performer on stage control over their own monitor mix Reduce microphone bleed and feedback problems