When deciding on the right mobile church equipment, consider logistics, price, and design.
Choosing mobile church equipment is significantly different than choosing equipment for a permanent church building. What’s essential and what’s negotiable?
There are many factors to take into account when choosing equipment specific to a rented space. And if a church doesn’t take into account the unique challenges related to equipping these kinds of spaces, it will be difficult for both the leaders and volunteers. What might seem like a saving up front will actually cost more in the long run.
Here are three factors to consider when deciding on mobile church equipment.
3 Factors to Weigh When Choosing Mobile Church Equipment
1. Logistics
Although some venues permit churches to permanently install audio/video/lighting (AVL) equipment in the auditorium or keep their equipment on site, this is an exception. Each week, mobile church equipment must be brought in and out of the premises.
Moving gear in and out of the venue means that logistics are a critical component to your church plant. Your AVL setup will most probably be a very expensive component of your setup. The equipment costs a lot and so do the containers it is all stored in. But beyond their value, you must consider if your equipment is best suited to constant maneuvering, transporting, and handling.
Is your AVL equipment easy to set up and tear down?
Is your equipment robust enough to withstand constant handling?
What options are out there that would serve your church better?
And most importantly:
Does our church equipment make logistical planning as easy as possible?
This is something you’ll want to ask a professional about and after gaining some insight, you’ll want to set some tech goals for new gear that best suits your situation.
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2. Price
Choosing gear based on a balanced solution can save thousands of dollars a year in rental costs.
Unfortunately, one of the largest errors in essential equipment selection is overlooking the importance of safe, proper storage of the equipment. The importance of a balanced solution can’t be overstated. This is commonly seen:
- When money-saving teams follow the DIY approach and discover the quality of their gear deteriorates over time
- A church purchases high-quality equipment but neglects to invest in long-lasting cases and storage gear
- When ministries store equipment without sufficient protection and incur the cost and inconvenience of replacing product after a short period of time
While purchasing essential equipment can be a large up-front investment, steward your investment well by also acquiring the proper cases and storage solutions.
Churches who ‘go mobile’ should consult the pros and invest in gear that will be easy to store, load, and transport. Click To Tweet3. Design
The setting and configuration of a typical mobile church are consistent from week to week. This site consistency opens up certain new possibilities for the whole system's design, selection, and storage.
INNOVATIVE EXAMPLES
Imagine a large church that meets in a local school’s auditorium. This layout is ideal for a church experience! With the right signage and lobby setup, guests know where the children’s ministry area is located, as well as the coffee.
Speaking of, to create a children’s ministry area for a mobile setting, simply use portable walls and curtains to create a space that’s conducive to the needs of your kids and teachers.
If you choose to work with professionals, your consultant will help you envision a design solution that’s unique to your mobile space.
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LEARN FROM OTHERS WHEN CHOOSING THE RIGHT MOBILE CHURCH EQUIPMENT
There you have it. These points to consider should set you up for success when considering what mobile church equipment to invest in.
We always advise learning from others who have already gone mobile because they will have already made mistakes that you can learn from. This is the beauty of shared information and helping out others as you learn.
Know what works in a mobile setup: read 4 Considerations for Portable Church Speaker Systems.
What considerations were important to you when you went mobile? Share with us your experience!