in His technical service

Exit Strategy

So does your team have an exit strategy?  When a volunteer realizes that they need to spend more time at home, or work; is there a process in place that allows them to exit the team gracefully?  Or do they get a guilt trip that the whole team, the entire music ministry will fall apart without their help?  What if they simply need to adjust how much time is committed to serving each month?

We really don't have a process in place for this, but I've been thinking about it alot lately.  Volunteers with no way to leave, will find a way out, and they will resent you, and the team for it.  They will leave when something goes wrong, using that incident as their back door to escape through.

Volunteers who are allowed to exit gracefully are also more willing to come back, knowing that if another situation arises, they can adjust to it when it happens.

Share your team's exit strategy in the comments.

Churches Pirating Software

I was cruising around iTunes today looking if there were any tech podcasts to subscribe to.  I listened to Faithtools.net podcast, episode 14, which was an interview with three of the major presentation software producers: Sunday+, Media Shout, and ProPresenter.  They were talking about site licensing, and how their demo's worked, and then I heard a comment that just floored me.  I had to go back and listen to it again just to make sure I understood what they were talking about.

At 10:40 into the podcast, one of they guys mentioned that they put a "call home" script in their software, so if it was used without paying for a user license, it would notify the company with an email.  He said that after they received 20,000 notifications, they turned off the feature.  That's right, 20,000 instances of users, CHURCHES using software that they hadn't paid for.

If you are running software on your computer that you haven't paid for, YOU'RE STEALING IT!  I know this behavior is common.  Every time I hear someone mention a computer crash, someone always says "I've got a copy of windows if you need it", and the same with MS Office.

As the church, we need to be above reproach.  If you buy a copy of presentation software to use in your worship center, you have paid for one user.  If you decide to put the same software in the youth center, you need to buy a site license, or another user license.

You wouldn't steal something from a department store, it wouldn't even cross your mind.  So don't steal software.

Overworked

Mike over at Church Tech Arts posted an article entitled "Church Leaders - You're Killing Us".  The article talks about church leadership expecting tech staffers to spend 50, 60, even 70 hours a week at work; justifying it with "it's for the church".

I don't claim to be an expert in this topic.  I'm in my first staff position as a tech director, and I've been there less than a year.  What I do know, is the tendency to overwork is quite common.  When I was a volunteer, I'd often spend 30+ hours a week at the church; not counting the 40+ hours a week at my regular job.  Now that I'm on staff, 50 - 60 hour weeks happen pretty frequently, especially around the holidays. 

What I'm finding out is that if I'm putting in that much time, it's probably due, at least in part, to my lack of ability to delegate.  Giving away pieces of a project, or even the entire project can be risky.  I have to train others to handle the project, then trust that they will carry it out correctly.  The benefit of delegating is that the volunteers get to own the project, and experience the blessing, and stretching of learning to handle it on their own.  Tech Directors, it is NOT your job to do everything for the church.  It IS your job to train your volunteers how to do it.

If you're spending 20-30 hours a week editing video; begin training one or two others how to edit.  Trust them with a few small projects, like a countdown, or a teaser.

If you're doing all the audio mixing, teach a few others how the console works.  Trust them with some smaller events, like weddings, or recitals.

If we can't learn to reproduce ourselves, passing our knowledge and vision on to others, we are dooming our churches to technical failure.  When you leave, and you will eventually leave, your knowledge leaves with you; and the tech team goes back to square one.  As Andy Stanley says  "work yourself out of your job" don't be afraid to share your secrets on how to create a great audio mix; testimony video; or moving light programming.  Educate others; let them own it, and don't be afraid of them getting better at doing it than you.  Having operators that can run their workstation better than you is testament to you doing your job well..

Oh yeah, take some time off.  Spend time with your family, they miss you.  Spend time with your friends, they miss you too.

I certainly don't have all this mastered, but I'm working at it, and I hope to get better at it.

If someone asks why they haven't seen you mix lately, or why you have taken a few vacations recently, tell them  "it's for the church"

The devil is in the details

http://churchtechmatters.com/2008/03/20/do-you-pray-for-tech-in-your-church/

Jim Walton at Church Tech Matters poses the question: "do you pray for the tech in your church"?  I don't believe if something goes wrong with a piece of equipment, that it is possessed.  Not that it can't happen, just that it's unlikely.

I do very much believe that "the devil is in the details" by this, I mean that of we don't pay attention to the details, they will get you in trouble. Easter is just days away, and is the culmination of many days and weeks of preparation.  All that preparation is for nothing if we are sloppy in the details.  If we aren't intentional with the sound mix, or the camera transitions, or dozens of other examples.  We as techs have a responsibility to  handle, and convey a precious message to the congregations of the churches we serve in.

Do I pray for our technical equipment?  No, I don't.  I do pray for our team, and that we will be attentive, and transparent in our service.  It is my hope, that people will see past us, past the worship team, past the pastor, and experience God's hope, forgiveness, mercy, and grace in a fresh way; perhaps for the first time in their lives.  That message is far to important for us not to pay attention to the details.