I have great zeal for excellence when it comes to worship presentations. Having the latest media, sound and lighting, along with the choir and the musicians, can enhance the worship experience. However, things don’t always run perfectly and church budgets are limited; we can only continue to move forward. I have learned through the years that people who come hungry for God are not concerned with whether the worship has a concert feel or not. They are there to seek an encounter with God.
If you decide that getting the latest and greatest equipment for your worship presentation, it will turn out to be a tough order to follow. You will most likely fail and end up frustrated because technology changes fast. The people you may seek advice from or read about usually change products quickly to better things because this is something they can afford. Most of the people that have suggestions or thoughts about such things are usually from other churches or have been to too many concerts; they are expecting the same experience when they visit the church where you worship. At the very least, they want to hear that as a worship team you are advancing to meet with concert standards.
Let the following help you have some peace of mind...
1st your worship is intended to provide the people an encounter with God. God can use your media, video, sound and lighting as an instrument through which your worship reaches them, however, God can also do his work without it.
True Story
My wife and I went on vacation to Rochester NY to see my family. That Sunday we went to visit the church where my cousin is the music minister. We had an awesome worship time in the house of God. Later that evening, we met with him and his wife for some coffee to catch up. His first question to me that night was, "How was the sound for worship?” He was about to apologize for its quality and I stopped him and said it was all great! I made it clear to him that I hadn’t come for a concert but a worship experience that would lead me to encounter God. I added that if they ever started charging at the door of the church then I would expect a concert-quality performance. I ended by encouraging him to continue to do his best and reminded him that in spite of the lack of resources for worship and the people in our churches, God always comes through.
Let the following help you have some peace of mind...
1st your worship is intended to provide the people an encounter with God. God can use your media, video, sound and lighting as an instrument through which your worship reaches them, however, God can also do his work without it.
True Story
My wife and I went on vacation to Rochester NY to see my family. That Sunday we went to visit the church where my cousin is the music minister. We had an awesome worship time in the house of God. Later that evening, we met with him and his wife for some coffee to catch up. His first question to me that night was, "How was the sound for worship?” He was about to apologize for its quality and I stopped him and said it was all great! I made it clear to him that I hadn’t come for a concert but a worship experience that would lead me to encounter God. I added that if they ever started charging at the door of the church then I would expect a concert-quality performance. I ended by encouraging him to continue to do his best and reminded him that in spite of the lack of resources for worship and the people in our churches, God always comes through.
2nd be content with what you have. God will always provide and bless you in the more if you appreciate and become a good steward of the things He has given you. Sometimes my media team perseverates on the need for an upgrade, suggesting that we should have what is used at youth camp meetings. I remind them that we have come a long way from using overhead projectors to now having overhanging projectors on our ceiling. Little by little progress and upgrades takes place, but that should not be the focus.
I remember there was an event in our church where many ministers attended. I overheard a certain worship minster speaking to his senior pastor about the media; pointing at the screens he said, "That’s what we need in our church." At that time, their media consisted of an overhead projector and transparencies which still did the job; this tool communicated the message effectively. If you work with what you have, you will see God do what you cannot!
3rd every church is different. Running this race of wants and have-nots is a never ending race and a frustrating one at that. There will always be a church that has more expensive, more elaborate, better stuff than your church. When others come and want to influence you to better things and they don't know your budget, you say it’s working for you and your budget now and thank them for their opinion. Take pride in your equipment instead of creating a conflict with your pastor for more money to enhance it. When you do this it will help you appreciate the tools God has put before you.
Be careful not to fall into the concert track. Lead your church into an experience with God which needs no smokes or lighting because they come hungry for it.
Choose an Encounter with God over a concert with the worship and production team!
I remember there was an event in our church where many ministers attended. I overheard a certain worship minster speaking to his senior pastor about the media; pointing at the screens he said, "That’s what we need in our church." At that time, their media consisted of an overhead projector and transparencies which still did the job; this tool communicated the message effectively. If you work with what you have, you will see God do what you cannot!
3rd every church is different. Running this race of wants and have-nots is a never ending race and a frustrating one at that. There will always be a church that has more expensive, more elaborate, better stuff than your church. When others come and want to influence you to better things and they don't know your budget, you say it’s working for you and your budget now and thank them for their opinion. Take pride in your equipment instead of creating a conflict with your pastor for more money to enhance it. When you do this it will help you appreciate the tools God has put before you.
Be careful not to fall into the concert track. Lead your church into an experience with God which needs no smokes or lighting because they come hungry for it.
Choose an Encounter with God over a concert with the worship and production team!
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