Some churches have the unfortunate tendency to underestimate how badly they need to hire techs to handle audio, video, lighting, and IT. It seems even more difficult for churches to hire a director. Maybe the pastor has thought about it. Maybe the elders have even debated it. Tight budgets no doubt weigh heavily in these decisions. However, there are five things your church may not be considering when to hire or not to hire is the question:
1. Technical work is harder than you think.
The work of a church tech is very complex. Systems in the digital age are almost always in flux and the state of technology has never been advancing at such an accelerated pace. Many millennials have actually gone to college to study in related fields and have the student loans to prove it. Many baby-boomers boast decades of experience and are committed to staying up to date on leading edge technology. The church presents a unique challenge to technical artists. The delivery of the gospel in a clear way Lastly, demands on technology use to do things such as streaming, simulcast, and archiving require collaborative efforts among multi-disciplinary teams of technical artist to make “simple” concepts a reality. The value of a good technical artist in the for-profit market is to the tune of $45k-85k. Great technical artist are well worth the investment.
2. More time is required than you think.
While church techs are indeed often the first to arrive and the last to leave, when additional tasks or special projects are added to the typical work load, it isn’t uncommon for some tech teams to spend hundreds of man hours a week to complete a project. On top of that also they have to make Sundays happen. Many of those hours is time each tech has to spend away from their family and other obligations. It’s my hope that a more realistic view of time and energy techies commit to projects might prevent usury.
3. Bad tech will hurt growth.
Developing a top notch technical program takes consistency. Every church has a different set of values, objectives, and method. In order to adhere technical systems to the mission of the church, significant thought and planning has go into design and processes that will support the mission and accommodate its growth. When the technology in place does not work for the church, it often can work against the church. When audiences are constantly distracted by constant “technical difficulties”, they will often question the integrity of the leadership.
4. It’s more expensive not to hire.
While volunteers are mostly concerned with making Sunday happen, a paid technical director will partner with church officials to see that the church reaches its objectives. If there is no one to fill this gap, churches will have to spend significant amounts of money hiring consultants to fix what’s not working. They will not necessarily be around to evaluate the effectiveness of their solutions. A good tech team will monitor systems, perform maintenance, and anticipate updates. This often translates to significant savings for your church.
5. If you don’t, someone else will.
Church techies are looking for opportunities. Some are willing to travel or uproot for the right opportunity. Many would LOVE to work for the church that they have been volunteering at. If they receive an opportunity to work elsewhere, I imagine most would strongly consider it. Church leaders, ask yourself. What if your volunteer left your church right before your next service? Could your service go on without a hitch? If not, I strongly suggest you considering hiring a techie.
