Leading the tech arts ministry of your church can be both an exciting and scary endeavor. It is almost an imperative that you seek guidance from other church techs in order to solve the daily issues that arise. When we are facing new challenges like church expansion, limited resources, updating our technology, or even set changes, we undoubtedly reach to others in our situation to calm our cries for help. We have all seen the tweet or Facebook post asking how to do "something," like mic a kick drum or which speakers to install, and undoubtedly a wide range of perfect answers begin to pile in. In fact, a couple weeks back, I received an email from someone asking me what new console he should put in their new church launch. He wrote: “Your [sic] a Yamaha guy, so you think that’s the best?” That question provokes the biggest “Fake News” in Church Tech: There is one solution for your situation.
Answering his question, I noted, yes, I have been a “Yamaha guy” for 25 years. Ever since college, up to the church I where TD today, it has been what I have mixed on. If I were to open a new campus, I’d gravitate toward a Yamaha console… but not because it is the best, but because it is what I am comfortable with. After 25 years, I know the nuances; I know how to make that desk put out the sound and feel I want. And if I had spent 25 years in front of most anything else, I would say the same thing about that console.
So what do you do? Undoubtedly, a vast number of suggestions can be found. Which product do you trust? Which is best for you? Do you do whatever Saddleback or Willow Creek does? Buy whichever your favorite sound guy does? Maybe. Obviously, those churches have resources and a track record of creating a quality product. They can’t be a bad model to follow. However, they also have a specific use and church model with specific requirements that are mostly likely not your church model. The answers received when submitting a post like that will give you a general idea of what is popular, and more than likely what products can produce a high-quality outcome, but there are many factors that go into the final answer.
In fact, Paul answers this question in Philippians 4:8. He writes, “Brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” If our goal truly is on excellence and praising God, then we must think about what is honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable. Thus, the question we should be asking is not “what gear should I use?” but rather, “what is appropriate to my situation?” This means that we must think beyond the name and reputation and consider the "fit." We must take into account other factors beyond what we think is “the best.” Paul notes that excellence is produced out of what is honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable. It is not that the SSL or the CL produce those. They can be consoles that make the sound “lovely,” but if you use the entire church budget to purchase it, and other areas of the production have to suffer, that is not “commendable,” “honorable,” or “just,” and you have then failed at overall excellence.
So, go ahead and post your question online, and continue to ask others who you trust, but be sure to add context. What is the reason for the upgrade? Did your old console die and you just need a modern replacement? Did your church say they want to step up the quality, and want the best now so that it will last the next 7-10 years? Or maybe it is like the email I received, a church launch that has many factors to think about, like very limited resources, extra wear-and-tear from set-up-tear-down, unknown room acoustics, and limited volunteers to begin with. All those factors work together to form a complete AV solution. This will help you gain a bigger picture of what factors you will need to take into account.
Post your question, take your acquired list, and when you can narrow it down to the two or three situations that most match yours, call your reseller or integrator. If you purchase your equipment through a respected reseller—which you should—and not simply the cheapest website, present them with your findings, and trust their input. For bigger projects, use a respected integrator, and balance their suggestions with your daily experiences, needs, and the church’s expectations. Together, come up with the most appropriate solution. And then, step back and trust them.
There is more than one solution for every situation. If at every step the choices you make are honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable—meaning that they reject ego, selfish desire, wastefulness, carelessness, and idolatry—then your final product will truly represent what is excellent and praiseworthy to your church leadership… and God.
