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One major factor that distinguishes churches from other businesses is that we don’t exist to turn a profit.
All of our income relies completely on the generosity of our congregants, who are trusting that we, as church leaders, will make wise decisions and steward their financial investments well.
So, when we look at making equipment purchases, financial stewardship is a critical factor. In order to be good stewards though, there are key considerations that can help determine the most appropriate equipment to buy.
1-Try before you buy
You should never feel pressure to buy equipment that you haven’t seen or played with in person.
You should never feel pressure to buy equipment that you haven’t seen or played with in person.
This is where it can pay dividends to partner with an integrator on an upgrade or project. Yes, there may be additional cost involved, but having their expertise can make a huge difference. They can leverage their influence with a manufacturer to facilitate demos (whether in your own facility or even in another space where that gear has already been installed for use) or can line up a “shoot-out” where multiple companies come show off their gear, side-by-side, so you can make comparisons and then form a solid, informed judgment about which products are the best fit.
2-Network
Chances are, someone else at another church bought and used this gear before you, and they either loved it or hated it. Don’t be afraid to reach out and get feedback.
Chances are, someone else at another church bought and used this gear before you, and they either loved it or hated it.
Ping folks you follow on social media. Call (or visit) the church down the road. Find a Facebook group or equipment forum where you can post questions.
Let others’ use cases form the basis of the pros and cons you need in making a decision. This also allows you to build a support network in case you have questions after an install, and it gives credibility to your decision when you can tell your leadership that “Church So-and-So” also uses it and it works great for them.
3-Think long-term
Don’t buy equipment based solely on the features you need right now. Get a feel for your leaders’ vision for the church’s growth, and ensure that you have a plan for how to meet those needs down the road.
Also consider the cost of ownership, whether that’s man hours of operation for troubleshooting, standard preventative maintenance, or repair/replacement costs.
Don’t buy equipment based solely on the features you need right now.
That extra cost (or cost saved, compared to current gear) can be a critical part of the decision-making process.
As we weigh purchase decisions, not only are we charged with stewarding the resources that have been entrusted to us, but we also sometimes carry the weight of knowing that this may be our “one chance” to get things right. For many, capital projects or equipment upgrades happen infrequently, and it could be a long time before another similar opportunity presents itself.
