Recently I was helping a church that was still using gear from the 1970s. Interestingly, much of it still worked quite well. But the stuff that didn't work … oh my. It was bad.
This church had made the decision to reach out to a new generation and part of their plan was to use technology to accomplish that goal. It won't come as a surprise that they have a long way to go before their current technology is going to help them do anything except get everyone humming at 60 cycles.
In the 1970s, most churches had very little reliance on technology. The majority had a speech-only sound system and some basic lighting. Forty years later most evangelical churches are either heavily invested in technology or are seriously considering doing so.
If your church is using technology to help spread the Gospel, you know the struggle to keep your gear current, operational and properly maintained. If your church is just getting started, this is a process you need to learn.
Most senior leaders like to spend money once and then move on to the next big thing. Unfortunately, the life cycle of audio, video and lighting equipment is limited. It must be maintained and then replaced on a regular basis. If we don't maintain our gear and keep up with the expected lifespan, the technical systems our churches depend on for ministry will let us down—often in disruptive, inconvenient and occasionally in spectacular ways.
Production equipment is expensive, and the cost can be a lot for the senior leadership to swallow. As a result, the tech team will try and figure out how to keep the existing equipment working. We play MacGyver and get out the gum and the gaff tape and make it work for another week. After years of this, things will only sort of work and the tech director will be the only one who really knows all the secrets necessary to make the church services function. And when things start breaking down, or the tech director leaves, the ship is going down. This all leads to my first point:
1. Make a Plan
Coming up with a plan to replace your systems is key to actually replacing them. The plan will create tangible as well as emotional results. Without a plan, you will just continue complaining about how bad your current systems are. Without an action plan for what to replace first, second, third, etc., senior leaders won't know the timeline or what to expect in terms of cost. Without a plan you won't know how much money to budget each year, so you will just keep using duct tape to fix it. (Duct tape because you can't even afford gaff tape because you don't have a plan.)
Replacing lots of expensive equipment is an exercise in leading up. It’s about convincing non-technical people to spend lots of money on things they know nothing about.
Hardware can last on average 7-10 years. Some gear will not last that long; other stuff will last longer. Software usually needs to be replaced much more often than hardware. As you develop a schedule, plan for key years when big-ticket items will crop up. Senior leaders don't like to be blind-sided with expensive items like audio consoles, moving lights or that HD or 4K upgrade, etc. If they know what's coming a few years in advance, chances increase that those purchases will actually happen.
In addition to your forecast schedule for larger capital purchases, develop a separate operating budget. Your operating budget should be able to handle the everyday wear and tear on your equipment.
If you plan on a seven-year life cycle, add up the value of all the systems you have, then divide it up across the seven-year time span. This will give you an idea of how much you should be spending each year to upgrade your system.
When I was at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill., the overall tech budget was quite large, but we weren't in the habit of setting aside a certain amount each year for this purpose. In my last few years there, we started putting money into a fund for capital replacement of equipment. It wasn't nearly enough, but it was a start. Each year more money was added to the account in an attempt to build it up to where it should be for those larger replacement items.
If you are just starting out on this idea, start somewhere. Don't get discouraged by the gap between what you should be budgeting and what you actually get. At the very least, the process of putting together a budget and a multi-year forecast will initiate important conversations with your team and senior leaders.
2. Communicate the Plan
It's one thing to have a plan; it's another to get people on board with your plan. This happens by communicating the plan to others. Start with your production team. You need as many people as possible on board and in your corner. Without your key volunteers and staff people in the loop, you are missing out on your largest fan base. Get them on board early so that they can help to sell and execute the plan. Get your team excited for the possibility of having a plan to systematically replace the production systems at your church.
Once you have your people on board, it's time to move on to the church's leadership. Replacing lots of expensive equipment is an exercise in leading up. It's about convincing non-technical people to spend lots of money on things they really know nothing about.
Your leadership needs to understand the spirit behind your plan—that it isn't because you like shiny new toys. It's because you want the mission of the church to continue without interruption.
Coming up with a plan to replace things before they fail places you in a solution-oriented light. I used to find myself complaining about how bad our equipment was, which put me in a position of just pointing out the problems without offering solutions.
Now I make every effort to be a team player and not just a complainer. When you talk about having a plan, you are showing up to the table with potential answers.
When you get your moment to share your plan with your church's leadership, frame it in terms that your leadership can understand. If you just start rattling off model numbers, they will have no idea what you're talking about. For example, I was recently in a meeting where lots of technical jargon was being thrown around. I noticed many non-technical leaders looking around with glassy-eyed stares. At the end of the meeting someone simply asked what the bottom line was. What does this mean for our church and how much will it cost? We need to communicate the plan in language our leadership can understand— not just non-technical speak, but how does it help our church's mission? Having a plan and talking to your leaders about the plan creates forward momentum.
3. Execute the Plan
Now that you've got your leadership on board with a plan, it's time to get the plan done. Be sure to keep your leadership updated on your progress and what to expect. If the plan needs to change, don't be afraid to change your plan. But don't change the plan without telling someone first. If you communicate one thing, but end up delivering something entirely different, you dig yourself a credibility hole with your team and your senior leadership.
A system-wide replacement or upgrade plan is a huge undertaking, and executing a plan requires a trusting relationship with your team and your leadership. It is not something you should take lightly. Without a plan you'll end up with antiquated equipment from the 1970s, then you'll wonder why the production value is so low at your church. Your church needs your expertise for direction. That's your job; no one else's. A detailed, multi-year plan will help chart your course for success.
