Preshow events are rarely highlights at a tradeshow, yet the Tech Leaders Retreat at WFX, which began Tuesday, September 18, 2012 has grown into one of the most anticipated and important aspects of the WFX event. Over the past four years, this event, run by the Church Technical Leaders organization, has grown into an annual gathering where over 250 church technical directors come together for a time of personal and spiritual renewal.
At the Tuesday preshow event, attendees were able to focus entirely on the teaching and sharing offered at the Tech Leaders Retreat with out the distraction of the 80 other conference classes and the 230 exhibits on the expo hall that opens Wednesday at Atlanta's Georgia World Congress Center.
So what exactly is discussed at the Tech Leaders Retreat? Planning techniques, communicating with senior pastors and others in senior leadership, developing and leading volunteers, maintaining a servants heart, plus a host of technical questions were discussed at Tuesday's preshow Tech Leaders Retreat.
Andrew Stone, from Church on the Move in Tulsa, Oklahoma shared his team's struggles with scheduling rehearsals so that they ultimately benefit the pastors and worship team member who are communicating directly with the congregation. In the past, Stone explains, the rehearsals were scheduled and operated so that they had the most benefit to the tech team, not the worship leaders.
Dennis Choy, pastor of communication and production at North Coast Church in Vista, California revealed his team's policy of no arguments prior to services. He says that arguments, especially from the tech team gets in the way of the worship leaders and pastors preparation and concentration. “During the week, we argue,” Choy says. “On the weekend, we don't argue. We focus on getting the job done.”
Other presenters and panelists shared the worship service planning cultures in their respective churches. One tech team leader says he gets the pastor's sermon notes mere moments before the start of the sermon. “We literally have someone sitting in the audience with the pastor making last minute changes to his sermon notes during the worship music before the sermon,” he says. “That person runs upstairs and edits the changes in the video system as the pastor is greeting the audience and getting started with the sermon.”
In contrast, another tech leader says he already has the basic sermon notes for a service planned for six weeks from now.
“It all comes down to being staffed and prepared for how your church operates,” explains Greg Bacus, central team leader in charge of technology, at LifeChurch.tv. “If you're prepared, you can operate with last minute changes,” he adds. “If you don't have the staff or preparation, it may be time to have a difficult conversation with those in senior leadership.”
WFX Event officially opens on Wednesday, September 19, 2012 with keynote addresses from Alan Hirsch, founder of the Forge Mission Training Network, and co-leader of Future Travelers, an innovative learning program helping megachurches become missional movements. The expo hall floor also opens Wednesday morning, with over 225 exhibitors, along with the launch of the WFX conference sessions, including over 80 classes on everything from architectural design, managing volunteers, and a host of other topics for everyone from senior pastors and executive pastors, to beginning volunteers.
WFX continues on Thursday, September 20 beginning with a keynote address from
Stovall Weems, founder and lead pastor of Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida. Celebration Church is a global, diverse, multisite church that reaches people from all walks of life. The expo hall and conference sessions also continue on Thursday.
The WFX conference sessions wrap up on Friday afternoon.
WFX 2013 will be held at the Dallas Convention Center, Dallas, Texas, October 2-4, 2013.
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