We love superhero movies and Hollywood knows it. It seems like every other weekend a long-forgotten superhero is pulled from the shadows and made into a blockbuster movie. Why? Because we love stories about a normal person living a mundane life during the day but by night they live a secret life of crime-fighting adventure. The contrast of the mundane life with this secret life of adventure will never stop generating stories of greatness.
Although we techies do love our superheroes, you probably don't consider yourself to be one. We are the ones behind the scenes. We fade music, dim lights, and cut video. Most people in church probably don't even know we exist. When we think of superheroes in the church we often think of the pastor or the worship leader with their cool tattoos. Certainly not the tech director.
Follow the Leader
Maybe you don't consider yourself to be a hero and a leader, but the truth is that you are one and, therefore, you also need to live a secret life. Scripture tells us that step No. 1 in becoming a leader is to be one that serves others. Even though your role may be behind the scenes, it is still critical to the Kingdom of God.
"This secret life I am referring to is not about dangling upside-down from a skyscraper while smooching your sweetheart or manufacturing a robotic flying suit…. What I am talking about is far more important … it’s your secret time with God."
Matthew 20:26b (NLT): Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant.
This secret life I am referring to is not about dangling upside-down from a skyscraper while smooching your sweetheart or manufacturing a robotic flying suit. What I am talking about is far more important than that. It's your secret time with God.
It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that what qualifies a pastor for their ministry is their relationship with God but what qualifies a tech director is their technological acumen. Sure you need to know your craft, but the thing that makes you qualified for ministry is that your knowledge is rooted in a love for God and that you are using your talents for His glory.
Technical Directive
We expect that a preacher would spend a considerable amount of time in prayer and studying scripture before ever getting on stage to present the Word of God. Why should it be any different for a tech director? Just because you are behind the scenes doesn't mean that the spiritual aspect of your life is any less important.
I often marvel at the life that Jesus lived. Here was the Messiah, the Son of God, living on earth with us. If anyone didn't need to pray and study scripture it was he. But have you ever noticed that he was continually sneaking away from the throngs of people that were following him to go up into the mountains to spend time with his Father? Jesus made his secret life with his Heavenly Father a priority.
Is your secret life a priority? Do you take time to worship God through giving, prayer, and singing praise? Is daily reading and meditating on scripture an important aspect of your life? See, these are the things that give you the strength and power to do the ministry that God has called you to.
Even though your ministry may never have you up on stage in front of hundreds of people, you are still serving those same people through your gifts and talents. You may never write a sermon but God's Word still needs to be the foundation of your life and ministry.
You have been given a gift to understand complex technologies and to lead others in using those talents to serve the church. With that comes the responsibility to make sure you are maintaining your secret life and staying close to our Heavenly Father. As Ben Parker once said, “With great power comes great responsibility.”
[Editor's note: This piece originally published in May 2016.]
