Devotional: Where's Your Focus?

As a technical team leader, it's important to focus on what's good about your productions and your team -- and not just on the weak points that need improvement. The idea is to shift a mindset of "if only" to a culture of "what if...."

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As a church technical leader or team member, it’s easy to fix your gaze squarely on the problems that need to be fixed. Or to compare your team to other churches' technical ministries, thinking, “We could do this or that better, if only….”

But what if we began to focus instead on what we do really well? And on what we’re doing well as a church overall? It’s simply a mind shift in a positive direction—to hone in on the good around us and to harness it for still further good, leaving the results in God’s capable hands.

It’s like making a gratitude list, if only mentally, and it can open up a channel of light and possibility in the midst of some real hurdles. It may be what Scripture is talking about here.

“Finally, 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.” – Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

A positive mindset is what got the technical team at Cross Church in Springdale, Arkansas, ahead of the curve in terms of growing with -- and through -- technology. In Church Production's feature on the church in the April 2018 issue, “Transformative Technology," posted here (https://www.churchproduction.com/case-studies/transformative-technology/), writer Andy McDonough reports that the once mainline Baptist church was experimenting with live video over fiber as early as 2001.

Cross Church was also streaming recorded broadcasts that early, and they were one of the first churches in Arkansas to use IMAG in their services. Behind this innovation there had to be a focus on the possibilities and on working together to achieve them, despite obstacles.

Behind this innovation there had to be a focus on the possibilities and on working together to achieve them, despite obstacles.

As Leo McGriff, director of technical services for Cross Church reported to McDonough, “Being leaders in innovation for worship is oftentimes challenging, but it’s also very rewarding.”

That kind of thinking can change “If only …” to “What if?” And a lot of innovation can spring from that.