Photo by Kyle Loftus @ pexels.com
A joyful heart shows in a smile, and may open the way for others to experience worship.
Can we be honest with ourselves? It’s highly likely that the majority of us who serve in AV do so because we want to help, but we don’t actually want to be social. It comes with the territory of being a tech introvert. Nothing frightens us more than having to engage in patio chit-chat. You can leave ushering and church greeting to others.
In fact, when people think of church greeters, they imagine the smiling faces at the door, the warm handshakes, the hugs, the words of welcome. Greeters set the tone for worship and ensure our guests feel like church “family.” They’re the first impression, the ones who prepare hearts before the music ever starts. Yet, I often remind myself that those of us in the tech booth are greeters too, with the power to be more effective in the moment. We may not stand at the door with bulletins, but the way we serve has the same power to welcome, to remove barriers, and to point people to Christ.
Church techs may not stand at the door with bulletins, but the way they serve has the same power to welcome and prepare hearts for worship.
The parallel is striking. Greeters hold open doors to the sanctuary; tech teams open doors to the heart, to the message being delivered. Our created experiences open the way for worship. A greeter might notice the person walking in with a heavy heart and give them a smile that says, “You belong here.” In the same way, we mitigate the details that could distract someone from encountering God, whether it be microphone feedback, unreadable slide lyrics, or jittery IMAG and livestreams. Just like greeters, we remove obstacles so the congregation can enter into the presence of God without distraction.
But here’s the truth I’ve learned: while greeters may have visible smiles, our volunteers behind the cameras, at the consoles, and in the streaming rooms need to be greeted with love, too. They’re not just “helping hands.” They are people with stories, struggles, and gifts who are offering themselves to God. If the front door of the church is where we welcome the congregation, the tech booth is where we get to welcome those hurting in ways they may never vocalize. Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” That means the way we greet and treat the high schooler running slides for the first time or the retiree faithfully mixing sound year-after-year is just as much a testimony as the lights or the audio mix. For may tech leaders, Sunday service is our job, and we treat it as such. For our teams, it’s their opportunity to give to, to connect with, and to receive from… God.
Behind every seamless service is a team quietly greeting hearts into worship.
It's natural to focus on technical perfection; we are called to excellence (Col 3:23-24). Obsessing over correcting every missed cue, shunning every late lyric, or eye-rolling every imperfect camera shot comes with the perfectionism of live event production. But over time, perfectionism takes a toll, and it takes it in two ways: personal burnout and the morale of the people who wanted to serve with joy. Over time, our role is not just to make the production smooth but to shepherd the hearts of those who serve, ensuring they leave the service feeling “greeted.” This happens when we celebrate effort, not just outcomes. Yes, the end of weekend high-five is important after three long services, but so is the “how are you doing today? How can I pray for you this week?”
Even in the worst of weekends, mistakes are learning opportunities, not failures. And there is nothing worth celebrating that didn’t have a struggle that was overcome, whether it be the tech gremlins or overcoming personal hardships of life. This only happens when focus isn’t on productivity but preparation. Greeters don’t throw open the church doors haphazardly; they arrive early, prepare, and greet with intention. Likewise, those of us in technical ministry are called to bring order and care to what we do. God is not honored by chaos, but rather by care. A poorly executed service can distract, just as a disengaged greeter can make someone feel unwelcome. Excellence in execution through intentionality to care, for us, is the act of worship. It’s our way of saying, “Lord, you are worthy of my best.”
Still, excellence should never come at the expense of people. Proverbs 27:23 reminds us: “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks and attend to your herds.” That means paying attention not just to the equipment or flow of service (which are of course important), but to our people, our volunteers. Is someone tired from a tough week at work? Is someone feeling overlooked? Is someone serving too much and at risk of burning out? Just as greeters notice the weary faces entering the sanctuary, tech leaders need to notice the weariness in their flock. This means to stop, slow down, and not letting the rush of service engulf our vision. True leaders step out, step away, and lead the whole, not manage actions. Leaders don’t manage things, but rather they manage people, and the do it through encouragement, instruction, and love for well-being. Teams need a shepherd, not a supervisor. Supervisors manage actions and tasks; leaders manage results and culture.
Excellence should never come at the expense of people—our volunteers need to feel welcomed and valued.
In the end, like door greeters, tech ministry is about showing up clean-hearted in the moment at hand, ready to welcome the congregation into God’s presence by clearing distractions, by offering our best, and most importantly, by loving one another well. Our teams, and the congregation in turn, will feel uplifted by the greeting we provide. We are the front door to the congregation’s heart release to God. Each fader we push, each lyric slide we advance, each camera angle we frame, it’s all part of greeting people into worship. And as we care for our teams, we ought to pray they know the same truth the church greeter hopes every guest knows: You are welcome here. You are loved. You belong.
