Working for a media production service in college, Maddie Matthews had no plans on a career in church production. But when she started attending Northwest Christian Church (NCC) in Portland, Oregon, she showed up one day and asked the tech team how she could help. In less than a year, Director of Production Austin Rowe offered her a staff position. She has enjoyed working with the team so much that she nominated Rowe as a Church Production Hero of the Month. (Read the article).
Maddie enjoyed working with the team at Northwest Christian Church so much that she nominated Austin Rowe, director of production, for Church Production Hero of the Month. (read the article).
Matthews says she did so because of the “Soul Care” environment he promotes with his staff. “No matter where I've worked, whether it's in the media industry or for a nonprofit like NCC, there's always a risk of losing sight of what’s important or why we're doing what we’re doing—why we want lights this color, why we want this amount of people helping with this service. He never loses sight of that, and I really appreciate and admire that he’s constantly checking in on people, making sure they’re OK, and also keeping them accountable,” she says. CPM learns more in this Five Minutes with Maddie Matthews.
CPM: Tell us about your decision to start using your technology talents at Northwest Christian Church.
Matthews: I first started volunteering for Northwest Christian Church during the summer of 2020. This was a challenging period of growth. The pandemic required us to reimagine how we structured services, trained volunteers, and utilized the technology we had available. Our technical director, Austin Rowe, led the charge on this, and with the help of some incredible volunteers, our team has been able to utilize cutting-edge broadcast and recording equipment to help connect our congregants with our message and worship experience.
"One of our church mottos is: Connect. Grow. Serve. Those first two steps are the most important to building a team that feels cared for and ready to take on whatever comes their way."
CPM: As someone in a leadership position, do you have advice for bringing in and training new volunteers?
Matthews: Communication is incredibly important. Service is not a one-sided relationship. Yes, there’s an expectation that our volunteers show up on time, work hard, and take direction. However, first and foremost, it’s building a community of Christ-followers. One of our church mottos is: Connect. Grow. Serve. Those first two steps are the most important to building a team that feels cared for and ready to take on whatever comes their way. My advice is to remember that church production is a ministry, especially for your volunteers. Make sure that people know that the tech team is not just somewhere that volunteers can utilize their talents, but a refuge of encouragement and fellowship.
CPM: How has your role changed at the church since the pandemic?
Matthews: My time at NCC has been pretty unique, since I started volunteering at the beginning of the pandemic, and joined staff about a year later. By that point, I got to see encouraging evolutions, like transitioning from completely virtual, to outdoor, to socially distanced indoor services. We’ve now found a way to connect with people, both in person and online, impacting lives all over the country while maintaining the valuable connection of an in-person community.
CPM: What’s your favorite piece of gear you currently get to work with, and why?
Matthews: Our Ross Video switcher. Video directing during services is one of my favorite things to do. We’re constantly implementing new and creative ways to spread the Word and tell inspiring stories about our ministry partners and congregants.
