(Click here to go to part 2 of this article.)
As a staff sound operator, your fundamental charge is to make sure the best possible audio is available for every church function—that seems fairly obvious.
However, unlike most of the rest of the world, churches thrive because of the efforts of volunteers. With help from God, they achieve great things and do good works.
In the workforce, an employee commits to fill a job position, understanding that there will be certain demands that are not negotiable. If the employee expects to get paid, he or she will perform the tasks involved in the job.
Volunteers, on the other hand, require care and support. Even though they should fulfill their commitments, their motivation must come from above—from sources that promise eternal gratification and quench a desire to serve a worthwhile cause.
Almost every church staff position requires the recruitment, support, and nurturing of volunteers. The sound ministry is intimidating for many; however, with a little grassroots networking at church services and functions, it is likely that you’ll find a person who has some experience with sound equipment or, possibly even better, a person who loves music, listens to music all the time, and really wants to run sound.
Rehearsals are an excellent place to break in potential sound ministry members. Invite several people to join the worship team at rehearsal. Schedule them so they only show up one at a time, so you can get to know them and so they can show you some of what they know about audio.
Developing a Volunteer Crew
A team won’t develop its synergistic potential unless it participates in group activities. A sound team is a little bit unique.
Although the team might include several members, the task is almost always a solo activity. If there aren’t intentional activities that build camaraderie, each team member will operate essentially as an island, surrounded by team life but never developing any connection to the other islands.
One of the quickest ways to build connections between team members is to implement group prayer times. Schedule regular meetings of the sound team and start each meeting with prayer time. Ask
the team members whether they have any prayer requests or praise reports.
Team-building activities are an excellent way to solidify the unity that builds as the team grows closer.
When the team begins to get together outside of the regular church services or team meetings, several things happen at once:
• The team grows closer.
• Greater capacity for accomplishment is a byproduct of increased unity.
• Your team members can realize the life-enriching process of developing true friends—friends who care enough to get to know them and who know them enough to care what happens to them.
Special functions can include training sessions, guest speakers who are experts in the audio community, or even a visit from the senior pastor as a point of encouragement and vision sharing.
These are all great activities, but be sure to blend in some functions that are just plain fun. The collective personality of your team will determine the most appropriate activities; however, here are a few ideas of activities that I’ve seen work well:
• Go-kart racing and dessert
• Paintball and breakfast
• Weekend retreats to a mountain chalet
• Christmas parties
• Summer barbecues
• Movie nights at the theater
• Movie nights at a member’s home
• Thematic dinners at a member’s home
• Potlucks for various purposes, such as birthdays, anniversaries, births, and so on
• Concert nights (Christian or secular)
• Team-member appreciation functions with gifts, food, and acknowledgements of achievement and faithful service
Your imagination and the likes and dislikes of your team should easily direct you to fun team-building activities.
