When is it time for a church to hire?
Oct 7, 2004 10:21 AM
No church could manage without volunteers. They help with everything from taking up collections to directing traffic in the parking lot, and few churches are likely to hire full-time professionals to do those jobs.
One big exception, though, often arises when a church embarks on a major audiovisual ministry. That’s an area in which volunteer staffing sometimes just won’t do.
When is that line crossed? "The question is not related to the size of the church," says Jim Nelson, a systems designer in the Dallas office of Ford Audio-Video. Instead, he says, it’s related to the complexity of the systems being installed, the support the media minister gets from the pastor, plans for future expansion - in short, a long list of factors.
For example, "If you’re doing any more in terms of lighting than just a few dimmers, especially if you’re doing anything with intelligent lighting, that’s a giveaway that you need somebody," Nelson says.
Churches with contemporary worship styles often feel the need for professional staff sooner than others, Nelson says. And Ford AV sometimes sees the need arising before some church clients recognize it. "We have on occasion recommended to some churches we’ve worked with that the time is approaching," Nelson says.
Dr. Bryan Ramsey, director of technical arts and production at Grace Community Church in Plano, Texas, believes "every church should have someone," even if only part-time.
"You need someone to help train, mentor, and minister to your volunteers," Ramsey explains. "This is most critical. We have to be there to help the volunteers mature and grow."
The absence of a professional on the church staff can affect AV decisions in important ways, Nelson says. "It slows us down a little in terms of what we can offer them," he goes on. "For example, we don’t try to sell a VCA (voltage controlled amplifier) mixing console unless they have a paid operator on hand." Digital mixing consoles, too, are a product type Ford might consider off-limits for clients without professional staff, Nelson says. "We also try to keep our video projection systems simply, easy to use, and easy to explain."
The arrival of a staff pro changes the relationship with the integrator, Ramsey and Nelson agree. Ramsey sees an opportunity "to make sure they are getting the best for their money. Churches end up spending money on things they don’t need - or else when, for a few bucks more, they could buy the right gear."
Still, he adds, "I definitely believe it has to make life easier for the installers to have someone on staff at the church that fully understands what’s going on."
A professional staffer not only understands AV issues but also can sell key decisions more effectively to his/her pastor and other leaders, Nelson says. "They tend to drive decision-making much more effectively than usually happens with a committee or a music minister," he says.
Not only do technically knowledgeable people know what they want, Nelson goes on, but they also "know what they can live without."
Occasionally, problems do arise. "Sometimes you find yourself dealing with somebody who’s got to prove he knows more than you do," Nelson says – or someone with a private ax to grind. These situations are rare, however, according to Nelson.
More often, music ministers and other church leaders come to Ford AV for advice, or for help in hiring a technical professional against resistance within their church. "Sometimes the music minister is dying to get someone on board, but someone else has dug in his heels," Nelson comments.
In the long run, Ramsey believes, all churches will have to face this question. "All churches are going to eventually put technology to work for them," he says. "It’s only a matter of time. We need to be training and raising up ministers to fill these new roles, and having someone on staff to help do that is critical."
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