Tech Ministry Happens in Relationships

I take a look over this blog and I am thinking again about “why did I start this thing?” I find myself re-reading my first post and again realizing how important the relationships are to having success in Technical Ministry and continuing to grow more into Christ’s image.

Technical ministry is about people. We minister to the congregation through our skillful use of technology. We minister to the musicians, pastors, and other speakers through great customer service and steadily growing relationships. We also minister to each other through the relationships built around the use of technology.

When I started in tech ministry ten years ago, I thought it was all about the gear. God has spent the last ten years teaching me how wrong I am.

I do not usually think of myself as a people person. I like my isolation and I am quite happy being off in the back roads on a bicycle all by myself.

I am wise enough to know that without all the people who serve alongside me, church service would not go too well. I find myself thankful on a daily basis for the people who make up my teams. I also find that I truly enjoy those fellow servants and it is finally beginning to not surprise me that they are human with human frailties.

My journey has been from the happy face or church face to a place of authenticity, honesty, and integrity. I used to be part of a church where you did not show your hurts on Sunday. Instead you pasted on a smile and your answers were always positive. Let me tell you, it can be exhausting; especially when you do not feel like smiling.

Instead, I have found that if I am honest about being tired, hurting, or whatever else is going on, my teams end up ministering to me. Sometimes it is simply by taking some of my load on their shoulders. Sometimes it is just making sure the details go right when I am incapable of paying attention. At times church has gone well without me at the helm. Boy that can be humbling, I like to think I am indispensable. :-)

It also goes the other way I have been able to be there when something in their life goes sideways. Sometimes it has just been a willingness to listen or a pat on the back. It is always surprising to me when God goes to work and uses me.

Is it simple? No, it is honestly sometimes messy and difficult. I want to close this post with a quote from Kent Morris’ article “Tech Pastor: Leading the Geek Squad” from a recent issue of Worship Leader magazine.

He says “Gear is a safe house. If you understand how it works and what it is designed to do, you can rest in its logical outcome. Technology follows rules of behavior and, though prone to failure, is open to corrections when the proper steps are taken to fix a problem. People, on the other hand, are dangerous…Humans do not reward patience with performance; their demands outstrip capacity.”

I am thankful to God for putting an artistic gear head in a place to be involved so deeply with people. And for teaching me that relationships are where the real ministry happens not with the gear.