Be Your Unique Self

Over the past three months, churches worldwide have been thrust out of comfort zones as our church buildings become places of video production and our primary space of meeting has moved online. For some, this has been an easy transition - video production teams were already in place, practices established, and chosen platforms already well used. For others, the church didn’t even own a camera, and that first week of quarantine or lockdown was a mad scramble to try and figure something out.

My experience was the latter.

Our transition to online ministry has been slow, but steady. Our archive tells the story of learning and decisions that continue to be implemented week after week. What it does not show is the fight against comparison and discouragement, the desire to deliver something of quality while retaining authenticity, and the struggle over choices of what to buy and how to leverage and use what we already have in new and different ways.

Our story is not complete. We have not ‘arrived.’ We continue to learn, and this process of development, renewal, construction, creativity is alive and active in new ways for us as we continue to navigate the challenges that COVID-19 has presented to our congregation. We continue to trust that God is teaching and using us for his purposes in this time. There are 4 basic things that have become pillars to me as a worship and tech leader in a small church at this time.

Be Your Unique Self.

As a production manager for live events locally, I am well aware of what can be achieved with a large budget, and even a small budget. It is my job to continually educate myself about cameras, switchers, computers, lights, sound systems, as well as current and upcoming best practices and creative solutions. It can be tempting, to feel ‘less than’ in a church context where I haven’t delivered compelling lighting schemes and fog or transitioned us to IEMs. But in my sound class at Columbia Bible College, I am constantly teaching new worship leaders that our decisions in tech are always to serve and support or enhance the greater purpose/vision and needs of our congregation. And the beauty of being a part of the body of Christ is that we are all different, on purpose. God has made us diverse and this adds depth, richness, and opportunity to learn from and value each other, possibly especially today when we can go online and engage in another congregation’s worship service at any time. Big church, little church, full band, one person leading in their living room, whatever it is – if you are reflecting the heart of God for your congregation, it is important to remain true to who you are, and that might look ‘different’. Really it just looks like God in you. God has called you for a purpose.

Wholehearted Worship.

We decided early on that I would lead worship from my living room live on Facebook, while the sermon and children’s content would be pre-recorded. The connection we were able to create with our community in that context was important to us. I set it all up, a space to record in my living room – my iPad for chords, my phone as the camera on a stand, a computer in front of me with broadcast software so I could do all the content switching, and spent time getting the levels right for Facebook. That week was the best week yet. It all came together – and I was the most discouraged I had been. I was so immersed in all of the tech and trying to get it right that my heart wasn’t truly in the worship I was leading. I was frustrated. Although I finally had our worship and other content all in one cohesive space online (it had been separate videos previously), I didn’t have lower thirds lyrics, and I couldn’t think of a way to handle those while also playing piano, singing, and switching. I took a walk in one of the most beautiful places later that afternoon and felt His whispers in my heart. ‘Child, I know this is difficult and you are trying so hard. And I know that you will continue to fight to make things technically better. But what I want most, what I have always asked of you, is for you to give me your heart. And for you to trust that I can and will use that.’

John 4:24 says that God desires followers who worship in spirit and in truth. As a worship leader, it is my hope and my job to lead others in doing so. But first I must do it myself. I felt at that moment as though I was freed, and a peace came over me. I have seen many times how much more powerful and inspiring any (secular or faith-based) performance can be when the heart is engaged when the person leading is authentic and genuine. That kind of communication can translate through many barriers, including differences in production level or tools to leverage technology. There’s always a balance. But for me, this was a moment that brought me back to God and reminded me of who He is, and who I am.

Build Sustainable Practices.

There’s no denying that virtual church and producing online content requires a lot more work and proper planning than the ‘old normal’. In churches where workflow has not been established, volunteers may have less training, and it is all brand new, this can be overwhelming. If you are unable to record or stream live from your building due to restrictions or because you rent the space, or any other number of factors, many times this greater workload is falling on fewer people.

Which is why communicating priorities and a realistic picture of what a particular task or idea will require has become even more important. Some of us are in this for the long haul. Restrictions on meetings are not being lifted anytime soon, and we are in buildings where opening is not yet possible or would require resources in terms of time, money, or volunteers that are just not available.

Be stewards of the mental and physical capacity of those who are serving your congregation in this time. Continually check-in. Choose what is important. Plan for the future so that if you need to work towards something, you can take it in achievable bites. If something does not work, no biggie. Try something else. Build teams in new ways. And express appreciation. We all need to help each other as we adjust or try to make it to ‘new normal’.

Embrace Imperfect.

Laughter. Laughter is one of the most healing things. It doesn’t happen so often anymore, but with two children in my house, while I Livestream every Sunday morning, there have been a few funny moments where they appeared on camera. There have also been times where I have completely forgotten what I was going to say, I forgot to plug in a computer cable, my music or Bible accidentally changed the sound file I selected on my keyboard…… the blessing and curse of being live is that these things happen and I can’t edit them out.

However, in a time when we are so physically disconnected from each other, these moments of levity and lightness help to connect us. People respond to imperfection. Because we are all imperfect. And let’s face it, we all can stand to take ourselves a little less seriously sometimes. Embrace the imperfect. It’ll help support and enable all of the above lessons as well.

May the Lord bless and keep you as you continue learning and leaning on Him each day.