I’m convinced that the majority of our tech issues at church (and many other issues as well) could be resolved or alleviated if we did one simple thing each week: show up early.
Whether you’re serving as A1 (audio engineer), L1 (lighting engineer), V1 (video switcher) or any other position, your role is integral to the success of the service. You aren’t just a button pusher. You are helping your pastors share the gospel and your church family worship the living God. I’m sure you have been in many situations (like I have) where something didn’t work properly and as a result the music was distracting or the message was not heard.
Showing up early conveys your commitment to your responsibility, prepares you to perform at your best, gives you crucial time to troubleshoot problems and allows for margin so you can make things better. Here’s how these elements can transform your ministry and elevate your worship services.
When you show up early, you communicate you care.
Arriving early is a powerful gesture that proves you care about the task you’ve been given. You also communicate that your job is important. When you make the effort to arrive before rehearsal begins, you send a clear message: this service matters. It tells everyone involved that you’re invested in ensuring each element of the service is done with excellence – from the first note of the worship set to the final prayer.
Equally important is the message you send to your team. Showing up early communicates to your teammates that you value their contributions and are ready to serve them. It also shows them that they are important and you respect their time and contribution to the team. When you show up late, the opposite message is communicated. When you show up do you communicate that you value the other members on the team or that your sleep (or trip to Starbucks) is more important?
When you show up early, you perform better.
Preparation is the key to any great performance. By arriving early and making sure everything is prepared, you set yourself up to perform at your best. Having a few minutes to make sure everything is working properly, check the order of service and fine tune the settings on your equipment will set you up to succeed even before rehearsal begins. This habit not only reduces the likelihood of technical difficulties but also increases your confidence, translating to a smoother execution during the service.
The extra time you have by showing up early also helps to reduce stress and put you in the right frame of mind in which to serve with excellence. When you’re not racing against the clock, you can step into your role with calm confidence. Having a stress-free environment influences your ability to react to unexpected changes or challenges with clarity and efficiency. Do you often feel stressed as soon as you get to church? Perhaps it’s because you aren’t giving yourself enough time to prepare.
When you show up early, you have time to fix issues without them becoming a crisis.
In any church setting, technical issues will occur, sometimes even with the best equipment and preparation. By showing up early, you give yourself the invaluable luxury of time to address these issues calmly. When you have time you think more clearly, which allows you to anticipate challenges and deploy solutions swiftly. Showing up early ensures that minor hitches don’t escalate into frustrations, hot tempers or disruptions in the service. Do you have a technical crisis every week? Give yourself 20 extra minutes this week and watch how those crises disappear.
When you show up early, you have margin to make things better.
Creativity thrives on margin. When you’re rushing, the only task that gets your attention is the immediate one. But when you arrive early, you create a buffer – a margin that not only allows you to see the bigger picture but also provides space for creative ideas to enhance the service for those in the room and those watching online. This buffer time could lead to innovative lighting designs, better graphics or just give you the opportunity to try something new that will enhance the overall worship experience. If your services lack creativity, maybe all you need is some unhurried time to get those creative juices flowing. Next week show up early and ask yourself, “How can I make this better?”
Show me a service that has regular technical issues and I’ll show you a team that shows up late. As members of the tech team it is our responsibility to ensure that every song and every word is heard and seen without distraction. If you are in the habit of showing up late for rehearsal, I want to challenge you to embrace the practice of showing up early. Make this simple change, and watch how God will use you to serve with excellence and bring him glory through powerful worship experiences each week.
For more than 20 years, Joshua Riggs has been leading in worship and communications. His heart is to train teams to use the best worship resources available so they have the clarity and confidence they need to serve their church well, www.WorshipResources.church.
