Technology is brilliant! If I didn’t think so before the last two years then l certainly do now. It’s great for most things, keeping you in touch with family and friends up and the down country, the other side of the world, or even the house next door without you having to leave your seat! It’s great for work, distractions or procrastination, doing things so you don’t have to (here’s looking at you robot vacuum cleaner!) and lots of other things in between. And it’s all developing and improving constantly. There may still be some technophobes out there but they are getting fewer and farther between. There will soon be no escaping anything technological, whether we like it or not
When it comes to churches and technology, up until two years ago you would be forgiven for thinking that most churches were still stuck in the dark ages with the most technical thing in the building being an ageing induction loop which didn’t really count or wasn’t even seen as technology as after all, it was just a bit of copper wire and a meaty amp…. Mobile phones/ smart phones in the pockets of the congregation and clergy were completely discounted and were kept firmly in the pocket or bag or risk the wrath of atleast one person from the oldest generation in the building.. Then role on March 2020. That phone that you hid behind your hymn book while you sent a text or twenty during the sermon came into its own. Churches were ‘shut’,(the buildings anyway), and suddenly everyone that could was embracing technology as it became a lifeline for all of us stuck indoors. Massive learning curves ensued, and I’m sure you know the rest.
But here’s the thing, the use of technology in worship isn’t new, so why do we keep talking like it is? Death by PowerPoint was preceded by death by OHP, and churches were just as guilty of this as anyone else. And don’t forget the mega churches in the States, we don’t quite have them like that over here, but we still have big churches who have been embracing technology for decades now, some more successfully than others, with some smaller churches now trying to emulate them, again with varying degrees of success.
I’ve titled this post ‘ worship + technology / worship vs technology’ because worship can be enhanced greatly by technology, or technology can be so detrimental to worship.
Worship vs technology
I said at the start that technology is brilliant, but it can also be pretty rubbish too if it is not used right.
I was listening to a podcast recently by the founder and songwriter of a wellknown Christian music label. In one of their discussions, they were talking about how the lyrics of the song are so much more important than how the music sounds. They went so far as to say that when sung worship is being led in church, if congregation members are noticing how the guitar sounds before anything else, then they’ve done something wrong. The lyrics are what connects and builds that relationship with Christ, not how together the band are sounding! The same goes for the technology being used. If people are noticing the backgrounds you’ve used for that song or Bible passage, or how pretty the lights are looking, they’re not paying attention to what is being said or sung, and we have a problem. The technology being used is a distraction, more a hindrance than a help.
If the equipment that is being used isn’t suitable for what you as a church are trying to achieve then it’s not going to work. Yes, lots of flashy lights, a giant LED wall and massive PA system might entice lots of people in, but if all of that then detracts from the message that you are trying to get across, how will you keep them? LED walls are great if they are the right thing for the job, but as soon as people are concentrating on that rather than on the person in front of it, then it is no longer doing it’s job. Likewise, if you’ve got lots of moving lights to play with but no one who knows how to use them then they’re not the right toys to have. Or you give a fixed microphone to a preacher who likes to move so every second word is lost, it’s not fit for purpose. (Granted for this one you could just chain the preacher to the spot, although I’m not too sure if that’s giving off the right message either.)
So the wrong technology, too much tech, or no one to use it properly just turns your service into a fight for attention, sadly with the tech usually winning, making tech rubbish!
This doesn’t just apply to the tech used for the congregation in the building though, but those watching online. You may want to forgive me for saying this, but maybe the equipment used for your online viewers is more important than what you have for your in-person gatherers!? Lots and lots of churches are still live streaming or holding some sort of meeting online, and to be honest, i think that if you are not then you could well be missing out on something. The reach you have by continuing online in any form is surely worth it in itself. But with streaming or any sort of virtual meeting, like tech used for people in the room, if it’s the wrong equipment or used badly then it will be an awful experience for all of your online congregation. Patchy audio, bad image quality, too many or not enough visuals for your online visitors and you will just lose them, however good the message.
Worship + technology
Technology, when used properly, can really enhance an act of worship. It can help create a distraction free space for people to really meet with God.
Before you even think about what equipment you might need, think about what you are trying to achieve, both in-person and online. Are you trying to reach new people? Are you there to encourage believers to keep going through the tough times or the good times? Are you trying to build the Kingdom? Or are you just trying to put on a good show (which in itself and depending on what context isn’t such a bad thing either)? You need to know these things, and hopefully have an idea of what your budget is, before you start looking at what you need.
So the tech. It could be as simple as the right microphone choice. A good PA system so all the audio is heard clearly and cleanly.
Lighting done sensitively to enhance a session of sung worship or any other form of worship and to set the tone for any form of worship.
LED walls, tv screens, projector screens when in the right position and used in the right way to help focus a congregation. Backgrounds lyrics chosen purposefully to enhance what is being read.
The right people to operate the equipment. They don’t have to be perfect, but they do have to want to be there, and not be that prone to making mistakes. And of course the right equipment that both fits the needs and the budget are all important aspects to consider. It’s surprising what you can do with a laptop and PowerPoint if that’s all you can afford! Make the technology work for you and the worship experience that you are trying to create, not the other way around.
Streaming and virtual meetings rely almost entirely on the right equipment and the right people, along with the right format. Being able to show your services to an online audience is one thing. Making sure everyone watching online feels as much a part of the congregation as those in the building can be tricky. A simple, although maybe some what half hearted way, is to just do a shoutout to everyone watching online each week naming everyone that has said hello in the comments on YouTube or Facebook or whatever platform you are streaming to. Can you make it interactive in anyway for them? Polls, questions for them to ponder and reply to… Set up a prayer room on Zoom or a.other virtual meeting room platform so people who can’t be in the building don’t miss out on that. A dedicated email for anything else specifically for your online viewers for prayer requests, suggestions etc, and a moderator to oversee it all with the technology that you have. .
Conclusion
The use of technology within churches or any other worship setting is not going to go away. Whether the majority of your congregation are still joining in with services online, or maybe you’ve gone paper free so need another way to show song words, it’s been here for a good while and it’s certainly not going anywhere. It doesn’t mean that every church has to turn into another Hillsongs or HTB though. Figure out what your style is how you want to use it, however much or little, and make it work for you!