When it comes to stewardship and technology in the church where do you draw the line? At what point do you say yes to new technology and at what point is it a waste of money? Will someones eternal destiny really be determined by the type of microphone a singer uses? Will the lumens and contrast ratio of your projector really bring someone lasting peace? Will the quality of the lighting allow Gods Spirit to do what He pleases in someones heart? I have wrestled with these questions and more in my 18 years of ministry.
I started running my church sound system when I was in high school. I never had formal education in that area but my dad had volunteered in the sound booth when he saw that it was too much for the custodian to handle by himself. No one should have to do it every week with no break. I hung around enough to become familiar with where the cords get plugged in and what the knobs and faders did. Within a couple of years I was running the sound system myself for two of the churchs three services on Sunday.
In my next church I started experimenting with theatrical lighting. The budget for this was $100 per month but I was rarely allowed to spend it. It just wasnt the top priority for a new church. As people saw what I was able to do with lighting they saw more of a need for it. It really can set a mood. When the lighting is just right you just stop and admire the beauty of it all and praise the God that made it possible. But enough about sunsets and full moons, lets get back to sound. As I write this on my laptop on my backyard swing I am enjoying the happy sounds of my kids playing, the trickling of water in a nearby garden pond, and a neighbor mowing the lawn. Well, two out of three isnt bad.