What Your Pastor Needs From You

In the midst of all the techie stuff you do before a service, a.k.a controlled chaos, how many times have you purposefully encouraged the pastor?  Have you ever done it after the service?

A pastor’s job is one of the most isolating, difficult, and emotionally draining ministries.  A pastor gets the emergency phone calls, the prayer requests, and the unloading of burdens. They are the ones who have to keep a stiff upper-lip when every fiber in their being is screaming and crying out in emotional pain.

Pastors are not allowed to have an “off” day. I know pastors who work 7 days a week. Even when they take a day off they aren’t far from the congregational yoke they gladly wear to serve the Christ that brings us salvation.

Learning from Bill Hybels of Willow Creek

I had the great fortune to attend the Gurus of Tech Conference back in 2012. It was an extraordinary event geared toward the technical artists within the church. The production team at Willow is unbelievable, both with their technical proficiency and their willingness to answer questions from a critical bunch of fellow techs.

One session that stood out to me was when Senior Pastor Bill Hybels talked about what a pastor needs from the Tech Team. I wish the video was still available online. There was amazing insight in how a pastor, of probably the largest church in America, interacts with his production team.

Here were my takeaways:

1. Production matters.
2. A pastor needs you as much as you need them.
3. If a pastor gets an audible from the Holy Spirit at the last moment, help him to make whatever changes are necessary, enthusiastically and professionally. It doesn’t matter if it’s at the last minute if the pastor feels God is requesting it.
4. A perfect service doesn’t mean one that didn’t have problems. It’s one where the power of God becomes evident in the room and people are touched by the Holy Spirit.
5. A pastor is often emotionally raw after a service. Support them by saying they did a good job or pray for them. Tell them thank you. It makes a world of difference and helps them to know that you’re on the same team.
6. Make a mistake ONCE. Then, figure out how to avoid making the same mistake again.
7. Ask for honest feedback from your pastor about how they viewed the service. Do this on a regular basis.
8. Your pastor loves you and wants the best for you.

Our pastors live in a world of gray areas. We, as technical types, tend to live in a black and white. If we can start to view things from their viewpoint we’ll be able to serve them better. That will make them more comfortable and be able to get the message out better. They need us to get things right so they can get things right.