Why The Sound Tech Is Ignored

"I am the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz" said the man behind the curtain.  Looking back on that scene from the movie, I realized there was something unstated that was very profound.  The people in Oz visited the Wizard and BELIEVED he was this magical wizard.  They never questioned what happened behind the curtain even though it was in plain sight.  They wanted to believe the wizard was really a wizard.  I'm trying not to break out in song here.  Oh what the heck.."it's off to see the Wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz."

A person sitting in the congregation wants to believe the pastor has an amazing speaking voice.  They want to believe the instruments and voices sound like the radio – or at least "really really good."  They want to believe all of that comes naturally from the source.  Therefore, they can't recognize the man behind the mixer.  It's our job to pull the levels and turn the buttons that make the Wizard appear on the stage. 

When a problem occurs with the sound or the lights, that person must call into question what they are seeing and hearing.  I hesitate to call this breaking the mood, so I won't.  A mood is broken when my wife and I have the house to ourselves, a romantic movie in the DVD player, and her mother calls.  If an actor in a movie suddenly paused and asked "what's my line" then I have lost the reason of believing in the movie.  Yes, I agree that feedback during a worship song breaks a mood but it can also cause the musicians to stop playing or mess up.  Suddenly this perfect praise band appears confused.  Then, all eyes move to the sound booth.  And there I stand; mumbling under my breath, trying to fix the problem so the image of the Wizard appears on the stage again…hoping that everyone forgets what has happened.

But no one forgets.

Therein lays the reason the sound techie's are rarely congratulated for a good job by the congregation members.  It's because people don't want to believe we exist.  They don't want to believe that reverb makes the world go round. 

I find comfort in knowing that God has gifted me in the technical artistry arena.  God gives us gifts and when we use those in line with his will, we give him pleasure.  The Wizard of Oz turned out to be a timid old man who drew comfort in knowing people believed he was the Wizard.  I draw comfort in being the man behind the curtain because that is how God wants to use me.