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6 Tech Team Tips So You Can Master Front of House
May 23, 2023

These tech team tips will ensure the front-of-house is prepared and organized to create a worshipful experience for all of your church attendees. 

 

 

As technological advancements continue to shape our world, it’s no surprise that tech teams have become indispensable in virtually every event, service, and church gathering. If you’re a part of this team or leading one, you know that it goes beyond just pushing buttons and turning knobs. A successful front-of-house tech team must possess qualities such as preparation, organization, and attention to detail. 

In this article, we provide some useful tech team tips to make your church’s front-of-house experience easier.

Use the links below to easily navigate to helpful areas within the article.

6 Tech Team Tips So You Can Master Front of House

  1. Show up prepared.
  2. Be a Pro at Cable Management
  3. Communicate 
  4. Be aware of your surroundings 
  5. Always have backup plans 
  6. Remember The Mission

 

Tech team tips can help portable church services run smoothly and efficiently.

6 Tech Team Tips So You Can Master Front of House

 

1. Show up prepared.

Being prepared is the most basic yet crucial element in ensuring that everything runs smoothly during the service or event, whether you’re serving in a permanent facility or a mobile church. 

In a portable setting, we understand the importance of having an especially reliable and efficient tech team to run the Sunday services. Being prepared is the most basic yet crucial element in ensuring that everything goes according to plan during the service or event. Here are just a few of the many areas that are positively impacted by the front-of-house team’s preparedness:

Smooth Service Flow

The contribution of the front-of-house team to a seamless service cannot be overstated. It is crucial for them to show up fully prepared and ready to go. Even a small glitch during worship can disrupt the flow of the service, leading to a loss of focus for the congregation. For example, a lack of knowledge by the AVL volunteer regarding the song order or which musicians are leading could cause them to accidentally mute the wrong microphone or miss crucial transitions.

Sound Clarity

Ever jump out of your seat when a mic emits super-loud acoustic feedback? If so, then you understand how technical difficulties can hamper the focus of the congregation and detract from the message. Your tech team must be ready to check equipment like microphones and speakers, as well as output levels, before the service.

Lighting & Visuals Coordination

To create an immersive and meaningful worship experience, the tech team must ensure that the lighting is properly set to enhance the visual elements of the service and coordinate with visuals such as slides and videos to align with the sermon topic and worship. It sounds simple, but as you know, it requires preparation and focus. 

Livestreaming Support

It’s becoming increasingly common to livestream church services. If your church chooses to livestream, the tech team needs to have its setup optimized and ready before the service begins.

Troubleshooting Abilities 

Finally, a prepared front-of-house tech team is the unsung hero that ensures a seamless service; they should be experienced and knowledgeable enough to troubleshoot and resolve any technical difficulties promptly.

A prepared front-of-house tech team is the unsung hero that ensures a seamless church service; they should be experienced and knowledgeable enough to troubleshoot and resolve any technical difficulties promptly. Click To Tweet

 

The first tech team tip is to be prepared and test the equipment prior to a church service.

 

2. Be a Pro at Cable Management

The importance of cable management as it not only applies to lighting and sound, but to everyone involved in the setup process, ensuring that all cords are neatly arranged and secured on stage. This not only prevents hazards and accidents but also ensures a professional look for your worship space. 

When cables are disorganized and sprawled out on the ground, they not only pose a tripping hazard, but also distract from the overall experience of the service. To be sure, it’s indispensable for your tech team to have a keen understanding of stage setup and safety precautions. 

Your front-of-house team’s knowledge of safety precautions and cable management can make a significant difference in the overall look and feel of your worship space and the overall success of your mobile church services.

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3. Communicate 

As the primary point of contact for your worship space, the front-of-house team must coordinate with various volunteer teams to ensure that every aspect of the service goes off without a hitch. This includes communicating with the worship team, the production team, and any other teams involved in the setup and execution of the service.

During setup and rehearsals, the tech team must communicate with the worship team to understand their needs, which could include specific mic placements, sound levels, or lighting cues. The production team needs to ensure that all equipment is checked and accounted for, while also coordinating with the tech team to ensure that everything is in place and tested for the service. 

For instance, they can check in with other teams to make sure everything is ready before the service begins, provide cues to the musicians during musical transitions, and handle unexpected problems with minimal disruption.

A tech team tip that is critical but often overlooked is that good communication between the front-of-house tech team and the volunteers involved in the service can also improve overall morale and collaboration. Volunteers who feel valued and appreciated are more likely to enjoy their tasks, which can lead to a more successful service.

A powerful tech team tip is to communicate with your team during the service.

 

4. Be aware of your surroundings 

The front-of-house tech team plays an essential role in the creation of a safe and engaging worship space in portable church environments. 

As part of their technical setup, the front-of-house tech team should ensure that all equipment is securely placed. Beyond cable management, as discussed above, this includes speakers, microphones, lighting stands, and any other equipment that may be used during the service. The equipment should be arranged in a way that maximizes both functionality and safety.

The tech team should also take into consideration the movement of the worship team and other volunteers on stage. They should be aware of how people move, ensuring that all lighting fixtures and audio equipment are securely fastened to avoid any accidents.

It’s wise to request that your tech team make periodic safety checks during the performance to ensure that everything is secure and no hazards exist that might pose a risk to the worshipers or team members.

Make AVL organization easy with this done-for-you guide.

Following tech team tips allows attendees to worship without distraction.

 

5. Always have backup plans 

The front-of-house team must be prepared for any unforeseen problems that could occur during the service. Having backup plans can ensure that the worship experience or event runs smoothly, even if something goes wrong.

One common backup plan is having extra equipment available in case something malfunctions. This could include additional cables, microphones, or even an alternative sound system. Having backup equipment prepped and ready to go can help mitigate the impact of technical issues and reduce the downtime needed to troubleshoot problems.

Another backup plan is making sure that all necessary equipment is properly powered during the performance. This means having additional batteries or ensuring that all equipment is charged. If batteries are low, having backup batteries readily available can keep the service running smoothly and avoid any unnecessary delays or technical difficulties.

In addition, it’s important that the tech team takes preventative measures to reduce the likelihood of technical difficulties in the first place. This includes testing all equipment before the service, ensuring that all equipment is plugged in correctly, and replacing any faulty equipment before it becomes a problem.

Finally, teach your front-of-house team to remain calm and composed when something goes wrong. Investing time in building the confidence of the team can guide them to develop a clear understanding of how to resolve common equipment issues and empower them to escalate more complex problems. This can strengthen their ability to handle any issues during a worship service and ensure a seamless experience for all involved.

Preparation is key for front-of-house teams. Backup plans can ensure a seamless worship experience or event, even in the face of unforeseen problems. Get more tech team tips on our blog. Click To Tweet

 Following tech team tips allows attendees to listen and worship without distraction.

 

6. Remember The Mission

At the core of a successful portable church experience is creating an environment that encourages the attendees to connect and experience Jesus in new ways. As such, the front-of-house team must pay close attention to the needs of the worshipers and make the necessary adjustments to provide a conducive, safe, and comfortable environment.

Adapting the worship space to create an environment that encourages spiritual connection, growth, and fellowship is key. Through this, the tech team plays a pivotal role in helping to achieve the mission and objectives of the church to expand the kingdom.

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Get more tech team tips in the video below. 

 

TECH TEAMS REQUIRE SKILLS & HEART

The front-of-house tech team plays a vital role in creating an environment that facilitates connections during a worship experience, including being attuned to the needs of the congregation, creating user-friendly setups, and ensuring high-quality sound and lighting. 

Being a member of the front-of-house team requires more than just technical skills; it requires preparation, organization, attention to detail, communication, and awareness of your surroundings. And ultimately, it requires a heart for the mission of the church: to expand God’s kingdom in your area of influence.

If you’re a church planter or multisite leader who wants to make sure your front-of-house team is operating at its best, we can help. Our team of experienced professionals can guide you to set up a seamless and engaging worship experience for your portable church’s worshipers. 

Get in touch with us today to schedule a consultation and learn more about our services and how we can support your church plant or multisite location’s front-of-house needs.