The Highly-Skilled-Techies are Few
As churches become more tech-savvy and grow to rely on technology to reach today’s culture with the Gospel, it’ll be interesting to see how ministry competes for the best talent in tech-related fields. To be completely vulnerable, we’re finding a challenge attracting highly-skilled experts (IT, media, web, etc.) to join our team. Part of the problem is because there appears to be a shortage of talent for the demand that exists in today’s technocentric world.
The other reason is because our expectations look different than the “normal” organization. For example, we need someone who…
- Loves Jesus.
- Is fully committed to the unique vision and mission for NewSpring’s ministry.
- Is highly skilled in their field of expertise.
- Has technical knowledge and understands how that translates in a ministry setting.
- Is willing to sacrifice financial gain to work for a church.
As an example, our media team is trying to fill a key role. We’ve heard this same story from several folks. They’ve shared that most Christ-followers who are talented with media production aren’t clamoring to join a church staff. Instead they’re heading to Hollywood. Who can blame them? If you could use your specialized gifts, influence today’s culture, have more freedom to create, enjoy less-restrictive deadlines to fine tune your craft and make more money doing it, wouldn’t you go?
I used to think developing leaders would be the ultimate barrier to growth. I’m beginning to think finding highly specialized technicians may be just as big of a challenge. Yes, outsourcing is part of the solution. But, you still need someone on the team who can see the big picture, manage projects and talk whatever language of geek-speak is appropriate to manage those partnerships.
Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38). The truth in that passage is more real now to me than it ever has been.
Am I alone on this one? Are you sensing this same challenge?
Well, narrow IS the way…
See, my church is on the cutting edge…of the 19th century! So I’m not really dealing with this problem! I do see/feel your pain. I dream of the day where I can use enough technology that I need a technology guy, let alone a whole department!
They do exist though. Mars Hill Church of Seattle have been having quite a bit of success in this realm, and they are who I would suggest you talk to. They’ve gotten a good number of incredibly talented people at 10 cents on the dollar in some cases for the value of talent. People leaving multi-million dollar jobs to work for their church. Certainly not all their staff, but it’s happening. Part of their success too though is probably related to a higher concentration of tech savvy people in Seattle than most other regions of our country.
Chris Meirose
http://wasecachurch.org
Not only is the pool available help small, but the expectations for quality and quantity of media are growing. Smaller churches will have an increasingly difficult time to attract people because they can’t offer full-time positions for various reasons. But without full-time quality in tech areas, it really detracts from your message.
The Center for Church Communications (www.cfcclabs.org) has a Job Lab (jobs.cfcclabs.org) for freelance work. I’ve had some success looking there for part-time help. Maybe you can contract out work to a small pool of individuals on a regular basis, build a relationship with them and then offer one of them a full-time position.
I think the church is going to have to start considering the possibility of investing time and money in raising up the tech people as well. Find someone with the gift and willingness to learn, then hire them and send them to every training seminar and class you can find. Maybe offer to partner with a marketing firm in your area and offer to pay the salary for your staff person to work with them part-time and learn the trade so they can bring it back to your church. It costs more money, but maybe it helps get someone into the position.
I actually have the opposite problem… I’m in Canada, and left my tech job in 2000 to work full time in media and tech ministry. But in Canada, there are very few churches that have need for the media and tech skills I have – or rather, they’d love to have the capabilities on staff, but they aren’t big enough to be able to offer a full time paid position for me to be able to make a living at it. So I tried to offer my capabilities as best I can to ministries through a small business. But then you end up having to constantly deal with the “we need it yesterday” lack of planning , and the “we only have $1.50 in the budget” money issues. I have no intention of getting rich off of media / tech ministry, but it’s my dream to have a full time position where you can pour in and be a part of the strategic planning and all that.
So yeah, the issue you describe probably doesn’t exist in Canada like it does in the US.
What you really need is one who can speak geek and shepherd others to do the same. I know too many techies who like to do it instead of build teams to do it as well.
We’re having the same problem, even in a big city like Dallas. We had discussions with two guys this week, both of which were very talented guys with great experience and love Jesus. The issue is that each would be taking about a 60k pay cut from their current salaries to come to work here. That’s a pretty big delta. In addition, we require that all of our full-time staff be members here. When you have a church of 5000 people, that decreases the pool quite a bit.
We have some folks who have made great money in the corporate world and then have the option to leave that behind to make an impact in full time ministry. Having guys like that are great, but I think you can’t assume that those guys are the rule. They are a great exception to the rule.
Certainly we are seeing the challenge here.
Man I would love to go into ministry using my tech knowledge. I’m a Web Developer / Programmer working in the secular world. I’d love to use my talents in ministry somehow…anyone have an opening??
One of the big problems I think is that most people, production and tech people included have not typically looked at the local church as a place where their art and skill set can be lived out, challenged, equipped, supported and grown.
the reality is the landscape has changed. If your going to talk to the current culture, you need to take a real look at having highly skilled production and tech people. You also need to find a certain amount of techs that can make the leap from managing themselves and their art to managing others and the process. (Harder than you think.). The single biggest asset I have found for our community. (other than we have some high level volunteers in certain area’s such as IT/Video Production) is growing people from the inside, we use a lot of interning programs and after school type things for college and high school kids in regards to highly specialized tasks, and then we chunk out all other technology tasks into bite size push a button type tasks for volunteers, which gives them the ability to taste what it is like to serve and get involved and them they can make the jump to deeper levels if they like, I have also been able to tap into the local school district and do less than class sized training for kids who are already interested in areas of production. And then plug them into serving opps. You have to have your ducks in a row as well. Most techs take what they are doing very seriously and if you don’t have a system setup to take care of them and the process.. man they’ll take their gifts elsewhere. It might be simple to say but create the environment for a production/techie to grow in their relationship with Christ, others and art.. and they will.
The cool thing is ( “I Think”) is that we ( the church) are kind of in a first generational thing as far as high production values go, in terms of culture and what is expected .(a very general comment I know) but the next generation is already thinking this way. I have 15 year old interns that have the production mindset that I didn’t develop until my early 20′s (I am 40 and came out of the production world of regional touring and recording studios and freelance video work and into the church world when my life was turned around by Christ. ) So if you can get someone to tap in to that and reproduce themselves into them then things will get easier as we go.
As far as where to find them? If it was me….. If they aren’t currently in your church, and your church is small , cast the vision for it, including the resources you will make available to “raise” someone up and see what God does. If you have money to throw at it, talk to Full Sail or NYU or SAE (or any other large production school) or get plugged into your local scene and see who is rocking it and then cast that vision to them and see how God puts it all together.
Man this turned into a long comment.. sorry…:)
A blog reader hoping to keep his/her job wrote:
I agree with you that the pool is pretty shallow when it comes to technical people who want to work in a ministry environment. I think it’s even harder to find people who are gifted creatively and technically, and have project management skills to help with the concurrent use of staff and freelance talent to produce creative product.
The most disturbing thing I am seeing, though, is the lousy way these folks are sometimes treated once they’re in a ministry environment. I don’t go a week without hearing painful stories from folks wondering why they made the move to a church!
The leadership vacuum that exists in so many churches leaves technical staff, media folks, or creative teams, hanging out in wind taking shots from every direction simply for doing the work they’ve been asked to do. The pastor doesn’t take the shot because the parishioner doesn’t like the new website, video, or whatever. The tech person does! I’m beginning to suspect that there are a lot of leaders who intentionally use creative media and technology to drive change in congregations. The technical and media staff is used as a shield for all of the arrows that come from engaging change inappropriately. The workers are even fewer after they’ve made sacrifices to take a position, and then aren’t appreciated, or worse are beat up for doing what they’re told!
churches say they value these roles with their words…but not with their paychecks.
I coach teams at churches all over to do the tech stuff. I have come to realize that these leaders have replaced youth pastors as the hardest working least paid on a church staff.
but the fact does remain that technology is moving quicker than volunteers can keep up with.
Tony,
I don’t think this problem is isolated with the church. I work for a Fortune 30 company and manage a large part of our infrastructure and we are also struggling to find top notch young talent with the skills we are looking for. The best talent is coming from overseas, but that isn’t a christian group, so while we can use that talent (and as a christian get a chance to be a witness) that doesn’t work for the church. What we have been doing is hiring young folks with solid competencies in leadership, communication and teamwork and a good technical base and training them with the skills we need. Does it work out every time?? No, but we have been fairly successful at building some technically savvy young leaders. Not sure if that is an option for the church as that takes some time and money to do, but if it is I think it is better than hiring an experienced person because these young kids are hungry to learn and you can shape and mold them to be outstanding contributers.
Just a slightly different perspective, from a church volunteer and full time in the corporate world viewpoint.
I think the church needs to start raising up technical leaders like they raise up other leaders. Start working with Jr. and Sr. Students that are doing it at home and mentor and equip them as they get older and either hire them after college or send them out to be digital pastors like we do for them going into preaching, or youth or worship. If we start now the church of the future will have one less problem to deal with.
Tony,
I’ve been following your blog since I was formally employed at a small mega church in the 48th state (trying to keep some anonymity). I’ve never commented on any post, but this was a topic close to home and had to jump in.
The brief version. I was originally hired part-time as a sound tech by the worship/media pastor. This eventually led to him handing me the Adobe Creative Suite and learned how to use InDesign and so on. I ended up doing some nice pieces that I’m proud of which led to the decision to put me as the full-time graphic artist.
A few years go by, add another designer/collaborator primarily doing work for the youth department. We worked tremendously well together, yet we were constantly in a struggle with what we we’re supposed to be designing. More specifically, no one could communicate to us what we were supposed to be communicating to the congregation because they didn’t know themselves. A good design doesn’t fix a lack of content. It eventually became a very draining and depressing environment to work in.
I am appreciative of the skills that I was able learn at the church which gave me enough experience and skills to take a secular job as a graphic designer (being paid a more competive salary with less hours worked). That translates to me as more time to spend with my family.
I do feel your pain. I’m a missionary in Europe with a ministry of Greater Europe Mission called eDOT – electronic Discipleship Outreach Training. Our tag line is to use technology to help build the church in Europe. Out of the 11 families we have working on the team, I am the only full time person who has a background working in the computer industry (we do have a part time web developer but she is still in language school). Everyone else comes from a background of computer user but they don’t know the technology behind it.
To add to your “job requirements” for finding new people, we also have the added – 1) you have to raise your own support & 2) you will most likely have to relocate to another continent far from family & friends.
Yeah, recruiting has been a little difficult.