– a path I would highly encourage others to
take. I committed to volunteering at the church,
but honestly, I thought it would be in an area
that was not production. I mean, come on,
surely God knew that I was working long hours
and many days a week already, He certainly
wouldn’t want me to do more of that, on the
days I could listen to the word? (laughing)
Maybe he was opening a door for a Parking
attendant, Kid’s Check in? Maybe I can wear
one of those cool Deacon jackets and seat
some people? Wrong! My employment history
on the volunteer form, pushed the routing to the
technical team… I pledged to be obedient and
honor my commitment, and it changed my life.
Experience comes in many ways, and before
serving in church, I had a decent technical
career well established. In the early days, I was
a son of a talented musician (I’m careful to say
it this way, as I have some formal training, but
a skilled and talented musician, I am not) and Andy Engstrom when playing with my dad, I found my gifts were who made an impact on me (Craig from South early stages stand out quite like these two. I
in the electronic “support” side of the music. I Africa, and Jim from Chicago), and dedicated a spent a number of years mixing and working
still attempt to play some, and I apply music huge amount of their personal time in mentoring in entertainment with Walt Disney World (FL),
theory where it makes sense in my world, but me. I skinned my knees plenty, and both men and there’s a ton of very talented individuals
without my father’s mentoring, I wouldn’t have were there for much of my worst professional that have contributed much in my learning. I
the launching pad I needed. Early on, I realized disasters. Craig was huge in showing me had opportunity to hone more than audio in my
I could repair the things that others couldn’t. I the proper System Engineering side of Live Disney days, and it was a fantastic production
acquired gear and equipment from friends that Production. He did many large-scale events driven company.
amassed some of my tech arsenal, that prior in South Africa, and he also was a genius to my ownership it was considered junk or with signal flow. He was so efficient and when [WM] As a 'retired' worship and creative
broken beyond repair. We were just kids, but I ventured into the freelance world, we would arts director I spent enough time behind the
I had nothing to lose in trying to repair what I jump on production calls together and book out sound board, running cables, and labeling mics
could, and my track record and proficiency was our calendars supporting touring acts. to know that tech (sound, projection, stage
building. In those days, I didn’t get many breaks
management etc.) is not something you learn
in mixing. Kids behind a console were rare but Jim was a true mixing musician. He would also overnight. What is the process at Gateway for
I had an advantage in that I’ve always been tall. spend much of his time writing and composing on-ramping people?
I cut my teeth in smoky bars (yup, hope that’s some creative classical music. There were ok to say here…) and when the primary tech moments that I thought Jim was kind of a mad [Andy] Thankfully I’ve been here with Gateway
or engineer wasn’t available, I would step in. I scientists, but he had a breakthrough with for almost twelve years, and in that time, I’ve
began enjoying the musicality of mixing, and I me when I could articulate the depth of a mix seen the church grow substantially. In the early
always have had the desire to design (college beyond a left/right perspective. I applied much days, leadership put a few things in place
degree) the equipment I was working on, but of what I learned from Jim in my early years providing structure and scalability in a volunteer
the more I mixed, the better I got, and the while mixing some talented musicians, and I program. We couldn’t do what we do, without
better the mixes were, the more I enjoyed the was hooked. volunteerism. With the seasons, and event
thought of making the most of music from my
demands throughout the year, our calendar
side of the desk, until I had worked my way up Beyond those two mentors, I’ve had many requires more than full-time employees, and
to be the primary guy. There were two guys others touch my career but none in the critical that’s where volunteers shine.
January 2019
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