Yes , we have lots of work to do . Yes , it is important . But … Relax . Enjoy yourself . Do your best because God deserves it , not because you ’ re worried about making a mistake .
MAKE SPACE FOR FUN There isn ’ t always time to have fun - especially for those of us who have an early load-in on Sunday morning . It ’ s not like we have much opportunity to sit in a circle and sing Kumbaya . We ’ ve got work to do ! How can we be open to enjoying the process of getting things set up and ready ? How can we make space for having fun with each other as we go ?
If I look back on my years of serving in production , they are jam-packed with fun moments we remember , even after so many years have gone by . These “ fun ” moments were mostly in passing , while something else was happening : an inside joke or something amusing that happened while we were tearing down . Recognizing and remembering these moments is important .
Right now , I ’ m thinking of all the times we had “ road case races ” down the hallway to help speed up tear down . Or when we pulled out a football to throw around the auditorium . Or when we used to hide something on the stage during a service to see if anyone would notice . These are all examples of ways to have fun that don ’ t take up any time but can help make the time we are together more enjoyable .
I ’ m not suggesting that we jeopardize our programs for the sake of a joke .
We have jobs to do and letting fun get in the way of the task at hand is not what your church has in mind .
SAVE THE SHOW At my former church , we had a tradition called “ Save the Show .” We would all go out after a full day and night of rehearsals . Even though we ’ d already spent a lot of time together , we wanted ( and needed ) to connect outside of the huge tasks in front of us . “ Save the Show ” usually occurred around Christmas time , when we were working a ton already . But for many of us , by the time we were done with rehearsal , our families were already in bed and wouldn ’ t miss us if we stayed out for another hour or so . For our team , this was a valuable time to have fun and enjoy being together .
This “ Save the Show ” idea can also be extended to other opportunities for you and your team to be together . While you might be slammed during your actual rehearsal , it is important to figure out other times to get together – a celebration dinner after the huge Christmas run , or a field trip to a production company or going to a concert . Any time you can break away from the normal routine and have fun outside of work , you will bank more relational equity for the next time you ’ re neck deep in a task together .
PRODUCTION IS TOUGH . LET ’ S DO WHAT WE CAN TO ENJOY DOING IT TOGETHER . Here are some questions you can ask yourself that might spur some ideas for you and how you lead your teams this Christmas season :
1 . Has every week turned into the Super Bowl ? If so , how can you work to ratchet down the intensity a bit ?
2 . What are some ways you could build fun into your regular production routine ?
3 . When was the last time you did something with your team outside of the tasks at hand ? And what is one thing you could do in this season ?
Pastor Chris Hodges from Highlands Worship ,
“ Comfort and Joy ” session
Todd Elliott Writer , speaker , technical artist in the local church and founder of FILO . Formerly the Technical Arts Director at Willow Creek Community Church , he started FILO in 2015 to help other technical artists become more effective so that the local church can be more effective . In his free time he enjoys being inspired by Winston Churchill speeches and visiting the gravesites of U . S . presidents . Residing near Chicago , he and his wife Bissy have three kids and a dog ... none of whom are into production . filo . org
What is FILO ? FILO ( First In Last Out ) is for technical artists who serve the local church , designed to provide skill development , community and inspiration to equip technical artists to become effective contributors to their local church .
When we ’ re more effective , the church is more effective . Whether volunteer or staff , FILO aims to provide skill development , community and inspiration to help equip technical artists to become effective contributors to their local church . FILO is a combination of the FILO Conference , FILO Blog , FILO Podcast , and personalized FILO Coaching .