Always Updating

Why Church Tech Can’t Stand Still

Always Updating. Yep, in the world of church tech, the only constant is change. What worked five years ago – or heck, even last year – might be outdated today. Whether it’s the gear we use, the software that runs it, or the platforms we stream on, everything keeps evolving. And if we want to keep reaching people effectively, we’ve got to evolve too.

For me, Church tech isn’t about chasing trends for the sake of being trendy. It’s about stewardship – using the tools available to make the message of the Gospel clear, compelling, and accessible. That means learning new gear, adapting to new platforms, and sometimes unlearning old habits. Stewardship is also about caring for our gear, maintenance, and doing more with less.

So maybe that means:

• Upgrading the livestream setup so people watching at home feel just as connected.
• Learning how to use AI tools to streamline Sunday slides or automate sermon notes.
• Replacing that ancient lighting board that only one retired volunteer knew how to run.
• Updating, cleaning, and maintaining equipment that may not need replaced currently.
• Keeping an eye on social media platforms where the youth group actually hangs out now.

Always Updating – Learning

We have had a Behringer X32 for many, many years. And I thought I knew how it worked pretty well. But recently, we updated our video system to high definition widescreen and realized that while it looks great, the sound sucked. The mix was not good and the way it was feeding to the streaming computer was bad. As I re-worked the whole thing, I wanted to feed our audience mics PLUS the main mix, and realized that I needed a Matrix. And I knew nothing about that section of the board.

I had to go back to the manual, and YouTube to see how to do it. I had to swallow my pride and figure out something I thought I knew. That is what Always Leaning means. You may have to read and re-read things you have used for years to make things better.

A Lifelong Calling

Being in church tech means being a lifelong learner. And honestly? That’s part of the calling. We’re not just running cables and hitting buttons—we’re helping create an environment where people meet Jesus. That’s worth learning new things for. And it’s worth being the first in and the last out every weekend.

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” – Romans 12:11

I think keeping our zeal sometimes means keeping up with tech. It means learning not just for ourselves, but so others can encounter Christ with fewer distractions and more clarity. It means doing our job to the best of our ability and using all means available to get better at it.

So yes, it can be overwhelming. And no, we won’t always get it right the first time. But we keep showing up, keep updating, and keep learning—because ministry deserves our best.