Leadership
If You Only Focus on One Thing in 2016…
Full disclosure: I’m more of a pastor than a techie.
Don’t get me wrong – I love all aspects of using media to create experiences where people grow closer to Jesus. I love computers, cameras, lighting, audio, sets, switchers, and other production gear. But my passion is people.
So I’m coming at this topic fully knowing that I’m biased, but I do believe wholeheartedly that you can have all the production gear in the world and all the best toys, but it’s all for naught if you don’t consider people. If you don’t invest in both the audience you’re creating your experience for and the volunteers and staff that help you execute your experience, in church world, I believe you’re missing the point.
You can have all the production gear in the world but it's all for naught if you don't consider people. @carlbarnhill Click To Tweet
With that in mind I’d like to submit to you the one thing, that if you focus on in 2016, I promise your team will grow more than you ever thought possible: people.
As a Church Media Director, I could get so wrapped up on Sunday’s with the details of the service- how transitions went, how camera shots looked, whether we hit that guitar solo, if lyrics were late, if the videos fired correctly, and on and on… that I didn’t step back enough to minister to my team and those around me.
Here are 5 easy ways you can be intentional about pouring into people this year:
1. Pray for your Team Members by name.
2. Reserve one day a week where you take a volunteer to lunch to talk about what God is doing in their life.
3. Write one note a day (a physical note that you mail, not an e-mail or text) telling one team member how glad you are they are on your team and that you are praying for them.
4. Reserve one night a month where you and your spouse invite another couple or a few members of your team over to your house for dinner and to hang out.
5. Spend 10 minutes a day on Facebook and learn about the lives of your volunteers. Be sure to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and other life moments.
These are just five simple ways you can put pastoring your people over your process. I’ve written and spoken in more detail about these and other ideas in the blog posts and podcast episodes below. Feel free to check them out:
CARL BARNHILL
Creative Director / Owner
[twelve:thirty]media | Columbia, SC
twelvethirtymedia.com
Carl Barnhill has served on staff at some of the largest churches and organizations in the country. He served as Media Director at Precept Ministries International, directing the television and radio program Precepts for Life with Kay Arthur, broadcasted to over 98 million homes around the world. He served as Video Production Director at Pinelake Church in Brandon, MS, where he produced media content for four campuses, as well as led volunteer teams.
He most recently served as Video Coordinator for Newspring Church in South Carolina. Newspring has 10 campuses across the state with a weekly attendance of over 35,000. At one campus alone, the number of consistent volunteers serving in media production tripled, under his leadership.
He currently serves as Creative Director and Owner of [twelve:thirty]media, a company that serves churches and ministries all over the world through motion graphics content and church media coaching.
