Production, Worship

The Role of a Propresenter Operator

It’s so important for your volunteers to realize the role they play in creating experiences at your church. Each position is vitally important.

1. The ProPresenter Operator is a WORSHIP LEADER.

• This position should be viewed as a Worship Leader, not a “button pusher”, and is extremely valuable to any service or event.
• This position must work in partnership with worship leaders on stage to lead the congregation in worship to God.

2. The ProPresenter Operator is a LYRIC LEADER.

• It is very important that ProPresenter operators lead lyrics before they are to be sung. Leading lyrics enables hundreds or thousands of people at your church to worship God during every worship service. Not leading lyrics can result in hindering the worship – simply because the congregation doesn’t know what to sing or say.
• A good rule of thumb for leading lyrics: always fire the next slide of lyrics on the next to last word of each slide.

3. The ProPresenter Operator is a REACTIVE LEADER

• There will be times when the ProPresenter Operator must react to a certain change on the fly that a worship leader on stage makes. Be mindful here, not to speak poorly of your counterparts on stage in those moments. If you’re reaction is “There he goes again! He always does this!” and not one of trying to serve the Worship Leader on stage, you may need to take a step back. You should be having conversations with the Worship Leaders on stage before, in-between, and after services to get a feel as to what they are thinking. If you are unclear what needs to be on screen – its better to have a blank slide up than the wrong slide up.
  • We must be sensitive to the fact that the Worship Leaders on stage are sensing and feeling the room, and the Holy Spirit is more likely to lead them somewhere that might be “off the plan” than he is to lead the ProPresenter Operator somewhere “off the plan”. If a Worship Leader “goes rogue”, follow him the best you can until you get back ‘on script’.

• The ProPresenter Operator needs to be extremely quick in responding in these situations. You must know how to navigate the software and find things extremely fast in order to lead the congregation to a place they can sing along.

4. The ProPresenter Operator is a PROACTIVE LEADER

• In order to react quickly, the ProPresenter Operator must be as prepared as possible before serving each service.
• Listen to and know the songs that are being sung before each service so that you can react quickly if a change is made within a song. In most settings, songs and arrangements are located on Planning Center online or other source for a ProPresenter Operator to access during the week.
• Know the ProPresenter software inside and out. Make sure you are well trained on the software. Ask before something becomes a crisis. You can access free ProPresenter training here.
• Stay focused at all times during rehearsal, run-through, and the actual worship service.

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.