There are two major trends developing related to the use of multimedia in worship services:

The first is increased creative potential. In the early days of church projection, there was little room for creativity. Songs were projected on a standard PowerPoint® blue background (with, of course, the same font for every song). Thankfully, times have changed. With recent advances in software and a little creative effort, we have the ability to not only put video images behind our text, but also mix a number of video backgrounds within the same song.

The second is that projection has become a central part of the worship experience at many, if not most, churches. There has been exponential growth in the number of churches utilizing projection every Sunday, the size of media budgets, and the number and size of tech teams.

These two trends merge to one point: projection computer operators are in a position to have a major impact on the worship service. We (operators) are now a big part of the worship team, and the computer is our instrument.

The guitar player plays from his heart, and thereby affects the worship of everyone in the congregation. In the same way, when computer operators see their function as a true act of worship and engage the heart and creativity to that end, it has a tremendous positive impact on the congregation as a whole.

While I am a great advocate of planning and preparation, there is a difference between being prepared and being mechanical. Optimally, ours is not a mechanical function. As part of the worship team, we need to be willing to be led by God, and adjust what we are projecting to the flow of the service. It's the Experiencing God principle: see what God is doing and join Him in it! It is an act of worship, and worship by definition is organic.

So this Sunday, don't just walk into the sound booth to fulfill your weekly function. Grab your instrument and worship the King of Kings!