The most important thing we do as a church is point people to the love that God has for them. While we do this in many ways, for most churches the message time of service is the focal point for sharing God’s Word. The right microphone can literally be the difference between someone hearing about God’s love for them or missing out, making it the most important microphone you’ll use.

It’s my opinion that the speaker’s microphone is the one microphone that you don’t skimp out on. I believe it’s worth spending a little money in order to get a mic that will provide clear, articulate sound while your Pastor preaches. Almost as important as the sound is finding a microphone that your Pastor is comfortable with.

Handheld, Lapel or Headset

I had a Senior Pastor once who only wanted to use a hand held microphone. He always sounded fantastic, clear and we rarely had to be concerned with feedback. Most Pastors don’t want to hold a microphone while delivering their message, however. Lapel clip microphones, popular 20 years ago, can work under some circumstances, but are not the best choice for clarity and freedom from feedback. For those who want their hands free but a better sound than a lapel clip mic can provide, we have a variety of headset options with both single ear and dual ear fits.

Best Selling Headset Mic

The Countryman E6 headset microphones revolutionized presenter microphones years ago and they’ve not slowed down since. The current version E6i has been a top selling earset microphone for CCI Solutions for years.  In fact, CCI Solutions sells more Countryman earset microphones than anyone else in the world! We want you to have a great, clear and articulate mic, so we pass that savings on to you everyday.

More Natural, Less Feedback

If you can afford a little bit better microphone, you can move up to the top of the line DPA microphones with the 4066 dual ear version or the new single ear d:fine headset. While there is an increase in cost with the DPA headsets, you also get a more open, natural sound and additional gain before feedback.

If you have questions about which microphone option might be best for you, call our CTS Certified Retail Sales team and they will help you get the option that is right for you.

Free Demo Mics for You to Try

In order to help you make the right choice, we also have a number of microphones available in our Try It Free program. Let our staff know that you’d like to try one of our Countryman or DPA headsets and they will set you up. No charge!

Regardless of what type of microphone your Pastor is most comfortable with, be sure to invest appropriately in getting something that will sound great. After all, it may just be the most important mic on your stage.

A few weeks ago I was working with a church in Chicago and we suddenly found ourselves in need of a shelf. We just needed a small shelf for the iMac to sit on and some space for the video switcher to sit under it. Fortunately we had a decent amount of 2x6s around with which to build one. So we gathered up 2 or 3 2x6s, a pair of scissors and a crowbar, and went outside to cut and assemble the shelf. It was a great shelf, very sturdy and custom sized for the space we had available.

The Real Cost of Choosing the Wrong Tools

Most of the above story is true. Of course, the part about the scissors and crowbar is ridiculous. You would never use scissors to cut a 2×6 or a crowbar to screw the wood together – yet I find that church techs often do this very thing. Often I see people using a cheap vocal microphone to mic a grand piano, using standard mic cables as DMX cables, or using home movie cameras to tape video in a large auditorium with inconsistent light. It seems that too often we in the church tech world are quick to grab scissors when a saw is what we need, and then we’re surprised that the results are less than good (or worse). Why are we surprised at the difficulty we face when we use the wrong tool for the job? And why do so many people keep using the same tool over and over hoping that the results will somehow improve? Yes, sometimes choosing the right tool is a little more costly initially, but what you save in efficiency and gain in performance, usually far outweighs the small amount you might have saved choosing the wrong tool!

Information Resources

We understand that you are working hard to provide the best results possible with the talent and tools you have. CCI Solutions has created the Worship Tools Learning Center to help provide the knowledge you need to be the more effective in your ministry. You’ll find videos and articles that are relevant and useful to help you choose and use the right tool for the job you’re working on today.

Check out the Worship Tools Learninig Center at CCI Solutions.com for information and advice from our seasoned techs about choosing and using various AV tools in churches.  Our Systems Consultants and Retail Sales Consultants are passionate about serving churches and helping you get (and correctly use) the right tools for the job. Give ‘em a call or email today – they’d love to help. After all you don’t want to be the guy cutting a 2×6 with a pair of scissors, do you?

I love the rush of Easter planning as much as the next guy. It’s always a huge blessing to invest the time and effort into presenting the message of the resurrection in a big way to people who don’t often, if ever, get to hear it. I also love the sense of togetherness it brings to a team of volunteers. There is nothing that brings a team together like the long hours and intensity of productions – and for many churches Easter brings a production-like atmosphere.

And I believe Easter warrants the best effort our teams can give. It’s a much bigger deal than celebrating Christmas. Think about it, the birth of Jesus is only the beginning of the story. The best part comes on Easter since 3 days after being crucified, He was raised from the dead – guaranteeing life for those who trust in Him! We should be celebrating this and proclaiming it as loud and to as many people as possible.

The Gospel story has such huge impact on our personal lives. I often wonder if at Easter we as church servants lose sight of that in the midst of the busyness. Christ did not come so that preachers could preach great messages, so singers could sing cool songs and so production people could put together high-level productions. Jesus came to defeat sin and death for us. At the end of the day the part that really matters is what God did for you, for me and for the people of your community who still don’t know about Him.

At Christmas time so many people remind us to remember the “true meaning of Christmas” and encourage people to take time to celebrate with family, but when Easter approaches I find we rarely take the time to truly be thankful and celebrate what God has done.

This Easter, proclaim the message to the people of your community. Pull out all the stops to share God’s story with them on a day where they may be open to hearing about it, even if it is out of a sense of duty. Do big things for God! But as you plan and before the weekend is through, don’t forget to spend some time individually celebrating what God has done for you. Don’t forget to individually thank Jesus for giving his life for yours, for taking your punishment of sin. Proclaim His name loudly in your services on Easter, but be sure to praise His name privately before and after too.

Blessings to you and your church this Easter, I’m praying for God to do big things in and through you and your ministries! And if there is anything I can do to serve you and help you be successful, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

One of the things I learned as I first started to mix was how to get comfortable at Front of House (FOH). I could get set up comfortably and go for long stretches perched in front of the console, ready to enjoy mixing for hours on end. It was great fun, dialing in a mix that sounded clear and had lots of punch. I could enjoy mixing from my little world and it would sound great, and I knew everyone would enjoy it.

Unfortunately, not everyone did. I’d occasionally get comments from other FOH guys about what they’d change in the mix and I’d get bummed out. Sometimes I would even take it personally and feel hurt, not understanding why those people didn’t like my mix. Fortunately I had some great mentors early on and when discussing this with one of them, the first question I was asked was, “Well, where were they sitting?” Wow, did my eyes open wide that day, when I realized for the first time that it wasn’t about my mix, it was about my mix in that spot, which was very different to my mix at my seat. The next time I mixed I got everything going and walked down to where some of those guys usually sit, and I wasn’t too happy with my mix either.

When mixing FOH, it’s very easy to get settled in and live in your own little world, but my challenge to you today is to go the distance to make your mix great for the audience, not just FOH. In fact, in reality it matters very little what it sounds like at the console, but it matters a whole lot what it sounds like in every seat in the audience. I’ve learned that when I mix, I have to spend a decent amount of time walking the entire room during sound checks and rehearsals to get a great feel for how the room is sounding. Even during service, now that we’ve added people (living acoustic absorption) it’s critical again to at least listen in a few different spots to make sure what you are trying to accomplish with the mix resonates with the audience and not just FOH.

I have yet to visit a church with perfect acoustics and a perfect sound system. We can make a lot of strides to get close, but there are still going to be anomalies in your room. Get out from behind the console on occasion and go listen. My church has FOH right under the front of the balcony (can I get a groan from anyone?) and it’s critical that I get out and listen to the house from other perspectives throughout services. If your mix position is compromised like mine is, meaning in the balcony, under the balcony, off to the side of the room or even in another room altogether, it’s that much more critical for you to go the distance to make the mix right for the audience. But even if your mix position is great, you still need to go listen to the rest of the room occasionally because odds are there are spots in the room that aren’t.

Mixing FOH is a fantastic role and I love doing it every chance I get. I get a chance to help churches and ministries lead congregations in worshipping and learning about our God. But if the mix is only good at FOH, who am I really serving? Go the distance for your mix, you’ll see more people engage in worship and clearly hearing the message, and that’s what it’s all about.

National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) – April in Las Vegas, NV
This is one of the biggest trade shows and features more video than any church can ever use.  While there is some audio and lighting gear, video is really the big focus at this show.  You should be able to get into the trade show for free, but the classes will cost you extra.
Pros: There is a lot of gear and a lot of people at this show.  You will get a chance to meet some incredible people and get your hands on lots of gear.  If you’re looking to make some significant video purchases, you should definitely attend this show.
Cons: It is a huge show which means it’s easy to get lost and not talk to anyone who does what you do.  You have to be intentional and deliberate to make connections.

InfoComm – Alternates site, June in Las Vegas, NV for 2012
InfoComm is a good, all around trade show involving audio, lighting and some video.  If you’re looking for a well balanced variety of gear, this is a good show to start with.  Just like NAB, you should be able to get onto the trade show floor for free with advanced registration, but the classes will cost you extra.
Pros: This show is a much more manageable size but also still has lots of great people to connect with.  It’s easy to both get your hands on lots of great gear and connect with manufacturer reps and other church tech people.  I find that I run into fellow church techs regularly while walking the InfoComm show floor.
Cons: Because the show is well rounded in it’s gear inclusion, it’s not exhaustive.  While you can get your hands on a lot of gear, it my not be the place to do an exhaustive search on what you are looking for.

LDI – Alternates sites, Late Fall/Early Winter in Las Vegas for 2012
If you are a lighting, staging or stage design person, LDI is a great show for you.  One of the only shows dedicated to lighting, LDI isn’t a huge show but it packs a good punch with what’s new in lighting and staging.  Once again, the trade show can be attended for free but the classes require paid registration.
Pros: You get a chance to see everything that’s new in the lighting world, from the cheaper DJ stuff to the higher end professional gear.  It’s also not a huge show so you can get a chance to talk to lots of great lighting people.
Cons: It’s pretty much about lighting, so if lighting is not your thing, this is probably not the right show for you to go to.

Worship Facilities Expo (WFX) – Alternates sites, September in Atlanta, GA for 2012
This is one of the biggest church focused trade shows and does a decent job blending the opportunity to get your hands on solutions for worship technology with opportunities to learn from and connect with other church tech leaders.  While you can get onto the trade show floor for free, the classes do require a paid registration.
Pros: No other show brings so many of today’s church technical leaders, and there are many opportunities to connect with and learn from each other.  In addition, unlike most of the other trade shows, WFX has numerous training classes focused on more than just showing you gear, but teaching you how to get the most out of gear for ministry.  WFX also has the Tech Director Retreat, a day of encouraging and training for Church Tech Leaders.
Cons: It is a smaller show so the trade show part isn’t big and there usually isn’t much that is new.  Also, being a younger conference, they are still growing and developing the event to make it better.

Guru’s of Tech Willow Creek – May in Crystal Lake, IL
After last year’s inaugural event, I have high expectations for this year’s Guru’s of Tech event.  While there are multiple Guru’s events, the willow Creek team put on a great event last year and the classes were excellent.  Not only that, but it’s a church tech only event and you’ll have opportunities to meet, chat and worship with many folks doing what you are doing.  Best of all, the event, including classes, is free.
Pros: Guru’s of Tech Willow Creek features fantastic classes and many great tech leaders ready to invest in you.
Cons: While there was a little gear to look at last year, this is not a trade show so don’t expect a lot of gear.

Have questions about these or other shows, please comment below or shoot me an email.