I was not prepared for what the consultant to our sound committee was saying. I had anticipated a meeting discussing microphones, amplifiers, speakers, woofers, control boards and the like. After all, the assignment of the committee on which I served was to recommend a sound system for the 1,400-seat auditorium the church was constructing.
Our consultant was from out of state. His company specialized in sound systems for churches. In addition to the hardware and system design common among sound companies, this nationally recognized firm offered architectural and decorating suggestions. It was a complete package design to make sure lack of sound was not a barrier for anyone in the auditorium.
It was the third interview with the prospective contractors, but it was different from the other two. The conversation was not about technology and hardware. Instead, the consultant focused on the importance of hearing the gospel.
Opening his Bible to Romans 10:14, the consultant read, “And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?” Then he read verse 17, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message… .”
“What good does it do if the pastor delivers a powerful message but a lost person is sitting under the balcony where there is a dead spot for the sound?” he asked. “What impact does a gospel message have on one who is sitting at a spot where the words bounce off the back wall creating an echo, making the message hard to understand?”
Continuing, he asked, “What impact does the pastor’s appeal from the altar have when the pastor’s microphone is not working and people in parts of the building cannot hear what he says?”
The consultant made us realize we were not dealing with hardware or with personal preferences about equipment. We were dealing with the basics. Our task was to ensure people could hear the gospel no matter where in the new auditorium they sat, no matter from where the speaker spoke. Since faith comes from hearing the message, our job was to provide the opportunity to hear the message.
That presentation led committee members to recall other times when hearing had been a problem. One mentioned that frequently the offertory prayer could not be heard because the one praying did not use the microphone.
Again the consultant placed the situation in biblical terms. “How can we say the ‘amen’ if we cannot hear what the one praying is saying?” he asked. He reminded us that when one leads in public prayer, it is not a private conversation between that individual and God. Rather, the one praying is acting as a priest in behalf of the congregation. He is representing the congregation before God. That means the congregation needs to hear what is prayed so they can add their personal affirmations.
Another recalled how the children’s sermon could be heard by the children sitting at the speaker’s feet but not by the majority of people present. The consultant pointed out that every aspect of worship is for the entire congregation, not just a part of the congregation. Therefore, everyone should be able to hear all that is said.
In the course of the evening, we recognized worship leaders have an obligation to make sure they are heard by all in the congregation. The work our committee did would make that possible since very few people have voices strong enough to be heard in most church sanctuaries. We agreed that if members said they did not want to use a microphone, they were really saying they did not care if people heard the gospel. What a terrible confession.
We also recognized the importance of the men and women who would run the equipment and manage the system our committee would recommend. All of us recalled times when the right microphone was not turned on or the volume was so loud the sound hurt one’s ears. We recalled systems filled with popping and cracking; people leaving a service talking about the sound system rather than the gospel.
The consultant pointed out one more thing: If we did our job correctly and if the people he would train to run the system did their jobs correctly, no one would ever say “thank you.” Sound is something one takes for granted until something goes wrong. Then it becomes a major source of irritation for everyone.
What our committee recommended is not important, although the church does have a good sound system and the sanctuary is well tuned for sound. What is important is that every church realize the importance of making sure every aspect of worship and praise is heard by all the members. That means designing a good system. It means proper training and support for those running the system. It means everyone using the system.
After all, the Bible does say that “faith comes by hearing the message… .”
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