I’ve seen the backstage of many churches. Some are closets, others are huge areas that incorporate hospitality space, restrooms and production storage.
No matter the size or style, a tidy backstage is important.
As I recently heard it said, God is still the God of the backstage.
We want to honor and give our best as a worship ministry and making sure the backstage area is all squared away is a big part.
Much like any other space in life – when the home or office is cluttered, it’s a sign of the mind the person(s) who most often occupy the space.
Community areas are a little more troublesome, however. I learned a long time ago that if everyone “owns” it, no one cares for it. That’s a good description of some backstage areas.
I must admit, we go in spurts at our church. There are some seasons when it looks like a war-zone and other times when it’s all nice and neat.
I don’t know how your backstage is, but here’s an encouraging word – four reasons to keep the area nice:
Springboard To Effective Ministry On Stage
If you want things go well on stage, part of that means having a clean backstage. When you can find the needed cables easily, when all cases are nicely stored and out of the way, and when you can walk on and off easily, you find order. Order in worship is scriptural and important. Effective ministry begins with a clean and organized backstage.
Quality Space For Ministry And Relationships
There’s a lot of conversation that takes place in and around the backstage area. People come in and out for rehearsals and there are a lot of different people using the space. Some people have a higher tolerance for chaos and mess than other people. But messiness can really set people on edge. We want to foster environments that help people connect to one another as they serve in ministry together.
Tidiness Is Part Of Being A Good Steward
Maybe it’s as basic as making sure things are safely stored so you don’t have an insurance fiasco when someone trips or something like that. We want to be good stewards. Teach and encourage your worship team to work together to keep things nice and organized. Don’t leave coffee cups laying around. Throw away boxes and trash. We want to create a professional space for those serving on the team today and for future musicians who may want to join the team. We want to be good stewards of the equipment the church has sacrificed to purchase for worship. If it’s cared for properly, it will have a longer life.
Making Room Is A Good Habit
Churches are notorious for keeping stuff forever. If you have something that isn’t worth keeping, pitch it. If there’s an outdated, old piece of equipment, get rid of it. Making room for what may come next is a good habit for church worship teams to get into. There are some things that may be used in the future, but those things have to be carefully stored or you’ll never find it again, anyway!
Organizing the backstage area is a great item on your list to delegate.
And it’s something you have to keep on top of – it’s not a one-time thing. Make it part of your weekly routine to honor God backstage.
