Today, technology staffing is one of the biggest challenges churches of all sizes face — and by ‘today’, I do mean today because it will be different (and perhaps harder) tomorrow.
Every church asks the same questions: How many full-time employees do we need? How many part-time? Should we outsource or use contract employees?
Knowing all this, it’s no surprise that technology staffing is one of the top things I’m asked to consult about. Ministries of all sizes must address their tech staffing needs. And whether that ministry encompasses 100 people or 10,000, the questions are the same — only the scale is different.
When we talk about what constitutes technology staff, we have to break it down. Technology teams today do a lot: productions, audio/video/lighting, web/creative, social, and IT. For our purposes in this article, we’re focusing on IT staff; however, these concepts can be applied across tech disciplines since ministries often try to staff all these specialties with one or two positions.
Here are the three biggest pieces of advice I share with my church clients struggling with tech staffing:
#1: Identify your persistent needs
What does your ministry need every day? What does your ministry culture need every day?
If your staff is used to getting tech support from someone down the hall and can’t wait for an outsourced provider to call them back, then this persistent need should drive your funding and hiring. But if your staff can wait 20 minutes for a callback, then perhaps outsourcing can save your church money while still serving its culture.
We often hear that networking is a persistent need — to keep the internet, network and Wi-Fi running. In reality, that should NOT be the case. Set up correctly, networks should only need managing and touching when ministry needs change or expand. Why pay for that ability year-round as opposed to having a stable network that you rarely have to invest in?
#2: Look at your available talent pool, resources
Who is available to work for what you’re willing and able to pay? In some parts of the country, an entry-level help desk technician can make as much as a senior pastor. This pressure creates a lot of turnover in ministry.
A church might have a full-time equivalent (FTE), but often it’s someone new every few years as the ministry struggles to afford to maintain this role, given the current market rates.
Outsourcing your help desk and network engineering is one option. And if you need someone on site to plug in something or make a physical change, you use an existing staff member. It’s cheaper to pay a few hours of overtime to assist an outsourced provider than to hire for an FTE position with a high likelihood of turnover.
#3: Be flexible in your approach
Although there is no one-size-fits-all approach to church tech staffing, and what works today might not work tomorrow as your needs and resources change, perhaps a hybrid approach is worth considering. This way, you hire for what you need on a persistent, daily basis and use an outsourced provider to resource that position.
I’ve been trying to work myself out of a job as an IT staff member and consultant for decades. Despite my best efforts, there always seems to be plenty to do. Find a partner that can help your team accomplish the persistent daily needs of your ministry while being available to assist with quarterly or yearly tasks with which your team might not be proficient.
An outsourced tech team can also help with personnel changes. As your staff evolves, your tech partner maintains continuity of operations and equips those who join your team. This can also be a benefit if you have an IT or tech employee that doesn’t work out or whom you feel is holding the ministry hostage with his or her unique knowledge.
If you’re struggling with how to afford your tech staff in any of the disciplines mentioned, please reach out. At MBS, we see ourselves as ministry partners — as extensions of your team, helping to support strong financial stewardship that empowers maximum Kingdom impact. It doesn’t cost anything to explore the many options that exist today to save money — and jobs — while carrying out the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20.
At the end of every day, the goal is to stand before God for having resourced His church to accomplish His mission. If you haven’t considered outsourcing, I believe you’ll find it’s surprisingly affordable. In fact, at a time when ministry budgets are shrinking, outsourcing might be the best way to keep your ministry supported (with excellence) while managing challenging resources.
Jonathan Smith is the President of MBS, Inc. and the Chief Technology Officer at Faith Ministries in Lafayette, Ind. He is an author and frequent conference speaker. Follow him on X @JonathanESmith.
