The Role of a Propresenter Operator

Carl Barnhill

It’s so important for your volunteers to realize the role they play in creating experiences at your church. Each position is vitally important.

The ProPresenter (or sub your favorite presentation software) Operator is key to presenting lyrics and media content on your screens during your worship service or event.

Here are a few things to remember about the role of this position:


1. The ProPresenter Operator is a WORSHIP LEADER.

  • This position should be viewed as a Worship Leader, not a “button pusher”, and is extremely valuable to any service or event.
  • This position must work in partnership with worship leaders on stage to lead the congregation in worship to God.

2. The ProPresenter Operator is a LYRIC LEADER.

  • It is very important that ProPresenter operators lead lyrics before they are to be sung. Leading lyrics enables hundreds or thousands of people at your church to worship God during every worship service. Not leading lyrics can result in hindering the worship – simply because the congregation doesn’t know what to sing or say.
  • A good rule of thumb for leading lyrics: always fire the next slide of lyrics on the next to last word of each slide.

3. The ProPresenter Operator is a REACTIVE LEADER

  • There will be times when the ProPresenter Operator must react to a certain change on the fly that a worship leader on stage makes. Be mindful here, not to speak poorly of your counterparts on stage in those moments. If you’re reaction is “There he goes again! He always does this!” and not one of trying to serve the Worship Leader on stage, you may need to take a step back. You should be having conversations with the Worship Leaders on stage before, in-between, and after services to get a feel as to what they are thinking. If you are unclear what needs to be on screen – its better to have a blank slide up than the wrong slide up.
    • We must be sensitive to the fact that the Worship Leaders on stage are sensing and feeling the room, and the Holy Spirit is more likely to lead them somewhere that might be “off the plan” than he is to lead the ProPresenter Operator somewhere “off the plan”. If a Worship Leader “goes rogue”, follow him the best you can until you get back ‘on script’.
  • The ProPresenter Operator needs to be extremely quick in responding in these situations. You must know how to navigate the software and find things extremely fast in order to lead the congregation to a place they can sing along.

4. The ProPresenter Operator is a PROACTIVE LEADER

  • In order to react quickly, the ProPresenter Operator must be as prepared as possible before serving each service.
  • Listen to and know the songs that are being sung before each service so that you can react quickly if a change is made within a song. In most settings, songs and arrangements are located on Planning Center online or other source for a ProPresenter Operator to access during the week.
  • Know the ProPresenter software inside and out. Make sure you are well trained on the software. Ask before something becomes a crisis. You can access free ProPresenter training here.
  • Stay focused at all times during rehearsal, run-through, and the actual worship service.

The ProPresenter Operator is vital to the success of every worship service or event. Realize you are a Worship Leader, Lyric Leader, Reactive Leader and Proactive Leader. Let’s give our best at every position – after all, the experiences we are creating every Sunday, God uses to change lives for His glory.

About Carl Barnhill

Owner, Church Visuals

Carl Barnhill is a creative entrepreneur, motion designer and author. He is the Owner of Church Visuals, a company that helps Ministry Leaders visually communicate the Gospel. He is the host of the Your Visuals Matter Podcast. You can find him in Columbia, South Carolina with his wife, Katie and two sons, Jacob and Wesley.

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