Professionals vs. Volunteers: Greg Baker

Pros & Cons of Using Professionals vs. Volunteers in Church Production

By TechArts

Every church wrestles with the same questions when it comes to production:

When is it okay for your venue to sound or look less than perfect? Can you get good results without spending money on contracting a professional?

We sat down with Greg Baker, Production Development Director at Saddleback Church, to talk about what works, what doesn’t, and how a large multi-campus church balances volunteers, staff, and professionals across a wide range of environments.

A Long History of Church and Production

Greg’s relationship with Saddleback began long before it became the remarkable church it is today. Raised in a church-going family, he was reintroduced to church through Saddleback when it was still meeting in a high school auditorium.

“There was something about it, especially the music department, that really drew me in.”

That initial pull led him to volunteer almost immediately, inspired by how effectively the church connected with people and its community. What began as volunteering eventually became a career, and one that’s spanned nearly three decades and countless seasons of growth and change.

Managing Production at Scale

Today, Saddleback operates at a global scale, with roughly 20 campuses across Southern California and an international presence as well. While campuses function independently day to day, Greg plays an important, central role in supporting production across the network. As a Production Development Director, he oversees not just production, gears, and systems, but also the people involved. Building teams, training leaders, and creating systems that work in real church environments.

A Volunteer-First Model

Despite its size, Saddleback remains very volunteer-driven. Around 90% of its production teams are volunteers, supported by a small number of staff members and only occasional outside contractors.

They found this was the system that benefited them the most. Over time, Saddleback tested different staffing approaches and eventually landed on a structure that prioritizes volunteers, uses staff for consistency and accountability, and brings in professionals only when truly necessary.

Many campuses launch in portable or unconventional spaces (high school theaters, auditoriums, even coffee shops), so production quality has to grow realistically alongside the campus.

“Ideally, everyone wants high quality from day one, but the reality is that sometimes you’re starting with limited resources in unconventional spaces.”

Preventing Unhealthy Ownership

One of the biggest challenges in volunteer-driven production environments is unhealthy ownership, when a single volunteer becomes too attached to a system or role.

Saddleback addressed this by assigning a production staff member to each campus, even if only part-time. These individuals go through the full hiring process and provide consistent leadership, accountability, and alignment with church values.

“They maintain the systems and help place volunteers where their skill sets are best used.”

This approach helps prevent isolation, protects volunteers from burnout, and keeps production running smoothly even as team members rotate.

When Paying Someone Isn’t the Real Solution

A common question Greg hears from pastors is simple: Can we just pay someone to fix this?

In his experience, that question is often less about sound quality and more about people's challenges, such as unhealthy ownership or a bad attitude.

Hiring a professional can make sense if a church’s top priority is achieving the highest possible technical quality. But many churches value something else more: dedication, consistency, and genuine care for the mission—volunteers.

At Saddleback, volunteering is treated as a real commitment, with clearly defined expectations around punctuality, preparation, and serving with the right heart. That clarity helps ensure volunteers have the right motivation—not just to have a free place to mix sound without being invested in the church.

Knowing When a Volunteer Isn’t the Right Fit

Removing a volunteer is always difficult and rarely the first option. More often, challenges are addressed through coaching, training, or moving someone into a role that better fits their strengths.

Production staff leads are responsible for evaluating both skill and attitude, and for providing support where possible. Volunteers don’t need professional-level experience—but they do need to be consistent, willing to be taught, and aligned with the team’s purpose.

Designing Systems for Real People

One of the most common mistakes churches make is designing production systems around a single highly skilled operator. Greg shared that he intentionally avoids that approach.

“I don’t design systems around one great sound engineer. I design systems that fit the room and the long-term needs of the church.”

Instead of prioritizing high-end features, Saddleback focuses on consoles and workflows that volunteers can learn and use confidently. When issues arise, the gear itself is often not the problem. Many ‘broken’ systems just need proper adjustment, and once fixed, complaints disappear. Upgrades come only when necessary. When a campus truly outgrows its system, they’d upgrade—but only then.

When High-End Gear Becomes a Problem

More capability isn’t always better, especially with rotating volunteer teams. Complex digital consoles can create confusion when multiple operators make changes without fully understanding the system.

“Sometimes it hurts. Too much capability can overwhelm volunteers.”

The solution? Manage them carefully and create a secure structure between people’s capabilities.

Lighting and Broadcast Realities

Lighting follows a similar approach. Saddleback’s main broadcast campus uses paid staff for programming and setup, while volunteers handle day-to-day operation.

“Once programmed, volunteers can operate safely and effectively with minimal changes.”

This balance allows volunteers to succeed without being put in positions where small mistakes have major consequences.

Finding What Works for Your Church

Saddleback’s approach is about sustainability and a heart for the purpose of the church. Not perfection.

“It works for us.” Greg Baker says.

And that’s the real takeaway. The right balance of volunteers, staff, and professionals depends on your church’s mission, values, people, and resources—not just the technology.

If you found this helpful, be sure to check out our other blogs for more insights on church production and technology!