At Cross Pointe Church in Duluth, Ga., Production Director Mike Gerrells knows a thing or two about church AVL. He also knows something about reaching young people. He does not quote Scripture to describe the church’s emphasis on youth evangelism; instead, he references a line from an Eminem song. “You only get one shot to reach a young person, to make a difference in their life,” he explains, alluding to the artist’s 2002 hit “Lose Yourself.” For certain, Cross Pointe’s brand-new middle school and high school student building – equipped with a 405-seat auditorium, a multipurpose room, and a games and recreational space – is built to rock. The church made a $4.7 million investment for the building, $800,000 of which was allocated for audio, visual and lighting (AVL), a clear indication that Cross Pointe wants to make the most of that “one shot.”

Gerrells and everyone involved with the project decided that every experience in the new building has to be meaningful. Most church guests, especially teenagers, can be fickle about that daunting first-time visit. In fact, for too many, their first time to church is their last, and they miss that chance to become acquainted with God during adolescence. That’s why when Cross Pointe decided to build the state-of-the-art building, they held nothing back with their AVL choices, knowing that wondrous worship was going to be an integral part of their youth evangelism ...