The Blackbar Podcast

Send us Fan Mail With the success of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour movie, the guys discuss how experiences like this could impact the ways that we both approach and engage in worship within our faith communities. They also get back into the Mac vs. PC debate on the heels of Apple's newest M3 Chip showcase. Episode Timestamps: 2:42 Mac vs. PC in 2023 23:48 Could Taylor Swift's Eras Tour A...

Send us Fan Mail The guys lose their minds over the exciting new Adobe software features showcased at this year's Adobe Max event! They also circle back to last week's conversation to tie in how Meta's new social personality AI can impact the way we create social content, and they break down how the technology used for the recent Toy Story Funday Football broadcast could help church...

Send us Fan Mail Caleb & Nick welcome guest co-host Garrett Vandenberg as they discuss the ethics, theology, practical application, and potential future of Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and AI generated music all within creative, faith-based spaces.  Episode Timestamps: 4:53 - The Ethics and Theology of AI Generated Music 45:31 - The Future of AR/VR Church Join the Blackbar Discord to ke...

Send us Fan Mail The guys have a little gear envy drooling over Sony's new Burano cinema camera while providing some practical explanations to cinema camera specs alongside more budget-friendly camera recommendations. They also discuss the potential implications of the ChatGPT based Open Interpreter with special guest Blaise Nelson, and they share some initial opinions of the featured product...

Send us Fan Mail Throwing back to Blackbar's very first video on church marketing, the guys add a few fresh tips that they've learned over the years on how to best create church ads that are genuinely effective. Also, featuring Lifehouse Church's creative arts and worship Pastor Sharayah Bishop, they discuss the filters a church can develop to help determine what music is most in li...

Send us Fan Mail Now that they've all finally watched Barbie and Oppenheimer, the guys share their insight on what Christian Creatives can learn from blockbuster films and secular media. They also discuss the new copyright rules for AI art, try to understand how the resurgence of "dumb phones" correlates with cyber addiction, and breakdown the technical side of the pod.  Episode Tim...

Send us Fan Mail The guys examine the current trend of social media platforms moving away from "social" media toward a "consumption" media mentality and what that could mean for the future of social media. They also dive deep into the AI powered "Text Jesus" app, compare the value of new cameras like the Sony a6700 to the power of smart phones, and speculate on uses f...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the Blackbar podcast season 2! Caleb, Nick, & Zach kick things off by discussing some of the good, the bad, and the ugly of new AI applications as well as what the value is for church creatives of present and future AI tools. They also talk Davinci Resolve 18.5, Threads vs. X vs. Tik Tok, and potential implications of the Hollywood SAG-AFTRA strikes.  Episode Timest...

Send us Fan Mail The guys talk life, media agency, and ministry updates as well as what's next for the Blackbar Podcast! Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us Fan Mail The guys talk with Jason Poling, Lead Pastor of Cornerstone Church of Yuba City, about his church's VR ministry in the Metaverse. They discuss everything from connecting with digital natives and online anonymity to navigating the advantages and disadvantages of this relativity new and unreached missions field. If you'd like to experience any of their services or get conn...

Send us Fan Mail Zach talks with Brian Lee, Enneagram Coach & Owner of Gospel-Centered Enneagram, about Broken To Beloved; a summit moving toward healing & wholeness for those that have experienced church hurt, spiritual abuse, and religious trauma.  For more information or to register for the Broken To Beloved Summit, visit: https://www.brokentobeloved.org/ Join the Blackbar Discord to ke...

Send us Fan Mail Zach & Caleb talk with Spencer Jackson - Artist, Creative, & Campus Pastor - about 5 ministry survival tips that he learn from his time as Creative Director for Lifehouse Church. From the importance of creative intentionality to being prepared to take punches, Spence shares his heart about creativity and leadership. Follow Spence on Instagram to connect with his work: http...

Send us Fan Mail On our first episode for 2023, we tackle a topic that we feel is one of the biggest detriments to the health and the calling of those in the creative ministry. And that topic is burnout. To tackle this conversation, we've brought on our friends Dan Desrosiers (Ep. 6&7), Brian Lee (Ep. 23&24), and Nik Goodner (Ep. 59) with the objectives of defining burnout, humanizing...

Send us Fan Mail Zach talks with James Meehan, Youth Pastor and Content Creator for Life. Church's Switch Student Ministry. They discuss some of the ins and outs of digital youth ministry, how to reach students in the digital age, and the importance of being intentional about your digital strategy. Also, today's episode of the Blackbar Podcast is sponsored by LiveVoice , the app that mak...

Send us Fan Mail Recorded live from That Church Conference 2022, the Blackbar crew shares their first ever live keynote presentation! On this special episode, Caleb, Nick, & Zach present how digitizing your mission, getting specific, and adopting the model of digital missionaries can help churches work through the biggest hurdles that we all face when approaching online ministry. You can watch...

Send us Fan Mail Nick & Zach talk with Ben Stapley - a pastor, speaker, coach, content creator, producer, and all around jack of all trades. We discuss how to lead well while navigating the changing seasons of ministry, and Ben shares what he's learned on how to best oversee, train, and lead ministry teams. Also, check out the link below to set up a leadership coaching or consultation cal...

Send us Fan Mail Recorded in a hotel room outside of Atlanta, the guys reconnect in person to talk about their experiences in rebranding and why brand identity is important. Today's conversation was sparked by our most recent video: How Often Should Your Church Rebrand? https://youtu.be/la2fdQQg1ds Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, the guys talk with Justin Dean, Author, Marketing Director of Tithe.ly, and creator of That Church Conference, about both the importance and the necessity of public relations within the church. Justin also shares a bit about his time at Mars Hill Church and what he's learned on recovering from church hurt in a healthy way.  The affiliate partner of today&apos...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, Caleb and Zach talk with Jillian Lawson, lead interior designer with the Jillian Design Co. Informed by years of ministry experience, Jillian shares with us why interior design matters and how it can serve as an active and powerful extension of ministry. Head to Jillian's website for access to her free resources, blog posts, and to schedule a discovery call f...

Send us Fan Mail The guys talk with Tod Bolsinger, an author, consultant, & executive leadership coach, about leading well during times of crisis and uncertainty. Tod also talks a bit about the intersection of technology and theology as well as how that intersection has impacted the Christian faith. Text " CHANGE " to 66866 to stay connected with the Tod's resources at the Churc...

Send us Fan Mail Recorded live at the University of Valley Forge, the Blackbar crew is back together in person once again! On this special episode, Caleb, Nick, & Zach start out with an update on what you can expect from the future of Blackbar. From ministry and community opportunities to the shifting of content scheduling, the guys look forward to what the next year and beyond holds! After th...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, the guys break down why churches are having such a difficult time growing online. They discuss in what ways the paradigm of digital evangelism has shifted in the past two years, and they share some practical ways churches can grow their digital ministries in the years to come. Today's conversation was sparked by this week's video: The 3 Big Reasons Your...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, Zach, Caleb, and Nick talk with Carl Barnhill, owner of ready made media company Twelve Thirty Media and host of the Making Sunday Happen podcast. The guys discuss some of the the overall experiences and struggles that Christian content creators are facing right now, and Carl shares some tips on how to best manage the stress and responsibilities that come with cre...

Send us Fan Mail On part one of this two-part conversation, Caleb, Nick, and Zach discuss faith deconstruction with Garrett Vandenberg, a record producer, multi-instrumental songwriter, and host of the This Could Be Interesting podcast. Throughout this episode, the guys work to define deconstruction as it pertains to the Christian faith, identify some of the most prominent needs of the deconstruct...

Send us Fan Mail On part two of this two-part conversation, Caleb and Zach discuss faith deconstruction with Garrett Vandenberg, a record producer, multi-instrumental songwriter, and host of the This Could Be Interesting   podcast. Throughout this episode, the guys work to identify ways that the Christian community at large as well as those in ministry-focused media can best aid those going throug...