The ChurchGear Podcast

What exactly is "Church Hurt," and how do you heal when the very place meant to provide spiritual safety becomes the source of your deepest pain? In this heavy but incredibly necessary episode, we are joined by creative leader Stephen Brewster. After kicking things off by discussing his journey in helping local churches write and produce their own original music, the conversation shifts...

How does one of the most influential mega-churches in the country handle their production, and what makes their team culture so unique? In this episode, we are joined by Bailey Binder of North Point Church. We dive into the personal journey of making the massive decision to move out of state for a new ministry role. Then, we pull back the curtain on North Point, breaking down what makes their chur...

As a Technical Director, when was the last time you were actually able to take a Sunday off? If your church relies heavily on volunteers, stepping away from the tech booth can feel completely impossible. We also tackle the massive, ongoing debate regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in church tech. Is it a helpful tool or a dangerous shortcut? Finally, we share a hilarious Church Tech...

How do you handle the immense pressure of designing a creative live event specifically for creatives? And as technology rapidly evolves, should church production teams be embracing or avoiding Artificial Intelligence (AI)? In this episode, we are joined by Luke McElroy, the visionary founder of the SALT Conference and the SALT Community. Luke pulls back the curtain on the difficulty of live events...

Where do you start when you want to level up the production at a new church? And how do you keep pushing forward when life throws you a devastating diagnosis? In this episode, we are joined by Josh Suender of Faith Community Church (Clayton, NC). We start with some practical, high-value tech talk, breaking down the exact first steps you should take to level up your church production. Josh shares h...

We dive into the heart of volunteer leadership, discussing why people always matter more than the production, and establishing the true "minimum standard of care" every Technical Director owes their team.  Willow also shares incredible insights on the specific benefits of having more women in church production and actionable strategies for how to recruit them. In this episode you'll...

James breaks down the actual logistics of how remote mixing works, the philosophical question of whether online audiences are actually engaging in worship or just watching a sermon, and if your church should make the transition to a remote setup.  We also discuss practical leadership strategies for communicating with a frustrating pastor, recap our FILO 2026 hijinks, and comment on  the details of...

What does it take to mix Front of House for a massive arena rap tour? And how can church technical directors apply those touring strategies to a Sunday morning service? In this episode, we are joined by Travis Stoker, the Front of House (FOH) Engineer for chart-topping rapper NF. Travis pulls back the curtain on NF's live audio setup, sharing exactly how he approaches mixing live rap and hip-...

How long can you keep your church's production running on "Band-Aid" fixes before you finally need a complete AVL upgrade? And how do you pitch that massive expense to your leadership team? In this episode, we are joined by Neil Brown of Henderson Hills Church to talk about smart budgeting, integration, and safety. Neil breaks down how to have the difficult conversation with leaders...

How do you convince your senior pastor to approve the new AVL gear your church desperately needs? And if budgets get slashed, do you sacrifice your gear upgrades or your room's acoustic treatment? In this episode, we are joined by the team from City Church to tackle the hardest parts of church production leadership. We break down the strategy of using your church's specific vision to pic...

Is the hype around immersive audio actually worth the massive investment for your church? And how do you keep your production and worship teams united when your church is experiencing explosive, multi-site growth? In this episode, we are joined by Eric Allen, Audio Engineer at Community Bible Church (CBC) in San Antonio. We start by unpacking what it takes to manage production across a rapidly gro...

In this episode, we are joined by Estian Els to get a global perspective on church tech. We dive into the realities of running a massive 7,000-person church in Africa, breaking down exactly what gear they use and the unique struggles of navigating international supply chains to get it. Estian also shares a brilliant leadership hack: why you need to bring your senior pastor to the FILO Conference....

In this heavy but incredibly important episode, we are joined by Will Martin of Gateway Church. Will shares the raw reality of navigating one of the most publicized church crises in recent history. We discuss the immediate emotional toll on the production team, how to lead volunteers through the shock, and the harsh realities of staff turnover and attendance drops following a major scandal. In thi...

How do you communicate your actual value to your church leadership without overwhelming them with tech jargon? In this episode, we are joined by FILO Founder Todd Elliott. Todd shares the origin story of how FILO was created to support the often-overlooked production community. We dive into a deep conversation about the title of "Technical Artist," why using intentional tech jargon to so...

When money is tight, is it ever a good idea to buy a cheap, imported LED wall? In this episode, we sit down with Eduardo Rivera from People's Church to tackle the harsh realities of church tech budgets. We discuss how to start upgrading your gear when your budget is basically zero, and how to coach volunteer teams who yearn for new gear.  Topics Covered: Prioritizing budgets: Live Stream vs....

Is the church doing enough to invest in the next generation of technical artists? And how do you balance the pressure for a "perfect" Sunday mix with the need to let young volunteers make mistakes and learn? In this episode you'll hear:  0:00 HouseRight Event Recap & Listener Shoutouts 6:15 Gene Kim (Lauren Daigle’s FOH Engineer) Joins 12:30 Are We Investing in the Next Generati...

How do you lead your church tech team after a tornado has lifted off your church's roof?  In this episode, we are joined by Mac Brown of Second Baptist Church in Houston, TX. We start by tackling the tension between the pulpit and the tech booth before diving into one of the wildest stories we've ever heard on the podcast: leading a church tech team after a literal tornado ripped the roo...

Is buying the best, most expensive gear always the right answer to your church's production problems? (Spoiler alert: Usually not.) In this special episode recorded live at MxU, we are joined by Spencer De Young and Dillan Howell. We dive straight into the controversial stuff, discussing exactly why your church probably shouldn't buy a DiGiCo 338 console and the hard truth about whether...

Serving in the production booth can be incredibly isolating. Without a strong culture, church tech volunteers and staff often burn out in silence. So, how do you fix it? In this episode, we sit down with Christian Acevedo of Celebration Church to talk about the life-saving power of community in church production. In this episode you'll hear:  0:00 Intro: Snowstorms & "The Mix" E...

How do you allocate a new church build budget between Audio, Video, and Lighting? And at what church size does production start to get exponentially more expensive? In this episode, we sit down with Aaron Ruse (former Technical Director at Saddleback Church and FOH engineer for Matt Redman) to break down the reality of modern church production. Before diving into the interview, the guys react to t...

When hiring a new church tech director, should you look for the person with the most technical knowledge or the best leadership potential? And if you are currently in the role, which skill set should you be developing first? In this episode, we are joined by Max Brown (formerly of Willow Creek Church ) to tackle the age-old debate of Competence vs. Character . Max shares his experience running pro...

If you had a limited budget, would you spend it on a better PA system or a better mixing console?  And with all the hype around spatial audio, should your church actually be looking at Immersive Audio installs? In this episode, we are joined by Johnny Ragin, the face behind Worship Sound Guy, and we dive deep into the gear debates every church tech has. In this episode you'll hear:  0:00 Hand...

Taking risks in church production is terrifying. If you try something new and it fails, everyone notices. But if you never take risks, your production gets stale. So, how do you find the balance? In this episode, we sit down with John Williams, Production Director at Church of the King, to discuss how to push your church forward with strategic risks. We cover how to approach the first few months o...

In this episode, we explore the rare but inspiring career path from Production Director to Executive Pastor. We are joined by Dave Clark of Fellowship Church (Grapevine) to discuss how he transitioned from technical leadership to executive leadership. We break down the difference between treating ministry as a "job" versus a "calling," and Dave shares practical advice on how te...

In this episode, we sit down with Matt Potesta, System Engineer for artists like Lauren Daigle and Tate McRae. We dive deep into the high-stakes world of touring production, covering everything from how to land your first big road gig to the critical lessons every local church can learn about PA system tuning and system design. Whether you're looking to upgrade your sanctuary's sound or...