The ChurchGear Podcast

How do you pick the perfect conference to further your skills and networking? We run through the list of conferences to consider in 2025, the various reasons to go and end on some tips to pitch for budget to attend. In this episode you'll hear:  1:00 Toby causing chaos at SALT and the Amplio Golf Tournament  10:45 How did Jerod get into church production ministry?  12:24 Planning and Budgetin...

How do you draw inspiration from other churches without also bringing expectations to make your church service be just like theirs? Stephen Sheppard is the Broadcast Engineer for Elevation Church and he joins us this week to discuss gear, live streams and the importance of staying true to your church's vision. In this episode you'll hear:  0:30 Toby’s new favorite church production celeb...

What factors should you consider when deciding whether to stay or leave a church tech job? Slingshot helps churches with their talent searches. They joined us on the podcast to give their advice on the nuances of staying or leaving a church production job and the factors influencing that decision. We discuss self-awareness, effective resume building, hiring dynamics, and important salary negotiati...

How will AI change church production jobs? Kenny Jahng joins us to discuss how AI will help, change and shape church production. In this episode you'll hear:  1:00 Podcast editing failure & Toby cheats on Blake 3:00 Kenny Jahng joins us from SALT Conference  8:30 How can AI help church production people do work easier?  16:30 What church production jobs will AI replace?  18:30 Will AI imp...

What were the best Church Tech Confessionals in 2024?  Listen to all of 2024's Church Tech Confessionals in a single episode and then hang with us as we give our reactions and crown a winner for the best Church Tech Confessional of the 2024 year.  In this episode you'll hear:  1:00 Blake confesses: Where is the camera card?  4:50 Blake confesses: Vehicular Misplacement  16:50 2024’s Chur...

What church production history and wisdom do you pick up when you've been in the game for 45 years?  Kent Morris joins the ChurchGear podcast this week to discuss the changes he has seen over the years, the lessons he has picked up along the way and he ends on some very encouraging words for those currently in the tech trenches.  In this episode you'll hear:  1:00 Hanging out at Church o...

How do you know when it is time to change churches and take a new church production job? Dennis Choy joins us this week to discuss his new job and the process he went through to make the decision. If you're looking for real life insight into the good and bad reasons to change church production jobs, this is your episode.  In this episode you'll hear: 1:00 Toby doesn’t know who Pentatonix...

How do you lead your production team after a devastating hurricane hits? Tyler Flores is the Central Production Minister of Biltmore Church, and he joins the podcast to discuss how the church is helping the community in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. In this episode you'll hear:  1:00 Funny observations of celebrity golf tournaments  5:30 Tyler Flores, the Central Production Minister of B...

How do you recover from Church Hurt?   Lee Fields joins us this week to discuss Church Hurt. We get into his journey to recover and the reflections he has had now that some time and counseling have happened.  In this episode you'll hear: 1:00 Speculating about the Mike Tyson & Jake Paul fight 3:15 Lee Fields joins  8:00 Lee’s UFC fight story  10:00 What goes into pulling off production fo...

What are Christmas services like in Portland, Oregon? Peter Zatsepin is a Production Technician at Mannahouse Church and he joins us this week to discuss preparing for Christmas. In this episode you'll hear:  1:00 How much does the weather impact your mood?  4:30 Peter Zatsepin joins us from Mannahouse Church! 14:00 How did you get into church production? 18:30 What's it like doing churc...

Your church needs you as their church tech to be their integrator. Now what? Eric Mooney is the Audio Director at Dream City Church and he joins us to tell us his journey of going from youth pastor, to audio director, to integration work for his church.  In this episode you'll hear:  1:00 Toby meeting Blake for the first time 3:45 Eric Mooney joins us!  17:00 Eric’s church production backgrou...

What happens when you pit two audio experts against one another in a mixing Battle Royale conversation?  Drew Hester and Jeff Sandstrom are too polite to fully fight it out in a Battle Royale, but they both join us for our first "fight it out" episode in the church production space. Join us for takes on what matters most in audio, the best consoles for the best situations and the best au...

How do you respond when you are given 3 months to live? Armando Fullwood joins us this week to tell us what his health journey taught him about faith, life and mixing. In this episode you'll hear: 1:00 Mixing behind glass windows  4:45 Armando Fullwood joins us! 11:00 How did you get into live production? 15:00 What is happening in live production outside of church? 19:30 How can you prevent...

What's it like running audio for a Vegas residency? Todd joins the pod to tell us about running sound for Miranda Lambert in Vegas, a disaster story and we wrap with a church tech confessional. In this episode you'll hear: 1:00 Touring Willow Creek Church 5:00 Todd Wines joins us  16:00 How did Todd get into church production?  22:00 Running FOH for Miranda Lambert in Vegas  29:30 Handli...

How do you end up mixing for legendary artists like Jay Z and Marilyn Manson? Doug Kimball got into the mixing game early via editorials and he stops by the podcast this week to give us the lessons he learned along the way. We wrap with some wild disaster stories and a church tech confessional that'll have you laughing and cringing.  In this episode you'll hear: 1:00 Meeting celebrities ...

How do you build a volunteer team when your main service is Saturday night? Blair drops by to discuss their unusual service times, recruiting volunteers and wraps with multiple disaster stories. In this episode you'll hear: 1:00 What do you do when your production gear gets stolen?  4:50 Blair Drake joins us!  13:00 How did Blair get started in church production?  16:15 How do they pull off t...

What do you learn touring in production for over two decades?   John's been running FOH for Newsboys for over two decades and he joins us this week to discuss his time with them, being out on the road, and how to handle volume complaints intellectually or hilariously.  In this episode you'll hear: 1:00 Accents, Blake’s tech fail, and Charles Manson  5:30 John O' Neal joins us!  12:0...

How do you take an interested, inexperienced volunteer and turn them into a tech genius? Willow Hodge is the Video Director at Hope Fellowship Church and she joins to give us a masterclass on training new volunteers.  In this episode you'll hear:  1:00 ChurchGear Fantasy League is here!  3:50 Willow Hodge joins us!  10:20 How did you get your start in church production?  15:20 How do you recr...

How do you keep production from disrupting your priority list?  Dan is a Monitor Engineer and RF Coordinating expert. He joins us to discuss balancing production with your life, vetting production jobs and some RF deep dive discussions! In this episode you'll hear:  1:00 Our new and first sponsor stops by: 64 Audio! 5:45 Kids are great!  10:00 Dan McLaughlin joins us!  19:45 How do you recove...

How do you launch churches at an exponential rate? Andrew Hoffstatter is the Technical Director at at The Church of Eleven 22 and he joins us to discuss church launches, stretching a dollar and excellence without excess in church production.  In this episode you'll hear:  1:00 Cats vs. Dogs 6:41 Andrew Hoffstatter joins us!  13:40 How did Andrew get into church production as a career?  16:00...

What were the biggest takeaways from the Pastors & Production podcast series? For our final episode in the series we discuss the biggest moments, the stats from the survey and wrap with the best quote from the series. In this episode you'll hear:  1:00 What was Toby like working at churches in his 20s?  5:45 BD joins us to wrap up the Pastors & Production Series  7:15 Stats about Past...

How do you fill big shoes together as a team? Whit George & Johnathan Basquez join us for the "Pastors & Production" Series to discuss filling the shoes of Willie George & Andrews Stone and how they work together as a team to continue leading Church on the Move forward.  In this episode you'll hear:  1:00 Visiting states, nations and filling shoes 4:30 Whit George &...

How do you pastor people who tour every weekend and are A level artists/production people? Henry & Andy join us from The Belonging Co Church to discuss pastoring creatives, handling expectations and managing salaries for folks who could earn more at the drop of a hat on the road. In this episode you'll hear:  1:00 Trading places 5:30 Andy Rushing and Henry Seeley join us from Beloning Co...

How do you communicate priorities with your pastor?   Jack Graham & Bryan Bailey join us for our "Pastor & Production Director Relationship" series to discuss their dynamic, handling production decisions and how to prioritize production.   In this episode you'll hear:  1:00 Being the black sheep of the family  3:45 Five Truths and a lie with your Pastor 8:00 Relocating the c...

How do you have the best possible relationship with your pastor?  Matt Chandler & Wes Ashworth join us this week for Pt.2 of our Pastor & Production series. We discuss what each role wishes the other knew about their role, handling errors and requesting new gear. In this episode you'll hear:  1:00 Meeting your heroes  4:16 Wes Ashworth and Matt Chandler join us! 11:15 Five Truths and...