The ChurchGear Podcast

65:59

Mixing for NF, Subwoofer Setups & Timecode [Travis...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/05/18

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-hop, the specific gear he's taking on tour, and his secrets for managing massive subwoofer setups to

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51:54

When to Pause an Integration & Stop Overspending on...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/05/11

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 leadership about moving from cheap, temporary fixes to a strategic, full-scale AVL upgrade. He also explains why

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49:13

Assaulted in the Booth! + The Gear vs. Acoustics...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/05/04

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 pick the right gear, rather than just the most expensive gear. We also dive into the technical weeds with a

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59:28

Immersive Mixing, Brownouts, & Blackouts [Community...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/04/27

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 growing, multi-site congregation, including exactly how CBC bridges the gap between the worship band and the

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53:48

Production, Gear & Pastor Life Hacks in Africa...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/04/20

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. Finally, we zoom out to discuss the broader state of the global church, exploring exactly what the

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63:04

Navigating a Moral Failure & Leading Tech Through...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/04/13

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 this episode you'll hear:0:00 Intro: False Miracles6:14 Will Martin (Gateway Church) Joins10:45 The

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59:52

Communicating Your Value as a Technical Artist...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/04/06

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 sound smart usually backfires with your senior pastor, and the best ways to bridge the communication gap

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50:32

Cheap LED Walls, Minimum Budgets & Live Stream...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/03/30

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. In-Person WorshipThe hidden costs of cheap LED wallsDefining production excellence without comparing your

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66:00

Are We Failing The Next Generation? [Lauren Daigle's...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/03/23

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 Shoutouts6:15 Gene Kim (Lauren Daigle’s FOH Engineer) Joins12:30 Are We Investing in the Next Generation of Church Techs?32:30 Mentorship: Allowing Volunteers to Make Mistakes37:30 Core Topics for Mentoring

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53:06

Tornados, Helicopters & Executive Requests with Mac...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/03/16

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 roof off their building.In this episode you'll hear: 0:00 Pastor vs. Production: Who Wins Setup

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61:33

Don't Buy A DiGiCo 338 [Spencer De Young & Dillan...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/03/09

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 you actually need a giant LED wall.In this episode you'll hear: 0:00 The "Great Gear Fixes

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46:58

Church Techs Perish Without Community [Celebration...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/03/02

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" Events5:30 Christian Acevedo (Celebration Church) Joins9:40 Christian’s Journey to Celebration Church14:30

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52:12

AVL Budgets, LED Walls & Mixing for Matt Redman...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/02/23

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 the massive production behind the Super Bowl Halftime Show.In this episode you'll hear: 0:00

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58:55

Inside Willow Creek Production & The Leadership vs....

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/02/16

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 production at one of the most influential churches in the country, revealing the reality of their team size

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55:50

Immersive Audio & Remote Mixing in Church? [Worship...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/02/09

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 Handling Unsolicited Feedback5:00 Johnny Ragin (Worship Sound Guy) Joins7:00 Segment: Five Truths & A

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47:37

Taking Strategic Risks in Production & Starting a New...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/02/02

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 of a new church tech role, the safest ways to test new gear or workflows on a Sunday, and how to have

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60:25

From Tech Director to Executive Pastor [Fellowship...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/01/26

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 tech directors can build trust with senior pastors and get "unstuck" when they feel stagnant.In

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52:59

Lessons from Lauren Daigle & Tate McRae's Crew [Matt...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/01/12

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 considering a jump into the professional touring industry, Matt shares the "real-world" costs

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57:03

Don't Waste Your Event Budget: $50k Reality Check...

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2026/01/05

Dillan Howell has run many large scale events. From corporate ballroom events to managing the artists for the Charlie Kirk Memorial, Dillan's see it all. What lessons has he learned from his time in large scale events that he would bring back to church production if he returned to a church tech role? In this episode you'll hear: 01:00 Field Trip: Behind the Scenes of a Weird Open House05:30 Guest Interview: Dillan Howell (Evnt Ready)11:30 Realities of Church Live Event Budgets14:30 Can You

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57:16

Church Tech Confessional Awards [2025]

The ChurchGear Podcast ·

2025/12/29

Church techs confessed some absolutely wild things to us in 2025. -Volunteering so you can marry the tech director-The worst TV stage rollout possible -Deciding to "kill" the file for the spicy "Marriage Conference Talks" In this episodes you'll hear: 1:00 Toby’s little story: Nate Bargatze stand up 5:15 Why you should have a billionaires kid on your volunteer team9:15 “Lemons into Lemonade” Award 14:50 “Funniest Moment of the Year” Award 20:15 “Awkward Moment of the Year”

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