Off Mic With Ivory

The tension of leading worship while struggling — Worship Leader,  @NiiellaOfficial discuss the reality of ministering publicly while privately battling personal issues. Niiella describes the internal war between her spirit and soul, and how she eventually found peace by surrendering her struggles to God rather than trying to fix herself through willpower.

Executively Produced by Ivory McDonald
Audio Engineered by Ivory McDonald
Video Filmed by Ivory McDonald
Video Edited by Ivory McDonald
Music by Isaiah Garcia

©Off Mic with Ivory

Are we missing the mark in modern church services? In this deep, unfiltered episode of Off Mic, I sit down with my friends and worship pastors ‪@Miqueaslopezofficial‬ (Transformation Church) and Isaiah Garcia to tackle a heavy conversation: the state of modern worship culture.

From the dangers of the seeker-friendly movement and the temptation of self-promotion on social media, to relying too heavily on Ableton loops, lights, and performance over the Holy Spirit—we are pulling back the curtain on what it means to truly re-center Jesus as the main character.

If you’ve ever sat in a service and questioned where the genuine move of God went, this conversation is for you. Hit play, lean in, and let's get into it.

Executively Produced by Ivory McDonald
Audio Engineered by Ivory McDonald
Video Filmed by Ivory McDonald
Video Edited by Humphrey Caswell Jr.
Music by Isaiah Garcia

©Off Mic with Ivory

What if we’ve been so focused on doing Christianity “right” that we’ve missed the beauty of the gospel?

In this conversation, Pastor Derwin Gray and I talk about grace, performance, Bible literacy, true worship, suffering, and what it really means to follow Jesus. We unpack the difference between using Jesus for what He can give us and worshiping Him simply because He is the prize.

If you’ve ever felt exhausted trying to “get it right” with God, this conversation may help you rediscover the freedom of the gospel—and the beauty of knowing Jesus.

Executively Produced by Ivory McDonald
Audio Engineered by Ivory McDonald
Video Filmed by Ivory McDonald
Video Edited by Humphrey Caswell Jr.
Music by Isaiah Garcia

©Off Mic with Ivory

In this episode, I sit down with Worship Pastor Sarah Benibo, from Embassy City Church in Dallas, TX to talk about lament—what it really is, why we avoid it, and why it actually matters in our walk with God.

We break down how lament isn’t a lack of faith, but a form of honesty with God. It’s the space where grief, confusion, and questions are brought into His presence—and somehow, that honesty becomes the very thing that leads us toward healing and joy.

If you’ve ever felt like you had to “hold it together” in your faith, this conversation is for you. Lament isn’t the end of your story—it’s often the doorway to deeper trust.

Executively Produced by Ivory McDonald
Audio Engineered by Ivory McDonald
Video Filmed by Ivory McDonald
Video Edited by Humphrey Caswell Jr.
Music by Isaiah Garcia

©Off Mic with Ivory

In this episode of Off Mic with Ivory, I sit down with content creator EllieUnbound for a raw and honest conversation about faith, worship culture, identity, and deconstruction.

Ellie shares her journey from being a practicing Christian and worship leader to stepping back and questioning many of the things she experienced within mega church culture. Together, we talk about the tension between genuine worship and performance, the pressure of finding identity in what we do for God, and what happens when the stage becomes tied to our sense of worth.

This conversation isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about honesty. It’s about wrestling with difficult questions, confronting disillusionment, and searching for what is real in the middle of deconstruction and reconstruction.

Executively Produced by Ivory McDonald
Audio Engineered by Ivory McDonald
Video Filmed by Ivory McDonald
Video Edited by Humphrey Caswell Jr.
Music by Isaiah Garcia

©Off Mic with Ivory

What happens when worship starts looking more like an industry than ministry?

In this episode of Off Mic with Ivory, I sit down with worship director and creative Dwyane Bennett for an honest conversation about the tension between worship, platform, performance, and profit. From concerts and production costs to branding and influence, we wrestle with a difficult but necessary question:

Have we made worship more about performance than presence?
More about platform than people?
More about consumers than participants?

This is a nuanced, honest, and needed conversation for worship leaders, musicians, creatives, and anyone passionate about worship staying centered on God.

Executively Produced by Ivory McDonald
Audio Engineered by Ivory McDonald
Video Filmed by Ivory McDonald
Video Edited by Humphrey Caswell Jr.
Music by Isaiah Garcia

©Off Mic with Ivory

Worship was never meant to revolve around us… so how did we get here? In this episode, we take an honest look at what biblical worship really is—and whether our current culture reflects it.

Have we traded reverence for relatability?
Presence for performance?
Participation for observation?

Some of these shifts are subtle… but they matter.

If worship is truly about God, then we have to be willing to examine what we’ve built.
Worship Leader, pastor, musician, Beliver in Christ...this episode is for you.

🎧 Watch the full episode and join the conversation.

Executively Produced by Ivory McDonald
Audio Engineered by Ivory McDonald
Video Filmed by Ivory McDonald
Video Edited by Humphrey Caswell Jr.
Music by Isaiah Garcia

©Off Mic with Ivory

In this episode of Off Mic with Ivory, I sit down with Calvin Nowell for a conversation that goes deeper than what we see on stage. This conversation is a call back to what worship teams were always meant to be: community.

We talk about what it looks like to truly see people—beyond their gift, beyond their role—and how that kind of culture changes everything. From building trust, to creating spaces where people can grow, to linking arms in a way that goes far beyond singing songs together.

We also get honest about something that doesn’t get talked about enough: ageism in worship culture. How many of our older saints feel pushed to the side in spaces they helped build? And what are we losing when we don’t make room for their wisdom, their steadiness, and their lived experience?
Because healthy worship teams aren’t just diverse in sound—they’re diverse in generations. And we need that.

At the end of the day, this isn’t just about building great teams… it’s about building healthy ones. The kind where people are known, valued, and growing together.

If you’ve ever been part of a worship team—or are leading one—this conversation might challenge how you see the people around you.

🎧 Watch the full episode and join the conversation.

Executively Produced by Ivory McDonald
Audio Engineered by Ivory McDonald
Video Filmed by Ivory McDonald
Video Edited by Humphrey Caswell Jr.
Music by Isaiah Garcia

©Off Mic with Ivory

In this episode of Off Mic with Ivory, I sit down with Worship Pastor Roosevelt Stewart from Transformation Worship at Transformation Church for an honest and powerful conversation about purpose, pain, and calling.

Roosevelt opens up about his journey growing up in Fort Myers, where he was exposed to trauma at a young age—things no child should have to experience. Yet, even in the middle of that, God was already shaping his story.

We talk about how his gift made room for him, allowing him to travel, minister across the country, and step into spaces he never imagined. Roosevelt shares wisdom for worship leaders who are trying to find their place, navigate their calling, and truly follow God’s leading—not just their opportunities.

This conversation is real, grounded, and full of insight for anyone in ministry—or anyone trying to make sense of their story and trust God with the process.

If you’ve ever wrestled with your past, questioned your purpose, or wondered how God could use your story… this one is for you.

Executively Produced by Ivory McDonald
Audio Engineered by Ivory McDonald
Video Filmed by Jenna McDonald
Video Edited by Humphrey Caswell Jr.
Music by Isaiah Garcia

©Off Mic with Ivory

What happens when everything you’ve built your identity on is stripped away?

In this episode, I open up about a deeply personal season where God brought me back to the foundation. The roles, the titles, the productivity, the things I thought defined me—He began to peel it all back. And what I was left with was a hard but necessary question: If all of that is gone… who am I?

I realized my identity had quietly become rooted in what I did, not in who I am in Christ.

In this conversation, I share how God walked me through that process—breaking down false foundations and rebuilding my understanding of identity from the ground up. Not as a performer. Not as a leader. Not as what I produce. But as His. Before anything else, I am a daughter of God.

If you’ve ever felt like your worth is tied to what you do…
If you’ve ever felt lost when things slow down or fall apart…
Or if you’re in a season where God is stripping things away…
This episode is for you.

Executively Produced by Ivory McDonald
Audio Engineered by Ivory McDonald
Video Filmed by Ivory Mcdonald
Video Edited by Humphrey Caswell Jr.
Music by Isaiah Garcia

©Off Mic with Ivory