The ChurchGear Podcast

What happens when the production team at one of the largest mega-churches in the country experiences a complete Sunday morning meltdown? And more importantly, how do you face your executive leadership the next day?

In this incredibly vulnerable episode, we are joined by Live Production Lead Mike Smith and Director of Media Bryan Bailey from the massive Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas. Mike pulls back the curtain to share the absolute worst Sunday of his entire church production career, walking us through the terrifying reality of the failure and advice on handling leadership conversations that follow these moments. 

In this episode you'll hear: 

0:00 Intro: Toby and Blake’s Vehicle Disasters

5:30 Mike Smith & Bryan Bailey (Prestonwood Baptist Church) Join the Podcast

11:15 The Worst Sunday of Mike Smith’s Church Production Career

22:10 Navigating the Monday Meeting: The Conversation with Leadership

30:00 The Big Debate: Has Modern Church Production Gotten Too Fancy?

37:50 The Mental Game: How Long Does It Take to Recover from a Bad Sunday?

41:40 Practical Advice to Prevent Massive Church Tech Mistakes

47:30 Keep Sundays Running

52:00 Church Tech Confessional

Take our survey here and you'll get the full report emailed to you December 4th! 

Check out HouseRight here for all the reasons we love them. 

Get more money back in your budget and more space in your closet by selling us your used gear here. 

Resources for your Church Tech Ministry

• Sell Us Gear: Does your church have used gear that you need to convert into new ministry dollars? We can make you an offer here. 
• Buy Our Gear: Do you need some production gear but lack the budget to buy new gear? You can shop our gear store here.

 
 Connect with us: 

• Sales Bulletin: Get better deals than the public and get them earlier too here!
• Early Service: Get our best gear before it goes live on our site here. 
• Instagram: Hangout with us on the gram here! 
• Reviews: Leaving us a review on the podcast player you're listening to us on really helps the show. If you enjoyed this episode, you can say thank you with a review! 

Are we outsourcing too many of our actual thoughts to Artificial Intelligence? And more importantly, is AI going to eventually replace the need for human volunteers in the tech booth?

In this episode, we are joined by Jake Gosselin, founder of Churchfront, to tackle the most highly debated topic in modern ministry: Artificial Intelligence. Jake shares his personal journey into live production before diving deep into exactly how AI is currently being integrated into the church tech space.

In this episode you'll hear: 

0:00 Intro: Are We Outsourcing Too Many Thoughts to AI?

5:00 Jake Gosselin’s Journey into Church Tech (Churchfront)

16:00 How AI is Actually Being Integrated into Church Production

19:15 Can AI Fill the Gap for Understaffed Tech Ministries?

22:50 The Big Debate: Will AI Replace Church Tech Volunteers?

29:15 How to Start Integrating AI into Your Workflow Today

35:00 Will AI Kill Us All Terminator Style? 

37:30 Church Tech Disaster Stories

42:45 Keep Sundays Running

Take our survey here and you'll get the full report emailed to you December 4th! 

Check out HouseRight here for all the reasons we love them. 

Get more money back in your budget and more space in your closet by selling us your used gear here. 

Resources for your Church Tech Ministry

• Sell Us Gear: Does your church have used gear that you need to convert into new ministry dollars? We can make you an offer here. 
• Buy Our Gear: Do you need some production gear but lack the budget to buy new gear? You can shop our gear store here.

 
 Connect with us: 

• Sales Bulletin: Get better deals than the public and get them earlier too here!
• Early Service: Get our best gear before it goes live on our site here. 
• Instagram: Hangout with us on the gram here! 
• Reviews: Leaving us a review on the podcast player you're listening to us on really helps the show. If you enjoyed this episode, you can say thank you with a review! 

How does one of the largest churches in America handle their Sunday morning production, and more importantly, how do they recruit and train enough volunteers to make it happen?

In this episode, we are joined by Griffin McCravy, the Broadcast Lighting Director at Church of the Highlands. After kicking things off with some amazing stories about growing up with Dolly Parton, Griffin shares his personal journey into live production. We then pull back the curtain on the massive AVL operation at Church of the Highlands.

In this episode you'll hear: 

0:00 Intro: Losing Dolly Parton

4:00 Griffin’s Experience Growing Up with Dolly Parton

13:20 Griffin’s Journey into Becoming a Lighting Director

20:00 Behind the Scenes: Production at Church of the Highlands

24:45 How to Find Great Church Tech Volunteers

28:00 Strategies for Training Tech Volunteers Well

35:00 Lighting Design at Church of the Highlands

43:00 ChurchGear Disaster Story with Highlands

47:15 Church Tech Disaster: Christmas Joy

49:20 Live Production Disaster: When the Lighting Guy Does Audio

52:15 Keep Sundays Running: Don’t Let It Become Normal

55:55 Church Tech Confessional

Take our survey here and you'll get the full report emailed to you December 4th! 

Check out HouseRight here for all the reasons we love them. 

Get more money back in your budget and more space in your closet by selling us your used gear here. 

Resources for your Church Tech Ministry

• Sell Us Gear: Does your church have used gear that you need to convert into new ministry dollars? We can make you an offer here. 
• Buy Our Gear: Do you need some production gear but lack the budget to buy new gear? You can shop our gear store here.

 
 Connect with us: 

• Sales Bulletin: Get better deals than the public and get them earlier too here!
• Early Service: Get our best gear before it goes live on our site here. 
• Instagram: Hangout with us on the gram here! 
• Reviews: Leaving us a review on the podcast player you're listening to us on really helps the show. If you enjoyed this episode, you can say thank you with a review! 

Does running production for a massive, multi-site mega-church mean you need to buy every single piece of gear on the market? And when it comes to Sunday morning audio, can you actually trust a volunteer to mix Front of House?

In this episode, we are joined by Dwight Theaker of Austin Stone Community Church. We dive deep into the specific logistics of broadcasting across multiple locations and break down exactly what AVL gear Austin Stone prioritizes. Dwight shares the surprising revelation that their production team actively chooses to use less gear than the average church, and explains the massive benefits of that streamlined philosophy.

In this episode you'll hear:

0:00 Intro: Toby Lost a Job & Chris Tomlin Stories

5:00 Dwight Theaker (Austin Stone Community Church) Joins

10:00 Gear Talk: What is Austin Stone Church Actually Using?

14:00 The Logistics of Broadcasting Across Multiple Campuses

15:45 Comparing Gear Priorities: 12Stone vs. Austin Stone

18:00 Why Austin Stone Uses Less Gear Than the Average Church

22:00 The Big Debate: Should Your Church Buy a d&b Soundscape Rig?

25:00 Can You Actually Trust Volunteers to Mix FOH Audio?

32:15 Church Tech Disaster Story

35:30 Keep Sundays Running

Take our survey here and you'll get the full report emailed to you December 4th! 

Check out HouseRight here for all the reasons we love them. 

Get more money back in your budget and more space in your closet by selling us your used gear here. 

Resources for your Church Tech Ministry

• Sell Us Gear: Does your church have used gear that you need to convert into new ministry dollars? We can make you an offer here. 
• Buy Our Gear: Do you need some production gear but lack the budget to buy new gear? You can shop our gear store here.

 
 Connect with us: 

• Sales Bulletin: Get better deals than the public and get them earlier too here!
• Early Service: Get our best gear before it goes live on our site here. 
• Instagram: Hangout with us on the gram here! 
• Reviews: Leaving us a review on the podcast player you're listening to us on really helps the show. If you enjoyed this episode, you can say thank you with a review! 

Are mega-churches actually more creative, or do they just have bigger budgets? And when it comes to your online service, should you really be livestreaming your worship set, or just the preaching?

In this episode, we are joined by Brady Shearer, founder of Pro Church Tools, to tackle some of the most debated topics in church communications and media. We dive into the unrealistic expectations that mega-churches set for local congregations, and try to identify the single biggest issue facing the church today.

In this episode you'll hear: 

• 0:00 Intro: Toby Is Obsessed With AI
• 5:15 Brady Shearer (Pro Church Tools) Joins the Podcast!
• 11:00 How Mega-Churches Set Unrealistic Expectations for Everyone Else
• 15:40 Are Mega-Churches Actually More Creative?
• 21:00 Identifying the Biggest Issue in the Church Today
• 24:30 The Livestream Debate: Should You Stream Worship or Just the Sermon?
• 32:30 Hot Take: Why Your Church Needs Fewer Announcements
• 39:00 The Absolute Best Way to Recruit Church Tech Volunteers
• 44:00 Church Tech Disaster Stories
• 49:00 Keep Sundays Running: If It Works, Do It Again
• 51:00 The Most Common Mistakes Churches Make During Announcements

Take our survey here and you'll get the full report emailed to you December 4th! 

Check out HouseRight here for all the reasons we love them. 

Get more money back in your budget and more space in your closet by selling us your used gear here. 

Resources for your Church Tech Ministry

• Sell Us Gear: Does your church have used gear that you need to convert into new ministry dollars? We can make you an offer here. 
• Buy Our Gear: Do you need some production gear but lack the budget to buy new gear? You can shop our gear store here.

 
 Connect with us: 

• Sales Bulletin: Get better deals than the public and get them earlier too here!
• Early Service: Get our best gear before it goes live on our site here. 
• Instagram: Hangout with us on the gram here! 
• Reviews: Leaving us a review on the podcast player you're listening to us on really helps the show. If you enjoyed this episode, you can say thank you with a review! 

Are modern church services finally moving away from dark, concert-style rooms and shifting back toward brighter environments? And if you are a lighting director, how do you make the jump from the MA2 console to the MA3?

In this episode, we are joined by freelance AVL production expert Aria Hailey. Aria shares her journey into live production and discusses the reality of freelancing in the current industry. We explore a massive trend happening right now: why so many highly skilled audio and lighting techs are actually leaving the touring world to take full-time church tech jobs.

In this episode you'll hear: 

0:00 Intro: How Much Trouble Will Toby Get Into in Vegas?

4:45 Aria Hailey’s Journey Into AVL Production

9:15 The Highs and Lows of Freelancing in Live AVL

13:00 Overcoming "Blue Dot Syndrome" in Live Production

15:15 The Trend: Are Techs Leaving Tours for Church Jobs?

20:00 Designing Church Lighting for the Congregation (Not Your Ego)

23:00 Lighting Trends: Are We Shifting Back to Brighter Church Services?

28:15 How to Train the Next Generation of Church Lighting Techs

33:00 Console Talk: The Biggest Differences Between MA2 vs. MA3

35:30 Tech Disaster Story: "Hey, There is Smoke Behind Me!"

40:00 Keep Sundays Running: The Power of Snacks

Take our survey here and you'll get the full report emailed to you December 4th! 

Check out HouseRight here for all the reasons we love them. 

Get more money back in your budget and more space in your closet by selling us your used gear here. 

Resources for your Church Tech Ministry

• Sell Us Gear: Does your church have used gear that you need to convert into new ministry dollars? We can make you an offer here. 
• Buy Our Gear: Do you need some production gear but lack the budget to buy new gear? You can shop our gear store here.

 
 Connect with us: 

• Sales Bulletin: Get better deals than the public and get them earlier too here!
• Early Service: Get our best gear before it goes live on our site here. 
• Instagram: Hangout with us on the gram here! 
• Reviews: Leaving us a review on the podcast player you're listening to us on really helps the show. If you enjoyed this episode, you can say thank you with a review! 

What is it like to transition from playing arenas with a legendary Christian rock band to running Sunday morning production for a massive multi-site congregation?

In this incredible episode, we are joined by Ronny Cates, former bassist for the iconic band Petra and current production leader at 12Stone Church. Ronny shares amazing behind-the-scenes stories of what Petra's massive concerts and touring gear looked like in their prime, and tackles the heavy debate of whether or not modern Christian music has officially stalled out.

In this episode you'll hear: 

0:00 Intro: The Live Event "Blue Dot" Trend

4:45 Ronny Cates (12Stone Church / Petra) Joins

9:20 How Ronny Ended Up in the Legendary Rock Band Petra

13:00 Behind the Scenes: Petra Concerts & Touring Gear

16:00 The Big Debate: Has Christian Music Stalled Out?

22:00 Stop Copying Other Churches' Audio Mixes

28:30 Mixing for Your Congregation (Not Your Personal Preference)

37:00 Transitioning from Arena Tours to Church Tech

40:00 Inside the Production Culture at 12Stone Church

41:30 Church Tech Disaster: Double Checks and Backups

45:00 Keep Sundays Running

Take our survey here and you'll get the full report emailed to you December 4th! 

Check out HouseRight here for all the reasons we love them. 

Get more money back in your budget and more space in your closet by selling us your used gear here. 

Resources for your Church Tech Ministry

• Sell Us Gear: Does your church have used gear that you need to convert into new ministry dollars? We can make you an offer here. 
• Buy Our Gear: Do you need some production gear but lack the budget to buy new gear? You can shop our gear store here.

 
 Connect with us: 

• Sales Bulletin: Get better deals than the public and get them earlier too here!
• Early Service: Get our best gear before it goes live on our site here. 
• Instagram: Hangout with us on the gram here! 
• Reviews: Leaving us a review on the podcast player you're listening to us on really helps the show. If you enjoyed this episode, you can say thank you with a review! 

How do you manage the massive logistical nightmare of running production for a 3,000-seat auditorium? And more importantly, how do you pull off a center-stage "Worship in the Round" setup without completely ruining your audio and lighting?

In this episode, we are joined by Debbie Uecker-Keough from Water of Life Church to talk about high-level church production at scale. We chat about the gear challenges and visual challenges of designing a service "in the round," and debate whether it is actually crazy to buy permanent AVL gear for those types of center-stage setups.

In this episode you'll hear: 

• 0:00 Intro: Toby’s Iron Gut
• 6:25 Debbie Uecker-Keough (Water of Life Church) Joins
• 8:00 Debbie’s Start in Church Production
• 10:40 The Unique Challenges of a 3,000-Seat Auditorium
• 13:00 The Logistics of Doing "Worship in the Round"
• 17:45 Is It Crazy to Buy Permanent Gear for In-the-Round Setups?
• 20:30 Training Church Tech Volunteers at Scale
• 26:45 Gear Talk: Is Debbie on AVID’s Payroll?
• 33:30 Navigating Church Production as a Female Leader
• 35:45 Church Tech Disaster: LED Wall Dilemmas & Planning to Fail
• 46:00 Keep Sundays Running

Take our survey here and you'll get the full report emailed to you December 4th! 

Check out HouseRight here for all the reasons we love them. 

Get more money back in your budget and more space in your closet by selling us your used gear here. 

Resources for your Church Tech Ministry

• Sell Us Gear: Does your church have used gear that you need to convert into new ministry dollars? We can make you an offer here. 
• Buy Our Gear: Do you need some production gear but lack the budget to buy new gear? You can shop our gear store here.

 
 Connect with us: 

• Sales Bulletin: Get better deals than the public and get them earlier too here!
• Early Service: Get our best gear before it goes live on our site here. 
• Instagram: Hangout with us on the gram here! 
• Reviews: Leaving us a review on the podcast player you're listening to us on really helps the show. If you enjoyed this episode, you can say thank you with a review! 

What happens when a simple lack of communication leads to a complete Sunday service meltdown? And more importantly, how do you fix it before it happens again?

In this episode, we sit down with Marc Millan, an experienced executive pastor and ministry leader, to tackle the vital role of communication between church leadership and the tech booth. We break down the early warning signs of a communication breakdown and establish exactly who should be responsible for managing the Sunday service flow.

Link to ServiceCrew resources. 

In this episode you'll hear: 

0:00 Intro: Marc Millan’s Background & Ministry Journey

4:45 When a Communication Breakdown Causes a Sunday Meltdown

12:00 Early Warning Signs of a Tech Team Communication Failure

20:00 Key Sunday Service Details You Must Know Ahead of Time

22:45 Who Is Actually Responsible for the Sunday Service Flow?

27:30 How to Debrief a Sunday Failure Without Finger-Pointing

34:15 Is It Possible to Communicate Too Far in Advance?

Take our survey here and you'll get the full report emailed to you December 4th! 

Check out HouseRight here for all the reasons we love them. 

Get more money back in your budget and more space in your closet by selling us your used gear here. 

Resources for your Church Tech Ministry

• Sell Us Gear: Does your church have used gear that you need to convert into new ministry dollars? We can make you an offer here. 
• Buy Our Gear: Do you need some production gear but lack the budget to buy new gear? You can shop our gear store here.

 
 Connect with us: 

• Sales Bulletin: Get better deals than the public and get them earlier too here!
• Early Service: Get our best gear before it goes live on our site here. 
• Instagram: Hangout with us on the gram here! 
• Reviews: Leaving us a review on the podcast player you're listening to us on really helps the show. If you enjoyed this episode, you can say thank you with a review! 

How do you actually get your Executive Pastor to say "Yes" to new church tech gear? And on the flip side, what does your leadership team wish you understood about the church's finances?

In this highly practical episode, we are joined by Pete Rodriguez, who shares his incredible journey of leaving his career during the Wall Street financial crisis to becoming an Executive Pastor. Pete brings his high-level financial expertise into the church tech world, breaking down exactly how to weigh a "want" versus a "need" when planning your AVL budget.

ServiceCrew Resources Link

In this episode you'll hear: 

0:00 Intro: Pete Rodriguez Joins the Podcast!

1:00 From the Wall Street Financial Crisis to Executive Pastor

8:45 Budgeting: Weighing a "Want" vs. a "Need" in Church Tech

11:45 Knowing When Your Church Should Actually Spend Money

17:00 How to Pitch the Tech Gear Lifecycle to Your Executive Pastor

21:30 Is It Time for a Budget Band-Aid or a Full Upgrade?

26:00 Strategy: How to Stagger Your Gear Replacement Costs

37:30 The Instant "Yes" and "No" for Church Tech Purchases

44:00 Advice Pete Would Give to His Past Self as an XP

45:00 What Every Executive Pastor Wishes Their Tech Director Knew

47:00 What Every Tech Director Wishes Their XP Knew

Take our survey here and you'll get the full report emailed to you December 4th! 

Check out HouseRight here for all the reasons we love them. 

Get more money back in your budget and more space in your closet by selling us your used gear here. 

Resources for your Church Tech Ministry

• Sell Us Gear: Does your church have used gear that you need to convert into new ministry dollars? We can make you an offer here. 
• Buy Our Gear: Do you need some production gear but lack the budget to buy new gear? You can shop our gear store here.

 
 Connect with us: 

• Sales Bulletin: Get better deals than the public and get them earlier too here!
• Early Service: Get our best gear before it goes live on our site here. 
• Instagram: Hangout with us on the gram here! 
• Reviews: Leaving us a review on the podcast player you're listening to us on really helps the show. If you enjoyed this episode, you can say thank you with a review!