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

Get expert help and care on your next integration project with our friends at HouseRight here.

Get up to 80% off with our Barn Burner sale! Get 20% off the rest of our inventory with code BARNBURNER26.

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

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?

Get expert help and care on your next integration project with our friends at HouseRight here.

Get up to 80% off with our Barn Burner sale! Get 20% off the rest of our inventory with code BARNBURNER26.

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

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

Get expert help and care on your next integration project with our friends at HouseRight here.

Get up to 80% off with our Barn Burner sale! Get 20% off the rest of our inventory with code BARNBURNER26.

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

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!

Get your ServiceCrew resources here!

What happens to your Sunday service when your most critical technical volunteer gets sick, goes on vacation, or moves away? If your church production relies entirely on one or two people, you are one person away from a total disaster.

In this episode, we tackle the danger of having a "single point of failure" in your tech booth. We break down the crucial importance of cross-training your church tech volunteers so that your audio, video, and lighting positions are never dependent on just one person.

In this episode you'll hear:

0:00 Intro: Meet Our Guest & Guest Host

7:00 What Happens When Your Lead Techs Miss a Sunday?

14:00 The Crucial Importance of Cross-Training Volunteers

22:00 Documentation: Building a Church Tech Knowledge Base

33:00 Is Building a Massive Volunteer Bench Actually Realistic?

40:40 How to Communicate Your Need for Volunteers to Leadership

43:30 The Danger of Depending on Just One Tech Volunteer

Get expert help and care on your next integration project with our friends at HouseRight here.

Get up to 80% off with our Barn Burner sale! Get 20% off the rest of our inventory with code BARNBURNER26.

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

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 define "excellence" in a church tech ministry? And when a volunteer consistently falls short of that standard, how do you actually "fire" them and find a new ministry that better suits them?

In this episode, we are joined by church production veteran David Leuschner to tackle the hardest leadership conversations in ministry. We discuss the biblical definition of excellence, debate whether there should be different standards for the on-stage worship team versus the behind-the-scenes production techs, and answer the uncomfortable question: how many errors are your volunteers actually allowed to make?

In this episode you'll hear:

0:00 Intro: The HouseRight Event & Toby’s Lack of Taste

4:30 David Leuschner (Digital Great Commission Ministries) Joins

8:15 Defining True "Excellence" in Church Production

14:45 How to Train Your Volunteers for Excellence

21:00 The Debate: On-Stage vs. Behind-the-Scenes Volunteer Standards

26:00 What Does the Bible Actually Say About Excellence?

28:45 The Budget Debate: Is It Okay to Spend a Fortune on AVL Gear?

30:30 Grace vs. Standard: How Many Errors Are Volunteers Allowed?

35:00 The Hardest Conversation: How to Fire a Tech Volunteer

41:45 Keep Sundays Running: Focus on Transitions

Get expert help and care on your next integration project with our friends at HouseRight here.

Get up to 80% off with our Barn Burner sale! Get 20% off the rest of our inventory with code BARNBURNER26.

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

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 actually like to run Sunday morning production when global superstar Carrie Underwood is on your worship team? And more importantly, how do you sustain the intense pace of church tech without completely burning out?

In this episode, we are joined by Shaun Miller of Rolling Hills Church (Franklin, TN). After Toby recaps his recent trip to an L-Acoustics event, Shaun shares his experiences balancing a healthy marriage with the chaotic touring lifestyle. We then dive into the unique culture at Rolling Hills, breaking down their specific church tech setup and what it is like to mix a service with a celebrity on the stage.

In this episode you'll hear:

0:00 Intro: Toby’s Trip to the L-Acoustics Event

6:40 Shaun Miller (Rolling Hills Church) Joins

11:15 Balancing Marriage and the Touring Lifestyle

19:00 What It's Like Having Carrie Underwood on Your Worship Team

22:15 Behind the Scenes: The Rolling Hills Tech Setup

29:00 Avoiding Burnout: How to Identify It Before It’s Too Late

47:45 Did Shaun Actually Like Toby’s Book?

58:00 Tech Disaster Story: "I Swear We Sent You the Videos!"

Get expert help and care on your next integration project with our friends at HouseRight here.

Get up to 80% off with our Barn Burner sale! Get 20% off the rest of our inventory with code BARNBURNER26.

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

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 audio and production logistics for a massive, Broadway-level biblical stage production? And how exactly do you engineer a giant LED wall to completely disappear in under 15 seconds?

In this episode, we are joined by Tim Zeager to get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Sight & Sound Theatres(Branson, MO).

In this episode you'll hear:

0:00 Intro: Toby Discovers Theater in Branson, Missouri

5:15 Tim Zeager (Sight & Sound Theatres) Joins

10:45 The Story Behind Sight & Sound Ministries

21:45 Behind the Scenes: The Monitor Setup at Sight & Sound

25:00 Engineering: Making a Massive LED Wall Disappear in 15 Seconds

29:00 Gear Talk: The PA System Powering Sight & Sound

35:45 Lessons From Tim’s Time in the Studio

39:00 Live Production Disaster: Mixing From the Basement

43:00 Keep Sundays Running: Preparation is Key

Get expert help and care on your next integration project with our friends at HouseRight here.

Get up to 80% off with our Barn Burner sale! Get 20% off the rest of our inventory with code BARNBURNER26.

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

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!

In this episode, we are joined by Dave Bookhout from Grace Family Church to tackle some of the biggest debates in church tech.

We dive deep into the culture of the tech booth, discussing how to actively recruit church tech volunteers and answering the tough question of who should actually be allowed to serve on Sunday mornings.

In this episode you'll hear:

0:00 Intro: Toby Claims God Tricked Him

4:30 Dave Bookhout (Grace Family Church) Joins

14:15 The Debate: Can Non-Christians Serve on the Tech Team?

23:15 Strategies for Recruiting Church Tech Volunteers

30:45 Gear Talk: Production Setup at Grace Family Church

33:45 Current Church Production Tech Trends to Watch

39:30 Should Your Church Actually Buy an LED Wall?

42:45 Church Tech Disaster: "Are You on Fire, or Am I?"

47:00 Keep Sundays Running

Get expert help and care on your next integration project with our friends at HouseRight here.

Get up to 80% off with our Barn Burner sale! Get 20% off the rest of our inventory with code BARNBURNER26.

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

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!