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 Miracles

6:14 Will Martin (Gateway Church) Joins

10:45 The Fallout: Navigating a Pastor's Moral Failure

18:00 Leading a Tech Team Through a Church Crisis

27:30 The Reality of Staff Turnover After a Scandal

32:30 How Moral Failures Impact Church Attendance

35:00 Should Lead Pastors Be Held to a Higher Standard?

47:30 Supporting Church Leadership During a Crisis

52:30 Gateway Church's Transition to a New Pastor

57:00 Keep Sundays Running: Knowing Your "Why"

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

Up to 50% off select categories and 20% off everything overall in stock!

Grab a great deal deal and enter to win a "Keep Sundays Running" kit with fun swag and tech essentials here.

Up to 50% off select categories and 20% off everything overall in stock!

Grab a great deal deal and enter to win a "Keep Sundays Running" kit with fun swag and tech essentials 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 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 between the tech booth and the executive team.

In this episode you'll hear:

• 0:00 Intro: Chicago Keeps Trying to Kill Us
• 5:20 Todd Elliott (Founder of FILO) Joins
• 11:00 Game: Church Camp or Frat House?
• 17:15 The Origin Story of the FILO Conference
• 27:30 The Debate: Are Church Techs "Technical Artists"?
• 34:00 How to Communicate Your Value to Church Leadership
• 38:00 The Danger of Using Tech Jargon with Pastors
• 49:30 Keep Sundays Running: Forecasting Gear Failure

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

Up to 50% off select categories and 20% off everything overall in stock!

Grab a great deal deal and enter to win a "Keep Sundays Running" kit with fun swag and tech essentials here.

Up to 50% off select categories and 20% off everything overall in stock!

Grab a great deal deal and enter to win a "Keep Sundays Running" kit with fun swag and tech essentials 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!

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 Worship

The hidden costs of cheap LED walls

Defining production excellence without comparing your church to others

Gear and setups currently used at People's Church

Leading and coaching tech volunteers who suffer from "Gear Acquisition Syndrome"

In this episode you'll hear:

0:00 Stop Paying to Store Used AVL Gear

5:55 Eduardo Rivera from People's Church Joins

8:15 Eduardo’s Start in Church Tech

13:30 Defining Production Excellence at People's Church

15:45 The "Church Down the Street" Comparison Trap

19:45 Gear Talk: What is People's Church Using?

23:00 Budget Strategy: Live Stream vs. The Auditorium

25:00 Should You Buy a Cheap LED Wall?

34:15 Where to Start When Your AVL Budget is Zero

36:45 Coaching Techs Who Always Want New Gear

39:49 Church Tech Disaster Story

44:44 Tech Takeaway: Always Carry a Flashlight

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

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

Apply to work at ChurchGear 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!

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 Shoutouts

6:15 Gene Kim (Lauren Daigle’s FOH Engineer) Joins

12:30 Are We Investing in the Next Generation of Church Techs?

32:30 Mentorship: Allowing Volunteers to Make Mistakes

37:30 Core Topics for Mentoring Young Audio Engineers

46:00 What It's Like Mixing FOH for Lauren Daigle

48:00 Gear Talk: Gene Kim’s Favorite Audio Tools Right Now

57:00 Disaster Story: “Take it all off”

1:00:30 Tech Takeaway: Providing Peace of Mind

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

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

Apply to work at ChurchGear 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 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 Disputes?

6:30 Mac Brown (Second Baptist Houston) Joins

8:30 When a Tornado Rips the Roof Off Your Church

10:30 Mac’s Start in Church Production

17:45 Leading a Tech Team Through a Tornado Disaster

23:00 Acoustic Treatment vs. Room Aesthetics

25:00 Lessons from Portable Church to Permanent Building

28:30 Did Pastor Ed Young Take a Helicopter Between Services?

31:00 Second Houston’s Most Difficult Production Projects

34:15 Communicating Unrealistic Executive Requests to Your Team

40:45 Church Tech Disaster Story

43:45 Tech Takeaway

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

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

Apply to work at ChurchGear 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!

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 Everything" Myth

4:30 Spencer De Young & Dillan Howell (Live at MxU) Join

6:30 Why Your Church Shouldn’t Buy a DiGiCo 338

17:00 Are AVL Integrators Overselling to Churches?

20:45 How to Choose the Right AVL Gear for Your Room

36:00 The Hard Truth About Giant LED Walls

41:15 What New Tech Volunteers Actually Need

48:45 Storytime: Getting "Blaked" at MxU

52:30 Tech Takeaway: Spend Church Budget Like It’s Yours

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

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

Apply to work at ChurchGear 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!

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" Events
• 5:30 Christian Acevedo (Celebration Church) Joins
• 9:40 Christian’s Journey to Celebration Church
• 14:30 Building a Thriving Church Production Community
• 25:40 Raising Up the Next Generation of Church Techs
• 30:00 The Dangers of Isolation in Tech Ministry
• 34:00 Gear Talk: What is Celebration Church Using?
• 38:00 Church Tech Disaster Story
• 42:00 Tech Takeaway: Checking Your Blind Spots

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

Up to 50% off select categories and 20% off everything overall in stock!

Grab a great deal deal and enter to win a "Keep Sundays Running" kit with fun swag and tech essentials here.

Up to 50% off select categories and 20% off everything overall in stock!

Grab a great deal deal and enter to win a "Keep Sundays Running" kit with fun swag and tech essentials 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 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 Production Breakdown: Super Bowl Halftime Show
• 4:25 Aaron Ruse (Saddleback Church / Sweetwater) Joins
• 8:30 Aaron’s Start in Church Production
• 13:00 What It Takes to Mix FOH for Matt Redman
• 14:30 Church Tech: What Has Changed in 20 Years (And What Hasn't)
• 18:00 Essential Skills for Managing an LED Wall
• 19:40 Production Trends to Embrace (and Which to Avoid)
• 26:00 Acoustic Treatment Strategies for Worship Spaces
• 34:00 The "Breaking Point" Where Production Costs Skyrocket
• 38:45 Allocating Your AVL Budget: Audio vs. Video vs. Lighting
• 43:00 Church Tech Disaster Story
• 46:00 Tech Takeaway: Fostering Authentic Worship

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

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

Apply to work at ChurchGear 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!