The ChurchGear Podcast

Toby Walters [Church Tech Advocate]
  • 4.9 (113)
  • MUSIC INTERVIEWS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Are you a church tech director? If so, this podcast exists to serve you specifically. Each week we pull the tech director out of the booth and place them onto the stage to share their most outlandish stories and hidden wisdom from the tech trenches. Hosted by Toby Walters and Blake Hodges.

  1. 1D AGO

    Inside Willow Creek Production & The Leadership vs. Tech Debate [Max Brown]

    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 and workflows. In this episode you'll hear:  0:00 Blake’s Beach Blunder 4:45 Max Brown (Former Willow Creek) Joins 9:00 Principles of Leading Church Production 13:00 Debate: Developing Leadership vs. Technical Skills 22:00 Hiring Strategy: Character vs. Competence? 28:30 Inside Production at Willow Creek Church 32:20 Can You Run a Sunday Service with Just Tracks? 34:45 Willow Creek’s Production Team Size 46:20 Is Church Production an Art or a Science? 51:30 Tech Takeaway Get Toby's new book "Sacred Spaces, Modern Production" 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!

    59 min

  2. FEB 9

    Immersive Audio & Remote Mixing in Church? [Worship Sound Guy's Johnny Ragin]

    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 Feedback 5:00 Johnny Ragin (Worship Sound Guy) Joins 7:00 Segment: Five Truths & A Lie 16:45 Johnny’s Start in Church Production 21:15 Overcoming the Tech "Knowledge Gap" 25:15 Training New Audio Volunteers 27:45 Debate: Better PA vs. Better Console? 28:45 Overused Production Effects & Tools 33:00 Real Talk: Church Drum Budgets 34:45 Is Immersive Audio Worth It for Churches? 37:45 The Pros & Cons of Remote Mixing 47:45 Rapid Fire: Favorite Audio Consoles 49:00 Favorite PA System of All Time 49:25 Favorite Audio Plugin 51:00 Tech Takeaway: Keep It Simple Get Toby's new book "Sacred Spaces, Modern Production" 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!

    56 min

  3. FEB 2

    Taking Strategic Risks in Production & Starting a New Role [John Williams]

    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 difficult conversations with your pastor when a volunteer makes a mistake. In this episode you'll hear:  0:00 Intro: The Biggest Risks We’ve Ever Taken 5:00 John Williams (Church of the King) Joins 6:15 John’s Origin Story in Production 15:00 Starting a New Role: The First 90 Days Strategy 18:30 Taking Strategic Risks on Sunday Mornings 22:00 Safe Ways to Test New Gear & Workflows 35:30 Handling Volunteer Mistakes with Your Pastor 38:45 Disaster Story: A Squirrel Destroyed Our Service 43:45 Tech Takeaway: Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing Get Toby's new book "Sacred Spaces, Modern Production" 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!

    48 min

  4. JAN 26

    From Tech Director to Executive Pastor [Fellowship Grapevine's Dave Clark]

    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 this episode you'll hear: 0:00 Toby’s Church Planting Story 6:30 Dave Clark (Fellowship Church Grapevine) Joins 14:30 Defining Ministry: A Job vs. A Calling 17:00 Career Path: From Tech Director to Executive Pastor 21:45 How to Minister to Production Volunteers 27:00 Getting "Unstuck" in Your Ministry Career 29:00 Building Trust with Senior Leadership 38:00 Pastor Ed Young’s Wildest Production Requests 48:00 Staying Calm During a Tech Disaster 53:00 Avoiding "Imaginary Arguments" 54:15 Tech Takeaway: Ask Questions to Understand 55:45 C3 Conference Preview You can sign up for the C3 Conference with this link to get a special rate discount from $229 to $99.  https://brushfire.com/fellowship/c3conference2026/598770/register?typeCode=C3COMEBACK Get Toby's new book "Sacred Spaces, Modern Production" 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!

    1 hr

  5. JAN 12

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

    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 of professional audio services and how to protect your health while working in a high-demand industry. In this episode you'll hear:  01:00 Banter: Surprise Parties and Tech Interventions 05:50 Guest Interview: Matt Potesta (Lauren Daigle & Tate McRae Tour) 08:00 Career Roadmap: Landing a World-Class Touring Production Job 13:00 Church Production vs. Touring: Pros, Cons, and Key Differences 19:00 How to "Pay Your Dues" and Break into the Pro Audio Industry 23:30 Touring System Design: Applying Road Lessons to Local Venues 26:50 Budgeting for Sound: How Much Does Professional PA Tuning Cost? 30:50 Should Churches Hire Independent Vetting for System Integrators? 38:30 Career Advice: When to Transition from Church Tech to the Road 43:20 Mental Health in Production: Prioritizing Health and Avoiding Burnout 45:30 Pro Touring Disaster Story: Lessons from the Road 48:00 Tech Takeaway: How to "Condition" Your Audience for Better Services Get Toby's new book "Sacred Spaces, Modern Production" 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!

    53 min

  6. JAN 5

    Don't Waste Your Event Budget: $50k Reality Check [Dillan Howell]

    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 Run a Major Church Event on $50,000?17:00 How to Pitch Live Event Tech Budgets to Leadership22:30 Production Disaster Story: The Music Festival Fail25:30 Event Industry Lessons for Church Production Teams29:30 Common Mistakes Churches Make with Live Production33:45 Where Churches Waste Money on Production Gear42:45 Artist Management & Logistics for Large-Scale Events: Charlie Kirk Memorial50:45 Church Tech Takeaway54:35 Church Tech Confessional: Bad Live StreamsGet Toby's new book "Sacred Spaces, Modern Production" 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!

    57 min

  7. 12/29/2025

    Church Tech Confessional Awards [2025]

    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” award24:30 “Hero of the Year” award30:00 “Worst Sin of the Year” award 33:20 “The Toby Award” award 36:45 Church Tech Takeaway: Guard your audio console from water38:45 2025’s Church Tech Confessionals!  Get Toby's new book "Sacred Spaces, Modern Production" 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!

    56 min

  8. 12/22/2025

    Where to Splurge (and Save) on Gear + Ableton Hot Takes [Justin Hume]

    Stop us if you’ve heard this one: Leadership has a massive vision, but the tech budget doesn’t match the dream.  This week, we sit down with Justin Hume from Cross Church to discuss how to bridge that gap without losing your mind. From planning your next console upgrade to the 'mission-critical' gear you should never buy cheap, we’re covering the practical side of church production—plus a spicy hot take on why Ableton-run lyrics might be a mistake." In this episode you'll hear:  01:00 Church Tech Community Trends05:00 Guest Interview: Justin Hume (Cross Church)07:00 How to Start a Career in Church Production12:15 Aligning Church Leadership Vision with Tech Budgets18:45 Church Broadcast Workflow: How Cross Church Does It24:45 Audio Console Upgrade: How to Plan for New Gear26:20 Essential Church Tech vs. Budget Production Gear28:30 Are Gear Warranties Worth It for Churches?30:26 Hot Take: Why You Shouldn't Use Ableton for Lyrics36:00 Live Production Disaster Stories & Lessons Learned40:15 Networking: Finding Your Church Production Community43:50 Church Tech Confessional: Behind-the-Scenes Stories Get Toby's new book "Sacred Spaces, Modern Production" 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!

    46 min
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About

Are you a church tech director? If so, this podcast exists to serve you specifically. Each week we pull the tech director out of the booth and place them onto the stage to share their most outlandish stories and hidden wisdom from the tech trenches. Hosted by Toby Walters and Blake Hodges.

Information

  • Creator
    Toby Walters [Church Tech Advocate]
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    210
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The ChurchGear Podcast
  • Show Website
    The ChurchGear Podcast

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