What does it take to mix Front of House for a massive arena rap tour? And how can church technical directors apply those touring strategies to a Sunday morning service?

In this episode, we are joined by Travis Stoker, the Front of House (FOH) Engineer for chart-topping rapper NF. Travis pulls back the curtain on NF's live audio setup, sharing exactly how he approaches mixing live rap and hip-hop, the specific gear he's taking on tour, and his secrets for managing massive subwoofer setups to get that perfect low-end punch.

In this episode you'll hear:

0:00 Intro: Fun Concert Experiences

4:50 Travis Stoker (NF’s FOH Engineer) Joins

6:15 Travis’s Journey to Mixing for NF

12:00 How to Mix Audio for Rap and Hip-Hop

15:00 Gear Talk: What is Travis Using on Tour?

20:30 Using Backing Tracks: Concerts vs. Church

33:15 The Debate: Should Your Church Use Timecode?

36:00 Do FOH Engineers Need System Design Knowledge?

42:45 Subwoofer Setups for Mixing Heavy Low-End

50:00 Live Production Disaster Story

59:30 Keep Sundays Running: The Power of Teams

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 long can you keep your church's production running on "Band-Aid" fixes before you finally need a complete AVL upgrade? And how do you pitch that massive expense to your leadership team?

In this episode, we are joined by Neil Brown of Henderson Hills Church to talk about smart budgeting, integration, and safety. Neil breaks down how to have the difficult conversation with leadership about moving from cheap, temporary fixes to a strategic, full-scale AVL upgrade. He also explains why it's okay to hit pause mid-integration if a project is heading in the wrong direction.

In this episode you'll hear:

0:00 Intro: Does Toby Want to Burn ChurchGear Down?

6:45 Neil Brown (Henderson Hills Church) Joins

13:00 When to Pause and Reevaluate Mid-Integration

24:30 Moving from "Band-Aid" Fixes to Full AVL Upgrades

31:30 Cool Production Life Hacks on a Tight Budget

38:15 What Churches Are Spending Too Much Money On

42:00 Safety Warning: Double-Check Your Rigging!

46:00 Keep Sundays Running: Avoid Last-Minute Changes

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 convince your senior pastor to approve the new AVL gear your church desperately needs? And if budgets get slashed, do you sacrifice your gear upgrades or your room's acoustic treatment?

In this episode, we are joined by the team from City Church to tackle the hardest parts of church production leadership. We break down the strategy of using your church's specific vision to pick the right gear, rather than just the most expensive gear. We also dive into the technical weeds with a guide to Objective-Based Mixing and how to properly assess your room acoustics.

In this episode you'll hear:

• 0:00 The Dangers of Changing Things on Your Congregation
• 5:00 Storytime: Being Assaulted in the Tech Booth!
• 11:00 Networking: How to Meet Local Church Techs
• 17:00 Gear Talk: What is City Church Using?
• 18:00 How to Convince Your Pastor to Approve New Gear
• 20:00 A Guide to Objective-Based Mixing
• 27:00 Using Church Vision to Pick the Right Gear
• 29:40 The True Importance of Room Acoustics
• 31:30 Budget Cuts: Do You Sacrifice Gear or Acoustics?
• 39:30 Keeping Church Tech Volunteers Excited to Serve
• 43:30 Tech Takeaway: Set Your Volunteers Up for Success

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!

Is the hype around immersive audio actually worth the massive investment for your church? And how do you keep your production and worship teams united when your church is experiencing explosive, multi-site growth?

In this episode, we are joined by Eric Allen, Audio Engineer at Community Bible Church (CBC) in San Antonio. We start by unpacking what it takes to manage production across a rapidly growing, multi-site congregation, including exactly how CBC bridges the gap between the worship band and the tech booth.

In this episode you'll hear

0:00 Intro: Toby & Blake Are Bad at First Dates

5:30 Eric Allen (Community Bible Church) Joins

8:45 Managing Explosive Church Growth

12:30 Integrating Production and Worship Teams

14:16 Uniting a Multi-Site Worship Experience

22:00 Defining Immersive Audio in a Church Setting

24:00 Things to Consider Before Upgrading to Immersive

28:30 The Real Benefits of Immersive-Based Mixing

39:30 Weighing the Decision: Is Immersive Worth the Cost?

42:48 Tech Disaster Story 1: The Brownout

47:25 Tech Disaster Story 2: The Blackout

51:45 Keep Sundays Running: The Work You Do Monday to Friday

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!

In this episode, we are joined by Estian Els to get a global perspective on church tech. We dive into the realities of running a massive 7,000-person church in Africa, breaking down exactly what gear they use and the unique struggles of navigating international supply chains to get it.

Estian also shares a brilliant leadership hack: why you need to bring your senior pastor to the FILO Conference. Finally, we zoom out to discuss the broader state of the global church, exploring exactly what the American church needs to learn from the African church when it comes to worship, community, and production.

In this episode you'll hear:

0:00 Intro: Are You Scared to Travel Internationally?

5:15 Estian Els Joins the Podcast

9:04 Estian’s Start in Church Production

17:30 Gear Talk: Production for a 7,000-Person Church in Africa

19:50 The Supply Chain Struggle: Getting AVL Gear in Africa

24:45 Life Hack: Take Your Pastor to the FILO Conference

34:30 The Current State of the Church in Africa

37:30 What the American Church Can Learn from the African Church

44:00 Church Tech Disaster Story

47:00 Keep Sundays Running

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!

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.

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!