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The ChurchGear Podcast

The ChurchGear Podcast

By: Toby Walters [Church Tech Advocate]
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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.

© 2026 The ChurchGear Podcast
Christianity Music Spirituality
Episodes
  • Volunteer-Heavy Ministries & Taking A Sunday Off [Jeremy
    Jun 22 2026

    As a Technical Director, when was the last time you were actually able to take a Sunday off? If your church relies heavily on volunteers, stepping away from the tech booth can feel completely impossible.



    We also tackle the massive, ongoing debate regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in church tech. Is it a helpful tool or a dangerous shortcut? Finally, we share a hilarious Church Tech Disaster story and wrap up with a crucial reminder: the only way to keep Sundays running long-term is by providing actual, genuine care for your team.


    In this episode you'll hear:

    0:00 Intro: Touring Atlanta Churches

    6:30 Jeremy McKee Joins

    12:45 Running a Volunteer-Heavy Production Ministry

    28:00 Which Tech Workflows You Should Automate

    34:15 The Big Question: Can a Tech Director Take a Sunday Off?

    39:15 Should Your Church Be Using AI in Production?

    42:30 Church Tech Disaster Story

    45:45 Keep Sundays Running: Genuine Volunteer Care



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

    Shop deals up to 60% off here!

    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!
    Show More Show Less
    52 mins
  • Christian Magicians, Blind Tech Booths & Hosting SALT Conference
    Jun 15 2026

    How do you handle the immense pressure of designing a creative live event specifically for creatives? And as technology rapidly evolves, should church production teams be embracing or avoiding Artificial Intelligence (AI)?



    In this episode, we are joined by Luke McElroy, the visionary founder of the SALT Conference and the SALT Community. Luke pulls back the curtain on the difficulty of live events, sharing the inspiring origin story of SALT and what it actually takes to run a massive gathering for church technical artists. We also zoom out to discuss the profound, eternal impact that worship and production teams have on their congregations every single Sunday.



    In this episode you'll hear:

    0:00 The Reality and Difficulty of Live Events

    4:00 Luke McElroy (Founder of SALT Conference) Joins

    8:45 The Origin Story of the SALT Conference

    15:30 Behind the Scenes: Running Events for Creatives

    18:15 The Eternal Impact of Worship and Production Teams

    22:50 The Pressure of Designing a Conference For Creatives

    26:30 Storytime: The Christian Magicians Disaster

    35:40 The Big Debate: Should Church Production Use AI?

    45:20 Church Tech Disaster Story: "We Couldn’t See a Thing"

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

    Shop deals up to 60% off here!

    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!
    Show More Show Less
    56 mins
  • Streamlining AVL Gear & The Battle of a Lifetime [Josh Suender]
    Jun 8 2026

    Where do you start when you want to level up the production at a new church? And how do you keep pushing forward when life throws you a devastating diagnosis?

    In this episode, we are joined by Josh Suender of Faith Community Church (Clayton, NC). We start with some practical, high-value tech talk, breaking down the exact first steps you should take to level up your church production. Josh shares his favorite creative AVL gear moves to streamline your workflow, how to keep MultiTracks from getting "weird" and chaotic on stage, and the massive benefits of implementing Bitfocus Companion in your tech booth.


    In this episode you'll hear:

    0:00 Intro: Toby’s Adventures in Worship Leading

    5:30 Josh Suender (Faith Community Church) Joins

    7:45 Josh’s Start in Church Production

    11:20 Assessing the Production Baseline at a New Job

    14:00 The First Steps to Level Up Your Church Production

    16:20 Creative AVL Moves to Streamline Your Tech

    28:45 Keeping MultiTracks from Getting "Weird" on Stage

    30:15 Implementing Bitfocus Companion in Your Setup

    36:00 Josh’s Battle for His Life: A Stage 4 Diagnosis

    48:15 Keep Sundays Running

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

    Shop deals up to 60% off here!

    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!
    Show More Show Less
    56 mins
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