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.

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!

We dive into the heart of volunteer leadership, discussing why people always matter more than the production, and establishing the true "minimum standard of care" every Technical Director owes their team.

Willow also shares incredible insights on the specific benefits of having more women in church production and actionable strategies for how to recruit them.

In this episode you'll hear:

0:00 Intro: Toby Hates Talking to People

5:00 Willow Hodge (Hope Fellowship Church) Joins

8:45 Willow’s Start in Church Production

11:15 The Golden Rule of Tech: Why People Matter Most

20:00 Timecode Debate: How Much Should Your Service Depend On It?

22:15 The Minimum Standard of Care for Tech Volunteers

33:40 The Power and Benefits of Women in Church Production

39:00 How to Actively Recruit More Women to Your Tech Team

41:15 Church Tech Volunteer Disaster Story

44:15 Keep Sundays Running: Ask Questions and Listen

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.

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!

James breaks down the actual logistics of how remote mixing works, the philosophical question of whether online audiences are actually engaging in worship or just watching a sermon, and if your church should make the transition to a remote setup.

We also discuss practical leadership strategies for communicating with a frustrating pastor, recap our FILO 2026 hijinks, and comment on the details of the infamous "Clayton Gregory Incident."

In this episode you'll hear:

0:00 Intro: FILO 2026 Conference Hijinks

6:45 James Hurley Joins the Podcast

8:00 From NASA to Church Tech: Production at the Highest Level

11:00 The Big Debate: Should Every Church Remote Mix?

19:45 Online Engagement: Are People Actually Worshipping at Home?

25:45 The Logistics: How Remote Mixing Actually Works

27:15 Should Your Church Transition to Remote Mixing?

38:30 Storytime: The Clayton Gregory Incident

47:30 How to Communicate with Your Pastor When You're Frustrated

50:15 Church Production Disaster Story

55:15 Keep Sundays Running: The Power of Fellowship

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.

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!