Rephonic
Artwork for The ChurchGear Podcast
Church Production
Audio Engineering
Churchgear
Leadership
Houseright
Church Technology
Artificial Intelligence
Volunteer Management
Volunteer Recruitment
Covid-19
Volunteer Training
Church Tech
Community Engagement
Church Leadership
Lighting Design
Live Streaming
Prestonwood Baptist Church
Pastoral Relationships
Super Bowl
Philo

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.

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Music InterviewsChristianityMusicReligion & Spirituality

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Artwork for The ChurchGear Podcast

Latest Episodes

Are modern church tech job descriptions completely unrealistic compared to the salaries being offered?

What is it actually like to leave a church tech job for a massive touring gig? And more importantly, do touring audio engineers actually make that... more

YouTube

If you are currently working in ministry, how do you actually negotiate for better pay?

We're joined by Johnny Ragin, the founder of the massively popular Worship Sound Guy platform. We dive deep into the taboo topic of church finances, discussing J... more

YouTube

What actually happens to your ministry job when your marriage falls apart? Will you be immediately fired, or will your leadership team walk alongside you?

In this incredibly vulnerable and necessary episode, we sit down with Justin Firesheets to tac... more

YouTube

What happens when the production team at one of the largest mega-churches in the country experiences a complete Sunday morning meltdown? And more importantly, how do you face your executive leadership the next day?

In this incredibly vulnerable epis... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

Johnny Ragin
Founder of Worship Sound Guy and former church technical director
Worship Sound Guy
Episode: Pay Series 2.0 - Salary Negotiating & Market Rate Determinators [Johnny Ragin]
Justin Firesheets
Former Church of the Highlands staff member and project manager at ESB Group
ESB Group
Episode: Navigating Divorce on Church Staff [Justin Firesheets]
Mike Smith
Live Production Lead with 35 years of live production experience
Prestonwood Baptist Church
Episode: Worst Tech Sunday of Your Life [Prestonwood's Mike Smith & Bryan Bailey]
Bryan Bailey
Director of Media with 40 years of church production experience
Prestonwood Baptist Church
Episode: Worst Tech Sunday of Your Life [Prestonwood's Mike Smith & Bryan Bailey]
Jake Gosselin
Chief of Staff (at time of recording) and founder of Churchfront; leader in church AV consulting and education
Churchfront
Episode: Will AI Replace Your Church Tech Team? [Jake Gosselin]
Griffin McCravy
Broadcast Lighting Director at Church of the Highlands
Church of the Highlands
Episode: Production at Church of the Highlands [Griffin McCravy]
Dwight Theaker
Production systems engineer at Austin Stone Community Church
Austin Stone Community Church
Episode: Austin Stone's Production Setup: Soundscape Rigs & Less Gear [Dwight Theaker]
Brady Shearer
Founder of Pro Church Tools
Pro Church Tools
Episode: Fixing Church Announcements & The Livestream Debate [Brady Shearer]
Aria Hailey
Freelance lighting programmer and content creator
Independent/Freelance
Episode: Church Lighting Trends, MA2 vs. MA3 & Freelance AVL [Aria Hailey]

Hosts

Toby Walters
Host of The Church Gear Podcast; Co-host of The Church Gear Podcast; active in church technology discussions and leadership
Blake Hodges
Co-host; experienced in church tech storytelling, gear strategies, and leadership insights

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 152 ratings
  • Great topics, cringe interactions

    I only listened to one podcast so far and I found the over topic was great. What I didn’t like was the “humor”. I’ll try another episode and hopefully I can give a better rating.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    HaChIrish
    United States9 months ago
  • Always good for a laugh.

    Being a church production guy myself, I enjoy the the buffoonery of the Church Gear podcast. It’s always informative and entertaining. Good job guys.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mike_Y
    United States4 years ago
  • Helpful & Humorous!

    I love these guys and the content they’re putting out!

    Great guests sharing a ton of insight and wisdom. Very well done ChurchGear!👏🏼

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CharlieEhowery
    United States4 years ago
  • YES!

    You need this in your life! These guys rock.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ajrucker_
    United States4 years ago
  • Great church tech podcast

    Check it out and see for yourself how cool it is

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Daytonlivin4
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests and hosts are often described as relatable and knowledgeable with real-world stories.
Listeners praise the show for its blend of practical production tips and entertaining banter.
Audience finds the mix of gear talk and leadership/delivery insight uniquely valuable for church tech teams.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Pay Series 2.0 - Salary Negotiating & Market Rate Determinators [Johnny Ragin]
Q: If you were going to do step two, how would your approach be?
Ragin suggests first checking that performance is strong, then asking for a performance review and using positive feedback as an opening to discuss a raise collaboratively. He also recommends researching the different requirements of church and touring work.
Pay Series 2.0 - Salary Negotiating & Market Rate Determinators [Johnny Ragin]
Q: Who sets the value of church production? Is it the church or is it the marketplace?
Ragin says both shape the value. Churches seeking production comparable to touring or theater work need technicians with skills that are also valued in those outside markets.
Navigating Divorce on Church Staff [Justin Firesheets]
Q: What would be your advice to someone as they're weighing if they should ask for help or not?
He recommends speaking with leaders as early as possible and letting others provide support. He says carrying the situation alone can become unbearable and lead to isolation, shame, and destructive coping behaviors.
Navigating Divorce on Church Staff [Justin Firesheets]
Q: Did Highlands have any official policy or guidelines around divorce and being on staff?
Firesheets says the church had no formal policy because policies can be weaponized. He describes leadership as favoring grace and supporting staff who are transparent, while distinguishing personal hardship from unrepentant misconduct.
Worst Tech Sunday of Your Life [Prestonwood's Mike Smith & Bryan Bailey]
Q: What advice would you give to people to either not be afraid of these mistakes happening or, hey, the mistake is happening right now?
Bailey recommends thorough checklists, clear communication, and staying calm under pressure. Smith advises building redundancy into complex systems and planning practical backup options for critical equipment.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About The ChurchGear Podcast

What is The ChurchGear Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A practical, tech-forward show focused on church production and live event technology. Recent episodes center on volunteer-led production models, sustainable budgeting, scalable AVL systems, remote mixing, immersive sound, and leadership/welfare within church tech teams. The hosts mix candid war stories with hands-on guidance—covering gear decisions, budgeting, staffing, automation, and crisis management—often weaving in personal journeys from guests to highlight resilience and community. A notable angle across episodes is people-first leadership: mentoring, volunteer development, inclusive team culture, and balancing in-room excellence with online reach, all delivered with humor and real-world pragmatism that's useful for tech directors, A... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The ChurchGear Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The ChurchGear Podcast:

1. The MxU Podcast
2. Gear Follows Vision | A Church Leadership, Vision and Tech Systems Podcast
3. Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast
4. GrowLeader Podcast with Chris Hodges
5. Churchfront Podcast

How many episodes of The ChurchGear Podcast are there?

The ChurchGear Podcast launched 5 years ago and published 248 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The ChurchGear Podcast?

Recent guests on The ChurchGear Podcast include:

1. Johnny Ragin
2. Justin Firesheets
3. Mike Smith
4. Bryan Bailey
5. Jake Gosselin
6. Griffin McCravy
7. Dwight Theaker
8. Brady Shearer

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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