Gear Follows Vision | A Church Leadership, Vision & Tech Systems Podcast

Ep. 20 – How To Fix Church Production & Worship Team Conflict

Church production problems rarely start with bad gear — they start with misalignment. In this episode of Gear Follows Vision, Deron sits down with Chase McCall to unpack one of the biggest challenges facing churches today: alignment between worship teams, production teams, and senior leadership. From frustrating weekend service moments — bad audio mixes, missed cues, late lyrics, and communication breakdowns — to major AVL system decisions that impact the future of the church, this conversation explores how small “trust leaks” quietly grow into larger ministry and leadership problems. If you’re a church production leader, tech director, worship pastor, executive pastor, or volunteer serving in church audio, video, lighting, or livestreaming, this episode will help you build stronger systems, healthier communication, and better team trust. In this episode, you’ll learn: • How to improve communication between worship and production teams • Why small technical mistakes create larger leadership trust issues • How church leadership alignment impacts audio, AVL, and weekend services • Practical ways to lead better production meetings and team conversations • How to approach church AVL projects without competing agendas • Why mission, vision, and outcomes matter more than personal preferences • How healthy church production culture creates stronger ministry environments The biggest takeaway: great church production is not just about better audio, lighting, or technology — it’s about alignment. When worship, production, and leadership teams move together with clarity and trust, everything gets stronger. If your church production team feels disconnected, frustrated, or stuck in constant tension, this episode is for you. ________________________________ Summit is a Denver-based audio, video, lighting integrator serving churches nationwide. We don’t just install AVL systems for churches — we come alongside teams to build strong culture, leadership, and confidence in every room we serve. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SummitAVL.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://SummitAVL.com/] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@summit.is⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/summit.is/] TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@summit.is⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@summit.is] Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SummitIntegrated⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/SummitIntegrated] YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SummitIntegrated⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/summitintegrated]

Ep. 19 – How Plugins Slowly Wreck A Mix

Church audio plugins can improve a mix — or quietly destroy clarity. In this episode of Gear Follows Vision, Summit solution architect Andrew Starke joins Deron for a deep conversation about plugin culture in church audio, live sound, and AVL production. They unpack how modern mixing workflows in churches often drift from intentional and effective to overprocessed and unnecessarily complicated. What begins as excitement around studio-style mixing techniques can quickly turn into overloaded console scenes, excessive plugin chains, phase problems between microphones, latency issues, and mixes that actually sound worse instead of better. If you’re a church front of house engineer, audio volunteer, tech director, worship leader, or production pastor, this episode will help you rethink how plugins should — and should not — be used in a live church environment. In this episode, you’ll learn: • How overusing plugins can hurt live church audio quality • Why latency and phase issues matter more than most engineers realize • The hidden risks of overloaded church audio show files and processing chains • How to build cleaner, more reliable live sound mixes for worship services • Why fixing the source is better than stacking more processing • How gain structure and intentional mixing improve clarity and consistency • The difference between studio mixing workflows and effective live church audio • How to simplify your AVL systems without sacrificing quality Andrew and Deron also explore the mindset behind modern church audio culture — why engineers often chase complexity instead of clarity, and how better decisions lead to more consistent results for both volunteers and experienced operators. The big takeaway: plugins do not create great mixes. Engineers do. If your church audio mixes feel muddy, overprocessed, inconsistent, or difficult to manage week after week, this conversation will help recalibrate how you think about plugins, processing, and live sound mixing in church production. ________________________________ Summit is a Denver-based audio, video, lighting integrator serving churches nationwide. We don’t just install AVL systems for churches — we come alongside teams to build strong culture, leadership, and confidence in every room we serve. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SummitAVL.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://SummitAVL.com/] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@summit.is⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/summit.is/] TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@summit.is⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@summit.is] Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SummitIntegrated⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/SummitIntegrated] YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SummitIntegrated⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/summitintegrated]

Ep. 18 – Ministry Legacy: Burnout Isn't Inevitable

Church production burnout doesn’t happen overnight — it builds quietly until it impacts your health, your family, and even your calling. In this episode, Deron sits down with Summit Integrated Systems solution architect Seth Thiesen to talk about what it really takes to build a sustainable career in church production, AVL, and live sound ministry. Not more gear. Not more hustle. Better priorities. With over 20 years in church tech, Seth breaks down why “always on” culture is burning out production teams, how poor boundaries and unnecessary meetings create friction, and what healthy, long-term leadership actually looks like in a church environment. They also unpack a leadership shift many church tech directors and production leaders miss: replacing yourself. Not losing your role — multiplying your impact. Building volunteer teams. Developing future leaders. Designing systems that still work when you’re not in the room. If you’re a church production leader, AVL tech, live sound engineer, or volunteer serving in church media, this conversation will help you rethink how you lead, how you structure your team, and how to stay in ministry for the long haul. Because great church production isn’t just about what you build — it’s about what still works when you’re not there. ________________________________ Summit is a Denver-based audio, video, lighting integrator serving churches nationwide. We don’t just install AVL systems for churches — we come alongside teams to build strong culture, leadership, and confidence in every room we serve. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SummitAVL.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://SummitAVL.com/] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@summit.is⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/summit.is/] TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@summit.is⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@summit.is] Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SummitIntegrated⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/SummitIntegrated] YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SummitIntegrated⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/summitintegrated]

Ep. 17 – Manufacturers, Consultants or Integrators: What's Best for Your Church

Planning a church technology upgrade? The hardest question isn’t what to buy — it’s who should help you design it. In this episode of Gear Follows Vision, Deron sits down with Summit solution architect Andrew Starke to break down the four common paths for church AVL upgrades: hiring a consultant, working with a design-build integrator, using manufacturer designs, or building it in-house. Each option has strengths — and real risks. We unpack common mistakes like vague design packages, overbuilt systems, manufacturer-driven compromises, and in-house designs shaped around one person instead of the church’s mission. We also talk about why experience matters, how to evaluate the right partner, and what actually leads to a successful church audio, video, and lighting system design. If you’re a pastor, executive pastor, tech director, or production leader navigating a church tech upgrade, this episode will help you choose the right partner, avoid costly mistakes, and build a system that serves your vision long-term. ________________________________ Summit is a Denver-based audio, video, lighting integrator serving churches nationwide. We don’t just install AVL systems for churches — we come alongside teams to build strong culture, leadership, and confidence in every room we serve. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SummitAVL.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://SummitAVL.com/] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@summit.is⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/summit.is/] TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@summit.is⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@summit.is] Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SummitIntegrated⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/SummitIntegrated] YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SummitIntegrated⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/summitintegrated]

Ep. 16 – Strategic Automation That Makes Sundays Easier

Automation is everywhere in modern church production — but just because you can automate something doesn’t mean you should. In this episode of Gear Follows Vision, Deron sits down with Summit engineer Matt Strong to explore how automation is changing church AVL systems. From simple wins like automatically powering TVs and triggering walk-in music to advanced workflows with timecoded lyrics, lighting cues, and synchronized systems across multiple campuses, we unpack where automation actually helps — and where it creates new challenges. We also discuss the hidden tradeoffs: how automation can reduce workload, support smaller tech teams, and help volunteers succeed, while also introducing complexity and sometimes replacing meaningful volunteer roles. If you lead church production, manage multi-campus systems, or are exploring automated lighting, lyrics, and control systems, this episode will help you decide when automation supports your ministry — and when it might work against it. ________________________________ Summit is a Denver-based audio, video, lighting integrator serving churches nationwide. We don’t just install AVL systems for churches — we come alongside teams to build strong culture, leadership, and confidence in every room we serve. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SummitAVL.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://SummitAVL.com/] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@summit.is⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/summit.is/] TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@summit.is⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@summit.is] Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SummitIntegrated⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/SummitIntegrated] YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SummitIntegrated⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/summitintegrated]