Send us a text The guys look back at some of their favorite conversations from 2024 to reflect on what lessons are most important for church teams to prioritize in the coming year. Check out each of the previous conversations referenced in this episode: Surviving & Thriving In Church Media Teams: Insights with Phil BowdleBuilding Online Communities, Not Just Audiences with The Monochrome PodcastIs Social Media Good For Society? with JP DorseyJoin the Blackbar Discord to keep ...

Send us a text Nick and Zach are joined by three of the Certified Pro community leaders from the Blackbar Discord to share some lessons and encouragement they've picked up from their time in ministry. Follow Abner on Instagram: @axc_photo Check out Blaise's worship resource platform: theworshipserver.com Learn more about the SALT Conference and John-Mark's work with their team: saltvirtual.com Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us a text The guys talk with Brent Reese, professional cinematographer and digital storyteller, about how to identify good stories and turn them into something that captivates others. Follow Brent's work and connect with him for your storytelling needs: https://www.instagram.com/reesmedia/ https://www.instagram.com/brentlovesgames/ Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us a text Caleb & Zach dive into some 2024 tech-focused news stories that church creatives and media professionals should be aware of. From the DJI Drone bill and YouTube copyright to Meta VR and the price increase of Canva, the guys cover a handful of topics whose outcomes could have a lasting impact on church tech and media production. Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us a text The guys talk with Carmen Galeano of the Redwood Marketing Co about social media, trends, and how churches can best develop sustainable and achievable social media strategy. Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us a text The guys talk with Ben Kristijanto & Tim Jackson of BNY and OHR LED about the ins and outs of LED walls for the church space and where to even begin when considering them for your services. Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us a text Caleb & Nick review the general Christian discourse surrounding the 2024 Olympics opening ceremonies, and they discuss whether Christians are ultimately helping or hurting the church’s goal to reach the lost in digital spaces. Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us a text The guys (alongside a special guest) dive into some tips and practical examples of where to start when creating or improving your church's website. Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us a text The guys are joined by Tessa Voccola, Brand & Content Manager for RVRB Agency, to share about what it takes to capture high quality content for live events. She also shares some tips on the value of pre-production and the importance of fueling yourself outside of your creative roles. To partner with RVRB for your event, visit their website: https://www.rvrb.com/ Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us a text On this episode, the guys are joined by Luke McElroy and JT Bowling of the Monochrome Podcast to discuss how to build online communities and how to develop deeper connections within those communities. Check out the Monochrome Podcast: https://saltcommunity.com/podcast/ Get more information about the SALT Conference and their community resources: https://saltcommunity.com/ Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us a text The guys are joined by author, leadership coach, and friend of the podcast Phil Bowdle to discuss how to navigate leadership, conflict, and tension within church media teams. Visit Phil's website for the resources that were discussed in today's episode: https://philbowdle.com/ Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us a text In this community-inspired topic, the guys share three of their top tips for how to survive, grow, and thrive as a church media freelancer. Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us a text The guys chat with their first ever AI guest: Chat GPT 4o! From recommendations on sermon resources to suggestions for event ads to encouragements for the Blackbar community, Chat GPT 4o provides a unique look into the capabilities and potential of AI as it could be used for church media ministry. Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us a text On this episode, the guys dive into 3 common marketing and advertising mistakes that churches tend to find themselves stuck in. They also discuss the potentials of Canva's acquisition of Affinity and how it might actually give Adobe a run for its money. Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us a text On this episode, Caleb & Nick are joined by guest host Tim Jackson, team member of BNY productions and Ohr LED, to discuss some of the most exciting (and noteworthy) announcements for Christian churches and creatives from 2024's National Association of Broadcaster's show. Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us a text On this community-inspired episode, Caleb and Nick dive into the topic of religious vs secular art and whether or not God can work through something if it's not explicitly "Christian." Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us a text On this episode, the guys are joined by guest Troy Picou, the children's pastor at Grand Rapids First, who has made a name for himself by creating extravagantly creative props, puppets, illustrations, character animations, and many, many other amazing things. Troy was gracious enough to share a behind the scenes look with us on how he's reaching the next generation of believers well. There's a fair bit of visuals that accompany our conversation today, so you can check o...

Send us a text The guys share 15 free tools that they use to support and simplify their creative workflow, and Caleb does an intro to 3D animation training with a focus on the free animation software called Blender. NOTE: Zach discovered after the fact that the project management application called Monday was a free month trial, not a free permanent seat. He still recommends it, but you would need to pay to use Monday when the trial is up. Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the convers...

Send us a text The guys are joined by guest co-host JP Dorsey, previous President of North Point Bible College GR and pastor at Grand Rapids First, to discuss whether or not social media us truly a good or bad thing for society at large. They also discuss OpenAI's newest video software called Sora and how churches can practically and ethically integrate AI systems into their workflow. Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/

Send us a text Nick & Caleb are joined by guest co-host Dan Desrosiers (S1 Episodes 6, 7, & 85) to discuss how churches can best leverage media to connect with and grow their communities in 2024. They also discuss how to approach the nuanced conversation of upgrading your gear to your pastor and leadership team. Join the Blackbar Discord to keep the conversation going: http://discord.blk.bar/