The MxU Podcast. Hosted by Jeff Sandstrom, Lee Fields, and other special guests. Join in on convos about audio, lighting, life, concerts, and interviews with the industry’s best.
The MxU Podcast is an incredibly valuable resource for anyone involved in church tech or audio production. With a mix of humor, personal anecdotes, and practical advice, hosts Lee and Jeff (along with their friends) create a podcast that is both entertaining and informative. I have been listening to this podcast since day one and it has become an integral part of my weekly routine.
One of the best aspects of The MxU Podcast is the wide range of topics covered. From technical discussions about audio mixing to leadership tips and faith-based insights, there is something for everyone. The hosts bring on industry experts as guests, providing a wealth of knowledge and experience to learn from. Each episode offers new information and perspectives, even for someone like me who has listened to them all multiple times.
Another standout aspect is the sense of community that The MxU Podcast fosters. Listeners are welcomed into a community of like-minded individuals who share a passion for production. Through attending live events like MXU Live and Filo, I have had the opportunity to connect with others in this community and continue learning from each other.
While there are not many downsides to this podcast, one small criticism could be that some episodes may require additional research to fully understand certain technical concepts discussed. However, I see this as an opportunity for growth and learning rather than a negative aspect.
In conclusion, The MxU Podcast has had a profound impact on my life and career in church tech. It has provided me with strength, encouragement, knowledge, information, and real-life experiences that have helped shape me both personally and professionally. I am grateful to the MXU team for their hard work in creating such an incredible podcast and I look forward to continuing my journey with them. May God bless them abundantly as they continue to inspire and educate others in the industry.
In this episode, Spencer, Dillon, and Jeff dig into a stat that should reframe how we talk about church on this podcast — the median church size in America is 70 people, and it just ticked up for the first time in two decades. We get into why the podcast (and most worship/tech conversations online) tends to revolve around large multi-service, multi-campus churches when the vast majority of churches don't have a staff, a budget, or a building. We unpack a listener comment that called us out on using "the church" when we really mean "church organizations," and whether that distinction actually matters. Dillon brings up the conversation he had this morning with a church that's drowning in sound complaint emails and asks the question that sits at the center of this episode: when did we become a customer service business instead of a ministry? We walk through the real-time example of a worship team debating who should have the hard conversation with a struggling bass player, what Jesus would actually do in that room, and why ministry gets lost the moment skill and experience become the metrics. We talk about why megachurches catch disproportionate heat (and why some of that criticism is unfair), why a 200-person church shouldn't be looking up to a 2,000-person church, the difference between learning from a leader and trying to mimic them, and the trap of aspiration turning into expectation turning into disappointment. Jeff shares the honest tension of being a leader who has tasted recognition and the addictive pull of likes, comments, and crowd validation — and what it looks like to drown that noise out. We close on the kind of leader we actually want to follow: the one who, when asked what they're working on, says "still trying to be a good dad."Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=customerserviceFREE RESOURCES
In this episode, Spencer and Dylan are joined by Jeff Sandstrom for a follow-up to "Can You Be Too Young for Ministry?" — but flipped. When is it time for older worship and tech leaders to step aside? Or is that even the right question? Jeff brings decades of perspective from working alongside Chris Tomlin, Steven Curtis Chapman, and others, and the conversation gets honest fast. We dig into why churches deplatform people too soon based on age, the difference between someone aging out and someone refusing to stay coachable, why the church's "if it ain't broke" attitude toward worship and production lets segregation between ministries grow, and Jeff's own honest admission about the tech he resisted learning. We also cover why "closed fists" disqualify you faster than any number on a birthday cake, the real reason a lot of older leaders are leaving ministry (hint: it's not age — it's burnout, frustration, and the friend who told them they could make $200k working 15 hours a week), and what it actually takes to keep getting better in your craft instead of coasting on what used to work.Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ageoutFREE RESOURCES
This week, we're tackling the conversation everyone in church tech is dancing around — what happens when AI starts running Sunday morning. Spencer and Dillan dig into where AI actually fits in worship and production ministry, why the under-resourced church might win this era, and the real cost of replacing volunteer roles with automation. It's not a hot take or a doom prediction — it's an honest look at what's coming and how to think about it without fear or hype.Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebookFREE RESOURCES
This week, a text exchange between a pastor and a livestream provider went public — and the church production community lit up. We walk through what happened, why it's bigger than one bad situation, and what it reveals about how we treat people in this industry.Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebookFREE RESOURCES
Dillan and Spencer get honest about church hiring practices — why churches often fill positions with low-risk, low-talent people instead of investing in the pros who could actually raise the bar.In this episode:⛪ Is the church full of incompetent people? — the loaded question nobody wants to answer
Is your church pulling out all the stops for Easter... only to go back to normal the very next week? Dillan and Spencer get honest about the Easter "Super Bowl Sunday" mentality — and whether treating one Sunday as the big event is actually doing more harm than good.In this episode:⛪ Easter as "Super Bowl Sunday" — should every weekend get that energy?
If you're asking “can you be too young for ministry?”… you're not alone.The church often pushes people into leadership too early—or holds them back for the wrong reasons.So where's the line between calling and readiness? And how do you know if you're actually equipped?Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=too_young_ministryFREE RESOURCES
If your auditions feel awkward, intimidating, or ineffective… you're probably doing them wrong.Here's how to build auditions that actually grow your team.Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=auditionFREE RESOURCES
Most churches don't have a content problem… they have a flow problem.In this episode, we break down the tension between underproducing what matters (transitions) and overproducing what doesn't (unnecessary moments, videos, and noise).Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=overproducedFREE RESOURCES
Someone walks up after service and says, “How do I get involved?”The worst thing you can do is say you'll follow up… and then never respond.In this episode we talk about one of the biggest mistakes churches make when onboarding new volunteers and why quick follow-up matters more than you think. If someone has the courage to offer their time, leaders need to respond.Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=loseFREE RESOURCES
First-time guests are showing up at churches every week… but many of them never come back. In this episode, we talk about why that happens and what leaders often miss when thinking about guest experience. From unclear communication to disconnected volunteer teams, small systems can create big friction for new people. If you want to create an environment where guests feel welcomed, understood, and excited to return, this conversation will help you rethink how your team approaches the first-time experience.Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=returnFREE RESOURCES
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Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=why-serve-podJesus said, “These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.”That's not a production issue.That's a posture issue.If you lead worship, mix audio, run lights, speak, or serve in any ministry role — this conversation is for you.Let's talk about purity, preparation, Sabbath, and what it actually means to lead from overflow.FREE RESOURCES
Check out Toby's new book: https://churchgear.com/pages/toby-waltersProduction isn't just for mega churches — it matters at every level.In this episode of the MxU Podcast, we sit down with Toby Walters from Church Gear to talk about why production matters even in a church of 200, and how excellence doesn't have to mean complexity or massive budgets.Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=tobyFREE RESOURCES
Bad attitudes on worship teams aren't a personality problem — they're a leadership and systems problem.In this episode, we explore why worship teams become frustrated or disengaged, what's actually causing it beneath the surface, and how leaders can create a healthier culture without pushing people harder.If your team's attitude feels off, this episode will help you diagnose why.Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=attitudeFREE RESOURCES
Most churches don't measure their worship or tech teams — they just feel when something is off.That's the problem.In this episode, we break down why worship and production ministries struggle with inconsistency and how to fix it using three measurable pillars: Quality, Consistency, and Care.Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=qsFREE RESOURCES
In this episode of the MXU Podcast, the team breaks down the production, worship, and leadership habits that look impressive online—but quietly hurt volunteer teams, the room, and long-term sustainability.From designing moments for algorithms instead of congregations, to confusing excellence with complexity, this conversation challenges leaders to rethink what actually matters if we want worship teams that are still healthy years from now.This isn't about being critical for the sake of it—it's about building worship and production cultures that are healthy, scalable, and still around in 2027 and beyond.Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=leaveFREE RESOURCES
Is Instagram shaping church leadership more than we realize?More and more church advice is coming from people with platforms — not necessarily people who share the same realities as most churches. What happens when the loudest voices represent the smallest slice of the Church?In this episode, we talk honestly about how Instagram has become an exit ramp for church leaders, how “public figure” status quietly redefines authority, and why so much online advice feels disconnected from the day-to-day realities of the average church.This isn't about calling out individuals or vilifying large churches. It's about asking better questions:Who is the advice actually for?Who is being helped?And who might be unintentionally discouraged?Most churches don't have massive budgets, large staffs, or cutting-edge gear — and that doesn't make them unhealthy or behind. It just means the conversation needs more context.Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=smallsolutionsFREE RESOURCES
In the early days, this community felt like a table everyone wanted a seat at.Over time, that same table started to feel exclusive — even unintentionally.In this episode, we talk candidly about the tension that comes with growth, nostalgia, and change. Why some people feel more helped than ever, while others feel left behind. How a movement built on skill, access, and aspiration can accidentally create an us vs. them culture. And why shifting toward serving more churches — not just the most visible ones — was an intentional choice.This is a conversation about identity, community, and asking a hard but necessary question:Are we building something that inspires a few — or something that actually helps many?Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=tableFREE RESOURCES
Are churches addicted to “new”?New series. New set. New songs. New service times. New gear.We chase fresh ideas hoping they'll fix what's broken — but sometimes the cost is stability, people, and foundational health.In today's episode, we talk honestly about the tension between creativity and consistency. When should you innovate? When should you slow down? And how do you lead a team that needs both fresh vision and steady rhythms without burning out volunteers in the process?Check out our FREE Team Night Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/team-night-guide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=addictedFREE RESOURCES
Worship teams have never been more skilled — yet many feel thinner, more fragile, and harder to sustain. In this conversation, we unpack the unintended cost of building worship ministries around skill first, and why excellence alone can't carry the weight of leadership, culture, and discipleship.We talk honestly about when contractors help or hurt, how expectations get misaligned, and why worship leaders often feel stuck between sounding great and shepherding people well. This isn't a critique of skill — it's a challenge to lead it wisely.Check out our free Volunteer Development Toolkit: https://getmxu.com/resources/volunteer-development-toolkit?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=talentFREE RESOURCES
Church tech and worship leaders are navigating a new tension:faithfulness vs visibility.In this episode, we talk honestly about influencer culture in church tech, why social media feels louder than ever, and how easy it is to confuse platform with impact. We explore what actually builds healthy teams, how insecurity shows up in subtle ways, and why serving well in the local church still matters more than being seen.This isn't an anti-social-media conversation — it's a clarifying one.Check out our free Volunteer Development Toolkit: https://getmxu.com/resources/volunteer-development-toolkit?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=influencerFREE RESOURCES
So many worship leaders, tech directors, and church staff are wrestling with the same question:“Should I leave my church?”In this episode, we get brutally honest about the emotions, the pressure, the conflict, and the confusion that come with deciding whether to stay, leave, or step out of ministry altogether. We talk about hardened hearts, over-spiritualizing decisions, the role of the Holy Spirit, how negativity spreads, and what it actually looks like to leave a church well.If you're frustrated, burnt out, or feeling that pull to move on—you're not crazy, and you're not alone. But before you make a decision that impacts your family, your faith, and your future, slow down and listen to this conversation.Check out our free Volunteer Development Toolkit: https://getmxu.com/resources/volunteer-development-toolkit/?utm_campaign=done-ministryFREE RESOURCES
Most churches don't have a tech problem…They have a hiring problem.In this episode, we break down why so many churches choose the wrong technical leaders—and how it creates burnout, constant turnover, weak volunteer teams, and weekend chaos. Whether you're hiring a full-time tech director or trying to place the right volunteer leader, these are the red flags, the must-ask questions, and the leadership values you cannot afford to ignore.
Check out our free Sunday Morning Survival Guide: https://getmxu.com/resources/survival-guide/?utm_campaign=full-ministrySaying yes to everything in ministry might look spiritual — but it's actually dangerous. When church leaders never set limits, burnout becomes normal, families suffer, and volunteers copy the same unhealthy patterns.In this episode, we're talking about the cost of saying yes too often — and why healthy boundaries might be the most spiritual thing you can build into your leadership.FREE RESOURCES
Watch our video on serving with a servant's heart: https://app.getmxu.com/lessons/a-servants-heart?context_id=074252a6&context_type=topicSaying yes to everything in ministry might look spiritual — but it's actually dangerous. When church leaders never set limits, burnout becomes normal, families suffer, and volunteers copy the same unhealthy patterns.In this episode, we're talking about the cost of saying yes too often — and why healthy boundaries might be the most spiritual thing you can build into your leadership.FREE RESOURCES
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