The Church Front Show: Streaming Showdowns, Volunteer Tech Culture, and Easter Hot Takes

Welcome to our latest roundup of worship and production news, tips, and insights from the latest episode of The Church Front Show with Jake Gosselin and Matt Woltjer. Grab your coffee (or Seven Brew, if you’re like Jake) and dive into the latest conversations affecting church tech teams everywhere.

Streaming Showdown Follow-Up

Remember our head-to-head battle between streaming platforms? Well, we’ve got some updates! Resi recently responded to our comparison video with some important clarifications:

• Our test used outdated firmware that missed critical improvements for streaming on congested networks
• The Resi Mini encoder was configured for a much higher bitrate than we had set for other platforms (15 Mbps versus 4 Mbps)
• Different streaming platforms prioritize different aspects of the streaming experience

As Jake acknowledged, “We messed up. We mess up all the time. Don’t take everything we said as the final truth and word on everything.”

It’s worth understanding the philosophical differences between streaming solutions. BoxCast prioritizes delivering content in near real-time, even if that means occasional quality reduction. Resi prioritizes consistent video quality and will delay the stream to maintain it, which works especially well for churches that use streams for replay at other campuses or services.

The good news is that all parties have maintained great relationships through this situation, with both Jake and Matt extending sincere apologies to Resi for the oversight.

Volunteer Tech Culture Moment

A poignant discussion emerged from a social media post about a 26-year tech volunteer who was abruptly asked to turn in his keys by a new pastor who simply stated they were “going in a different direction.”

This situation highlights two essential perspectives:

For church leadership:

• Build relationships with long-term volunteers before making significant changes
• Provide clear communication about vision and direction
• Allow reasonable transition time for volunteers to adjust to new expectations

For tech volunteers:

• Maintain open communication with leadership, especially during transitions
• Approach changes with humility, even after many years of service
• Recognize that church needs and standards evolve over time

As Matt noted from his experience in ministry, “If you build good relationships with your people, hopefully it never comes to this type of a post. Some people are going to get hurt if you have to tell someone no, but if you can do it through that element of respect and love and relationship, it’s going to turn out way better.”

Studio Updates

The Church Front team continues to upgrade their podcast studio with:

• Shure SM7B microphones (though accidentally not the DB version they intended)
• Yamaha DM3 mixer
• CRM 300 camera with a 500 model on the way
• NDI video integration with ECAMM
• Uline cafe table (72″ long by 36″ wide)
• Prime Acoustic wall panels

Jake shared his appreciation for ECAMM as an underrated live streaming solution for churches, especially for its PTZ camera control capabilities, though he noted ProPresenter’s lack of NDI HX output can sometimes be a limitation.

Church Front Growth and Opportunities

Exciting developments are happening at Church Front:

• The team is expanding and currently hiring for a Solutions Specialist role
• More technicians will be needed soon for upcoming projects
• A new warehouse space is being prepared

For those interested in joining the team, applications are being accepted through the Church Front website resources page.

Tech Spotlights

Several interesting tech developments caught the team’s attention:

1. DIY Front of House Console Build A creator on YouTube completely disassembled an Avantis console and integrated rack-mounted computers to create a 4-in-1 powerhouse that controls audio, ProPresenter, lighting, and video all from one station. While impressive, Matt warned, “Don’t do this until you’ve had your Avantis for at least two years and the warranty’s no longer good.”
2. LED System Installation An impressive church installation in Nebraska featured two 6.5′ x 11.5′ LED screens with beautifully integrated architecture, including a sliding door to reveal the screens.
3. Universal Audio Apollo Headphone Amp The team discussed UA’s new Apollo headphone amp system as a potential studio upgrade, though they’ve found a cost-effective alternative using Dante feeds and Loop Back software.
4. SQ Mixer Firmware Update Allen & Heath’s latest firmware (v1.6.0.0) brings several helpful improvements:

• Matrix mixes can now be split (six mono matrices instead of three stereo)
• Both USB ports can record simultaneously
• Enhanced app control capabilities
• MAC compatibility for firmware updates

Easter Tech Hot Takes

As Easter approaches, the team shared some valuable perspective for church tech teams:

“Don’t be one of the churches that completely changes your DNA for the people that are going to come twice a year,” Matt advised. “Even if they do come back, you don’t want them to be shocked by the difference between what you did for Easter and what you do the next weekend.”

Jake added emphatically, “Easter’s not the time to try new tech!” He recommended planning major tech upgrades months in advance, not weeks before major services. “If you are having to expend all of your creative brain power to put together a tech system that you didn’t take the time to learn, test and use, and then your whole week is just consumed with stress… you quite frankly deserve that stress because you did not take the time to be responsible in planning.”

Both hosts emphasized that on Easter Sunday, the focus should be on worship and celebration, not troubleshooting new equipment. As Matt put it, “Your job at that moment is to minister. Even if you’re on sound, even if you’re on video, your job is to minister, not worry about tech.”

What’s New at Church Front

The team clarified their service offerings:

Church Front Premium

• Training and personalized advice through group coaching
• Consultation on upcoming AV projects
• Equipment recommendations with Spencer, their lead design engineer
• Access to all Church Front courses

Church Front Pro (formerly Church Front Accelerator)

• Comprehensive consulting, design, and AV integration
• On-site surveys and assessments, including Matterport scans
• Professional system design using Vectorworks
• Assembly, installation, commissioning, training, and support

Looking for more church tech resources? Visit churchfront.com to explore the new Toolkit feature with bundles of recommended gear, or join Church Front Premium to connect with their team directly.