Black Box Podcast

About Black Box Podcast

Honest conversations at the intersection of church, production, and excellence. The Black Box Podcast is where high standards and honest talk meet. We explore what it really takes to pursue excellence in the church production world—from leadership and culture to gear, systems, and the people behind it all. This isn’t surface-level chatter or recycled advice. It’s thoughtful, unfiltered conversation for those who care about doing the work well, building healthy teams, and raising the bar for what’s possible in the Church.

Publisher

Black Box

Category

arts · religion & spirituality · technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

31 Mar 2025

Latest episode

31 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

8 of 16 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   31 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Women, Volunteers & Leaving Church Staff Well (feat. Danielle Iselin)

   Lee Fields, Stephen “Shep” Sheppard, Brad Bramer, and Tyler Kerpsack interview Danielle Iselin about recruiting, developing, and investing in church volunteers and leaving church staff roles well.

2. 

   26 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Content Creation Hot Takes (feat. Channing Dubbeld)

   Host Tyler Kerpsack and Stephen “Shep” Sheppard interview Channing Dubbeld, Creative + Worship Production Director, about authentic content creation and church production strategies.

3. 

   17 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Season 3 - We Back

   Host Shep and guests Brad Bramer and Tyler Kerpsack discuss fundamental production leadership, focusing on developing people and building healthy teams within the church industry.

4. 

   20 Apr 2026

   Kayne and Excellence in Worship - PT I

   In this episode, Lee Fields, Shep, Tyler Kerpsack, and Brad Bramer get into what it really looks like to operate at a high level when things go sideways. We talk real stories—from stadium shows to high-pressure environments—where cues get missed, plans change mid-song, and you’re forced to make decisions in real time. There’s some Kanye conversation in here, but more from the lens of what’s actually happening behind the scenes and how teams carry those moments. We also hit on the tension of working in spaces where your values get tested—and what it looks like to stay grounded in the middle of it. This one’s about composure, awareness, and learning how to respond when the pressure’s on.

5. 

   16 Feb 2026

   Stop Mixing to Target Curves

   BlackPod is a no-fluff podcast for church production leaders, live audio engineers, and creatives who care about doing it right. Hosted by Lee Fields, Shep, Tyler Kerpsack, and Brad Bramer, BlackPod dives into real-world conversations around church audio mixing, troubleshooting AVL systems, leadership accountability, and building drum sounds that actually translate in the room. In this episode, we talk Valentine’s Day and life outside the booth, but we also get into practical production topics like: How to troubleshoot live sound systems under pressure Why personal accountability and self-awareness matter more than gear The truth about target curves — and why you shouldn’t mix toward them How to shape drum sounds for impact, clarity, and consistency If you’re a church sound engineer, production director, or volunteer trying to level up your mix and leadership, this podcast is for you. Real conversations. Real rooms. Real leadership.This is BlackPod.

6. 

   2 Feb 2026

   DAW vs Consoles, Leaders Who Do vs. Leaders Who Don’t, and New BlackBox Offerings

   Hosted by Lee Fields, Stephen “Shep” Shepherd, Tyler Kerpsack, and Brad Bramer, the BlackBox Podcast is unfiltered conversation for church production teams, worship leaders, AVL directors, and creative pastors who actually carry the weight of Sunday. This isn’t theory. It’s field-tested leadership, live audio philosophy, system design, and the stuff nobody talks about but everyone feels. In this episode we dig into: • DAW vs. Console Mixing — What actually matters? Where plugins help, where they hurt, and why great gain structure still beats everything.• Leaders Who Do vs. Leaders Who Don’t — When to get your hands dirty, when to step back, and how ego quietly wrecks teams.• Weight Loss, Health & Production Life — What long Sundays, stress, and tech ministry do to your body — and how to lead sustainably.• Nervousness in Production — Why anxiety shows up in high-stakes services and how to handle pressure without spiraling.• Target Curves & Why You Shouldn’t Worship Them — The truth about measurement mics, system tuning, and why your room isn’t a spreadsheet.• New BlackBox Offerings for Churches — On-sites, audits, coaching, long-term partnerships, and how we help churches solve production problems before they cost them money. If you’re a church audio engineer, production director, worship leader, or executive pastor trying to build healthy systems, stronger teams, and better Sundays — this podcast is built for you. BlackBox exists to help churches design better systems, build stronger teams, and solve problems before they ruin momentum. Subscribe, share with your team, and let’s build something that actually lasts.

7. 

   17 Dec 2025

   Merry Christmas, Contractors, Services, Reflections and more

   In this episode, Lee Fields, Tyler Kerpsack, Shep, and Brad Bramer are back together talking through the realities of church production during the Christmas season. The conversation covers what it really looks like to lead production teams at scale during the busiest time of the year — from church staffing models and production budgets, to caring for volunteers, working with contractors, and making smart decisions around gear and resources. The group also reflects on Christmas gifts for church production teams, how to show appreciation without blowing budgets, and where leaders often feel the most pressure during holiday weekends. If you serve in church production, audio, lighting, video, broadcast, or technical leadership, this episode offers honest perspective, practical insight, and shared experience from leaders navigating Christmas in real time. Follow along, share with your team, and subscribe for more conversations around church production leadership, staffing, budgets, volunteers, and worship technology.

8. 

   16 Dec 2025

   Production Content, Launching Podcasts, and Designing Worship Centers

   In this episode, Lee Fields, Tyler Kerpsack, Shep, and Brad Bramer are back together talking all things church production, worship technology, and creative leadership. The conversation dives into creating production content that actually serves the local church, the platforms and channels currently inspiring us, and what it looks like to build meaningful voice and credibility in the church production space. Lee shares more about the launch of his new audio-focused podcast, and the group unpacks practical thoughts around designing and building worship centers, production systems, and the realities of leading technical teams in churches of all sizes. Whether you serve in audio, lighting, video, broadcast, systems design, or production leadership, this episode offers honest conversation, real experience, and perspective from leaders actively shaping the future of church tech and worship production. Follow along, share with your team, and subscribe for more conversations around church production, AVL systems, worship environments, and leadership behind the scenes.

9. 

   17 Nov 2025

   White Balance, Political Disagreement, and Line Checks

   In this episode, Lee Fields, Shep, Brad Bramer, and Tyler Kerpsack break down the real-world challenges production leaders face today. We hit highlights from the ChurchFront Conference — smarter front light, LED strategy that actually serves the room, and the camera white-balance decisions that separate amateur from pro. Shep unpacks his experience running the Charlie Kirk memorial, offering a masterclass in pressure, pacing, and leading teams through high-stakes moments. We also dig into team dynamics, navigating ideological differences, and how strong production teams stay aligned when the room gets complicated. And we close with a tactical deep dive on running a flawless line check — stage flow, communication order, FOH/MON/Broadcast confirmation, and the systems that remove 90% of rehearsal-day chaos. Short, sharp, and built for people leading production at a high level.

10. 

    31 Oct 2025

    Kick Mics, Summer Projects and Lee’s Wedding — Season 2 Kicks Off

    Brad, Tyler, Shep, and Lee kick off Season 2 talking weddings, kick mics, time management, and what’s been going down this summer. Honest, funny, and full of practical takes for anyone in production or creative leadership.

11. 

    23 Jun 2025TRANSCRIPT

    Pet Peeves, Get Gigs, and Be Better

    The BlackBox crew explores thriving in church production and creative ministry, discussing leadership, team dynamics, landing dream gigs, and avoiding burnout for AVL volunteers.

12. 

    26 May 2025TRANSCRIPT

    AI Is Coming, But Do Really We Care?

    The Black Box Podcast team discusses the impact of AI on audio and various industries, considering job security and future projects, in a broad conversation.

13. 

    28 Apr 2025

    Kick Mics, Trust, and Mr. Beast

    The hosts discuss leadership, rebuilding trust, kick drum mics, and the MrBeast livestream, offering insights into innovation and handling high-pressure situations.

14. 

    14 Apr 2025TRANSCRIPT

    NAB, Coachella, & Easter

    We go full throttle through some of the biggest production moments of the season—NAB, Coachella, and Easter. From cinematic broadcast trends in church to the sheer scale and precision of Coachella, we’re breaking down what’s worth paying attention to—and what’s just noise. We talk shop on the latest gear, what inspired us, and talk about the future of church content. If you’re leading in church production, creative direction, or broadcast, this one’s a must. Don’t fall behind.

15. 

    4 Apr 2025TRANSCRIPT

    Excuse My Mediocrity

    We’re coming in hot with a conversation that matters: excellence in church production and creative leadership. Too often, mediocrity hides behind spiritual language. But let’s be real—excellence reflects the character of God. It’s not about perfection; it’s about intention, discipline, and grit. At Black Box, we don’t make excuses for half-effort. We sweat the small stuff because we believe worship deserves our best. And we’re fired up to introduce Brian Tru—a new voice on the pod and a vital piece of the Black Box crew. Brian’s cut his teeth through every production role imaginable, from semis and stage plots to FOH and broadcast. He’s lived it all, never settled, and leads with quiet strength and clarity. On top of that, he’s rooted in the Gospel genre, bringing the heart and heritage of that sound into everything he touches. This one’s for anyone who feels the tension between high standards and servant-hearted ministry.We don’t excuse mediocrity. We fight for better. Let’s move.

16. 

    31 Mar 2025TRANSCRIPT

    Disrupters Win

    In this kickoff episode, Lee, Tyler, Shep, and Brad sit down to unpack what Black Box is all about—how it started, why it matters, and where it’s heading. If you’re a church production leader, creative pastor, or executive leader navigating the world of worship, tech, and communication, this is the behind-the-scenes look you’ve been waiting for. We get honest about the gaps we’ve seen in church production and creative leadership—and how Black Box is stepping in to offer real solutions, conversations, and community. This episode sets the tone for what’s coming: raw takes, helpful tools, and a shared desire to help the Church move forward with clarity and excellence.

Inside a recent episode

Women, Volunteers & Leaving Church Staff Well (feat. Danielle Iselin)

Published 31 Aug 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] How do you keep those things in balance? Well, I think accountability is a lot easier when there's relationship first. So we drive that first because it's a lot easier to come up to your friend and go, Hey, um, I love what you're doing with this tone, but can we try something else just because it's going to mix a little better? Or, hey, I love what you guys are doing with changing your positions, but it would be better for cameras if you didn't turn around all the time. Yeah, that's a real thing. The pacing has upticked in the worship ministries, hasn't it? I'm like, what are we turning around for? […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.5 / 5

40 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 5 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

0

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

26

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Questions about Black Box Podcast