The MxU Podcast

This week we're at Maryland Community Church in Terre Haute, Indiana with Paul Bamberg, their technical production director. Paul was the only production staff person across two campuses for 12 years, and he's honest about what that cost: the 60-hour weeks nobody asked him for, the hurdles he raised because he built systems for himself, and the people work that kept falling to the end of the week. We also talk about hearing God say stay when other churches came calling, and the trend of platforming yourself in church production.

Learn more about Maryland Community Church:
https://www.mccth.org/

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Brad Damas leads worship at Shoreline Church in Knoxville. For years, he hid a drinking problem while leading on Sundays. Then one night in a jail cell, God met him. He has been sober for 10 years.

We talk about what it is like to lead on an empty well, why Shoreline will not call its staff “family,” and how a church that runs lean uses paid players and volunteer production. If you have ever wondered if you are the only one struggling, this one is for you.

Learn more about Shoreline Church:
https://www.shorelineknox.com/

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They can sing. They can play. But are they ready to lead people? We’re in Knoxville with Collin O’Neel from Sevier Heights Church, talking about what happens when talent gets ahead of character—and how we help young worship leaders grow without handing them the keys too soon.

We also get honest about wanting the job someone else has, leading when we’re not the one in charge, and why praying before a hard conversation is more than the churchy answer.

Learn more about Sevier Heights Church:
https://sevierheights.org/

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We’re at Faith Promise with worship pastor Jess Elston, and this one gets personal. Jess talks about growing up as a Black woman in the South feeling like she had to be twice as good, and how a church that believed in her helped her step into leadership.

We also get into the stuff we don’t always admit when we want a bigger role: the paycheck, the title, and wanting to prove we can do it better. Jess brings us back to a better question: who are we leading right now? Plus, communication mistakes and why the tech team eats first.

Learn more about Faith Promise Church:
https://www.faithpromise.org/

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We’re at Fellowship Church in Knoxville with Spencer Garland. Years before coming here, he quit ministry and thought he was done for good. Then the pastor he’d clashed with called when his family was grieving.

We talk about trying to fix the worship team at 22, the questions he wishes he’d asked his pastor, and what brought him back. If you’ve ever thought, “I can’t keep doing this,” this one’s for you. And no, the answer isn’t to stay somewhere that keeps hurting you.

Learn more about Fellowship Church:
https://fellowshipknox.org/

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