The Pro Church Tools Show with Brady Shearer
794 episodes - English - Latest episode: 10 days ago - ★★★★★ - 400 ratingsHelping your church navigate the biggest communication shift in 500 years. Hosted by Brady Shearer and Alexander Mills.
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Episodes
My Favorite Lightroom Presets, Evolving Beyond Stale Tradition, & Sermon Clips On Social
May 04, 2022 07:00 - 32 minutes - 46.3 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (01:07): How do I encourage growth and evolution in the way we use social media in a church that likes to stay with tradition? Question #2 (10:21): Do you think a church can post too many clips from a sermon per week? Is there a point where you push out too much content? Question #3 (17:30): Anyone have any thoughts on the "ideal" number of next steps in the Launcher? Any thoughts on a max number? I have been wondering if t...
Dealing With Negative Comments, Video Gear For 2022, & Handling Rogue Pastors Online
April 27, 2022 07:00 - 38 minutes - 53.9 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (00:54): When posting about church events or announcements on social, how does one communicate information about the event, while keeping the graphics interesting each time, and without turning every announcement post into something promotional? Question #2 (11:23): Suggestions on how to handle a senior pastor creating/posting his own rogue branding/marketing/reels to his own FB/IG? Question #3 (16:05): How do you think chur...
Getting Your First Church Job, What Every Church Website Needs, & The Evangelical Reckoning
April 20, 2022 07:00 - 40 minutes - 56.6 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (02:20): How do I get a job in church when I'm first starting out? Question #2 (16:41): If a church has no tech or media presence at all...what should be their first step? Question #3 (26:15): What keeps you invested in the North American church model?
Church Website SEO, Sermon Bumpers, & Multigenerational Churches
April 13, 2022 07:00 - 41 minutes - 58.2 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (02:25): How do I improve my website SEO? Question #2 (11:38): Any advice for putting together sermon bumper videos? Question #3 (19:49): It seems like churches are either able to serve young adults, or every other age demographic, but not both. Are there any churches that are truly intergenerational anymore? Is this a realistic goal? Question #4 (29:12): What's something you worried about entering your 30s that ended up n...
Email Open Rates, Subject Lines, & Removing Inactive Subscribers
April 06, 2022 07:00 - 37 minutes - 52 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (03:38): What is a good open rate for my church's email newsletters? Question #2 (18:18): What are some best practices for church newsletter email subject lines? Question #3 (23:05): In last week's podcast you mentioned cleaning your email list. How would you recommend churches do this? Question #4 (27:15): How is it actually like living in Niagara? It feels real far from Toronto.
Email Newsletters, Overwhelmed Church Staff, & Social Media Predictions Gone Wrong
March 30, 2022 07:00 - 33 minutes - 47 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (01:58): What are your thoughts on the relevancy of email newsletters? Question #2 (15:58): What's the #1 thing for an overwhelmed comms/media person to focus on this year? Question #3 (20:55): What's a social media prediction that turned out differently than you expected in the past few years? Question #4 (27:04): When you were just starting with PCT, what do you wish you did earlier/different?
The Next Steps Ladder, Social Media Outreach, & Worship Transitions
March 23, 2022 07:00 - 30 minutes - 42.7 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (03:03): How do you move people from being consumers of content to communicating with you to being contributors? Question #2 (15:34): Best tips for worship leader song transitions? Question #3 (19:44): Tips for using social for outreach to people in the city? Question #4 (25:32): What's a gap in knowledge you have? Meaning, something everyone else knows, but you don't?
How To Know When To End A Ministry, Quitting Church, & QR Codes
March 16, 2022 07:00 - 50 minutes - 70.9 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (01:45): What level of engagement is realistic for a “text your question” or “text a prayer” next step? How long should we try it or other strategies? What is a realistic level of engagement? Question #2 (12:51): Have you ever felt so burnt out that you want to quit? If so, what did you do? If not, any advice? Question #3 (27:30): What's your take on QR codes, their effectiveness, and whether or not they should be on graphics?...
My Church Promotions Framework, Dealing With Haters, & Favorite Camera
March 09, 2022 08:00 - 50 minutes - 70.2 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (01:27): What is the strategy to communicate a lot of things that are happening? And then follow-up question, how many times can/should you repeat an announcement leading up to an event? Is there an effective window of time? Question #2 (25:08): How do you recommend dealing with haters online? Question #3 (35:27): If you could only choose one camera and lens combo right now - what would it be? Question #4 (39:32): As an ul...
Best Advice For Young People In Ministry, YouTube Shorts, & Content Schedules
March 02, 2022 08:00 - 37 minutes - 52.3 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (03:33): What's your best advice for a young person in ministry? Question #2 (16:36): Do you see value in the usage of YouTube shorts? How would you advise a church using that feature? Question #3 (22:05): What’s the best way to stay on top of a schedule for creating content? Question #4 (25:45): What are your favorite TV shows?
Outdoor Signage Tips, Storage Systems, & Batch Filming
February 23, 2022 08:00 - 37 minutes - 52.8 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (00:42): Do you batch film? If so, what does that content schedule look like? Question #2 (10:09): Recommendations for handling storage. Question #3 (17:01): What are some best practices for using outdoor digital signage? Question #4 (23:58): Did you enjoy Bible College?
How To Invest In Your Team, Social Posts For Tragedies, & Cringiest Youth Group Moments
February 16, 2022 08:00 - 47 minutes - 66.1 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (02:24): Assuming you're a full time pastor whose primary role is not digital/online/social and you only have 5-10 hours per week to devote to updating website, sending emails and creating/posting content, where do you believe that time would best be spent? Question #2 (18:02): How can I as a volunteer leader step up in the way I invest in my team? Question #3 (25:10): What is your posture on posting on a church social accou...
Church Apps Selling Your Prayer Data, Church Tech Acquisitions, & Rev-Share
February 02, 2022 18:53 - 38 minutes - 53.8 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (1:28): Did you see the article about prayer apps selling data? Question #2 (27:18): You talk a lot about how you build Nucleus without investors. Would you ever consider selling Nucleus?
The Best Free Plugins For Church Websites
January 26, 2022 08:00 - 42 minutes - 60.1 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (01:45): How did we get here? Question #2 (06:55): Why did we decide to include two free products in Nucleus 2? Question #3 (09:20): What is Slideshow Syndrome? Question #4 (15:28): What action should be prioritized in The Next Steps Launcher? Question #5 (22:37): What else is coming in Nucleus 2? Question #6 (31:12): Are we doing charter membership for Nucleus 2? Question #7 (37:10): How do they become a part of it?
My Biggest Tip For Leading Your Team, Posting Frequency, & Basic Church Leaders
January 19, 2022 08:00 - 40 minutes - 57.4 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (1:52): What are your top tips for leading a creative/communications team? Question #2 (13:02): What is a good schedule for posting on social media? Question #3 (17:34): What are your systems for researching and posting content? Question #4 (24:13): What is the most basic thing about you?
What People Really Want From A Church, Overcoming Social Fatigue, & YouTube Thumbnails
January 12, 2022 08:00 - 49 minutes - 68.6 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (2:57): What are people really looking for in a church right now? Question #2 (13:12): How do you overcome social fatigue even though you know you need to stay engaged? Question #3 (20:34): Can you talk about title and thumbnail optimization for YouTube? Question #4 (31:41): What's the most basic thing about you?
The #1 Digital Tactic For Smaller Churches, Social Media No-Nos, & Training The TikTok Algorithm
January 05, 2022 08:00 - 49 minutes - 69.2 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (3:52): What is one thing a smaller church can do to increase its digital ministry effectiveness? Question #2 (13:26): What would you say is the biggest no-no in the church social media world? Question #3 (23:17): I watched your workshop on short-form video and finally convinced myself to get on TikTok - but there is so much junk on it. How am I supposed to find the good stuff, let alone convince my pastor to start posting o...
Church Social Media Policy, The Next 12 Months, & Bad Church Habits
December 29, 2021 08:00 - 44 minutes - 61.7 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (5:44): Where do you see digital church being in terms of its development 12 months from now? Question #2 (20:56): How much time and creative energy should be spent trying new things vs. keeping up with current trends? Question #3 (21:51): How do you pick a theme or aesthetic for your church’s social media? Should everything match across the board? Question #4 (34:08): If you could get rid of one bad habit in all churches....
Hiring Church Creatives, The 3-Word Exercise, & Eliminating YouTube Dislikes
December 22, 2021 22:55 - 37 minutes - 53.1 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (4:47): How much should I expect to pay if we want to hire someone full-time at the church to help with online content? What kind of questions should I ask to make sure I’m hiring the right person? Question #2 (16:37): Do you have any suggestions for social media content specific to house churches? Question #3 (21:51): How can churches continue to shift from being reactionary in our online approach to being visionary? Ques...
The Future Of Live Streaming For Churches
December 15, 2021 08:00 - 43 minutes - 60.7 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (2:57): Now that churches are opening back up, what does the future of live streaming look like?
Fresh Instagram Ideas, The Facebook Exodus, & Personal Social Media Challenges
December 08, 2021 08:00 - 43 minutes - 60.4 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (2:23): Can you share fresh ideas for Instagram Reels and TikTok? Question #2 (16:57): What’s your hot take on a digital pastor not having a personal social media presence? Question #3 (25:57): Should we be concerned about social media censorship or ethical issues with platforms like Facebook? Question #4 (34:14): What Pro Church Tools podcasts or videos are you most proud of?
Preventing Burnout, Convincing Your Pastor, & Multi-Site Social Media
December 01, 2021 08:00 - 46 minutes - 65.4 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (2:00): How do you prevent burnout? Question #2 (17:42): How do you encourage a pastor that isn't naturally eager to post on social media and engage more proactively with the online community? Question #3 (27:24): Should a multi-site church have one account per social channel or should each campus have its own account? Question #4 (30:23): How arduous was the experience of being the founder and CEO of Nucleus when it was f...
Training Volunteers, Growing On YouTube, & Driving Engagement With A Sleepy Audience
November 24, 2021 08:00 - 49 minutes - 69.4 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (1:23): What's the best approach for training volunteers on media? Question #2 (13:22): What's the best way to grow our YouTube platform? Question #3 (27:57): How do we engage with our congregation that ignores the typical "engagement" style social posts? Question #4 (36:16): How should our church talk about general fund giving on social media?
My Most Important Tip For Small Town Churches, Tracking Online Attendance, & Hiring Your Friends
November 17, 2021 08:00 - 43 minutes - 61.2 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (3:12): What's the most important thing to be doing online for a small town church? Question #2 (14:26): What are the best ways to keep track of attendance from those who watch/stream online? Question #3 (25:32): Do you have any tips or ideas for engaging people online during a live service? Question #4 (32:01): How did you go about hiring your friends?
Social For Youth Ministry, Pastor Accounts vs. Church Accounts, & New Ideas In Older Churches
November 10, 2021 07:00 - 51 minutes - 71.6 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (2:38): What are your best tips for leveraging social to reach middle and high school students? Question #2 (20:16): How can a church drive more content through their pastor on social, but also be cautious of ego, falls, and all that negative stuff? Question #3 (26:26): Coming from a larger church to a congregation of 60...how do I introduce new technologies/ideas? Question #4 (35:56): What is the ideal number of slides in...
Church Communications Policy, Generational Tension, & Our Biggest Mistakes
November 03, 2021 07:00 - 48 minutes - 67.3 MBSend in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (4:18): What are the first 5 steps you'd take if you were taking over a ministry? Question #2 (21:13): How do you deal with generational differences and tech in church? Question #3 (28:36): Are video announcements still a thing? If so, how can they be done well? Question #4 (32:50): What is the biggest lesson you've learned from a mistake?
We Back! YouTube Monetization, Engagement Pods, & Clickbait
October 27, 2021 07:00 - 40 minutes - 56.1 MBBrady and Alex are back! Send in your question via text to 1-800-485-3139. Question #1 (0:42): What happened to your co-host? Question #2 (13:48): Should our church monetize our YouTube channel? Question #3 (19:23): Thoughts on an "engagement ministry" at our church? Question #4 (27:30): What do you think about "clickbait" type posts to garner engagement?
The New Church Connect Card Template
June 25, 2020 16:00 - 3 minutes - 4.67 MBToday - in just ninety seconds - I want to share with you a new style of church connect card. Find the full transcript, show notes, and video version here: https://prochur.ch/3bakpeE Traditional Connect Card Template: https://prochur.ch/2ITmwYn
Facebook Ads For Churches 2020 - How To Make A Successful Ad
May 28, 2020 10:00 - 8 minutes - 12.4 MBToday, we're gonna look at a number of successful Facebook Ads campaigns from real churches and dive into what made these ads successful and the challenges these churches needed to overcome to make it all happen. Find the full transcript, show notes, and video version here: https://prochur.ch/2XDaSYl
Best Color Schemes For Church Websites
May 14, 2020 10:00 - 10 minutes - 14.8 MBIn this video, I'll be sharing with you my favorite color schemes for church websites. Find the full transcript, show notes, and video version here: https://prochur.ch/3dFKN1l
How To Reliably Track Attendance & Engagement For Online Church
April 23, 2020 10:00 - 17 minutes - 24.5 MBToday - in this podcast - you'll learn how to reliably and accurately track attendance and engagement for online church. Plus, I've put together a downloadable spreadsheet template for you to make it easy and straightforward. Find the full transcript, show notes, and video version here: https://prochur.ch/2KsSwDu
Innovative Worship Sets For Online Church [3 Ideas]
April 21, 2020 10:00 - 9 minutes - 13 MBToday's podcast is dedicated to worship ministry and worshipping God through music. Of course, music is a staple of virtually any in-person worship service - but it's not as easy to translate to an online venue as preaching is. So to help with that, I wanted to break down three different worship setups that my church, Central, has used in recent weeks. Find the full transcript, show notes, and video version here: https://prochur.ch/3czUJsF
How To Create An Online Church Service In 2020
April 16, 2020 10:00 - 9 minutes - 13.9 MBYou're at home. I'm at home. And our congregation's are at home - for an indefinite period of time. So in this video, we're going to construct, from the ground up, a meaningful and powerful online church service. We'll explore specific service elements, recording options, and special considerations to make church online the absolute best it can be. Find the full transcript, show notes, and video version here: https://prochur.ch/3bdwWyw
Online Church For Smaller Churches - Casual Live Stream vs. On-Stage
April 14, 2020 10:00 - 8 minutes - 11.7 MBFor most of us, online church is set to be the new normal for the foreseeable future. It's time to settle in. And it's also time for us to take a serious look at what we're producing right now for online church (especially if you're a smaller church) and ask - does it make sense to just reproduce what we would normally do for an in-person Sunday service and publish that online? Or could there be something more meaningful, effective, and affordable for this season? Because I'm leaning toward ...
The Coolest New Piece Of Video Gear In Our Bag (Macro Probe Lens)
April 09, 2020 10:00 - 8 minutes - 11.6 MBToday, in this podcast, I want to talk to you about the 24mm f/14 probe lens from Laowa. It's a new piece of gear that we picked up this year and it's already become one of the coolest things that we own. Find the full transcript, show notes, and video version here: https://prochur.ch/2VbqtNQ
3 Unusual Social Media Posts For Churches
April 07, 2020 10:00 - 4 minutes - 5.99 MBToday, in less than four minutes, I want to share with you a trio of unusual social media posts for churches. Find the full transcript, show notes, and video version here: https://prochur.ch/2UNES3E
Instagram Stories Templates For Churches [The Bible Quiz Strategy]
April 02, 2020 10:00 - 6 minutes - 9.78 MBIn this video, I'm going to teach you a repeatable Instagram Stories strategy for your church that checks all the boxes of what good social media content should do. Find the full transcript, show notes, and video version here: https://prochur.ch/3bGaLAO
Reading Your Mean Comments (And How To Handle Criticism)
March 31, 2020 10:00 - 6 minutes - 8.95 MBToday... let's talk about criticism - and how to handle it. Find the full transcript, show notes, and video version here: https://prochur.ch/2WQtUMl
The Inbox | Social For Student Ministry
March 28, 2020 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36 MBIn the inaugural episode of The Inbox, Brady and Alex sit down to answer four questions from the people of Pro Church Nation.
Social Media Calendar For Churches | Coronavirus Edition
March 26, 2020 10:00 - 12 minutes - 17.5 MBIn this podcast, I'll outline for you a 7-day social media calendar for your church - specifically to be used during the COVID-19 pandemic while our church's in-person gatherings are suspended. This calendar is repeatable. So if you choose, you can use it as the framework for your social media content rhythms for the foreseeable future. Find the full transcript, show notes, and video version here: https://prochur.ch/2Uz5GU8
Creative Easter Ideas For Churches 2020 [COIVD-19 Response]
March 24, 2020 10:00 - 8 minutes - 11.4 MBOur churches are facing an unprecedented situation - the distinct possibility that the biggest weekend of the year, Easter weekend, will not go as planned. In this podcast, I want to share with you three creative Easter solutions that your church can pursue even if you can't assemble in-person as a group like you normally would. Find the full transcript, show notes, and video version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5XE5n1XbSU
The First 4 TikTok Videos Your Church NEEDS To Make
March 19, 2020 10:00 - 8 minutes - 12 MBIn this video, I'll share my recommendations for the first FOUR videos your church should consider publishing on TikTok. Find the full transcript, show notes, and video version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KaUcZ_-Oc8
EMERGENCY Pod: COVID-19 (How To Respond)
March 18, 2020 21:31 - 1 hour - 84.5 MBToday, Brady and Alex sit down for an emergency podcast to discuss COVID-19 and the challenges ahead for churches.
Every Church Should Try This Instagram Stories Technique
March 17, 2020 10:00 - 5 minutes - 7.38 MBToday - in two minutes or less - I want to share with you an Instagram Stories technique that your church can start using right away. Find the full transcript, show notes, and video version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viS63JftkqY
9 Instagram Stories Strategies For Churches To Try This Week
March 03, 2020 08:00 - 52 minutes - 73 MBToday on The Pro Church Tools Show we’re going to break down nine different Instagram Stories strategies that your church can try this week. Stories are unique because they expire after 24 hours and because they're meant to feel more personal than other types of social content. So in this episode, we'll talk about the specifics - so let’s get started. ***FIND THE FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/9-instagram-stories-strategies-for-churches-to-try-this-...
Best BUDGET Camera For Churches In 2020? [$500 or less...]
February 27, 2020 08:00 - 6 minutes - 6.09 MBToday, I'm going to share with you my picks for the best budget cameras for churches in 2020. Not too long ago, I released my list of best cameras for churches this year, but you and I both know that not every church can spend thousands of dollars on camera equipment. So what are we to do? Well, stick around and you'll learn about a number of highly capable camera configurations and setups that are listed at less than $500. ***FIND THE FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE: htt...
The Framework Of An Andy Stanley Sermon [North Point Community Church]
February 25, 2020 08:00 - 53 minutes - 74.1 MBToday, we’re going to break down the communication techniques of Andy Stanley. Andy Stanley is the senior pastor of North Point Community Church in the Atlanta region and one of the most listened-to pastors in America. So in this episode, we'll talk about the specifics - and break down the frameworks, devices, and constructs Stanley uses in his communication. ***FIND THE FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/the-framework-of-an-andy-stanley-sermon-north-po...
The Best Churches To Follow On Social Media In 2020
February 20, 2020 08:00 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBToday, I want to share with you my social media awards for churches in 2020. These are the pastors, ministries, and churches that I think are leading the way for rest of us on social. And this is a diverse list. You'll find bigger churches, smaller churches, churches with varying theological distinctives - and if you're looking for inspiration or fresh ideas - they most certainly are worth a follow. So let's dive in. ***FIND THE FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/t...
This One Technique Doubled My Social Media Engagement
February 18, 2020 08:00 - 56 minutes - 77.2 MBToday, we’ll be diving deep into a simple social media technique that has been doubling church’s engagement. But we should warn you, while this technique has been working well for many churches, it also has some critics. And so in this episode, we’ll dive into the objections we’re hearing and respond to them one by one. ***FIND THE FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/this-one-technique-doubled-my-social-media-engagement/ SHOW NOTES: ...
Church Stage Design TREND 2020 (plus...the reason behind it)
February 13, 2020 08:00 - 4 minutes - 4.5 MBThere's a church stage design trend that I've been seeing pop up more and more lately. And this church stage design trend is different from virtually every other because it's focused more on setting the stage for preaching rather than music. So stick around, and I'll share with you a number of examples of churches implementing this kind of setup - and you'll learn about the missional reasoning behind this type of configuration. ***FIND THE FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE: FEATUR...