
Beyond Sunday Worship Leader Podcast
David Santistevan from the popular davidsantistevan.com blog dives into the heart of worship leading, worship ministry, songwriting, and making disciples. Discover how you can take your worship leadership to the next level through practical teaching, expert interviews, and the latest resources for worship leaders. From developing a discipleship strategy, engaging your congregation, writing your own songs, leading your best worship, and so much more, this podcast will help you become the worship leader you are called to be.
Latest episodes

Dec 20, 2024 • 52min
#340: Kelsey Kramer McGinnis On Music, Money, & Profits in the Worship Industry (And What That Means For the Rest of Us)
Kelsey is a brilliant thinker. She is a musicologist and educator based in Iowa, holding a PhD from the University of Iowa.
Currently, Kelsey is a regular contributor to Christianity Today, writing and reporting on worship and church culture. She is also an adjunct professor at Grand View University in Des Moines, where she teaches on music and social justice.
As as a graduate student and adjunct faculty member at the University of Iowa, she taught a variety of courses on music history, social justice and the arts, and human rights. She served on the staff of the University of Iowa Center for Human Rights from 2010-2019, where she was the academic advisor for undergraduate students pursuing a Certificate in Human Rights.
Kelsey’s dissertation research explored the use of American music in the reeducation of German POWs during WWII. Other areas of expertise include contemporary sacred music in the United States, 19th century choral music, Evangelical subcultures, human rights and the arts, and the intersection of art and ecotheology. She is an active presenter at academic conferences and accepts invitations for guest lectures and workshops on her research and on human rights education in higher ed.
Topics Covered:
More about Kelsey and her journey into musicology and journalism
Our over-dependence on tools in worship ministry
Why having conversations with our congregation is important
Why we think all worship music sounds the same
The complications of Christian celebrity and worship music
Facing the music of money and profits in the worship industry
Resources Mentioned:
Show Sponsor: Planning Center
@kelseykmcginnis
Kelsey’s Website
Show Sponsor:
My goal in this podcast is to help you grow as a worship leader. Of course that includes your formation, but it isn’t limited to that—it’s also with practical tools to help you in your ministry.
It’s hard to talk about being a worship leader without mentioning Planning Center. As you know, I’m a huge fan. A lot of you are already using Planning Center Services to schedule your volunteers, plan your worship services, and give your team the tools they need to learn their music. But with Planning Center People, you can stay even more engaged with your volunteers and anyone looking for how to get plugged in.
First, some good news: People is completely free with any Planning Center subscription. No, you didn’t hear me wrong—it’s free. Second, some better news: you can use People to add new volunteers to your teams quickly and automatically.
In People, you can make forms for anyone interested in volunteering, put them in a step-by-step training workflow, and then automatically add them to Services to schedule them for the right team. And that’s just one way you can use People. From sending automated emails and seeing church-wide engagement to organizing your member database and keeping information up-to-date, there’s tons you can do.
So go to planningcenter.com to use People for free.
The post #340: Kelsey Kramer McGinnis On Music, Money, & Profits in the Worship Industry (And What That Means For the Rest of Us) appeared first on Beyond Sunday Worship.

Dec 12, 2024 • 44min
#339: Mac Powell on CCM Through the Years, Early Third Day Stories, Worship Music, & Personal Soul Care
Topics Covered:
The changes in Christian music from the 90s to now
The worship music boom of the early 2000s and
The story behind Third Day’s Offering worship record in 2000
Why leading worship in a local church is harder than leading a worship concert
The importance of self care for artists and worship leaders
What the transition from band to solo artist has been like for Mac
Resources Mentioned:
Show Sponsor: Planning Center
I Love Jesus by Mac Powell
Show Sponsor:
My goal in this podcast is to help you grow as a worship leader. Of course that includes your formation, but it isn’t limited to that—it’s also with practical tools to help you in your ministry.
It’s hard to talk about being a worship leader without mentioning Planning Center. As you know, I’m a huge fan. A lot of you are already using Planning Center Services to schedule your volunteers, plan your worship services, and give your team the tools they need to learn their music. But with Planning Center People, you can stay even more engaged with your volunteers and anyone looking for how to get plugged in.
First, some good news: People is completely free with any Planning Center subscription. No, you didn’t hear me wrong—it’s free. Second, some better news: you can use People to add new volunteers to your teams quickly and automatically.
In People, you can make forms for anyone interested in volunteering, put them in a step-by-step training workflow, and then automatically add them to Services to schedule them for the right team. And that’s just one way you can use People. From sending automated emails and seeing church-wide engagement to organizing your member database and keeping information up-to-date, there’s tons you can do.
So go to planningcenter.com to use People for free.
The post #339: Mac Powell on CCM Through the Years, Early Third Day Stories, Worship Music, & Personal Soul Care appeared first on Beyond Sunday Worship.

Nov 29, 2024 • 44min
#338: Aodhan King on Early Young & Free Days, New Music, & Christ Centered Worship
Topics Covered:
How Aodhan got connected to Hillsong
The beginning of Young & Free
The growth and struggle with popularity and touring
The writing of new music
God centered worship songs
Resources Mentioned:
Show Sponsor: Planning Center
Beyond Us by Aodhan King
Show Sponsor:
My goal in this podcast is to help you grow as a worship leader. Of course that includes your formation, but it isn’t limited to that—it’s also with practical tools to help you in your ministry.
It’s hard to talk about being a worship leader without mentioning Planning Center. As you know, I’m a huge fan. A lot of you are already using Planning Center Services to schedule your volunteers, plan your worship services, and give your team the tools they need to learn their music. But with Planning Center People, you can stay even more engaged with your volunteers and anyone looking for how to get plugged in.
First, some good news: People is completely free with any Planning Center subscription. No, you didn’t hear me wrong—it’s free. Second, some better news: you can use People to add new volunteers to your teams quickly and automatically.
In People, you can make forms for anyone interested in volunteering, put them in a step-by-step training workflow, and then automatically add them to Services to schedule them for the right team. And that’s just one way you can use People. From sending automated emails and seeing church-wide engagement to organizing your member database and keeping information up-to-date, there’s tons you can do.
So go to planningcenter.com to use People for free.
The post #338: Aodhan King on Early Young & Free Days, New Music, & Christ Centered Worship appeared first on Beyond Sunday Worship.

Nov 13, 2024 • 54min
#337: Martin Smith on The Future of Worship Music, Local Church Tensions, & Songs of Joy
Topics Covered:
What if felt like to make music in the early days of Delirious
Why Martin moves in spontaneous/prophetic worship
Why worship music less bold and creative today
Why joy and celebration are needed in worship today
Mega Church reform
The Rockstar Worship Leader pandemic
What it’s like having Stu G on the new record
Stories behind songs on the new record, Joy
Resources Mentioned:
Show Sponsor: Planning Center
Joy by Martin Smith
Show Sponsor:
My goal in this podcast is to help you grow as a worship leader. Of course that includes your formation, but it isn’t limited to that—it’s also with practical tools to help you in your ministry.
It’s hard to talk about being a worship leader without mentioning Planning Center. As you know, I’m a huge fan. A lot of you are already using Planning Center Services to schedule your volunteers, plan your worship services, and give your team the tools they need to learn their music. But with Planning Center People, you can stay even more engaged with your volunteers and anyone looking for how to get plugged in.
First, some good news: People is completely free with any Planning Center subscription. No, you didn’t hear me wrong—it’s free. Second, some better news: you can use People to add new volunteers to your teams quickly and automatically.
In People, you can make forms for anyone interested in volunteering, put them in a step-by-step training workflow, and then automatically add them to Services to schedule them for the right team. And that’s just one way you can use People. From sending automated emails and seeing church-wide engagement to organizing your member database and keeping information up-to-date, there’s tons you can do.
So go to planningcenter.com to use People for free.
The post #337: Martin Smith on The Future of Worship Music, Local Church Tensions, & Songs of Joy appeared first on Beyond Sunday Worship.

Nov 6, 2024 • 1h 8min
#336: Sam McCabe on The Worship Industry, Finding Your Own Voice, & Our Worship Song Diet
Topics Covered:
Critical thinking over a critical spirit
Sam’s church story of leading worship in various denominations
The importance of childlike faith
How to avoid the trap of copying the songs and styles of a few movements
Finding your own voice
Worship industry problems
Singing God-centered songs
Stadium worship tours and worship nights
Resources Mentioned:
Show Sponsor: Planning Center
The Death of Death by Sam McCabe
Show Sponsor:
My goal in this podcast is to help you grow as a worship leader. Of course that includes your formation, but it isn’t limited to that—it’s also with practical tools to help you in your ministry.
It’s hard to talk about being a worship leader without mentioning Planning Center. As you know, I’m a huge fan. A lot of you are already using Planning Center Services to schedule your volunteers, plan your worship services, and give your team the tools they need to learn their music. But with Planning Center People, you can stay even more engaged with your volunteers and anyone looking for how to get plugged in.
First, some good news: People is completely free with any Planning Center subscription. No, you didn’t hear me wrong—it’s free. Second, some better news: you can use People to add new volunteers to your teams quickly and automatically.
In People, you can make forms for anyone interested in volunteering, put them in a step-by-step training workflow, and then automatically add them to Services to schedule them for the right team. And that’s just one way you can use People. From sending automated emails and seeing church-wide engagement to organizing your member database and keeping information up-to-date, there’s tons you can do.
So go to planningcenter.com to use People for free.
The post #336: Sam McCabe on The Worship Industry, Finding Your Own Voice, & Our Worship Song Diet appeared first on Beyond Sunday Worship.

Oct 30, 2024 • 1h 6min
#335: Andrew Holt on The Belonging Co, Leading a Worship Ministry, & Encounter Over Entertainment
Topics Covered:
How Andrew got connected to The Belonging
What it’s like to be the worship pastor at a church with so much talent
Building a healthy volunteer culture
God-centered worship songs
Why you shouldn’t do too much ministry on your own
How The Belonging Co runs their click & tracks
The founding of Out With the Old
Resources Mentioned:
Son of Man by The Belonging Co
The Belonging Co
Out With the Old (Andrew’s clothing company he co-founded)
Show Sponsor:
My goal in this podcast is to help you grow as a worship leader. Of course that includes your formation, but it isn’t limited to that—it’s also with practical tools to help you in your ministry.
It’s hard to talk about being a worship leader without mentioning Planning Center. As you know, I’m a huge fan. A lot of you are already using Planning Center Services to schedule your volunteers, plan your worship services, and give your team the tools they need to learn their music. But with Planning Center People, you can stay even more engaged with your volunteers and anyone looking for how to get plugged in.
First, some good news: People is completely free with any Planning Center subscription. No, you didn’t hear me wrong—it’s free. Second, some better news: you can use People to add new volunteers to your teams quickly and automatically.
In People, you can make forms for anyone interested in volunteering, put them in a step-by-step training workflow, and then automatically add them to Services to schedule them for the right team. And that’s just one way you can use People. From sending automated emails and seeing church-wide engagement to organizing your member database and keeping information up-to-date, there’s tons you can do.
So go to planningcenter.com to use People for free.
The post #335: Andrew Holt on The Belonging Co, Leading a Worship Ministry, & Encounter Over Entertainment appeared first on Beyond Sunday Worship.

Oct 21, 2024 • 1h 8min
#334: Elias Dummer on Humanizing The Conversation Around Worship Leading, Anointing, & The Worship Industry
Topics Covered:
Why emotional manipulation in music is normal and not the real problem
The problem with our language around “anointing”
Money making and the worship industry – is this a problem?
Humanizing the conversation around worship and the worship industry
Resources Mentioned:
Show Sponsor: Planning Center
Elias Dummer
@eliasdummer
Worship Leader Research
Show Sponsor:
My goal in this podcast is to help you grow as a worship leader. Of course that includes your formation, but it isn’t limited to that—it’s also with practical tools to help you in your ministry.
It’s hard to talk about being a worship leader without mentioning Planning Center. As you know, I’m a huge fan. A lot of you are already using Planning Center Services to schedule your volunteers, plan your worship services, and give your team the tools they need to learn their music. But with Planning Center People, you can stay even more engaged with your volunteers and anyone looking for how to get plugged in.
First, some good news: People is completely free with any Planning Center subscription. No, you didn’t hear me wrong—it’s free. Second, some better news: you can use People to add new volunteers to your teams quickly and automatically.
In People, you can make forms for anyone interested in volunteering, put them in a step-by-step training workflow, and then automatically add them to Services to schedule them for the right team. And that’s just one way you can use People. From sending automated emails and seeing church-wide engagement to organizing your member database and keeping information up-to-date, there’s tons you can do.
So go to planningcenter.com to use People for free.
The post #334: Elias Dummer on Humanizing The Conversation Around Worship Leading, Anointing, & The Worship Industry appeared first on Beyond Sunday Worship.

Oct 2, 2024 • 1h 12min
#333: Charlie Peacock on Songwriting, Music Production Tricks, Church Music, & The Intersection of Faith & Art
Topics Covered:
Charlie’s theological journey
Being an autodidact (self learner) and what they meant for Charlie’s career
The genetics of music and what Charlie learned from the musicianship of his Father
The magic of songwriting
Why writer’s block is a myth
Why the worship industry carries potential for problems
The potential problem with celebrity worship leaders
Why we should stop evaluating success by “what’s working.”
How Charlie discovered Switchfoot and his favorite song he produced (48:00)
Resources Mentioned:
Show Sponsor: Planning Center
Every Kind of Uh Oh by Charlie Peacock
Why Everything that Doesn’t Matter, Matters So Much by Charlie Peacock & Andi Ashworth
Show Sponsor:
My goal in this podcast is to help you grow as a worship leader. Of course that includes your formation, but it isn’t limited to that—it’s also with practical tools to help you in your ministry.
It’s hard to talk about being a worship leader without mentioning Planning Center. As you know, I’m a huge fan. A lot of you are already using Planning Center Services to schedule your volunteers, plan your worship services, and give your team the tools they need to learn their music. But with Planning Center People, you can stay even more engaged with your volunteers and anyone looking for how to get plugged in.
First, some good news: People is completely free with any Planning Center subscription. No, you didn’t hear me wrong—it’s free. Second, some better news: you can use People to add new volunteers to your teams quickly and automatically.
In People, you can make forms for anyone interested in volunteering, put them in a step-by-step training workflow, and then automatically add them to Services to schedule them for the right team. And that’s just one way you can use People. From sending automated emails and seeing church-wide engagement to organizing your member database and keeping information up-to-date, there’s tons you can do.
So go to planningcenter.com to use People for free.
The post #333: Charlie Peacock on Songwriting, Music Production Tricks, Church Music, & The Intersection of Faith & Art appeared first on Beyond Sunday Worship.

Sep 25, 2024 • 1h 3min
#332: Andy Squyres on Writing, Celebrity Worship, & The Idol of Excellence
Topics Covered:
Marriage advice
How Andy developed his skill as a writer
Why celebrity-driven worship is becoming exhuasting
The idol of excellence
Progress on Andy’s upcoming new record
Resources Mentioned:
Show Sponsor: Planning Center
Andy Squyres
Poet Priest by Andy Squyres
Death Defying Joy by Andy Squyres
@andysquyres
City in the Trees by Micah Dalton
Show Sponsor:
My goal in this podcast is to help you grow as a worship leader. Of course that includes your formation, but it isn’t limited to that—it’s also with practical tools to help you in your ministry.
It’s hard to talk about being a worship leader without mentioning Planning Center. As you know, I’m a huge fan. A lot of you are already using Planning Center Services to schedule your volunteers, plan your worship services, and give your team the tools they need to learn their music. But with Planning Center People, you can stay even more engaged with your volunteers and anyone looking for how to get plugged in.
First, some good news: People is completely free with any Planning Center subscription. No, you didn’t hear me wrong—it’s free. Second, some better news: you can use People to add new volunteers to your teams quickly and automatically.
In People, you can make forms for anyone interested in volunteering, put them in a step-by-step training workflow, and then automatically add them to Services to schedule them for the right team. And that’s just one way you can use People. From sending automated emails and seeing church-wide engagement to organizing your member database and keeping information up-to-date, there’s tons you can do.
So go to planningcenter.com to use People for free.
The post #332: Andy Squyres on Writing, Celebrity Worship, & The Idol of Excellence appeared first on Beyond Sunday Worship.

Sep 12, 2024 • 57min
#331: Bob Kauflin on Theology for Worship Teams, Production Decisions, & Top Worship Leader Competencies
Topics Covered:
How our union with Christ affects Sunday worship
The rise of liturgy and what it means for churches
Reflections on writing Worship Matters (16 years ago!)
Creating a technical grid for our Sunday production
Top competencies/qualities of an effective Worship Pastor
Resources Mentioned:
Show Sponsor: Beyond Sunday Backstage
Show Sponsor: Planning Center
Knowing God by Sovereign Grace Music
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
Engaging With God: A Biblical Theology of Worship by David Peterson
Worship: Adoration & Action by DA Carson
Music Through the Eyes of Faith by Harold Best
Show Sponsor #1: Beyond Sunday Backstage (Coaching Community)
The Beyond Sunday Worship Coaching Community is now open! I’ve wanted to create a group coaching community for a while and that time is now!
Beyond Sunday Backstage is a low-cost coaching community designed to give you year-round support as a worship leader.
For $49/month, here’s what’s included:
Bi-Weekly LIVE coaching calls focused on your specific challenges/questions (no need for perfect attendance…make it work for you)
Monthly MASTER CLASSES that dive deep into specific tools, strategies, and tactics for your worship ministry (taught by me and other special guests).
Exclusive guest Q&A’s/hangouts with guests from the Beyond Sunday Podcast
Full access to my beginner keys video course, Learn Worship Keys (plus full access to all future courses).
Downloads of The Worship Songwriter & Beyond Sunday eBooks
Access to an exclusive “Off Facebook” private community of worship leaders
Songwriting training throughout the year and group co-writes with me and others in the community
Exclusive LIVE access to Beyond Sunday Podcast interviews to ask questions (via chat) in real time.
No long term contracts. Cancel anytime. But I know you’re going to love it. Join us backstage!
Show Sponsor #2:
My goal in this podcast is to help you grow as a worship leader. Of course that includes your formation, but it isn’t limited to that—it’s also with practical tools to help you in your ministry.
It’s hard to talk about being a worship leader without mentioning Planning Center. As you know, I’m a huge fan. A lot of you are already using Planning Center Services to schedule your volunteers, plan your worship services, and give your team the tools they need to learn their music. But with Planning Center People, you can stay even more engaged with your volunteers and anyone looking for how to get plugged in.
First, some good news: People is completely free with any Planning Center subscription. No, you didn’t hear me wrong—it’s free. Second, some better news: you can use People to add new volunteers to your teams quickly and automatically.
In People, you can make forms for anyone interested in volunteering, put them in a step-by-step training workflow, and then automatically add them to Services to schedule them for the right team. And that’s just one way you can use People. From sending automated emails and seeing church-wide engagement to organizing your member database and keeping information up-to-date, there’s tons you can do.
So go to planningcenter.com to use People for free.
The post #331: Bob Kauflin on Theology for Worship Teams, Production Decisions, & Top Worship Leader Competencies appeared first on Beyond Sunday Worship.