Beyond Sunday Worship Leader Podcast

David Santistevan: Worship Leader, Blogger, Teacher · davidsantistevan.com

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.

200 episodes

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Episodes 200

#398: Christian Resilience, Women In Ministry, And The Attractiveness of Anglicanism With Tish Harrison Warren
9d ago · 1:24:45
I think so many of us are longing for a faith that meets us right where we are. A faith that we can practice in school car line. At work. On a hospital bed. During a pandemic. A faith that is not merely escapism or triumphalism but a real faith in Christ that works not for the benefits it gives us, but for the ways it opens us up to the mystery of God. A faith that leaves room for questions, doubts, and one in which we don’t have to perform to perfection. That’s why I love the writing of Tish Harrison Warren. Listen to these book titles: Liturgy of the Ordinary. Prayer In The Night. And her mo
#397: Why We Need Anabaptism And The Black Church with Rev. Dr. Drew G.I. Hart
24d ago · 1:05:49
Not all spiritual formation is created equal. Just because you read your Bible, pray, and go to church every Sunday does not mean you are being renewed – as Colossians 3:10 says – in the image and knowledge of your creator. A very good litmus test for us as followers of Jesus is…do we look like Jesus? Do we love what Jesus loved? Do we love whom Jesus loved? Do we speak as Jesus spoke? Do we embody what Jesus lived and died for? That has been the historical definition of a Christian for generations: little Christs. With the rise of Christian nationalism in our present day, many outside the chu
#396: Jesus And Therapy, Psychology And Theology With Kate Willsey
1mo ago · 1:01:08
When I was a young teenager, I heard a traveling evangelist say the best form of therapy was speaking in tongues. The preacher at the time was criticizing modern therapy as unchristian and, ultimately unnecessary. We don’t need to sit in rooms and endless unpack our problems and our past trauma. What people need more than anything – he said – is the presence of God. I understand the sentiment. I love the presence of God. I believe there is tremendous value in spiritual disciplines, practices, and experiences with God. But what happens to our formation as people when we are trained to be skepti
#395: The Unimpressive, Faithful, And Authentic Worship Leader With Paul Baloche
1mo ago · 1:12:16
I remember my days as a young worship leader. There was always this unspoken tension between being performative and pastoral. Is it my job as a worship leader to provide a powerful, exciting experience or to guide them in a healthy practice for their spiritual formation? When we say worship was really good this week, what do we mean? If you lead worship, you know the tension. When you put a singer or musician on a stage, under the lights, it is by definition a performance. Performance is not a bad thing,but we, at the same time feel uncomfortable talking about performance when it comes to wors
#394: Empire, Resistance, and Faith On The Margins with Kat Armas
2mo ago · 1:06:07
If you’re like me, a child of the 80s, you grew up watching Star Wars. I understood a lot about Star Wars but what I didn’t understand at the time was how political it was. The empire and the rebellion. Resistance. Fighting for the underdog and the oppressed. Fighting for an alternative way of being that is not dictated by empire. One of my goals with this podcast is to create a diverse platform of voices within the church. Voices on the margins. Artists on the margins. Theologians on the margins. One of those important voices is author and Cuban-American theologian Kat Armas. One of my favori
#393: The Uncomfortable Intersection Of Business And Worship with Anna Golden
2mo ago · 57:02
The idea of worship is simple. Uncomplicated. When you think about it, worship is ascribing worth to someone or something. As people of faith, we ascribe to God the worth, praise and adoration that He is due. But worship that intersects with industry and organizations is inherently complicated. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong. That the worship industry is wrong or all mega church worship is unbiblical. What it means that it’s complicated and it’s worth the wrestle. Today’s guest is Anna Golden – a worship leader, songwriter, and artist. Anna is a worship leader at Shoreline City Church in Dallas
#392: Spiritual Formation, Art, And The Beauty And The Tragedy of Worship Music with John Mark McMillan
3mo ago · 1:22:57
Throughout church history there has always been an interesting tension between creativity and functionality. What is more important? Creating beautiful things or getting a certain message across? What is more important to worship? Right theology or beautiful art that displays the glory of God? Do we need better theology in our songs or more honesty? We intuitively know this is a tension to manage, not a problem to solv e. No one would argue that theology doesn’t matter. But has our pursuit of rightness caused us to lose some imagination? Some humanity? Has our church culture fixation on effici
#391: Pastoring Border Patrol Agents And Immigrants with Evan Wickham
3mo ago · 1:09:51
I’m not a Lead Pastor, but I can’t imagine anything more difficult than pastoring in today’s political climate. We feel that these days are unique, but in reality they are not. History has much to teach us. Occasionally I like to bring Lead Pastors onto the podcast to talk about how they’re navigating cultural issues. My guest today is Evan Wickham. Evan is the older brother of Phil Wickham, also a worship leader and songwriter, and the pastor of Park Hill Church in San Diego, California. Here’s what’s interesting: In his very church, he has a Christian Border Patrol Agent and Immigrant famili
#390: How To Build A Thriving Worship Culture in 2026 With Michael Bethany
3mo ago · 1:02:00
When I accepted my first worship leader position over 20 years ago, I thought worship was all about the stage. Pick the right songs. Have the best musicians. Seamless transitions. Dial in your click and track system to perfection. While there’s nothing wrong with those dynamics – there was something I wasn’t considering. Worship culture. Now…culture has become a cliche – a buzzword, so to speak. But culture is the environment you steward. It’s the conditions you create to shape the people who are a part of your team. And that matters a lot. So today, we’re going to talk about worship team cult
#389: The Tension Between Organizational Progress and Pastoral Care Within The Church with Michael Olson
4mo ago · 1:22:17
One of the practices that I believe is important for the church in America is to regularly evaluate and interrogate the systems we operate by. What can often pass as biblical is actually just business. What we believe to be Christian is actually just American. When we evaluate the systems we are shaped by, we are more prepared to pivot when our systems hurt people. When the efficiency of our churches miss what the Bible calls us to. Is it all bad? Of course not. Is it all broken? Of course not. The church imperfect. We are imperfect. I am far from perfect. But if we don’t have the courage to a
#388: What Native Culture And Indigenous Theology Can Teach Us About Following Jesus with Terry Wildman
4mo ago · 1:29:08
Part of what I love to do with this podcast is highlight some voices that often get overlooked. Cultures that are often pushed to the margins of influence in the Church but have so much to offer us. Today I’m speaking with Terry Wildman. Terry is the Lead Translator of the First Nations Version of the Bible. Currently there is a New Testament and Psalms and Proverbs available. And the Old Testament is currently being developed. Terry is a man with native ancestry who grew up in Michigan, was saved during the Jesus Movement, and became pastor early on in his life. What’s fascinating about Terry
#387: Beating Procrastination With Jon Acuff
4mo ago · 53:18
Humans disagree on a lot of things. Religion. Politics. The best brand of peanut butter. But if there’s one area where we can find some common ground, it’s productivity. Getting stuff done. We all – to a certain degree – have to cross items off our to-do list. Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent, Fortune 500 CEO, pastor, or entrepreneur, you have to take action on the goals that matter to you. That’s why I’m talking to author/speaker Jon Acuff. He’s written a book called Procrastination Proof that simultaneously makes me feel seen and convicted at the same time. You see, I’m a serial procrast
#386: The Bible: How To Read It, Understand It, And Build A Daily Habit Around It With Zach Windahl
5mo ago · 1:09:51
It’s impossible to make an argument for a more important book in the history of the world than the Bible. I’ve grown up reading it. I’ve spent my life studying it. The BIBLE yes that’s the book for me. But the Bible is also a complicated book, full of various kinds of writing, from various authors, across many years. I’ve had my fair share of moment over the years in Leviticus, Numbers, and Song of Solomon where I’ve wondered…what is going on? We all know we’re supposed to read it. But how are we to make sense of it? How are we supposed to read it? Today I’m talking with Zach Windahl, author o
#385: Worship Leader State Of The Union with Chris Kuti
5mo ago · 1:13:19
Topics Covered: How Chris got started in Worship ministry How the explosion of a worship industry has malformed us for local church ministry Why we need Worship Pastors in the church What unique challenges Worship Leaders are facing today The downsides to the seeker sensitive movement in the American Church How worship leaders and lead pastors can develop a healthy partnership Leadership skills every worship pastor needs to develop in a multisite context Resources Mentioned: Show Sponsor: Planning Center Chris Kuti Instagram Multitracks Show Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Planning
#384: Leadership Lessons For All From The History Of The Black Church with L. Michelle Smith
6mo ago · 1:05:23
Something I am so grateful for is the leadership experience I received growing up in the church. From a young age, I got involved in worship teams. I led small groups. I developed skills. I was put on stages I had no business being on. Church wasn’t just a weekly service we attended. It was a leadership incubator. L. Michelle Smith has written a new book called Call And Response: 10 Leadership Lessons From the Black Church. In it she discusses how the Black Church has historically developed high level business leaders. The book borrows from culture, neuroscience, and positive psychology to des
#383: Making Worship Music That Doesn’t Sound Like Worship Music with Trip Lee
6mo ago · 1:02:49
There’s an argument that has gone around for decades and it revolves around the idea of how much worship music do we need? Do we have enough? On the one hand, yes, we have more worship music than we’ll ever be able to use in our Sunday morning services. And there’s also the argument that worship music is the most lucrative music in Christian music. I don’t think that can be debated. So while there are business and industry incentives to make worship music that will always exist at the intersection of Christianity and industry, what is the biblical perspective? What does the Bible teach us abou
#382: Uncommon & Creative Ways to Reimagine Your Worship Services with W. David O. Taylor
6mo ago · 1:12:39
If you’re a worship leader, you plan services. It comes with the territory. It’s part of the job. Most of the time, that comes down to picking songs. But what are we missing in our churches when service planning, programming, and worship leading is reduced to merely picking songs? W. David O. Taylor is Associate Professor of Theology & Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary as well as the director of various initiatives in worship, theology and the arts. He teaches courses in systematic theology, art and worship, art and theology, art and beauty, spiritual formation through the psalms, and the
#381: Evangelicalism, Justice Work, And Red Letter Christianity with Brittany Packnett Cunningham
7mo ago · 1:24:08
We are living in interesting times if you’re a Christian in America. Open social media for a second on any given day and you can see outrage on one side and celebration on the other for those who follow Jesus. How are we supposed to navigate times like these? What are we supposed to believe? How are we supposed to think? What should followers of Jesus do in times like this? I don’t have all the answers, but I appreciate bold voices who help us make sense of the chaos. One of those voices is Brittany Packnett Cunningham. Brittany is an activist, an educator, a writer, and a leader who spends he
#380: Ministry For The Down & Out, The Discarded, And The Underdog with Calvin Nowell
7mo ago · 1:14:02
This is an episode for the ministry underdog. There are some unwritten, unhelpful rules about worship ministry and Christian music that we need to say out loud. You’re too old. Your voice isn’t strong enough. You’re too overweight. Your style isn’t what we’re going for. You can’t be the face of the ministry. Of course, we don’t say these things out loud, most of the time. But it appears that too often our modus operandi is to be attractive and impressive, beautiful. How are we going to sell the most records? Who is going to draw people to our church? The longer we operate with these cultural v
#379: When Worship Gets Political with David Gate
8mo ago · 1:08:15
It’s becoming almost a tradition that when I need to talk about something really difficult, I invite David Gate on the Podcast. David is a former worship leader, recording artist turned author who has a keen eye about what is happening in the world. And he’s not afraid to tell it like it is. David wrote an article recently called “The Soundtrack For American Fascism is Worship Music” – I know, pretty intense. But also not entirely hard to believe, if you’re paying attention. In this conversation we talk about it – how worship music can be co-opted to serve anti-Christian political agendas. How
#378: Why It’s OK To Simplify Our Worship Experiences with Martha Munizzi
8mo ago · 1:04:21
What is the future of worship leading? How important are worship leaders and how will that role continue to develop in the future? No one really knows, but it’s worth reflecting on. My guest today is Martha Munizzi – veteran gospel artist, songwriter, worship leader and co-pastor at epic life church in Orlando. This is an interesting conversation because Martha has the perspective of a worship leader and a pastor. We talk about the tension of excellent worship experiences as it relates to church growth and simple congregational worship where the voice of the people take center stage. Practical
#377: How The Western Church Has Been Shaped To Resist Justice (And What We Can Do About It) with Joash P. Thomas
9mo ago · 1:07:07
Justice – when you hear that word what do you think of? The word carries some baggage in the church today and has become highly politicized. Too much justice talk and you can be dismissed as Marxist, woke, or a proponent of the “unbiblical” social justice gospel. But if you can remove yourself from cultural baggage, read the Bible with fresh eyes, and look at the life of Jesus, you see justice everywhere. Justice was central to the life and mission of Jesus. And it should be to his followers as well. One of the best books I’ve read on the topic is a new book by Joash Thomas called The Justice
#376: An Honest Look At The Systems That Shape The Church In America with Phillip Joubert
9mo ago · 1:45:17
One of my goals with this podcast is not simply to talk about the spiritual but also the systemic. One could argue that the two are actually intertwined. Can Christian spirituality thrive in the midst of a toxic system? Is it possible to be formed opposite the ways of Jesus while using the name of Jesus? These are important questions to wrestle with and hold up to cultural Christianity today. We must talk about the cultural systems we are shaped by. That’s not divisive or an attack of the enemy. The truth always shines a light. And the truth will always lead us to greater unity, even if some s
#375: Music & Ministry After Hillsong With Matt Crocker
9mo ago · 54:49
Topics Covered: Matt’s early years of punk band drumming How Matt connected with Joel Houston and Hillsong Church Staying childlike as a worship leader How to overcome insecurity The making of Matt’s first solo project Matt’s favorite Hillsong song he’s been a part of Resources Mentioned: Show Sponsor: Planning Center Interlude by Matt Crocker Matt Crocker Show Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Planning Center, an all-in-one church management software made to help churches help people. You can organize your ministries and keep everyone on your team communicating and aligned around what’s g
#374: What We Can All Learn From The Theological And Musical Tradition Of The Black Church with Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III
10mo ago · 1:14:44
Part of my desire with this podcast is to highlight voices – important voices that may not break through into the Christian mainstream, but powerful and necessary voices nonetheless. One of those voices is the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III, pastor of Trinity Church of Christ in Chicago. Dr Moss is a pastor, author, theologian, filmmaker and one of the very best preachers in America today. And I say that without hyperbole. In this interview I talk with Dr. Moss about the black theological tradition, the black church, black music history, black worship, and what the global church can learn from this he

Episodes

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More Religion shows

Beyond Sunday Worship Leader Podcast

Episodes 200

#398: Christian Resilience, Women In Ministry, And The Attractiveness of Anglicanism With Tish Harrison Warren

#397: Why We Need Anabaptism And The Black Church with Rev. Dr. Drew G.I. Hart

#396: Jesus And Therapy, Psychology And Theology With Kate Willsey

#395: The Unimpressive, Faithful, And Authentic Worship Leader With Paul Baloche

#394: Empire, Resistance, and Faith On The Margins with Kat Armas

#393: The Uncomfortable Intersection Of Business And Worship with Anna Golden

#392: Spiritual Formation, Art, And The Beauty And The Tragedy of Worship Music with John Mark McMillan

#391: Pastoring Border Patrol Agents And Immigrants with Evan Wickham

#390: How To Build A Thriving Worship Culture in 2026 With Michael Bethany

#389: The Tension Between Organizational Progress and Pastoral Care Within The Church with Michael Olson

#388: What Native Culture And Indigenous Theology Can Teach Us About Following Jesus with Terry Wildman

#387: Beating Procrastination With Jon Acuff

#386: The Bible: How To Read It, Understand It, And Build A Daily Habit Around It With Zach Windahl

#385: Worship Leader State Of The Union with Chris Kuti

#384: Leadership Lessons For All From The History Of The Black Church with L. Michelle Smith

#383: Making Worship Music That Doesn’t Sound Like Worship Music with Trip Lee

#382: Uncommon & Creative Ways to Reimagine Your Worship Services with W. David O. Taylor

#381: Evangelicalism, Justice Work, And Red Letter Christianity with Brittany Packnett Cunningham

#380: Ministry For The Down & Out, The Discarded, And The Underdog with Calvin Nowell

#379: When Worship Gets Political with David Gate

#378: Why It’s OK To Simplify Our Worship Experiences with Martha Munizzi

#377: How The Western Church Has Been Shaped To Resist Justice (And What We Can Do About It) with Joash P. Thomas

#376: An Honest Look At The Systems That Shape The Church In America with Phillip Joubert

#375: Music & Ministry After Hillsong With Matt Crocker

#374: What We Can All Learn From The Theological And Musical Tradition Of The Black Church with Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III

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Episodes 200

#398: Christian Resilience, Women In Ministry, And The Attractiveness of Anglicanism With Tish Harrison Warren

#397: Why We Need Anabaptism And The Black Church with Rev. Dr. Drew G.I. Hart

#396: Jesus And Therapy, Psychology And Theology With Kate Willsey

#395: The Unimpressive, Faithful, And Authentic Worship Leader With Paul Baloche

#394: Empire, Resistance, and Faith On The Margins with Kat Armas

#393: The Uncomfortable Intersection Of Business And Worship with Anna Golden

#392: Spiritual Formation, Art, And The Beauty And The Tragedy of Worship Music with John Mark McMillan

#391: Pastoring Border Patrol Agents And Immigrants with Evan Wickham

#390: How To Build A Thriving Worship Culture in 2026 With Michael Bethany

#389: The Tension Between Organizational Progress and Pastoral Care Within The Church with Michael Olson

#388: What Native Culture And Indigenous Theology Can Teach Us About Following Jesus with Terry Wildman

#387: Beating Procrastination With Jon Acuff

#386: The Bible: How To Read It, Understand It, And Build A Daily Habit Around It With Zach Windahl

#385: Worship Leader State Of The Union with Chris Kuti

#384: Leadership Lessons For All From The History Of The Black Church with L. Michelle Smith

#383: Making Worship Music That Doesn’t Sound Like Worship Music with Trip Lee

#382: Uncommon & Creative Ways to Reimagine Your Worship Services with W. David O. Taylor

#381: Evangelicalism, Justice Work, And Red Letter Christianity with Brittany Packnett Cunningham

#380: Ministry For The Down & Out, The Discarded, And The Underdog with Calvin Nowell

#379: When Worship Gets Political with David Gate

#378: Why It’s OK To Simplify Our Worship Experiences with Martha Munizzi

#377: How The Western Church Has Been Shaped To Resist Justice (And What We Can Do About It) with Joash P. Thomas

#376: An Honest Look At The Systems That Shape The Church In America with Phillip Joubert

#375: Music & Ministry After Hillsong With Matt Crocker

#374: What We Can All Learn From The Theological And Musical Tradition Of The Black Church with Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III