The Pro Church Tools Show with Brady Shearer

Latest Episodes:

How Even the Smallest Churches Can Win on Social Media Sep 17, 2025

Show notes

Small churches actually have a big advantage on social media — as long as they're not trying to copy bigger ones. The secret is in what you measure. Forget likes and followers. There are two other metrics that matter far more, and they're the key to thriving on social as a smaller church.

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Table of Contents:

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0:00 - Intro

1:50 - Abandoning the Old Metrics

7:25 - The 1st New Metric We Care About

13:50 - The 2nd New Metric We Care About

19:07 - What's The Point Of All This?

IMPORTANT LINKS

- Buffer | How Often Should You Post on Instagram in 2025? What Data From 2 Million Posts Tells Us: https://buffer.com/resources/how-often-to-post-on-instagram/

THE 167 NEWSLETTER

📫 59,296+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com

GET IN TOUCH

🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com

🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder: https://www.nucleus.church

📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com

JOIN THE COMMUNITY

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer

🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

Free Tools Churches Can't Live Without Sep 09, 2025

Show notes

We've put together the ultimate list of 49 free tools churches are using right now. And here's the best part — these aren't just our picks. Every single tool comes directly from churches like yours, already putting them to work in real ministry.

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Table of Contents:

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0:00 - Intro

3:17 - Communication

9:05 - Project Management

11:58 - Creative Resources

17:25 - Audio

20:43 - Production

24:50 - *Free, Not Free*

28:30 - Most Popular Tools

IMPORTANT LINKS

- The Church Smartphone Photography Masterclass: https://youtu.be/KaUPT9o4Lus

- WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com/

- Slack: https://slack.com/

- Invite Everyone: https://inviteeveryoneapp.com/

- Messenger: https://www.messenger.com/

- Asana: https://asana.com/

- Trello: https://trello.com/

- Notion: https://www.notion.com/

- Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/

- ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/

- Gemini: https://gemini.google.com/

- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/

- VSCO: https://www.vsco.co/

- YouTube Video Downloader: https://y2mate.com/

- 4K Video Downloader: https://www.4kdownload.com/

- Coolors.co: https://coolors.co/

- Motion Array: https://motionarray.com/

- Tally Forms: https://tally.so/

- Adobe Express: https://www.adobe.com/express/

- Noun Project: https://thenounproject.com/

- FontBase: https://fontba.se/

- Audacity: https://www.audacityteam.org/

- Loop Community: https://loopcommunity.com/

- Adobe Enhance Speech: https://podcast.adobe.com/enhance

- MacWhisper: https://goodsnooze.gumroad.com/l/macwhisper

- Otter.ai: https://otter.ai/

- Chrome Remote: https://remotedesktop.google.com/

- Bitfocus Companion: https://bitfocus.io/companion/

- PowerPoint: https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/powerpoint

- Keynote: https://www.apple.com/keynote/

- Presenter: https://www.worshiptools.com/en-us/presenter

- Life.Church Open Network: https://open.life.church/

- Smash: https://fromsmash.com/

- Meta Business Suite: https://business.facebook.com/

- Google For Non-Profits: https://www.google.com/nonprofits/

- Linktree: https://linktr.ee/

- ImageOptim: https://imageoptim.com/

- OBS: https://obsproject.com/

- Freeshow: https://freeshow.app/

- CapCut: https://www.capcut.com/

- DaVinci Resolve: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve

- Canva: https://www.canva.com/

THE 167 NEWSLETTER

📫 59,296+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com

GET IN TOUCH

🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com

🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder: https://www.nucleus.church

📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com

JOIN THE COMMUNITY

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer

🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

Trends Churches Secretly Hate (But Do Anyway) Sep 03, 2025

Show notes

What's a popular church tech or creative trend that drives you crazy? We asked that on Instagram and got hundreds of replies. Some overlapped, some were surprising, and a few were just plain weird. Today, we're breaking them all down.

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Table of Contents:

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0:00 - Intro

1:25 - No Vowels

4:26 - Fit Checks

8:50 - Design Icks

11:56 - Skit Reels

15:55 - Black Box

20:18 - Display Icks

24:05 - Copycat Syndrome

31:56 - Forrest Frank

33:26 - BONUS ROUND

THE 167 NEWSLETTER

📫 59,296+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com

GET IN TOUCH

🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com

🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder: https://www.nucleus.church

📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com

JOIN THE COMMUNITY

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer

🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

Instagram Confirms Big Algorithm Changes [Important] Aug 27, 2025

Show notes

Instagram just rolled out some major changes – and yes, they affect everyone. So what now? We'll walk you through what's shifting in the algorithm and share practical adjustments your church can make to stay ahead.

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Table of Contents:

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0:00 - Intro

1:43 - Supply vs. Demand

7:45 - The Danger of Taking Breaks From Social

13:48 - More Quality vs More Volume

19:40 - Leverage Your Greatest Asset: An In-Person Audience, Not Just An Online Audience

26:04 - Plant Seeds

30:33 - Your Job Is Not To Be Good At Instagram

35:00 - Eventually, New Opportunities Arise

IMPORTANT LINKS

- Mosseri Q&A: https://bit.ly/3HLgzi2

- Boujee potato: https://bit.ly/3UHkKhR

- Alex Hormozi: https://www.instagram.com/hormozi/

- Russell Brunson: https://www.instagram.com/russellbrunson/

- Sean Cannell: https://www.instagram.com/seancannell/

- SocialSermons: https://www.socialsermons.com/

- Alex Hormozi Content Strategy: https://bit.ly/41RfsUM

THE 167 NEWSLETTER

📫 59,296+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com

GET IN TOUCH

🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com

🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder: https://www.nucleus.church

📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com

JOIN THE COMMUNITY

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer

🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

Steal These Viral Hooks: Church Social Media Edition Aug 20, 2025

Show notes

03If your hook fails, your post fails – it's that simple. We studied thousands of posts from 63 churches over the past year to uncover the hooks that performed best. The findings? Some were expected, others completely unexpected – and we're sharing them all with you.

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Table of Contents:

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0:00 - Intro

4:13 - What is a "hook"?

6:10 - Inversion

10:40 - Meeting People In Their Pain

17:28 - Missing Info

21:04 - Questions About God

25:27 - Hows and Whys

IMPORTANT LINKS

- DOWNLOAD The Church Promotions Formula Library: prochur.ch/promo

- SocialSermons: https://www.socialsermons.com/

THE 167 NEWSLETTER

📫 59,296+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com

GET IN TOUCH

🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com

🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder: https://www.nucleus.church

📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com

JOIN THE COMMUNITY

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer

🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

Human vs. AI Sermon Clips: Full Experiment Aug 13, 2025

Show notes

We put four of the top AI tools to the test — three made for churches and one mainstream option. Using real sermons, we measured editing experience, post quality, and time saved. The goal? To find out which tool, if any, is worth using for your church's social media… or if it's still better to do it yourself.

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Table of Contents:

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0:00 - Intro

5:14 - The Hook

29:23 - The Edit

35:39 - The Time

IMPORTANT LINKS

- SocialSermons: https://www.socialsermons.com/

- Social Media Algorithm Secrets For Churches: https://youtu.be/duoWsi5MMao

THE 167 NEWSLETTER

📫 59,296+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com

GET IN TOUCH

🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com

🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder: https://www.nucleus.church

📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com

JOIN THE COMMUNITY

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer

🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

How To Promote The Same Church Event (Over & Over) Aug 06, 2025

Show notes

You don't have to stop promoting the same event at church – you just need to do it in a way that keeps people interested. That's what today's episode is all about. We took a bunch of real promotions you submitted and we're going to show you how to rework them into fresh, repeatable frameworks that actually get attention without wearing people out.

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Table of Contents:

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0:00 - Intro

1:27 - Recap of The Rules

5:44 - Category #1: Camp

12:25 - Category #2: Worship/Prayer Night

16:13 - Category #3: Groups

21:47 - Category #4: Fall Kickoff

23:10 - Category #5: Autumn Community Event

31:56 - Category #6: Retreat/Conference

35:40 - Category #7: Anniversary

IMPORTANT LINKS

- DOWNLOAD the Library of Promotion Formulas: https://prochur.ch/promo

- The New Rules For Church Promotions: https://youtu.be/oUJd07j4kE0

- SocialSermons: https://www.socialsermons.com/

- Skit Reel Example #1: https://bit.ly/44JWUI6

- Skit Reel Example #2: https://bit.ly/3IJ81bC

- Skit Reel Example #3: https://bit.ly/4f1WPmw

- Skit Reel Example #4: https://bit.ly/4f1WQXC

- Skit Reel Example #5: https://bit.ly/4m6k4y1

- Skit Reel Example #6: http://bit.ly/3IO0JmZ

- Skit Reel Example #7: http://bit.ly/4lEbp6h

- Skit Reel Example #8: https://bit.ly/40CaHxT

- Skit Reel Example #9: http://bit.ly/3IO0RCZ

- Skit Reel Example #10: http://bit.ly/3IIhuA2

THE 167 NEWSLETTER

📫 59,296+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com

GET IN TOUCH

🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com

🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder: https://www.nucleus.church

📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com

JOIN THE COMMUNITY

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer

🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

The Dark Side Of AI In Youth Ministry Jul 23, 2025

Show notes

More and more teens are turning to AI chatbots for connection, advice, and answers. What could go wrong? If you're in youth ministry, you may have already seen the dark side of this trend. In this video, we explore why this shift could be more damaging to Gen Z than social media was for Millennials—and what your ministry can do about it.

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Table of Contents:

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0:00 - Intro

3:00 - Takeaway #1: Delegation Becomes Dependency (Dr. Caroline Leaf)

6:57 - Takeaway #2: Formation Needs Friction

13:00 - Takeaway #3: AI Is Not A Friend

25:17 - The Theological Argument *For* AI In Ministry

IMPORTANT LINKS

- Caroline Leaf: https://x.com/DrCarolineLeaf

- Your Brain On Chatgpt: https://bit.ly/4nyRHKn

- Hopeful Intelligence: A Framework for How Spiritual Wisdom Can Reimagine AI — David Kim [Talkingbird]: https://bit.ly/4nCb59z

THE 167 NEWSLETTER

📫 59,296+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com

GET IN TOUCH

🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com

🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder: https://www.nucleus.church

📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com

JOIN THE COMMUNITY

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer

🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

How AI Is Transforming Church Tech (For Worse) Jul 16, 2025

Show notes

The future of creativity is shifting—fast. And for the first time, humans aren't the only ones leading the way. New studies from Stanford and MIT reveal how AI is already transforming creative work. In this video, we break down the top 3 takeaways every creative needs to know to stay ahead.

============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 1:00 - Takeaway #1: The AI Revolution Is Backwards 13:06 - Takeaway #2: Trust Is The Biggest Roadblock 20:27 - Takeaway #3: Creative Bankruptcy

IMPORTANT LINKS - Future of Work with AI Agents: https://bit.ly/4lzlPnc - Your Brain On Chatgpt: https://bit.ly/4nyRHKn - Threads, Podcast Video Studio, & AI Policy For Churches: https://youtu.be/hngpsILIL8I

THE 167 NEWSLETTER 📫 59,296+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com

GET IN TOUCH 🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com 🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder: https://www.nucleus.church 📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com

JOIN THE COMMUNITY 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

Forget Attendance Goals - Track This Instead at Church Jul 09, 2025

Show notes

A church in Arizona has shared its goals for the year—and surprisingly, not one of them mentions attendance. So what are they focusing on instead? And should your church take a similar approach? In this episode, we break down their strategy and what it could mean for your ministry.

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Table of Contents:

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0:00 - Intro

4:36 - Reason #1: Process OVER Outcome

10:39 - Reason #2: Lead OVER Lag

19:18 - Bonus Goal #1: Young Leaders Coalition

23:44 - Bonus Goal #2: Amplify More Voices

30:35 - Bonus Goal #3: Staff Sabbatical Policy

IMPORTANT LINKS

- Ironwood Church: https://www.ironwoodchurch.org/

- Luke Simmons Twitter | X: https://x.com/lukedsimmons