🎚️ The Secret to Sunday Prep (You Can Do It In Your Car)

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Before we begin today's issue, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the shocking news of Charlie Kirk’s passing yesterday.

Regardless of where you landed on his politics, he was a major voice in our national conversation, and his sudden absence will certainly be felt. Please join me in praying for his family and loved ones during this difficult time.

Hey team,

I need to confess something. For as long as I can remember, memorization has been incredibly difficult for me.

I studied voice, piano, and guitar in college, but no matter how much I practiced, memorizing lyrics and chord changes was a constant battle. So when I started learning sound, it was a huge relief. I could just show up, and my job was simply to take the beautiful thing the musicians were already doing and make it sound cohesive.

But after a while, I hit a plateau. I felt technically sound, but I didn't know what to do to get better. I was working on a console that wasn't mine, so I couldn't make a lot of deep technical changes. I realized that if I was going to improve, the changes would have to be musical. They would have to be in my fader movements, my timing, and my understanding of the songs.

That's when I discovered a secret to preparation that changed everything, a principle the Bible speaks to directly: "An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge" (Proverbs 18:15).

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SUNDAYMIX MAIN LESSON

Main Lesson: The Power of Passive Immersion

Not knowing what else to do, I just started to listen. And listen, and listen.

I made a playlist of our team's 20 or so most-played songs and put it on whenever I was doing something else—walking the dog, going to the gym, or driving in my car. I was doing "passive immersion"—letting the music soak into my subconscious while I was doing things I already had to do.

Over time, something powerful happened. I developed a deep auditory memory of the arrangements. I couldn't have performed the songs for you, but my brain knew the keyboard intros, the guitar solos, and the drum breaks. I could anticipate what was coming next.

How to Listen with Intention

This isn't just about having music on in the background. It's about creating an environment where you can absorb the details.

First, listen with intention on good headphones. If you have high-fidelity headphones, even better. The tiny speakers on your phone will hide the details you need to hear—the reverb tails, the subtle delay throws, the separation between instruments.

For those who want to take it to the next level, use a streaming service like TIDAL, which allows you to stream or download master-quality files. Listening to a track in high fidelity is like seeing a photograph in high resolution; you can suddenly see all the fine details that make up the bigger picture.

Another easy way to learn the songs is to never miss a Sunday service when you’re not volunteering. If you’re not behind the booth, be in the pews. Go with the intention of worshiping, of course, but also be listening. Absorb the music passively. So much of this work is done by your mind behind the scenes. When you go to sleep at night, your brain works it out for you. Over time, the songs get stuck in your head, which works for memory, for knowing the songs really well, and it makes you an outstanding engineer.

From Technician to Conductor

This changed my role behind the board. I was no longer just a reactive technician. I was becoming a proactive, musical conductor. Because I could anticipate what the band was about to do, I could work with them.

My gauge for whether I was mixing well became simple: Did the mix give me goosebumps?

If I could create a moment so powerful that it gave me a physical, emotional response, I knew I was on the right track. This isn't just about chasing a feeling; it's a reflection of our ultimate calling: to "work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men" (Colossians 3:23). We are stewarding an emotional and spiritual journey, and a mix that moves us is often a sign that we are serving that purpose well.

For the Pro: This is Obvious, But Are You Doing It?

For the elite engineer, everything I've said so far is obvious. But the next level of listening isn't just about knowing the arrangement on the album; it's about listening to the room, the congregation, and the Holy Spirit in the moment. The real challenge is this: Are you just flawlessly replicating the record, or are you translating the unique spiritual atmosphere of this specific service? This means listening to the congregation's response. Are they singing louder on this chorus? Does the room feel particularly engaged during an instrumental moment? The most advanced skill is moving beyond technical replication and into real-time, Spirit-led artistry, mixing not just the band, but the entire worship experience.

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Action Steps for This Week

1. Create Your Playlist. This week, open Spotify, YouTube, or TIDAL and create a new playlist. Ask your worship leader for a list of their 10-15 most-played songs and start building your sound library.

2. Practice "Passive Immersion." Choose one time this week when you're already doing something else—your commute to work, your morning workout—and listen to that playlist on the best headphones or speakers you have. Just let it soak in.

3. Attend as a Listener. If you have a week off in your rotation, make a point to attend the service. Don't think about the tech. Just worship and listen. Let yourself experience the mix as a member of the congregation. You'll learn more in that hour than you can imagine.

For Those Seeking a Christ-Centered Partner

Technical skill will only get you so far. The real art of mixing begins when you know the music as well as the musicians. By immersing yourself in your church's song library, you'll find yourself more prepared, more musical, and more connected to the worship you're helping to lead.