Off The Record with Amplify Church

This week’s conversation covers everything from a bizarre Pittsburgh zoo trade to Emma preaching at youth, random songs getting stuck in our heads, and some classic backstage chaos along the way.We also rewind Sunday’s message, share what’s been sticking with us heading into the week, and revisit a few extra thoughts that didn’t make it into the sermon. Plus, we talk apologetics, why it matters for everyday believers, and look ahead to next week’s live Q&A night.And of course, we wrap things up with upcoming events, baptisms, and some completely unserious draft conversations.

This week gets surprisingly deep… and surprisingly weird.We kick things off looking back at Sunday’s message, including some apologetics conversations, a concerning amount of math, and a few resources for people wanting to think deeper about their faith.From there, we get into one of the more unexpected conversations we’ve had on the podcast:If aliens existed… would it actually affect Christianity?Not from a conspiracy angle—but from a theological one. We talk through what central beliefs of the Christian faith would (or wouldn’t) change, and why that question even matters in the first place.We also preview our upcoming apologetics Q&A night, talk about what’s coming up at church—including baptisms, Man Up, and GLS—and somehow end the episode with a spontaneous preaching game that goes exactly how you’d expect.A little theology, a little apologetics, and a few moments that completely went off script.

New week, new episode — and there’s a lot going on.We kick things off with some classic chaos (including a successful truck borrowing situation 😅), a recap from the women’s breakfast, and a few behind-the-scenes moments from a busy week in church life. There’s also some Star Wars talk, Cinco de Mayo check-ins, and a quick look at what’s coming next.From there, we rewind Sunday — talking through key moments from the service, Foster Care Awareness Month, and what it looks like to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We also share what’s been sticking with us heading into the week and some bonus thoughts that didn’t make it into the message.In this week’s Unedited Take, we lean into a real conversation: is the American Church becoming lukewarm? What does that actually mean, and how should we respond?

This week is a little bit of everything.We kick things off with some behind-the-scenes life—serving at the Blessing Board, new staff photos, announcements with Kendall, and yes… Ian borrowing the truck again (which historically has not gone well). We also cover vacation season, Cinco de Mayo coming up, and Brandon preparing to preach… while saying “um” a lot.In Sunday Rewind, we look back at a powerful service—pushups included—with a lot of salvations and a meaningful moment with HCEF. From there, we process what’s sticking with us heading into the week and reflect on anything that didn’t quite make it into Sunday.Real life, church life, and a few moments that probably should’ve stayed off the mic.

The boys are back.We kick things off recapping the biggest episode yet and giving Katie her flowers after holding it down last week. From Florida trips to sports weekends, NFL Draft thoughts, and some big updates around new staff and hiring, there’s a lot to catch up on.In Sunday Rewind, we look back at the message and the theme of space—what it means to slow down, be still, and actually make room for God to speak. That carries into our Monday Morning Takeaway as we wrestle with a simple but challenging question: why is it so hard for us to sit in stillness?We wrap things up with what’s coming next, including upcoming events, and of course some lighter moments with a weekend activity draft.A mix of leadership, faith, and just enough chaos to keep it interesting.

Brandon is out this week (he says he’s working… we’ll see), so Katie joins the podcast—and things get a little more real than usual.We kick things off talking Masters weekend, Rory, and a bit of life lately before jumping into Sunday Rewind and the start of a new series. From the message to the response in the room, we process what stood out—including a moment that caught us off guard.We also revisit a few thoughts that didn’t make it into the sermon, looking at passages like Hebrews 4:12 and Ephesians 6:17, and what they mean for how we live and respond to God’s Word.Then we shift into the hot seat with Katie—talking through our story, marriage, ministry, and what life actually looks like behind the scenes. From how we met to the challenges we’ve walked through, expectations in church life, and how we stay connected in the middle of everything—it’s honest, practical, and a little vulnerable.We wrap things up looking ahead to what’s coming next and, of course, a lighter moment with a draft that gets more competitive than expected.

This week it’s just Brandon and Ian… which means things go off the rails pretty quickly.We celebrate Easter, talk through the chaos of the weekend, and try to figure out why Ed demanded this podcast and then didn’t show up. We also shout out Anthony—the postal worker who listens every week—and get into some very important conversations about Easter candy.Then we flip the script and put Producer Ian in the hot seat.From his life story and how he ended up in Pittsburgh, to marriage, house projects, and his passion for disc golf—we cover it all. We also get into behind-the-scenes church life, production fails, youth group stories, and what it’s actually like handling criticism while working in ministry.There are some strong opinions (including a debate about acoustic guitar), a few near-breaking points, and plenty of moments that probably shouldn’t have made it into the episode.We wrap it all up with a very serious draft… favorite potato forms.

We kick things off with some April Fools chaos, a recap of Faith the donkey, hockey highlights, and the now-infamous homeschool reel. From there, we rewind Sunday and celebrate Palm Sunday with over 1,000 people in the building, and talk through what stood out most from the service.We also take a minute to reflect on what’s sticking with us heading into the week, along with a few thoughts that didn’t make it into the message.In our Unedited Take, we get into some bigger conversations around Holy Week, the origin of Easter, and communion—what it means and how people understand it.We wrap things up by looking ahead to Good Friday and Easter, and of course, some lighter moments with a candy draft and a very important KitKat-related news story.

We’re back in the studio this week after being out of the country, and there’s a lot to catch up on.We talk through the return from Uganda, some reflections from the trip, and what stood out most coming back. Along the way, we hit everything from MLB Opening Day to Palm Sunday, plus a few moments from church life—including Brandon getting bumped from preaching.In our Sunday Rewind, we look back at the heart behind this past weekend, especially the compassion focus and what it means to respond. We also revisit some of the thoughts that didn’t make it into the message and process what’s still sticking with us heading into the week.We wrap things up by looking ahead to Good Friday and Easter, and of course, some lighter moments with a debate on ballpark food.A little bit of everything in this one—meaningful, reflective, and just enough chaos to keep it interesting.

This week we’re joined by Pastor Leah!She shares her story, how she ended up in ministry, and what life actually looks like behind the scenes — from the most meaningful parts to the challenges people don’t always see. We also get into how she and Pastor Rob met, what ministry has really taught her.We also rewind Sunday, talk through the heart behind the message, and reflect on how easy it is to miss everyday opportunities to actually live out the love of Christ right in front of us.And then… things take a turn.We wrap it up with a draft of the best talkback phrases during preaching — the ones you hear every Sunday and maybe say without even thinking.

This week we put Mike in the hot seat.Mike is our Creative Leader at Amplify, and if you’ve ever wondered what actually happens behind the scenes on a Sunday morning — this episode is for you.We talk about Mike’s story of faith, how he ended up on staff, what a typical week in church production looks like, and the creative process behind planning services.We also get into some church production confessions:How loud is too loud on a Sunday?Why do churches use fog machines?What are the most common complaints production teams hear?Plus we ask Mike if he ever actually gets mad (spoiler: he might be the calmest man alive).

This week on the podcast, things are moving fast—literally! Brandon’s packing up for a weekend getaway back to DC, the team is gearing up to head out for Love is Red, and we’re even giving you a sneak peek at the Uganda trip where preaching is on the itineraryPlus, some lighter fare: our favorite TV shows and the hilarious nicknames people are calling us on Sundays.

This week we’re talking congregational psychology… and the art of surviving when you forget someone’s name.We recap a freezing trip to Washington DC — memorial walks, the Museum of the Bible, the Dead Sea Scrolls, NASA HQ (yes, we saw a piece of the moon… and yes, we asked the question).Sunday Rewind gets real with Brandon’s message, a slightly confusing ending flow, band cue moments, and the psychology of how a congregation actually responds in the room. Also: Brandon vs. squirrels? ...Plus — Easter is coming. Grab a sign this Sunday!Insightful. Practical. Mildly unhinged.

We discuss an upcoming global leadership event we’re hosting as a site this August, reflect on a visit to Washington DC and the Museum of the Bible, and honor Jeff Leake’s leadership legacy.We also unpack topical vs. verse-by-verse preaching, referencing Isaiah 30 and Jonah, talk Easter promotion, and wrap it up with a fun “Favorite Preacher Draft.”

This week, we dive into a very real case of producer voter fraud (were the polls rigged?, Did Ian Influence Votes??!), breakfast refusals, and what it all teaches us about leadership, influence, and integrity. Along the way we honor Pastor Jeff Leake, recap the Super Bowl, and revisit the Olympics.We also unpack key church conversations including our recent financial town hall, what it looks like when kids take over service, and how to address issues like ICE and racism with truth and grace. There’s a little theology with Jonah, a whole lot of laughs with “Brandon vs. the wheel,” and a pastor favorite: the Favorite Preacher Draft.

Pastor Brandon is joined by Pastor Rob for an episode full of banter, debates, and real ministry conversations. They kick things off with winter Olympics fallout (curling vs hockey still hurts), a social media vote experiment that went completely off the rails, and the shocking revelation that the people love Producer Ian… even when he didn’t participate

This week, Pastors Ed & Brandon rewind a snowy weekend that forced Sunday services to be cancelled and moved church to Friday night. They recap Brandon’s message, “Your Focus Is Your Future,” diving into what it means to seek God first, guard your focus, and live with an eternal perspective.

We talk through moments from Sunday that sparked follow-up conversations, jokes that probably shouldn’t have landed as well as they did, and the kind of behind-the-scenes leadership thoughts you don’t always hear from the stage. Along the way, we hit sports talk, fast food, leadership insights, honest church conversations, and the moments you only hear when the mic is still on.

In this episode, we dive into behind-the-scenes conversations around ministry, leadership, and faith. From reflections on Scripture and singleness to candid thoughts on planning, spontaneity, and church culture, this episode offers an unfiltered look at the conversations that shape what people experience each week.

Fasting and hot tubs might not belong in the same sentence… but here we are.Pastor Ed and Pastor Brandon dive into an honest conversation about fasting, Christmas services, mega-church Christmas experiences, men’s event promotion, and the ongoing debate around Sabbath Sundays. Along the way, they talk church culture, ministry leadership, and even swap ideas for the best Christmas gifts.

Sermons, Spotify Wrapped, and whether "6 7" should concern you spiritually.Pastor Ed and Pastor Brandon talk sermon flow, Bible translation, Spotify Wrapped confessions, and how Christmas shopping tests your sanctification. It’s theology, ministry life, and a little chaos—all in one conversation.