Take It or Leave It

Would you ask a random person to come fix your roof? What about your plumbing? Would you go to Home Depot and ask the employee overseeing the appliances to come install your new washer and dryer? Absolutely not! There are professionals for those jobs. Why then do so many ignore the importance of hiring professionals to focus on their graphic design? Maybe because it's not valued. Join us as we explore five practical reasons of why graphic design should be a priority for your church or business. 

What to expect from Season 3 of the Take It or Leave It Podcast! We are partnering again with Pro Church Media and Pro Church Media University!THREE NEW FEATURES:We are officially on YOUTUBE! Subscribe to get notified on new episodes featuring helpful creative content for you and your team. You can subscribe here.QUESTION & ANSWER episodes with Megan and Jason Watson of Pro Church Media. Submit your questions for Megan and Jason for special episodes during the season. Submit your questions here.MINI-SERIES episodes featuring special topics with knowledgeable and credible guests. Content featured will help add value to your team and your church.Subscribe today! Give us a review on how we can be better! Also give us a 5 STAR RATING so we can climb the visibility charts!

Join Austin and Stephen as they discuss the personal journey Austin has made from a college student figuring out what God wanted from him, to now, as Creative Director at Canvas Church in Alachua, Florida (Southwest of Jacksonville). As a Creative Director leading a handful of creative volunteers and staff, Austin's focus as a creative goes beyond a printed piece, a social post, or b-roll for a video. Austin said, "Creatives exist to put visuals to the vision of the leadership, anything else outside their God-given vision is false advertising to the community." Such a true and insightful thought. As Austin and his team work to bring consistency to the Canvas brand, they have realized that their creativity has led many to doorsteps of the church. Many who serve alongside Austin, including Austin himself, were drawn in to Canvas because of their message of real life and real love.Canvas Church constantly and consistently communicate these three values, which are also the cause of their incredible growth journey

Cameron Smith is the Media Arts Director at Christ's Church of the Valley (CCV) in Phoenix, AZ. He and his wife Mikela have been married for 15 years and have 3 children. Christ's Church of the Valley has ten locations within the greater Phoenix metro area. Cameron oversees the Media Arts team which consists of creating and producing content for three key areas/groups: NextGen, Weekends, and Adult Groups. These three areas are was drive CCV's culture of growth and community. Cameron talks about having a healthy culture of commraderie among team members. Having a mind to grow and learn is also vital to a healthy team. Growing from a couple basic DSLR cameras to a fully geared up team didn't happen over night, it came by building trust with the leadership team of the church. They also were great stewards of every piece of equipment given to them over the years. We speak a little to the importance of building a cohesive spirit within a multi-site campus. Cameron talks about how each campus is specifically chosen

Joe Cavazos is a leader on the Christian Creative scene. Joe returns to the show with more insight for aspiring freelancers looking to grow their businesses, while still being passionate about their craft. Joe gives us insight into his process which involves a distraction free zone and music. Also, we dive into a topic that overshadows many creatives today: depression and anxiety. Joe opens up a little on this topic as it is much needed content for creatives and Christians serving their churches. There were some timely words regarding our current culture and the traps many creatives have in wanting to be consuming rather than contributing. Joe believes in Actions over Consumption. "Our output should be greater than our input. We should be doing the work instead of always browsing the work of others. Put in the work."Joe Cavazos is the co-founder of SundaySocial.tv, an amazing resource for churches to grow and enhance their online and social platforms through incredible graphics. He also is the co-creator of N

RJ Prestenbach is a graphic designer from New Orleans who currently resides in Lafayette, La. He has over 15 years experience with working along side individual clients as well as churches to create memorable and lasting work that inspires both growth and productivity. Currently employed at a multi campus church who just planted their sixth location in Louisiana, RJ occasionally freelances when his schedule allows it. Our conversation with RJ was packed with great insight in regards to working and collaborating with a team. There are many dynamics with working with other designers and creatives, but the team that has been assembled at the multi-site church RJ works at, has allowed them to produce some amazing content for their community.We also discuss the importance of having the right resources in your life that will help combat against fatigue, discouragement, and during those seasons of crunch-time. Listen longer and find out how RJ responded when he discovered someone copied his work  layer for layer and

Casey Olson's motto has been "Creativity is God's, collaboration is ours." We sit down and talk with Casey about just that and more. The deep belief that creativity comes from the greatest Creator of all, Jesus Christ, is something that motivates Casey and it should be something that motivates us in what we do. "Success is measured by how much I am able to give and use my gifts for the Lord," Casey says. She starts her day of focusing on the body (exercise), soul (mass/time with God), and mind (prayer and deep thought). Being creative isn't just found behind the computer, it is a bi-product of our relationship with Jesus. Creativity can grow as we grow closer to Him. She says, "Practice doesn't always make perfect, but it does allow us to make progress." What a powerful lesson to learn to collaborate with the Great Creator!Casey works as a senior designer for lifeteen.com. She creates content that helps teenagers understand they can have a meaningful relationship with Jesus. Her talent is truly seen through h

As designers, we tend to find our identity in our work. When our work is criticized, we take it personally. If we are not included in a certain skill class, we get offended. Art and design is personal, but as Christian creatives, we shouldn't find our sole purpose and identity in design. Our talk with James Graves highlights how he discovered his identity was in things that could be taken away rather than his relationship with Jesus...which can never be dissolved. We talk with James about everything from freelance, to working at several secular design agencies, to working on a church creative team. The pros, the cons, the ups and the downs, James shares how God continues to work on designing him to be more like Christ in all that he does. James Graves goes by the handle @visiualjams and uses his talents to inspire, encourage, and uplift those around him. He also gives us some insight into elephants—be sure to listen to the whole episode to find out what that insight is!CONNECT WITH JAMES:INSTAGRAMDRIBBBLEBEHA

Ashley Ulmer and her husband know what it is like to lose everything...twice. Ashley shares her story of how building two tshirt printing companies brought them to where they are today. They have learned so much, and appreciate the little things of life. Ashley is a successful freelance designer, creating simple graphics for apparel, print, and social media. Born and raised in New Mexico, her heritage has a great influence in her design aesthetic. She also explains how her struggles play a huge part in finding beauty in the imperfections of life. Ashley enjoys being a wife to her husband, a mother to her three boys, and creating inspirational designs for anyone and everyone that will stop and look.We hope our conversation with Ashley will inspire you to keep create regardless of the obstacles that come your way. CONNECT WITH ASHLEYWEBSITEPRO CHURCH MEDIA UNIVERSITYINSTAGRAMFACEBOOK

Dustin Cooper is a 31 year old graphic designer based out of Toledo OH. He lives there with his wife and 3 kids.After graduating from Hillsong College in 2007 with a music degree, he went to work on staff at a couple churches such as Calvary Church in Toledo, and Free Chapel in Gainesville, GA. He also worked a few years at a marketing company in Toledo. A little over five years ago he made the leap to full-time freelancer so that he could help more churches and businesses through graphic design. He has been doing graphics for 10 years and is considered an expert in his field of work.  Along with working as a successful freelancer, Dustin has contributed his experience to being an instructor for Pro Church Media University. Dustin is a great example of following your passion even if it means changing a career path.  FOLLOW DUSTINFACEBOOK (BUSINESS)FACEBOOK (PERSONAL)INSTAGRAMWEBSITE

We sit down and chat with Jenessa Wait, a designer, creative, and speaker based in Austin, Texas. She started her hand lettering journey in 2015 as a hobby and it quickly turned into a business as well as a way to bring encouragement into peoples lives and homes. She has a strong passion to impact the way people think about who they are and what they're destined for. Her and her husband, Ben, moved from Redding, California to Austin, Texas a few years back after feeling God calling them to help with a church-plant. During that time, Jenessa grew her online following because of her fresh, raw designs and her desire to encourage others. She believes that as Christian Creatives, it's not about us, it should always be about the people serve. It's easy for creatives to create to please people, but we should really want to create because it brings light into who God is.When she's not creating, Jenessa works alongside her husband, pastoring a young adults group at their local church in Austin, Texas. CONNECT WITH JE

Creativity comes in different forms. This week we interview Josh Engler, a Creative Director and Worship leader of Grace Avenue Church in San Antonio. We explore the backstage of what happens behind a worship team that is connected to God and has the focus of bringing the congregation in tune with the Spirit during each and every service. Josh has been blessed with great experience as the frontman for his music group "Abandon," as well as working with two churches over the last decade. Through this experience Josh discovered that true worship is when we see a clearer picture of God's attributes. More of God and less of us. Josh's creativity can be seen through his skill as a musician, singer, and songwriter. He also manages and plans song sets and team members that serve people each and every week with the pursuit of glorifying God and settling the hearts of people before they hear the bible message. We were encouraged by our conversation with Josh, and we know you will be too!CONNECT WITH JOSH:INSTAGRAMFACEB

We had a blast chatting with Chase Eggenberger. Chase, originally from Alabama, moved to Memphis to pursue his business degree at University of Memphis. During that time he began a Valet business that eventually turned into something very profitable and meaningful to Chase. However, as he began searching he found that he needed something more. Reached through the social media of Life Church of Memphis, he began attending services and found exactly what he was looking for. Dabbling in design became a creative outlet that Chase grew passionate in, he was soon volunteering at his church in any way he could. Eventually his work was noticed by the Marketing Director of the church and was offering a full-time job as a Social Media Designer. The Life Church in Memphis will be six campuses come the Fall of 2020, and with almost 20,000 strong in attendees and membership. This is a huge undertaking when it comes to media, graphics, social and day to day outreach via the media outlets of our society. Chase and the team

Like many freelance creatives, JJ was self-taught by being given an opportunity to design simple promotional items for her work. She did such a great job, her boss fired their current designer and gave JJ the job. Since then JJ has stretched herself by learning and growing in new techniques, styles, and discipline. Being a stay-at-home-mom (a full-time, unpaid job), she juggles life and all it  throws at her each and every day by being humble and brave. Her curiosity gets the best of her, and that has caused her designs and creative ability to be noticed within the Prochurch Media Community. Her and her husband reside in Atlanta area where they both work from home while raising their two children. CONNECT WITH JJ GETZDesign Instagram

With 12 years of design and animation experience, Jason has worked with churches, design agencies and media producers from all over the world. Jason has experience in design, illustration, photography, editing and advanced design techniques for applications like animation. He loves to share tips + tricks he’s learned from working both inside churches and for agencies to help others create top-notch media for their church.We discuss how Jason got started in creative work and how he now assists his wife Megan Watson advance the mission of ProChurch Media and PCM University. We discuss several topics, one being  humility when it comes to learning and expanding in knowledge as designers and creatives. CONNECT WITH JASON:Personal WebsiteProChurch Media UniversityFacebook

Brady Shearer is a successful entrepreneur. He has built a successful company called ProChurch Tools where they focus on provided practical and relevant tools to churches during the biggest communication shift since the printing press. Brady is under the age of 30, but has so much to offer when it comes to balancing family, work, ministry, and so much more. He talks about being stretched, effort vs. environment, work vs. worth, and even some personal routines he has implemented into his life to navigate through the tough, busy seasons of life. Be sure to listen to the entire episode and leave us a review to tell us how it helped you!  CONNECT WITH BRADY:FacebookInstagramProChurch ToolsNucleus.Church

Born in North Carolina and raised in South Dakota, William is a creative content designer, speaker, and business owner.  He is also a former fashion and commercial model.  His work has been published in GQ Magazine, High-end Retailers, and New York Fashion Week during his time from Miami to New York City in 2007-2010. Upon seeing success in the fashion industry, Will took advantage of all the lavish parties and social events that surround the Hollywood lifestyle. As time went on relationships turned sour - alcohol and drugs became more prevalent and available as his network grew. Pressure and influence started taking root and priorities slowly drifted.  As focuses became blurred by desperate decisions Will’s reality became a living nightmare. Will made a 180 degree turn with his life in the spring of 2012 and is no longer pursuing the industry. Now it’s his desire to give forward and help rescue others that might fall prey to bad influence or become distracted. To help people recognize ulterior motives, educa

Have you ever thought, "Someone should create something like that!" or "I should make something that will fix that problem."? It's probably safe to say all of us have thought it, but very few of us have actually stepped out and fixed a problem or offered a solution to a pain point of every day life. In our talk with Justin Trapp, you will find a guy who saw a few problems draining the time and energy of many pastors and Christian workers around the country, and created solutions to fix those pain points. The first was creating strategies for Bible sermons in the form of Sermon Series. By creating story and plot lines along with attractive graphics and media assets, Ministry Pass was a hit when it launched in 2014. Over the last 5 years, it has grown to be a staple for many ministries who rely on having relevant, creative sermon content at their fingertips. Ministry Pass is a leader in the Christian creative space for those pastors and ministries bogged down by hours of research and preparation for 1 or 2 hour

We like it when it's good, and feel bad when it's negative, but giving and receiving feedback is a part of life. It is how we grow. We talk to Josh Teis, the lead pastor of the church he started in Las Vegas 15 years ago, Southern Hills Baptist Church. Over the years, he admits he has had his ups and downs with feedback, but gives us some great advice from lessons he has learned in the process.Josh said, "the best feedback we can receive is form people we trust. Those who want what is best for us and for what we do, will be on a level of trust and in a position to offer feedback that is beneficial to our growth." Receiving feedback from people that we don't know, don't like, or have never met, can produce a bad spirit because the trust isn't there. We don't know if they have our best interest at heart. If there is no foundation of trust how can there be any process of speaking truth?Josh also gave us a helpful acrostic FACT when giving feedback.FORTHOUGHT. Don’t just “wing-it” but thoughtfully write it out. D

ProChurch Media started because there was a void in the Christian creative world that offered inspiration, collaboration, and education. Megan Watson gives us the story behind her founding and creating ProChurch Media and ProChurch Media University.One of the biggest takeaways from our conversation with Megan was that she saw a need and came up with a solution. That is what creatives do, that is where we thrive. The church has the greatest message yet it often lacks great messaging. God is a Designer. He is a Creative. The heavens declare His glory and artistic genius. Why is it then Christians and churches often give this message any type of beauty or attractiveness? Megan saw that the problem was in providing a community where creatives from around the world could share their ideas, their designs, and be able to learn from one another without a "competitive" tone. That community has developed into a need not only for inspiration but also education. Megan and her husband Jason not only began ProChurch Media,