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ROCK Cast

Spark Development Network

Podcast giving the latest updates and information about the Rock RMS system.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

22 episodes
fortnightly
Avg 38 min
English

Episodes 22

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Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

S2026 · E223
Monday · 44 min
Daydreams of Multiplayer Agents and (Maybe) the End of Duplicate Records | Ep 223
In this episode of Rock Cast, the team talks about the next unlock for AI Agents, especially after a long 3-month period of limited progress in the industry around harnesses. Instead of working with personal agents in a private chat, imagine collaborating with your team by sharing a live agent workspace. This is the transition from single-player agents to multiplayer agents, and it will dramatically change the way your team works. Then, they pull back the curtain on a problem every Rock church experiences: duplicate records. They invite listeners to brainstorm early product thinking and daydream about a unique solution: requiring verification for phone numbers and emails when adding a record. Jon and Emily are careful not to promise any guarantees, but allow listeners a peek into the crucible process, that is, the refinement and testing of all ideas. Visit the show notes to download all the resources talked about in this episode. Don't forget to join the Rock Cast Rocket Chat Channel to see what other churches are saying about this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E222
September 11 · 39 min
Why Your Pitches Aren't Making it to the Elevator | Ep 222
You have a good idea and you've thought it through. You're ready to pitch it, but it gets shut down. In this episode, we cover the gap between having an idea and selling one. Spoiler: they're not the same skill. Speaking from lessons learned in their careers, Jon and Emily walk through 12 reasons why some ideas never get a seat at the table. They share tried-and-true strategies for what does work and what happens after the pitch actually lands. Emily and Nicole add real examples from church and organizational work, and Jon closes with a line that sums it all up: a good idea poorly communicated is a missed opportunity. A bad idea communicated well is a landmine. This isn't a talent you're born with. It's a skill you train for. Watch the latest episode to learn how to master the art of selling your ideas. Visit the show notes to download all the resources talked about in this episode. Don't forget to join the new Rock Cast Rocket Chat Channel to see what other churches are saying about this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E221
August 21 · 40 min
Stop the Slop: How We're Keeping AI Out of Our Blind Spots | Ep 221
AI slop isn't a writing problem; it's an effort problem that shows up when we outsource our thinking to the model. On this episode, the team walks through what AI slop actually is, how we're keeping it out of own channels, and practical tools like a viral AI Writing Policy and skills our team uses internally to help you stop the slop. Jon kicks off with version updates including v19.4 in beta with AI agents coming very soon, Rock IQ, and v20 development. He shares his hot take on AI slop framing it as a human problem rather than a technology problem. Nicole walks through the Write-Like-Me skill, which is an internal tool used to speed up drafting communications in your real voice while stripping generic AI output. It's refinable over time and we're giving it away for free. Emily brings in Extreme Ownership, applying Jocko Willink's stewardship principle to Rock admins. There are no bad teams, only bad leaders, and there is no AI slop problem, only a review process nobody is enforcing. Download the resources and listen to this episode to learn how you can apply them. Visit the show notes to download all the resources talked about in this episode. Don't forget to join the new Rock Cast Rocket Chat Channel to see what other churches are saying about this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E220
August 12 · 29 min
Risk, Cost or Apathy: What's Really Blocking Your Church's AI Adoption | Ep 220
If you're a Rock Cast listener, chances are you're already an early adopter, and that puts you right where your church needs you: a step ahead. In this episode, the team unpacks the three biggest reasons people hesitate to adopt agentic AI, and why early adopters are the force multipliers who help others cross the chasm. Jon shares a version update Rock has been building towards for years: v19.4, complete with AI agents. He teases a new onboarding layer called Spark Connect which turns services like AI on without needing to become an AI genius. Even though Sam Altman and Elon Musk claim that AI hit the point of singularity, we talk about why that milestone still doesn't buy your church a single ounce of wisdom, especially when it comes to vibe coding your church's website. Visit the show notes to find all the resources talked about in this episode. Don't forget to join the new Rock Cast Rocket Chat Channel to see what other churches are saying about this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E219
July 16 · 34 min
Your Congregation's Second Brain for Ministry | Ep 219
On this special edition, Jon and Nicole sit down with Core Rock Mobile's Team Lead, Jay Nestle, to introduce the Outreach Toolbox, a new v19 Rock Mobile feature that empowers your people to care for others. Jon traces the vision of this feature to a question the team kept circling: are we building tools that operate on people, or through them? The answer became GPO, God's People Optimization, a concept that Jon introduced at RX25 which focuses on activating your people as force multipliers through ministry tools. Jay walks through the Outreach Toolbox sharing the design and intention behind private contacts, a prayer and connection cadence each person sets themselves, and daily touchpoints that turn good intentions into action. This feature is designed to be your second brain for daily rhythms of outreach. You'll get the most out of this Rock Cast episode by watching on YouTube so you can follow along. We encourage those who want their congregation to feel like ministers and not an audience, to learn more. Visit the show notes to find all the resources talked about in this episode. Don't forget to join the new Rock Cast Rocket Chat Channel to see what other churches are saying about this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E218
July 10 · 35 min
RockIQ Rapid Fire Q&A from the AI Summit | Ep 218
This week's AI Summit drew more than 670 registrations for the Community's first look at AI Agents in Rock. On this episode of Rock Cast, special guest Daniel Hazelbaker, a member of the team who built Rockʼs AI features, debriefs the AI Summit with Jon in a rapid-fire Q&A pulled straight from the event. They kick off by answering the most-asked question of the event: what version will these features be available in? They also discuss major topics like security, model options, MCP connectors, voice agents and technical details. If you haven't watched the AI Summit, we recommend starting there first and then tuning back in for this episode. Don't forget to share this recording with your leadership to help them catch the vision for where Rock is heading. Visit the show notes to find all the resources talked about in this episode. Don't forget to join the new Rock Cast Rocket Chat Channel to see what other churches are saying about this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E217
July 2 · 27 min
3 Underrated Features Churches Are Overlooking | Ep 217
We're halfway through 2026, and Jon, Emily, and Nicole are treating it as a checkpoint, not a victory lap. This episode pairs a v19 walkthrough with the mid-year reset most teams will skip. In Jon's segment on v19, he covers the features your church should be paying attention to. With the most important one being AI. The AI Summit on July 7th is the Community's first look at AI Agents and the biggest event of the summer. Emily and Nicole lead a mid-year reset around three critical questions: what you accomplished so far in 2026, what needs to change, and what to learn now before fall. They revisit the Vacation Test and flag Following, NextGen Check-in, and Connections as summer priorities and underrated features. Listen to the full episode, then share it with your team to make the most of 2026. Visit the show notes to find all the resources talked about in this episode. Don't forget to join the new Rock Cast Rocket Chat Channel to see what other churches are saying about this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E216
June 15 · 21 min
Ladies and Gentlemen, Your RX26 Keynote Speaker | Ep 216
Excellence isn't a feeling; it is a system built from repeatable habits and reinforced culture. On this major episode, the team covers recent AI news, a brand-new event for the Community, and the big reveal of this year's conference keynote speaker! Jon catches us up on Claude Fable 5, the ChatGPT super app shift, and the Rock AI Summit on July 7 at 10-11:30am PT. He shares a security warning for anyone evaluating AI tools for their church data. Then Emily announces the man who built the most admired service culture in the world, Horst Schulze, co-founder of The Ritz-Carlton, and RX26's keynote speaker! He turned excellence into a repeatable system and a global standard that led the Ritz-Carlton to win the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award twice. Jon introduces Ministry by Design, a framework for applying that same thinking to how a church moves someone from unknown to known, engaged, serving, and leading. Visit the show notes to find all the resources talked about in this episode. Don't forget to join the new Rock Cast Rocket Chat Channel to see what other churches are saying about this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E215
June 5 · 21 min
The Vatican on AI and Grandmasters on Ministry | Ep 215
In this Rock Cast episode, the Pope weighs into the AI conversation with a 200-page doc. We summarized his arguments for you and share more details on Opus 4.8 noting the shift of importance from models to harnesses. Then Emily unpacks why Thinking Sideways will help you avoid the danger of acting before considering all your options. By taking a lesson from the chess grandmasters, she describes the pitfall of having false confidence that we can predict exactly how complex systems will unfold. Nicole closes with an exciting conference update that you and your leaders will want to hear! Give this episode a listen to catch up on the latest news in the Community and in the tech industry. Visit the show notes to find all the resources talked about in this episode. Don't forget to join the new Rock Cast Rocket Chat Channel to see what other churches are saying about this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E214
May 22 · 46 min
AI Voice Models & the Hidden Costs of Untrained Staff | Ep 214
Most church leaders know their staff training isn't as robust as it should be, but very few understand what it's actually costing them. In Episode 214, Jon, Emily, and Nicole bring to light three real costs: lost staff productivity, missed connections with your congregation and redundant software your church is paying for because they don't know Rock already does the job. Before diving into training, Jon walks through AI voice models coming to Rock that sound human, compute deals between major AI providers and cloud platforms, and the important distinction between chat AI and agentic AI. The episode closes with a four-question self-assessment every church leader should run this week and actionable steps to strengthen your staff's Rock training. Visit the show notes to find all the resources talked about in this episode. Don't forget to join the new Rock Cast Rocket Chat Channel to see what other churches are saying about this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E213
May 12 · 38 min
The Vacation Test Every Rock Admin Should Run Right Now | Ep 213
Imagine your Rock admin takes two weeks off for vacation with no handoff, no Slack notification, no "just text me if you need something" message. What breaks first? Whatever comes to mind is your starting point for what Nassim Taleb calls the fragility list. In this episode, Jon, Emily, and Nicole apply Talebʼs concept of antifragility to church systems inside Rock. Most people think the opposite of fragile is tough, but Taleb says thereʼs a third category for things that become stronger under stress. Glass breaks under tension but muscle grows, so should your systems. Jon shares an update about v19 in Beta Testing, and early AI Agent capabilities in this release. After engagement from social media on church budgets and AI pricing, he explains further how churches can prepare their budgets now while AI tools are still subsidized. Visit the show notes to find all the resources talked about in this episode. Don't forget to join the new Rock Cast Rocket Chat Channel to see what other churches are saying about this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E212
April 24 · 35 min
What's Possible When AI Does the Heavy Lifting | Ep 212
In this episode, Jon, Emily, and Nicole dream about what's possible for church admins and ministries when AI does the heavy lifting. Jon shares where AI is headed in 2026 and why writing the spec first pays off, with the Spark API Gateway story as proof. Nicole then makes the case for becoming a Rock Star. You don't have to be technical and the barrier to entry is lower than you think, you just have to start engaging now. Emily wraps up the conversation by showing how to turn James Clear's Atomic Habits into a working system inside Rock with workflows as the engine, Step Programs as the discipleship backbone, and AI Agents as the intelligence layer. Visit the show notes to find all the resources talked about in this episode. Don't forget to join the new Rock Cast Rocket Chat Channel to see what other churches are saying about this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E211
April 14 · 47 min
How Church Leaders Should Respond to the AI Race | Ep 211
Jon and Emily are joined by a new voice on the show, Nicole Shibata, who handles marketing, fundraising, and conference planning for Rock. In this conversation, the team covers the most consequential three months in AI since ChatGPT launched. They talk about what shipped in the industry, why the rapid pace matters, and what church leaders need to do about it now. Emily then unpacks Will Guidara’s Unreasonable Hospitality to understand how service is different than hospitality. This is where ministries have a unique opportunity to lead because Rock empowers churches with the tools they need to intentionally care for people. The real question is whether those tools are being used to create moments that are unexpected, meaningful, and unforgettable. Visit the show notes to find all the resources talked about in this episode. Don't forget to join the new Rock Cast Rocket Chat Channel to see what other churches are saying about this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E210
March 28 · 44 min
The Science of Finding Greatness in People | Ep 210
In this episode of Rock Cast, the team gives a brief update to v19 heading into pre-alpha and revisit the heart behind Rock. More than a ChMS, Rock was designed as a relational management system to steward people, not just data. The feature, Following, is one of the most underutilized tools that acts as a personalized digest to help you respond with care and track major life events. They deepen the conversation by challenging listeners to invest in volunteers and build a simple volunteer growth framework. Visit the show notes to find all the resources talked about in this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E209
March 16 · 51 min
Escaping the Complexity Trap | Ep 209
Complexity is a well-intentioned trap that all churches fall into. In this episode, the team unpacks what they call the Complexity Trap, the moment when tools meant to support ministry start creating friction instead. Jon describes the first two steps of Elon Musk’s 5-Step Algorithm to help simplify your requirements and they apply it to real ministry functions like baptism forms and children's check in. Listen to the complete episode to hear their discussion and visit the show notes to find the resources they mentioned. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E208
February 13 · 48 min
What Vibe Coding Means for Rock Churches | Ep 208
In episode 208 of Rock Cast, Jon and Emily tackle a hot topic in tech right now, vibe coding, and explore what it means for church software and digital ministry. As AI rapidly reshapes how software is built, some are asking whether traditional software is becoming obsolete, but what does that mean for churches? Listen to the complete episode to hear their discussion and visit the show notes to find the resources they mentioned. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E207
February 2 · 44 min
Success Isn't Measured by Church Size | Ep 207
Tune into this episode to learn what quality the most successful Rock churches have in common. Hint: it isn't church size! Jon, Emily, and Nick offer fresh insight into the Essentials model and discuss a new program they're building to train Community members to help cast vision for Essentials churches. This is an empowering episode for churches of all sizes and one you'll want to share with your team. Find resources mentioned in this episode from the complete show notes at podcast-episode-207! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2026 · E206
January 10 · 33 min
v19 Updates and Shaping Ministry Culture in 2026 | Ep 206
In this episode of Rock Cast, Jon, Emily, and Nick highlight v19 updates like new Connections analytics, simplified status terms, a zero-config CAPTCHA and more. They also encourage churches to start 2026 by investing in their digital ministry culture by celebrating spiritual impact, providing ongoing training, and building healthy team habits. Tune in to learn how to lead your team and tools with purpose. Find resources mentioned in this episode from the complete show notes at podcast-episode-206! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2025 · E205
Dec 19, 2025 · 39 min
Product Grooming & the Giving Landscape | Ep 205
In the final 2025 episode of Rock Cast, Jon, Emily, and Nick talk about product grooming and the Community's responsibility in it. As the team continues to prune and refine the software, you can look forward to more change towards meaningful innovation. They also dive into Jon's articles on X covering the role of AI in digital ministry and an honest look into the evolution of the giving landscape. You can find links to his articles in the show notes and share them with your pastor! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2025 · E204
Dec 8, 2025 · 30 min
v18 Just Released & 2026 Goal Setting | Ep 204
Don't miss this conversational episode of Rock Cast as Jon, Emily, and Nick share three big updates: the v18 release, a conversation with a successful entrepreneur and goal setting ideas for your digital ministry in 2026. As many churches wrestle with "technical debt", they encourage listeners to use the prioritization framework to build an action plan for resolving this in the new year. The best way to set your digital ministry up for success is to remind yourself daily of true mission. Read the show notes to find a free printable resource you can leave on your desk to help guide you in your day-to-day decisions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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