The Hacka Podcast

How can churches use social media to reach more people, grow their online presence, and turn digital engagement into real-world ministry?In this episode, we are joined by Madison Anderson, Creative Director at Calvary Tabernacle and Indiana Bible College in Indianapolis, to discuss church social media strategy, digital evangelism, creative leadership, and the importance of consistency in growing an online audience.Over the last five years, Madison has helped transform Calvary Tabernacle's digital presence, growing its Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts to more than 100,000 followers each. But the secret to that growth isn't necessarily viral videos or following the latest trends. It's having a clear strategy, understanding your audience, and consistently sharing content that connects with people.Madison shares how Calvary went from having no Instagram presence to reaching thousands of people every week, why social media has become one of their most effective evangelism tools, and how churches of any size can improve their digital outreach.We also discuss the challenges of building and leading creative teams, giving constructive feedback, creating content that reaches people outside Apostolic circles, and knowing when viral content might actually hurt your ministry.Finally, Madison shares about her transition into a new leadership role as Director of Strategy and Integration and offers encouragement to those who feel called to serve God through creativity and technology.Extended show notes---------Connect with Calvary Tabernacle: https://calvarytabindy.com/Learn more about Indiana Bible College: https://www.indianabible.college/Calvary career opportunities: https://calvarytabindy.com/careersSubscribe to The Hacka Podcast for conversations on Apostolic Pentecostal ministry, church leadership, theology, and personal growth.

Can a miracle be genuine while the doctrine behind the ministry is wrong?In this clip, Bishop Ric Gonzalez discusses the importance of spiritual discernment, miracles, signs and wonders, and biblical truth. He explains why Christians must be careful not to assume that every supernatural experience or apparent move of God automatically validates the person or ministry through which it occurs.Drawing from Matthew 7, Bro Gonzalez reminds us that miracles alone do not save people. While God honours His Word, the gifts of the Spirit must always point people toward Jesus Christ and a genuine relationship with Him.We also explore the danger of connecting miraculous experiences to false doctrine, the importance of discerning what is truly from the Holy Spirit, and why the foundation of biblical truth matters more than the supernatural experience itself.

What does “the Word became flesh” in John 1:14 actually mean? In this clip, Dr Talmadge French examines John 1:1, John 1:14, the Oneness of God, the identity of Jesus Christ, the Trinity, and the incarnation to explain why he believes Jesus is the one God revealed in human form.Dr French begins with the Old Testament declaration that God is one and asks an important question: If God was ultimately going to be revealed as three persons, why is that distinction not clearly presented in the Old Testament?From there, he turns to the Gospel of John. He discusses the meaning of the “Word” in John 1 and explains why he understands “the Word became flesh” not as a second divine person becoming human, but as God Himself taking humanity upon Himself.Dr French also discusses John 5:18, Hebrews 2:14 and the biblical meaning of the incarnation.

What does excellence in church production actually look like? Is it about better sound, better cameras, better lighting and more expensive gear, or is there something deeper behind great church production?In this episode, I sit down with Vito Di Giovanni of DiGiovanni Technologies and Benjamin Cashen of Cashen Creative for a conversation about church production, worship ministry, leadership, sound, video, media teams, mentorship and pursuing excellence in ministry.Vito and Ben have worked in production environments ranging from local churches to major conferences and arenas. But when we start talking about excellence, the conversation quickly moves beyond equipment.We discuss the difference between excellence and perfectionism, why production leaders need to develop people instead of simply filling positions, and how creating a culture of mentorship can strengthen your team and prevent everything from depending on one person.Vito and Ben also explain why your sound engineers, camera operators, lighting teams, ProPresenter operators and media volunteers shouldn't think of themselves simply as technicians—they are part of the worship team.One of the biggest ideas from this conversation is simple: before production is about technology, it is about people, worship and ministry.Extended show notes - https://hacka.org/2026/10/05/234-vito-digiovanni-benjamin-cashen/

What does it take to stay faithful in ministry for decades, and continue reaching new people in a rapidly changing world?In this episode, we are joined by Kent Elliott, pastor of Faith Tabernacle in Manchester, Connecticut, and founder of FaithWorks. Kent has served at the same church for 34 years, including 26 years as senior pastor, and shares lessons from decades of Apostolic ministry, church growth, leadership, evangelism and perseverance.We talk about Kent’s calling to ministry at 16, the importance of staying when ministry gets difficult, the disciplines that have sustained him, and the remarkable growth Faith Tabernacle has experienced in recent years.Kent also shares practical advice for pastors leading churches that feel stuck or stagnant. We discuss creating a church culture that genuinely expects guests, preparing for growth before it happens, involving new believers and understanding the pastor’s role in shaping church culture.Finally, we dive into digital evangelism and the story behind FaithWorks and Faith Funnels. Kent explains how churches can use digital marketing, social media advertising and intentional follow-up to reach people they might never encounter through traditional outreach.Kent’s challenge is simple: the message never changes, but methods do.Extended show notes -