Three Reasons Your Church NEEDS a Podcast
Podcasting has become the new form of blogging. Just a few years ago, platforms like WordPress and Blogspot made it possible for anyone to start blogging. If you owned a computer or smartphone you were capable of sharing your thoughts and passions with the world. Blogging changed to way we disseminate information, the way the news is reported, and the way we learn. Blogging lead to more authors being able to quickly publish their content, leading to the rise of ebook use and sales.
But with the easy availability of blogging the internet quickly became clogged. If you add the rise of social media and the easy with which blog posts could be shared, along with platforms like Facebook constantly changing their algorithms, over time blogs became harder to share. If you are starting a blog in 2018 and do not have the financial means to pay for ads on Facebook and Twitter, or you do not have an established platform, starting a blog and gaining traction can be extremely difficult.
Because of the nature of the local church and its relationship with technology, most local churches were late to the blog game. Even after launching their church blogs, many churches fail to remain consistent in posting, leading readers to become disinterested.
For churches to thrive in 2018, they need to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in new ways. And yet, many churches, once they revamp their 2000s/1990s website a church blog immediately seems like a great idea. And it can be, but if you cannot remain consistent in your posts, as well as sharing relevant and compelling content I'm afraid all of the energy put into the project is for nothing.
Your church needs to launch a podcast.
I have said it once and I will say it again, podcasting is the new form of blogging.
For churches that can barely update a website, starting a podcast can seem like a daunting task. Because podcasting requires an internet connection, the confusion factor seems to go from 0-100 instantly. But it can be manageable and even fun.
Why Does Your Church NEED To Launch A Podcast?
The Church Has A Communication Problem
You can remain in contact with your congregation throughout the week. One of the biggest complaints I hear from people in church is that they do not know what is going on. The local church has a communication problem. Podcasting is an easy way to disseminate announcements and information about the life of the church across multiple platforms. This can be done as introduction or exit to an episode or in the show notes.
Sharing New Voices From Within The Community
Our churches are made up of unique people with unique experiences. Living just outside of Washington, D.C. my church is made of up active and retired members of the military, lobbyists and political types, government employees, and much more. We have people who have lived around the world as well as those who have never left the D.C. area. I'd bet your church is similar.
The church gets a bad rap for only sharing the voice of the pastor or those "in charge." But here's the brilliance of podcasting: it is easy to share new voices from within the community.
There are people in our churches who would never consider preaching from the pulpit but would jump at the chance to share a devotion or theological reflection. Podcasting is a platform perfect for this.
You're Already Creating Content
Each week pastors (should) spend countless hours preparing and perfecting sermons. The tragedy is that for the overwhelming majoring of those sermons the last time they are heard is the particular Sunday they were prepared for. If you're lucky, the sermon might be shared on the church's website.
Posting a sermon to a website is not the same as uploading the sermon as a podcast.
Posting your sermon to a website assumes people actively visit your church's website. That sadly is not true. Most church websites are clunky, lack regular updates, and are not mobile friendly.
Creating a sermon podcast allows you to quickly upload sermons (it can be done from a smartphone) and members of your congregation can share them instantly or weeks later from their smart devices or computers. Pastors, you are creating the content, why not share it!?!
Launching a Podcast
Launching a podcast does not have to be a daunting task. It can actually be a lot of fun.
Does your church currently share content on a website but you want to reach a wider audience?
Do your weekly sermons move those in the pew but you want to reach a wider community?
Let's talk about it. Let me help you take your church's digital platform to the next level by adding a podcast, taking your ministry beyond the walls of your church and Sunday morning.
Schedule a time now to talk further about how a podcast can be a ministry aid for your community.