The Podcasting Church
Blogs. Web 2.0. RSS feeds. Podcasting.

by Bob Christenson and Matt Farina

If you’re anything like most people, these little words can bring on shaking and cold sweats. They sound quite technical, so you immediately accept the fact that you won’t understand what they mean, let alone how to use the technologies behind them.

But never fear! A little knowledge can arm you with the courage to move your church forward in an ever-changing world where “cutting edge” is increasingly becoming every-day.

As technology becomes more prominent, its complexity becomes more mainstream. Things that were recently the realm of the ubergeek are now being integrated into mainstream Internet communities and websites. We often use these new features daily without realizing what they are or how we’re using them.

In fact, much of the Internet functionality that’s so popular today is just a repackaging of technologies from yesterday. Old ideas are taken into the garage, tuned up, souped up and repackaged with a new moniker.

Yet, the new packaging is important because the subtle alterations that have been implemented are the very reason for the technology’s rising popularity.

Podcasting is one such technology. Simply put, it’s the repackaging of a very old idea.

What’s Podcasting?

The term “Podcasting” is a confusing misnomer. It’s a combination of two words: “iPod” (Apple’s mp3 player) and “broadcasting.” It’s confusing because many folks assume that to listen to a Podcast, you must own an iPod. Fortunately, for millions of people without iPods, this just isn’t the case.

A more appropriate term might be “NetCasting,” since it’s actually just a recorded audio broadcast that’s put onto the Internet. So, don’t get confused — Podcasting doesn’t require an iPod or any other MP3 player. A computer with an Internet connection and a set of headphones will do the job.

There are, however, a few key twists that make this technology more useful than a standard over-the-air radio show put onto the Internet. The methods for recording and delivering Podcast episodes are different than the traditional radio program, and these factors are the key to the success of Podcasting.

Let’s imagine you could simply walk into your local radio station and tell them you wanted to be on the air. You’d grab the mic, talk for an hour about the things that are important to you, and thousands of folks would be able to listen in. But if you tried this, we have a feeling they’d politely have security walk you off the premises.

It’s the ability to accomplish essentially the same thing that makes Podcasting so cool. Most Podcast shows are recorded, produced and put on the Net by average Joes. The hosts of most Podcast shows are self-appointed experts on everything from remote-control airplanes, to computer programming, to Christian theology. This diversity and freedom is the key to Podcasting. Anyone, anywhere, with a microphone, a recorder and an Internet connection is free to host their very own Podcast.

The other big twist in Podcasting is its delivery method. Think about Podcasting like a magazine subscription. You fill out that little annoying card that falls out of each issue, mail it in, and then every month the magazine shows up at your house. Podcasting works just like that, but without the postal service, the subscription bill, or that pesky little card.

To listen to a Podcast, usually you’ll ‘subscribe’ to it, telling the Podcast that you want to have it automatically delivered to your computer whenever there’s a new episode. This process is much simpler than it sounds and usually involves simply clicking a ‘subscribe’ button. Until you tell it to stop, that Podcast will be automatically delivered to your computer for free each time there’s a new episode.

And yes, we said free. Almost all Podcasts are free downloads. This is one great aspect of Podcasting because you can try out many different ‘casts and only keep subscriptions to the ones you really like.

Subscribing & Listening to Podcasts

OK, so you have a computer with a set of speakers and an Internet connection. That’s all you need to start subscribing to Podcasts.

The most popular and user-friendly way to find and download Podcasts is by using Apple Computer’s iTunes Store, which is built into the free iTunes software, available for download at www.itunes.com. This software is by far the most popular way the Internet is serving up Podcasts. It’s free to download, easy to use, and available for both Windows PCs and Macintosh computers.

Once you’ve downloaded and installed the software, you can click on the iTunes Store link, and then click on “Podcasts.” From there, the Podcasting world is your oyster. You can find thousands of Podcasts on any topic you can imagine.

Next to each Podcast name, you’ll see a ‘subscribe’ button. Click that, and your episodes will begin downloading immediately.

Do you have an iPod or other MP3 player? Fantastic! Now you can listen to your Podcasts while riding in planes, trains and automobiles. Podcasting is the perfect companion for morning commuters.

You’ll notice after listening to your first few Podcasts there are two main types of Podcasts. The first is more like traditional radio broadcasts, which are recorded in controlled studios (or, more often, in living rooms); others are edited to be nice and tidy. However, you’ll also find many Podcasts that are either recorded “live” in a venue with an audience, or recorded in a studio but left unedited to give it a more organic, conversational feeling.

Each Podcast is unique. Some are professional, and some sound like a creepy guy in his basement — but they all offer an interesting listening experience.

Churches & Podcasting

Ok, so you’ve read this far. You understand that Podcasting is just an amateur radio show that’s being distributed over the Internet. Now you might be thinking: But why should my church care about Podcasting? Good question. Let’s explore it.

Over the past decade, churches have begun to understand the power of media. Video screens, projectors and high-quality sound systems are now standard items found in church sanctuaries around the world. Audio and video are powerful tools that can be used to spread the most important message ever revealed to mankind.

We’ve also seen that media-driven churches are starting to reach a set of folks that might never have connected with a more traditional church. To paraphrase the apostle Paul, we’re being all things to all people so that some will be saved. We’ve started to reach out to our media-drenched culture through a familiar multimedia experience.

Here’s the problem: Your rockin’ church sound system is only going to connect with someone who actually comes to your church. If they don’t show up, they don’t hear the message. And to be honest, some folks just aren’t ready to make that step. With a message this important, we need to take it to them.

The Internet offers a window into places we might want to check out without any commitment. This is a great thing for churches because people can visit your church website, read about your ministries, and generally check out your church while staying anonymous.

However, all these things are detached, impersonal ways to experience what your church is all about. Podcasting takes the step to make it more personal by letting them virtually peek in on one of your worship services, listening to a message, and checking out God, all while remaining anonymous. This opens a door for those who are too shy or too nervous to come to your church and check out what you’re all about, and hopefully encourages an entirely different demographic to take that next step: walking through a set of church doors for the first time.

The Biggest Benefits of a Podcast

There are a whole bunch of reasons why Podcasting is great for your immediate church community and for The Great Commandment. Podcasting is a great way to expand and enhance a sense of community in your church, bringing “church” into people’s everyday lives. By enabling people to take your messages with them on the road, you’re reminding and encouraging them throughout the week, not just on Sundays.

Podcast episodes are a great topic-starter at work and an excellent place to send seekers after having a conversation about particular topics. Saying “I have a podcast you should check out” is a great way to get people to check out topics of faith on a deeper and more personal level vs. the threatening, “You should come to church with me.”

Another great reason to Podcast for your church community is to easily enable any shut-in folks to hear your messages weekly, without hoping a CD or tape shows up in the mail. It puts the power to listen in their hands and can offer some much-needed encouragement to your church’s extended family members.

But your church Podcast isn’t just great for the people in your church community — it’s great for spreading the gospel to people you might never meet, putting your trust in God to lead the right people to your message of hope and faith. This is a rare opportunity in history: we can put out the message of Christ internationally for virtually no cost at all.

Recording & Delivering Your Podcast

So now you’re thinking, Podcasting might be the perfect avenue to reach people with His message — but where do I go from here? How can you take that Sunday morning sermon you’ve recorded and turn it into a Podcast? Or, how can you take your Sunday morning bible class and share it with everyone who didn’t make it that week?

For starters, check out www.geeksandgod.com/the-podcasting-church. There you can listen to a Podcast series about how to start your church Podcast. (See how this works?) Plus, you’ll find links to the software you’ll need and a ton of other info.

Spreading the Word, Geek-Style

By now, you can see that spreading Christ’s message via Podcasting isn’t very intimidating after all. You can easily record and distribute your own weekly sermon Podcast or record a studio-style radio show discussing issues of faith. It’s a fantastic way to encourage your church to take a step forward in using technology in ministry — no pocket protector or taped glasses required.