Category: Pastoring in the Digital Parish

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It’s day 2 of NaPodPoMo (National Podcast Posts Month), and we’re building our church’s digital ministry strategy. Today, let’s take a look at what kind of content we’re sharing online. Is it reflective of our church’s mission for digital ministry?

National Podcast Post Month is a challenge through the month of November to share 30 episodes in 30 days. Our goal in participation is to see how this kind of volume and frequency can help to build an audience and a sense of community. This is part 2 of 30!

Connect with Pastoring in the Digital Parish at www.resourceumc.org/digital-parish

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Happy National Podcast Posts Month! We’re undertaking 30 episodes in 30 days as part of NaPodPoMo. Each episode helps to build your church’s digital ministry strategy. We’re also learning how the frequency of a daily podcast can help build a digital footprint for ministry.

This is part 1 of 30!

Connect with Pastoring in the Digital Parish at www.resourceumc.org/digital-parish

 

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During the 2023 United Methodist Podcast-a-thon we had the privilege of hosting Reverend David Petty, the founder of CrossFire Faith+Gaming.

David shared with us the incredible journey of how CrossFire came to be and its mission to create a welcoming space for individuals who feel marginalized in traditional church settings. What started as a question in Reverend Petty’s mind became a thriving ministry that combines the love for gaming and the desire for a faith-based community. 

Let’s find out how it started and how it’s going in digital ministry for CrossFire Faith+Gaming.

This episode was presented by the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation. They’re doing incredible work, inviting United Methodist Churches to sponsor scholarships for students to attend United Methodist-related colleges, universities, and seminaries. With their matching program, they’re helping students and families while also supporting United Methodist schools. Be sure to check them out!

And big thanks to ResourceUMC.org for their support and resourcing. They’re producing content to meet all your ministry needs.

In this episode:
(00:00) Welcome to UM Podcast-a-thon!
(02:27) Ministry, self-care, video gaming, community.
(05:30) Creating inclusive space for non-traditional churchgoers.
(07:51) Exploring faith through gaming stories
(11:36) “Ministry growth through digital means and sponsorship.”
(14:45) First connections with Crossfire for community.
(18:33) Video game summer camp for youth in Denver and Bozeman.
(20:34) We’re on TikTok, but not influencers.
(23:13) Common platform for building communities and watching games.
(26:46) Ministry costs, online funding challenge, sustainability.
(31:58) Evangelism is about helping people connect.
(34:45) United Methodist Podcast-a-thon thanks contributors & organizers.

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Let’s explore how it started and how it’s going with Rev. Dr. Jevon Caldwell-Gross, a seasoned pastor and fellow practitioner in digital ministry. We explore the challenges and opportunities of reaching people outside of Sunday mornings and implementing strategies like master classes. Pastor J shares invaluable insights on adapting preaching styles to engage online audience, the importance of creating content beyond traditional services, the power of master classes, and the need for pastors to learn how to reach people through various digital platforms. Stay tuned as we explore the fascinating journey of Jevon Caldwell-Gross and discover how digital ministry is shaping the future of the church.

The Rev. Dr. Jevon Caldwell-Gross has been a transformational ministry thought leader for over a decade. Serving in a variety of contexts, ranging from urban cities to multicultural suburban communities, Pastor J is known for his ability to connect with different audiences and to make the gospel accessible and practical.

Pastor J’s journey has brought him to one of the largest United Methodist churches in the country, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, located in Indianapolis, IN. There he serves as the Teaching Pastor and as the Online Campus Pastor. As a Pastor, Author and Professor, his mission is and has always been to equip churches and congregational leaders for relevant and effective ministry in a rapidly changing society. He’s got a lot of passion for seeing the church reach into the community… and it’s going to spread through this conversation.

This session of Pastoring in the Digital Parish is presented by:
Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities is a new and comprehensive resource that continues the tradition of Safe Sanctuaries ministry by building on its trusted policies and procedures.
To learn more go to Safer Sanctuaries.org or call 800-972-0433.

In this episode:
(00:01) Digital minister Jevon Caldwell-Gross discusses reaching online audiences and the future of the church.
(03:42) Transitioned from teaching pastor to supervising communications. Prioritized online worship due to COVID. Increased focus on ministering to online congregation.
(06:48) Data importance: Encouraging connection and anonymity.
(09:39) Creating content that benefits congregations and communities.
(14:33) Adapting sermons for online audience, trial and error approach.
(17:37) Church needs to adapt to online platforms.
(20:46) Reaching people outside Sunday, strategy and engagement.
(25:41) Metrics show engagement and reach of congregation.
(32:09) Target audience: 30-45 year olds. Facebook not effective. Focused on TikTok and Instagram. Strategic content creation for specific platforms. Effective for reaching new members.
(36:17) Clarity is important for congregations’ priorities.
(41:35) Transitioning from church ministry to teaching, writing, and consulting in order to help churches and individuals discover new ways of experiencing and sharing the love of Jesus Christ.
(44:55) Thanks for listening to Pastor in the Digital Parish. Season 6 is over, but check out our follow-up episodes on church live streaming and evangelism through social media. Thanks to our sponsors and connect with us on Facebook. New season coming soon.

For more from Pastoring in the Digital Parish: https://www.resourceumc.org/digital-parish

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We’re exploring some similarities and distinctive traits of ministries that are growing in digital spaces. And the good news is that these are easily repeatable action steps for growing your digital ministry. The episode concludes with a list of resources that help to shape an ongoing growth in digital ministry and my understanding of digital culture.

This episode of Pastoring in the Digital Parish is presented by: Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities. Safer Sanctuaries is a new and comprehensive resource that continues the tradition of Safe Sanctuaries ministry by building on its trusted policies and procedures. To learn more go to Safer Sanctuaries.org or call 800-972-0433.

Find more resources for your digital ministry toolkit at www.resourceumc.org/digital-parish

In this episode:
(00:00) Welcome to Pastoring in the Digital Parish
(03:14) 1: User-focused information
(09:20) 2: Provide pastoral care
(13:19) 3: They exist for a specific community
(18:32) 4: They elevate leaders online
(20:51) 5: They are who they are… and they admit it
(23:35) Helpful resources for digital ministry
(26:12) Check out our community!

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Pastoring in the Digital Parish host Ryan Dunn provides examples and tactics for using AI to increase your ministry’s digital reach. We delve into the fascinating world of using AI to become a digital ministry content machine. Join us as we explore how pastors can leverage artificial intelligence to generate a wide range of engaging content for their online communities.

In this episode:
(00:00) Welcome to Pastoring in the Digital Parish
(01:55) What you need to turn your sermon into a content machine
(02:47) AI-enable transcription
(04:41) Creating video content
(07:38) Capitalizing on a sermon podcast
(10:52) Creating blog posts with A.I.
(12:27) Bite-sized social media content
(14:18) Asking A.I. to fill in content cracks
(17:04) Applying chatbots to churches
(22:05) Join the Pastoring in the Digital Parish community

This episode brought to us by: Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities is a new and comprehensive resource that continues the tradition of Safe Sanctuaries ministry by building on its trusted policies and procedures. To learn more go to Safer Sanctuaries.org or call 800-972-0433.

Find more resources for your digital ministry toolkit: www.resourceumc.org/digital-parish

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On this episode of Pastoring in the Digital Parish, we delve into the future of church ministry with our special guest, James Kang. James recounts his experiment called ‘Regular Church,’ which explores the combination of ministry in the metaverse with AI, and reveals the positive results of AI’s ability to process theological information and communicate with humans. We explore the growth of Pastoria, which began as a consultancy for ministries going digital but has evolved into an incubator model for generating ministries in various industry areas such as design, entrepreneurship, innovation, travel, and faith. He highlights the idea that these modalities can be seen as spiritual languages and encourages individuals to view their own lives and work in these industries as ministries.

We also discuss the importance of recognizing the demand for ministry work and quickly generating resources, focusing on finding the perfect fit for a ministry instead of striving for perfection.

James Kang is the founder of Pastoria, a consultancy-turned-incubator for ministries that focuses on digital transformation and self-expression. He believes that different industries, such as design, entrepreneurship, innovation, travel, and faith, can be seen as spiritual languages and opportunities for ministry. James is passionate about merging spirituality with various aspects of life and is dedicated to helping others find their own ministry within different modalities. To learn more about James and his work, visit pastoria.co.

This episode brought to us by: Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities is a new and comprehensive resource that continues the tradition of Safe Sanctuaries ministry by building on its trusted policies and procedures. To learn more go to Safer Sanctuaries.org or call 800-972-0433.

In this episode:

(00:00) Welcome to Pastoring in the Digital Parish
(02:38) How it started and how it’s going with James Kang
(08:40) Generative AI facilitates education, theological interactions.
(13:08) AI enhances access to knowledge, but it’s not perfect.
(16:50) Exploring the modalities of peoplehood and transportation
(21:34) AI-based relationship coach offers personalized guidance.
(25:35) Safer sanctuaries message
(27:43) Important lessons for ministry: focus on resources and people.
(33:54) Future church: less member-focused, more creator-focused
(39:41) Pastor role changes, focus on spiritual guidance
(47:34) Thanks for listening!

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On this episode of Pastoring in the Digital Parish, we’re welcoming BACK Charles Vogl. We just spoke with him a few weeks ago… And during that time, Charles talked about a couple things we decided we needed to follow up. First, was that there’s a loneliness epidemic in our society. And that’s a clear need spiritual communities could be addressing. So we wanted to follow through on that and keep in mind how we can utilize digital spaces to facilitate meaningful connection. Charles also mentioned that it takes a bit more effort to build real relationships in digital spaces. So we wanted to follow up on some principles on facilitating valuable community connections.

Throughout this episode, Charles offers practical advice and insights on how to build a community that nourishes everyone’s need for connections.

Charles Vogl is an adviser, speaker, and the author of three books, including the international bestseller The Art of Community. Drawing on three thousand years of spiritual traditions, Charles teaches the wisdom and principles to build deep community and resilient relationships that foster innovation and integrity within organizations and around the world. He holds an M.Div. from Yale, where he studied spiritual traditions, ethics, and business as a Jesse Ball duPont Foundation scholar. His work is used to advise and develop leadership and programs worldwide within organizations including Airbnb, LinkedIn, Twitch, Amazon, ServiceNow, Meetup.com, Wayfair and the US Army.

This episode brought to us by:

Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities is a new and comprehensive resource that continues the tradition of Safe Sanctuaries ministry by building on its trusted policies and procedures.

To learn more go to Safer Sanctuaries.org or call 800-972-0433.

In this episode:
(00:00) Charles Vogl on facilitating meaningful digital connections.
(03:32) Americans move more, leave religion, use social media.
(07:17) Differentiate relationship types to facilitate connection
(16:46) Barriers to connection
(20:10) Americans struggle with suicide and connection.
(23:20) “Few friends needed for major life change”
(26:36) Head, heart, hand experiences & ministry focus.
(31:45) Build trust by supporting growth and integrity.
(35:27) Vulnerability is important; leaders should go first.
(43:49) Podcast thanking supporters, promoting online resources, future episode.

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It’s time to level up the engagement in your digital ministry. If you’re looking for the next step in building a spiritual community online, this session has several useful tips and resources for your digital ministry toolbox.

Join host and proctor, Rev. Ryan Dunn, for another session of the digital ministry class you didn’t get in seminary.

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How it started vs. how it’s going in digital ministry with Brandan Robertson.

Brandan Robertson is a pastor who has found success with engaging content on platforms like TikTok. We discuss the importance of authenticity in today’s media landscape and how cultivating a sense of community can be a powerful tool for evangelization. We also delve into the challenges and pitfalls associated with digital ministry, such as the negative impact it can have on our spiritual health. Finally, we explore the unique calling that has led Brandan to become a bridge builder between different versions of Christianity, and how he confronts theological disagreements with empathy and love.

Episode sponsored by:
Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities is a new and comprehensive resource that continues the tradition of Safe Sanctuaries ministry by building on its trusted policies and procedures.
To learn more go to Safer Sanctuaries.org or call 800-972-0433.

Here’s some info on our special guest for this session:
Rev. Brandan Robertson is a noted author, activist, and public theologian working at the intersections of spirituality, sexuality, and social renewal. Robertson is most known for his work as the “TikTok Pastor”, creating thousands of TikTok videos on inclusive theology which have garnered over 215k followers and 5 million views.

Check out Brandan’s book on digital ministry: “Building Your Digital Sanctuary”

For more from Pastoring in the Digital Parish: www.resourceumc.org/digital-parish

In this episode:
(00:00) Digital ministry, authentic content, community building advice.
(03:33) Theology teacher goes viral on TikTok.
(09:23) TikTok shared deep theology to thousands.
[00:12:18] Real pastors connect with people through TikTok.
(14:18) Creating sustainable spaces for counseling and resources.
(20:47) Evangelical bridge builder confronts fear with grace.
(23:06) Digital ministry in divisive times requires caution.
(27:37) Digital engagement and the importance of disconnecting.
(30:41) Churches need digital ministry and ministers.
(35:15) “Thanks for listening, check out resources.”