ChurchMag Podcast
335 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 27 ratingsThe #1 Resource for Church Technology and Creativity
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
235 - When Blessing is Away, We Will Play
November 02, 2018 04:00 - 25 minutes - 11.8 MBThis week on the podcast, Eric and Jeremy find themselves without Blessing -- so they play Minecraft! Eric takes a tour of the ChurchMag Minecraft server and Jeremy discusses Extra Life. Will you help Jeremy raise donations for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals? Here's how. :) Ask us a question or leave a comment via Twitter @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or tell us here and we'll share it on an upcoming episode. We love hearing from you.
234 - What About Online Groups?
October 25, 2018 04:00 - 35 minutes - 16.5 MBThere are several different ways you can join online groups. Via Facebook, Twitter, Slack, Discord, and more! Are you a part of any online groups? What do you look for in an online group? Are you thinking about starting one? We have an awesome ChurchMag Group -- but would love to hear about any groups you are a part of! Tells us via Twitter @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or tell us here and we'll share it on an upcoming episode. We would love to che...
233 - Goodbye Google+
October 19, 2018 04:00 - 26 minutes - 12 MBGoogle hid major Google+ security flaw that exposed users’ personal information and now Google Plus is shutting down. So what's next? Twitter? Instagram? Could we see The Death of Facebook? This week on the podcast we talk about the life cycle of Google Plus and bounce around the idea of when is okay to shut down projects and programs. Tells us what you think via Twitter @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or tell us here and we'll share it on an upcoming...
232 - Eric Gets REAL Internet
October 11, 2018 04:00 - 35 minutes - 16.5 MBEric finally has good internet! After having a hard time with internet connections for almost eight full years, the information superhighway has finally paved it's way to Eric's home. We also talk about the bandwidth gap and what the church -- you and me -- can possibly do to meet this need. How are your internet speeds? What kind of ideas do you have to address these technology gaps? Tells us via Twitter @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or tell us here...
231 - Unsubscribe
October 04, 2018 04:00 - 22 minutes - 10.2 MBDo you need to unsubscribe from some things? (We sure do!) This week we talk about unsubscribing from newsletters, but we're "subscribed" to many other things as well -- and they have nothing to do with our email inbox. Do you need to unsubscribe from some things? Tells us via Twitter @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or tell us here and we'll share it on an upcoming episode. And as always, if you have a question for us, we'll be sure to answer it. :)
230 - Creating Content
September 28, 2018 04:00 - 35 minutes - 16.3 MBThis week on the podcast we talk about the process of creating content. We talk about the process of creating content here at ChurchMag, but also the general concept of content creation. We hope you enjoy the conversation and become a part of your content creation journey. How do you go about creating content? Tells us via Twitter @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or tell us here and we'll share it on an upcoming episode. And as always, if you have a questi...
229 - What Do Church Tech Teams Easily Overlook?
September 20, 2018 04:00 - 20 minutes - 9.33 MBWe have been recently been talking a lot about church tech volunteers: Volunteerism [Podcast #226] & A Day In The Life of A Church Tech Volunteer [Podcast #227]. And this week, it's similar to this vein as we discuss some of the things it's easy to overlook with church tech teams. Is it technical training or what to do when things go wrong? Or is it something far less... technical? Technical or not, we want to hear some of the things you feel like church tech teams far too easily overlook. ...
228 - When Your In the Eye of the Storm
September 13, 2018 04:00 - 21 minutes - 9.7 MBWith hurricanes on the mind, we talk about emergencies, stormy weather, and how it relates to church tech. And while we're talking about storms, here are a couple of resources that can come in handy -- with any natural disaster, so don't let the dated titles fool you: Legal Images of the OK Tornado for Your Church Website Lessons from Tornadoes Tells us what you think via Twitter @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or tell us here. Please tell us what you ...
227 - A Day In The Life of A Church Tech Volunteer
September 07, 2018 04:00 - 29 minutes - 13.7 MBWhat's it like when you move to a new area, find a new church home, and start volunteering again? And what about church leaders? What should their approach be when dealing with seasoned volunteers who are new to church teams? We share some thoughts, reflect, and would love to hear your thoughts on this as well. Tell us via Twitter @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or tell us here. Whether you're a church leader or church volunteer -- we want to hear from ...
226 - Volunteerism
August 31, 2018 04:00 - 34 minutes - 16 MBThis week we talk about church volunteers! While we do talk a lot about church tech specifically, many of the fundamentals surrounding gaining volunteers and being a volunteer are the same. Join the conversation on Twitter @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or tell us here -- you can even send us a voice or video message. If you sent it our way, we'll share it on an upcoming episode.
225 - The Podcast Podcast
August 24, 2018 04:00 - 35 minutes - 16.2 MBWe were feeling pretty meta, so we went full-on meta with this week's podcast. We talk about the podcast on the podcast. Crazy, we know, we hope you enjoy the ride -- we sure did. Tell us your favorite ChurchMag Podcast moments or shoot us a podcasting question on Twitter @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or tell us here -- you can even send us a voice or video message. We will be sure to share what you've mentioned in an upcoming episode and maybe even w...
224 - What Are Your Favorite Apps You Can't Live Without?
August 17, 2018 04:00 - 25 minutes - 11.6 MBThis week we talk about some of our favorite apps that we just can't live without. What apps do you love and can't imagine living without? Tell us! We want to know! Message us on Twitter @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or tell us here -- you can even send us a voice or video message. We will be sure to share what you've mentioned in an upcoming episode and maybe even write up some reviews! Here are a few of our favorites that were mentioned: - Grammar...
223 - Has the Information Age Made Us Lazy?
August 10, 2018 04:00 - 20 minutes - 9.51 MBThe edges of the internet are hardly in view with the depth and width of knowledge streaming from the World Wide Web. From fun facts to hard truths, scientific study to goofy SciFi, the internet has it in spades -- funny cat videos included. There was a time when quandary was relegated to encyclopedias and speculation, now we unlock our screens and quench our thirst for knowledge... Or do we? Let's talk about that. Is there anything you would like to add to our discussion? We want to hear ...
222 - Social Media Carbonite
August 03, 2018 04:00 - 25 minutes - 11.8 MBHow long ago must a social media message count against someone? Is there a statute of limitations on what we say and share online? Have we created a situation whereby everything we say and share is frozen in carbonite? Is there anything you would like to add to our discussion? We want to hear from you! Message us on Twitter @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or tell us here -- you can even send us a voice or video message that we'll share on an upcoming po...
221 - Organization Culture
July 26, 2018 04:00 - 24 minutes - 11.4 MBChurchMag Senior Staff Writer Chris Wilson joins us again! (Be sure to catch last week's episode as we talk about email newsletters.) This week we talk about culture within an organization. Whether it be a work culture, church culture, basically the culture within any organization of people. We hope you enjoy the discussion -- we sure did! :D What's something unique about your organization's culture? Is there anything you would like to add to our discussion? Message us on Twitter @ChurchM...
220 - Let's Talk Email Newsletters
July 19, 2018 04:00 - 28 minutes - 12.9 MBChurchMag Senior Staff Writer and ChurchMag Newsletter extraordinaire Chris Wilson joins us this week and talks email newsletters. While MailChimp is our favorite, the concepts we discuss can be found with any email marketing service worth using. If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to check out these additional resources: Church Email Made Awesome: MailChimp Segments, Church Email Made Awesome: 10 Super Simple Subject Lines, MailChimp: Weekly Email Tips for Churches, 6 Ways to Use Email for ...
219 - Happy Birthday, YouVersion!
July 12, 2018 04:00 - 17 minutes - 8.05 MBHappy Birthday to the most distributed Bible app in the world! Can you believe it's been 10-years since YouVersion was first released? Do you remember the first time you downloaded it? Do you remember the first time you recommended it to someone? Can you imagine not having it anymore? This week we talk about the past, present, and future of YouVersion. What are your favorite features? What would you like to see in the future? Let us know! Message us on Twitter @ChurchMag using #cmagcast,...
218 - IGTV: How to Approach New Media
July 06, 2018 04:00 - 44 minutes - 20.3 MBHave you heard of IGTV? It's Instagram's latest addition to their mobile media creation suite -- just released a few weeks ago. We not only talk about IGTV (is that the best name they could come up with?), but also approaches to new media. You can check out IGTV for iOS and IGTV for Android using the respected links. Oh! And Greg Simmons takes a crack at pronouncing Blessing's name. Tells us what you think about IGTV and a healthy approach towards new media by pining us @ChurchMag using #...
217 - A Very Video Gaming Episode
June 29, 2018 04:00 - 51 minutes - 23.5 MBIf you're looking for a more serious look at Church tech, then you might want to skip this episode. However, if talking about gaming and things like the Summer Steam Sale, GOG, and Humble Bundle is your jam, then you'll be sure to enjoy this weeks episode. Feel free to talk gaming with us @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], tell us here -- you can even send us a voice or video message that we'll share on an upcoming podcast -- or join the ChurchMag Steam group...
216 - Social Media Controversy and the Church
June 22, 2018 04:00 - 32 minutes - 14.8 MBThis week we talk about what we are all talking about on social media. When it comes to controversial topics, when should the Church speak up? How should the Church speak up? And should the Church speak up? Perhaps we ask more questions than we answer -- but that may just be the point of it all. Tell us what you think via @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or tell us here -- you can even send us a voice or video message that we'll share on an upcoming podca...
215 - Awesome Church Social Media with Some Simple #TBT
June 14, 2018 04:00 - 20 minutes - 9.55 MBThis week on the podcast -- as promised -- we are talking about using #TBT to make your church social media a little more awesome. As mentioned in the podcast, here is a list of the ChurchMag Staff Writers' first blog post on ChurchMag: Eric Dye Jeremy Smith Phil Schneider Chris Wilson Blessing Mpofu Tell us how your own #TBT turns out for you -- ping us via @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or tell us here -- you can even send us a voice or video mess...
214 - Do You VBS?
June 07, 2018 04:00 - 25 minutes - 11.6 MBAre you ready for VBS? What curriculum or theme are you using this year? Or did you let it die? We talk about VBS -- and a little tech this week. Blessing does have a super idea about church tech training, so be sure to listen for that. Be sure to tell us how you VBS by messaging @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or tell us here -- you can even send us a voice or video message that we'll share on an upcoming podcast. Do you VBS? How do you VBS? Let's here ...
213 - How Real Can We Afford to Be On Social Media?
June 01, 2018 04:00 - 52 minutes - 24.3 MBBlessing Mpofu delivers this weeks topic and things get pretty real as we discuss how honest and raw churches, ministry leaders, and ourselves can be when sharing on social media. Is every Sunday service really that amazing? Where do we draw the line between being "real" and "marketing speak?" Or maybe social media requires an entirely different set of communication rules? We discuss this (and an entire bonus segment about peanut butter following) and more on this weeks ChurchMag podcast! ...
212 - Are Warranties Worth It?
May 24, 2018 04:00 - 25 minutes - 11.9 MBBlessing Mpofu joins us again! (This is fun.) Jeremy kicks things off talking about his new Pixel phone, which leads us to the conversation of warranties. Are they worth it? You can get them for just about anything -- should you? And what about churches? Let's talk about it. :) If you would like to join in the fun, say "hello" to us on @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or submit your thoughts here -- you can even send us a voice or video message that we...
211 - This Is Blessing Mpofu
May 18, 2018 04:00 - 43 minutes - 20.1 MBWe are excited to finally have Blessing Mpofu on the podcast this week! Blessing has been blessing ChurchMag readers since 2015 and has more recently become a Senior Staff Writer with us. He joins us from South Africa and brings a rich experience in church leadership and digital media -- and most recently -- is doing great work with Alpha. Get to know Blessing a little more in this episode -- he's an amazing guy. A few links to note: Blessing's website, Instagram, and more information abo...
210 - Nate Smoyer Ultimate Mega Mix Tape
May 10, 2018 04:00 - 59 minutes - 27.5 MBThis week on the podcast, we invite Nate Smoyer on the podcast for the second time -- you can catch him here previously. Nate is an amazing guy and we're sure you'll enjoy the various topics we explore on this episode like Why The Christian Post hates its readers, random trolling, and many other random topics. This is the ultimate mega mix tape! You can find Nate on Twitter, but you should really check out the Real Team Panda. If you would like to send Nate a question -- send a tweet our w...
209 - Church Email Pet Peeves and the Power of MailChimp
May 04, 2018 04:00 - 24 minutes - 11.2 MBThis week on the podcast Eric, Jeremy, and Phil talk about some of their biggest church email pet peeves and talk about some of the great ways you can level up your church email with MailChimp. While we were not sponsored by MailChimp in any way, we certainly wouldn't mind if they emailed us -- [email protected] -- to get our mailing address to send us some of that sweet-sweet MailChimp swag... But even if they don't, we still wub them. If you would like to share your email pet peeve, send...
208 - Ben White: World Famous Christian Stock Photographer
April 26, 2018 04:00 - 43 minutes - 19.9 MBWhen you see his face, you may very well recognize him. Is he on your church website? Maybe the latest Christian publication you read? Or perhaps your favorite blog? It's hard to say where you may have seen his face, but with his contribution to Creative Commons 0 photography with a Christian focus (see what we did there?), his photos are among the favorites of Unsplash users. This week on the podcast, we have a chance to talk with Ben White about his experience as an Unsplash photographer...
207 - Christian Video Game Cheese
April 20, 2018 04:00 - 24 minutes - 11.2 MBWhy is it that so much Christian media is -- lame? From movies to video games (not so much with music anymore), anything within the Christian marketing genre is stereotypically bad. There are some bright spots, sure, but what happened to creative works, by Christians, like Lord of the Rings? Why don't we have more "playable parables"? This week on the podcast we discuss this further, mostly with the focus on video games, as we think back to the ol' Wisdom Tree games and argue that there are...
206 - Facebook Hearings & Church Tech Education
April 12, 2018 04:00 - 16 minutes - 7.82 MBThis week has been full of headline news -- "Senate fails its Zuckerberg test", "'Um, uh, no': Zuckerberg not keen to reveal own personal info", and many others. One observation we've had is the struggle between generations. The speed at which technology has increased is staggering. The Technology Snowball is very real, and we see this fleshed out on Capitol Hill as questions ask of Mark Zuckerberg seem ridiculous at times, it's obvious that it's not just church tech that faces these struggl...
205 - Facebook's Data Disaster & Your Church Member Data
April 06, 2018 04:00 - 22 minutes - 10.5 MBWe kick-off this episode with John Wilkerson's comments he shared regarding our podcast a few weeks ago -- Publisher vs InDesign? -- and then dive head-first into the Facebook data disaster drama. What can Church Techs and leaders learn from all of this? Jeremy refers to his recent blog post on the subject (you can read that here) and we all realize that church data security is serious business. Talk to us on @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email at [email protected], or submit your...
204 - Easter Complete: Treat Yo Self!
March 30, 2018 04:00 - 12 minutes - 5.77 MBIt's almost become a tradition, it feels like. We take the podcast time around Easter to remind all of you that have been working so hard for the "Super Bowl Sunday" of church services -- to put your feet up and reflect. We mentioned this week that we've talked about Easter before -- you can catch those podcasts here: Easter Church Tech Tips with Chip Dizárd, Get Your Church Website Ready for Easter, Getting Ready for Easter, Easter Sunday: Achievement Unlocked, and Grab Bag #1 (the only "Gr...
203 - Publisher vs InDesign?
March 22, 2018 04:00 - 23 minutes - 10.8 MBThis week on the podcast we talk about, we touch on a subject we've talked about before -- discussing church tech. We talk about a specific example -- a case example if you will -- and whether any church staff member should use an application like Microsoft Publisher or Pages, or if they should use a more professional application like Adobe InDesign. While we pitched this idea around a few times and explored some of the nuances, we are curious to know what you think. Not which is "better" p...
202 - Being Mindful of Mobile Media Consumption
March 16, 2018 04:00 - 27 minutes - 12.5 MBTechnology is always around us -- do we turn it off often enough? And what about social media? Are we consuming it -- or is it consuming us? You can join in on this week's conversation about mobile media consumption on Twitter via @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send an email at [email protected], or submit your question here -- and we'll share your comments on an upcoming episode.
201 - Katie Allred Talks Facebook Groups
March 09, 2018 05:00 - 44 minutes - 20.5 MBWe are excited to talk with Katie Allred this week! She is the co-founder of the very awesome Church Communications Facebook Group. With over 15,000 members, it is easily the most robust Church comms community on the planet. You can find Kaite on Twitter, read her blog posts on ChurchMag, but make sure you at least sign up for the cool stuff on the Church Communications website. Ask Katie a question via @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send an email at [email protected], or submit your questio...
200 - Drew Dixon Talks Video Games
March 01, 2018 05:00 - 49 minutes - 22.9 MBThis week on the podcast we level-up in two different ways. First, we hit our 200th episode! And the second way we leveled-up? We have the very cool Drew Dixon on the podcast. Drew is not just a gentleman and a scholar -- nope -- he's also a master podcaster and world-class gamer who explores the intersection of faith and gaming. Are you a gamer? What's your favorite game? Has a game made you cry -- like Eric did with Bastion? Or do you love Minecraft as much as Jeremy? What did you think...
199 - Home Automation Meets Church Automation?
February 23, 2018 05:00 - 27 minutes - 12.9 MBHave you heard about home automation? It's basically the Intenet of Things becoming a reality with things like Google Home, Echo, Alexa, and others. Your coffee maker, TV, computer, refrigerator, fireplace, and living room lights are suddenly interconnected and you are given full control -- or maybe given up full control? On this episode, we talk about Home Automation and what they means for the Church today and tomorrow. What do you think about all of this? Tell us @ChurchMag using #cmagc...
198 - Your Church Website is an Outreach Tool
February 15, 2018 05:00 - 38 minutes - 17.8 MBWe haven't been this excited about a podcast episode in a very long time. This week we have a very special guest -- Chad Hugghins from CV Outreach. CV Outreach is a North American Google Partner, that is Kingdom minded, analytics-driven, and provides a 100% free service for churches. By the time you're finished hearing some of the details Chad shares with us on this episode, you'll not only realize why we are so excited, but why your church needs to sign up right now! Are you as excited as...
197 - What Would Jesus Tweet?
February 09, 2018 05:00 - 28 minutes - 12.9 MBWhat would Jesus tweet? While we didn't ask that questions specifically on this week's podcast, that pretty much summarizes the episode. We spend so much time as church techs talking about "best practices," "social media ideas," and "evangelizing online," that sometimes it's easy to overlook the most powerful witness we have online: Our behavior. So even though Jeremy left Twitter (Y THO!?!) and social media marketing has a lot to do about business, there is a dark side to social media, but ...
196 - Facebook: More Friends and Family?
February 02, 2018 05:00 - 29 minutes - 13.5 MBA few weeks ago, Mark Zuckerberg announced some major changes to how Facebook's News Feed is aggregated. We shared an awesome post about how the new Facebook News Feed will affect church Pages on ChurchMag, but each of us have our thoughts and ideas about this change. Phil's touched on some of this before, but what about you? What do you think about this recent change? Tell us at @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email [email protected], or submit your thoughts here -- we would love ...
195 - Why Do You Want New Tech in Your Church?
January 25, 2018 05:00 - 22 minutes - 10.1 MBSo you want a new mobile app for your church? What about a new sound system or lighting? Has the question been asked as to why these things are wanted? What's the real or fundamental reason for these desires? Does it truly help build the Kingdom and move the Gospel forward? These are some tough questions when we start addressing these honestly and really consider the catalyst for desiring new technology. This week on the podcast, we dive into some of these questions and touch on some of t...
194 - Riddle Me This: What About Low Bandwidth?
January 19, 2018 05:00 - 21 minutes - 9.73 MBPhil is back on the podcast!?! We not only welcome him back, but we also answer a question submitted by John Wilkerson regarding bandwidth. If you have sermon audio being listened to overseas, should you require a lower bit rate version for mobile downloads? Is it worth the while? Is it just those downloading media overseas? There are several things to consider, but the bottom line is simple. Take a listen and join the fun! Send us a message @ChurchMag using #cmagcast, send us an email pod...
193 - The Phil-In: Paul Alan Clifford, Live-Streaming Church Expert
January 12, 2018 05:00 - 31 minutes - 14.5 MBOn this episode, we welcome Paul Alan Clifford as he discusses one of his biggest passions: Live-Streaming Church! Paul shares his heart, streaming, and a little about his new ebook from ChurchMag Press. Be sure to visit Paul's website: TrinityDigitalMedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @paulalanclif. And download his ebook: Live-Streaming Church. If you would like to join the fun, send us a message @ChurchMag using #cmagcast or send us an email [email protected].
192 - The Phil-In: Seth Muse, Church Communication Jedi
January 05, 2018 05:00 - 38 minutes - 17.5 MBThis week's "Phil-In" is church communication pro Seth Muse (http://www.sethmuse.com/). On this very special episode, Seth talks about church Instagram and social media.
191 - The Phil-In: Scott Higa, The Christian Nerd
December 29, 2017 05:00 - 48 minutes - 22.4 MBThis week on the podcast, Phil Schneider is busy with babies, so we invited The Christian Nerd, Scott Higa to join the podcast. You find him almost everywhere on the web, but mostly here: http://thechristiannerd.com
190 - Make America British Again: Christmas Edition
December 21, 2017 05:00 - 30 minutes - 14.1 MBChurchMag Senior Staff Writer Chris Wilson and WhyChristmas.com founder and ChurchMag Fellow James Cooper lead another British invasion -- taking over the ChurchMag Podcast with some good-natured British and Christmas fun. #maba
189 - Taking the Church Tech Out of the Church
December 15, 2017 05:00 - 22 minutes - 10.5 MBChurch tech is much more than just soundboards, video wipes, and an update on the front page of the website. Church tech is a chance to disciple, teach, and even reach those outside of the church.
188 - Rethinking Church Announcements
December 08, 2017 05:00 - 22 minutes - 10.1 MBAre your church announcements stale? Is there anything else that's stale? (Stale is a weird word.) This week we talk about church announcements and why it's important to think about what your church is doing.
187 - Do You Need to Slow Down? (HINT: Yes!)
December 01, 2017 05:00 - 22 minutes - 10.3 MBThanksgiving is behind us and Christmas and New Years is up next. Even during this busy time, you need to take a moment to slow down and refill yourself before diving into the next thing.
186 - Black Friday Edition - 2017
November 23, 2017 05:00 - 19 minutes - 8.75 MBWelcome to the fourth annual Black Friday edition of the ChurchMag podcast! Yowza!