How We Do Digital Ministry

Episode 52 of the How We Do Digital Ministry podcast features Dr. Karen-Marie Yust and Dr. Erin Reibel from Real Kids Real Faith. Karen-Marie, Erin, and Charlotte Elia discuss nurturing children's spirituality online, growing in faith through questions rather than dogma, and seizing this opportunity for innovation. 

"The combination of the diminishing Sunday school and the reliance on online resources means that children'...

Episode 51 of the How We Do Digital Ministry podcast features Rev. Ryan Dunn, Minister of Online Engagement with United Methodist Communications. Ryan and Charlotte Elia discuss creating digital content for seekers, focusing on your particular audience, and discerning which tools and tactics best suit your congregation.

"The future of the church is niche, and that doesn't mean all of our congregations are gonna be like very fo...

Episode 50 of the How We Do Digital Ministry podcast features Pastor Nathan Webb from Checkpoint Church. Pastor Nate and Charlotte Elia discuss the origin of this online ministry for "nerds, geeks, and gamers," finding and building your community online, and the value of streaming for digital ministries. 

"That's the redemption happening is that I'm taking this media that's already being seen in a negative light and allow...

Episode 49 of the How We Do Digital Ministry podcast features The Rt. Rev. Dr. Shannon MacVean-Brown, Bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Vermont. Bishop Shannon and Charlotte Elia discuss praying with The Green Mountain Online Abbey, facilitating difficult conversations on Zoom, discerning the future of the church through loss, and using digital tools to make the wide world a bit more intimate.  

"As a church, I think we need ...

Episode 48 of the How We Do Digital Ministry podcast features The Rev. Dr. Karyn Wiseman, Professor of homiletics at United Lutheran Seminary and Lead Pastor at Gloria Dei Church in Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania. Karyn and Charlotte Elia discuss congregational vitality through entrepreneurial ministry, the importance of public witness, and the urgency of preaching in this moment.

"A church has to be permission givers, and church ...

Episode 47 of the How We Do Digital Ministry podcast features Rev. Dr. Rachel Kessler, Harcourt Parish Rector, Kenyon College Chaplain, and @nerdypriest on TikTok. Rachel and Charlotte Elia discuss the phenomenon of her TikTok popularity, the challenges of navigating negativity, and the perceived demands of being a female pastor online.

"It's fairly easy to block people, and it's fairly easy to know what is not going be productive ...

Episode 46 of the How We Do Digital Ministry podcast features Tom Trenney, Minister of Music to First-Plymouth Congregational Church in Lincoln, Nebraska and Assistant Professor of Music and Conductor of Choirs at Nebraska Wesleyan University. Tom and Charlotte Elia discuss music ministry in the hybrid environment, the impact of the digital sphere on sacred song, and encouragement for our future together.

"It doesn't have to be per...

Episode 45 of How We Do Digital Ministry features Dr. Heidi Campbell, Professor of Communication and an affiliate faculty in Religious Studies at Texas A&M University. Heidi and Charlotte Elia discuss reflecting on our identity to discern the path forward, moving from a transfer model to a transformative stage, and reassessing who and what we want to be as a church.

"The things I was most excited about in the early days of the ...

Episode 44 of How We Do Digital Ministry features Rev. Solomon Missouri, pastor at Kyles Temple AME Zion Church in Durham, NC. Solomon and Charlotte Elia discuss Twitter as a mission field, finding and using your voice, challenging preconceptions of the faith, and cultivating the vulnerability that creates community and promotes engagements.

"I am intentionally using the tool of Twitter to foster community to look at how we interse...

Episode 43 of How We Do Digital Ministry features a classic HWDDM episode! This episode features Ryan Panzer, a leadership developer for digital culture and author of Grace and Gigabytes: Being Church in a Tech-Shaped Culture and The Holy and The Hybrid: Navigating the Church’s Digital Reformation. Ryan talks with Christopher Harris about going beyond using technology for just one-way communication, and starting to focus on convers...

Episode 42 of How We Do Digital Ministry features Ryan Panzer, author of “The Holy and The Hybrid: Navigating the Church’s Digital Reformation.” Ryan and Charlotte Elia discuss his new book, the values of digital culture, anxieties around attendance and feasibility, and strategies for creating and sustaining a hybrid ministry in a specific context.

“The digital age is perhaps best understood not through the apps and technologies th...

Episode 41 of How We Do Digital Ministry features Rev. Bosco Peters, creator of Liturgy.co.nz. Rev. Peters and Charlotte Elia discuss the origins and future of his popular website, the need to make Christian spirituality more visible and accessible, and the experience of being a global phenomenon.

“One of the things I did was I only did everything from my laptop, so I didn't do things during the day from my phone. That sort of surp...

Episode 40 of How We Do Digital Ministry features Minister Karen Downing, Executive Ministerial Assistant at Jerusalem Baptist Church in Temperanceville, VA. Minister Downing and Charlotte Elia discuss what it takes to make things happen behind the scenes, centering God in digital ministry, and the challenges of broadband access in rural communities.

“We wanted to be sure that God was at the center of the messages, that in the prea...

Episode 39 of How We Do Digital Ministry features Chris Burton, co-creator and co-host of the Cross Streets podcast and the “Baddest Chaplain” on other social platforms. Chris and Charlotte Elia discuss the joys of spreading love online and the ways that digital tools can facilitate conversations around race, culture, and soul care.

“How is God calling me to be a part of the repair? I think that's the opportunity that we have right...

Episode 38 of How We Do Digital Ministry features Reverend Beth Wyndham, founding Pastor of St. Nicholas Episcopal Church in Bulverde, Texas. Rev. Beth and Charlotte Elia discuss the challenges and opportunities of planting a church moments before the pandemic, pairing old school ministry techniques with online tools, and empowering children to share their faith through digital ministry.

“Who knows who might be inspired online that...

Episode 37 of How We Do Digital Ministry features John Hamer, pastor at Centre Place, the downtown Toronto congregation of Community of Christ. During the pandemic, Pastor Hamer and his staff developed digital ministry resources that proved vital to their global denomination, and they have chosen to commit to this new leadership role rather than refocus on local gatherings. Pastor Hamer and Charlotte Elia discuss the challenges of ...

Episode 36 of How We Do Digital Ministry features Pastor Brianna Heida, founder of Painted Prayers. Brianna and Charlotte Elia discuss the use of art to engage faith conversations, the potential of digital ministry to reach those excluded from other communities, and God’s hand in the Facebook algorithm.

"The majority of people we serve are either unable or unwilling to go to an actual church building. By opening the doors with crea...

Episode 35 of How We Do Digital Ministry features Christopher Harris, Executive Director of Faith Growth, introducing a new host, Charlotte Elia, who turns the tables to interview Christopher. Listen as Christopher shares his perspective on the current challenges and opportunities faced by leaders co-creating the future of the church through digital ministry.

"This conversation around digital ministry is so important because it's b...

Episode 34 of How We Do Digital Ministry features Christen Kinard, a communications and marketing professional walking alongside churches as a consultant and teacher for digital ministry. Christen and Christopher Harris discuss the many ways congregations are managing their digital presence, and how they can evolve with the changing ministry landscape.

"We got very comfortable with the doing of church, but it's not the doing of chu...