This episode is not only the final episode of this season of the podcast, but it's a synthesis of everything this season has been about. Kyle Ranson at Crossroads Church is using just about every tool at his disposal to do online and digital ministry right.
In this episode, we learn how he uses social, blogs, podcasts, video, SEO, and more to reach people during the week and on weekends. And he's not just inviting them to church, he's reaching people with the Gospel online.
Oh, and you have access to all the same things he's using to do it too! Find out how he does it and what God is doing at Crossroads in this incredible conversation!
LINKS
Crossroads.net
SOHK Facebook Group
ChurchComm Team
In 2021, Ryan Wakefield and the Church Marketing University team did something bold. Instead of continuing to talk about what a hybrid worship service would look like, they decided to create one and see for themselves.
Because everybody knows that when it comes to hybrid worship services and vegetables, your mom wants you to try it because you might like it.
What would it look like if both the digital space and the face-to-face worship were seen as equally important on Sunday mornings?
Imagine that no one can tell you "no" and suddenly, you DO have the money and manpower to make it happen. What would you do? Get rid of that organ, that's what. But then what?
Well, we did it and we learned a ton. In this episode, Ryan and Seth talk about what went well and not so well in our test of all these theories in real-time.
LINKS
Church Marketing University
CMU Facebook Group | Instagram
Church Comm Team
What would it take for your church to embrace the digital space just like you do the face-to-face as a legit ministry? How would you even do it?
If you're kicking those kinds of questions around, this episode with Jason Moore will help you process the practical side of running a hybrid ministry. He calls it "Both/And" and his new book by the same title lays out the framework.
We talk about Both/And (physical and digital) ministry, church communications, and more in this episode of The Seminary of Hard Knocks!
LINKS
Jason on Facebook
Both/And Book
Both/And Workshop
Church Comm Team
We all know that social media has some data privacy issues and many users are feeling more than sour about using them, especially in the church.
Not to mention your reach is probably like, less than 5% on your FB page posts. So what do we do?
Enter the private, online community of Discord!
And here are two guys from BlackBar who can tell you all about how to use it, Zach and Caleb! I think that Discord is a must for kids and student ministry digital communities now and in the future, may become more and more important for adults as well.
If you're considering creating your own private, online community for your church outside of Facebook or Slack, you need to hear what these guys have to say about Discord and see what they're doing on their own servers.
LINKS
BlkBar on Discord / YouTube / Instagram / Facebook
Church Comm Team
When Jesus told us to make disciples, do you think He meant that 2000 years later we would all be using something called Zoom over the internet to do it? I like to think that he probably winked at John and secretly thought "you're never gonna guess where this thing is going!"
Jeff Reed from Church.Digital & DigitalChurch.Network joins us to talk about what discipleship can look like in the digital world and how churches can (and already are) seeing growth there.
Links
DigitalChurch.network
The Church.Digital / Instagram
Jeff on Twitter / Instagram
Calendly / TidyCal
Church Comm Team
The great resignation is taking its toll on the American workforce and this is one instance where the church is NOT exempt.
This week on the podcast we're talking to Brooke Hodnefield from Slingshot Group about the HR situation as well as how churches can better examine what it means to work and minister today from a practical and Biblical perspective.
From office hours, setting healthy boundaries, and remote work, we look at what is working, what is not working, and where we go from here in this exciting episode of The Seminary of Hard Knocks podcast!
Links
Slingshot Group
Slingshot on Instagram / Twitter / LinkedIn
Church Comm Team
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The definition of a Biblical "gathering" today has expanded. We are going to look at the Biblical definition of gathering, also called worship, and see how (or if) it can be applied to online and digital spaces!
Hebrews 10:25 has been the primary Scripture that many have used to push back against church online. Meanwhile, many churches are forced to respond to the realities of the pandemic. Now on the backend of the pandemic, churches are faced with a decision: how do we go forward with the digital expression of the church now that people are starting to come back?
They have responded one of three ways: 1) Go back to prioritizing in-person and simply streaming services to FB/YT, 2) Going all-in with a hybrid approach to in-person and online services, or 3) going back to prioritizing in-person services while attempting an online strategy with no extra resources, manpower, or attention from leadership.
Our Guest today is no stranger to the controversy surrounding the issue of what the future of the online church may look like. After being published in an article by a major news network, the passion of all sides of the issue came out in the comments!
It’s been a long journey for Dave Adamson to today, as we near the release of his forthcoming book on the subject called Discipleclick: How to use digital ministry to reach people and make disciples.
Links
Dave on Twitter / Instagram
Go HERE to learn more about Dave's Discipleclick book
Church Comm Team
THE SEMINARY OF HARD KNOCKS PODCAST with Seth Muse and Meagan Ranson
Church Communications | Marketing | Social Media
As some churches consider reopening their buildings for services, we still have to think through safety and process along with keeping a strong guest first impressions presence alive for your live stream. First impressions expert Greg Atkinson stops by to give us some of his thoughts and wisdom on this episode!
LINKS
Book: Secrets of a Secret Shopper
Blog: 10 questions to ask your congregation before you reopen
Worship Impressions
Greg Online
Greg on Twitter
Seth on Instagram
Meagan on Instagram
OTHER GREAT LINKS
The InstaSummit!
This free online summit will help church communicators master Instagram over three days of intense training! Get your free ticket HERE or upgrade to the Later pass for on-demand access.
88 Ideas for Church Social Media Posts
*Affiliate links mean I may receive a small commission on your purchase at no extra cost to you.
Follow Seth:
THE SEMINARY OF HARD KNOCKS PODCAST with Seth Muse and Meagan Ranson
Church Communications | Marketing | Social Media
Carl Barnhill of Twelve-Thirty Media specializes in making Sunday happen for churches. But now, that looks really different since moving to the online-only format during the COVID-19 pandemic. Should pastors try to do the same thing online that they would in an in-person service? That is our topic today on this episode!
LINKS
Twelve-Thirty Media
COVID-19 Resources
Making Sunday Happen Podcast
Carl on Twitter
Seth on Instagram
Meagan on Instagram
OTHER GREAT LINKS
The InstaSummit!
This free online summit will help church communicators master Instagram over three days of intense training! Get your free ticket HERE or upgrade to the Later pass for on-demand access.
88 Ideas for Church Social Media Posts
*Affiliate links mean I may receive a small commission on your purchase at no extra cost to you.
Follow Seth:
THE SEMINARY OF HARD KNOCKS PODCAST with Seth Muse and Meagan Ranson
Church Communications | Marketing | Social Media
While quarantined, Seth and Meagan try to help church leaders and communicators figure out how to train and resource staff for online ministry. We're dropping links to a lot of great tools and giving you some ideas for training newbies to the online space for success!
LINKS
Zoom Training Video
Calendly Training Video
Episode 117 with Jeff Reed about online church
Zoom
Uberconference
Calendly
Open.life.church
Rightnow media
Seth on Instagram
Meagan on Instagram
OTHER GREAT LINKS
The InstaSummit!
This free online summit will help church communicators master Instagram over three days of intense training! Get your free ticket HERE or upgrade to the Later pass for on-demand access.
88 Ideas for Church Social Media Posts
*Affiliate links mean I may receive a small commission on your purchase at no extra cost to you.
Follow Seth:
