[buzzsprout episode=’405124′ player=’true’]
Paul shares how denominations can best create space for new spiritual communities to thrive.
[buzzsprout episode=’401740′ player=’true’]
Join us for a conversation with Paul Nixon, as he talks about the big picture changes in the American religious landscape, ecclesial forest fires, weird churches, and hope for the future.
I’m just about halfway through my one year experiment in starting a podcast. (Click here for more information about how I’m evaluating my experiment, here to see my first quarter update, or here to listen to my podcast!) With that in mind, here’s a check-in on how everything is going.
1) Am I having fun?
Sometimes. I love the interview process, I love the people I’m getting to know, I treasure every message I get from someone who’s been blessed by my podcast.The hustle, in all honesty, is starting to get to me: the ceaseless searching for new guests and negotiation of our schedules; the wrestling with technology, island internet inconsistencies, and gremlins of the editing process; the constant work on interpreting my statistics to figure out whether I’m really gaining ground. There are days I handle it fine and days when this feels like pushing a rock up a steep mountain.
2) Is it sustainable?
As it is currently, probably not, although I also acknowledge that I’m working through a wall right now. I’ve gotten the production process down to six to seven hours from start to finish, so long as there aren’t any glitches. It’s been a grind to find room for this while trying to build an actual money-paying career, since this is nothing but a moderately expensive hobby right now.
3) Is it making a difference?
That’s the big question. My audience growth has stalled out as has my progress in growing an engaged audience. (Again, I’m pushing through a wall right now, so I’m not yet in “The Sky is falling!” territory.) It’s so hard to gauge whether I’m making a difference, or simply serving as a very small publicity vehicle for my guests (which is a worthwhile goal, but perhaps not worth several hundred dollars and several hundred hours every year.)
Which is why – I’m reaching out and asking for help and feedback from you:
1) Who might the particular target audience be for this podcast?
2) What other types of content would be the most helpful and engaging? (e.g. how-to blog posts, confessional, roundtables, short videos, photos, etc.)
4) Am I learning?
I feel like I’ve turned a corner and settled into an efficient routine when it comes to editing. I also feel like I’m beginning to really learn how to interview guests, get past their prepared scripts, and have authentic conversations about their lives. However, this audience building thing is a tough hurdle to climb.
Bottom Line? We’ll just keep on going for another few months and see what happens.
And as you listen, make sure to keep Michael, Union Coffeehouse, and the whole Dallas community in your thoughts and prayers in the weeks to come.
[buzzsprout episode=’396813′ player=’true’]
What challenges is Union leaning into right now?
[buzzsprout episode=’396798′ player=’true’]
A conversation with Michael Baughmann of Union Coffeehouse in Dallas,TX:
Highlights Include: Holy Shit – God At Work in Others – “Mastering” the Divine? – Church Coffeehouse Challenges- How Will Union Expand? – From “That’s a Crazy Idea” to “I Love It!” – Dirty Pants Moments