Podcasting Goes Corporate

Today Apple released a new version of it's iTunes software. This is great news because now thousands (millions?) of iTunes users have easy access to Podcasts like Miami Baptist Church's Godcast. And, iPod owners can sync Podcasts to their beloved digital jukeboxes with ease.

As the technical barriers to entry in the Podcast arena come crashing down the expanded reach of the technology is already bringing new players to genre. Today on iTunes you'll find Podcasts from Disney, ABC, and ESPN as well as morning radio personalities. Now "indie" Podcasters have to stand alongside these media giants. The bar has been raised.

Apple iTunes also brings a new set of specialized tagsto the Podcast RSS format. This means a little more work for Podcasters but now they can add artwork to their feeds. Of course, it will only be seen inside of iTunes.

It's a mixed bag I guess but I'd say the good news outweighs the bad. I'm switching from iPodder to iTunes for my Podcast feeds today. I like the way it organizes the information a little better. Plus, it's a pretty good media player in general.

Free Christian Bracelets!

Stuff like this drives me nuts.

ChristianityFreebies.com (the concept is silly right from the start isn't it?) is offering those rubber bracelets for Free. You can tell the bracelets are Christian because they say things like "Strength" and "Dream." The bracelets are free and the shipping is only $3.95 (limit one). What a deal!

I guess sarcasm isn't very Christlike. But seriously, why limit it to one? It can't cost more than a buck to ship a rubber band. And, the bracelets can't cost more than a dollar wholesale. So there's got to be at least a 100% profit margin in this "giveaway." What's the harm in "giving away" 20 or 100 at a time?

See for yourself: ChristianityFreebies.com

Oh wait... they have free "heavenly" tee-shirts too!

YES YES YES!!!

"Messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) annual meeting approved a resolution to end an eight-year boycott of Disney."

Source: Biblical Recorder

Finally, we can come out of that dark age and begin to put back together our shredded dignity. Perhaps we can even regain some some perception of relevance in these modernist times. Yes, the Baptist boycott of Mickey Mouse has come to an end.

In hindsight, it was pretty ridiculous wasn't it? From day one I was embarrassed by the convention's decision to make boycotting Disney a major issue for Southern Baptists. And from the beginning I was appalled at the way Baptist leaders misrepresented the Disney company to their assemblies and congregations. I guess it's fitting that, in the end, Baptist leaders declared the boycot has been "effective" even though it has effected no change whatsoever in the policies of the Walt Disney Company. It's one more half-truth to cap off an eight year history of distortion.

The convention huffed and puffed but the Mouse House took no notice of thier blustering.

The Walt Disney Company has suffered from a lack of vision under the direction of outgoing CEO Michael Eisner. Perhaps, new management will bring a fresh new energy to Disney's entertainment product and when it does Southern Baptists won't have to feel guilty if they enjoy it (just in time for Narnia too).

Boycott Wire

Ratt lead singer saved?

Stephen Pearcy, lead singer of the 80's rock band Ratt has agreed to a guest vocalist position on the upcoming album by Christian rock band "Liberty and Justice."

No, I've never heard of "Liberty and Justice" either...

Source: CMSpin

You might not want to read this...

It's pretty shocking really.

"A Kansas City abortionist is out of business after investigators discovered a grisly house of horrors at his clinic – with fetuses kept in Styrofoam cups in his refrigerator and one employee accusing him of microwaving one and stirring it into his lunch."

That's the worst of the story but not all of it.

Source: World Net Daily

Carowinds by Satellite

Google Maps satellite feature picked up a great photo of the Carowinds theme park. It looks closed. Is that what color the wave pool is in the off-season?

Google Maps: Carowinds Theme Park

What other church?

Now really, at what other church besides Miami Baptist are you going to find:

Blogging pastors
Sermon Podcasts
Skype VOIP Bible Studies
And an interactive web site with RSS auto discovery throughout.
Even online giving is coming soon!

What other church indeed? Our little Concord, NC country church is so far out on the bleeding edge of technology that we're like a cross between Bill Gates and Billy Graham!

But all the hyperbole aside, it doesn't mean much if people aren't making real connections and either finding faith or deepening their walk with Christ. And that's what every Church ministry is really about. So I'll update you as the great Internet experiment of Miami Baptist Church progresses.

Right now the Podcast has had almost 100 downloads. We've tried the Bible Study on MSN Messenger and no one came. This will be our first week on Skype. Last week I started working on our search engine ranking and placing the Podcast on all the major directories. These are processes that take months to build but if they work we'll want to help other churches to use these technologies to reach new people for Christ. So stay tuned!

"What's Really Goin' On"

Gotee brother Todd Collins of Beatmart Records has started the WRGO Podcast. It's good resource for fans of the Christian underground hip hop scene.

Podcast: WRGO
Blog: What's Really Goin' On

"Why Belief Matters"

If there are any parent's of youth lurking around this blog please take a minute to check out the link below and watch the video.

"Why Belief Matters" Conference

91% of youth today don't believe in absolute truth. Josh McDowell is bringing his three part conference to the Cabarrus Arena this Fall and you need to plan on going. His "Beyond Belief" seminars will equip you address the post-modernist mindset that is prevalent among our youth.

The conference has three parts, one for me (youth leaders), one for you (parents) and one for youth.

Sex Sells?

Apparently it doesn't sell as well as conventional wisdom would imply...

"While the movie industry produced nearly 12 times more R-rated films than G-rated films from 1989-2003, the average G-rated film produced 11 times greater profit than its R-rated counterpart"

Source: Reuters

It's an interesting study that concluded that the production of "R" rated films is disproportionate to demand.

Godcasting

I've found a few interesting Podcasts in my research into online ministry. Here are some of the more interesting ones.

Outchurched:
A discussion among people (usually 20-somethings) who have left the church about church and religion. Recent quote "I don't want to minimize what youth pastors do but I think to some degree it really is crowd control more than anything."

The Christian and the Atheist:
A respectful and open conversation about religion and faith issues between a Christian and an Atheist

Peering Into Darkness:
It's like the Art Bell show for Christians. It's way out there and sometimes it seems like an ad for the co-hosts series of books but still very interesting.

Newb notes: Podcasting is home-brew audio programming on demand. Think Tivo for independent radio. No you don't need an iPod. Godcasts are just a subset of the general Podcasting community that focuses on subjects of a religious nature. Here are a few articles on it.

BusinessWeek: Need a Lift? Try a Godcast
The State : Finding God on your iPod
Podcasting News: Godcasting: The Podcast's Killer App?
Google: Look for yourself

If you're into this stuff and you've found any other interesting
"Godcasts" please let me know.