SermonCast - church podcasting made easy

[SermonCast]

Just wanted to tell a little about SermonCast...the media player has been developed over the past few years with feedback from many churches, and is being used by thousands of churches. We are currently offering the first year for free for audio SermonCast player. More info at www.SermonCast.com (http://www.SermonCast.com).

One of our sites using the SermonCast player is www.JesusiPod.com (http://www.JesusiPod.com). We are looking for powerful sermons to include on Jesus' iPod...if you've got a few really good sermons, please email podcast(at)christian.com and send link to your podcast and which sermon(s) you'd like to see considered for inclusion on the Jesus' iPod podcast.

Thank you!

[flutem3]

Hi, Lee,

Thank you for the information. After the free year, how much does SermonCast cost?

Why is it preferable to setting up a podcast which people can subscribe to over itunes or whatever?

In other words, I guess I am asking what I would get for the money by paying for SermonCast that I am not already getting for free.

Thanks,

Carol

[SermonCast]

Good questions, Carol.

First, SermonCast is a podcast, and users can subscribe through the player to the RSS feed, or you can also be on iTunes as well. But the service also includes more that you get with free podcast services...

SermonCast player- customizable player to put on your church website. See the features here... http://www.sermoncast.com/features.php

Media Delivery System - SermonCast is a platform for media delivery - podcast, mobile, etc. The administration panel has many features you won't have with a free podcasting service. Plus it is easier to set up and manage.

After free year, cost is $25/month for the audio service. For video pricing see our pricing page. Much cheaper than other video services. we are trying to offer the most we can for the most affordable price.

Most of the free services I've seen are secular companies, and don't have the Bible or other features. SermonCast is specifically designed for churches, with feedback from thousands of churches guiding the development.

It is great for churches just getting started...of course if you are switching to SermonCast (as many have done as well), you'll have some work to move your archive of sermons over if you want to keep them as part of the podcast.

God bless,

Lee
SermonCast.com

[flutem3]

"After free year, cost is $25/month for the audio service. For video pricing see our pricing page. Much cheaper than other video services. we are trying to offer the most we can for the most affordable price."

Hi, Lee,

Thank you for the information. Now, I have another question. How big are the congregations which use the audio service? And in what kind of locale are they...rural, city, suburban, countryside? And what kind of financial situations are they in?

The majority of the websites with which I am most familiar are United Methodist Church websites. And I know about a lot of them through UMConnect. Most of them use as many free services as they can...even if paid services provide more features. The reason is simple. The website is not a very high priority for the church. Or the church just doesn't have much money.

We are considered an intermediate sized church, but it is a graying church. We are diligently trying to do something about that, but many of the people care nothing about a website. They really don't want to pay for a website let alone anything extra. When I want to something new that requires equipment, I buy it. But the website is not a line item on the church budget yet. I am trying to get it on the budget...if for no other reason than to make people have a little more of a sense of ownership AND to remind them that it exists!

We do not have a culture of technology in our church, but the pastors we have see the need and two or the three are big time computer users. But it takes a long time. We are also in a building mode so money goes there.

I think it is neat that you have a mobile aspect to your service, but isn't that the point of ipods? A person can take the music, sermon, whatever with him/her. I know you are talk about the all in one devices. Personally, I think all the gizmos are way over the top. I don't know when we became so important that we had to be plugged in to the entire world all the time. :)

That is too much for me!!

Carol

[SermonCast]

Thank you Carol for your reply and questions.

We have numerous United Methodist Churches using SermonCast. You can browse some of the churches here...

http://www.sermoncast.com/states.php

I understand about budget...that is one reason we keep the cost so low. But it is strange to me that churches can spend hundreds of thousands on buildings to bring in more people, and not spend $25/month on a podcast that can also bring in hundreds or thousands of listeners each week. Some churches have more listeners to their podcast than they do in service on Sunday mornings.

I hope your pastoral staff will start to see the importance of the Internet, podcasting, etc., and how it can reach and impact so many people...esp. if it is an older church, I would hope they would want to find ways to reach young people.

God bless,

Lee

[flutem3]

I hope your pastoral staff will start to see the importance of the Internet, podcasting, etc., and how it can reach and impact so many people...esp. if it is an older church, I would hope they would want to find ways to reach young people.

Hi,

It isn't the pastoral staff which has so much difficulty. The senior and associate pastors are good on computers. Chris even builds them, but they do not know how to build a website.

They are not the problem. Those who control the funds do not see the necessity. The pastors can suggest/recommend, but the various boards dole out the money. The church itself does not even pay for our website.

You are right about spending lots of money on a building. However, I don't see any reason to pay for podcasting when I can do it at no cost except my time. That makes no sense to my frugal self. However, website ministry is more important than I ever dreamed when I began building a website. David, forum administrator, was one of the first people who helped me to think in terms of ministry. I have much to learn, but my thinking has changed.

We can reach million or billions of people if they are hooked up. The question is how to bring a non-Christian to a website which talks about Christianity in whatever terms...whether it is lingo or not. How do we catch their attention? That is a tough question.

A Christian knows what he/she has which is so wonderful. Other people cannot imagine. That gap is what needs to be bridged somehow.

Carol

[JackWolfgang]

OK, I have questions:

SermonCast player- customizable player to put on your church website. See the features here... http://www.sermoncast.com/features.php[QUOTE]

Give us a few more details: is it flash based, is it standards compliant, is it accessible?

[QUOTE=SermonCast;4581]Media Delivery System - SermonCast is a platform for media delivery - podcast, mobile, etc. The administration panel has many features you won't have with a free podcasting service. Plus it is easier to set up and manage.

Why is this better than Wordpress (or other CMS) with the files on our site?

It is great for churches just getting started...of course if you are switching to SermonCast (as many have done as well), you'll have some work to move your archive of sermons over if you want to keep them as part of the podcast.

Why do I need to move files? If I understand your service right, you're trying to make my life easier.

Forgive my skeptism, but I am left with the question: WHY?

[flutem3]

Forgive my skepticism, but I am left with the question: WHY?

I have the same question. I looked carefully at the setup. It looks neat and does have some additional features. But I don't see anything which is worth $25/mo.

Tell me what makes it worth the money. Our sermons are podcast and can be picked up by anyone who wants to subscribe to them.

How much file space does that unit with the archived sermons take up? It is possible I don't understand exactly how it works. It looks as if a person does not need to go through the subscribing step, but I don't know.

Would someone explain this to me, please? Thanks.

Carol