“Pastoring in the Digital Parish” is “the digital ministry class you missed in seminary,” according to the Rev. Ryan Dunn, who hosts the podcast produced by United Methodist Communications.
United Methodist Communications is launching a new podcast called, Pastoring in the Digital Parish, produced and hosted by the Rev. Ryan Dunn. Dunn is Minister of Online Engagement for United Methodist Communications.
The podcast launched on June 17, 2021 with five episodes, and a new episode will release every Wednesday.
Dunn says: “Think of it as the digital ministry class you missed in seminary.”
The podcast seeks to foster community and offer resources for leaders adjusting to ministry in the electronic space.
Dunn created the podcast in response to conversations he’s had with pastors and leaders. “As someone who has been working in digital ministry for several years – and with some connections to other digital ministry practitioners—I felt I could offer some support and resourcing,” said Dunn. “A podcast is an easily consumed medium for doing that”
The online ministry landscape is poised to grow and shows no signs of slowing down. “I’ve heard that anywhere from 40-60 percent of our congregations are going to continue to engage with our ministries primarily through digital media, even after we fully recover from the pandemic,” said Dunn. “If the truth is somewhere in the middle, that still leaves a lot of people who are looking to connect with communities of faith primarily through our online presence. I expect that percentage is going to grow, not diminish. The fact is that digital ministry is going to become increasingly important moving forward.”
Dunn hopes to provide not only information but inspiration, saying: “I know this podcast is going to connect church leaders with practical and relevant tactics for engaging in digital ministry. It’s already taught me a ton. But, I also see it continuing to inspire innovation in a relatively new field.”
The podcast is available via Apple, Google, Spotify, and Amazon. It’s also accessed on Resource UMC.
Last Updated on October 31, 2023