Check these stats out:
- Total ipods sold by Apple: 42 M
- Total ipods sold by Apple in 2005: 32 M
- Total ipods sold by Apple in 2005 holiday quarter: 14 M
All I can do is echo Brenton – Churches seriously need to consider podcasting and video podcasting as a way to reach the lost.
Am I the only one that doesn’t have an iPod? It looks that way from the above numbers.
Thanks for the stats, Brenton!
I’ve got an iPod, but I need to sell it so I can get something to work with WMA DRM’d files and Yahoo Music.
Food for thought … is there a real demand for sermons? AND do you want a lot of lame sermons available? It’s great to have great speakers for the lost to hear and perhaps make a life changing decision. I shudder to think the reaction of an unbeliever when listening to some lame-o sermon with probable poor audio quality. My guess is unless the Spirit is really working on their heart they will walk away having had their concept of church reinforced … boring, non-relevant, not for me even if it is available as a podcast. Hope that comes across the way I’m intending.
(side note: Jim I just realized I’m not getting the goofy wraping problem this time when leaving a comment … waahoo!)
Which iPod do you have? How much? I know you’re big on iRiver, which I have considered, due to all that you have said, but I’m still leaning toward iPod, at least for my initial jump in.
Good point on the lame sermons. My assumption would be dynamic preachers with good audio and/or video, but you’re right, the lame ones would get through as well along with the bad audio/video. But the Spirit needs to move whatever the tool is to reach someone, we just need to be available.
I’m glad the comment wrapping issue is gone! That was annoying, I was at a blog just last night that did the same thing.
Jason, you’re such an iPod hater.
You trip me out man. 
I think there is some serious demand for podcast messages, especially from folks within the churches themselves, a sort of spiritual supplement. I think we should target the lost in addition to discipleship-style podcasts. And I agree with you, if we’re gonna do it, it has to be right.
I’ve “just barely” got an iPod — a 512MB Shuffle, but it meets my perceived needs, which is to have a bit of music if I’m out for a walk or to put some things I know I like into the car. This is twisting your topic a bit, but I’m having a hard time getting excited about podcasting. Perhaps if I had a 2 hour drive time each day I’d think otherwise. Now…if I had full-text, searchable, sermons on line, that would be something interesting…
My 2 cents…most churches that would jump on the podcast bandwagon in the near future probably already have a high standard of excellence in the use of technology. I don’t think poor audio quality would be an issue for awhile.
Podcasting is just another way to communicate. If the message is boring in person then it will be received the same way via a podcast.
I know several people with multiple iPods, so that 42million iPods sold could really mean that there are really no more than perhaps a few dozen owners with maxed out credit.
We have started podcasting at our church and is is doing well. I blogged about it here: http://blog.osministry.com/?p=25
We use a high quality sound system recording digitally directly to CD. The CD is ripped directly to a compressed mp3, but it still sounds great.
Our preacher is very professional and has a wonderful voice for recording (I’ve listed to the sermons from back when I was a preacher and Memorex does not like me).
I would not recommend it for everyone. I saw a small church service on TV once where the preacher berated members who were absent that day and mentioned them by name. The other night I heard a seromn on the radio that was perhaps the worst sermon I have ever suffered through. Continuous, unprepared, useless, distracted ramblings on Jesus’ miracle at the wedding feast in Cana.
Those people should never podcast.
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