002 - Purpose, Planning and Potential

Average shows (called Podcast episodes) tend to range from 20-40 minutes. They are mostly dominated by voice - you, the host, talking about your message. So, for anything that is dominated by your voice, you need some planning. We all know how easy it is to get off subject in a 10 minute speech. Now magnify that to a 40 minute speech. Yeah, those are a lot of rabbit trails, and a lot of opportunities for your listeners to get really bored or lost. As you design your podcast, decide on a focused overall message (a purpose), and stick to it. If you plan to ramble and go down rabbit trails, then choose a very very broad message, and then you can easily stick to your "focus" of broadness. Beautiful, isn't it?

After you have chosen your purpose, plan your episode. No, you don't need to plan every word, but you need a basic outline of what you will discuss throughout your show. If your podcast is to focus on your family, plan how you will talk about those 5 cute sons or daughters of yours, and of course your spouse. If your Podcast is a focus on your ministry, you should have in mind, before you sit down to record, the specific parts you will discuss. Believe me, I have a few really bad episodes out there that have no focus, no direction, and are super boring. I'm embarrassed.

And that's another thing. Podcasts carry different risks than blogs. While you have the benefits of a radio show without the complications of having to do it live, there are still plenty of things you can say that will make you wish after-the-fact that you hadn't put your foot in your mouth. Blogs can be deleted, or edited after you have published. Once you publish a podcast, your listeners download the show, and it's on their computer, out of your reach. Now you're freaking out, because they can listen to it over and over and over. All you can do is send an apology and try to retract your statement like a politician. But they still know... ...They will always know. Take my advice - record the show, edit out what you need to edit out, sit on the show for a day, listen again, edit again, then publish after thinking twice about whether or not you should publish. Anything less is just uncivilized.

So, sure there are risks, but the thrill of this medium is the command you have over your message. Unlike blogging, where you write the words and everyone misses out on the important intonation in your phrasing, in podcasting you get to speak your message, and they get to hear it as you really intended! It's really a blast, once you get past the fear (or begin to have a fear) of the medium. I'd say, if you're scared, don't be. If you're not scared, get scared (I'm talking fear as in respect, we're not wanting the fear that God's true love has already driven out - don't get that back. Leave it in the gutter).

So, pick your overall podcast purpose, and plan the individual episodes carefully. These are your first assignments. (You've already done this for the International Ministries Division, maybe now you could adapt it to the Podcast!)

Love you guys,

Matt