MyCom teaches communities of faith how to effectively find their audience and share their story with the world. Journey with savvy church communicators, pastors and leaders with support from MyCom creators and many others offering expert advice on outreach ideas, communications, social media and new technology. Conversations are practical in nature, yet casual and fun! Join us monthly on our mission to create communication resources for church leaders and amplify the voice of the church. Good reviews help other church leaders find us, so support the cause. Please also like, share and comment too. Future topic ideas can be sent to podcast@umcom.org. Thanks!
Discover fresh insights for church communications and digital ministry in this episode of the MyCom Church Communications and Marketing Podcast. This episode brings together digital ministry practitioners from the Phygital Ministry Fellows program. They share practical takeaways and deep reflections on building real relationships, fostering belonging, and creating spiritual spaces online.
Whether you’re a full-time digital pastor or new to online ministry, this episode will help you reimagine how to meet people in digital arenas—moving beyond simply broadcasting content to nurturing meaningful connection and community. You’ll hear firsthand about real questions people carry into digital spaces, how to connect with younger generations, using pop culture as a bridge to faith, and the ethical considerations every church should make before trying the latest technology.
(00:00) - Introduction: Rethinking Digital Ministry
(02:08) - What Questions Are People Bringing Online?
(05:00) - Belonging, Anxiety & Purpose in Digital Spaces
(07:38) - Digital Spaces as First Stop for Spiritual Questions
(09:39) - Are Online Relationships Really Shallow?
(13:54) - Discord and Deep Community Formation
(16:47) - The Gift of Vulnerability & Agency Online
(18:58) - Markers of Trust in Digital Gatherings
(21:41) - Rethinking Youth Engagement: Asking Better Questions
(23:03) - Grieving the Old Models & Embracing Humility
(24:08) - What Draws Young People to Online Spaces?
(28:10) - Pop Culture as Sacred Text
(32:14) - Theology of Incarnation and Presence in Digital Ministry
(36:14) - Practicing Neighborliness in Virtual Spaces
(37:48) - Ethics of Technology Use in Church
(39:23) - Voices in the Wilderness: Pastoring Beyond the Walls
(42:02) - Practical Takeaways for Digital Ministry
(45:46) - Resources and Closing
MyCom is a production of United Methodist Communications. Find more episodes, show notes and links, and more resources for your communications ministry toolkit at www.ResourceUMC.org/MyCom-Podcast
18 May 2026
Building Relational Bridges in Your Community
In this episode Ryan Dunn interviews Ken Willard about shifting church outreach from attractional marketing to relational, community-centered work. They explore the "fishing pond" approach, bridge events, prayer walking, and practical ways to welcome skeptical neighbors through hospitality and improved accessibility.
Listeners will learn how to listen to their communities, equip members to share personal stories of faith, and create small, sustainable steps that build long-term relationships and invite new people into the life of the church.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Context of Church Skepticism04:43 Building Relationships for Evangelism07:25 The Fishing Pond Model Explained10:46 Shifting Church Communications13:38 Listening to Community Needs16:43 Common Mistakes in Church Outreach20:31 Vision Casting and Church Growth23:29 Bridge Events as Outreach Strategies26:26 The Importance of Patience in Outreach29:26 First Steps Towards Relational Outreach32:27 Accessibility in Church Ministry
Ken Willard is the Director of Faith Communities Renewal for the West Virginia Conference of The United Methodist Church. He is the author of “Beacon of Hope: Your Guide to Reaching, Witnessing, and Welcoming New People”, as well as books on time management for ministry leaders and discipleship pathways and leadership pathways for churches.
Find episode notes, related episodes, and more resources for your digital ministry toolkit: www.resourceumc.org/mycom-podcast
20 Apr 2026
Making church digital content more accessible for all
This episode walks through a practical audit of a church's digital presence—podcasts, livestreams, websites and social media—to identify accessibility barriers and easy fixes.
Learn simple, actionable steps like adding transcripts and captions, improving audio and contrast, writing clear alt text and links, and offering content across multiple formats to welcome more people into online ministry.
In this episode:
(00:00) Improving digital accessibility
(06:36) Importance of transcriptions and captions
(10:21) Using descriptive alt text
(11:24) Improving website accessibility
(15:52) Accessibility tips for social content
(20:22) Making content more accessible
(21:49) Podcast resources and credits
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