The Digital Ministry Podcast

In this episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, Nick shares his session with students at Taylor University on AI, faith, and the future of work. He walks through a complete demo of setting up Claude CoWork to manage a faith-aligned, values-driven job search, from resume building and target companies to weekly reports and application tracking. Nick explains how to turn Claude CoWork into a 24/7 AI...

In this episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, Nick sits down with Joshua Seale, Executive Director of Missional AI, to talk about the upcoming Missional AI Summit in Silicon Valley and how AI is reshaping Bible translation, evangelism, discipleship, and digital ministry. Joshua shares the origin story of Missional AI and its early focus on Bible translation and Natural Language Processing (NLP)...

Can AI actually help fulfill the Great Commission? In this episode, Jay Kranda (Innovative Tech Pastor at Saddleback Church) discusses the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to digital ministry. He emphasizes that AI serves as a tool to enhance—not replace—in-person connection and ministry efforts. This session was recorded during the Impact AI Summit, hosted by Media Impact International...

The next video in our IMPACT AI SUMMIT series features Natchi Lazarus. Natchi is a longtime contributor and friend of MII and delivered a wonderful presentation on Agentic AI in Cairo This featured talk was recorded during the Impact AI Summit, hosted by Media Impact International (MII) in Cairo, Egypt. Natchi explores how Christian leaders, ministries, and media teams can approach AI through a bi...

In an era of rapidly advancing AI, are we using technology to make disciples—or just to make more content? In the latest episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, host Nick Runyon shares the opening session from the Impact AI Summit, hosted by Media Impact International (MII) in Cairo, Egypt, this past November. This sold-out event brought together over 300 leaders, innovators, and practitioners to...

What happens when pastors, ministers, and practitioners stop ranting about AI and start using it in real ministry? In this episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, we unpack the hype, hope, and hard work behind AI and ministry. Host Nick Runyon chats with Jay Kranda about their time at the AI Impact Summit in Cairo, which was hosted by Media Impact International. Nick and Jay discuss the crucial t...

Ever wondered how your church can create compelling social media content that reaches beyond your current congregation, without spending hours editing videos or crafting posts? In the latest episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, Nick Runyon chats with Corey Alderin to uncover how AI is transforming the way churches share their message online, making digital outreach easier and more effective th...

What if I told you that a simple 30-day experiment could transform your understanding of digital content creation and audience engagement? In the latest episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, Nick Runyon sits down with Jay Kranda to unpack his 30-day content experiment. Jay reveals how posting frequency impacts views and shares his secrets to creating compelling short-form video. Together, they...

Are you looking for ways to create your podcast more efficiently while keeping your content genuine? In this latest episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, Nick Runyon chats with Daniel Hall and Holly Tate of the 'Seth Said What?' podcast about the use of AI tools for podcast production. Daniel and Holly discuss how they use such tools for recording and publishing more efficiently. They talk abou...

How can you make your customer experience so good that it becomes legendary? In the latest episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, Nick Runyon shares his conversation with Daniel Hall and Holly Tate from the 'Seth Said What?' podcast. The trio discusses the concept of 'Unreasonable Hospitality and Legendary Service', inspired by the book by Will Guidara and Seth Godin's blog. Nick shares stories—...

How are AI tools helping you? In the latest episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, Nick Runyon focuses on AI tools and content ownership. He discusses the impact of AI on content creation and how it can help teams be more efficient. Nick emphasizes that while AI offers efficiency, it's crucial to avoid "groupthink" and bland output. He strongly advocates for prioritizing human creativity and ori...

How is Gen Z navigating the AI revolution in education, social media, and beyond?   In this eye-opening episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, Nick Runyon sits down with his son Aiden to explore the world of AI through the lens of a Gen Z. The two talk about the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in schools, social media, and future careers.   Listen to this candid conversat...

How are you taking advantage of AI tools for your ministry today? In the latest episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, Nick Runyon focuses on AI agents, specifically OpenAI's Operator feature. He shares how these tools are currently being used for tasks such as research and inbox management. This episode also features a demonstration of using an AI agent to filter Facebook Messenger messages. Yo...

With the increasing popularity of AI, how can we balance technology and human connection? In this episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, Nick Runyon and Jay Kranda discuss artificial intelligence, faith, and the future. They explore the evolving landscape of ministry in the digital age, focusing on the potential of AI for churches and ministries. The conversation also features highlights from th...

Ever wonder who's accountable when a campaign fails?   In this episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, Nick Runyon and Jay Kranda dive into the challenges of navigating the digital mission field. They explore the crucial balance between outreach and follow-up in digital ministry. The conversation also unpacks team dynamics, emphasizing the importance of collaboration. Discover the power of an "ow...

Will AI be reframing the future of work and ministry? In this episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, Nick Runyon and Jay Kranda discuss the significant impact of AI on various aspects of our lives, including our daily routines, jobs, and ministry work. They highlight the transformative potential of AI by exploring specific examples such as Google's NotebookLM, an AI tool designed to summarize an...

In this episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, Nick Runyon invites his brother and Chief of Staff at Gloo, Bryce Runyon, for an insightful discussion about the powerful role of technology in digital ministry. Bryce also highlights AI tools and their current project at Gloo, where they develop a texting app bridging AI tools to help build strong church teams for follow-up and support, further com...

In this episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, Nick Runyon talks with Joshua Seale, Director of Digital Products from Biblica and a notable leader in Missional AI, a global movement dedicated to exploring how Artificial Intelligence can revolutionize missional engagement. During their discussion, Joshua shares how Biblica, a leading organization that provides widely read Scriptures in over 89 di...

In this episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, Nick Runyon sits down with Rob Hall, President of Trauma-Free World, to discuss their mission to support caregivers of children affected by complex trauma. Rob explains the various forms of trauma, from acute to chronic and complex, highlighting the critical need for intervention as over a billion children globally are impacted.  He introduces TECO,...

In this episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, host Nick chats with Don Barger, Director of Innovation and MX Labs at IMB, about AI's growing role in ministry.   Don's Journey with AI: He shares his path into AI and how IMB is exploring its potential to support ministry innovation. AI for Ministry: From developers to new users, they discuss the range of engagement with AI tools and the importanc...

In this episode, Nick Runyon shares his thoughts on the use of AI in digital ministry and prayer. He discusses the rapid advancement of AI and the ethical concerns about it potentially becoming smarter than humans. He emphasizes the importance of human interaction in digital ministry and follow-up processes while acknowledging that AI can be useful in many other areas of ministry.   Nick recalls a...

In this episode, Justin Murff shares his journey from media to ministry, offering deep insights into the complexities of faith in the Middle East and the rise of digital churches. Justin highlights the unique challenges faced by new believers from Muslim backgrounds and emphasizes the importance of fostering inclusive, safe online communities for spiritual growth. We explore the transformative imp...

In this episode of the Digital Ministry Podcast, Nick is joined by Daniel Hall for an engaging discussion on the role of artificial intelligence in ministry. They explored how AI tools, like Google's Notebook LM, are shaping the way ministries create and manage content, and how these technologies can assist in scaling personal interactions while maintaining meaningful connections. They also shed l...

How do we take digital ministry beyond streaming services and create real community? In this episode, we sit down once more with Jay Kranda, online community pastor at Saddleback Church, to dive into the insights from his latest book Online Church is Not the Answer. Jay also shares in this episode his experience in building a balanced ministry, emphasizing the importance of fostering in-person eng...

In this episode, we sit down with Kim Tarlton, General Manager for Church Communications Group, to discuss the most effective ways churches can leverage digital platforms. Kim shares her expertise on understanding your target audience across platforms like church websites, social media, and apps. She introduces the concept of the "three rings of marketing," which involves communicating to your chu...