Episode 65: Evangelism through Podcasts
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Sandy Milien is a young and driven Afrolatina, passionate about social justice and the calling of The Episcopal Church to empower youth and young adults to be leaders in their communities. She is currently the project lead for the Episcopal Church Beloved Community StorySharing Campaign. This evangelism initiative seeks to help and equip faith communities and individuals to share and receive stories of faith, race, and difference in their communities. She is also one of the co-hosts for the Way of Love Podcast with Bishop Michael Curry. Sandy lives in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where she works as Missioner for Community Engagement and Assistant to the Bishop of the Diocese of Bethlehem. In her free time, you can find Sandy reading, dancing or spending time with family and friends.
Welcome Sandy! |
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Sandy shares what the Becoming Beloved Community and StorySharing Campaign is and how it got started, and what it as a ministry aims to do in communities across The Episcopal Church. Sandy’s role as a StoryWeaver helps communities share their own story and how the Gospel is lived in their lives.
Sandy’s role with the StorySharing campaign has helped her as a co-host on the Way of Love Podcast. Particularly in the ways that she asks questions, a tool she has learned from the StorySharing campaign.
The first season of the Way of Love podcast with the Rt. Rev. Michael Curry focused on each of the seven practices of the Way of Love: Turn, Learn, Pray, Bless, Worship, Go, and Rest. The second season (which is out now) focuses on how communities are utilizing and living the Way of Love in their communities. Focusing on each individual practice, and going deep in one practice, with Bishop Curry and her co-host Kyle Oliver, has influenced her spiritual life. For example, Sandy talks about how she (and others) can focus on Pray.
Sandy and Alli talk about how podcasts can be used as evangelism, and sharing the Gospel in ways beyond a sermon or standard preaching. Sandy shares an experience hearing from listeners who utilize the Way of Love podcast as a part of their prayer life.
Alli asks if Sandy thinks that podcasts and listening to podcasts is a shift in what it means to be “in community.” Sandy agrees and shares that her and Kyle just recently met. It is a new sense of community that isn’t a bad thing. It can be a less intimidating way to hear the Gospel without having to walk into a church — which for some isn’t the easiest thing to do.
Sandy said that having a podcast or vlog creates another outlet for people to build on their faith. It is an opportunity for people to put their faith into practice, and access the Gospel in an easier way.
Being a co-host on a podcast is a very vulnerable place. Alli asks Sandy how being in the vulnerable place sharing her own relationship with God to listeners who she does not know, how has that shaped her. Then the train passed — causing a bit of a diversion of the conversation. Sandy brings up Pop-Up-Prayer and the beauty of distraction and reality in daily life as Christians and people in this world. And we are back on track (no pun intended). Sandy says she is a believer that God is behind everything and in control — including not knowing how vulnerable and how impactful (for her) the podcast would be.
Sandy’s role with the StorySharing campaign has helped her as a co-host on the Way of Love Podcast. Particularly in the ways that she asks questions, a tool she has learned from the StorySharing campaign.
The first season of the Way of Love podcast with the Rt. Rev. Michael Curry focused on each of the seven practices of the Way of Love: Turn, Learn, Pray, Bless, Worship, Go, and Rest. The second season (which is out now) focuses on how communities are utilizing and living the Way of Love in their communities. Focusing on each individual practice, and going deep in one practice, with Bishop Curry and her co-host Kyle Oliver, has influenced her spiritual life. For example, Sandy talks about how she (and others) can focus on Pray.
Sandy and Alli talk about how podcasts can be used as evangelism, and sharing the Gospel in ways beyond a sermon or standard preaching. Sandy shares an experience hearing from listeners who utilize the Way of Love podcast as a part of their prayer life.
Alli asks if Sandy thinks that podcasts and listening to podcasts is a shift in what it means to be “in community.” Sandy agrees and shares that her and Kyle just recently met. It is a new sense of community that isn’t a bad thing. It can be a less intimidating way to hear the Gospel without having to walk into a church — which for some isn’t the easiest thing to do.
Sandy said that having a podcast or vlog creates another outlet for people to build on their faith. It is an opportunity for people to put their faith into practice, and access the Gospel in an easier way.
Being a co-host on a podcast is a very vulnerable place. Alli asks Sandy how being in the vulnerable place sharing her own relationship with God to listeners who she does not know, how has that shaped her. Then the train passed — causing a bit of a diversion of the conversation. Sandy brings up Pop-Up-Prayer and the beauty of distraction and reality in daily life as Christians and people in this world. And we are back on track (no pun intended). Sandy says she is a believer that God is behind everything and in control — including not knowing how vulnerable and how impactful (for her) the podcast would be.
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In Christ and Coffee,
Alli
In Christ and Coffee,
Alli