Three important factors can determine whether you should start a podcast: need, passion, and vision.

Before I started podcasting, I couldn’t find podcasts for Christian teens. I asked a few teens if they’d listen to a podcast and be interested in being guests, and they said yes. If you’ve thought about podcasting, ask the right questions. See if there’s an interest. See what’s out there and what’s needed. Figure out who will benefit. For example, rather than featuring writers’ creations, try focusing on the creators and their passions. Unless, of course, you decide to make your podcast a how-to focus.

If you don’t like public speaking, podcasting may be your forte. I’ve met podcasters who are scared to speak in front of a crowd but podcast well without an audience staring back. So don’t decide whether podcasting is right for you based on your love for public speaking. Instead, ask yourself these questions: Do I love getting to know people? Do I feel that I respond to them with encouragement and further discussion? Do people like listening to my voice?

That last question may be the most difficult. How do you know if you have a nice speaking voice? Consider people you turn to for wisdom. Is there something in their voice that soothes you? No one wants to listen to an unpleasant voice from their earbuds. However, what matters most is not the tone of your voice but the presence behind your speech. Speak with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, and faithfulness, and people will be drawn to what you say (Galatians 5:22).

I decided to podcast because I was able to focus on my passions: encouraging teens to live by faith through stories, Scripture, and prayer. My passion for prayer has an avenue to help grow Christians in their faith. And listeners have been encouraged and pleasantly surprised with the focus. By sticking with my vision, I met a need and was able to fully operate in my ability as a podcaster.

If you’ve thought about podcasting but haven’t been sure which direction to go, I encourage you to examine your passions. Let God use you in how He’s gifted you through podcasting. Maybe it’s a how-to podcast. Maybe it’s focused on prayer. However you choose, let the fruit of the Spirit lead you. While podcasting can be a lot of work, if the Spirit and your passions are in charge, you won’t regret the joy it will bring.
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