Wilderness Conversations

Sharing our stories is an integral part of our fellowship. Everyone has a story; and my inspiration comes in the form of capturing these firsthand accounts and sharing them with our Christadelphian community.

Before COVID-19 lockdowns, I started a podcast called “Wilderness Conversations,” designed for the Christadelphian community. The initial inspiration came from attending funerals and learning about the lives of brothers and sisters who I knew but whose stories were largely unknown to most of us. Everyone has a story; capturing these firsthand accounts and sharing them with interested brethren and sisters would be valuable.

As someone who spends much time on the road in Sydney traffic, I’ve been a podcast listener for years. Having material focused on our understanding of the truth would be beneficial. Initially, the idea was to explore controversial topics and debate them, but that quickly evolved into a goal of creating engaging, informative, spiritually edifying content that is not controversial or negative.

Some episodes concern those who share their journey of faith and the challenges they have faced. Many stories resonate with other listeners and spark meaningful conversations within our community. In addition to general stories, the idea of book reviews quickly became apparent. The goal was to share information, understanding that most people will not buy or read the book. An interview could at least convey the message to a broader audience. An unexpected but inevitable result was that it encouraged book sales.

I publish the podcast on Apple and Spotify and upload episodes to YouTube. I know a few older listeners who have mastered their smart TVs and understand YouTube but are unfamiliar with webpages or podcasts. T he different platforms provide some statistics on the listening audience. Spotify added podcasts to its content during COVID-19 and has since become a major portal for podcasts.

There are about 750 regular listeners on each of the two platforms, meaning that with nearly one hundred episodes, there have been well over a hundred thousand listeners on these two platforms. Apple provides listener statistics, showing 1,252 listeners in Australia, 89 in the UK, 80 in the USA, 60 in New Zealand, and 50 in Canada. Interestingly, Spotify reports that 50% of listeners are female, 48% are male, and 2% are not specified. Additionally, 20% are under 27, 30% are between 28-44, and 50% are over 45. Who said older ones don’t know technology?

I often get asked why I do it and how long I will do it. The simple answer is that I get just enough feedback to keep me going. Someone will contact me each week because a particular guest or subject has inspired them. Recently, a sister was bedridden in hospital and told me that listening to the stories of her brothers and sisters and the engaging content of our writers kept her going.

The biggest challenge? That’s easy— content. So many people have great stories but are reluctant to share them. It’s understandable. The reasons are a lack of confidence to articulate their story, a feeling that they might be “bragging,” or a disbelief that anyone would be interested. Sharing our stories, I think, is an integral part of our fellowship. Please let me know if you or someone you know has a story or a subject of interest.

In the meantime, all the past episodes are available online. I invite you to listen to “Wilderness Conversations” and join our community of listeners:

Spotify: http://bit.ly/4kDKZkR
Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3FeB3hP
wildernessconversations.com

Share your thoughts, favorite episodes, or any stories you’d like to hear in future episodes. Let’s continue to learn and grow together.

Stephen Dodson,
Riverwood Ecclesia,
Sydney, NSW