"Casting A Net In Cyberspace"
By John Voorhis and Tobias Klauder, Co-Chairs, Information Technology Committee

77 different countries…….all 50 states…….730 live listeners…….3,081 videos downloaded…….11,257 sermons downloaded. These are the numbers behind Tenth’s webcasting efforts for the month of May, 2006. While we praise God for spreading His word through our efforts, we are most encouraged by the feedback we receive from those who have been touched by this ministry.

Here are some frequently asked questions about webcasting at Tenth.

What is webcasting? The term webcast refers to the delivery of audio or video content via the Internet.

When did webcasting start at Tenth? On Easter Sunday, 2001, Tenth introduced our first Sunday morning worship service webcast. There were 8 listeners connected.

When is the webcast available live? Can I listen to past services? The live webcasts now happen during both the 9 and 11 AM services. The past four weeks worth of the full service are available afterwords for streaming from the Tenth website. Sermons from the previous four weeks are available for download in mp3 format from tenth.sermonaudio.com.

Why do we partner with SermonAudio.com? In 2005, we began working with SermonAudio.com to power our webcast. This helped us target a reformed audience, cut our annual webcasting costs by 70%, and enabled us to offer sermons in a podcast format. The founder of SermonAudio.com Steven Lee shares a similar vision for ministry with Tenth.

What is a podcast? The term podcast refers to a method of publishing files via the Internet in such a way that users will automatically receive copies of those files once they are made available. Users can subscribe to a podast of our sermons via tenth.sermonaudio.com or www.itunes.com

I have heard that video is now available. Is this true? On Easter Sunday, 2006, Tenth celebrated it’s 5th year of webcasting by adding video. Users can choose to listen to audio only, or both audio and video.

What is the primary purpose for webcasting? Will this take the place of attending church? The primary purpose of our webcast is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ through the teaching of our pulpit ministry to the widest possible audience. This is not, nor will it ever be intended as a replacement for regular corporate worship in person with your brothers and sisters in the Lord.

What else can I listen to? Tenth regularly webcasts the Tenth Concert Series, as well as a limited number of Sunday School classes. You can also listen to Sunday evening sermons, and Windows On The World.

How can I tune in? Do I need anything special on my computer? Visit tenth.sermonaudio.com or visit www.tenth.org, and click the link on the front page labeled “Listen to Sermons/Webcast”. You will need a copy of Windows Media Player on your PC, or Flip4Mac’s free Quicktime plug-in.

What other changes might we see this year? We hope to expand our live webcasts to include the Sunday evening services on a regular basis. We are also planning to lauch Internet radios for shut-ins, that would allow them to listen to the webcast without a computer. For more information on this, visit www.sermonaudio.com/radio

Tenth webcasting is a collaborative effort that includes involvement by the IT committee, the music department, the pastoral staff, and several other church staff members. As Jesus stated in Mathew 5:15, “Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.” Thanks be to God for providing us with both the light and the stand, and enabling us to put them together via the Internet.