The Gottesdienst Crowd

Two pastors thinking out loud about the upcoming Gospel reading. This episode is devoted to the Gospel reading for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, John 16:5-15.

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Host: Fr. Jason Braaten

Regular Guest: Fr. Dave Petersen

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You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/

You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/

As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support. 

This is a recording of the sermon for The Fifth Sunday of Easter from George Stoeckhardt’s book Grace Upon Grace: Gospel Sermons for the Church Year, reprinted by Steadfast Press. 

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Read by: Fr. Matt Moss

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You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/

You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/

You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/

As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support. 

In this episode, we’re talking about one of the most overlooked yet essential tools for church outreach today: search engine optimization (SEO) and making the most of Google. Whether you’re a pastor, church administrator, or volunteer managing your church’s website, this conversation will equip you with practical strategies to ensure your church is found by the people who are looking for it.

Every day, people in your community are searching online for answers—some are seeking a place to worship, others are looking for hope, community, or help. But if your church doesn’t show up when they search, you’re missing a major opportunity to connect with them. That’s where SEO comes in. It’s not about gaming the system or marketing gimmicks—it’s about being present where people are already looking.

We’ll walk through what SEO actually is (in plain English), how Google ranks websites, and the top things you can do today to make your church website more visible online. You’ll learn about the importance of keywords, how to write content that Google recognizes and people appreciate, and why updating your church’s Google Business Profile might be the most important five minutes you spend this week. We’ll also touch on how to make your sermons, events, and blog posts easier to find—and how small things like page speed, mobile-friendliness, and simple URLs can make a big difference.

Our goal isn’t to turn your church into a tech startup—it’s to help faithful churches reach real people with the Gospel by stewarding the tools that are already at our fingertips. This episode is packed with tips, examples, and encouragement to take small, consistent steps toward making your church more discoverable.

If you've ever wondered why your church isn't appearing in search results, how to bring more people to your site, or what Google actually wants from your content, this episode is for you. The harvest is plentiful—even online—and the tools are in your hands. Let's use them wisely.

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Host: Fr. Jason Braaten

Special Guest: Mr. Michael Usner

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Become a Patron!

You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/

You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/

You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/

As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support. 

Two pastors thinking out loud about the upcoming Gospel reading. This episode is devoted to the Gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, John 16: 16-22.

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Host: Fr. Jason Braaten

Regular Guest: Fr. Dave Petersen

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Become a Patron!

You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/

You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/

You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/

As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support. 

This is a recording of the sermon for The Fourth Sunday of Easter from George Stoeckhardt’s book Grace Upon Grace: Gospel Sermons for the Church Year, reprinted by Steadfast Press. 

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Read by: Fr. Matt Moss

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Become a Patron!

WE HAVE MERCH!

You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/

You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/

You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/

As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support. 

In our episode on Raising Up Men, a listener asked a question about a topic brought up tangentially to what we were discussing. The question: “How do you wrangle little ones for family devotions?” In this episode, Adam and I answer that question and offer some other thoughts on how to cultivate a family piety. 

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Host: Fr. Jason Braaten

Regular Guest: Fr. Adam Koontz

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Become a Patron!

You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/

You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/

You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/

As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support. 

Two pastors thinking out loud about the upcoming Gospel reading. This episode is devoted to the Gospel reading for the Third Sunday of Easter, John 10:11–16.

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Host: Fr. Jason Braaten

Regular Guest: Fr. Dave Petersen

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Become a Patron!

You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/

You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/

You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/

As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support. 

This is a recording of the sermon for The Third Sunday of Easter from George Stoeckhardt’s book Grace Upon Grace: Gospel Sermons for the Church Year, reprinted by Steadfast Press. 

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Read by: Fr. Matt Moss

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Become a Patron!

WE HAVE MERCH!

You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/

You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/

You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/

As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support. 

The Augsburg Interim was a tumultuous time in the history of the Lutheran Church. With outside pressure and from within to compromise and capitulate, the time was tumultuous but also revelatory and clarifying. In this first episode, Karl Hess begins to take us through how the Lutheran Church in America is experiencing it’s own Interim. 

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Host: Fr. Jason Braaten

Special Guest: Fr. Karl Hess

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Become a Patron!

You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/

You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/

You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/

As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support. 

Two pastors thinking out loud about the upcoming Gospel reading. This episode is devoted to the Gospel reading for the Second Sunday of Easter, John 20:19–31.

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Host: Fr. Jason Braaten

Regular Guest: Fr. Dave Petersen

----more----

Become a Patron!

You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/

You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/

You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/

As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.