With videos in which he juggles and talks about God, the Heilbrunn pastor Johannes Schultheiß caused a sensation in the spring during the first Corona lockdown.
He is currently recording 24 podcasts for the run-up to Christmas.
Bad Heilbrunn -
An interview with the devil?
A conversation with Martin Luther?
What does death actually say about life?
As a “pastor to go”, that is, “pastor to take away”, Johannes Schultheiß returns to a digital format to talk about Christian values and messages.
In the spring, during the first corona lockdown, the pastor, whose great hobbies include artistry, posted numerous videos on YouTube.
Now he's talking about podcasts.
Podcasts are audio reports that can be accessed over the Internet, such as interviews on the radio that cannot be heard at the time of the live broadcast.
"I like podcasts myself very much and listen to them, for example, while doing housework or while driving," says Schultheiß.
That's why he felt like producing some himself.
“It's relatively easy.
I just bought a good microphone, the cutting technique can be downloaded for free from the Internet. ”Technically, he copes well with it, after all, he already had a bit of experience cutting the video contributions in the spring.
The texts are largely based on sermons that Schultheiss has given in recent years.
On the one hand, there are thoughts and explanations for a contemporary interpretation of the Ten Commandments.
On the other hand, the pastor had already had "dialogues" a few years ago, more precisely conversations with Adam, Judas or the devil.
Mostly members of the Protestant parish slipped into this role.
It's similar this time too.
Schultheiss has revised the texts slightly and invited a guest to record an episode.
For example, the Protestant dean Martin Steinbach slips into the role of Martin Luther as a historical personality.
In the “interview”, Schultheiß takes up contemporary questions, such as celibacy and family life.
“The disciples of Jesus were not only bachelors, there were even female disciples.
This is also mentioned in the Bible.
So why shouldn't women also become pastors, ”says Luther alias Steinbach.
The Kochler pastor Anna Ammon has taken on the role of the speaker as Death, and professional narrator Ursula Weber slips into the role of God.
Father Karl Bopp, the Catholic pastor in Bad Heilbrunn, was also involved by the mayor, Bopp embodies a king as one of the three wise men from the Orient.
And local councilor and master baker Konrad Specker, as you can already tell, takes on the role of the devil.
“As a hobby theater player, he can speak well,” says Schultheiss, explaining his choice.
Most of the 24 podcast episodes have nothing to do with Christmas, except for two that deal with Mary and angels.
They are currently being produced.
Some of the episodes can already be accessed now, the others will follow slowly.
That is important to the mayor.
"Everyone should be able to decide for themselves whether they want to hear several episodes at once or open a little door almost every day."
At the end of each episode, you are invited to attend a service.
Schultheiß sees his latest project not as a replacement for this one, but as an addition.
In the Corona period, life becomes more digital, "and the church has to participate," he says.
Of course, a podcast cannot replace a personal encounter.
But the format is "contemporary and good": "Of course everyone is invited to listen to the audio pieces, whether they are in church or not."
The clergyman is happy to say that the number of people attending church services is currently constant in Heilbrunn.
“Only in adult education do we notice that some people currently prefer to stay away from the offers.” In the coming year, Schultheiss wants to start a new offer in Heilbrunn: In order to “mix up the different church groups a bit”, as he says, he wants the series Introduce "Bad Heilbrunn meets - on the blue couch".
Special guests are invited for this.
"I hope we can do that from 2021, otherwise I'm also thinking of a digital form."
By the way: The popular YouTube videos with artistry are still available, but only on special church occasions, recently again on the Day of Repentance and Prayer.
"I produced all of the episodes in the spring," says the pastor.
And even with the podcasts, it should not stop at just 24 episodes.
Listen to podcasts:
There are several ways to listen to the free podcasts.
You can search for “Pfarrer to go” in your personal podcast player (app) and then subscribe to Schultheiss.
The episodes are also available on the Spotify streaming portal.
If you don't have a podcast player installed, you can also listen to some episodes on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/JohannesSchultheiß.
Another option on the mobile phone is via https://anchor.fm/s/3d87ce80/podcast/rss.
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