Today Matt and I finish up last week’s recording by reading some listener mail.
S2E33: The State of the Podcast and Listener Feedback (Download)
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Time Stamps
04:31 – Remaining Season 2 episodes
13:10 – A new logo?
14:14 – Getting an audio engineer!
19:06 – Lewis Symposium
19:27 – “Hallow” deal
20:45 – Listener reviews
38:40 – Listener questions
Show Notes
• We have just passed our two-year anniversary and passed 63,000 downloads.
• I spoke about the remaining episodes before the start of Season 3. We spoke about a future episode with Patti Callahan, which we actually managed to release prior to this episode. The other episode will be an interview with Abigail Reno from the Diary of an Old Soul podcast. Matt is going to be interviewing Emily LaPorte about the high-level themes of Till We Have Faces in anticipation of Season 3.
There might be a short gap between Season 2 and 3, but I may fill the space with some snippets of my own recording of The Great Divorce which I recorded for our local C.S. Lewis reading group.
• In Season 3 we will be joined by a special guests several times to help us unpack this book.
Matt mentioned that he bought a book by his former professor, Dr. Fagerberg, called Consecrating the World: On Mundane Liturgical Theology. He also wrote a book on Lewis.
• We chatted about our current attempts to come up with a new logo design for the podcast.
• In Season 3 we will be hiring Nick from NCC Audio to do the editing. Freedom! If we eventually decide to start a Patreon account (perhaps in Season 4), it’ll be to help contribute to this cost. We asked for ideas for kick-backs for donors.
• The books tentatively assigned for future seasons are The Screwtape Letters, The Abolition of Man and The Four Loves.
• Matt called a friend out for starting to read Lewis because of a girl.
• Matt reminded the listeners to use the “PINTSWITHJACK” promo code with the Hallow app for a free month subscription.
• We nearly have 100 five-star ratings on iTunes.
• We read some reviews of our podcast from iTunes and Podbean:
“I just discovered this podcast, today. A couple of weeks ago, I finished reading Mere Christianity. I’ve been dying to talk to someone about it, and finding this podcast was the answer. I’m rereading each chapter before each one is discussed by Matt & David. It’s so awesome. I’m getting deeper into the book. I can’t wait for The Great Divorce…”
iTunes review by “Sibergrrl429“
This listener was shocked that Matt was a blonde.
• Elwin Ransom is the protagonist in Lewis’ Cosmic Trilogy. Apparently he loves the show!
“I finally caught up with this wonderful podcast. As a lifelong reader, and fellow enthusiast of C.S. Lewis, it is so refreshing to have David and Matt really unpack the works of Jack! They are not , yet their podcast is always educational, enlightening, and engaging! I can’t wait for them to tackle my fave book, ‘Till We Have Faces’ in Season 3![…] I love these boys, and can’t wait to hear more from them! Further up, and further in”
iTunes review by “Elwin Ransom451“
Matt still confuses the word “apostolate” and “apostate”.
• One listener particularly enjoys the “After Hours” episodes:
“I thought I listened to all the available podcasts and audiobooks on Lewis and Tolkien. Then I stumbled onto ‘Pints with Jack’ at the end of Season One. Well done Matt and David!! I look forward to this podcast each week. In addition [to] the regular book reviews I particularly appreciate the ‘After Hours’ interviews with notable Lewis scholars. Please keep up the great work!”
iTunes review by “bob.in.tn“
I asked the listeners to put me in touch with the person behind the C.S. Lewis Doodle.
• I received encouragement regarding my poetry… 😉
“What a unique podcast! I try new ones from time to time, but frequently can’t make it through a single episode. This one, though, I just have to keep listening. David and Matt, go in depth with Lewis, one of my favourite authors. With Lewis as a launching point, they provide much food for thought. What a great way to evangelize. Keep it up and keep the haikus coming.”
iTunes review by “avid outdoor”
Another listener even wrote a review in the form of a haiku!
“You will know more Jack
Stitcher review by “Mo Pints”
listen to Matt and David / The Eagle and Child”
He also sent us a message also in haiku-form:
Have you tried Waterloo?
Message from “Mo Pints”
So much better than La Croix
Like scotch trumps vodka
• Next we read a review from Podbean:
“I don’t know why it took me until the 2nd season to find this podcast, but I’m so thankful I did. This is one of the best podcasts I have listened to. And for anyone who is interested in exploring the works of Jack, or simply just interested in exploring faith, religion, philosophy, or the best types of scotch to try, this is a must listen to.! David and Matt both compliment each other so well and the editing is amazing. A quick listen that gets to the point, but like Jack, their points are so rich and deep sometimes I have to listen twice!! You’ll never want to delete an episode!”
Podbean review by user “P_bio1”
• We discussed by inability to give complements and then read another review:
“Every time a new episode is available, I’m nodding and grinning. And I’m sure David and Matt aren’t the only ones toasting – the inklings are as well. Thank you for the excellence that goes into this podcast”
iTunes review by user “Windsor Pulsar”
In response to this comment, Matt told the story of travelling with Ray Vanderlon when he preached on Hebrews 12:1:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us
Hebrews 12:1
• We then concluded with one final review:
“I really enjoy this podcast[… it] makes me want to go read all of CS Lewis’s books”
iTunes review by “That bloody Englishman”
This user very nearly won the Peter Kreeft book which we gave away in the previous episode. Matt offered to send him a free “Pints With Jack” pint glass (if we ever end up manufacturing them!).
• Matt thought that if we ever do Patreon that we could create a custom Slack channel so that all subscribers to chat together.
• We responded to some listener questions. The first listener, Anthony Chucci, asked what Lewis meant in Mere Christianity about God sending the Pagans “good dreams”. I suggested that they were the faulting, failing and imperfect myths which they developed with expressed their searching for the one, true God.
• The Talking Beasts podcast have been fantastic, advertising some of our episodes. That’s guys!
• Daniel and Phil from The Lamp-post Listener have launched a Patreon account along with a new podcast, The Dancing Lawn. In one episode, they mimicked our “First Date Questions” episode.
• We had a shout-out from The Tolkien Road, a podcast which has gone through many of the major works of J.R.R. Tolkien.
• Tom asked if we knew of any online C.S. Lewis forums. I suggested The Official C.S. Lewis Group on Facebook, as well as The Three Amigos.
• A listener, David, asked about notes for his C.S. Lewis study group. I have some notes on my blog which will eventually be moved to PintsWithJack.com.
• Marianne wanted some recommendations for someone returning to her faith. I said that a community was paramount. Matt recommended The Beautiful Depths blog. I also recommended three books:
Who does he say you are? by Colleen Mitchell
My sisters, the Saints by Colleen Carroll Campbell
Not God’s Type: An Atheist Academic Lays Down Her Arms by Holly Ordway
The first two were recommendations from Meg Hunter-Kilmer and the last one from Marie.
