This document discusses religious podcasting and its relationship to religious audiences and podcasting communities. It notes that religious podcasting is one of the most popular genres, with two main types: broadcasts of sermons from churches and individual podcasters often associated with blogs. Some examples of religious podcasts are provided. The document examines how these podcasts seek to build intimate relationships through trust and irreverence, in contrast to the mega-church model of preaching as performance. Interviews found podcast audiences were initially imagined but focus on storytelling. Text styles borrow from radio with an emphasis on storytelling and popular culture references. The document concludes by looking at religious podcasting's negotiation between audiences and users, with a desire for closeness over