Using AI to Create Podcasts and Research with Notebooklm

👉 In this post, we're going to talk about using NotebookLM to engage with various source materials to learn quicker, organize research, create new insights, and even generate custom AI podcasts.

Recently, I faintly heard the distant rumblings of Catholic rage culture about a controversial podcast with Matt Fradd and Dr. Carrie Gress.

(You might remember her from the "Theology of the Home" book series, which I highly recommend.)

I realized it would be fun to quickly create an AI podcast offering a critique and counterpoints.

This is a great case study to highlight several AI tools and concepts you should be familiar with. You can do this for your own learning or content creation.

Notebooklm: A Bigger Desk for Source Material

First, let's talk about NotebookLM, a tool owned by Google.

It's important to remember that YouTube is also owned by Google. If you've known a nefarious internet criminal who particpated in evil activities like downloading YouTube videos (or using Napster), you'll know Google and YouTube have tightened restrictions on these activities.

However, since Google owns youtube, we can do this easily in NotebookLM.

The first step is to create a new notebook in NotebookLM.

Think of notebooks as collections of sources you want to engage with, like walking up to an empty desk in a library to read and write:

What sources are you going to bring to your desk?

When you open a new notebook, you'll find a main chat window where you can ask questions and engage with your sources. Usually, I start by asking for a summary and outline of each source. If you find a useful answer, save it as a note for later reference. You can also turn these notes into sources.

Next, we're going to add a source. There are many types of sources you can add.

(In another post, I'll discuss using Elicit to find academic papers and upload multiple sources to generate insights and white papers.)

But first, let’s talk about context windows.

Context Windows = Your Grocery List

NotebookLM's strength lies in its context window, which is crucial for understanding its advantages over tools like ChatGPT or Claude.

To understand context windows, imagine a trip to the grocery store. As you're leaving, someone tells you to remember to pick up toothpaste and apples.

As you walk up and down the aisles in the grocery store, you’re analyzing the visual information. But you’re also keeping the grocery list in your active memory. When you see an item from your list, it triggers you to notice and yell:

“Ah HA! I FOUND THE APPLES I AM NOT A FAILURE!!!!”

If you're like me, you might have a small context window and struggle to remember anything while you’re in the store.

In contrast, someone with a larger context window can keep and recall more items in their mind while browsing.

🤖 ChatGPT generally has a smaller context window, but is better at generating content and reasoning.

🦾 NotebookLM excels at keeping the context window in mind, making it ideal for summarizing and recalling information from multiple sources.

NotebookLM Podcasts

NotebookLM also has a feature to create podcasts, which is surprisingly good. It's a two AI host podcast, usually between ten and twenty-five minutes long, with a conversational tone.

You might wonder why in the world you'd need to create a podcast from a bunch of sources.

One reason is for fun, but it's also a way to engage with and think about the information you're using for your work in a different way.

A good use case for the podcast is someone who needs to research and absorb large amounts of information.

Which should highlight something I’ve been saying for a long time now:

🔥 In the modern world information is becoming less valuable. Meanwhile the ability to combine information in interesting ways to generate insights and frameworks is becoming more valuable.

This is actually a great thing if you’re a knowledge worker. If you’re a content creator or Catholic parish minister, you share a lot in common with knowledge workers. (We’ll have to talk about that another day.)

So let’s walk through how we took this podcast episode and generated a sassy little AI podcast.

Step 1: Copy the Youtube URL (share link)

NotebookLM allows you to add a YouTube link as a source, so you can add multiple YouTube videos and generate a podcast to see how it combines the information. In this case I grabbed the share link and added it as a single source.

Step 2: Go to Notebooklm. Create new notebook. Add a source. (Youtube link)

Step 3: Customize the podcast prompt.

If you don't customize the podcast, it generates a standard summary of the content. I recommend experimenting with different combinations of sources to generate a podcast. It's a great way to activate different parts of the brain. For example, I've uploaded academic papers, created a podcast, and listened to it while walking to get a broad overview of the information.

In this case, I wanted to customize the prompt to get a counter perspective on the podcast's arguments. I set the prompt to generate a podcast that is critical and offers counterpoints, highlighting cognitive biases or logical fallacies, in the tone of the Colbert Report.

Step 4: Click “Generate.”

The result? A Delectable Feast. Take a listen to this sick burn.

The result was a remarkable fifteen-minute podcast with good counterpoints and critiques, categorizing arguments into historical, philosophical, and neuroscience areas, with a cooking analogy.

(Steps 5 and 6 optional for content creation.)

These last steps are optional because NotebookLM isn't primarily for generating shareable content, but you can download the audio file and use tools like Descript to edit it. I've shared some of my creations with friends, and we laughed until we cried at how quickly the world is spiraling into a technological hell-scape.

Step 5: Download the audio file.

Step 6: Upload to Descript to transcribe and add visuals.

I hope this was helpful and you use this power for good and not evil.

If you're interested, I'm hosting a free live training on using AI in Catholic Parish Ministry.

If you're not in Catholic parish ministry, I'll be offering a live training for Catholic content creators and entrepreneurs soon as well. Feel free to share the AI workshop with friends in Parish Ministry.

And more importantly….

Should I publish the 15 min Carrie Gress AI podcast on youtube???

Want to learn how to use AI in Catholic parish ministry?

I'm putting together a live training workshop where we'll cover all the things I wish I had known before starting. Things that would have got me up and running a lot quicker. 

In this workshop you’ll learn how to:

• free up hours of time in your ministry.

• create better ministry content quicker.

• learn anything faster and more efficiently.

• supercharge your work with AI.

You'll also learn the prompts, workflows, and tools I've been using to do things like:

• create Zelly, a custom GPT chatbot for Zealous Parish Ministers community members

• make easy social content

• analyze and breakdown books

• create a personal knowledge base

• research relevant academic papers and studies

• an AI tool I use for what I now call my "Morning Writing Walk"

• use AI to get insights from your ministry data

We’ll also explore:

• What AI actually is (and what it isn’t) and if we're all losing our jobs

• What we can learn from how society and the Church responded to past technological innovations 

• The ethical concerns and Church perspectives on AI

• How AI can help in parish ministry with research, idea generation, content creation, ministry planning, and more.

• Real-world case studies of AI in parish ministry.

• How to help parishioners navigate AI and this changing time.

• Practical tools, pdf downloads, and workflows you can start using today.

You’ll get access to downloadable resources to help you integrate AI into your ministry without losing the human touch.

Click below to sign up for one of the upcoming dates for this live workshop. And bring your questions!

Important Note: I'll be offering this workshop several times, so click the link to see the current available dates and spots available. 

Let’s explore how AI can support your ministry, not replace it.

One Thing Nobody Does in Parish Ministry Job Interviews

🤫 Note: This article is from a Instagram reel I made. If you wanna watch the reel, click the image above. And give me a follow over there so we can connect!

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Are you looking for a way to stand out in your next parish ministry job interview? Here’s one simple thing that I’m shocked almost no one does—yet it could dramatically increase your chances of getting hired and enhance your ministry as a whole.

Stand Out in Parish Ministry Job Interviews

In my 10 years of parish ministry, I’ve been on both sides of the interview table—applying for positions and interviewing potential hires. One thing that consistently surprises me is how few ministers can articulate this one crucial thing: a clear ministry framework.

What is a Ministry Framework?

A framework is a simple structure for organizing a complex idea. In ministry, a framework provides clarity, not just for job interviews, but for your entire approach to ministry. It helps you communicate your vision, recruit volunteers, and get your pastor or parish staff on board with your goals.

The best ministry frameworks give a clear definition of your goal and outline the strategy you’ll use to achieve it. It simplifies decision-making and helps you communicate effectively with others.

Why a Framework is Critical in Interviews

Imagine this: You’re in an interview and the pastor asks, “Tell me about your approach to ministry.” Now, instead of fumbling through a vague explanation, you confidently respond with a clear, structured framework. Not only does this make you look organized and prepared, but it shows that you’ve put serious thought into how you’ll lead and guide the parish.

In my interviews—both as an applicant and as an interviewer—I always look for whether someone can articulate their framework for ministry. It’s a great indicator of how well they understand their role and how clearly they can communicate their strategy.

Common Ministry Frameworks You’ve Probably Seen

Frameworks are everywhere in ministry, even if you haven’t noticed them before.

For example:

• Sherry Weddell’s Forming Intentional Disciples outlines the thresholds of conversion. FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) uses Win, Build, Send.

• Pat Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team offers a leadership framework.

• The Amazing Parish identifies three building blocks of a healthy parish.

• Even the catechumenate process for initiating adults into the Church is a framework with distinct stages.

The good news? You don’t have to create your own framework from scratch. You can learn from others, adopt their frameworks, or modify them to fit your ministry context—just be sure to acknowledge where the ideas come from.

How to Articulate Your Framework in an Interview

When asked about your approach to ministry, here’s an example of how you can present your framework:

“I believe this parish ministry exists to evangelize. My framework for evangelization is based on forming missionary disciples through a clear path of discipleship. I break this path down into four stages: Connect, Encounter, Grow, and Serve.”

This response provides structure, clarity, and leaves room for deeper questions. Each element of the framework (evangelization, missionary discipleship, connect/encounter/grow/serve) can be expanded upon as the interview continues.

How to Develop Your Own Ministry Framework

Ready to get started? Follow these steps:

1. Read and Pray: Immerse yourself in ministry books, frameworks, and prayer.

2. Clarify Your Purpose: Ask yourself, “What is the purpose of my ministry?”

3. Define Your Strategy: Next, ask, “How will I achieve this purpose?”

4. Highlight Key Components: Identify the three to four most important aspects of your approach.

The more you refine these answers, the clearer your framework will become.

Want to Learn More?

For those interested in going deeper into framework thinking, I highly recommend two resources:

• Vicky Zhao’s YouTube channel on framework thinking.

• Pat Lencioni’s book, The Ideal Team Player. While frameworks are essential, Lencioni’s insights into the qualities of a great team player—humble, hungry, and smart—are invaluable for making sure you get that job offer.

If this idea interests you and you’re in parish ministry, be sure to check out more in-depth videos on my YouTube channel!

How to Read Minds in Parish Ministry

🤫 Note: This article comes from an Instagram reel I published recently. Click the image above to go find and watch it. And give me a follow over there so we can connect!

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In ministry, have you ever felt like no one cares? Maybe it’s a struggle to get people to show up, engage on social media, or even open your emails. You stand in front of a group, and it feels like everyone is scrolling their phones, barely listening. This feeling is all too familiar, but there’s a way to change it—and it starts with one question.

But first, let’s talk about an important mindset shift:

You can’t preach the gospel to an empty stomach.

This idea, often attributed to Mother Teresa, is simple but powerful. When someone is hungry or struggling, the last thing they want to do is sit and listen to a message, no matter how important it may be. Their personal struggle takes precedence. This is a reality we need to embrace in parish ministry.

Why People Seem Disengaged

Many times, people aren’t uninterested in what the church offers because they don’t care. Instead, they believe their struggles are more urgent or that what’s offered isn’t connected to their daily challenges.

So, how do we address this?

Ask This One Question

To begin “reading people’s minds” in ministry, ask them this:

What is your biggest struggle or challenge in life right now?

This simple question can unlock insights that will reshape how you engage with your parishioners. You can include it in emails, surveys, or even anonymous index cards handed out during events. The key is to make it easy for them to respond and, most importantly, to really listen to their answers.

The Surprising Results

When we did this at my parish, the responses were eye-opening. One of the most common challenges was disciplining children. This wasn’t something we had expected, but it completely changed the way we crafted our ministries and events.

Most parish ministers don’t really know what their people are struggling with. Or, even if they do, they don’t know the right language to address these issues in a way that resonates.

By asking this question, you get the words directly from the people you serve, making your ministry more relevant to their lives.

Using the Answers to Engage Your Parishioners

Once you have their responses, you can use that language to shape your content, programs, and messaging. When parishioners start hearing their struggles reflected in your events, they’ll feel like you’re speaking directly to them. They’ll say things like, “I feel like this ministry is exactly what I needed,” or “You were reading my mind!”

And even though you can’t solve everyone’s problems, you can help them understand how the gospel message speaks to their lives—and when possible, offer practical help.

An Example of Relevance

Too often, parish events are advertised with vague promises: “Join us for a transformative retreat where you’ll connect with Jesus and spend time in prayer.” While this may appeal to some, many others are focused on the daily grind of balancing work, family, and life.

Imagine how much more engaging it would be to promote that same retreat with language like:

“Are you feeling stretched too thin? Struggling with work-life balance?

Come to this retreat to recharge and reprioritize your life.”

We used this simple question to craft an after-Mass mini-series for parents, addressing their real struggles. It wasn’t just another program—it was something that spoke directly to their needs. As a result, we saw engagement from people who had previously been disconnected from the parish.

What About You?

Now, I’d love to hear from you. Should I make another video about the adult mini-series we used to engage disengaged parents? Or should I dive into another topic? Let me know in the comments below!

And while you’re at it, tell me about your biggest challenge in parish ministry right now—I’d love to help.

Coming soon... Live Workshop

I’m working on a live workshop to help any parish ministers plan a better year of ministry. More info to come soon!

If you’re not signed up to the email list, be sure to join so you won’t miss any announcements or surprises.

🎉 Celebrating 1,000 Subscribers!

This is a big milestone for us. Can’t wait to share all the top secret projects we’ve been up to at the studio behind the scenes. 2021 is gonna be a BIG year.

If you would like to support the studio, the show, and people making stuff on the internet with ♥️ we’d appreciate it if you would consider supporting at www.patreon.com/thestudiograpevine.

Making a Video Podcast Creative Studio.... Studio Vlog 02

We're vlogging out here on these corona infested streets. Why not watch this video while you're at home hiding and sitting on an unconscionable amount of toilet paper?

We've been working HARD on building this studio. It's all been possible because of the beautiful patreon supporters. 

- Edmund

p.s. - you can still support us on patreon and help keep the studio alive and join in the fun over at www.patreon.com/theshow

I Have the Perfect Youth Ministry

You read that right. I have the perfect youth ministry. There are only 5 youth in the program, but these kids are gonna change the world. We have a small budget. But, we meet every day of the week. You wanna talk relational ministry? I spend HOURS with these kids.

I’m working with the parents to make sure there is really good catechesis happening in the home. We do social events, retreats, discipleship, and I show them how to pray. Sometimes we have small groups, sometimes I just answer their questions. We go on trips together and share meals together. I post a lot about the program on social media.

I’ve been working with these five kids for almost 7 years now, and my goal is to work with each kid intentionally for at least 18+ years. Long-term mindset. You could say that I really love these kids.

Because they’re my literal children.

I reject the false dichotomy between parish youth ministry and the family. There’s no competition. The best youth ministry is the one you’re running if you’re a parent. There’s no perfect model of youth ministry.

Small group discipleship isn’t the perfect model. Large groups aren’t perfect. Discipleship. Stewardship. Outreach. Evangelization. Missionary Discipleship. Commitment to multiplication.

Pick a vision. None of them are perfect.

The next time you hear someone trash a specific youth ministry model or method, ask yourself, are they basically just pointing out how this model fails in comparison to a family?

Or is there a legitimate flaw in the methodology in light of the pedagogy of God, or the way God works with man?

The perfect youth ministry was the Holy Family. But this doesn’t mean that parish youth ministry shouldn’t exist. Even Jesus went to learn in the synagogue.

How can your church support family youth ministry?
How can your church reach youth who don’t yet have a youth ministry at home?

Gotta go, one of the kids in my youth ministry just pooped his pants.

4 Reasons for the Incarnation

I’ve wanted to make a video about the four reasons for the incarnation for a year now, and I finally pulled it off. I hope you enjoy it!

Why You Need "Strategy Mondays" [video]

If you work for a Church (or set your own hours) you know it can be tough to manage your time and your week, let alone the month. Here's how I use "strategy Mondays" to review projects, plan for the week, and accomplish big goals each quarter.

Review all inboxes.

This includes physical mailboxes, any loose piles in my office, voicemail, email, Asana etc.

Review all projects.

We use Asana as a team to manage projects and tasks. I force myself to click through EVERY open and active project and review all the tasks that will be required to complete the project. If it isn't worth reviewing, it shouldn't be a project. You'll be surprised at how big a difference this will make.

Review the week.

Once I've looked through all the active projects I open my calendar and try to get a clear picture in my head about what will make this week successful and what big things need to get done. Often this requires some action or prep to take place on Monday to set up for that Thursday lunch meeting or that weekend ministry.

Review the month.

Next I look at the next 4 weeks and try to find any planning or prep that isn't accounted for in Asana or isn't scheduled in already.

Review the quarter.

This is the long-term view that forces me to focus on the bigger picture. It forces me to ask: what are we trying to accomplish this Fall, Spring, or Summer? What is it going to take to get there? Am I on track for the goals and projects we are trying to accomplish? Will I look back at this summer and feel proud, accomplished, and docile to the Holy Spirit?

Weekly Wifey Pow-Wow

Arguably the most important part of Mondays, every Monday I make sure my wife is informed about what is going on at work, and I am up to date on what we are planning for the week as a family. We share a google calendar for work and home and text back and forth a bit to make sure we're on the same page.

How do you make sure you're on top of everything week to week?

How people drift away from our church

Meet Susan.

Susan is a 75 year old widower who’s considered herself Catholic her whole life, even though her and her husband stopped attending church twenty years ago. Last year after the death of her husband a friend invited her to attend a weekend retreat called Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP). After going on the retreat last fall and encountering Jesus, her faith has come alive. She knows she wants more, but she’s not sure where to start. She senses that she needs friends who are “involved at the church”, and she realizes she doesn’t know anything about the faith, so she should probably find some way to learn more. She also senses the need to volunteer or serve at the parish. Susan starts coming to Mass every Sunday, she reads the bulletin, and she’s looked at our parish website.

Susan is not sure what the next step for her should be. What should Susan do?

Susan really feels like she doesn’t know her faith as well as she should.

Maybe she should go through the RCIA class just to brush up, or maybe she should checkout formed.org and pick one of the 300 studies offered and just start there. There’s a group meeting weekly that is going through the Great Adventure Bible Timeline. There’s a group going through the Catholicism series. There’s a group going through Symbolon. Susan hears a class is offered at the parish that is reading through Moby Dick from a Christian perspective. That sounds interesting. There is another “bible study” that has been meeting at the parish for the last 20 years. There is a parish mission coming up. There’s a group that reads through the writings of this guy named Chesterton at a local bar.

Susan wants to “get involved”.

Susan remembers the women who served on the CRHP weekend, and they all seemed very active and involved. They seemed really happy and fulfilled in their role too. Susan feels the desire and need to “get involved” too. There’s countless opportunities to serve at the parish, and everyone seems in desperate need of help. Maybe Susan shouldn’t attend a weekly Bible study, but should just start by helping out? Susan could start lectoring, or ushering, or start teaching, or visiting the sick and homebound, or become a Eucharistic minister. Maybe Susan should get involved by becoming a marriage sponsor, or joining the prayer group for seniors, or the pro-life group, or the grief ministry, or joining the Lady Knights of Columbus.

Susan wants to learn how to pray.

Susan has heard people say daily mass is important, and adoration, and the rosary, and Liturgy of the Hours, and praying through the Magnificat, and the angelus; and there are groups that meet weekly for all of those as well.

Susan would like to meet other people her age who also want to grow in their faith.

There’s a mom’s group and another group for women and a parish picnic coming up. Again she thinks about joining the Lady Knights or a prayer group for seniors, but she’s wondering if those things would help her learn the faith.

Some of these opportunities meet some of Susan’s needs, but not others. Most of these opportunities meet weekly. Susan doesn’t have all the time in the world.

Susan is not sure what the next step for her should be. What should Susan do?

In an ideal world, every choice is a fine one. Susan will pick something that appeals to her, and she’ll find her way. Eventually she’ll find what she needs, and try everything out, and figure out a healthy balance to her new life with Jesus in the Church. God works through everything our church offers.

But that doesn’t always happen. Lots of people “just gradually drift away.”

I believe people gradually drift away because they try a few things that don’t meet the needs of where they are in the process of evangelization. If they do happen to attend something that meets their specific need, they either get stuck there or they don’t know what is next.

Maybe after a year or two we find that Susan has only tried being a lector, joined a rosary group, and went to one bible study. Susan starts wondering if church just isn’t for her. She still feels disconnected and the hundreds of programs and books and resources make her feel intimidated to learn the faith - there’s just too much to learn. New programs and opportunities are constantly advertised, but Susan feels she’s tried everything. Susan starts slowly drifting away. She stops coming to say the rosary. She feels drained by the different service events she’s been roped into. She doesn’t want to go to anymore classes. She's not sure this is for her anymore.

Susan is just tired of Church.

How can we help Susan?

People at our parish are all at different stages in the process of evangelization, or the process of becoming an intentional disciple of Jesus Christ. We don't need better programs or better resources or better liturgy or better education or better buildings or better outreach or better Priests.

What we need is to communicate what the journey of discipleship looks like - from outside the Church all the way to sainthood - and help people identify clearly and simply what they need at the stage they are at. Or better still, what committed disciples should invite their friend or neighbor to. We need to give people context for all the hundreds of things we offer them. We need to give people a framework to wade through what is most important and essential and what is not. 

I believe we need to stop relying on apostolates and ministries and resources to articulate what this path of discipleship looks like. As parishes we need to stop leaving it up to every ministry or group in our parish to communicate this path for the church, based on whatever program or resource they are using. Instead every parish should provide a clear path of discipleship for its parishioners. 

Communicate a Clear Path of Discipleship

I don't think this is the only answer, but I think this is one answer that would help tremendously. 

The catechumenate is an ancient model of Christian initiation that has been used in some form since the Early Church. It is the process of evangelization that leads a person on the fringes outside the Church into full sacramental communion with Jesus Christ within the Church. In our post-Christian cultural context of Catholics who are sacramentalized but not evangelized, I think the catechumenate is still a powerful organizing model for evangelization, because of its focus on conversion and movement. The catechumenate exists in a seminal form as early as Acts 2. The Church has been calling us to this kind of model for decades. 

"The model for all catechesis is the baptismal catechumenate when, by specific formation, an adult converted to belief is brought to explicit profession of baptismal faith during the Paschal Vigil". This catechumenal formation should inspire the other forms of catechesis in both their objectives and in their dynamism." General Directory for Catechesis #59

It's time our parish communicated a clear path of discipleship, organized all their ministries around a clear path of discipleship, measured success at the macro level through the lense of a clear path of discipleship, and balanced the energy and resources of the parish around a clear path of discipleship.

What might this look like?

There are other people who are trying this out. I'm not making this all up from scratch, and I'm not the only one sensing this need. I'm writing up a longer draft of what we've come up with so far for our parish, and I'll clarify what a clear path of discipleship might look like at a parish, specifically our parish, as we prayerfully plan and move forward with this vision, and ultimately Susan, in mind.