Meet Leslie Kons: The Church Musician Behind Digital Ministry Made Easy

I'm Leslie Kons: a lifelong church musician, accidental tech nerd, and the digital ministry strategist behind Studio Kons and the Digital Ministry Made Easy podcast. The podcast helps pastors, church staff and volunteers make their church's online presence feel as welcoming as Sunday coffee hour, without losing their minds in the process.

Before we dive into all the how-to, I always think it helps to know who's on the other side of the mic... and why I care so much about this work.

From the Organ Bench to Digital Ministry

Picture a little 11-year-old me at the organ, feet barely reaching the pedals, absolutely in love with the sound. That love carried me all the way to the Cleveland Institute of Music and then graduate school at Yale, and for the longest time I thought music was going to be my whole life. Organ bench forever.

And in a lot of ways, it still is: I still lead music at a church I absolutely love.

Even back then, though, other things kept tugging at me. I was the weird teenager making bulletin covers for fun. In high school I ran the soundboard, and in college I took video editing and theater lighting, just because I thought, well, that looks interesting.

I built my first church website in 2005. In 2017 I launched my first church podcast, back when very few churches I knew were podcasting (and yes, it was very much a figure-it-out-as-you-go situation). So while I was leading music, I was also the one writing copy, designing graphics, and slowly becoming the unofficial communications person.

Eventually it wasn't unofficial anymore. We added it to my title: Director of Digital Ministry.

The Sunday That Started Studio Kons

Let me tell you about one Sunday. It came at the end of one of those weeks: music prep, updating the church website, posting on social media, designing graphics, writing captions for the graphics, trying to figure out whether hashtags still do anything, and then troubleshooting why the camera was acting funny.

By the time Sunday rolled around, I thought, there has to be a better way to do this. A way that was more thoughtful and more sustainable, and a little less frantic.

That moment was a turning point for me, and it grew into Studio Kons, and then into this podcast. Because listen: I know I'm not the only one who cares deeply about the church and also ends up explaining what a Reel is at coffee hour. (Sometimes what a podcast is, too.)

Who Digital Ministry Made Easy Is For

If you've ever felt stretched way too thin in your church role, this show is for you.

It's for the pastor wondering whether the church website even matters anymore. (Short answer: it does.) It's for the staff member who gets a text at 8 p.m. asking, "Hey, is the bulletin printed?" It's for the volunteer digging around for the Canva password, again. It's for every person who loves the church and wants to serve it in ways that feel thoughtful, modern and doable.

Some episodes are about AI, because yes, it can help you. Others are about communication strategy, practical tools, and ways to make your workload sustainable. Sometimes it's just me, and from time to time you'll hear voices from churches doing creative, grounded work. Either way, you can expect honest, practical conversations.

My Approach to Digital Ministry

I want to be super clear about my approach right from the start.

You won't find a five-step funnel here that promises to double your attendance in 30 days. I don't believe technology is going to save the church, and I will never tell you that you have to be on every platform, all the time, forever.

What I am here to do is help you ask better questions:

What's sustainable for your team? What's going to connect with your actual community? And what feels authentic to your theology and your calling?

That's the kind of digital ministry I care about.

Three Things to Remember Right Now

Because I can't help myself, here are a few practical nuggets, even in an about-me post.

1. You're allowed to make it easier. I'm going to say that again for the people in the back: you are allowed to make it easier for yourself. Seriously. If AI or templates or scheduling tools help you breathe easier, use them. This isn't a test of endurance.

2. You don't have to do all the things. Every platform, every automation, every single update: most of it can wait. Showing up meaningfully somewhere is what counts.

3. No one is an expert at all of it. Not me, not you, not anyone. The real trick is staying curious, building your own playbook, and choosing tools that fit you.

Where to Start With Digital Ministry Made Easy

When I recorded this episode, all of these were still coming up. Now you can dive right in:

What Is Digital Ministry? (Your Church Is Probably Already Doing It)

You Are Not Behind on Church Communications (Here's Where to Start)

Why Church Marketing Feels Icky (and What Digital Ministry Can Keep)

The Church Communications Tools I Actually Use

What to Post on Church Social Media: The Four Content Pillars

How I Actually Use ChatGPT in Church Ministry

How to Refresh Your Church Website Without Rebuilding It

So that's me, and that's the podcast. I'm so glad you're here.

Frequently Asked Questions About Leslie Kons and Digital Ministry Made Easy

Who is Leslie Kons?

Leslie Kons is a lifelong church musician and digital ministry strategist. She studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music and did graduate work at Yale, leads music and digital ministry at her church, and founded Studio Kons to help churches, clergy and volunteers make digital ministry doable.

What is the Digital Ministry Made Easy podcast?

Digital Ministry Made Easy is a podcast hosted by Leslie Kons about church communications and digital ministry. Episodes cover practical tools, social media, websites, email, AI and communication strategy, with a focus on what's sustainable for real churches.

Who is Digital Ministry Made Easy for?

It's for pastors, church staff and volunteers who feel stretched thin by their church's online presence, from the pastor wondering if the website still matters to the volunteer hunting for the Canva password.

What is Studio Kons?

Studio Kons is Leslie Kons's digital ministry studio. It helps churches, clergy and volunteers make digital ministry doable through resources, strategy and support that fit real church life.

Where should I start with Digital Ministry Made Easy?

Start with "What Is Digital Ministry?" and "You Are Not Behind on Church Communications," then pick the topic your church needs most, like social media, websites, tools or AI.

My question for you: what's one part of your church's digital ministry you'd love to feel easier this season?