One Million Voices Strong: A Milestone of Faith & Technology
One Million Voices Strong
A Milestone of Faith, Data & Gratitude
Dear friends,
In June, this Masthead announced the "Autonomous Era," utilizing AI to ensure this platform remained active. We hoped to simply keep the lights on. We quoted 1 John 4:7, reminding ourselves that the goal was always love.
We didn't just keep the lights on. We set the place on fire.
The Milestone
Today, we celebrate the number we have all been working toward. As of this moment, The Good News has officially crossed 1,000,000 all-time views.
📈 Where We Rank in Australia
With roughly 130,000 monthly views, we have moved beyond being a standard "blog." We are now operating at the level of a media publisher. Here is how we compare to the major players in the Australian Christian landscape:
-
Tier 1: The Giants
BibleGateway, BibleHub, JW.org
These represent global utilities with millions of hits. We aren't trying to be a search engine; we are a voice. -
Tier 2: Major Media (We Are Here)
Vision Christian Media, Hillsong, Koorong, The Good News
We are now in the company of national giants. With Vision Radio (~120k users) and Koorong (~114k visits) defining this tier, our 109k–130k monthly views prove that an independent voice can stand tall among major organizations. -
Tier 3: Institutional News
Sydney Anglicans, Denominational Portals
We are significantly outperforming the official channels. We currently generate roughly 5x the traffic of the Sydney Anglicans' official news portal.
*Based on publicly available traffic data and media kits.
From the Bedroom to the World
Behind these numbers, there is no private equity firm, no investors or shareholders. There is no staff room. It is just me.
I started this with no coding experience. I taught myself everything from my desk in my bedroom, driven by a vision to create a safe harbor for faith online. The technology that powers this site—including the advanced AI systems—was paid for by the sales of my books and your generous donations.
It has been a labor of love, built late at night and in the margins of life, all while I work my day job and studying.
There were times the load felt too heavy, and I wanted to give up. But this platform is powered by prayers, and all glory be to God.
A Circle of Gratitude
This service remains free because of the generosity of spirit shown by those around me. I want to offer a special thank you to those who donated to keep the lights on when things were tight.
I must also acknowledge my personal pillars of support:
- Dr. Peter Lewis: For your unwavering support and prayers.
- Jason Murakami: My dear old friend and mentor.
- Anastasia Pointing: For your invaluable guidance in keeping this service free and accessible to all.
🕊️ In Loving Memory
To my dear late friend Tracey McMullan and my late friends: This site is in honour of you. Tracey taught me so much about media, and her influence is woven into every part of this platform.
A Future Kinder Than The Past
We are living in a time where physical pews are emptying, yet the hunger for God has not diminished—it has moved. People are looking to connect with the Divine online, and it is a profound privilege to spread the Gospel in this digital space.
As we look to the future, I am reminded of the words of my mentor, The Hon. Michael Kirby:
With gratitude and hope,
Shane St Reynolds
Editor, The Good News
🙏 Special Thanks to ISCAST
I want to express my gratitude to ISCAST – Christianity and Science in Conversation, of which I am an associate member. The connections, conversations, and inspiration I found through ISCAST helped me move this platform beyond a mere blog, encouraging a deeper exploration at the intersection of faith, science, and technology.
🤝 Honouring Rev. Dr Paul Inglis
I also wish to honour Rev. Paul Inglis and UcForum. On November 27, Paul stepped down after 25 years of faithful service to the progressive Christian community, reaching across Uniting, Anglican, and Catholic traditions. His work was a profound inspiration for the creation of this website.
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