Recommended Podcast Resources from a Christian Worldview

Tonight I wanted to take a few minutes to recommend the podcasts that I listen to each week (usually during my commute to work).  These podcasts, I think, are great resources for Christians who want to be informed of biblical doctrine, current events, and the state of the church.  I hope you’ll join me in partaking of these resources.

1. The preaching of the pastor of my local church.

This isn’t actually a podcast that I listen to but rather what I listen to live and in-person every Sunday morning (my church doesn’t even publish weekly sermons).  There is no podcast that is a replacement for the gathering together of the saints at the local church.  Your favorite podcast preacher is not your pastor and his listening audience is not your church.

2. Reasonable Faith and Defenders from William Lane Craig.

William Lane Craig is the world’s foremost Christian apologist.  (You can learn more about him here.)  Each Monday he releases the Reasonable Faith podcast with his co-host, Kevin Harris.  Craig usually deals with specific apologetic topics (often having to do with philosophy or science) or refutes popular misconceptions disseminated by atheists and internet infidels.   Harris is basically there is provide a radio quality voice and lob Craig softballs.  This podcast should be of interest to those specifically concerned with Christian apologetics.  Its length is typically less than half an hour.

Craig teaches a Sunday School class called Defenders at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, GA.  This class is packaged as a podcast and distributed on Craig’s website, usually on Thursday. (It can also be streamed live in video format).  A full cycle of Craig’s Defenders class systematically covers almost every single Christian doctrine.  It is a great resource for any Christian wishing to better understand basic Christian theology.  Craig presents the Christian Orthodox view of each topic as well of those as errant sects such as the Roman Catholic Church.  Craig is a Southern Baptist and teaches from that doctrinal perspective.  Therefore, the class is safe for new and mature Christians alike (though many in my reformed readership likely would take issue with Craig’s Molinist views).  During each session, Craig answers questions from members of the class.    Having listened to the podcast for such a long time, I almost feel like I know some of the class members who frequently ask questions such as Drew, Dr. Bob, Steve, and Tae-won.  Transcripts of the class are provided on Craig’s website; his teaching outlines were as well.

3. The Pulpit & Pen Program from Pastor JD Hall

The Pulpit & Pen podcast is a companion to the Pulpit & Pen blog, which has been described as “The Rolex of Watchblogs.”  From a Reformed Southern Baptist perspective, Hall addresses the challenges and scandals that plague American evangelicalism.  Hall often covers subject matter that other Christian media sources will not.  Hall also dedicates a portion of each podcast to answering “sincere questions” from the listenership.  Podcasts are released two to three times per week and typical last for one hour.  (As a matter of full disclosure I write for Pulpit & Pen, am sometimes on the podcast, and am friends with JD Hall.)

4. The Briefing and Thinking in Public from Dr. Albert Mohler.

The briefing is a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.  The erudite Mohler , who is the President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, summarizes relevant stories from publications such as The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The Economist and frames them for Christian consideration.  Each podcast lasts approximately twenty minutes.  The Briefing is, in my opinion, the best source of news from a Christian perspective.  Every quarter, Mohler releases the Thinking in Public Podcast in which he interviews an author who has recently written a book about what Molher calls a “frontline theological issue.”  This podcast features great scholarly discussion.

5. Sunday Sermons from Pastor Wayne Barber of Woodland Park Baptist Church

This is my desert island podcast.  This podcast is simply the Sunday Sermons from Woodland Park Baptist Church.  Pastor Wayne Barber preaches exegetically through one book of the Bible at a time.  He is a student of New Testament Greek and a preacher of grace.  His Sunday sermons regular convict and edify me.  I was blessed to grow up under his preaching.  His sermons, I think, should be in every Christian’s podcast rotation.

Rarely do I listen anymore to political or sports talk radio.  I’ll never forget the day when I heard the first ad that encouraged men to divorce their wives on the sports talk station. If you are facing divorce, you need to get into the word, not the spread for the Falcons’ game. Eventually, I noticed that the political talk ads were about buying gold and refinancing your home over and over.  Ads say a lot and radio ads told me that I didn’t belong in the sports and political talk demographic.

I hope you’ll join me in listening to less talk radio and more these types of podcasts, I can almost guarantee that your Christian walk will improve and that you will be a better witness for Jesus Christ on this Earth.

What are your favorite podcasts?  Share them in the comment section below.

*Please note that the preceding is my personal opinion. It is not necessarily the opinion of any entity by which I am employed, any church at which I am a member, any church which I attend, or the educational institution at which I am enrolled. Any copyrighted material displayed or referenced is done under the doctrine of fair use.