OK, so the title is a little hyperbolic, and perhaps I give my own tastes too much credit. Regardless, I think these podcasts are worth your time.
I want to add that while some individual churches do publish podcasts, and I do listen to a few of those, I want to keep this list unaffiliated to any one congregation. So, there are no individual church podcasts in the list. I hope that’s understandable.
No particular order follows, just good, solid content. May these all richly bless you.
Fire on Your Head
Fire on Your Head (Steve Bremner) is one of the best charismatic podcasts out there. A missionary in Peru and a Canadian national, Steve brings a different perspective. I find myself saying “amen” to this podcast more than any other, and for those of you who have wondered what a podcast of Cerulean Sanctum might be like, Fire on Your Head is about as close as it gets. I’m working backward from 2015 in my listening to this, but so far, it’s solid stuff. The podcast on worship alone is worth 100 listens (“Entering into God’s Presence without Even Singing Songs.”)
No Lasting City
No Lasting City (Peter Smythe) is another top-notch charismatic podcast, with a focus on Bible exposition. That alone makes it unusual. Peter is a lawyer by profession, and his reasonings on both familiar and difficult passages make sense and may even challenge you to think differently about the Scriptures. My only complaint? He needs to publish more frequently!
The Phil Vischer Podcast
The Phil Vischer Podcast (Phil Vischer) examines popular culture and Church oddities through the slightly off-kilter lens of the VeggieTales creator. Joining him are Miami University of Ohio grad Skye Jethani, who provides the theological insights, and Christian Taylor, who provides the heart and the grounding. Guests appear also. Interesting, sometimes controversial, but always fun.
The Mockingpulpit
The Mockingpulpit (Mockingbird) is a team effort by the folks at Mockingbird, ardent promoters of Law/Gospel preaching from an Episcopal point of view. The messages are from a variety of speakers/teachers/preachers, but all of them are thought provoking and grace filled. Some of the best preaching I’ve ever heard has come from this site. Not every message will slay you, but many will. Soaked through with the grace we so need to embrace.
Christ Hold Fast Cast
Christ Hold Fast Cast (Christ Hold Fast) is also a team effort, but by the folks at Christ Hold Fast, also ardent promoters of Law/Gospel, this time from a Lutheran point of view. Less preaching than Mockingbird, but still offers grace-filled discussions and interviews. Caters to a younger, hipper crowd, but even this old guy likes it.
Virtue in the Wasteland
Virtue in the Wasteland (Jeff Mallinson & Daniel van Voorhis) tackles culture, history, philosophy, ethics, and religion from a Lutheran perspective. The hosts are professors at Concordia University, and the smarts in this podcast will enlarge your mind. These two down-to-earth guys will help bolster your Christian worldview, guaranteed, while the connections they draw will make you smile.
Let My People Think
Let My People Think (Ravi Zacharias) enlightens with Christian apologetics from a man who is a treasure to the Body of Christ. What I love most about Ravi: His intellect never obscures his heart. He’s got you saying “amen” one moment, and you’re crying the next. Many of the podcasts are repeats of older talks, but fresh material arrives now and then. No matter, it’s all superb.
Unbelievable?
Unbelievable? (Justin Brierley) is the quintessentially British take on apologetics, with a BBC-like feel. Host Justin usually features two guests from opposing sides who discuss a theological or ethical issue. Given that some of the loudest atheist voices are British, it’s often atheist versus Christian. One of the headiest podcasts out there, you’ll definitely learn a few things about competing worldviews by listening. Fire up your pipe, pour a couple fingers of 18-year-old Talisker, and have a go.
The God Journey
The God Journey (Wayne Jacobsen) is a podcast for folks burned by institutional “churchianity.” While I have reservations about Wayne’s association with the book The Shack (he was a collaborator with the author), I’ve found his insights into letting go of religious dross and renewing one’s intimacy with God to be freeing, plus he comes from a solid Foursquare background. Still, he remains controversial. If you feel the way we do Church in America makes cold, hard stones instead of warmhearted disciples, Wayne might be worth a listen.
So, lend these podcasts an ear if you want to be edified. And feel free to comment or to suggest other Christian podcasts you find helpful.
God bless you.
Thank you for including Peter Smythe. I’ve prayed for years for a “new kind of faith teacher” and I feel Smythe is one of the first we’re seeing. It’s Word of Faith for the Middle and educated classes.
Hi Dan- You refer to “Law/Gospel” here. What do you mean by this distinction? I’m aware (I believe) of the biblical definitions of the two, just curious what it means to you/others.
Law – Holds out a standard to show people how they should be. The big “L” law is what God reveals in the OT to show us what righteousness looks like. The little “l” law is the standard of society. Any law/Law holds out a standard that no one can attain. The Law convicts, while the law guilts. Both kill.
Gospel – The Good News that Christ has come and fulfilled the Law and freed us from the demands of both Law and law. Freedom. Grace. An end to striving. “It is finished.” The ability to walk in the peace that Christ has done it all for me, and I can do nothing further to merit favor from God because all favor is in Christ, Christ has done it all, and I am in Christ by virtue of His drawing me to Himself.
Preach the Law to convict. Preach the Gospel to absolve, free, and empower.
Thanks Dan. I like your distinction. Just a clarifying question–given that I have come across some circles who have some language differences, would the following fit into the “Gospel” portion?
-Ongoing repentance from sin expected from believers, in light of the Gospel and not as cold duty
-Mortification of sin by the Spirit (Rom 8:13)
-Fear of the Lord (2Co 7:1)
-Striving for holiness (in the sense of Heb 12:14)
Please don’t interpret this as a challenge. My experience has been that in some Charismatic/evangelical circles, that the mention of such things would be interpreted as “of a religious spirit” and “not understanding the Father’s love.” I just wanted to see if this was your take since you have been a positive influence on my walk.
Clint,
I think everything you mentioned MUST be understood within the light of these three words: “It is finished.”
I will also add this, and consider it as the words of someone who is transitioning from young adulthood into older age, which I think is an important and far too overlooked reality: I have come to believe strongly that all that repentance truly is can be summed up as “turning back to God.” When God said, “Adam, where are you?” His heart was for Adam to come to Him. The entirety of the OT is God asking His People to come back to Him.
I think we “complexify” all of our Christian walk by falling back into this mentality of “doing something,” Indeed, we turn repentance into a series of performances, when all God wants is for us not to wander away but to wander back to Him. Prodigal son stuff.
Too many Christians out there turn the entire Faith into a series of performances, and that guts the Gospel. You want to mortify sin? Draw closer to God. Just keep going back to Him again and again and do not rely on your own insights. Instead, I watch people doing all these crazy actions to somehow be religious and holy and ascetic, and they argue over the dumbest things, and all God wants is for us to want to be with Him over anything else in life. How simple is that? How freeing too! That’s what Good News is all about.
Thanks for the response, Dan. I see where you are coming from. I’m not sure we would communicate it the same way but I do see your point. Maybe we are approaching this topic from two different experiences (which I’m sure that you have much more than me). I’ve come across many who have an aversion to words like “obedience,” “sin,” or “holiness” and would rather say something like “all you have to do is bask in the unconditional love of your Daddy” than many of the things that Paul, James, John and the writer of Hebrews say to Christians. I’ve found that this is just as hurtful to people as asceticism and religiosity. Countless people are bound up by sinful addictions, depression, guilt and shame because a fellow Christian/pastor they respect refuses to gently/lovingly admonish them and point them to Gospel-motivated obedience. Thanks for your wisdom. Grace.
Clint,
Your response seems disappointed. Apologies if I am farther into the “lean into Daddy” camp than in the other one of “just try harder to be holy.” I’ve been watching other Christians and myself for a long time, and trying harder never seems to work. If anything, it may actually yield the opposite results.
If the sanctification process truly is in God’s hands, if only He can do it, then all I can do is lean into Him. I keep going back to Him. He is not only my justification but my sanctification. Everything is in Him, including my holiness. If I am always working to perfect myself, then I am not free but in bondage. The Good News no longer functions as a source of freedom but just another bondage. It i eiether fnished or it’s not. Jesus said it is finished. I have to trust Him for that. It’s all about the trust. That’s where the freedom is.
There is some disappointment in your response, yes. Because, I feel like there is somewhat representative of the false choice being presented to people–(1) Either you recognize that the grounds of your unconditional acceptance is in Christ alone or (2) You take seriously what the New Testament says about holiness and the mortification of sin. Why can’t we unashamedly have #2 in the joy of #1 without it resulting in some fleshly effort to be holy? I feel like the general inclination among many is to run away from legalism (or antinomianism, or charismatic excess, or formalism etc) rather than an intentional pursuit of the whole counsel of God in Scripture.
Dan- I don’t think my responses have been totally fair. I’m sorry for that. I know that you aren’t subscribing to the type of spiritual laziness that I’m dealing with now. Honestly, I think the common characteristic in the people that I come across that lean either antinomian or legalistic is the same–they seem not to have a robust view of Christ’s finished work which both dissolves self-righteousness or empowers holiness. I guess I’m just synthesizing where I feel we disagree–simply in feeling free to speak of obedience in the way that the writers of the New Testament do.
I’d like to make a podcast suggestion: Michael Heiser’s Naked Bible podcast (nakedbiblepodcast.com). It’s a weekly podcast that teaches the bible “stripped bare of denominational confessions and theological systems.” If you are into biblical studies there is nothing on the internet like it.