This is sort of an update to a post from a few years back: Do you geek out when there’s a new episode of Radiolab? Thoughtful Christian Podcasts, although it’s broader and includes podcasts that aren’t specifically Christian.
Tonight I had a bunch of friends over and we began discussing podcasts we listened to. One of them asked me write up my list, and I thought it might be of more general interest.
Here are the ones I get most excited about seeing in my feed. They’re an eclectic mix of intellectual, devotional, and practical.
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Planet Money — this is a fascinating NPR podcast about the economy. One of my absolute favorites. The episodes are not long but the topics are explored in sufficient depth to be informative.
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Radiolab — a show about curiosity (often with a strong science bent). This was the show that got me into podcasts. When it is good, it is off the charts.
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Campus Ministry Leadership Podcast — two Chi Alpha leaders, Lennon Noland and Andrew Youngblood, conduct engaging interviews with university ministers.
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Pete Bullette from Chi Alpha at UVA — Pete is one of the consistently best preachers I know. I listen to him to stretch myself. Bias alert — Pete is a friend of mine and so factor that into my endorsement.
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Larry Osborne from North Coast Church — Larry Osborne is extremely insightful. The podcast is a mix of the various pastors on staff, so I should clarify I only listen to him — I don’t resonate with the other preachers on the church staff that much. Others seem to like them a lot, though.
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Unbelievable? — this one is from the UK. This is a show that usually features a Christian debating a non-Christian. The host is phenomenal at keeping his guests on track and forcing them to interact with their opponent’s strongest arguments. The episodes are long, but if you like the topic of the day you will be pleased with the quality of the conversation.
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The Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast — Andy has a talent for taking big ideas and making them accessible. I nearly always walk away from one of his podcasts with a new practical insight.
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Ask Pastor John — these are bite-sized podcasts. Each day John Piper answers one question that has been emailed to him. Every once in a while the questions are silly, but very often they’re relatable questions and Piper gives well-thought-out answers.
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Thinking in Public — an interview-style podcast with the president of Southern Theological Seminary. The guests are usually amazing and the topics are stimulating.
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Bayside Church — a large church near Sacramento. I particularly like Curt Harlow’s sermons (bias alert — I have known Curt for over 20 years and consider him a good friend).
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Conversations with Tyler — Cowen is one of the great public intellectuals of our age, and if I am at all interested in the person he’s interviewing I know I will love it. He asks questions that other hosts don’t think to ask.
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Econtalk — from Russ Roberts, a scholar at the Hoover Institute here at Stanford. I like the host, but sometimes the topics fail to interest me.
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Research on Religion — the host, Anthony Gill, is a professor of political science at the University of Washington. He hosts experts on religion (usually academics) to talk about their area of expertise.
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Revisionist History — bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell digs into something from history and analyzes it from a fresh perspective.