KANSAS CITY – On the modern media landscape, it’s all about content. Content drives the eyeballs, the ears or the clicks which in turn drives the revenue, which means there are more hours of content than can be consumed in a lifetime.
Since Christians are called to be good stewards, here are a few podcasts that educate, edify or inspire. They do not replace the preaching or hearing of God’s Word, but they can redeem the time spent making coffee, commuting to work or running on the treadmill.
The Briefing / Thinking in Public
The Briefing is a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview (loyal listeners to The Briefing likely just chuckled as they read that description outloud in the their best impression of host, Al Mohler). Usually coming in at a brisk 25-minutes, Mohler, president of Southern Seminary, starts every weekday with a look at three or four current events and topics as diverse as history, economics, sports, politics, music, crime, comic books, Critical Race Theory, abortion, and much, much more. Citing Scripture as he goes, Mohler is always tactful and respectful (and sometimes sneakily funny). Thinking in Public takes on many of the issues in the briefing, but takes the form a dialogue between Mohler and a guest. It takes more effort to listen to, but the back-and-forth can be worth the investment in time.
The World and Everything in It
From the Christian journalists behind WORLD Magazine, The World and Everything in It is a daily news digest that sounds like it would be at home on your local NPR station, except it has a biblical foundation. It boasts a wide variety of contributors and seasoned Bible-believing journalists, including many WORLD magazine contributors.
The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill
One of the most popular genres of podcast is true crime, and that’s the tone that Christianity Today seems to be going for with its recent hit, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. The eight one-hour-long episodes are a tragic look at one of the most famous church plants in U.S. history. It’s excellent storytelling, but it can be very frustrating – even angering – to hear how sinful leadership can defame the name of the Lord and His Church and tarnish a gospel witness. This is a well-researched and well-presented cautionary tale, but be warned that it’s not a feel-good romp.
This Week in Church History
There are six quality podcasts streaming from the campus of Kansas City’s own Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, including: President Jason Allen’s Preaching and Preachers, For the Church, Chapel, Credo, The Leadership Project and This Week in Church History, which I’ll focus on. Hosted by Professors of Church History John Mark Yeats and Michael McMullen, This Week in Church History is exactly what it sounds like: A wide-ranging exploration of the people, movements, and events that shaped Christianity over the seven days of this week in the history of the Church. It comes from the minds and research of two serious academics, but they present each episode in easily digestible, entertaining 20-minute chunks.