25 Favorite Podcasts and Why I Listen to Them

25 Favorite Podcasts and Why I Listen to Them

Posted on by Michele Morin

In my April newsletter, I shared my Desert Island Bookshelf, and in the wake of that, one reader said she’d be interested to know what podcasts I follow regularly. I LOVE reader recommendations, so today, I’m sharing 25 podcasts that land in my feed.

I’ll keep my comments brief, but I’ll share my reason for listening to help you discern whether a podcast is worth YOUR time. I will also note whether the podcast comes from an explicitly Christian worldview and include a link to each podcast’s site where you can get all the details.

The pods are in no particular order of preference, but I have grouped them by topic (after a fashion…). Once you’ve read through the list (and my review of Michele Howe’s latest book, The Humble Life) be sure to share some of your favorite podcasts in the comments.

News and Current Events Podcasts

The World and Everything in It

This is where I get my news, so before I’ve even made our morning tea, I’m getting “sound journalism grounded in facts and biblical truth.” I listen because it gives me the day’s headlines, some global perspective, as well as clear and relevant teaching about what’s going on with the economy or the Supreme Court, and I love that every episode ends with a Scripture verse.

Breakpoint

This is explicitly Christian commentary on the news, usually anchored by John Stonestreet, president of the Colson Center. I especially enjoy their weekend round-up episode in which Maria Baer dialogues with Stonestreet about cultural issues and each offers a recommendation, usually a book or other media.

The Bulletin

Hosts Mike Cosper and Russell Moore discuss topics in the news or cultural issues that are shaping our world. I listen because they combine the depth of coverage you’d find in an NPR news program with a more conservative, pro-life, and biblical perspective.

Bible and Theology Podcasts

Knowing Faith

Jen Wilkin, Kyle Worley, and J.T. English model the practice of talking about theology in community as brothers and sisters in Christ. I’ve never been to seminary, so I learn something new with almost every episode. I particularly appreciate the way they clearly explain deep concepts and defuse potentially incendiary topics.

Things Above

Hosted by author and professor James Bryan Smith, this is a podcast based on the verse from Colossians 3:2 for those who want to “set their minds on things above.” Smith occasionally hosts authors, but usually the podcast centers around a topic of “mind discipleship” such as a spiritual practice that’s life-giving or a scriptural insight that challenges me to grow.

Solid Joys

While I don’t listen to this one every day, I keep this in my feed for “binge listening” when my hands are busy but my brain is free. John Piper shares devotional content based on a short scripture passage. I NEVER miss this podcast in December because the Advent readings are perfect heart preparation for a Christ-centered celebration.

Women of the Word

This is a ten-week series in which Jen Wilkin talks about Bible study methods, tips, and encouragement based on her best-selling book by the same title. Even if you’ve read the book, this is a good refresher.

The Crossway Podcast

Featuring Crossway authors, this podcast covers important topics to guide the believer toward living in faith and obedience. I listen to benefit from the thoughts of writers I have read or I intend to read—or authors I know I won’t take time to read their whole book, but I can benefit from their content.

The Gospel Coalition Podcast

I’ve never attended a TGC conference, but maybe someday… In the meantime, I love listening to keynotes and breakout sessions from their huge events that happen so far away from Maine.

Inspirational Content

The Elisabeth Elliot Podcast

The Elisabeth Elliot Foundation has made Elisabeth’s radio broadcasts and her talks available in podcast form. I listen because I need her no-nonsense voice in my ears today just as much as I needed it when I used to listen to her on the radio when I was a young mother. The program also features audio content relevant to Elliot’s life including thoughts from family members and historical clips from Jim Elliot and the other missionaries who were killed in Ecuador back in 1956.

Welcome Heart: Living a Legacy Life

Sue Moore Donaldson is a speaker and writer who brings her own particular winsomeness to the question of how we can invest in what matters most and leave a lasting legacy of love and truth for our families and friends. She brings her love for hospitality to the microphone as she interviews her guests with questions that are always insightful and fresh.

Grace Enough

Hosted by Amber McCullum, Grace Enough offers “more than a platitude or a band-aid Bible verse” on important topics that drive our following life. The show does not shy away from sensitive topics. Amber brings other voices into the room as needed to guide listeners into thinking biblically and allowing grace to shape our view of our circumstances.

That Sounds Fun

If I’m Eeyore, Annie F. Downs is Tigger, and I need some of that positive energy in my life. She interviews musicians, theologians, and authors I wouldn’t know about otherwise, and I consider her my guide to pop culture because she covers topics I should know about but don’t have time to go deep with. Besides that, she’s running after God with her whole heart.

No Small Endeavor

I bumped into this podcast when Philip Yancey mentioned in his newsletter that he’d been interviewed by the host, Lee Camp. “Doing theology in public” is the show’s aim, and he brings on a fascinating assortment of guests to that end, and I’m there for it.

Strong Women

I’m new to this podcast so I’ve started mining the backlist for episodes featuring interviews I’ve missed and need to catch up on. Host Sarah Stonestreet comes to her guests with the mindset that every woman has a story, and my own story gets stronger as I listen to the wise words of women featured on this podcast.

Of Special Interest to Writers/Creators

Authentic Online Marketing

I don’t have time for much “marketing”, but I listen to Ruthie Gray because she offers very practical help for those of us who have a message to communicate and want to impact readers effectively. It’s not only about expanding our reach—we want to glorify God with our time and our gifts.

The Daily Poem

David Kern or Sean Johnson reads poems from everyone and everywhere, some long and some very short, but I appreciate the commentary on the poems and the often witty observations about the poets. Poems are usually family-friendly (and when they’re not, the host warns parents), so this makes a good one for homeschooling English classes or car pool listening.

The Habit

Jonathan Rogers interviews authors on the topic of writing with questions such as “What authors make you want to write?” His faith comes through in his line of questioning and in his choice of guests. I listen selectively, particularly choosing to take in the episodes featuring authors I’m currently reading and reviewing.

You’re Saying It Wrong

This is a new addition to my feed, and I am enjoying getting acquainted with the hosts and their witty banter about the oddities of the English language. It’s an NPR podcast, so the content is for a general audience. So far nothing objectionable has shown up.

What Should I Read Next?

Anne Bogel invites guests to put their future reading life in her capable hands as they come prepared to talk about the books they loved, the books that weren’t for them, and the changes they want to make in their reading life. Anne includes guests from a broad spectrum of worldviews.

The New York Times Book Review

I do love to talk books, and even though I don’t agree with a lot of what gets published in the NYT, I want to know what everyone in the world is reading. I listen somewhat selectively, but I have actually received some good book recommendations from listening to this podcast.

Fascinating Content

The Enneagram Journey

I enjoy thinking about why people do what they do, and I listen to Suzanne Stabile on the Enneagram because she doesn’t make it more than what it is. It’s simply a typing system for understanding personality, motivation, and how individuals see the world. She will occasionally host a guest with a political stance or theological position I can’t support.

Clear and Vivid

Alan Alda hosts this podcast because he is unendingly curious about everything, and, well into his 80s, he’s still in the business of connecting with other people on topics related to science, history, and books. He ends every episode with a list of sharp questions about engaging with others, and when the conversation becomes too esoteric for me or if he’s interviewing someone whose opinions rankle, I simply fast forward to the end and enjoy the questions.

The Rest is History

This is another podcast I listen to selectively because the content is often deeper than I need to go and the episodes run about an hour long. However, when I can take the time for a deep dive, I come away smarter about one event in the history of the world. I especially enjoyed their series on the Titanic.

Everything Happens

Kate Bowler brings her experience as a cancer survivor to every interview as she invites guests to feel their humanity and bring to the forefront their experience that life is good—and also, life is hard. Kate is a history professor at Duke Divinity School, and her faith is usually present in the room.

And that makes 25!
I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did! Thanks for reading and for being the kind of readers who sometimes ask me to write about things I might not have thought of otherwise!

Today I’m sharing a list of 25 of my favorite podcasts and WHY I listen to them.

And Now Let’s Talk Books…

Only a humble heart can look squarely at God’s sovereignty and, coming from a place of unknowing, joyfully submit to God’s will. From experience and from scripture, we see that humility does not arrive naturally in the human heart. Developing humility is a lifelong adventure, and Michele Howe helps her readers along with both encouragement and instruction in The Humble Life.

Twenty chapters offer twenty weeks of scriptural examples of Jesus’s humble conduct followed by Howe’s commentary, devotional thoughts, and practical application. I was encouraged to dig into Bible passages, to pray specifically, and to grow in mindful awareness of my own posture toward humility. The book is a solid connection to the truth that we walk out the humble life before God, before others, and in the private musings of our own hearts.

My favorite section of each chapter was Michele’s offering of borrowed words for prayer, always a heart’s cry of gratitude for the help and mercy God extends for our humble walk and a deeply personal admission that the humble life is a gift that comes to us only through the power of Christ and the working of his Spirit in the surrendered heart.

Holding you in the light,

Developing humility is a lifelong adventure, and Michele Howe helps her readers along with both encouragement and instruction in #TheHumbleLife. @reviewermom @hendricksonpub

A New Devotional Plan for You!

As you know, I’m committed to the truth that women can become confident followers of God and students of his Word, and it’s my goal to help you along that path. At Living Our Days, I provide biblical content and resources to encourage biblical literacy and faithful living, and now I’m sharing devotional content on the YouVersion app. Visit my profile page to get free access to the reading plans!

Free Encouragement in Your Inbox!

On the third Thursday of every month, I send a newsletter with biblical encouragement straight to my subscribers’ email inboxes. Frequently, I share free resources, and the newsletter is where everything lands first. I’m committed to the truth that women can become confident followers of God and students of his Word, and I want to help you along that path.

To add this free resource to your pursuit of biblical literacy, simply CLICK HERE. There, on Substack’s website, you’ll find a prompt that looks just like this image for Living Our Days with Michele Morin. Over on that site, simply enter your email and then click on the purple “SUBSCRIBE” button.

You’ll receive a welcome letter to confirm your subscription and monthly encouragement in your email inbox.

I participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees. If you should decide to purchase any of the books or products I’ve shared, simply click on the image, and you’ll be taken directly to the seller. If you decide to buy, I’ll receive a few pennies at no extra cost to you.

Many thanks to Hendrickson Publishers for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.

Photo by Will Francis on Unsplash

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Published by Michele Morin

Michele Morin is a Bible teacher, writer, reader, and gardener committed to the truth that women can become confident Christ-followers and students of God's Word. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for thirty-plus years, and together they have four married sons and a growing fleet of adorable grandchildren. Michele loves hot tea and well-crafted sentences, poems that stop her in her tracks, and days at the ocean with the whole family. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” She blogs at Living Our Days, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

21 thoughts on “25 Favorite Podcasts and Why I Listen to Them”

  3. Thanks for this list. I look forward to trying some. As an avid audio book reader, I don’t listen to many podcasts, but these sound great.

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  4. Michele, this is a wonderful compilation. I have to admit, I don’t listen to podcasts very much but I am going to check out a few of these. Thank you for sharing these recommendations!

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Wow, that’s a lot of podcasts! I’d love to know *when* you listen to them! When I listen, as you said, when hands are busy but the mind is free, I tend more toward audiobooks, usually fiction or biography. I can get caught up in a story while doing other things. Plus, fiction is a rest for my brain–I still learn much, but it’s a different brain work, I guess. But if something is instructional, I feel like I need to be sitting with a notepad and pen handy to catch the nuggets I want to remember. Plus I’d rather read that kind of thing than listen–I can skim over and pick up on the most important points (to me). It’s funny, but I have a friend who is the exact opposite–she listens to nonfiction but not fiction.

    I listen to audiobooks while driving, getting ready for the day, and a little bit while going to sleep. Plus sometimes while doing housework.

    So many of these sound so good. I’ve heard of many that sound like they have great content, but have come to accept that I just can’t listen to them all. Of these, I’d be most inclined towards Jen Wilkin’s. Authentic Online Marketing sounds intriguing, too, for the reasons you mentioned.

    I don’t listen to any podcast regularly. But I often catch Thomas Umstattd’s Christian Publishing Show on all things writing, publishing, and marketing. He kindly has the podcast transcripted, so I usually read it instead of listening. I sometimes catch the Literary Life Podcast. They are very long and more chatty than I like, but they’ve been a great help when I am reading certain classic books. My oldest son and I listened to Dracula a while back–not something I would normally be interested in, but a site called Dracula Daily was sending out the chapters of the book in real time (I had not known before that Dracula was made up of dated items like journal entries, newspaper articles, etc.). It was a fun way to read and discuss it. Then shortly after that, Literary Life did a few episodes on Dracula, and I got so much more out of it than I did on my own.

    I caught one of Alisa Childer’s podcasts when she was interviewing Ellen Vaughn about her biography of EE. I enjoyed Alisa’s book, Another Gospel?, so much, I’m sure her podcast would be interesting. I love Hannah Anderson’s books, too, and caught one of her podcasts with Erin Straza called Persuasion (named after my favorite Jane Austen book). I imagine I would love that as well.

    And that’s just about my total experience with podcasts. 🙂 Sorry to take up so much space in your comment section!

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    1. You can take up all the space you like whenever you want. I’m just grateful that the spam police didn’t hide it from me. (I go searching in the spam bucket every so often and occasionally find perfectly good comments that have been dumped there!) I think I used to listen to Persuasion and enjoyed it, so I’m wondering why I haven’t seen it in my feed for a while!
      And as for WHEN I listen, it’s always when my hands are busy and my brain is free. That happens a fair amount. I don’t listen when I’m walking outside because I like to hear birds and frogs, etc. I’ve even figured out how to use Air Pods so I can listen while I’m vacuuming. I rarely listen to audiobooks, but when I do it’s usually in the car and most often with my husband when we’re on a longer trip.
      I always enjoy and appreciate your recommendations!

      Liked by 1 person

  6. I have been noodling this idea of sharing my “top 5” podcasts. Ha ha. Thank you for going first and sharing your fabulous list. I’ve added several to my growing library of podcasts. I’m inspired. Thank you again!!

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  9. Cool! Exactly what I’ve been waiting for, girl! I’m bookmarking and will be coming back to check these out and savor them. Only a few are familiar to me so I’ll be on a steep learning curve. Thanks for doing this for all your fans and followers! I’m quite excited about this.

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  10. I have found these podcasts to be very valuable:

    Things Unseen hosted by Sinclair Ferguson

    Being Known hosted by Curt Thompson

    Out of the Ordinary hosted by Lisa-Jo Baker and Christie Purifoy

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    1. Hey, thanks for the recommendations, and I seem to remember listening to Out of the Ordinary and enjoying their conversations. I’m about to begin reading Lisa-Jo’s latest book!

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      1. Welcome, Michele. Lisa-Jo’s new book is not an easy read but such a needed one. I recently finished it as I had pre-ordered a copy. Now hubby and I are listening to it on Audible. I am grateful for believers who are willing to share from vulnerable places and deep hurt and best of all showing how God can redeem our pasts.

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