Podcasts are no stranger to the church and to pastors. However, for the longest time, podcasts in the church were synonymous with preaching. Until recently, almost every podcast in the top 300 in iTunes was preaching or sermon audio. Those times have changed.
With the rise of Christian leadership and social media podcasts, there are more podcast resources than ever for pastors. Today we look at a few of the more well-known non-preaching podcasts which are helpful to pastors.
- Rainer on Leadership – Full disclosure, I host this podcast with Thom Rainer. But it’s also consistently in the top 15-20 podcasts in the Christian chart on iTunes. We cover everything from how to make hospital visits to how to break attendance barriers in the church. It fun, relaxed, and somewhat shorter than most other podcasts. Each episode is about 20-25 minutes so it’s easy to consume while commuting or driving to and from appointments. View in iTunes
- Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast – When it comes to interview podcasts, Carey’s is one of the best. He consistently hosts A-list Christian leaders on the podcast and covers a wide range of topics related to leading in the church. View in iTunes
- The Briefing with Al Mohler – More of a news and culture issues podcast, the Briefing will keep you up-to-date with cultural events and how they affect the church. View in iTunes
- Ask Darrel – This is a go-to podcast for social media. Darrel tackles one issue per episode and explains the why and the what of different aspects of social media and how they relate to the church. View in iTunes
- Ask Pastor John – Similar in format to Ask Darrel, John Piper dispenses wisdom related to a single topic or question in each short episode. It’s easy to plow through a dozen or so of these on a short road trip. View in iTunes
- 5 Minutes in Church History – This podcast from Ligonier is exactly what you would expect from the title. They talk church history for about five minutes. For pastors who like to use historical stories in their sermons, you’ll find a wealth of knowledge here. View in iTunes
- The Happy Rant – Barnabas Piper, Stephen Altrogge, and Ted Kluck host this comical yet thoughtful podcast on the topics du jour. You never quite know what you’ll get from this podcast, but it’s always funny and informative. View in iTunes
- SBC This Week – Again, a podcast I host. Amy Whitfield and I cover all the news and views related to the Southern Baptist Convention and host an interview each week with a different SBC leader, pastor, or personality. View in iTunes
What podcasts would you add to this list?
