Podcast Recommendations

Pastors need to be shepherded, too. Our own hearts need to be fed, encouraged, and challenged as we strive to faithfully minister to others around us. One way I have been shepherded is through the ministry of various podcasts. These podcasts are not just for pastors, but are helpful for any Christian striving to serve the Lord.

Let me share four with you that I have found helpful to me. You may already be familiar with some, but perhaps not others. I encourage you to check them all out as a means of allowing God to shepherd your heart. They can all be found in iTunes or search for them in your podcast resource app of choice.

One is a podcast from Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Greenville, SC. Pastor Mark Minnick was my pastor during my college years, and helped me love the Scriptures and grow in my pursuit of understanding the Scriptures. All the sermons from Mt. Calvary are published through their podcast. Dr. Minnick is perhaps one of the best expositors of Scripture in our country today.

Another podcast that I have found helpful is called "Let's Talk Church" and is published by D.J. Harry, pastor of Needham's Grove Baptist Church in N.C. This podcast features many interviews which Pastor Harry conducts with a variety of people in church ministry. It is a helpful resource for church ministry in general.

A third podcast is published by the mission board, Gospel Fellowship Association, and is called "Re: Church." It is hosted by Dr. Marshall Fant, former pastor and now staff member of GFA missions. This has proven to be very helpful, encouraging, and thought-provoking for church ministry. Dr. Fant interviews pastors and other Christian leaders and workers in an effort to encourage and equip church leaders in their ministry of encouraging disciples to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

And a fourth podcast that just began about a week ago is called "By the Waters of Babylon" which is a podcast by Dr. Scott Aniol, director of Religious Affections Ministry. The title of the podcast is the title of his recent book, and seeks to help 21st century Christians live for God in a growing post-Christian society. It primarily focuses on issues of worship and culture. I have listened to the first two podcasts and found them to be theologically grounded and spiritually encouraging.

You may not stand where every one of these ministries stands, or agree with every jot or tittle of what every host or guest says, but these are four helpful podcasts that, I believe, can encourage your heart as you go through your day. Listen to them in the car on the way to work, or as you exercise, or do household chores. It is just another means that we have at our disposal to allow God to train our minds to think biblically in a world that is quickly forgetting Him.