Friends, preachers, seekers of fresh sermon material or thoughtful aural delights, lend me your ears! Are you listening to podcasts? Yes? Great! No? Then now is the time! 

The truth is, we’ve all listened to podcasts, just used to call it radio. Podcasts are like a good streaming binge, we get to choose when, where and what. 

Podcasts are a plethora of inspiration, stories, insights and hilarious conversations They are a sabbatical for your brain, to listen in or listen to - so you can stop thinking about what you are going to preach and instead be prompted by the words of others.   

Podcasts are the sermons I listen to, the classes I go to. They connect me with a vast community. They nurture my soul. I listen on a day off while taking a walk or cooking a meal. They are perfect for car rides or as company while I pick up around the house.  And you don’t have to take notes! If something speaks to you, i.e. “that will preach!”, then later you can visit the website. Most likely there is a transcript, or, just listen again and take the notes you need.   

Here are ten of my current favorites.  If you think I’ve overlooked a gem – prompt me, so I can learn from you!  

This Movie Changed Me – Do you know On Being? If you don’t, start there. Most of us found it as Speaking of Faith, lived through the name change and it’s remained popular. This Movie podcast is a spinoff of the On Being Project and it is wonderful! Lily Percy (whose dad is a pastor) does 30-minute interviews with people you know and people you don’t discussing the movies that changed them.   

The one on “Groundhog Day” inspired me to connect the iconic duet “I Got You Babe!” with the theology of Luke 15 (It’s always good when you get your people to sing.) Conversations + movies + shared references for a congregation = a win-win for preaching. 

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepherd – Maybe you know Dax Shepherd (remember Parenthood?) or maybe you don’t. Regardless, he knows how to ask good questions about deep topics. His experiences with rock-bottom addiction, strength and hope come up often. Although his own views on religion (he’s not a fan) can be frustrating (and yes, I’m visually manifesting getting interviewed by him eventually!), it’s good to listen to people who don’t go to church. Invest some time in this one, episodes tend to be at least an hour, perfect for that walk! 

In particular, I’d recommend this interview with Tal Ben-Shahar, “happiness expert” in positive psychology (so much that will preach!).  And the interviews with Jim Gaffigan (comedian) and Dan Savage (author).  Listening to them shoot the you-know-what on God, church, clergy is good for us. 

Goop podcast of the Gwyneth Paltrow empire. Don’t roll your eyes at me, just take a breath and listen. She’s smart, beautiful, an amazing actress, a savvy business owner and, a brand wizard! Read the NY Times profile that perfectly names our underlying shadow-hatred and then, follow this podcast.  

Goop Chief Content Officer Elise Loehnen interviews all sorts of thought leaders and authors in health, wellness, spirituality. And Gwyneth herself interviews our hero Krista Tippet – GO! 

The Moth – You know how we are always being told that we need to encourage our people to share their story? This podcast does what we can’t, because a) our people pay us to do that and b) we don’t have the time to get them to do it! 

Listen to the incredible stories about life-changing moments and experiences from people all over the world. I will do a separate post with my favorite episodes, but this story prompted me to share an intelligible, relatable theology of the Trinity (i.e. healing power of relationships). 

Another Name for Anything – This podcast is the companion to The Universal Christ, Richard Rohr’s latest (and greatest) book.  His Summa Theologica I believe, he might say, on getting the point across that EVERYTHING BELONGS and EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE is BELOVED.  Truth be told, I discovered the podcast before I read the book. 

At first I was annoyed that the two young hosts, Brie Stoner and Paul Swanson, were interviewing Rohr, instead of having Rohr lead the conversation (ok, I was just jealous they were young and hanging out with Rohr!) But guess what? Fell in love with them too. They are authentic and honest about their struggles in life as well as in trying to be faithful, spiritual practitioners of contemplative prayer and radical inclusion.  The second season is based on the thousands of questions they received after season one. Which tells you, no matter your opinion of his writing, Rohr prompts the hearts of people. 

And here are five more for a top ten: This American Life; Selected Shorts NPR; The TED Radio Hour; RadioLab; Fresh Air with Terry Gross; Working Preacher’s Sermon Brainwave (you didn’t think I’d forget that one!) 

Podcasts prompt good preaching, because they require us to stop thinking about what we are going say and just listen! All of the historical context and exegesis is important and a part of the process. But as we all know, that is not what your people came to hear. 

They want their hearts moved, they want to know why faith matters, they want to feel connected with you and with a purpose greater than themselves. So, do what they do and listen. I guarantee you will be prompted again and again!