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| Copyright 2014 Scott Blair |
I consider myself a bit of a podcast expert as well. I am currently a freelancer that produces/hosts two podcast and writes copy for a 3rd. I also have my own podcast that was #1 in its category for New & Noteworthy as well as it has continued in the "What's Hot" section of Christian Podcast on iTunes for over a year. Between the 3 shows I am heard on (excluding the one I write copy for) we have a combined total of over 1.5 million downloads. (Yes, I'm still for hire too. But only if you are one of the first 3 ministers mentioned above).
I am always on the look out for new podcast to learn from, be inspired by, and enjoy. Churches that just take their Sunday sermons and have the tech guy upload them to iTunes were not considered in this list. Also, if you had a bow-tie on in your podcast photo in iTunes it was an automatic disqualification ;-)
Here is a list of 5 Podcast that you probably aren't listening to and I think you should. All of them can be found on iTunes (and probably Stitcher on your Android phone).
1. Christ is All - by Frank Viola - I was first turned on to Frank when a friend of mine bought me his book "Pagan Christianity?" That book was a game changer for me. His blog, sermons, and books drive home Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! I am always challenged by Frankie V!
From his blog; "If you are someone whose heart cry is: “There’s got to be more to the Lord, to the Christian faith, and to church than this,” then this blog is for you. Let me explain . . .
Most Christians know that something is wrong with contemporary Christianity. They want to break free from the tyranny of the status quo. The two alternatives that dominate Christian culture today is spiritual complacency on the one hand or performance-based religiosity on the other.
Modern-day Christianity is 10 miles wide and one inch deep."
2. Church Planter Podcast - by Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell. By far the best Christian podcast out right now for me. It has everything; intelligence, humor, authenticity, great topics, 80's pop culture references, great guest, and I could go on and on. I have been on their show and Peyton has been on mine.......these guys are starting to feel like family. They also do "Church Planter Magazine". Get that on your iPad as well.
From the Website: If you are a church planter, soon to be church planter, or leader of an established church, that is looking for more insight and direction on what God is doing through church planting to reach the lost, then this is the podcast for you! Every week, the creators behind Church Planter Magazine, Pete Mitchell and Peyton Jones, deliver a powerful, funny, raw and relevant hour on church planting issues, solutions, and stories.
Peyton Jones is founding coach of New Breed Church Planting UK/USA (and author of Church Zero). He has worked as a tentmaker, a firefighter, factory worker, and psychiatric nurse, bringing all these experiences to the table in ministry.
Jones received his MA Theology: Pastoral Studies from Wales Evangelical School of Theology and served as the evangelist for Lloyd-Jones’s legendary Sandfields church, Aberavon.
Pete Mitchell, in addition to being quite the handsome dude, is a leading authority in Instant Results Marketing for brick and mortar businesses (for everyone born after 1992, brick and mortar refers to the big buildings you use to meet up with friends at that have “stuff” inside that you get your parents to buy for you). He is the Chief Marketing Mercenary at Big Guns Marketing. He has appeared on hundreds of radio and TV shows including CNN and KABC (by the same token, he despises Internet radio and has turned down every “opportunity” to appear on these shows).
He also runs a financial services firm that focuses on late stage college planning and retirement planning.
Lastly, besides being a husband and a father, he also sits on the board of directors for Apologetics.com.
3. The Bad Christian Podcast - by Matt, Toby, and Joey. So this podcast is pretty new to me but I'm getting sucked in. I'm a hip hop head but I guess these guys are part of a pretty big band that I should know about .......but I don't. I have a love/hate relationship with them already and I'm only about 4 episodes in. I hate them because they ramble too much. I keep screaming at my smartphone, "Get to the guest already! No one cares!" But at the same time, they keep making me laugh because it's like I'm hanging with my buddies listening to them rip on one another. So the same reason I want them to shut up is the same reason I am starting to feel connected to them. Maybe they secretly know what they are doing.
They have great guest on and are without a doubt, the most authentic podcast out there. Be forewarned, there is foul language, all the way to the "F" bomb, but I am jealous that they are so transparent. Even if you don't agree, it's good to be stretched like this. Plus, the southern accents make it hard to stay mad at them.
4. Rethinking Hell - by Chris Date. Chris is, to me, a true renaissance man. He is a huge powerlifter that can win a debate against well prepared theologians. It's just not fair one man has so much. Chris and the Rethinking Hell group have given me the most challenging doctrine shift that I've had in 20 plus years of Christianity.
From the website: Rethinking Hell is a central resource for a view on hell variously called conditionalism, conditional immortality, or annihilationism. As Evangelical Christians, we commend the view only in a form compatible with that scope. On the Rethinking Hell podcast we interview notable conditionalists, respond to the challenges of critics, present the stories of people who once held to the traditional view but are now rethinking hell, and much more.
5. Wrestling with God - by Scott Blair. The first shall be last and the last shall be first suckas! See, by listing my own podcast last, God will make it first. You guys still haven't learned how to use Scripture to your advantage. Plus, I can teach you sumptin about being humble. I possess a lot of humility. Just ask me.
From iTunes: The podcast features Scott Blair interviewing front line and sometimes controversial authors/ministers on topics like demons, tithing, breaking tradition, hip hop, gays, and more. Authors like Peyton Jones, Tim Kurek, and Tony "The Beat Poet" Kriz will have you wrestling with the questions the traditional church won't let you ask. Like Jacob, we encourage you to "Grab a hold of God, and don't let go until He changes you."
