5 Helpful Podcasts for Church Leaders
The number of people who learn by listening to podcasts is continually growing, and I’m a big fan of podcasts and audiobooks because they allow me to “redeem the time” (Ephesians 5:14) and learn while on the go. If you already listen to podcasts, consider adding these great ones to your rotation, and if not, and you spend a considerable amount of time on the road, I would highly encourage you to make the most of that time by adding a learning component to your commute to help you continue to grow as a church leader.
1) The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast
Carey regularly has fascinating conversations about faith and culture with a wide variety of guests. Given the diverse backgrounds of the leaders that Carey interviews, I regularly find myself being challenged by their perspectives. Carey was a pastor and church leader for many years, and you can see and hear his heart for the church in all the content he writes and creates. This recent interview with Annie F. Downs on “ministering to single people” was great if you’re looking for a place to start!
About the podcast: “The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast is a podcast all about leadership, change and personal growth. The goal? To help you lead like never before - in your church or in your business.”
2) The Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast
Craig is a world-class leader. The church he leads, Life.Church, was voted one of the Best Places to Work in 2021, 2023, and 2024. The interviews he does are great, but his personal teaching content on different aspects of leadership is pure gold. If you want to invest in your leadership potential and be a blessing to those you work with, listen to the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast.
About the podcast: “The Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast offers personal, practical coaching lessons that take the mystery out of leadership. In each episode… Craig brings you empowering insights and easy-to-understand takeaways you can use to lead yourself and lead your team.”
3) Focus on This with Marissa Hyatt and Ken Freire
Every leader I know is always trying something new to tweak and refine their schedule and become more productive. That’s what this podcast is all about. I would start with this episode about Defeating Productivity Enemies or this other one called “3 Habits to Optimize Your Health.”
About the podcast: “Start loving Mondays! Marissa & Ken give you practical tips and proven strategies for increasing your focus so you can be more productive than ever before… They also speak with guests and listeners who share their own productivity tips to help you make the most of every day. It’s the most productive podcast on the internet!”
4) Questioning Christianity with Tim Keller
If you want to be a better evangelist (and who of us doesn’t?!), you need to listen to this podcast. This is the audio recording of a series of events where Tim Keller presents the Christian faith to a secular crowd in NYC. The Q&A episodes are especially insightful for learning how to answer difficult questions. Consider this short podcast a masterclass in evangelism with the late Dr. Tim Keller.
About the podcast: “Questioning Christianity with Tim Keller is a seven-part podcast series for people who are interested in exploring Christianity… This series will help listeners work through tough questions like: Can there be moral absolutes? Does life have meaning beyond what I make of it? Can hope exist in the face of death? Each of the talks and Q&A sessions were given by Tim Keller in 2019 before a live gathering in New York City, made up primarily of attendees who did not identify as Christian.”
5) Men Who Rocked The World
Dr. Steven Lawson is a fiery preacher, and this podcast is essentially a collection of his sermons and teachings on church history. In each episode, he takes a character in church history and gives you the most engaging biographical sketch. If you have ever been bored with church history, I’m truly sorry; please let this podcast redeem your experience and fire you up with a passion for Jesus as you learn about the lives of heroic Christians from generations past.
About the podcast: “Welcome to ‘Men who Rocked the World,’ a podcast hosted by pastor and theologian Steve Lawson. In each episode, Steve will explore the lives and legacies of key historical figures who have profoundly impacted the Christian faith. From the Church Fathers and Reformers to the Puritans and other influential leaders, Steve will delve into the stories and teachings of these men who have shaped and influenced the Church over the centuries.”
Lastly, I’d like to make a shameless plug about my podcast, Following Jesus in College & Beyond. If you have students in your church who are headed to college, especially to liberal universities, I created it with them in mind to be a resource and an encouragement to them. Many of the episodes feature interviews with college students about their journey of following Christ and living out their faith in a post-Christian environment. For the college or high school students you know who would be encouraged by listening to testimonies like that, please share this podcast with them.
In my experience, continuing to pursue learning and growth through listening to a variety of podcasts has paid dividends in my life and ministry. Whatever capacity you serve in, I hope you'll make an effort to continue growing in your leadership, perhaps starting with one of these podcasts, and I'm sure you will discover that it will enrich your ministry and life as you serve and lead in the church.
Fady Ghobrial is a Ministry Fellow with Christian Union Gloria serving Harvard students through teaching and discipleship.
