Reposting the top articles from Ministry Forum over our first 365 days.

This week we are talking PODCASTS. Being a commuter - but truthfully I didn’t need a commute to be a fan of podcasts - I’m often listening to a variety of podcasts. It seems that the Ministry Forum community listens to them too - since they often share recommendations with me. 

So if you are looking to fill up your podcast catalog… this post is for you!

As with any ‘recommendations’ we share on Ministry Forum, you are invited to come to your own conclusions when it comes to these suggestions.

The Church Lobby

Karl Vaters interviews church leaders about the important issues of faith and ministry. It's called The Church Lobby because:

• The church lobby is where the church meets and does ministry.

• The church lobby moves conversations from the stage to the floor.

• The church lobby is a good place to take the temperature of a church’s health.

Karl Vaters is the author of several books, including Small Church Essentials and The Grasshopper Myth. Formerly known as Can This Work In a Small Church?, this podcast primarily looks at church leadership from a small church perspective.

The Pro Church Tools Show

Helping your church navigate the biggest communication shift in 500 years. Hosted by Brady Shearer and Alexander Mills.

The Resilient Pastor Podcast

Join pastors Glenn Packiam, Rich Villodas and Sharon Hodde Miller as they invite leaders to think out loud together about the challenges and opportunities of leading a church in a rapidly changing world. In each episode, they will have a conversation about church leadership and the challenges pastors are facing. Then, they’ll share a conversation with a pastor, church leader, thinker or theologian about the health of the pastor, the state of the church and what it looks like to love well and lead faithfully.

Pivot Podcast by Faith Lead

COVID-19 forced church leaders to respond to a global crisis in the blink of an eye. In a moment with little information and much uncertainty, churches reinvented nearly every aspect of church. This moment has ignited imagination, created collaborations, launched experiments, and dreamed of new possibilities as the heroic efforts of leaders continue to lead ministry. The response to these challenges has been great, but there comes a time when responding is no sufficient. If the church is going to live into a new reality, it will need to pivot.

Pivot invites church leaders to use the disruptive moment of COVID-19 to reimagine how they think about church, ministry, and leadership. Each week three veteran church leaders wrestle with making spiritual sense of this time, name how the Christian faith is a resource for navigating this moment in history, offer ideas on how church leaders can pivot toward the emerging future, and suggest practices for engaging others in this work.

Pivot is co-sponsored by LEAD and Faith+Lead.

Scene on Radio

Scene on Radio is a two-time Peabody-nominated podcast that dares to ask big, hard questions about who we are—really—and how we got this way. Previous series include Seeing White (Season 2), looking at the roots and meaning of white supremacy; MEN (Season 3), on patriarchy and its history; The Land That Never Has Been Yet (Season 4), exploring the not-so-accidental failings of democracy in the U.S.; and The Repair (Season 5), on the climate crisis: Where did we go so wrong in our relationship with the rest of the natural world, and who's "we"? Produced and hosted by John Biewen, Scene on Radio comes from the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University (CDS) and is distributed by PRX.

The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling

The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling is an audio documentary that examines some of the most contentious conflicts of our time through the life and career of the world’s most successful author. In conversation with host Megan Phelps-Roper, J.K. Rowling speaks with unprecedented candor and depth about the controversies surrounding her—from book bans to debates on gender and sex. The series also examines the forces propelling this moment in history, through interviews with Rowling’s supporters and critics, journalists, historians, clinicians, and more.

Retelling the Bible

Retelling the Bible seeks to retell Bible stories in ways that allow listeners to hear them and understand more of what the original author intended people to understand. The focus is not on the historical events behind the stories, but on helping us, as listeners to enter into the stories.

Rev. W. Scott McAndless is a seasoned Canadian Presbyterian minister. His creative approach includes making video skits for worship services and authoring a book that reimagines the Christmas story. He currently serves at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Hespler, Ontario.

Everything Happens with Kate Bowler

Are you living your best life now? Not always? This is a podcast for you. Duke Professor Kate Bowler is an expert in the stories we tell about success and failure, suffering and happiness. She had Stage IV cancer.

Then she didn’t. And since then, all she wants to do is talk to funny and wise people about how to live with the knowledge that, well, everything happens.

Find her online at @katecbowler.

The BibleProject Podcast

The creators of BibleProject have in-depth conversations about the Bible and theology. A companion podcast to BibleProject videos found at bibleproject.com

BibleProject is a nonprofit, crowdfunded organization that produces 100% free Bible videos, podcasts, articles, classes, and educational Bible resources to help make the biblical story accessible to everyone everywhere.

On Being with Krista Tippett

Wisdom to replenish and orient in a tender, tumultuous time to be alive. Spiritual inquiry, science, social healing, and poetry. Conversations to live by.

And Also Some Women - Broadview

Listen in as host Junia Joplin and reporter Anne Thériault explore popular Biblical women through a feminist lens. Their conversations with leading theologians offer surprising new takes on familiar characters like Eve, Esther and Mary Magdalene.

The Care Ministry Podcast

Building a culture of care in your church can feel as complex as the people you serve. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Laura Howe offers listeners practical resources and actionable strategies to support leader’s well-being, strengthen volunteer teams and equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to care for your community.

With over 15 years of experience as a community mental health clinician, Laura, founder of Hope Made Strong specializes in Community Development Strategies.

You will be encouraged as you listen to expert guests get real with how they overcame challenges and developed best-practice methods of reaching and caring for your church and community.

If you want to develop a culture of care in your church and support your community without burning out your leaders? This is the podcast for you.

Holy/Hurt Podcast

What is spiritual trauma? How does it impact us? And are there paths toward healing? In this series, Hillary McBride(PhD, RPsych, RCC) explores these questions, sharing her research, clinical experience, and embodied approach, and engaging with other mental health professionals and people with lived experience of spiritual trauma. This series offers an informed and gentle invitation toward learning and healing, designed specifically for people who have experienced various kinds of spiritual trauma, and can be used either individually or in community. For those who simply want to learn more about spiritual trauma, this podcast will help you consider how you can help build healthier communities and love your neighbour with greater compassion and wisdom. While this series addresses stories and trauma situated within the Church, it is intended for a broad audience and does not presume particular spiritual practices or beliefs.

Holy/Hurt: A Podcast Exploring Spiritual Trauma and Healing is sponsored by Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries.

Learn more at holyhurtpodcast.com

Sanctuary Mental Health Podcast

Can mental health challenges and faith co-exist? Join Sarah Kift as she interviews theologians, writers, leaders, and people living with mental health challenges. If you want inspiration, insight, and resources to equip your community to be a sanctuary for all people, at all stages of their mental wellness journeys, this is the podcast for you.

**The purpose of The Sanctuary Podcast is to raise awareness and start conversations about mental health in the Church. Consequently, The Sanctuary Podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or mental health advice. If you feel you may need medical or mental health advice, please consult a qualified health care professional.

REVcovery

A podcast about leaving ministry, recovering from being a professional Christian, and finding meaning after a calling. Welcome to the Revcovery Room.

At The Table with Patrick Lencioni

Real conversations and practical advice for everyday leaders. Sit across the table from one of the foremost experts in leadership and business. In his simple and approachable style, Pat tackles every topic related to the world of work (andsome that aren’t). From culture to teamwork to building world-class organizations, Pat brings his wisdom, humor, and insight together to provide actionable advice for leaders everywhere.

For more on Pat and the Table Group, visit https://www.tablegroup.com

Revisionist History

Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell's journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Every episode re-examines something from the past—an event, a person, an idea, even a song—and asks whether we got it right the first time. From Pushkin Industries. Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance.