I don’t know about you, but one of the many joys I have discovered in life is the joy of learning! I have not always been this way. In fact, for much of my life, I did not like learning. I am not sure why I changed, but now I love it! There are many different ways of learning though.

• You can learn by doing. Which is how I learn best.
• You can learn by watching. I love a good documentary on war or basketball.
• You can learn by reading. Almost finished my first book of 2019 already, thanks to my new year goal setting!
• You can also learn by listening. That is what this whole blog is about.

When I say listening, I am not talking about just the classroom. With today’s technology, we have a little thing called “podcasts.” If you don’t know what a podcast is, let me explain. It is similar to a talk radio show, except it can be downloaded from the internet onto your phone or computer. Podcasts are often series that are made up of many episodes that come out regularly for listeners to follow. On phones, they are found on different apps such as Apple Podcasts, Podbean, Stitcher, or Spotify. If you still don’t understand, maybe ask someone who is tech savvy and I am sure they could help you out. I love listening to podcasts while I work on a project, drive, or do other mind-numbing tasks like dishes or laundry.

The best part about podcasts is that they are free (for now). The downside to podcasts though is that they are extremely underrated and still a new (but growing) phenomena. This means it can be hard to find quality podcasts. They are fairly unregulated, so you have to be careful with some of the content that is out there. Nonetheless, they can be a great tool for personal development and growth. So, I thought I would share some of my favorite podcasts. So, here are my top nine podcasts, broken down into categories.

Spiritual and Thought Provoking…

1. Dallas Theological Seminary Chapel – Every week, while school is in session, DTS has chapel services led by some of the best, brightest, and most inspiring Christians in the world. DTS records the sermons and regularly puts them on their podcast. This has been an excellent source for spiritual growth, and you will never hear a dull sermon!
2. The Table Podcast – This podcast is put on by DTS as well. It is hosted by Dr. Darrell Bock the Executive Director of Cultural Engagement. Dr. Bock picks current and uprising cultural issues to discuss in order to help Christians think through them critically. The focus is reaching the lost without compromising our beliefs and the truth.
3. Ask Pastor John – This is a short one hosted by Tony Reinke and Pastor John Piper with Desiring God. People write in questions for Pastor John Piper and he answers one question a day. It is about ten minutes an episode, so it is good for a short trip or getting ready in the morning.

Purely Educational Entertainment...I never thought those words would be coming out of my mouth 🙂

1. Stuff You Should Know – This is a non-Christian educational podcast about anything and everything. Most of the topics would normally be labeled “dull and mundane,” but these guys do a great job of making it fun to listen to.
2. Courtside w/ Greenburg and Dakic – This is a basketball podcast hosted by two old school college coaches. It comes out once a week during college basketball season, but they are so funny to listen to and it helps me with my coaching.
3. TED Radio Hour – This is a non-Christian podcast much like The Table Podcast, but from a secular point of view. Different speakers talk about creative ways to solve the world’s problems with science, technology, and critical thinking. It’s really good!

Daily News and Thought Provoking…

1. The Briefing – This podcast is one of my new favorites! It is hosted by the President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Al Mohler. It is a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview. You know, it is hard to watch or listen to the news without feeling like we are all doomed, but Al Mohler always ends with a message of real hope.
2. The Ben Shapiro Show – This is a daily conservative political news podcast (wow that’s a mouth full). It is non-Christian, and the topics can be a little uncomfortable at times, but if there is a big political story, I will check it out. The host is very smart and very good at thinking critically.
3. High Noon – This is a daily sports podcast that I think is really entertaining. Some of the jokes are hard to track because it is also a TV show, but the two hosts do a really good job at tracking daily sports in a funny way.

Well, those are my top nine podcasts. Just because I listen to them, does not mean I agree or condone all the things that are said, or the viewpoints portrayed on these shows; but they are clean for the most part, and they help keep my mind sharp and entertained. If you have a podcast you like, please feel free to share!