One thing nearly all seminarians I know have in common is that they listen to podcasts.
Matt Chandler, Andy Stanley, Louie Giglio, David Platt, J.D. Greear and many other pastors all have incredibly successful podcast ministries with thousands upon thousands of downloads every single week. Ask any seminarian who their favorite preacher is and the majority will give you a name, a sermon title, and help you look it up on podcast.
“Did you listen to Piper this week?”
“Did you get that conference audio yet?”
“The other day I listened to Keller’s entire series while on a roadtrip.”
This is pretty common conversation at the seminary discussion table.
It’s good for aspiring ministers to listen to experienced pastors preach. I’ve learned a lot from the sermons I listen to via podcast. It was my freshman year of college that I downloaded my first podcast, a series of 10 sermons. Those sermons were the impetus for my return to the church and eventual call to ministry.
Many seminaries and divinity schools are finding out, however, is that the students they are sending to the churches are doctrinally astute but pastorally inept. So many basic things are needed to pastor well, and so few have gained even basic lessons in leadership, shepherding, and the practicalities of ministry.
Which brings me to my suggestion: Rainer on Leadership
Rainer on Leadership is a podcast with a new episode every Friday. LifeWay’s Jonathan Howe and LifeWay President and CEO Thom Rainer explore questions of church and ministry leadership in a manner that is both candid and helpful. So many of the issues Dr. Rainer addresses would have totally passed me by if he had not brought them to my attention. It only takes 20 minutes of my time every week to listen to this podcast. That short time period has become one of the best investments of time that I make each week.
Episodes I have particularly enjoyed include:
Happy listening! I hope this podcast helps you as much as it has helped me.
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