Exhortation Station

Over the years, I have accumulated a collection of podcasts that I find spiritually edifying, thought-provoking, helpful, interesting, or all of the above. Here are my recommendations:

Compelled
Hosted by Paul Hastings. Seasonal podcast where Christians share raw testimonies of how God has worked in their lives. Uses an immersive storytelling format. Inspiring and impactful. Two of my favorite episodes are Episode 70: Keith Green’s Story with Melody Green (10/31/23) and Episode 83: Phoenix: Hope from Ashes – Kim Bigler (8/6/24).

Story Partners
Hosted by Walt and Annie Manis. Very similar to Compelled; part of the same podcast network. The interviewers edit themselves completely out of the conversation, so you only hear the guest’s voice telling the story. An episode I found particularly fascinating was Season 3, Episode 1: Killing in the Name of God: Former Hezbollah Member Meets Jesus, Part 1 (3/13/25).

The Porch
Live recordings of sermons given through the young adult ministry of Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Texas. Based on the few episodes I have listened to, I have found it to be surprisingly solid. Geared toward young adults, though I think adults of all ages could glean from it. Engaging, convicting, and character-developing. I really appreciate some of their earlier episodes on dating and marriage. See, for example, 10 Keys to Uncomplicated Dating (11/8/22).

The Love and Purity Podcast
Brayden Waller and Aaron Hood have a passion for exhorting believers in Yeshua (Jesus) to be ready for His return. In their podcast, they discuss Scripture passages and Biblical themes with a focus on cultivating a pure and steadfast love for God. I appreciate how they advocate for purity from a place of abiding rest in the love of Yeshua.

Truth Unites
Gavin Ortlund (pastor and theologian) explores various topics related to theology and apologetics. Sharp, insightful, and thought-provoking. I discovered this podcast recently, and it is quickly becoming one of my favorites. I especially appreciate Gavin’s tone, which I would describe as thoughtful, earnest, and gracious. I consider him to be an example of speaking truth in love.

The Alisa Childers Podcast
Alisa Childers tackles a variety of subjects with the goal of discerning historic Christianity from counterfeits, applying a Biblical worldview to culture, and responding to skeptical objections to Biblical faith. Typically, Alisa interviews a guest who adds depth and expertise to the topic at hand. Conversations are focused and productive, with a lot of information packed into each episode. A longstanding favorite.

Stand to Reason
Hosted by Greg Koukl, the founder of Stand to Reason (STR), and organization that seeks to help Christians think clearly and provide a thoughtful defense of the classical Christian faith. In a typical podcast, Greg reflects for 15-30 minutes on a topic and then takes questions from callers. Most of the callers are Christians seeking clarity on questions they wrestle with, although occasionally a skeptic will call in and pose a challenge. It is interesting to hear how Greg navigates questions on the fly.

eX-skeptic
Jana Harmon interviews former skeptics, atheists, and agnostics who gradually became compelled by the evidence for the truthfulness of Christianity. An insightful glimpse into the ideas that lead people to struggle with belief in God or Christianity. Guests include scientists, mathematicians, philosophers, historians, and academics from a variety of backgrounds.

The Humble Skeptic
Shane Rosenthal, a man who was raised Jewish, became and atheist, and later converted to Christianity, explores various topics with the motto, “truth isn’t afraid of questions.” Some of the earliest episodes are especially helpful for understanding the relationship between faith and reason. See, for example,Is Faith Irrational? (11/15/22) and Is Faith Blind? (11/22/22).

BibleProject Podcast
Hosted by Jon Collins (creative director) and Tim Mackie (lead scholar). A companion podcast to the BibleProject YouTube videos. Explores the underlying themes and storyline of the Bible with the goal of helping Christians study and understand Scripture. While the videos typically take the form of short, concise overviews, the podcast takes a more detailed “deep dive” into the subjects behind the videos. In 2024, for example, they did a yearlong, verse-by-verse podcast series on the Sermon on the Mount. Fascinating, rich discussion.