Talk Back Tuesday: Sermon Podcasts

I love technology. I know, I know, it doesn't always cooperate, it can be a time waster and a distraction, and our near-constant access to the digital universe has raised our expectations of productivity, making us busier than ever. Certainly, being perpetually plugged in has its drawbacks, but like money or cars or sharp knives, technology is simply a tool. It’s up to us to use it wisely, so I try to make it work for me instead of the other way around.

One of my favorite ways to do so is to listen to sermon podcasts. Like you, I juggle a potpourri of responsibilities and activities, and the busier I am, the more I need a fresh supply of God's truth during the week. I usually listen while driving to work or when I’m walking. I love having so many great sermons at my fingertips, and the ability to pause or replay portions later comes in handy since scribbling notes while driving is usually not a good idea. Another bonus is that my son often listens with me when we’re in the car, and sometimes the sermons spark great conversations between us.

Of course, the podcasts can’t take the place of Sunday worship service or personal Bible study, but they frequently provide the refreshment and perspective I need for a new day or replenish my soul at the end of a busy one.

My two favorites are Truth For Life with Alistair Begg and Sinclair Ferguson (both the Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson and the Sunday Morning series from First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC). Both are easy to find in the podcast section of the iTunes store, and both are free! It’s pure coincidence that both pastors have Scottish accents, but if you want to imagine you’re sitting in a quaint Scottish church while listening, be sure to wave to me in the next pew.

Yes, our technology-saturated society is a busy one where we are pulled in many directions, but we’re also blessed to have so many resources available. Do you listen to any sermon podcasts? I'd love to hear your recommendations.

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds...Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." -Deuteronomy 11:18-19