Christian Podcasts for Spiritual Growth

Gina was a busy stay-at-home mom. Besides raising her two teenage daughters, she fostered three kids who needed extensive medical care. Her life was busy but full, and she was happy.

But the one thing Gina longed for was more time to focus on her spiritual growth. While she made it a priority to pray throughout her day and tried to read her Bible, the medical needs of her kids made it difficult to do that sometimes. 

Then Gina discovered the power of podcasts for Christians. She could play one while she waited in the car during her daughter’s after-school activities or while taking her foster children to their appointments.

Benefits of Listening to Christian Podcasts

Like many Christians, you may be busy caring for your family and serving your community. Your schedule might be so full that you have difficulty connecting with God even though you love Him deeply and long to worship Him daily.

If that’s you, don’t despair. An excellent way to invite the Spirit into your busy days is to play Christian podcasts and radio shows. There are so many beautiful benefits of doing this…

Listening to Christian content can encourage you to dwell in peace. Peace isn’t just a concept accessible to only a few people. It’s a way of life. It’s living in the Spirit and walking with the awareness of His Spirit. 

That’s what happened to Dana. She heard a podcast where the host talked about how much more energy she had after starting a regular exercise routine. Dana was convicted as her doctor had just been encouraging her to become more active, so she began a daily fitness routine of exercising for 15 minutes.

Eventually, she began adding more time, and now, she happily exercises almost daily. It was the host’s positive attitude that helped Dana the most. She said, “When I heard the host talk about how exercise was a way to thank God for my body and the amazing things it can do, my perspective shifted. Exercise wasn’t just another chore. It was an opportunity to praise God!”

Jim had nearly given up on his marriage. His wife seemed uninterested in their relationship, and he’d grown weary of trying to connect with her. Then he started listening to podcasts about Christian marriage.

He heard new insights he never had. As an experiment, he began applying the advice to his marriage, and he was surprised to watch it slowly improve. 

When you learn about what difficult situations other people had to overcome, you can be inspired, too. You’ll look at your challenges differently, helping you become a creative problem solver.

Listening to Christian podcasts is a wonderful way to strengthen your faith. It can draw you closer to God, aid in your personal development, and help you find more joy in your relationships!

How to Find Time to Listen

Like many busy Christians, you probably feel overwhelmed by your to-do list each day. You have so many responsibilities, projects, and tasks on your plate. You have a lot of people you don’t want to disappoint, like your boss, your significant other, or your friends.

Now you’re wondering how you’ll find time to listen to faith-based podcasts that draw you close to God and inspire you to grow. The good news is there are many ways that you can do this. Here are a few suggestions to get you thinking…

Start in the Morning

Most people have morning routines that keep their hands busy but not necessarily their minds. For example, your morning may consist of a beauty routine that involves makeup, hair care, and other activities. Instead of just letting this time slip by, play an episode of a podcast.

Danny was a stay-at-home dad. He would play a pre-school podcast while he and his son went through their morning chores. He loved that the podcast shared stories that communicated his Christian values to his son.

Listen During Your Workout

Try swapping out your music at the gym for a podcast. But pick one that you find matches your workout speed. If you prefer a slower, longer workout, a soothing podcast might be a good match. 

If you prefer intense workouts, choose a show that you find inspiring and leave you feeling motivated.

Tune In While You De-Stress

Do you have a hobby that helps you relax? Maybe you love to knit or spend each evening with your adult coloring books. It’s easier to absorb a message when your hands are busy, so these are the perfect times to tune in. 

You can even make it a family event. During the evenings, invite family members to do something fun, such as making art while playing Christian podcasts. If your kids are older, let every family member take turns picking the faith-based podcast that will be playing.

Catch an Episode during Chores

Play a podcast while you do your usual chores. It’s a simple way to make tedious tasks go quickly and use that time to focus on your personal development. You can listen while doing dishes, mowing the lawn, or mopping the floors.

Commute and Learn

Another way to enjoy your favorite Christian podcasts is to listen while you’re commuting. It doesn’t matter if you drive to work or take the subway. Use your travel time to fill your mind with a faith-based podcast.

During the week, Arthur has a lengthy commute that involves several subway stops. Sometimes, he doesn’t have internet or data during these rides. 

Arthur loads up his MP3 player with his favorite Christian podcasts each Sunday afternoon. He always has plenty of good content to encourage and challenge him.

Relax and Rest

If you have trouble going to sleep because of a busy mind, you can try listening to a podcast before bed. Look for a host whose voice and content help you to relax. 

You might want to consider the Abide Bible Sleep Meditation, a collection of nature sounds and music designed to lull you to sleep. Other good ones for relaxation before bed include the Christian Meditation Podcast and The Daily Still Podcast.

Remember, listening to faith-based podcasts isn’t about adding another to-do to your list. It’s about growing closer to God and finding more peace in your daily life. 

Keep a few episodes stored on a smart device to listen in from anywhere when you have a spare moment.

Choose Your First (or Next!) Podcast

You’re excited about listening to some faith-based or Christian podcasts. You definitely need some inspiring content to challenge you in your faith and encourage you to go deeper into the Word. 

Now you’re curious about which podcast you should listen to. While there are no wrong or right ways to find your next podcast, here are a few ideas to help…

Ask a Friend for Recommendations

Ask your friends, family, and other Christians what they listen to. Ask them about what’s challenging them lately. A friend or fellow churchgoer might share their favorite audiobook, encourage you to listen to a particular episode of their favorite podcast, or point you toward a faith-based radio show.

Listen to the Prompting of the Spirit

Todd had three tween daughters, and he felt called to improve his communication with them before they entered high school. So he began seeking out Christian parenting podcasts, specifically looking for episodes that talked about communication.

Often when you feel excited or interested in a new idea, it’s the Spirit nudging you in a new direction. It’s not uncommon to see how God prepared you to face a situation before you even knew it would happen.

Do An Online Search

Another way to find podcasts and radio shows are to search online. You can use a keyword such as “Christian podcasts for moms” or “faith-based podcasts for seniors.” You might also try “Christian audiobooks” or “Christian radio shows.”

There are hundreds of excellent Christian podcasts online. Don’t feel like you have to listen to them all at once. Pick one or two to focus on for now and listen to three to four episodes. If you like what you hear, download more episodes from the show!

Getting the Most Out of Christian Podcasts

Listening to podcasts regularly is a great way to deepen your faith walk. But if all you do is listen and you don’t put the concepts you hear into action, you’re not likely to experience any significant change. That’s because you have to take action to grow your faith.

Still, it’s hard to know what to do. How exactly do you turn a podcast into actionable advice? You can start by doing one of these activities…

Review Show Notes

When you’re done with a podcast episode, don’t let it just float from your mind. Take a few minutes to look up the show notes. Seeing the text can help you remember what you’ve just listened to.

To make this fun, you can treat it like a pop quiz. Challenge yourself to absorb the content during a podcast, then look over the show notes. Give yourself a point for every tip you remember. Then calculate your score and consistently try to beat it.

Hit Pause when Needed

Sometimes, a host or guest on a podcast will make a statement that resonates with you. When that happens, don’t try to keep listening. Pause the episode and ponder what was shared. 

Ask yourself, “Why is this resonating with me? What do I feel like the Holy Spirit wants me to do with it?” 

There might be moments when it’s obvious what the Spirit is leading you to do. When Sharon listened to a podcast on forgiveness, she kept thinking about her strained relationship with her mother. 

Although she hadn’t talked to her in years, Sharon reached out to her mother and was pleasantly surprised when her mother welcomed her back into her life. But she never would have done that if she hadn’t listened to the podcast and followed the Spirit’s prompting.

Keep Your Own Notes

Another way to make sure you’re fully consuming the content of a podcast is to take your own notes. The best way to do this is by hand because most people find it easier to remember what they’ve written.

But if you want your notes to be easier to search and would like them available later, you can use a smart device to take notes. Two good apps for this are Evernote and OneNote. 

Take Action

When listening to a podcast, consider how you can act on what you’re hearing. For example, the host of a relationship podcast says that regular communication is the most essential ingredient for a successful marriage.

So, make it a note to stop and check-in with your spouse today. Go beyond the usual “how was work” to ask a thought-provoking question or thank your partner for all they’ve done for you.

Keep in mind that you may have many notes or only a few depending on the episode and what you’re doing. Don’t worry if that’s the case. You’re just looking to capture the best gems from a show.

Christian Podcasts Can Fire Up Your Faith

Podcasts allow you to focus on your spiritual growth even if you’re busy or working hard to raise your family. You can continue to lean into the Spirit and seek Him more as you listen to your favorite Christian podcasts.

Don’t be afraid to try a few new ones today. If you don’t like a particular podcast, you can always turn it off and try a different one. As you learn more about what types of Christian podcasts you enjoy, you’ll also be able to find recommendations that work best for you!

Grace and peace,

Alicia