The 21 Best Christian Podcasts (2026)

Fr. Mike Schmitz has done something that sounds impossible on paper: he's made reading the entire Bible feel manageable, even enjoyable. Produced by Ascension Press, this podcast walks you through all 73 books of the Catholic Bible in 365 daily episodes, each running about 20 to 25 minutes. Fr. Mike reads two or three Scripture passages aloud, then spends eight to ten minutes reflecting on what you just heard and closes with a guided prayer.

The reading plan follows Jeff Cavins' Great Adventure Bible Timeline, which means you're not just plowing straight through Genesis to Revelation. Instead, the episodes weave together narrative, wisdom, and prophetic books in a sequence that actually makes the storyline of salvation history click. Cavins himself drops in for special episodes at key turning points to add historical and theological context.

The numbers speak for themselves. Since launching in January 2021, the podcast has approached one billion downloads worldwide and hit number one on the overall Apple Podcasts charts — not just religion, but all podcasts. It's reached listeners in over 150 countries. The show resets each January so new listeners can jump in fresh, though the format works fine if you start mid-year too.

Fr. Mike's delivery is the real draw here. He's a Catholic priest and popular speaker based in Duluth, Minnesota, and he brings genuine warmth and clarity to passages that can feel dense or confusing. He doesn't shy away from difficult texts, and his commentary strikes a balance between scholarly and pastoral. If you've ever tried to read the Bible cover to cover and stalled out in Leviticus, this podcast was basically made for you.

Tim Mackie and Jon Collins have spent ten years building something genuinely unique in Bible education, and this podcast is the beating heart of it. With over 500 episodes and a 4.9-star rating from more than 19,000 reviewers, BibleProject is not just popular -- it is reshaping how an entire generation reads Scripture.

The format is deceptively simple: two friends sit down and talk about the Bible. But Tim is a biblical scholar with serious academic credentials, and Jon asks exactly the kind of questions a thoughtful non-expert would ask. The result is conversations that go surprisingly deep without ever making you feel lost. They trace themes across the entire biblical narrative, showing how individual passages connect to the larger story that points toward Jesus.

Recent episodes have worked through books like Jude and explored Second Temple literature -- the kind of context most churches skip entirely but that completely changes how you understand what the New Testament writers were doing. They also spend time on Hebrew word studies, breaking down how ancient language shapes meaning in ways English translations can miss.

The podcast pairs with BibleProject's famous animated videos, but it stands on its own. Episodes run about an hour and come out weekly with full transcripts and show notes. If you grew up thinking Bible study had to be either dry academics or shallow devotional fluff, this show will change your mind. It is rigorous, accessible, and genuinely fun to listen to.

Phil Vischer created VeggieTales, which means he spent years explaining God to kids through talking vegetables. The Holy Post is what happens when that same creative brain turns toward adult conversations about faith, culture, and the American church. Co-hosted with Skye Jethani — an author, pastor, and former editor at Christianity Today — and Kaitlyn Schiess, a theologian and writer, the show has been running since 2012 and has racked up over 750 episodes.

The format is loose and lively. Each week the trio riffs on news stories, cultural moments, and theological questions, mixing genuine humor with surprisingly sharp analysis. Vischer brings the comedy chops and pop culture instincts. Jethani adds pastoral depth and a willingness to challenge evangelical assumptions. Schiess, the youngest voice at the table, contributes a theologian's precision and a talent for connecting historical Christianity to present-day debates.

This isn't a sermon podcast or a devotional. It's closer to a roundtable where three smart Christians try to figure out what faithfulness looks like when the culture wars are raging and the church is fractured. They talk about politics without being partisan hacks, and they tackle hard topics — Christian nationalism, racial justice, church scandals — without retreating into safe platitudes.

Holy Post Media has expanded into a small network with additional shows like "Curiously, Kaitlyn" (theology for all ages) and "The Skyepod." But the flagship podcast remains the main draw. Episodes typically run 60 to 90 minutes and drop weekly. If you want thoughtful Christian commentary that doesn't make you check your brain at the door, this is one of the best options out there.

Steven Furtick founded Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2006 with seven families. It now draws over 27,000 weekly attendees across 20 locations, making it one of the largest churches in the United States. This podcast is the audio version of his weekly sermons, distributed through iHeartPodcasts, and it's been running since 2007 with over 500 episodes in the catalog.

Furtick's preaching style is high-energy, emotionally direct, and built around practical application. He's a New York Times bestselling author — books like Crash the Chatterbox, Greater, and Do The New You — and that writing background shows in how he structures a message. His sermons tend to land on a single idea and hammer it from multiple angles using personal stories, Scripture, and motivational language. If you respond to passionate, conviction-driven preaching, he delivers that consistently.

Episodes are typically sermon-length, running 30 to 50 minutes, and new ones drop weekly. The production quality is polished, which isn't surprising given Elevation's reputation for high-caliber worship and media. Furtick studied at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and earned a Master of Divinity, so there's formal training behind the energetic delivery.

The content leans heavily toward encouragement and identity in Christ — overcoming fear, trusting God in difficult seasons, stepping into purpose. It's less verse-by-verse exposition and more topical preaching with a motivational edge. That won't be everyone's preference, and critics have noted as much. But the massive and growing audience suggests Furtick connects with people who need faith applied to their Monday morning, not just their Sunday theology.

John Piper turned 80 in January 2026 and he's still answering questions about the Bible from his home office in Minneapolis. That's basically what Ask Pastor John has been since 2013 — listeners submit theological and pastoral questions, and Piper gives prepared, thoughtful responses grounded in Scripture. The format is simple. The execution, after nearly 2,000 episodes and over 400 million plays, is anything but.

Piper served as pastor for preaching at Bethlehem Baptist Church for 33 years before retiring from the pulpit. He holds a doctorate from the University of Munich, founded the Desiring God ministry, and now serves as chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary. That Reformed Baptist theological framework shapes every answer he gives, and he's upfront about it. You always know where Piper stands.

Episodes are short — most run 10 to 15 minutes — which makes this one of the most efficient theology podcasts available. The questions range wildly: hard Bible passages, marriage struggles, cultural controversies, the nature of suffering, how to pray when you don't feel like it. Piper doesn't do off-the-cuff responses. He prepares in advance, and the answers carry the weight of decades of pastoral experience and serious biblical study.

The tone is earnest and direct. Piper isn't trying to be funny or culturally hip. He's trying to be faithful to the text, and that singular focus has built one of the most enduring Christian podcasts in existence. If you want quick, substantive answers to real questions about living the Christian life from a seasoned Reformed theologian, this is the gold standard.

Carey Green spent years as a pastor before pivoting to podcasting, and honestly? The move suits him. Morning Mindset delivers short daily devotionals rooted in scripture that actually connect to real life stuff. Not preachy in that exhausting way. More like a friend who happens to know the Bible really well nudging you toward a better headspace before the day gets chaotic. Five to ten minutes, usually. Grab your coffee first. Some episodes hit harder than others, but the consistency is the whole point here.

Sermons and teachings from Southeast Christian Church, one of the largest congregations in the US. Faithful biblical teaching delivered with clarity and warmth for members catching up on what they missed and anyone looking for solid church content. The production quality reflects the church's size and resources. Not trying to be revolutionary - just delivering consistent, scripture-based teaching. For Christians who want their Sunday message available throughout the week, or anyone exploring what a large evangelical church actually sounds like.

Kevin T Porter and Caroline Eley explore the wonderful weirdness of Christian pop culture - the movies, the music, the culture wars, the Left Behind books - with both genuine love and honest criticism. They're insiders who aren't afraid to laugh at their own culture while still respecting it. The balance between affection and critique is hard to maintain and they do it remarkably well. Funny, thoughtful, and refreshingly comfortable existing in the tension between faith and cultural analysis. For anyone who grew up in Christian culture and has complicated feelings about it.

Christian Smith delivers pure techno in DJ mix format. No talking, no interviews, no banter between tracks - just quality electronic sets from a producer who clearly knows what works on a dancefloor. The curation reflects years in the scene and genuine understanding of the genre. Put it on while you're working, driving, cleaning, whatever. It runs and it sounds good. Sometimes simple concepts executed well are better than complicated ones executed poorly. For techno fans who want music without the podcast wrapper. Straightforward and honestly kind of perfect for what it is.

Marci Ferrell shares wisdom about homemaking grounded in Christian faith, treating domestic life as a genuine calling with spiritual significance rather than just a set of chores. Practical household advice alongside spiritual encouragement and biblical reflection. For women who see homemaking as meaningful work rather than something they're stuck with. Not defensive about the choice - confident in it. The episodes combine the practical and the spiritual in ways that serve her specific audience well. A niche podcast that knows exactly who it's for.

Dating and relationship advice for women navigating the tension between modern dating culture and Christian faith. The host addresses the stuff that secular dating advice ignores and church dating advice oversimplifies - how do you date with values in a culture that doesn't share them? The practical wisdom is grounded in scripture without being preachy, and the honesty about how hard it is to find compatible partners within faith communities is refreshing. For women of faith who want real answers rather than platitudes about God's timing.

Award-winning authors Alana Terry and Jaime Hampton have been co-hosting this prayer-focused show since 2018, and with over 550 episodes, they have built the kind of library that could reshape your entire prayer life. The premise is straightforward: what does it actually mean to be a woman of prayer in the 21st century? From there, the conversations go in all kinds of directions. Some episodes are short devotionals built around a specific Psalm, while others are longer interview episodes with Christian authors and ministry leaders that run close to an hour. The range works because prayer touches everything -- marriage, spiritual abuse recovery, doubt, intercession, journaling, and the daily discipline of just showing up before God. Alana and Jaime are both published authors, and their communication skills are obvious in how they structure each conversation. Their Praying Through the Psalms series is particularly good if you want focused Scripture study paired with application. The show carries a 4.4-star rating from 175 reviews and updates weekly. What sets this apart from other Christian women podcasts is the specificity of focus. Rather than trying to cover all aspects of faith, they commit to prayer and explore it thoroughly. For anyone who has ever thought their prayer life felt stale or wondered if they were doing it right, this show is a genuine resource.

Barb Raveling applies biblical principles to everyday habit change - breaking bad patterns and building good ones through a faith-based lens. The approach is practical and spiritually grounded without being preachy. Each episode addresses a specific habit struggle with scriptural wisdom and actionable steps. For Christians who want their personal development work integrated with their faith rather than separate from it. Faith applied to daily life in concrete ways.

Sermons from Traders Point Christian Church that connect scripture to everyday life without getting overly abstract or preachy about it. The teaching style is warm and accessible - you don't need a theology degree to follow along. Works well for church members who missed a Sunday, but also for anyone curious about what contemporary evangelical teaching actually sounds like in practice. Solid biblical content delivered like a conversation rather than a lecture. Nothing flashy, nothing trying to reinvent the wheel. Just thoughtful, consistent teaching for regular people trying to live out their faith honestly.

Dave and Dante talk about fatherhood with a vulnerability that most men's podcasts avoid entirely. The focus is on being intentional about what kind of dad you want to be rather than just surviving until bedtime. They tackle emotional stuff - admitting mistakes, asking for help, being present rather than just providing. If you're a father who suspects there's more to it than coaching soccer and throwing the ball around, these conversations go to places men rarely go in public. Not preachy. Just two dads being honest about the hardest job they've ever loved.

Esther Littlefield and Holly Cain explore what leadership looks like for Christian women across different contexts - ministry, workplace, home, community. They're honest about the specific challenges women face in leadership roles within faith communities, which isn't a conversation that gets had often enough. The advice is grounded in both practical experience and theological reflection. Not preachy, not performative - just two women working through real questions about leading faithfully. Good for women in any kind of leadership position who want to integrate their faith with their work authentically.

Cindy Helton offers brief daily Christian meditations designed to bookend your day with stillness and scripture. Each episode is calm, focused, and short enough to fit any schedule - the commute, the lunch break, the moments before sleep. For Christians who want to incorporate meditation and mindfulness into their spiritual practice without the New Age elements that often accompany such practices. Biblical grounding meets contemplative practice.