Discovering Podcasts: Part 4 — Going Deep and Wide

7 min readNov 17, 2015

Check out Part 1 for an intro. Check out Part 2 for 30+ recommended episodes from my favorite podcast. Check out Part 3 for the rest of my Top Five favorites.

The holidays are almost here. Which means you’ll be in trains, planes, and automobiles on your way to visit family, friends, and in-laws. And if the thought of all that small talk induces panic and sweaty palms, you’re probably an introvert who will spend time an inordinate amount of time hiding out in the bathroom, closet, or “getting something from the car.” So how can you maximize all that travel time? How can you have fresh material to “endure” small talk about with all of those people? Podcasts.

Maybe you have three or four podcasts you listen to regularly. And maybe you’re finally caught up and are looking for some new shows to check out. Let me throw out some options for you. Like, 37 options in six categories.

Note: be aware of potentially strong language and sensitive topics from some of these shows. They are usually pretty good about giving you a heads up at the beginning of each episode, but here’s another one just in case. Making my list here does not imply endorsement of values or worldview.

Great Choices

I’d recommend these shows to anyone. Wide appeal, great production value, and certainly knocking on the door of my Top Five.

Mystery Show. With only six episodes released, I’m begging this show to start season 2. With a longer history and bigger offering, this show will likely end up in my top five. It’s that good. Start with Case #1 as soon as you finish reading this post and then work your way through them all. Pure delight.
Invisibilia. As with Mystery Show, we have a limited look at how great this show will be. With six episodes as well, we have just enough to know that it will indeed be great. In their own words, Invisibilia “explores the intangible forces that shape human behavior — things like ideas, beliefs, assumptions and emotions.” My favorite two episodes are “Entanglement” and the mind-boggling “How to Become Batman.”

Longform Interviews

Probably my favorite podcast form, the longform interview has the ability to go beyond the typical soundbites and insights in shorter, typical interviews. It also means these shows produce less frequent episodes, which means I’m listening to each new episode almost as soon as it comes out.

The Moment with Brian Koppleman. The first episode I listened to was his interview with Jon Acuff. Also check out Paul Giamatti and Seth Godin.
Here’s The Thing. It’s Alec Baldwin interviewing famous people. It’s really, really good. Listen to interviews with Paul Simon, Dustin Hoffman, Jerry Seinfeld, and Brian Williams (pre-“conflation”).
Longform. This category sort of makes including this one obligatory. Depth and wisdom is what you get when you go beyond the typical interview soundbites. Enjoy Ira Glass (of This American Life) and Malcolm Gladwell.
TED Radio Hour. Technically not longform interviews, this NPR podcast takes a single topic and weaves together several TED talks and adds on extended interviews from the speakers. It adds depth and range to what are typically 15 minute talks. A must for any fan of TED. Check out “Screen Time: Part 1” and “From Curiosity to Discovery.”

Faith and Sermons

As someone who works at a church, it might be surprising to some that I listen to so many other churches and pastors. In part, it’s a way to be encouraged and learn from others who are doing the same thing we are every week. It’s also a way to experience other voices and perspective — which means I don’t necessarily agree with everything you might hear in these messages and podcasts. Diversity of perspective and experience is critically important to growth and self awareness. (Since most podcasts in this category are connected to a church, I’m just linking to their homepages instead of a podcast-specific link.)

Your Move with Andy Stanley. A podcast version of Andy Stanley’s Northpoint Church messages. “We want to help people make better decisions and live with fewer regrets.”
Life.Church. “Our mission is to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ. That’s how we’re able to make a difference, and it’s the driving force behind everything we do.”
Passion City Church. “We are a Jesus church. A small tribe of His followers connected by our common faith and a deep desire to see our city [and the world] come to know His power and beauty. We call Atlanta home, but consider the world our neighborhood. We are not perfect. But Jesus is. Thankfully, we are a Jesus church.”
Mosaic. “Erwin McManus is the Lead Pastor and Founder of Mosaic, a church located directly in the heart of Los Angeles…He believes the church exists to declare the name of Jesus and build a place called home for the many who do not have one.”
The City Church. “Whether through worship, giving, or the message, we want to make Jesus famous and know Him better. When believers gather in one place, with one heart and one vision, something special happens. Hearts are healed. Hope is restored. Faith grows. And relationships are forged that stand the test of time.”
Commonway Church. “We exist to invite people to find hope in Jesus.” I don’t actually listen to this podcast since this is where I am every week. But you should listen.
On Being. “On Being opens up the animating questions at the center of human life: What does it mean to be human, and how do we want to live? We explore these questions in their richness and complexity in 21st-century lives and endeavors. We pursue wisdom and moral imagination as much as knowledge; we esteem nuance and poetry as much as fact.”
Nomad. “Nomad Podcast is a chance to explore Christian community, mission and the future of the church. Join two ordinary pilgrims as they stumble through the post-Christendom wilderness, looking for signs of hope.”
Gospel in Life. Sermons from Tim Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church. “As a church of Jesus Christ, Redeemer exists to help build a great city for all people through a movement of the gospel that brings personal conversion, community formation, social justice, and cultural renewal to New York City and, through it, the world.”
Ask Science Mike. “I’m a Christian turned atheist turned follower of Jesus, and I use my story to help people know God in an age of incredible scientific insight. Ask Science Mike is a weekly podcast covering questions about science, faith, and life.”

Acquired Tastes

Not for everyone, these are more niche interests. It’s probably more of a “Love it or Hate it” category, since there probably won’t be much middle ground for most people.

Startup. “StartUp is a podcast series about what it’s really like to get a business off the ground. In Season 1, Alex Blumberg told the story of launching this business, Gimlet Media, a podcast network. In Season 2, Alex is joined by co-Host Lisa Chow, to follow an entirely new company.” [unnecessary full disclosure: I’m a supporting member of Gimlet Media]
The Distance. “A podcast by Basecamp about longevity in business, featuring the stories of businesses that have endured for at least 25 years and the people who got them there.” Check out “The World’s Largest Laundromat” and “Hollymatic Corp.”
Tim Ferriss. “In each episode, I deconstruct world-class performers from eclectic areas (investing, sports, business, art, etc.) to extract the tactics and tools you can use.” Interviews with Arnold Schwarzenegger, General Stanley McChrystal, and Rick Rubin.
Writer’s Almanac. Narrated with unmistakable voice of Garrison Keillor, “A poem each day, plus literary and historical notes from this day in history. Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.” A poetic, daily start to your day.
No Meat Athlete. “Vegan and vegetarian nutrition, running and training tips, and healthy lifestyle and habit change with an entertaining, informative, no-preach listen.”
A Way with Words. “A public radio program about language examined through history, culture, and family.” I totally nerd out on this and have fallen in love with the concept of “linguistic heirlooms.”
The Sporkful. “The Sporkful isn’t for foodies, it’s for eaters. Each week Dan and his guests explore the huge, fun world of food and eating that’s beyond the realm of recipes, chefs, and restaurants.” Iconic episodes: “How do you eat an ice cream sandwich in the shower?” and “The art and science of the perfect burger.”

Growing On Me

With this list, I’m more than a few episodes into each show. Many of these may fall into regular rotation, but I’m still giving them some time before I commit.

Longest Shortest Time (parenting)
Internet of Things (the name says it all)
The Simple Show (whole life minimalism)
Only Human (the human body experience)
Song Exploder (artists deconstructing their music)
Awful Grace (narrative storytelling about brokenness)
The Allusionist (an adventure in language)
Discovering Dad (parenting for dads)

Most Recent Additions

Here you’ll find the latest podcasts I‘m checking out. That only means they looked interesting at first glance and I am just getting started. We’ll see if any of them stick around.