This is my new terminology for the way in which I have allowed several dozen podcasts accumulate in itunes which I have yet to play.
But alas…the lengthy drive that I have to and from campus is giving me the opportunity to remedy this situation.
The typical line up of podcast preachers, prophets, and personalities I attempt to track with weekly (or monthly) would include:
Greg Boyd, Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, MN
Mark Driscoll, Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA
Rick McKinley, Imago Dei in Portland, OR
Erwin McManus, Mosaic Church in Los Angeles, CA
Rob Bell, Mars Hill Church near Grand Rapids, MI
Francis Chan, Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA
The Village Church (Highland Village, TX…I’m experimenting with this one)
The Passion Podcast (Louie Giglio in Alpharetta, GA)
etc, etc
As you can see, it’s certainly more than I really have time to listen to or absorb…but I find these to be interesting, inspiring, challenging, frustrating, or some combination of these and more emotions.
Perhaps the personality above who I most struggle with and enjoy disagreeing with is Mark Driscoll. Although I often find Driscoll to be a provocative and effective communicator of Biblical truth and Kingdom principles, there are certainly times when I take issue with his teaching. For instance, in a recent podcast as he introducing a new series through which he’ll be leading his church for the next three years or so, he gives the impression that the gospels (and the Scriptures in general) can be read as biographical and historical works which are verifiable. The implication is made that Christianity can be proven with archaelogical evidence and by cross-referencing historical accounts which corroborate scripture. My response to this basic approach is one of caution. The scriptures, the life of Jesus, the life faith, and spiritual truths in general will not be empirically verifiable. To give anyone this impression is probably setting them up for a great disappointment. Although many people, places, and accounts in the Biblical narrative can be substantiated by digging up a few critical artifacts and serious research, there will ultimately always be a crisis of faith which is required to fully engage oneself in a covenant relationship with God through the cross of Christ.
Now I will admit that one of the things attracting me to Dricoll’s teaching is that he represents what some would call a “New Calvinism” and an attempt to re-frame Reformed theology for the modern (or actually post-modern) person. Coming from a theological background of Wesleyan-Arminian persuasion, I am enjoying this and other efforts to wrestle with and understand Reformed theology and the teaching of Calvin. In the context of a holiness denomination like the Church of the Nazarene I also find it very enlightening to hear various perspectives on sanctification, holy living, and the role of the Holy Spirit within the life of the believer. I believe that there’s actually much more common ground than contested when we take time to respectfully study the perspectives of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Yet Christians seem to focus so much more on the contested issues rather than the commonalities.
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