The Art of Spiritual Conversation

I LOVE podcasts.  But I’m picky about them.  I insist, for example, that they not make me unreasonably angry, that they are well done from a technical point of view, that they reliably offer new content, and that most of all that they encourage thinking and learning.

I have been listening to a new one in recent weeks called “Cross talk” (http://www.radicallychristian.com/crosstalk-podcast).  It is a group of several men from the same congregation who get together and record about half an hour of conversation on a spiritual topic.  It’s like getting to be at camp or a retreat and sit and listen as mature Christians mull over a deep topic.  Delightful. 

Bible Talk

My nerdliness is firmly established, so I don't mind admitting that I'm a talk radio fan. I listen to it whenever I'm in the car to keep my mind engaged. Lately, though, I've been noticing a trend of being mildly depressed and anxious after hearing too much talk radio. It's no wonder.  Talk hosts are masters of sensationalism.  It's how they make their living.

One day, when I was tired of hearing about how common core will be the death of education, I started flipping stations (carefully, with my eyes on the road).  On the lower band, where I often hear fuzzy sounding gospel music or screaming preachers (no offense to any screaming preachers out there; it just isn't my style), I instead found a scholarly sounding man giving an excellent exegesis of a prayer of Daniel, including some fantastic application. 

Apologetics and Dishwashing Brain

Few jobs can max out my tedious meter faster than doing dishes.  Pick it up, wash it off, rinse it, put it in the drainer, and if you want a fun encore dry the dishes and put them away!  To prevent being transformed into an insipid dishrag myself, I have two effective strategies. Strategy one is make the 11 year old wash them!  Strategy two is to listen to a podcast, audio book or my Bible while I work.