Top Ten 9Marks Podcast Episodes from 2023
As the multimedia manager at 9Marks, I have the joy and privilege of overseeing and editing all our podcasts. Out of the 100ish episodes we’ve released this year, here are my top 10. I hope these resources will continue to bless our listeners.
10. Preachers Talk Episode 63: On Preaching in Diverse International Contexts, with John Folmar
If you want to be encouraged at what the Lord is doing through his Word in the Middle East, listen to this interview with John Folmar. John has been in Dubai as the senior pastor of Evangelical Christian Church of Dubai for many years, and he shares some of the challenges and joys of preparing sermons every week for such a diverse context.
9. Bible Talk Episode 82: On Opening Up Your Mind to Something You’ve Never Considered—Or, the Weirdest Episode of Bible Talk Yet
To be honest, I was a little skeptical of this episode. . . But I think pastors would be well equipped by listening to this conversation from Alex Duke, Sam Emadi, and Jim Hamilton about how we get our Old Testament order and why they think 1 and 2 Samuel should come before Ruth.
8. Pastors Talk Episode 223: On Shepherding after a Pastor’s Moral Failure, with Thomas Terry
Recounting the church-wide meeting after his pastor’s departure due to moral failure, Thomas Terry said, “I wish I could somehow bottle up the cries and the agony that we heard that night and present it to folks and say, ‘This is what you will hear if you fail your congregation.’”
I will never forget this line.
But in the midst of suffering, God offers hope. Listen to this encouraging story of how Terry unexpectedly ended up being a pastor at a hurting church and how other churches helped.
7. Missions Talk Episode 24: On Evangelism to Muslims, with Matthew Bennett and Ayman Ibrahim
If you’re currently in evangelistic relationships with Muslims or trying to think of ways to reach Muslims in your community, this episode can help. Matthew Bennett and Ayman Ibrahim display clarity and winsomeness as they talk about how Christians should evangelize Muslims. And make sure to check out Dr. Ibrahim’s books.
6. Priscilla Talk, Episode 8: Flight from Afghanistan
Many brothers and sisters in Christ live under dangerous and unstable governments. What happens when such a government topples and the Taliban, an Islamic militant group, takes over? In this special interview, a Christian woman from Afghanistan, Shamsia, discusses narrowly escaping from Taliban soldiers and choosing to publicly share with the government that she’s a Christian.
5. Missions Talk Episode 15: On the Yembi Yembi, with Brooks and Nina Buser
Here’s a great episode if you want an example of the slow, patient, hard work of learning a language, contextualizing, and planting churches. Brooks and Nina Buser spent years with the Yembi Yembi, a tribe in Papua New Guinea. Pastors and missionaries will surely benefit from listening to this episode.
4. Pastors Talk Episode 241: On How to Disagree with Your Pastor
Whether you’ve been in ministry for five weeks or five years, you know disagreements in the church can either be a headache that goes away or end in heartache from close friends leaving the church. How do we disagree well? In this episode, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman offer practical tips for both members and pastors on how to approach disagreements.
3. Bible Talk Episode 100: On the Mountaintop of the Old Testament Which Teaches Us, Yet Again, That the Bible Is Amazing
A live recording of the 100th episode of Bible Talk that just so happens to land on one of the most important Old Testament passages?! You can watch or listen to Sam, Jim, and Alex talk about the glorious covenant that God makes with David in 2 Samuel 7.
2. Priscilla Talk, Episode 21: On Thriving During the Widow Years, with Tony Manley
The words “thriving” and “widow years” don’t sound like they go together. . . until you hear Tony. There are sorrow and gaps in Tony’s life as her husband, David, went home to Jesus. But I’m confident that this episode will encourage you as you hear Tony recount how Jesus has been her source of strength, and how she continues to thrive as a mother, mother-in-love, grandma, and, most importantly, a disciple of Jesus.
1. Pastors Talk Episode 245: On Pastoral, Public Tone, with Kevin DeYoung
I remember sitting in the front row at Southeastern when Mark offered this hot take: “if you want to protect the gospel, get rid of. . .” Mark later emailed us, “Brothers, any way we can pull this video off the Internet?”
Having witnessed both this incident itself as well as the private conversation between Mark and Kevin DeYoung, I’m so thankful for these two men. In an age when disagreement usually leads to cancelling or severing of friendship, Mark’s example of publicly acknowledging fault and asking for forgiveness and Kevin’s example of charity and love to his brother in Christ are worthy to highlight and commend.
