Church Life

CT Media’s Favorite Podcast Episodes of 2025

A selection of notable conversations from The Bulletin, The Russell Moore Show, and some of our latest podcast series.

Images from three podcast episodes in the list.
Christianity Today December 23, 2025
Illustration by Christianity Today

The Russell Moore Show

Listen in as Russell Moore, CT editor at-large and columnist, talks about the latest books, cultural conversations, and pressing ethical questions that point us toward the kingdom of Christ.

As AI applications continue to become more present in our daily lives, Russell and Paul engage in a timely, bracing, unsettling, and oddly hopeful dialogue about how to remain human in an age increasingly hostile to humanity itself.

In this episode, New York Times columnist David Brooks joins to talk about what he calls one of the greatest ruptures of his lifetime: the implosion of the conservative movement’s moral center. The two take this a step further and turn toward questions of cultural repair and spiritual renewal: Is there any real possibility of revival—in literature, in politics, in faith? What might it look like to recover a moral vision strong enough to resist the acid of our age? And what role could Christians play in offering a better way?

The Bulletin

In CT’s flagship news commentary podcast, Clarissa Moll, Mike Cosper, Russell Moore, and special guests dive into current events and breaking news and share a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world.

This year was one of pushing the limits, both politically and technologically. In this episode of The Bulletin, David French joins Mike Cosper and Russell Moore to share how the courts can be a limit on President Donald Trump’s power; Bonnie Krisitan dives into whether AI should be used in a church context; and Knox Thames shares updates about Chinese persecution of Uyghurs. 

With the drastic changes to immigration policy and practice under Trump 2.0, the story of Nelson and Gladys Gonzalez’s deportation after a 35-year life in the US provides an insight into the complexity and humanity of those being deported. Their story is an example of what it looks like to love your neighbor, as they minister to others inside ICE detention facilities. Written and read by Andy Olsen.

Being Human

Steve Cuss, a former trauma and hospice chaplain, pastor, and leadership coach, guides listeners in a gospel-informed journey of discovery into the world of emotional health: everything from anxiety and reactivity to triangulation, overfunctioning, and the Enneagram.

Steve and Clarissa discuss how the pace of modern life can obscure God’s presence and how intentional pauses can restore spiritual clarity and resilience. The conversation dives into rumination, false needs like control and approval, and the role of prayer and journaling in nurturing healthier relationships.

Steve Cuss and psychologist theologian Chuck DeGroat work through the hidden dynamics behind pastoral burnout, narcissism, and the slow erosion of integrity. They explore how unexamined coping mechanisms shape identity, why church boards often miss red flags, and what it really takes to create a culture of safety and true accountability. Steve and Chuck offer tools for healthier leadership—inside and outside the church.

The Just Life with Benjamin Watson

The Just Life with Benjamin Watson is a thought-provoking podcast exploring what it means to live a life rooted in justice, faith, and human dignity. Hosted by Super Bowl champion, author, and justice advocate Benjamin Watson, each episode features candid conversations with leaders, thinkers, and everyday heroes who are confronting injustice and building a more equitable world. From race and religion to politics, policy, and practice, Watson engages guests with humility and boldness, asking the hard questions that lead to hope-filled action.

This episode with Lecrae dives into our current cultural moment of extreme division and political partisanship with an open conversation about how to graciously and truthfully live from a lovingly gospel-filled place as believers.

This year has been filled with devastating conflict within and outside of our country’s borders. This conversation with Stephen Enada sheds light on the horrifying crisis currently facing Nigeria’s persecuted church and provides practical ways we as Christians can support and provide aid to our brothers and sisters in Christ overseas.

Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

From the creators of the hit podcast The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill comes a new show, Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, which takes you back to the Satanic Panic that gripped America in the 1980s and ’90s. This limited series explores how hysteria gripped parents and teens through cautionary tales like Go Ask Alice, influenced notorious criminal cases like the West Memphis Three, and catapulted the political agenda of the Moral Majority.

We explore the strange and troubling era of the 1980s and ’90s when America—especially the evangelical church—became convinced that satanic ritual abuse and occult activity hid around every corner. From local news reports warning of dark rituals to churches hosting “record burnings” to purge secular music, fear of a hidden, demonic conspiracy dominated the cultural landscape.

The 1960s promised a revolution—civil rights, moon landings, and peace, love, and rock and roll. But it also brought riots, rising drug use, and missing kids. By decade’s end, American parents weren’t just worried—they were terrified.

Also in this series

Our Latest

The Complicated Legacy of Jesse Jackson

Six Christian leaders reflect on the civil rights giant’s triumphs and tragedies.

News

The Churches That Fought for Due Process

An Ecuadorian immigrant with legal status fell into a detention “black hole.” Church leaders across the country tried to pull him out.

The Bulletin

AI Predictions, Climate Policy Rollback, and Obama’s Belief in Aliens

Mike Cosper, Clarissa Moll, Russell Moore

The future of artificial intelligence, Trump repeals landmark climate finding, and the existence of aliens.

Troubling Moral Issues in 1973

CT condemned the Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade and questioned the seriousness of Watergate.

Ben Sasse and a Dying Breed of Politician

The former senator is battling cancer. Losing him would be one more sign that a certain kind of conservatism—and a certain kind of politics—is disappearing.

Died: Ron Kenoly, ‘Ancient of Days’ Singer and Worship Leader

Kenoly fused global sounds with contemporary worship music, inspiring decades of praise.

Review

An Able Reply to the Toughest Challenges to Reformed Theology

A new book on the Reformed tradition commends it as a “generous” home combining firm foundations and open doors.

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