Church & Culture Podcast: Recent Episodes
Dr. James Emery White
The Church & Culture podcast is a weekly discussion with Dr. James Emery White on the latest trends happening in culture, and where and how the church should respond. While this podcast reflects on the church's part in what may be going on in the world, it is very much a show that anyone, no matter what walk of life you may have come from or are currently in, can glean useful information. Some episodes may be an extended conversation based off one of Dr. White's bi-weekly blog posts, as he does not shy away from the controversial hot topics. So to be ready for full context, be sure to subscribe to the Church & Culture Blog at ChurchandCulture.org.
In this week's summertime rerun, Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye discuss the fact that as culture becomes less and less rooted in Christianity, and people (sadly) have more and more encounters with Christians who are not very Christlike, misconceptions and caricatures of the Christian faith seem to be growing. Today's discussion, which was a listener-submitted topic, will walk through four of the most common caricatures in today's culture.
Episode LinksHere are some series given by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church related to the caricatures covered in today's discussion that you may be interested in taking a look at:
“The Science of God”
“Astrophysics… for People Who Are Open to God”
“Don't Check Your Brains at the Door”
“When God Makes Us Laugh”
“Why?”
And then here are a few past podcast episodes that you can go back and listen to in case you missed them that may add to today's discussion:
CCP103: On the Sudden Rise of LGBTQ
CCP92: On Challenges to Believing the Bible
CCP63: On Why Christians Are So Mean
CCP49: On Faith vs. Science
Finally, Dr. White mentioned a book that he wrote in the conversation today that you may want to check out: A Mind for God. It should also be noted here that he discussed a book by author Philip Yancey. Following the news that broke about Yancey's shadow life, we released another podcast episode you may want to go back and listen to: CCP179: On When a Beloved Leader Falls.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's summertime rerun, Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye discuss a congressional hearing on the subject of UAPs - Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon - more commonly known as UFOs. There has been a surge in sightings of UFOs, causing the government to take the issue more seriously. So is there really a place in a Christian worldview for belief in life on other planets? We thought it worthwhile to revisit this early podcast episode.
Episode LinksDr. White wrote a blog on this subject called “UFOs… Confirmed?” that explores the significance of what it would mean for life on other planets to be confirmed. During the podcast, they also mentioned a book series called The Space Trilogy written by C.S. Lewis that you can find HERE on Amazon. Finally, it may also be helpful to listen to a series Dr. White delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Astrophysics… for People Who Are Open to God.” It explores our fascination with cosmic things, and whether they point away from God or toward Him.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's summertime rerun, Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye discuss a topic that we frequently get asked about at Church & Culture - Calvinism. There are really two dynamics behind the ministry of Church & Culture: to look at the interplay between the Church and the culture of our day, but also to examine the culture within the Church itself. And it's with the latter that today's discussion lands. We thought it worth sharing this episode from our first season with you again.
Episode LinksThere are three helpful resources that Dr. White mentioned during the podcast, particularly when it comes to the debate over passages found in Scripture referencing election and predestination, as well as an understanding of Arminianism. They are:
William Klein, The New Chosen People: A Corporate View of Election.
“N. T. Wright on Predestination and Election,” watch on YouTube HERE.
Roger Olson, Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities.
Another topic that came up frequently in the conversation was grace. Dr. White recently delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Christianity's Most Scandalous Idea” that focused specifically on grace as it relates to the Christian faith. You can find that series HERE.
Finally, the idea of women in ministry and leadership within the church is a tension point for those who hold to Calvin's beliefs. You can listen to our recent podcast on that topic HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can submit your questions through the form on the podcast website HERE.
In this week's summertime rerun, Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye discuss a topic that was sparked by a series given by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Primordial: Genesis and the World's Primeval History.” The culture of our day seems to want to place science and faith at odds with each other when in reality everything in science compliments God's existence - in fact, it demands it. What's ironic is that the study of science itself was deeply rooted in a Christian worldview.
Episode LinksIn addition to the aforementioned series at Meck, there are two other series that Dr. White led on this topic that would be very helpful to check out. The first is called “The Science of God” with installments that explore the science of God's existence, of God's creation and of faith. The second is “Astrophysics… for people who are open to God.” As a culture, we seem to be almost obsessed with cosmic headlines from the Big Bang to black holes, from quarks to quantum mechanics, and from the search for planets to the search for life in the universe. This series explores whether when you delve into such things, they point away from God or to Him?
Dr. White has also written blogs tied to today's conversation that we would encourage you to read. “A Post-Empirical God” discusses the concept of reductive naturalism and how scientists have become increasingly hostile towards religion. “From How to Who” is a blog that discusses the Scopes Trial you heard mentioned in today's episode. It points to the fact that the real issue of our day is not between creation and evolution, but rather between theism and naturalism. Finally, he wrote a blog titled “UFOs… Confirmed?” taking a look at the significance of life on other planets and how future discoveries in science may impact our faith.
Dr. White's book Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians: Uncommon Answers to Common Questions is a great resource for you or others you may know who are open to exploring the Christian faith. He takes on the topic of faith vs. science in this book as well. You can find it HERE on Amazon or from your favorite bookseller.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode.You can submit your questions through the form on the podcast website HERE.
In this week's summertime rerun, Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye discuss the (still) hot topic of women in ministry within the Church. Throughout Christian history, with the increased institutionalization of the Church came very set patterns of misogyny. And certain passages of Scripture have been used to fuel both sides of this debate as to what role women can and should take within the Church.
Episode LinksDr. White has written several blogs that may serve as helpful additions to today's conversation, such as a blog titled “Beth Moore in the Pulpit,” in which he explores the complementarian vs. egalitarian views held by many within the Church. And one of the most foundational things Dr. White laid out was to follow “The Biblical Model of Leadership.” The conversation also touched on Jesus and how He viewed women. Check out this blog simply titled “Sexism” to explore more about this.
Also mentioned was the letter of I Timothy in the New Testament and how that has impacted many churches' views on women in ministry. Dr. White mentioned that a good book on this is The Message of 1 Timothy & Titus by John R.W. Stott.
And at the beginning of the discussion you heard Alexis mention a conversation that took place in a Christianity Today podcast titled “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill.” While the entire podcast had a lot to contribute to the topic of women in the Church, Episode 13 in particular includes an insightful interview with the CEO of CT, Tim Dalrymple.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can submit your questions through the form on the podcast website HERE.
In this week's summertime rerun, Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye discuss the importance of examining mental health as it relates to the church, as our nation continues to experience severe increases in depression, suicide and more. This is a topic where the church has typically been silent, leading to a great deal of private suffering. Now, more than ever, this needs to end.
Episode LinksThere are some blogs written by Dr. White on the topic of mental health that you will find very helpful to read. The blog titled “Suicide and the Church” addresses the fact that suicide has become the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. The digital revolution has added fuel to this fire, as we've become increasingly isolated online. You can read about this in a blog titled, “What the Online World Is Doing to Us.”
As Dr. White said in this episode, the church cannot remain silent and depression is a topic that needs to be brought to light. You may find it helpful to check out a series delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Fix Me.” The installments covered are: “A Prozac Nation,” “The 8th Deadly Sin” and “Extreme Makeover: Inside Edition.” You can also find an installment on mental health in the series “How to Be a New You in the New Year.”
Finally, Alexis and Jim talked about the term “self care” that is continually thrown around, and what the Bible really has to say about this topic. You can listen to “CCP19: On Self Care” on the Church & Culture website HERE or watch it on YouTube HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions on the podcast page.
In this week's summertime rerun, Dr. White and co-host Alexis Drye discuss the highly controversial idea of Christian Nationalism. With tomorrow marking the 250th birthday of the United States, we thought it fitting to share this episode with our listeners again. The original episode took place right after Election Day 2022. It was a day that proved exciting for some and disheartening for others. For many Christians, they look at negative political ads, hear rhetoric being spoken by the candidates on both sides of the political fence and wonder, “What happened to a Christian America?” But is that truly what we are meant to be?
Episode LinksThere are some blogs written by Dr. White related to this topic that you will find very helpful to read. “On Being a Political Christian” discusses how our Christian identify is far more important than whether we consider ourselves to be Republicans or Democrats. You can also read what Dr. White had to say in a blog titled “Is Christian Nationalism True?”
Talking about anything related to politics is often a difficult area for pastors to tread, especially as our country seems to become increasingly divided. A very helpful series that can serve pastors and church members alike is titled “Where Angels Fear to Tread: Meck Talks Politics.” You'll find the mp3 and pdf versions of that series on the Church & Culture website.
Finally, if a topic like this is of interest to you, you will also enjoy going back to listen to CCP12: On Legislated Morality where Alexis and Dr. White discuss whether those of us who consider ourselves Christ followers should try to legislate moral issues.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss masculinism - a topic prompted by a recent article written by Helen Lewis for The Atlantic titled “The Men Who Want Women to Be Quiet.” The article explored the movement underway by Douglas Wilson, the co-founder of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, who has been working for half a century to cast his theocratic vision for our country. Core among his beliefs is his position that women have overstepped their boundaries. He wants them out of political office, out of the military and out of the polling booths. Why is this idea of masculinism taking hold in some spheres?
Episode LinksThere are two articles that Dr. White noted at the top of the episode that point to recent events related to the invasion of masculinism in everything from the SBC to Judaism:
Daniel Estrin, “Israel allows women to take rabbinic test for 1st time, but not become Orthodox rabbis,” NPR.
Scott Barkley, “Mohler to call for ‘Truth & Unity' amendment to SBC Constitution at annual meeting,” Baptist Press.
Bob Smietana, “Southern Baptists Move Closer to Constitutional Ban on Women Pastors,” Christianity Today.
Dr. White also noted how some of this movement has stemmed from the idea of men being lost in our world today. There was a past podcast episode that he mentioned that we'd suggest you go back and listen to -CCP111: On Gen Z Men Failing to Launch - as well as a blog simply titled “Lost Men.” There's also a very helpful article written by Christine Emba in The Washington Post titled “Men are lost. Here's a map out of the wilderness.” And then there are two additional past podcast episodes related to men that we'd suggest you check out: CCP72: On Toxic Masculinity and CCP101: On "Bluey" and Modern Fatherhood.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent lawsuit against the fast-food chain Chick-fil-A. Lauren Weber wrote an article in The Wall Street Journal that prompted today's conversation titled, “Sundays Are Sacred at Chick-fil-A. The U.S. Says a Worker's Saturday Sabbath Is, Too.” The restaurant is known for giving employees Sundays off to observe the Christian Sabbath, but found themselves being sued for denying an employee's request to have Saturdays off. Her denomination, the United Church of God, observes the Sabbath on Saturdays. So which day should the church observe? And what, really, defines a Sabbath?
Episode LinksThe practice of observing a Sabbath day is something that has been declining among people who would consider themselves Christ followers. However, God felt that this was such an important part of our lives that the call to observe the Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments. Dr. White delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church simply titled, “Ten,” which explored the biblical and cultural significance of each of the Ten Commandments. You can find that series at Church & Culture HERE.
As Dr. White explained, as a society we've so overly cluttered our lives that it's hard for so may of us to even wrap our heads around taking a day to rest and renew. He referenced an old article from Newsweek featuring Neil Rudenstine, the (then) president of Harvard University, who once faced extreme exhaustion. It was titled “Breaking Point,” and you can read that article HERE.
He also discussed a 2025 Forbes article about how an increasing number of employees are taking sabbaticals, something that's really helping with career longevity. You can read the article titled “Why More Professionals Are Taking Sabbaticals—And How It's Transforming Work And Well-Being” HERE.
Dr. White referenced a recent announcement from the American Academy of Pediatrics updating their policy statement on the need for children to return to more play. He used this as inspiration for a recent Church & Culture blog titled “We All Need Recess,” which you can read HERE.
Finally, Dr. White discussed the importance of the church needing to teach on topics related to rest and the Sabbath. In addition to the series “Ten,” we'd encourage you to check out another recent series that he gave called “Quieting Your Life.” This series explored the call to quiet ourselves, how we need to be quiet and seek quiet, and the significance of a daily quiet time. You can find that series on Church & Culture HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the newest parent in town - the “beta mom.” From tiger moms to helicopter moms to dolphin moms, as a culture we love to find labels for the myriad of ways to parent. As the title of the article in the Wall Street Journal (which prompted today's conversation) put it, “The Era of the Tiger Mom Is Over. Enter the Beta Mom.”
Episode LinksThis is not the first time that parenting and the cultural challenges that both young people and their parents are facing has been a topic of the podcast. Here are a collection of past episodes that we think you might like to go back and listen to if you missed them:
CCP188: On Cultural Attacks on Parental Authority
CCP176: On Parents and Grandparents
CCP124: On Parenting Being Hazardous to Your Health
CCP98: On Generation Alpha
CCP70: On Social Media and Mental Health
CCP60: On Gentle Parenting
Parenting has also been the focus of a number of message series that Dr. White has given at Mecklenburg Community Church over the years. You can find those gathered under the “Marriage and Family” category on Church & Culture HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the rise in popularity of a very unusual type of church in the U.S. - psychedelic churches. The largest church of this kind is Zide Door Church of Entheogenic Plants in Oakland, CA, which currently has about 130,000 members and “places psilocybin mushrooms at the center of their religious practice” according to an episode on NPR. Now the drugs aren't free, of course - you have to pay for the service. So is there anything beyond the obvious that is a draw for people to attend a church like this?
Episode LinksThere are two other articles that you may find helpful to read related to today's conversation, particularly tied to the legality of psychedelic churches:
Hayley Sanchez, “This church holds psychedelic rituals. But that's not what keeps people coming back,” NPR.
Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly, “Inside the US's psychedelic church boom, where taking drugs is legal,”
The Guardian.
There are three past podcast episodes that we'd suggest you go back and listen to if you missed them. The first is a recent episode that Alexis mentioned: CCP195: On Dreams and Interpreting Dreams. The second is a look at whether it's okay for a Christian to partake in using drugs and alcohol: CCP74: On Smoking Marijuana and Drinking Wine. And finally, as the conversation touched on hypnosis you can check out this one: CCP3: On Hypnosis and Meditation.
Dr. White steered the conversation to the importance of fasting found throughout the Bible, and how this is such a contrast from what the psychedelic churches are pursuing. He did a series at Mecklenburg Community Church that you may be interested in checking out called “Fast Forward,” which you can find HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the recent findings of the “Toxic Boss” survey from Harris Poll's Thought Leadership Practice. As the title of the article in Fast Company summarized, “6 in 10 workers say they have a toxic boss.” While the survey defined a toxic boss as someone who “exhibits harmful workplace behaviors, including unfair preferential treatment, lack of recognition, blame-shifting, unnecessary micromanagement, unreasonable expectations, being unapproachable, taking credit for others' ideas, acting unprofessionally, or discriminating against employees based on personal characteristics,” Dr. White explained there's so much more that could be added to the list.
Episode LinksOne potential reason outlined for the rise in toxic bosses in the workplace is the shift in focus on employees as human beings and elevating the importance of AI. Church & Culture had an entire podcast devoted to this topic. We'd encourage you to go back and listen to CCP44: On Artificial Intelligence.
The conversation then shifted to how the church is not exempt from toxic leadership, something that is particularly glaring when you look at the seemingly unending string of pastors whose moral failings resulted in their removal from leadership within the church. Again, we'd encourage you to check out a couple of past podcast episodes, which take a deeper dive on this subject: CCP4: On Pastors and Moral Failings and CCP31: On Celebrity Pastors.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a phenomenon that has been with us since the beginning of human creation. It's impacted people in every country and every time period, young and old, male and female - it's our dreams. They can scare us, they can delight us, they can confuse us, they can inspire us. Although they are commonplace, there is little agreement about what to make of them, and particularly whether God can speak through them.
Episode LinksOne of the biggest concerns when it comes to our dreams are the means people use to try to interpret them. This is where people can begin to dabble in the world of the occult. Whether through fortune tellers or astrology, tarot cards or horoscopes, we've touched on the potential dangers and pitfalls of this in past podcast episodes. We'd encourage you to go back and listen to: CCP151: On Spirits and Ghosts, CCP77: On Angels, CCP58: On Your Horoscope and Starbucks and CCP45: On Superstition and God's Will.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
Once again, Alexis Drye is joined on the podcast by a guest - this time Pastor Zach White, Zach is the pastor of the creative arts ministry (known as Meck Creative) at Mecklenburg Community Church. The topic for discussion for today's episode is on leading and equipping Gen Z in the workplace, and so we thought he would bring a unique perspective, as the majority of his team falls into this cohort.
Episode LinksAlexis mentioned an article written by Tessa West in The Wall Street Journal that prompted today's discussion. Titled “A New Lost Generation: Why Gen Z Is Unprepared for the Workplace,” this article - along with others like it - explores the important role that leaders need to play in helping their Gen Z employees navigate their organizations. Zach mentioned a helpful resource for people who may interact a lot with Gen Z. It was written by Dr. White, and while primarily written for the church to know how to reach them for Jesus, it also can serve to help understand what marks this generation. It's called Meet Generation Z and you can find it HERE.
Zach also mentioned the depressing findings of a recent survey from Instructure, which found that 87% of Gen Z workers feel unprepared to succeed in the workforce. You can read the full article in Campus Technology for more results of the survey HERE. It's in helping them to overcome feelings like this where leaders need to step in and guide them.
To help fill that type of leadership role, Zach has a podcast leadership community that you can find on YouTube at @ZachWhiteLeadership. The purpose is to serve leaders looking to grow, thrive and last in leadership. Every week, he releases new research-driven content that's designed to help you have a truly meaningful and lasting leadership journey.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the incredibly important role that money can play in a marriage. While many couples focus on the wedding and the checklist of what needs to get done before the wedding day, few realize the importance of discussing personal finances and how they view and value money.
Episode LinksAt the top of the episode, Alexis mentioned an article written by Jake Hays for the Pew Research Center titled “8 facts about divorce in the United States.” The purpose of the study was to look at causes for the very high divorce rate in the U.S. and, in particular, why so many divorces happen so quickly - often within the first five years of marriage. Money was the reason behind many of those failed marriages.
Dr. White referenced a recent string of articles from The Wall Street Journal that are related to today's topic of marriage and money. They discuss things like financial infidelity, why men and women choose to often have separate finances, and how what we value when it comes to money can be a factor. You can find those articles below. You can also find the National Endowment for Financial Education study that Dr. White mentioned HERE.
Julia Carpenter, “What We Fight About When We Fight About Money.”
Gunjan Banerji, “Inside the ‘Financial Infidelities' That Tear Marriages Apart.”
Allie Jones, “She Almost Lost Everything in Her Divorce. Now Women Are Learning From Her Mistakes.”
Finally, for those interested in some pastoral wisdom when it comes to both marriage and money, we'd encourage you to check out the many marriage and finance series that Dr. White has delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church. You can find the various series on marriage and family HERE, and the series on finances HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a topic that you might be wildly unfamiliar with - death doulas. Today's discussion was prompted by an article in The New York Times titled “How Death Doulas Support the Living.” It's about how actress Nicole Kidman is charting a new career path as a death doula after feeling a void in support when her mother passed away. A death doula is a trained, non-medical professional who provides holistic emotional, spiritual and practical support to people who are dying and their loved ones.
Episode LinksDr. White explained how death is not a topic that people (obviously) like to talk about. But it is important to understand the stages of death. He mentioned a resource that was written decades ago, but that still proves to be incredibly helpful for processing death and dying. The book is titled On Death and Dying, written by Elisabeth Kubler Ross and published in 1969. You can find it on Amazon HERE.
Increasingly in our culture, the need for someone like a death doula to come alongside you has to do with loneliness. There was a recent article in The Washington Post on this titled “An age-old fear grows more common: ‘I'm going to die alone.'” The subheading summarizes the problem well: “As families fracture, people are living longer and are more likely to find themselves without close relatives or friends at the end of their lives.” These broken families, broken relationships, are really the heart of the problem. Dr. White recently did a series at Mecklenburg Community Church on the importance of “Relational Repair.” It struck a chord with so many people. If you wish to check it out, you can find it on Church & Culture HERE.
Dr. White pointed out something very vital to our lives - community that is found through the Church. If you don't already have a church home, I would encourage you to check out Mecklenburg Community Church. On our website - mecklenburg.org - you can find out more about who we are and what we believe. And you can even experience a service through our Online Campus if you can't join us in person. But we hope that you will find community through a local church.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
You probably noticed something quite different for today's conversation. Alexis Drye is joined by Pastor Jonathan Emery White, who serves children and families at Mecklenburg Community Church. Along with his pastoral role at Meck, he also teaches classes through the Meck Institute, instructing parents about the realities of the new digital world when it comes to their children. It's this background that he brings to today's episode about some recent interesting studies and trends related to teenage sexuality.
Episode LinksThere's an on-demand class at Mecklenburg Community Church that was taught by Jonathan called “FaceTime: What Parents Need to Know About Technology, Social Media, Video Games and More.” You can find that on the Meck website HERE. Dr. White also did a series at Meck called “Streaming Now,” which featured background on four of the most popular streaming series at the time and the lessons that can be applied to the Christian life through them. One of the installments was on the show Adolescence - you can find that series HERE.
Jonathan mentioned the software that he recommends to protect parents and their children from the dangers of pornography and the online world. It's called Covenant Eyes, and you can find that HERE. There are also a number of articles relevant to our conversation today if you'd like to take a deeper dive on this topic. We'd encourage you to check out:
Selena Simmons-Duffin, “Teen birth rates hit another historical low in 2025, CDC says,” NPR.
Lyman Stone, “Sexless America: Young Adults Are Having Less Sex,” Institute for Family Studies.
“The Impact of Pornography on Children,” American College of Pediatricians.
Mar Alvarez-Segur et al., “Impact of pornography consumption on children and adolescents: a trauma-informed approach,” National Library of Medicine.
Carmen M. Leon et al., “From Pornography Consumption to Sexually Violent Practices: Uncovering the Hidden Influence of Sexual Norms,” National Library of Medicine.
Taylor Lorenz, “The Hottest Chat App for Teens Is … Google Docs,” The Atlantic.
“Injections, Bone Hammering and the Pursuit of Peak Male Beauty: Inside the image-obsessed subculture that is ‘looksmaxxing,'” The New York Times.
John Koetsier, “80% Of Gen Zers Would Marry An AI: Study,” Forbes.
Finally, there are two past podcast episodes that we'd encourage you to go back and listen to when you have the time. They are: CCP152: On Women's Porn, CCP72: On Toxic Masculinity and CCP146: On Hooters and OnlyFans.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the rapidly changing landscape of Christian wellness. The wellness industry is now a multi-trillion dollar global market, one that some within the Christian faith are aiming to capitalize on. They are taking culture's focus on prevention and lifestyle choices and washing all of it in faith - putting a Christian label or a Christian personality behind it to move a product. And “Christian” social media influencers are having a lot of success in gaining the trust of other Christians.
Episode LinksAlexis mentioned the article that prompted today's discussion written by Kelsey Kramer McGinnis in Christianity Today titled “‘No Guardrails' for Some Christian Wellness Influencers.” In it she notes how influencers are using Christian language and isolated Bible verses to sell everything from energy drinks to supplements, skin care to gym clothes. And the lack of guardrails is a huge concern, particularly when it's spreading distrust of the medical world.
In response, Dr. White outlined what a social media influencer is. We had an earlier podcast episode on this topic that you can go back and listen to for a deeper discussion about influencers: CCP128: On Social Media Influencers. He also spent some time outlining the disproportionate influence that YouTube has had on our culture. Here's another past podcast episode that you can check out for more on this topic: CCP149: On YouTube.
Finally, there are four additional articles that we'd encourage you to check out that were helpful sources for today's conversation. You can get to them by clicking the titles below:
Coralie Kraft, “Why Some Teenage Girls Are Trading Medicine for MAHA,” The New York Times.
Alexa Lee, “9 influencers shaping health information online, for better or worse,” STAT News.
Ilana Amselem, “I Developed A Dark Obsession With 'Wellness.' Within Months, It Threatened To Consume My Life.” HuffPost.
Ian Bogost, “People Are Thinking About Looksmaxxing All Wrong,” The Atlantic.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how much things have changed culturally when it comes to reasons for belief (or unbelief) in God. The conversation was sparked by an article in The Atlantic written by Elizabeth Bruenig titled “The Evidence That God Exists.” The article has a very interesting subtitle - “Searching for scientific proof for faith misunderstands faith” - which explains some of the challenges facing apologetics in our world today.
Episode LinksDr. White mentioned how a functional atheism has invaded our culture and has played a significant role in the rise of the “nones” - those claiming no religious affiliation. Dr. White even wrote a book called The Rise of the Nones, which you can find on Amazon HERE. He and Alexis discussed how, when presented with evidence for belief in the Christian faith, many people in today's culture will respond by asking, “So what?” Dr. White tried to address a number of these questions through another book he wrote titled Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians: Uncommon Answers to Common Questions, which you can find on Amazon HERE.
Dr. White talked about the importance of addressing these questions for people who are open to exploring the Christian faith. There are a number of series that Dr. White has given over the years at Mecklenburg Community Church that would fall into this category. You can find those messages in both .mp3 and .pdf formats under the banners “Evangelism & Apologetics” and “Exploring Christianity” on the Church & Culture website.
There does seem to be renewed interest in science proving the existence of God. Alexis mentioned a book that was included in The Atlantic article above. That book is God, the Science, the Evidence written by Michel-Yves Bollore and Olivier Bonnassies, and you can find that resource on Amazon HERE.
And finally, the story that Dr. White shared toward the end of the episode about C.S. Lewis is one that you can find (among many others) in his book titled A Traveler's Guide to the Kingdom, which you can find as an eBook on Church & Culture HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss some recent major court decisions that put parental authority and responsibility in the spotlight. The first was a Supreme Court ruling that California schools must notify the parents if a student expresses their desire to change their gender. The second was a case in Georgia, where a father was found guilty of murder and manslaughter for the crime committed by his son; guilty because he failed to heed clear warning signs in his son's behavior.
Episode LinksDr. White wrote a recent blog on this topic titled, “Parental Rights and Responsibilities,” which you can read HERE. He also referenced another blog that he wrote called “The New Attack on Parenting,” which you can read HERE. And then here are two recent headlines that you can read for more information about both court cases referenced above:
James Romoser, “Supreme Court Says California Schools Should Notify Parents About Student Gender Changes,” The Wall Street Journal.
Rick Rojas and Johnny Kauffman, “Father's Murder Conviction in School Attack Puts New Onus on Parents,” The New York Times.
Another recent case from the Supreme Court awarded parents $1.5M over LGBTQ books saying that parents should have “the final say” on their children's education. You can read the article titled “Religious parents awarded $1.5M after Supreme Court win in LGBTQ+ books case“ HERE.
Dr. White spoke of the importance of the role of parents in the lives of their children; specifically, that they need to be involved, informed and in charge. He has incredibly helpful messages that he's given at Mecklenburg Community Church under the banner of “Marriage and Family,” which you can find HERE. It would also be helpful to listen to the installments of a series simply titled, “Gender.”
Finally, if you've missed past podcast episodes related to parents and children, we'd encourage you to go back and listen to these episodes: CCP176: On Parents and Grandparents, CCP170: On Teens and Their Online World, CCP161: On “Adolescence”, CCP98: On Generation Alpha and CCP60: On Gentle Parenting.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the war with Iran, which the U.S. entered into on February 28. The attacks resulted in the assassination of Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and several other officials. And in response, Iran has launched missiles at various targets in Israel and US military bases. Today's conversation hopefully sheds some light on the history of the tension in the Middle East, as well as whether war can ever be just.
Episode LinksAt the top of the podcast, Dr. White suggested a helpful resource for understanding more of the world's political order. Written by Richard Haass, you can find The World: A Brief Introduction at The Grounds Bookstore HERE. He also mentioned a past podcast episode that we highly suggest you go back and listen to for more of an understanding of Israel and their engagement with both Palestine and Iran: CCP80: On the War in Israel. This episode will help you understand why Jerusalem is such a flashpoint. There is another past episode that we'd recommend for understanding the differences between Christianity and Islam: CCP86: On Islam.
Alexis mentioned the article written by Russell Moore in Christianity Today titled “What the Iran War Could Do to Your Soul,” which you can find HERE. It really challenges people to think about the why behind their support or opposition to the war. And when it comes to whether the church should engage this current conflict, it would be helpful to go back to our recent episode: CCP185: On Bad Bunny, Monks and Immigration.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a topic that is drifting away from its biblical moorings and increasingly misunderstood in culture: exorcism. Even individuals who would not consider themselves Christians are familiar with the Lord's Prayer, which includes the line, “deliver us from evil.” But what does that mean, and why the sudden cultural interest in exorcism?
Episode LinksDr. White mentioned a book that he wrote called The Prayer God Longs For. It walks through the Lord's Prayer, including a chapter that focuses on the deliverance from evil or the "evil one" (Satan). You can find it as an ebook on Church & Culture HERE. He also mentioned the work of C.S. Lewis called The Screwtape Letters - a fascinating book about the nature of temptation and demonic work in our lives. You can find that book at The Grounds Bookstore and Café HERE. Another resource that Dr. White mentioned, which you can also find in The Grounds, is Lee Strobel's Seeing the Supernatural. You can find that book HERE.
The discussion continued with a look at who Satan is, and an overview of the world of the occult. There are so many ways that the occult invades culture today, and most people are not even aware of it. There was a series that Dr. White delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church a number of years ago on the subject called “Paranormal.” The installments of this series include the map of the spiritual world, the marks of the occult, and the armor of God. There are also some past podcast episodes that you may want to go back and listen to related to today's conversation including: CCP151: On Spirits and Ghosts, CCP77: On Angels, CCP66: On Satanism, and CCP58: On Your Horoscope and Starbucks.
Finally, there are two articles that were mentioned in today's episode that you may be interested in reading. The first is written by Kaya Burgess in The Telegraph titled “Demand for exorcisms rises as faithful want ‘deliverance from evil.'” The second article was just released this week in the London Times, written by Tom Kington, and titled “Devil worshippers are using AI, exorcists are warned” discussing fears that pedophiles are using AI to create images of children participating in satanic rites.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a topic that was prompted by a recent blog from Dr. White titled, “From Bad Bunny to Buddhist Monks: Navigating the News Cycle.” Church leaders are often expected to speak to what's happening with the current news cycle. While many attenders realize it's unrealistic for their church to speak to every issue, everyone at some point is drawn to a particular news story they feel demands a response, statement or a stand from their church. So how do pastors and church leaders contend with all of this?
Episode LinksAt the top of the episode, Alexis mentioned how the Church & Culture Podcast topics are inspired by everything from what's trending in culture, to the latest news stories, to other “hot” podcasts, as well as listener-submitted questions. (By the way, if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the C&C Podcast you can submit your questions HERE.)
Dr. White mentioned some earlier episodes on the podcast that were drawn from cultural trends including: CCP163: On "KPop Demon Hunters, CCP44: On Artificial Intelligence, and CCP182: On Telepathy. These topics were chosen because many Christians wrestle with how to think Christianly about them and discern whether the Bible has anything to say about them. Then there are episodes about topics over which Christians are divided. These would include past episodes such as: CCP21: On Gender, CCP151: On Spirits and Ghosts, and CCP132: On Near-Death Experiences.
Alexis also posed the question about determining which news-cycle issues to address as a pastor to the church. Dr. White referenced two series in particular that he delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church. The first was “Is it okay for a Christian to…” and covered the following topics: watching Game of Thrones, smoking marijuana and drinking wine, gambling, doing yoga, voting for ________, getting a tattoo, having cosmetic surgery or being cremated, participating in a gay wedding, and not going to church. The second was titled, “What the Bible Really Says About…” and covered these popular issues: A.I., politics, immigration, IVF and abortion, and angels.
Dr. White also addressed the need to speak to major events when they happen, particularly when there is a need to restore dignity and remind people that we are called to love one another. He noted two events in particular - the murder of George Floyd and the murder of Charlie Kirk. At the time of Floyd's death, Dr. White had a panel discussion at the church, which became our weekend service. You can find “Going Forward: Next Steps” HERE. And then the Sunday after Charlie Kirk was killed, he took time before the series message to offer condolences and a prayer. The transcript from that message was turned into a blog, which you can find HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. Thanks for listening!
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a difficult subject that has so many nuances - suicide. And they prayed that they'd handle today's conversation delicately. The previous podcast episode - CCP183: On Counseling and Therapy - provided a segue to this subject since, along with the rise in those seeking counseling, there has also been a nationwide rise in the number of deaths caused by suicide. And the big question most often asked by those within the Christian faith is: Is suicide an unforgivable sin?
Episode LinksDr. White shared some data from the CDC which found that from 2002 to 2022, the rates of suicide increased by 30%, and that in the year 2023, suicide became the 11th leading cause of death. As Dr. White noted, suicide is considered a form of murder - it is the killing of yourself - and violates one of the Ten Commandments. Dr. White gave a series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Ten,” which looks at what the Bible says specifically about each of these commands from God. You can find that series on Church & Culture HERE.
The conversation also explained the idea of apostasy - the act of abandoning one's faith. If you missed it, we'd encourage you to go back and listen to CCP131: On Losing Your Salvation. Another past podcast episode that is relevant for today's conversation is CCP48: On Medically Assisted Suicide.
Finally, Alexis mentioned a book written by David Biebel and Suzanne Foster called Finding Your Way after the Suicide of Someone You Love: Help and Hope for an Unexpected Journey that many of our listeners may find helpful if they've lost someone to suicide.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss recent findings from the CDC National Health Interview Survey which showed that approximately 14% (or 1 in 7) of adults in the U.S. received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional as of 2024. This is a significant increase from 2019 data, and behind the rise are mainly young adults, those between 18 and 34 years old. So what's behind this growing rise in counseling, and are all types of counseling created equal?
Episode LinksA general knowledge of the world of mental health has increased in recent years, and the stigma behind seeking treatment for mental health issues has decreased. Anxiety has been one of the greatest mental health issues of our day. Dr. White recently gave a message at Mecklenburg Community Church called “The Anxious Generation” that you can find HERE.
They also discussed how Christian beliefs may play a role in discouraging therapy. For example, some Christians might question whether therapy replaces God or minimizes the healing that God is able to provide. The truth is that even some of the leaders within the Christian faith have struggled with depression and other mental health issues. Dr. White wrote a blog to help dispel this stigma called “Suicide and the Church” that we'd suggest you to take a moment to read. There is also a past podcast episode we'd encourage you to go back and listen to called CCP36: On Mental Health that addresses this subject as well.
Finally, Dr. White mentioned the writings of Dr. Larry Crabb, author of Inside Out and Connecting, who wrote how treating mental health issues only as psychological disorders may cheapen the mysterious battle raging deep within the soul. In other words, therapy is not the answer for everything. Faith and prayer do still come into play. This is why it's so important to seek out Christian counselors who've been specifically trained to provide both clinical counseling and spiritual guidance.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a topic that's gained traction in today's culture thanks, in large part, to the series Stranger Things. Telepathy is the alleged direct communication of thoughts, feelings and ideas between minds without using speech, without using writing, and without using any other normal physical signals. It's often considered a form of ESP or extrasensory perception. But is it real? Can people really communicate mind to mind?
Episode LinksThe idea of telepathy falls into the category of the supernatural - the disclosure of information that was unknown or unavailable to humans through normal means. And it's an area where Christians need to tread lightly. This has been the topic of past podcast episodes we'd suggest you revisit, including CCP3: On Hypnosis and Meditation and CCP58: On Your Horoscope and Starbucks.
Dr. White also explained that telepathy is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, however Scripture does note how Jesus was able to know the thoughts of the Scribes in Matthew 9. Meaning that God - and God alone - is capable of doing something like this. For more on telepathy and the Bible, we'd suggest you check out an article titled “What does the Bible say about telepathy or psycho-kinesis?,” which you can find HERE.
The “Telepathy Tapes” podcast series attempted to make a case for evidence of telepathic abilities among non-speaking individuals with autism. The podcast received strong criticism from many in the scientific community citing cases where they misrepresented data and information. Dr. White encouraged Christians to steer clear of the content in the podcasts.
Finally, the conversation then turned from telepathy to telekinesis or psychokinesis - the ability to manipulate objects with your mind without physical contact. It was noted how the church of Scientology believes and affirms this ability. Scientology was the topic of a past Church & Culture Podcast. We'd encourage you to go back and listen to CCP35: On Scientology.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent viral parody from comedian Druski taking a jab at prosperity gospel preachers and megachurch culture. While some took offense to the skit, others viewed it as a good wake-up call for pastors like the people parodied in the video. It begs the question, are all megachurches mishandling money?
Episode LinksThere was a good article on this topic from Religion News Service titled “Druski's viral parody of flashy preachers renews debate over wealth in the pulpit.” We'd encourage you to take a few minutes to read that article HERE. Druski is not the first to notice preachers who like to draw attention to their ostentatious wealth. As Dr. White mentioned, the Instagram account @preachersnsneakers (which has more than 325K followers) is devoted to pointing out ways that some pastors choose to flaunt their wealth from the pulpit.
This is not the first time that megachurches have been a topic on the Church & Culture Podcast. We'd encourage you to go back and listen to CCP31: On Celebrity Pastors, CCP40: On Criticism of Megachurches, and CCP51: On Prosperity Preaching.
Dr. White had commentary to offer on those who would condemn the megachurch model, as though all churches were meant to be small. He wrote about this in a blog titled “Should Churches Meet in Houses?” which you can find HERE. He also spoke of the importance of clear teaching about giving, and how the Church is called to use those gifts. If you would like to see some of his past teachings at Mecklenburg Community Church on this topic, you can find those gathered HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the findings of a recent study from Baylor University reflecting an increased interest in magical thinking - acceptance of the world of the supernatural - even among people who do not hold to traditional religious beliefs. This was actually something that Dr. White forecasted in his book Meet Generation Z, noting the impacts on Gen Z being raised by parents who were increasingly spiritual (interested in things related to the spiritual realm), but not religious.
Episode LinksAt the beginning of the discussion, Dr. White made reference to the writings of Pitirim A. Sorokin, and particularly his lengthy four-volume work Social and Cultural Dynamics. As mentioned above, we live in a world where people are more likely to consider themselves spiritual, but not religious. Dr. White delivered a message series at Mecklenburg Community Church to help people have a better understanding of our world and the spiritual realm. You can find the installments of the series “Paranormal” HERE.
For a deeper dive into other topics related to the Christian faith and the world of the supernatural, we'd encourage you to check out these past podcast episodes as well. The links below will take you to the podcast episode on the Church & Culture website, but you can also find them by name on the C&C Podcast YouTube channel or on your favorite podcasting platform:
CCP171: On Halloween
CCP151: On Spirits and Ghosts
CCP107: On Hell
CCP58: On Your Horoscope and Starbucks
CCP11: On Wicca
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss what's left in the wake when a beloved leader - particularly one who works in the ministry of the Christian faith - falls. To be sure, there is heartbreak and disillusionment and confusion. And sadly, more and more frequently we're hearing about the moral failings of pastors or favorite authors - names like Bill Hybels, Ravi Zacharias and, most recently, Philip Yancey.
Episode LinksThe recent news about Yancey was what prompted today's conversation. He's the author of such classics as What's So Amazing About Grace and The Jesus I Never Knew. His books have sold more than 20 million copies, and he is arguably the most beloved Christian author of our generation. This past week, he confessed to an eight-year extramarital affair. You can read more about that HERE.
The first question posed by Alexis was, “Why does this keep happening?” Dr. White once wrote a blog titled “Why Leaders Are Falling (and why ‘There but by the grace of God go I' is so inadequate).” If you're interested in reading that you can find it HERE. We'd also encourage you to check out an early episode of the Church & Culture Podcast that touched on this as well: CCP4: On Pastors and Moral Failings.
Dr. White also made note of the harm that can be done within Christian ministry through very broad, generalized NDAs that are used to cover up a multitude of sins. For more on this, we'd encourage you to go back and listen to CCP67: On the Secrets of Hillsong and the Duggars, and a blog titled “Should a Church Use NDAs?, which you can find HERE.
Dr. White brought up how much of the sin that seems to grip leaders - including Yancey and Hybels - is sexual in nature. Dr. White wrote about the importance of those in ministry guarding against this type of sin in his books What They Didn't Teach You in Seminary and A Traveler's Guide to the Kingdom.
Finally, Alexis asked how the body of work - whether sermons or books or Bible studies - related to these fallen leaders is to be handled. Dr. White wrote a helpful blog on this topic that he touched on in today's episode. We'd encourage you to read “Evaluating the Fruit Test” HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the reasons that some people who are raised in the Christian faith choose to walk away from it, while others remain committed Christ followers. As you can imagine, the faith of the parents and how that's fleshed out in their lives is a huge factor.
Episode LinksAt the top of the episode, Alexis noted that today's topic was prompted by Pew Research Center's “Religious Landscape Study” - a landmark study and truly the gold standard of its kind. Religion News Service picked up on part of the study in a recent article titled, “Why do some people stay in their faith and others leave? A Pew report offers clues.” You can read that article HERE.
Both Alexis and Dr. White mentioned that other findings from the “Religious Landscape Study” have been the topic of other podcast discussions and the Church & Culture blog. Here is where you can find those on the Church & Culture website:
CCP141: On the Largest, Most Recent Survey of American Religion
“The Stall of the Nones”
“Gen Z Church Attendance”
“A Revival... or a Moment?”
Dr. White noted that research from Dr. Christian Smith has been insightful in netting out the huge role that parents play in the faith of their children. You can explore his “National Study of Youth & Religion” HERE. As a father of four and grandfather of 16, Dr. White is passionate about the role of parents in the lives of their children. You can find sermon series that he's given at Mecklenburg Community Church on parenting HERE.
Dr. White referenced articles and interviews with Derek Thompson and Richard Dawkins regarding the idea that Christianity is not about a religion, but rather a relationship with Jesus. And that relational component is what's missing from some churches. Here are those stories for you:
Derek Thompson, “The True Cost of the Churchgoing Bust,” The Atlantic, read online.
LBC video post of Richard Dawkins on X, watch here.
Walter Sánchez Silva, “Famous Atheist Richard Dawkins Says He Considers Himself a ‘Cultural Christian,'” Catholic News Agency, read online.
Finally, Dr. White discussed the importance of apologetics when it comes to the Christian faith - knowing why you believe what you believe. He has given a number of series at Meck that are incredibly helpful in this arena. You can find them all gathered under the category of “Exploring Christianity” HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they reflect on all that the year 2025 brought our way through the lens of the biggest trends in culture. These trends from across our nation and our globe provide a good picture of all that's happening culturally—where we've been and perhaps even where we're headed.
Episode LinksToday's conversation was sparked by Google's annual “Year in Search,” capturing the top searches from around the world in a number of categories. You can look through the top searches in the U.S. HERE. Dr. White also mentioned a blog that he wrote at the beginning of the year, reflecting on how much of it has indeed come to pass in 2025. You can read “Twelve Predictions for 2025” HERE.
Alexis then mentioned a recent article from the Pew Research Center on their “Striking findings from 2025.” Of the 12 findings they revealed, Dr. White named five that stood out to him, including how parents have seemed to throw in the towel when it comes to social media. There are three articles that you may be interested in reading related to this trend:
Emma Bazilian, “50% of Gen Z ‘Can't Live Without YouTube' and Other Stats That Will Make You Feel Old,” Adweek.
Jacob Dirnhuber, “Children Turn Backs on Traditional Careers in Favour of Internet Fame, Study Finds,” The Sun.
Tanith Carey, “Can Social Media School Make Your 16-Year-Old a Star?” The Telegraph.
The discussion inevitably turned to AI, as the widespread use of it is having a huge impact on our culture today. Oxford Dictionary's “Word of the Year” is “rage bait,” defined as "online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative or offensive.” And people are increasingly struggling to tell the difference between what's real and what's fake. However, Merriam-Webster selected their word of the year - “slop” - to refer to “creepy, zany and demonstrably fake content.” It's very telling, though, that both selections had to do with AI. This was also the topic of a recent Church & Culture Podcast - CCP174: On AI and the Church - which you can listen to HERE.
The discussion then turned to YouTube's end of the year recap and the significant impact that YouTube has on today's world. This was also the topic covered on the C&C Podcast related to the platform's 20th anniversary. You can find CCP149: On YouTube HERE. Dr. White even wrote about YouTube as it relates to the younger generations and the church in his book Hybrid Church: Rethinking the Church for a Post-Christian Digital Age, which you can find on Amazon HERE.
YouVersion - a platform that has now reached more than one billion downloads of the Bible - also announced the 2025 verse of the year. Isaiah 41:10 was selected and “marks the fourth time in six years the verse has claimed the top spot, which is a testament to the enduring need for God's reassurance in uncertain times.” Indeed. Dr. White referenced a book written by Tim Alberta called The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, where he writes about the motivation of fear impacting American evangelicals that you might find insightful. And finally, he also mentioned an article from The Atlantic highlighting the effects of this fear seizing hold in our culture. You can read “Decivilization May Already Be Under Way“ HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a topic that is near and dear to Dr. White's heart - the relational dynamic between parents and grandparents. As a father of four children and a grandfather to 16 grandchildren, this is a topic where he is very well versed. Marriage and family are foundational institutions in God's created order of our world. And when those families break down, particularly when there are divides and discord between parents and grandparents, the younger generations are impacted in countless ways.
Episode LinksAs Alexis mentioned at the top of the episode, many of the topics covered on the Church & Culture Podcast are inspired by blogs that Dr. White has written. For those new to the podcast, the Church & Culture Blog is where Dr. White releases two reflections each week about a wide assortment of topics related to the church's engagement with the modern world. If you aren't currently a subscriber, you can click HERE to subscribe now.
For this week's podcast, there are three recent blogs that Dr. White has written that we'd suggest you to go back and read. They are: “A Vision for Grandparenting,” “Grandparent-to-Parent Mistakes” and “Parent-to-Grandparent Mistakes.” And again, this topic is so important because it's absolutely a part of the vision for family that is outlined in the Bible.
Dr. White mentioned a book written by Paul and Diana Miller called A Guide to Great Grandparenting, which talked about this idea of a “family trinity.” When these relationships are healthy, you find that you have healthy and functional young people being raised. He also talked about a large national study on how parents can best pass on their faith to the next generation. You can read more about this in Handing Down the Faith: How Parents Pass their Religion on to the Next Generation written by Christian Smith and Amy Adamczyk.
There are two articles that were applicable to today's conversation that we want to share with you:
Rheana Murray, “‘Grandparenting on Eggshells,'” The Atlantic, November 26, 2025.
Dr. Perri Klass, “5 Common Mistakes Grandparents Make, According to a Pediatrician,” The Washington Post, November 17, 2025.
Finally, as mentioned this is a topic on which Dr. White has a lot of experience to draw from. And over the years at Mecklenburg Community Church, he's given many series that fall under the category of “Marriage & Family.” You can find those series gathered at Church & Culture HERE.
In addition to the blog, we'd encourage you to check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how for many people, Advent is simply a countdown to Christmas. Few seem to truly know the rich Christian tradition of Advent as it falls on the liturgical calendar. The word “advent” means “coming,” and the season of Advent within the Church is to be a time when we are preparing spiritually for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. In fact, so many of the traditions connected with Christmastime also have a rich Christian history and can all serve to help keep Christ in Christmas when you know their deeper meaning.
Episode LinksThis conversation was sparked by an article in The Atlantic titled, “Advent Calendars Are Totally Out of Control.” It seems as though culture has commandeered this tradition of counting down to Christmas and cultivated a “little treat culture,” all about businesses making money and people treating themselves. You can read that article in full HERE. Dr. White mentioned another article that he read in a similar vein titled, “Shoppers still can't get enough of Advent calendars, and brands are racing to keep up with demand.” You can find that article HERE.
Dr. White mentioned that a great way to combat the drift in culture regarding Advent is to take part in what's known as “The Advent Conspiracy.” This idea was brought forth in a book written by Rick McKinley, Chris Seay and Greg Holder called Advent Conspiracy: Making Christmas Meaningful Again (Zondervan). At Mecklenburg Community Church, where Dr. White serves as the senior pastor, this is fleshed out in a few ways. First and foremost, we make sure that the focus of the season of Advent is on Jesus' birthday, and that a great way to honor Him is by giving to the least and the lost in our world. We call it “Giving to Christ at Christmas,” and you can read more about it HERE.
Another way that we've done this is through strategic message series that Dr. White has given over the years during the season of Advent. These include “The Advent Conspiracy,” “Keeping Christ in Christmas” and “I Need You Christmas.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the use of AI within the Church, and when and how it might be used. There's no question that AI has become ubiquitous in our world. And while it might not bother you to know that your grocery store, for example, uses AI to generate suggestions to improve your shopping experience, how would you feel knowing that your pastor used AI to write this weekend's message?
Episode LinksAlexis mentioned a study conducted by Barna last year about pastors and their use of AI, which found that 12% said they felt comfortable using AI to write their sermons. You can read more details in an article about the findings on NPR HERE. Dr. White does not share that level of comfort. In fact, he wrote a blog earlier this year titled “Why I Won't Use AI for Writing,” outlining his reason for making this decision. You can read that blog in its entirety HERE. And if you're interested in viewing the scene from Walk the Line that Dr. White talked about related to that blog entry, you can watch that on YouTube HERE.
AI is entering the Church in places other than pastors' sermons. Dr. White wrote another blog simply titled “AI Jesus” about a Catholic chapel in Switzerland where an avatar of “Jesus” was tucked into a confessional booth and parishioners could come and confess their sins and ask it questions. You can read that blog HERE.
There are a number of articles that provided information linked to today's episode or that were mentioned during the conversation. Should you wish to read more about the ways that AI is impacting our culture and the life of the Church, you can find those below:
Lila Shroff, “ChatGPT Gave Instructions for Murder, Self-Mutilation, and Devil Worship,” The Atlantic.
Jocelyn Gecker, “Teens say they are turning to AI for friendship,” AP News.
Deena Prichep, “Are AI sermons ethical? Clergy consider where to draw the line.” Religion News Service.
James Titcomb, “Musk launches AI girlfriend available to 12-year-olds,” The Telegraph.
Steven Lee Myers & Stuart A. Thompson, “Right-Wing Chatbots Turbocharge America's Political and Cultural Wars,” The New York Times.
Emma Roth, “Sam Altman says ChatGPT will soon sext with verified adults,” The Verge.
Rebecca Bellan, “California becomes first state to regulate AI companion chatbots,” TechCrunch.
Lee V. Gaines, “1 in 5 high schoolers has had a romantic AI relationship, or knows someone who has,” NPR.
Chloe Veltman, “AI's getting better at faking crowds. Here's why that's cause for concern,” NPR.
Howard Blume & Jocelyn Gecker, “What counts as cheating with AI? Teachers are grappling with how to draw the line,” Los Angeles Times.
Brian Kennedy et al., “How Americans View AI and Its Impact on People and Society,” Pew Research Center.
Lauren Jackson, “Finding God in the App Store,” The New York Times.
Finally, Dr. White discussed how parents need to be so aware of how and when their kids are using technology and AI. The Meck Institute at Mecklenburg Community Church has an on-demand class called “FaceTime: What Parents Need to Know About Technology, Social Media, Video Games and More,” which you can find HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the results of a multi-year study of about 24,000 church attenders that was conducted by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. The goal was to examine their church engagement. A particular finding stood out, which was that 46% of those 24,000 churchgoers reported active engagement with more than one church. For purposes of the study, they defined “active engagement” as attending in person, watching online or on TV, or taking part in both physical and virtual offerings. So this begs the question: What drives people to want to participate in a variety of church services?
Episode LinksDuring today's discussion, Dr. White outlined three categories of churchgoers: the church hopper, the church shopper and the church dropper. He also wrote a blog about this topic titled “Church Hopping, Shopping and Dropping,” which you can read HERE.
It's also important to have a clear understanding of what Church is meant to be, and how we are called to engage with the community of the local church. Dr. White delivered a two-week series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “This Is Us,” which outlined the values and the mission of Meck. And then another incredibly helpful series was simply titled “Being Church” and explored what true biblical community looks like. You can find that series HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how when someone dies, those who call themselves Christ followers often find comfort in the thought that we'll see them again in Heaven (assuming, of course, that our loved one had a relationship with Jesus). But can we say the same thing about our beloved pets? Will we see them in Heaven?
Episode LinksToo often, this question is framed in such a way that people are essentially asking whether animals have a soul akin to humans, and therefore can they be saved. To that, the answer is, “No.” Biblically, theologically, no, they don't have souls. But there's for sure more to it than that. Dr. White wrote a recent blog on this same topic that you might be interested in reading HERE.
When it comes to animals and their presence on Earth, the conversation led to a discussion of creation, and specifically creation care. Dr. White did a series at Mecklenburg Community Church that you should check out if you'd like to go deeper on this topic. You can find that series HERE. Dr. White also mentioned a book that he found to be very helpful related to the series titled Stewards of Eden: What Scripture Says About the Environment and Why It Matters written by Sandra L. Richter.
Finally, Alexis referenced an article from The Washington Post about churches wading into the waters of things related to pets and grieving pet owners. You can read the article “Will My Dog Be in Heaven? Why Grieving Pet Owners Turn to Religious Groups” by Michelle Boorstein HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
This week (And a day early, too!), we thought that we'd re-release last year's episode "On Halloween" for those who are new to the podcast and may have missed the discussion. In this conversation, Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye discuss how misunderstood the cultural history tied to Halloween really is. For many people, Halloween offers an excuse to dress up in a costume, for kids to rack up an insane amount of candy, or a reason to dust off an old horror film for a night's worth of adrenaline. But there are a lot of Christians who grapple with whether they should stay clear of any and everything tied to Halloween. To really understand it, you need to be familiar with its history and its background. Because its Christian roots run deeper than you may realize.
Episode LinksDr. White began this discussion with a very helpful overview on the history and traditions that have led to our modern day celebration of Halloween. There is an article that you might find interesting written by Sophie Dickinson for The Telegraph titled “The origins of Halloween, from trick-or-treat to pumpkin carving.” And while a New York Times article from 1986 predicted that Halloween was on its way out as a cultural celebration, a recent article written by Aimee Ortiz highlights how it has quickly become a “retail monstrosity.” You can read that article HERE.
Dr. White has blogged in the past about how while many children embrace the fun and childlike innocence that Halloween can hold, it's often parents who are making it dark through their hyper-sexualized costumes. You can read that past blog HERE, as well as the article that Dr. White referenced titled “Good Girls Go Bad, for a Day.” And if you're interested in knowing what the most popular costumes will be this year, you can find the list from Frightgeist HERE.
Finally, at the top the episode, Alexis mentioned how last year, another holiday coincided with Halloween - the celebration of Diwali. Dr. White wrote a recent blog titled “Should I Attend a Diwali Celebration?”, which you can read HERE. This was also the topic of a past podcast episode that we'd encourage you to go back and listen to: CCP38: On Attending Diwali Celebrations and Gay Weddings.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the results of a recent study from Pew Research, summarized in an article titled, “10 facts about teens and social media.” Pew conducted a survey of teens between the ages of 13 and 17, as well as their parents. The goal was to discover teens' perspective on their experience with social media and its overall effect on their lives. And it revealed a great deal about their online world - the good, the bad and the ugly.
Episode LinksIn addition to the Pew article, there were several other stories mentioned throughout the discussion that were related to the topic of teens and their online world. And as you heard Dr. White say, many of these are stories that were shared in the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday -posted to Church & Culture. If you're interested in reading more, check out the following articles:
William Wan, “‘It broke me': Inside the FBI hunt for the online predators who persuaded a 13-year-old to die,” The Washington Post, October 16, 2025.
David Ingram, “Instagram says it's overhauling how teens experience the app, making it more ‘PG-13',” NBC News, October 14, 2025.
Rebecca Bellan, “California becomes first state to regulate AI companion chatbots,” TechCrunch, October 13, 2025.
Rhitu Chatterjee, “Kids who use social media score lower on reading and memory tests, a study shows,” NPR, October 13, 2025.
Colleen McClain et al., “How Parents Manage Screen Time for Kids,” Pew Research Center, October 8, 2025.
“Social Media and News Fact Sheet,” Pew Research Center, September 25, 2025.
Lee V. Gaines, “1 in 5 high schoolers has had a romantic AI relationship, or knows someone who has,” NPR, October 8, 2025.
Jessie Balmert, “Pornhub says it won't shut down in Ohio over new age-verification law,” USA Today, October 10, 2025.
Caitlin Gibson, “What makes a man? The internet is defining it for teen boys.,” The Washington Post, October 8, 2025.
Geoff Brumfiel, “Kiss reality goodbye: AI-generated social media has arrived,” NPR, October 3, 2025.
Dr. White mentioned an installment of a series that he recently delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church (Meck) called “Streaming Now.” This series took a look at four of the most popular streaming series at the time, including “Adolescence,” which he discussed during today's episode. You can find that series HERE.
Finally, there are several series on parenting that Dr. White has given over the years at Meck that have been incredibly impactful for parents and families. As he said in today's episode, it's crucial for the Church to partner with families and to help guide them. You can find those series, as well as other series related to “Marriage and Family” HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the 50th anniversary of Willow Creek Community Church. In 1975, a young leader named Bill Hybels founded this suburban church in South Barrington, just outside of Chicago. What made it such an outlier were really two things: it had a strong entrepreneurial, outside-of-the-box mentality, and it had a passion to do whatever it took to reach lost people. They became one of the fastest growing churches in the nation and went on to found the Willow Creek Association. While they have had a very rocky road of late, what God did through Willow Creek Community Church can not be ignored.
Episode LinksAs Alexis mentioned at the start of the podcast, we've seemingly had a run of anniversary episodes. In case you missed the ones she mentioned, we'd encourage you to check out CCP165: On the Nicene Creed and CCP167: On the 100th Anniversary of the Scopes Trial.
There are two articles that might be of interest to you related to Willow Creek
Bob Smietana, “As Willow Creek Turns 50, the Onetime 'Church of the Future' Redefines Success,” Religion News Service, October 8, 2025.
Laura Barringer, “Did Willow Creek Skip Yom Kippur — Again?,” The Roys Report, October 10, 2025.
And finally, as the conversation eventually turned to the downfall of Bill Hybels, there are a few past podcast episodes that would be worth listening to if you missed them: CCP4: On Pastors and Moral Failings, CCP31: On Celebrity Pastors and CCP40: On Criticism of Mega Churches.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss an announcement made by the IRS back in July that churches and other houses of worship are now allowed to endorse political candidates directly to their congregations. This type of political activity had previously been barred by the IRS because of the tax-exempt status of nonprofits, but that's no longer the case. Today's conversation explores why this ban was initially put into place and what led to the change of heart.
Episode LinksYou may be interested in reading more about this decision from the article in The New York Times that prompted today's conversation. “I.R.S. Says Churches Can Endorse Candidates From the Pulpit” was written by David A. Fahrenthold, and you can read it HERE. And Dr. White wrote a blog earlier this year titled “Pastors Endorsing Politicians,” which you can read HERE.
As Dr. White mentioned, while he wouldn't personally make the choice to endorse a political candidate from the pulpit, that does not mean that he feels the Church should shy away from speaking out on cultural and political topics. You may be interested in checking out the following series that were given by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church: “What the Bible Really Says About…” explored the topics of A.I., immigration, abortion, politics and angels, and “Where Angels Fear to Tread: Meck Talks Politics” looked at how we, as Christians, are called to engage the political realm.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss another significant anniversary happening this year. We recently aired CCP165: On the Nicene Creed as 2025 marks the 1700th anniversary of the creed. This year also marks the 100th anniversary of what's known as the Scopes Trial (or the “Monkey Trial”) - a sensational trial in American history where the debate over creation vs. evolution entered the courtroom. Set in the small town of Dayton, Tennessee back in 1925, the trial set defenders of evolutionary theory against those who wanted public schools to teach what was considered to be a biblical view of the origin of the world's inhabitants.
Episode LinksAs Dr. White mentioned, the church plays a huge role when it comes to apologetics - helping people to know why they believe what they believe and to be able to give an account of their faith to others. This has always been a priority at Mecklenburg Community Church. In fact, you may be interested in checking out the following series that were given by Dr. White, all related to apologetics and/or faith vs. science:
“Doubt”
“Don't Check Your Brains at the Door”
“The Science of God”
“Astrophysics… for People Who Are Open to God”
“Why Believe?”
There are two resources we'd suggest you check out related to the conversation today. For a better understanding of the Hebrew mindset, we'd suggest Our Father Abraham written by Marvin R. Wilson. And then for more on the interplay between faith and science, we suggest you read How I Changed My Mind About Evolution, edited by Kathryn Applegate and J.B. Stump.
Finally, today's discussion was sparked by an article on NPR by Scott Neuman and Nell Greenfieldboyce titled “100 years after evolution went on trial, the Scopes case still reverberates” outlining the cultural ramifications of this trial even 100 years later. You can read or listen to that article HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent article in the New York Times written by Claire Kane Miller titled, “What Happens When Most of the Adults in Boys' Lives Are Women.” Studies show that children struggle acutely from the lack of a father figure in their lives and, according to the US Census Bureau, nearly one in four children lives without a father in the home. Today's conversation explores the impact and significance of not only fathers, but also positive male role models in the lives of young boys in particular, and how the church can play a role as well.
Episode LinksThere are two books that Dr. White mentioned in today's episode that would be helpful for fathers and men to read to understand the impact they can have on the lives of their boys, as well as other young men. John Trent and Gary Smalley wrote a book titled, The Blessing: Giving the Gift of Unconditional Love and Acceptance. And John Eldredge wrote a book titled, Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul.
He also discussed two articles that highlight both the impact and role of men in the lives of boys, and also the challenge today in knowing what it even means to be a man:
Demaryius Thomas, “For Mamma,” The Player's Tribune.
Glenn Stanton, “Manhood Is Not Natural,” Public Discourse.
Finally, Dr. White noted how the church needs to step in and cast the vision for manhood, fatherhood, and the way that men can step up and be father figures in the lives of young boys within the church. There are several series that Dr. White has given at Mecklenburg Community Church that you may be interested in checking out: “Father Figure,” “Man Up,” and “The Sins of the Fathers.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they dive into the Nicene Creed, as this year marks its 1700th anniversary. As the early church absolutely exploded in growth - from about 7,500 followers in A.D. 100 to around 30 million by A.D. 310 - the challenge and question facing them was this: How would they stay united? How would this fast-growing, quickly expanding movement remain unified in vision and values, mission and purpose? The answer became clear, and led to the Nicene Creed being written in A.D. 325 by the Council of Nicaea.
Episode LinksModern-day churches are increasingly turning to the words of this ancient creed to ground themselves in the foundations of the Christian faith. In fact, Daniel Silliman recently wrote an article in Christianity Today titled, “How the Nicene Creed Became Cool Again” that you may be interested in reading.
In honor of the Nicene Creed's 1700th anniversary, Dr. White recently kicked off a series at Mecklenburg Community Church titled “Credo,” which is the Latin word for creed. If you're interested in checking out this series, you can find it HERE. It's particularly important in our world today to ground the church in the words of the creed, especially in light of the findings of the most recent “State of Theology” survey showing that culturally, there has been a significant lapse in our understanding of what it means to be a Christian - among Christians. You can find that study HERE.
Finally, if you are interested in doing some additional study about the Nicene Creed, there are a few books that we would recommend on this topic: Mark Noll, Turning Points; Phillip Cary, The Nicene Creed; Jared Ortiz and Daniel A. Keating, The Nicene Creed; and J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the state of what's happening in our culture this year. For listeners who may be new to the ministry of Church & Culture, it seeks to explore contemporary culture and to resource the local church and its leaders in light of the church's mission to impact our culture and those who live within it. It's particularly critical in our post-Christian world to understand the significance of what is happening in the world around us. In addition to this weekly podcast, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the new animated film on Netflix that has everyone talking. It's called “KPop Demon Hunters,” and was an instant success when it was released back in June. It's gained so much momentum that it was shown in a limited release on the big screen - just for two days and in only 1,700 theaters - in a sing-along format. Despite that limited release, it still won the entire box office for the weekend, giving Netflix its first number one box office title in its 18-year history. Several songs from its soundtrack are simultaneously in the Billboard Top 10. So… what in the world is “KPop Demon Hunters” about, and is this something our kids should be watching? The answers might surprise you.
Episode LinksGiven that the movie has the word “demon” in the title, it's not surprising that today's conversation raised issues regarding the paranormal world. Dr. White gave a series at Mecklenburg Community Church (Meck) called “Paranormal” that you may be interested in checking out - particularly the installment that maps out the spiritual world. You can find that series on Church & Culture HERE.
Dr. White mentioned that when it comes to what you allow your kids to watch, including this movie, what's most important is to seize the opportunity to have really good spiritual conversations with your kids. He referenced a recent blog written by our MecKidz team - the children's program at Meck. The blog is titled “‘KPop Demon Hunters': How to Engage Movies and TV with your Kids,” and can be found HERE.
Finally, there are a number of articles that were used as source material for today's conversation. If you're interested in going down the “KPop Demon Hunters” rabbit hole, you can check these out:
Itzel Luna and Jake Coyle, “‘KPop Demon Hunters' gives Netflix its first box-office win,” AP News.
Chloe Veltman, “Fans across the country raise their voices at 'KPop Demon Hunters' singalongs,” NPR.
Stephen Thompson, “'KPop Demon Hunters' and the band Babymetal hit fresh milestones on the pop charts,” NPR.
Isabel Ong, “We're Not Afraid of Monsters and Demons Anymore,” Christianity Today.
Sopan Deb, “‘KPop Demon Hunters' Has Everyone Bobbing Their Heads. Especially Parents,” The New York Times.
Stephen Armstrong, “Kpop Demon Hunters: the Netflix film giving Disney nightmares,” The Telegraph.
Scott Greenstone, “It started with friends at home. Now Dungeons & Dragons is in its stadium era,” NPR.
Samantha Masunaga, “‘KPop Demon Hunters' might win the box office. Why Netflix won't say,” Los Angeles Times.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the recent controversy surrounding former HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines who rose to fame from their home renovation show called Fixer Upper, which aired back in 2013. In 2019, they announced their departure from HGTV and the launch of a new network called the Magnolia Network, which finally debuted in 2022. But just last month, many of their fans turned on them after they featured a same-sex couple on their show, Back to the Frontier. Same-sex couples on TV shows are hardly uncommon nowadays, so why have the Gaines received so much backlash and from whom?
Episode LinksChristie D'Zurilla wrote an article in the Los Angeles Times titled, “Chip and Joanna Gaines' new show features a same-sex married couple. Some Christians are ‘disappointed.'” If you're interested in reading the full article you can find it HERE. Some people who question the Christian community's response to their decision are seemingly misunderstanding the difference between acceptance and affirmation, between making a value judgment and being judgmental. Dr. White gave a series at Mecklenburg Community Church that might be helpful to listen to. It's called “Unchristian,” and its installments are a response to people who say that Christians are judgmental, hypocritical and homophobic. You can find that series HERE.
There are two additional series that we think would be helpful for a deeper look at what the Bible has to say about judgmentalism, the true meaning of grace, and the significance of Jesus bringing both grace AND truth to bear on people's lives. Those series are “Judged” and “Getting Grace Right,” both available in .mp3 or .pdf formats at Church & Culture.
Finally, there were two authors Dr. White mentioned during today's discussion. The first was John Stott and his book Sermon on the Mount, which includes an exploration of what true judgmentalism is like, and how it can lead to setting yourself up as God. And the second was Dr. Henry Cloud and his book Changes That Heal for more of the discussion on grace and truth.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
This summer, we're taking a short break from our regular podcast format, and instead have selected various installments from past message series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church where he serves as the Senior Pastor. In a world where streaming media often dominates cultural conversation, certain shows stand out - not only for their entertainment value but also for the deeper messages they convey. In Meck's series "Streaming Now," we explored four of the most popular streaming shows sparking widespread cultural and spiritual conversations: "Severance," "Adolescence," "The Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke," and "The White Lotus." We've already discussed one of these shows on an earlier episode of the Church & Culture Podcast - CCP144: On “Severance." Today, we're going to show the message on "Adolescence" to discover the message it contains, the lessons that can be learned, and the ways the Bible and Christian faith might engage and respond to them.
Episode LinksBelow you'll find the link to the full series if that's something you are interested in checking out, along with the sources that were used in the development of the message itself:
“Streaming Now”
Olga Khazan, “What Jonathan Haidt Thought When He Watched Adolescence,” The Atlantic, April 15, 2025, read online.
Dr. James Dobson, Preparing for Adolescence.
Ken Gire, The Reflective Life: Becoming More Spiritually Sensitive to the Everyday Moments of Life.
Dolores Curran, Traits of a Healthy Family.
We'd also encourage you to check out other parenting and family series given by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church. You can find them under the “Marriage and Family” category of resources HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
This summer, we're taking a short break from our regular podcast format, and instead have selected various installments from past message series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church where he serves as the Senior Pastor. There are several critical areas of our spiritual life and our relationship with God that have both “good” and “bad” dynamics. When we confuse these areas, it can bring great spiritual harm. Today's episode comes from a Meck series titled "The Flip Side: The Bad Side of Good Things" with a look at "Good Guilt vs. Bad Guilt.”
Episode LinksBelow you'll find the link to the full series if that's something you are interested in checking out, along with the sources that were used in the development of the message itself:
“The Flip Side: The Bad Side of Good Things”
Becca Cowan Johnson, Good Guilt, Bad Guilt: And What to Do with Each.
Verne Becker, Tim Stafford and Philip Yancey, What They Never Told Me When I Became a Christian.
For more message series given by Dr. White that would fall under the banner of living out our Christian faith, check out the “Christian Living” resources.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
This summer, we're taking a short break from our regular podcast format, and instead have selected various installments from past message series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church where he serves as the Senior Pastor. There are so many questions that people have about the Christian faith - both from people who would consider themselves Christ followers as well as those outside of the Christian faith. One of those has to do with whether there really is an "unforgivable sin" - something God has deemed so terrible that He cannot find the ability to forgive someone. We hope today's episode will shed some light on that question.
Episode LinksBelow you'll find the link to the full series if that's something you are interested in checking out, along with the sources that were used in the development of the message itself:
"Two Questions"
James Emery White, Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians: Uncommon Answers to Common Questions, order from Amazon.
For more message series given by Dr. White about exploring the Christian faith, check out the “Exploring Christianity” resources.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
This summer, we're taking a short break from our regular podcast format, and instead have selected various installments from past message series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church where he serves as the Senior Pastor. "The Tower of Babel" was the sixth installment of a series titled, "Primordial: Genesis and the World's Primeval History." Primordial is defined as that which has existed since the beginning of time. The first book of the Bible - Genesis - begins with the words “In the beginning..." So what do we really know about the beginning of time and those earliest chapters of human history? How do we grapple with all that it holds in light of fact vs. fiction, or science vs. religion? Today's episode will walk through what really happened when the tower of Babel was constructed, and the cultural implications for our day.
Episode LinksBelow you'll find the link to the full series if that's something you are interested in checking out, along with the sources that were used in the development of the message itself:
"Primordial: Genesis and the World's Primeval History"
John Walton, “Beware Our Tower of Babel,” Christianity Today, read online.
John Walton, The Expositors Bible Commentary (Zondervan).
Wayne Jackson, “Where Did the Different “Races” Come From?” Christian Courier, read online.
Genesis Apologetics, “A Biblical View on Race,” YouTube, watch online.
To find more messages on marriage given by Dr. White at Meck, you can click HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
This summer, we're taking a short break from our regular podcast format, and instead have selected various installments from past message series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church where he serves as the Senior Pastor. While topics related to marriage have been the focus of previous Church & Culture podcast episodes, we've never engaged this particular aspect of marriage before in our discussions. This installment titled "Marrying Outside of Your Faith" was a part of a series called "Don't Do Stupid: Marriage Edition." Because the Bible is incredibly clear about what happens when a couple is unequally yoked.
Episode LinksBelow you'll find the link to the full series if that's something you are interested in checking out, along with the sources that were used in the development of the message itself:
"Don't Do Stupid: Marriage Edition"
James Emery White, Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians: Uncommon Answers to Common Questions, order on Amazon.
To find more messages on marriage given by Dr. White at Meck, you can click HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
This summer, we're taking a short break from our regular podcast format, and instead have selected various installments from past message series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church where he serves as the Senior Pastor. All things gender continues to be a hot-button issue in today's culture, making headlines around the globe for various reasons. We thought that sharing this installment of the Meck series called "Gender" would set a firm foundation for everyone and answer questions that you may have when it comes to the theology of sexual identity.
Episode LinksBelow you'll find the link to the full series if that's something you are interested in checking out, along with the sources that were used in the development of the message itself:
“Gender”
Preston Sprinkle, Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church and What the Bible Has to Say (David C. Cook, 2021).
“A Mister No More: Mr. Potato Head Goes Gender Neutral,” AP/USA Today, February 26, 2021.
Colin M. Wright and Emma N. Hilton, “The Dangerous Denial of Sex,” The Wall Street Journal, February 13, 2020.
Steven Rhoads, Taking Sex Differences Seriously.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
This summer, we're taking a short break from our regular podcast format, and instead have selected various installments from past message series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church where he serves as the Senior Pastor. Today's episode comes from a series we called "The Science of God" with this installment focusing on "The Science of Faith." You see, there are many deal-breakers for those who are unchurched when it comes to the Christian faith. The biggest deal-breaker, though, seems to be what lies in the realm of public truth, meaning science. The existence of God, creation, evolution, the latest discoveries in astrophysics... that's where people long for answers. But how do you find answers when it comes to something like faith?
Episode LinksBelow you'll find the link to the full series if that's something you are interested in checking out, along with the sources that were used in the development of the message itself:
"The Science of God"
Ed Stetzer, “When Will Churches Be Back? Vital Information for Churches and Christian Leaders,” Christianity Today, January 13, 2021.
Ian Barbour, When Science Meets Religion: Enemies, Strangers, or Partners? (London: SPCK, 2000).
For an informed critique of many of the more popular aspects of applied naturalism, see Phillip E. Johnson, Reason in the Balance: The Case Against Naturalism in Science, Law and Education (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1995).
Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark (New York: Random House, 1995).
How I Changed My Mind About Evolution: Evangelicals Reflect on Faith and Science, ed. by Kathryn Applegate and J.B. Stump (IVP).
Nietzsche's famed “God is dead” passage can be found in section 125 of The Gay Science, available in The Portable Nietzsche, ed. Walter Kaufmann (New York: Penguin, 1982).
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
Today's episode of the Church & Culture Podcast is quite different from the norm. This summer, we're taking a short break from our regular podcast format, and instead have selected various installments from past message series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church where he serves as the Senior Pastor. There is no doubt that today's culture has become incredibly polarized - particularly when it comes to politics. That's why many churches avoid the topic altogether. It's also why we named this series at Meck "Where Angels Fear to Tread: Meck Talks Politics." Because church members often have questions like: Does God take political sides and, if so, which ones? Is America a Christian nation and is that even the goal? Are there values meant to guide us when it comes to politics? Do all Christians, if they are truly Christian, have to vote the same way? Does embracing the Christian faith automatically lead you to one particular political party? What if, as a Christian, you feel politically homeless - too conservative for the progressives, and too progressive for the conservatives? In this installment Dr. White explores the mark of a Christian and how we are called to engage the political realm.
Episode LinksBelow you'll find the link to the full series if that's something you are interested in checking out, along with the sources that were used in the development of the message itself:
"Where Angels Fear to Tread: Meck Talks Politics"
The Apology of Tertullian, AD 197.
Francis Schaeffer, The Mark of the Christian.
Robert Corin Morris, “The Christians are Fighting – Again,” Weavings, Volume XXII, Number 2, March/April 2007, pp. 24-32.
Joy Davidman, Smoke on the Mountain (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1953/1954), pp. 77-78.
Jennifer Senior, “The Ginsburg-Scalia Act Was Not a Farce,” The New York Times, September 22, 2020.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the rising popularity of “pickleball.” Invented in 1965, this sport combines tennis, table tennis and badminton and is attracting people of all ages and backgrounds. Capitalizing on its popularity are plenty of businesses, athletic associations and even churches. This discussion delves into the uniqueness of pickleball but then goes further to discuss the broader relationship between churches and sports. Dr. White riffs on sports ministries and how churches can and must navigate the increasingly demanding world of youth sports. He also dives into the individual Christian's relationship to sports and the priority we give them in our lives.
Episode LinksToday's conversation was sparked by an article by Religion News titled, “Churches hope to tap the power of pickleball”, but as mentioned in the podcast, the church's relationship with sports dates back much further. You can read more about the history of sports ministry, provided by GameDay Sports Ministries HERE, or by The Christian Athlete HERE.
Alexis mentioned a handful of past podcast discussions she and Dr. White had on a few aspects of modern culture that provide some helpful cultural context, such as the current pandemic of loneliness (CCP76: On the Never Marrieds), the desire for religious experiences (CCP145: On Whether Churches Should be Churchy), and why men are looking for “manly” churches (CCP135: On Women Leaving the Church).
Pertinent to today's conversation is an exploration of the role of athletics in the lives of families. For more on that topic, here are some links you might be interested in checking out:
Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra, “Youth Sports, Healthy Families, and the Future of the Church,” The Gospel Coalition.
Melissa Steffan, “The Main Reason for Declining Church Attendance: Children's Sports?,” Christianity Today.
More broadly, Dr. White discussed the way in which sports have become somewhat of a modern religion, with many attributing religious-like experiences to sports highlights or god-like statuses to athletes. To read more about that, here are some suggested resources:
Kurt Streeter, “In Troubled Times, the Sports World Offers a Necessary Salve,” The New York Times.
David Briggs, “The Final Four, travel teams and empty pews: Research on sports and religion,” The Association of Religion Data Archives.
Hubert Dreyfus and Sean Dorrance Kelly, All Things Shining.
David Brooks, “The Arena Culture,” The New York Times.
While sports may seem to provide echoes of something truly transcendent, the real source can be found in the God of the Christian faith. Dr. White shares about C.S. Lewis' journey to God as captured in his autobiography, Surprised by Joy.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the rise of the “romantasy” genre of literature, as well as the definition and implications of pornography. Is porn only that which you watch visually? What's the difference between reading a sex scene and seeing one? The discussion also explores the increasing consumption of pornography among women, the intersection of literature and pornography, and the reasons behind the popularity of romance novels. Finally, it offers a Christian perspective on navigating romance literature and its potential impact on personal relationships.
Episode LinksToday's conversation was sparked by a recent podcast conversation on Christianity Today titled “The Rise of Women's Porn with Phylicia Masonheimer.” The truth is, porn is a topic that the Church must be more open about discussing as it's so harmful to those who consume it - maybe without them even realizing it. While romantasy books are growing in popularity, this is not the first time that books have been written that could be labeled as “mommy porn.” There is a series that Dr. White delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church that we'd encourage you to check out. Titled “Fifty Shades,” it takes a very candid look at the book Fifty Shades of Grey and the implications for those who read it.
For the statistics on porn addiction, we'd suggest you visit the addictionhelp.com page specifically devoted to porn stats HERE. And then regarding some of the other articles and data mentioned in today's episode, here are some links that you may be interested in checking out:
Keiran Southern, “Watching Pornography Destroyed My Brain, Says Pop Star Billie Eilish,” The Times UK.
Nicola Woolcock, “Young Girls Are ‘Bombarded' With Sexual Images Online,” The Times UK.
India Knight, “Porn Survey 2019: How Internet Pornography Is Changing the Way We Have Sex,” The Times UK.
Josh Pieters, “I Slept With 100 Men in One Day | Documentary,” YouTube.
Charles Trepany, “An OnlyFans Model's Viral Documentary and Why It Sparked a Major Conversation About Sex,” USA Today.
Helen Lewis, “The Outrage Over 100 Men Only Goes So Far,” The Atlantic.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a new Pew Research study that was conducted with participants from three dozen countries, reflecting a wide range of religious traditions. The findings showed that not only is belief in life after death widespread, but so is a belief in spirits. The majority of adults in most countries believe that animals and parts of nature can have spirits or spiritual energies - think mountains or rivers or trees. This begs the question: what is a spirit, at least as defined by those who believe in them? Is this the same thing as a soul? And what about ghosts?
Episode LinksThe podcast recently looked at a topic related to life after death, specifically the occurrence of near-death experiences. You can find that episode HERE. And as Alexis mentioned, this is not the first time that the podcast has delved into the spiritual realm. We'd encourage you to go back and listen to these past episodes if you missed them: CCP11: On Wicca, CCP58: On Your Horoscope and Starbucks, and CCP77: On Angels.
Dr. White discussed the importance of having a sound understanding of Christian theology when it comes to things related to the spirit and the soul, particularly the knowledge of what it means to be made in the image of God. There is a fantastic course offered through Church & Culture called “Theology on Tap,” exploring answers Christians give to questions people have about God and all things related to God. You can find out more about that course HERE.
Finally, there are two series we suggest you check out that were delivered by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church. The first is called “Paranormal” looking at the world of the occult and the map of our spiritual world. The second is called “So What's the Difference?,” which took a look at the key differences between Christianity and the religions of the world. As Dr. White said, in today's culture the younger generations seem to think that they are following the beliefs of the Christian faith while in reality, they are simply picking and choosing the parts of all the world's religions they like the best.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they take time to discuss all things related to the pope in light of the recent death of Pope Francis at the age of 88. He served as the head of the Catholic Church for 12 years, and his death certainly sparked a media storm. So this episode takes time to explore the history of the office of the pope, how future popes are elected through the process of the conclave, and more.
Episode LinksDr. White mentioned the attention that the 2024 movie Conclave, has been getting, particularly since Pope Francis passed away. Holly Meyer wrote an article recently for Associated Press News titled, “So you saw ‘Conclave' the movie. Here's what it got right – and wrong – about real-life conclaves.” You can read that article HERE.
And then, if this episode sparked an interest in learning more about the papacy, here are a number of articles we'd suggest you check out:
“What are the Catholic Church's rites after the death of a pope and the election of a new one?” Los Angeles Times.
Russell Moore, “A US Evangelical Considers Pope Francis,” Christianity Today.
Olivia B. Waxman, “Pope Francis, the ‘World's Parish Priest' Who Led in an Era of Crisis, Dies at 88,” Time.
Joel Hodge and Antonia Pizzey, “Pope Francis has died, aged 88. These were his greatest reforms – and controversies,” The Conversation.
Thomas Reese, “Why the synod on synodality is confusing to American Catholics,” National Catholic Reporter.
“Sede vacante: What happens now, and who is in charge?” The Pillar.
Greta Cross, “Conclave smoke: What black and white smoke signal during election of a new pope,” USA Today.
Colleen Barry, “Tens of thousands file into St. Peter's Basilica to pay final respects to Pope Francis,” AP News.
Ross Douthat, “Can the Catholic Church Quit the Culture Wars?” The New York Times.
Marc Ramirez, “Pope Francis was the first Jesuit pope of the Catholic Church. What is a Jesuit?” USA Today.
Matthew Walther, “The Real Legacy of Pope Francis,” The Atlantic.
Brian McGill & Marcus Walker, “Picking a Pope: Inside the World's Most Secretive Election,” The Wall Street Journal.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how just a few weeks ago YouTube celebrated its 20th anniversary. Few could have imagined that a 19-second video of a man looking at elephants at the San Diego Zoo could have led to the creation of a global media powerhouse. With 20 billion videos having been uploaded to date, we thought it was fitting to discuss the countless ways that YouTube has revolutionized media and our culture.
Episode LinksIn today's episode, Dr. White shared a ton of facts and figures on YouTube related to its history, its growth and where it's headed in the future. Here are a collection of articles and blogs that we'd encourage you to take a look at if you're interested in learning more or finding any stats that were shared today:
Wendy Lee, “YouTube turns 20 years old. How it changed TV as we know it,” Los Angeles Times.
Todd Spangler, “YouTube Says It Now Hosts More Than 20 Billion Videos, Unveils New Features and Easter Eggs in 20th Birthday Celebration,” Variety.
Dade Hayes, “YouTube's Revenue Will Top Disney's This Year As It Becomes “The Home For All Things Video”, Analyst Says,” Deadline.
James Hardy, “Who Invented YouTube: The Visionaries Behind the Digital Revolution,” History Cooperative.
Viraj Mahesh, “20 ways we're celebrating two decades of YouTube,” YouTube Official Blog.
“YouTube” 1440.
If you're interested in checking out YouTube's first video ever posted, you can click HERE to watch “Me at the Zoo.” And you can click HERE to check out the most-viewed videos of all time on YouTube. And then Dr. White mentioned a recent news article discussing just how much people increasingly trust their peers and the type of content that they release on social media today. You can read “Gen Z increasingly listens to peers over doctors for health advice” found in Axios HERE.
Finally, Dr. White turned the conversation to the takeaways for the church, and how we need to meet people where they are at in order to share the message of Jesus with them. He wrote about this in depth in his book, Hybrid Church, which you can order from Amazon HERE. The primary way to meet people where they are in today's culture is through YouTube. If you are interested, here are some of the channels tied to Mecklenburg Community Church that he mentioned in the conversation today, including the link to the Church & Culture Podcast on YouTube if you're interested in checking us out there:
Mecklenburg Community Church | @MeckChurch
MecKidz Children's Ministry | @MecKidzChurch
REALIFE High School Ministry | @REALIFEHSM
MAXlife Middle School Ministry | @maxlifemsm7079
Meck Creative | @MeckCreative
Church & Culture | @churchandculture
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent Lifeway Research study which found that despite some disturbing trends in the number of church closures across the United States, 94% of pastors believe their church will still be open in 10 years. Whereas in the 1940s nearly 85% of Americans claimed they belonged to a church, now that number is less than 50%. So what happens to these churches when they close? And what is the outcome for pastors as well as those who considered it their church home?
Episode LinksAs Alexis mentioned at the top of the podcast, the decline in Christianity in America has been touched on in more than a handful of past episodes. If you've missed these conversations and would like to go back and listen to them, they include: CCP135: On Women Leaving the Church, CCP105: On Cultural Caricatures of the Christian Faith, CCP100: On Unchristian Christians, CCP94: On the Growing Lack of Confidence in Clergy, CCP32: On a Non-Christian America, and CCP15: On Denominational Decline.
If you are interested in looking at more of the data related to the number of church closings forecasted in the U.S. mentioned in today's conversation, as well as what's being done with houses of worship that have already closed, we'd encourage you to check out these two articles:
Yonat Shimron, “Study: More churches closing than opening,” Religion News Service
Mark Dent, “Can God fix America's housing crisis?" The Hustle
They also discussed how when churches close, it can leave a huge void in the wider community being served by the church. Dr. White mentioned a current case gaining attention where Christian pop artist Amy Grant is fighting to save a church that was founded by her grandfather from a local businessman. You can read more about that in the article by Cameron McWhirter in The Wall Street Journal HERE.
Finally, Dr. White very poignantly ended today's episode by reading a blog that is published annually at Church & Culture. It's titled “The Monday After Easter,” and is a blog written specifically to pastors who may be struggling with an underwhelming turnout on Easter Sunday despite all of their prayer, faith and efforts. If you'd like to read that blog, you can find it HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how for many Americans, Easter is one of the few times in the year they show a willingness to attend a church service. If they do, they'll likely hear about an empty tomb and the significance of the resurrection of Jesus thousands of years later. For many, the hope of new life in Jesus is enough to propel them to faith or to a deeper commitments to Jesus; but for others, they may be left with lingering questions that will serve as stumbling blocks to faith. Questions like: So what? How is this relevant for my life? And can I even believe this happened? So the question for the church is how are we going to answer those questions - what evidence can we offer for the resurrection of Jesus?
Episode LinksThere are several series that Dr. White has given at Mecklenburg Community Church if you want to take a deeper dive into the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion and His resurrection. These include: “The Passion,” “Risen,” “Seven Last Words of Jesus,” and “Why Believe.” And in case you did not know, past messages given by Dr. White are arranged by category at Church & Culture HERE. You'll find series on specific books of the Bible, on evangelism and apologetics, cultural topics and more.
When discussing Jesus' death on the cross in today's episode, Dr. White mentioned an article from the Journal of the American Medical Association written by Dr. William D. Edwards and titled “On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ.” For those interested in reading this article, you can find it HERE. “The Resurrection of the Son of God” by N.T. Wright was another resource that Dr. White discussed, and you can find his book HERE. And one more book that we'd strongly recommend is written by Dr. White himself: Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians. It offers incredibly helpful explanations of the most common questions that people have when it comes to the Christian faith. You can find it on Amazon HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the interesting cultural connection between the demise of Hooters (which has now filed for bankruptcy) and the rise in popularity of OnlyFans. For those not familiar with this website, it's a platform where people offer online content that they've created, which is usually pornographic in nature, to paid subscribers. People are spending thousands of dollars to both see content created by their favorite creators and to interact with them through texting and personalized content - essentially creating a fantasy relationship. To be frank, an establishment like Hooters is absolutely tame when compared to the ubiquitous nature of porn.
Episode LinksWhereas years ago men might have been drawn to a place like Hooters, younger generations are so much more private, and access to websites like OnlyFans affords that privacy. There are several articles that would be worth your time to read, particularly those about OnlyFans, as people need to be aware of how addicting the platform has become for so many people:
Elaine Kurtenbach & Dee-Ann Durbin, “Restaurant chain Hooters goes bust and files for bankruptcy protection,” AP News, April 1, 2025.
Russell Moore, “Hooters and the Future of the Church,” Christianity Today, April 2, 2025.
Carly Lewis, “Addicted to OnlyFans Men are spending tens of thousands of dollars to text with their favorite creators.” New Yorker Magazine - The Cut, April 1, 2025.
Magdalene Taylor, “When Is OnlyFans Cheating, and When Is It Just Porn?” New Yorker Magazine - The Cut, December 14, 2024.
Ezra Marcus, “The ‘E-Pimps' of OnlyFans,” The New York Times, June 15, 2023.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss Barna Group teaming up with the Aspen Group design firm to explore possible connections between spiritual formation and the physical spaces that we inhabit. Questions such as: What does it mean to be formed as a follower of Jesus? And can the spaces that we meet in help motivate this growth? Also, how might our physical experiences of a church relate to our worship and understanding of God? In simple terms, they were trying to determine whether it's best for churches to look “churchy.”
Episode LinksDaniel Silliman wrote an article in Christianity Today which sparked today's conversation. It's titled “Americans Think Church Should Look Churchy,” and Silliman said that the survey found that most people “don't like trendy, modern buildings.” Dr. White would argue that while people do indeed want to attend church in a space that is sacred, spiritual and safe, that doesn't necessarily mean they want it to look overly churchy like some of the medieval churches in Europe. He wrote a blog recently about this topic titled “Churches Looking Churchy” which you can read HERE.
There's another recent blog that was written by Dr. White that was referenced in this episode. It's called “This Is Church,” where Dr. White addresses how many businesses and parachurch organizations can try to step in and supplant themselves as the church when they most definitely are not. And if the discussion of the cathedral found in Chartres, France was of interest to you, we'd encourage you to read the Church & Culture blog titled, “Chartres.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the Apple TV series “Severance,” which has become something of a modern cultural phenomenon. With only two seasons under its belt, it's already become Apple TV's most-watched series in its history, recently surpassing the wildly popular show “Ted Lasso.” So what is behind the popularity? And why are people using the terms “innie” and “outie,” but not in reference to their belly buttons? This conversation explores how “Severance” brings up questions regarding work/life balance, human identity, the need for human connection, escapism, and more.
Episode LinksBecause “Severance” is such a popular series, it has been making waves within mainstream media. While this discussion tackles some of the profound ways the show is generating conversation, there's more to explore. To go deeper, we suggest you check out some of the following news articles:
Maya Salam, “On ‘Severance,' a Brutal Tale of Female Self-Loathing,” The New York Times, March 21, 2025, read online.
Morgan Lee, “‘Severance' Makes a Case for Suffering,” Christianity Today, March 18, 2025, read online.
Sadiba Hasan, “Your ‘Innie' Will Want to Read This,” The New York Times, March 20, 2025, read online.
Annie Aguiar, “How ‘Severance' Uses Old Tricks to Make Its Office Hell,” The New York Times, March 24, 2025, read online.
Emma Stefansky, “Severance Cannot Save You,” The Atlantic, March 6, 2025, read online.
Dr. White did his best to avoid spoilers for “Severance,” but if you have the chance to watch it, you may want to check out this collection of articles that explain and dissect the Season 2 finale:
Yvonne Villarreal, “‘Severance' Stars Explain Season 2's Harrowing Finale and the ‘Love Hexagon,'” LA Times, March 21, 2025, read online.
Eric Deggans, “The ‘Severance' Finale Asks: How Far Would Your Innie Go for Your Outie?” NPR, March 21, 2025, read online.
Thomas Floyd, “The Creator of ‘Severance' Breaks Down that Revelatory Season 2 Finale,” The Washington Post, March 21, 2025, read online.
Sophie Gilbert, “The Severance Twist I Can't Forgive,” The Atlantic, March 21, 2025, read online.
Keith Watson, “Severance Season 2 Finale Review: Thrills and Chills Without Resorting to Lowest Common Denominators,” The Telegraph, March 21, 2025, read online.
Adam Sternbergh, “‘Severance' Asks, What if We're Not Paranoid Enough?” NY Times, March 21, 2025, read online.
Ben Dowell, “The Man Behind Severance: ‘I'm an Accidental Cult Leader,'” The Times, March 20, 2025, read online.
Gary Levin, “Adam Scott and Ben Stiller Unpack the Twisty ‘Severance' Season 2 Finale (Spoilers),” USA Today, March 21, 2025, read online.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they pick up where they left off last week in a discussion prompted by the recent launch of NASA's SPHEREx Telescope, which is hoping to find answers to how the world began. As Christians, we have a firm belief that God created all that there is. However, Genesis says quite a few things with regard to the history of the world that seem - at first glance - to either contradict science or that have not been corroborated by science.
Episode LinksIf you missed last week's podcast episode, we'd encourage you to pause and listen to that conversation first. You can find “CCP142: On Genesis, Part One” on your favorite podcasting platform, on YouTube, or HERE on the Church & Culture website. For a deeper dive into the book of Genesis, we'd suggest you check out a series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Primordial: Genesis and the World's Primeval History.” This was not the first time that Dr. White tackled the faith-science dynamic in his messages. Here are a few other series that we'd encourage you to take a look at: “The Science of God,” “Astrophysics… for People Who Are Open to God," and “Don't Check Your Brains at the Door.”
Dr. White also made reference to Meck's current series, a study of Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth titled, “Messy.” And as today's conversation delved into Noah and the ark, we thought you'd be interested in checking out this series from James Emery White, “Noah.”
And if you're on the hunt for more info about the SPHEREx Telescope or today's conversation, be sure to read some of these helpful resources:
Marcelo Gleiser, “The 10 Most Important Questions In Science,” NPR, September 11, 2013, read online.
James Emery White, Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians, order from Amazon.
Manuela López Restrepo, “NASA's Upcoming Telescope Launch Aims to Address Some Existential Questions,” NPR, March 3, 2025, read online.
Josh Dinner, “NASA Delays Launch of SPHEREx and PUNCH Missions to March 8,” Space.com, March 5, 2025, read online.
Ari Daniel, “Searching the Entire Sky for the Secrets to Our Universe,” NPR, February 9, 2025, read online.
Fred Heeren, Show Me God: What the Message from Space Is Telling Us About God.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how NASA has made a huge step forward in wanting to bring science into the realm of the existential as this week, they launched into space what's known as the SPHEREx Telescope. It has the goal of answering some pivotal questions like: How did the universe begin? How did galaxies start to develop? How did human beings get here? Christians feel that the Bible gives the answers to these questions, which some feel flies in the face of what science offers. It's important, then, to have a clear understanding of exactly what the Bible says in the book of Genesis.
Episode LinksIf today's conversation prompts you to want to take a deeper dive into the book of Genesis, we'd suggest you check out a series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Primordial: Genesis and the World's Primeval History.” And this was not the first time that Dr. White tackled the faith-science dynamic in his messages. Here are a few other series that we'd encourage you to take a look at: “The Science of God,” “Astrophysics… for People Who Are Open to God," and “Don't Check Your Brains at the Door.”
And if you're on the hunt for more info about the SPHEREx Telescope or today's conversation, be sure to read some of these helpful resources:
James Emery White, Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians, order from Amazon.
Manuela López Restrepo, “NASA's Upcoming Telescope Launch Aims to Address Some Existential Questions,” NPR, March 3, 2025, read online.
Josh Dinner, “NASA Delays Launch of SPHEREx and PUNCH Missions to March 8,” Space.com, March 5, 2025, read online.
Ari Daniel, “Searching the Entire Sky for the Secrets to Our Universe,” NPR, February 9, 2025, read online.
Fred Heeren, Show Me God: What the Message from Space Is Telling Us About God.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the recent release of Pew Research Center's Religious Landscape Study. Last conducted in 2014, the 2023-24 study surveyed more than 35,000 Americans concerning their religious affiliations, their beliefs, and their practices. It is simply the largest and most significant study of its kind in terms of getting a snapshot of where our country is on all things spirituality and religion, and the current health of the American Church. The findings go far beyond what some of the headlines from this study would suggest.
Episode LinksDr. White released a recent blog on this topic titled “The Stall of the Nones” - the “nones” being the group who identifies as having no religious affiliation. Their numbers have been rising for decades, yet seem to have reached a leveling-off point. (We'd encourage you to check out his book on this subject that was discussed in today's episode titled The Rise of the Nones.) Dr. White mentioned a recent New York Times article titled “Christianity's Decline in U.S. Appears to Have Halted, Major Study Shows” which latches onto that finding from the study. The more notable takeaway from the study that seems to have been overlooked is the fact that the number of people who would identify as Christian continues to decline - from 78% in 2007 to 62% in 2024. That decline is stunning.
As Dr. White noted from the Christianity Today article titled “Pew: America Is Spiritual but Not Religious,” six people have left Christianity for every one who has joined. That is certainly not sustainable. Dr. White stressed the importance of reaching the younger generations for Jesus, and the fact that a solid children's ministry is a vitally important component. He wrote a blog on this topic titled “The Most Important Sub-Ministry In Your Church” that would be worth reading if you missed it.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent TikTok trend that involves the promotion of intergenerational estrangement. The buzz language tied to this trend is “going no contact” - when young adult children (specifically Millennials and Gen Z) attempt to solve family issues by essentially ending the relationship and cutting ties with their parents. What many don't think about is how this is in direct violation of one of God's Ten Commandments.
Episode LinksDr. White is in the midst of a series on the Ten Commandments at Mecklenburg Community Church (Meck) called “Ten,” and the installment on the fifth commandment is particularly relevant to today's conversation - the command to honor your parents. There are sadly so many who struggle following through with this commandment, feeling that their parents are deserving of anything but honor. But so often it's because people misunderstand the deeper significance of what it means to follow through with this command. You can find all the installments of this series at Church & Culture HERE.
There are two other series that Dr. White delivered at Meck that are also very helpful if this is something that you are struggling with. The first is called “Father Figure” and explores the importance of fathers in our lives and in our world, how to fill father-shaped holes in your life, how to find healing from a dysfunctional father, and the real nature and dynamic of God as Father. The second is called “The Sins of the Fathers: Breaking Generational Patterns of Dysfunction,” with installments designed to help you process this pivotal dynamic that is so decisive to a healthy, whole life.
What sparked this episode is an article written by Theara Coleman in The Week titled “'No contact': Family estrangement is on the rise for young people choosing peace.” She writes how people who would advocate for family estrangement are attempting to normalize this behavior in today's culture, hoping that "eliminating the stigma would allow ‘more people to get out of unhealthy family relationships without shame.'" In reality, this is merely an excuse to avoid the hard work of fighting to protect familial bonds. Clinical psychologist Joshua Coleman conducted a study on this in his book Rules of Estrangement: Why Adult Children Cut Ties and How to Heal the Conflict. He believes that a lot of the issues stem from changed notions about what constitutes traumatic experiences. And David Brooks wrote an article in The New York Times titled “What's Ripping American Families Apart?” that is worth the time to read. His research shows how this trend of estrangement is much more pervasive in the United States than other countries around the world.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the human desire to live forever. Earlier this year, Netflix released a documentary called “Don't Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever” about a 47-year-old man named Bryan Johnson, who is on a mission to extend his life beyond all known limits in order to have more time with his son. He is so passionate about this, he invests more than $2 million annually to continue to drop his biological age. He's not alone in this endeavor.
Episode LinksAs Dr. White mentioned, for people who have a naturalistic worldview, this life is everything. It's the only life. For the Christian, we know that there is so much more to this life. Kara Bettis Carvalho wrote an article in Christianity Today titled “Bryan Johnson Is Going to Die,” which prompted today's conversation. You can read her article HERE. While focusing on health and wellness is important, people often take it to extremes like Johnson. What's most important is that we treat our body well as it was entrusted to us by God. Therefore, we must not fall into the traps of fixating on our bodies nor desecrating them; rather, we are called to consecrate them.
Christianity is more than a worldview or a philosophy. It promises an actual relationship with the living God, allowing the power and presence of God to course through our veins - bringing us back from the living dead. The truth is that the same power that raised Jesus can raise us now. This is something that Dr. White explored in a series given at Mecklenburg Community Church called “The Waking Dead.” You can find that at Church & Culture HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent decision from the Starbucks CEO to recapture the coffee company's identity as a “third place” - a place where “community is formed and civility is fostered.” Today's conversation was prompted by an article in The Atlantic that you can read HERE. For many years in the U.S., the church was a key “third place” in people's lives. This is something we've lost, and need to find a way - like Starbucks - to recapture.
Episode LinksThe idea of the “third place” was made popular by Ray Oldenberg in his book The Great Good Place. While the home is the “first place,” and work/school is the “second place,” people longed for a “third place” where they could find community, creative interactions, and simply enjoy the pleasure of good company and conversation. As Dr. White noted in his book Meet Generation Z, for the younger generations the “third place” shifted from the coffee shop to the digital world - even to the point that they began to have online house parties and gatherings where they weren't physically together.
Increasingly, though, people are looking for a blend of both - embodied experiences where they can gather together as well as community that they can forge online. This hybrid way of doing life is something that Dr. White explored extensively in his book Hybrid Church: Rethinking the Church for the Post-Christian, Digital Age. The command that Jesus gave to the Church in the Great Commission makes it clear that we need to be a church that is both reaching people for Jesus and helping them to grow in their faith. Evangelism and discipleship cannot be bracketed off from each other. Dr. White explained this so well in his description of the flywheel that represents the mission that all churches today must be on. If you'd like a really helpful overview of this, we'd encourage you to reach the Church & Culture blog titled “Turning Your Flywheel.”
Finally, for those listeners who live in the Charlotte area, you heard Dr. White mention the Grounds Bookstore and Café at Mecklenburg Community Church. This has increasingly grown as a “third place,” bringing in not only people who attend the church, but also many who are just looking for a really good coffee shop. You can find out more about The Grounds HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the decline in the sanctity of weddings that seems to be happening in today's culture. Couples today aren't simply adding unique touches to their weddings, but instead are reinventing them with little to no concern for preserving any type of tradition, much less the Christian tradition. The trouble with this is that marriage was God's idea, beautifully described in the book of Genesis in the Bible. So how have we gotten so far off course?
Episode LinksToday's conversation was sparked by an article in the New York Times written by Tammy LaGorce titled “Weddings That Are Out of This World (or at Least Way Out of the Chapel).” She notes that today, “Some couples bring in numerologists or lip print readers, while others choose to be married by a spirit guide or practicing witch.”
This is not the first time that the sanctity of marriage has been discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast. We'd encourage you to check out the following past episodes: CCP38: On Attending Diwali Celebrations and Gay Weddings, CCP76: On the Never Marrieds, and CCP122: On Why People Divorce.
Finally, Dr. White has delivered many message series at Mecklenburg Community Church about marriage and the sanctity of marriage with the goal of helping people to truly understand the significance and importance of holy matrimony. If you're interested, we'd encourage you to check out the following series found at Church & Culture:
Marriage Hacks
Don't Do Stupid: Marriage Edition
The Lies We Believe About Marriage
Holy Matrimony
Marriage Mentoring
And the Two Shall Be Done
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how when natural disasters strike (like the wildfires currently happening in California), it is fascinating to witness the spectrum of ways in which people claim God's involvement. There are some who express anger toward God, wondering how He could allow such things to happen. Some argue that God must have caused the natural disaster as an act of His judgment. Others praise God for helping them to cope with the losses and the rebuilding of their lives. So which is it? What role does God play, if any? Is He a destroyer? Is He a Savior? Or, put another way, where is God in the midst of pain and suffering?
Episode LinksThe need to explain the fallout of natural disasters or other forms of pain and suffering that we all face, is something that every religion or philosophy needs to answer for - not just the Christian faith. Dr. White pulled from several sources that you may be interested in reading that will help you understand who God is in the midst of our pain and suffering, and inspirational stories to help you stay strong in your faith. These include:
Philip Yancey, Where is God When It Hurts?
Philip Yancey, Reaching for the Invisible God
C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain
Corrie Ten Boom, The Hiding Place
Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking
Dr. White also delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church that you might be interested in, to take a deeper dive on this topic. The series is simply called “Why?” with installments that explore: Why Is There Evil and Suffering? Why Me, Why This, Why Now? Why Isn't God Answering My Prayers? and Why Would God Send Good People to Hell? You can find this series at Church & Culture HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a surprising (or not surprising?) shift in the Church in the U.S. At the inception of the early Church, Christianity's promotion of the value of women is what resulted in flocks of women joining the Church. In fact, throughout history, women have predominated the church in number. That appears to be changing. A recent survey conducted by the Survey Center on American Life found that women are leaving the church in unprecedented numbers.
Episode LinksThe reasons that this shift should not surprise us, particularly when you do a careful study of both the rise of the “nones” - those who have no religious affiliation - and Generation Z. Dr. White has written books about both of these groups: The Rise of the Nones: Understanding and Reaching the Religiously Unaffiliated and Meet Generation Z. The vast majority of Gen Z women identify as feminists (whether liberal or conservative) and find the tendencies of some denominations within the Christian faith to be misogynistic. This has been a huge point of contention within the Southern Baptist Convention, who've made the decision to expel churches for allowing women to serve as pastors within the church. Dr. White referenced an article written by Jessica Grose for the New York Times titled “Young Women Are Fleeing Organized Religion. This Was Predictable.” We'd recommend taking the time to read it in full, as it provides a really helpful understanding of the causes for the recent decline. There was also a past podcast episode on the topic of women serving in leadership roles within the life of the church, including serving as pastors. We'd encourage you to listen to CCP7: On Women in Ministry if you haven't already.
The survey mentioned earlier also found that sadly, many of these young women are gone for good. As the article says, “Studies consistently show that people who leave religion rarely come back, even if they hold on to some of their formative beliefs and practices.” Churches must respond by shifting their focus, or else they risk losing both the strongest core of volunteers (traditionally always women) and the most consistent financial donors. Women need to see other women serving in leadership and teaching roles. Dr. White wrote a blog on this topic titled “Women as Pastors,” which you can find HERE.
Finally, they also discuss how the opposite shift is happening for men - they seem to be increasingly drawn to the church; and surprisingly, to the Orthodox Church. Dr. White mentioned the article titled “Young, single men are leaving traditional churches. They found a more ‘masculine' alternative” that you can read HERE. Men also tend to gravitate toward churches that teach men what it means to be a man in today's culture. Dr. White has delivered several series at Mecklenburg Community Church that you may be interested in checking out. These are Defining Manhood and Man Up
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how this time of year always leads to both reflection on the year that has passed, as well as thoughts of what the year ahead will hold. For those listeners who subscribe to the Church & Culture blog, you'll have read Dr. White's recent blog titled “Twelve Predictions for 2025.” As Alexis noted, while the blog may not have contained worst-case scenario predictions, the list certainly wasn't optimistic. We didn't have time to walk through all twelve in this episode, but you'll be interested to hear more about what to anticipate for the year ahead.
Episode LinksThe conversation started off with the massive shift that has taken place in our culture today - that churches seem far more invested in ideology than theology. This is not the first time this issue has been raised on the podcast. We'd encourage you to go back and listen to some past episodes if you missed them: CCP112: On January 6 and the Fastest Growing Christian Movement in America, CCP46: On the Clash over Religious Freedom and CCP37: On Christian Nationalism.
Another concern that Dr. White shared has to do with the church taking the non-essentials of Christian orthodoxy and elevating them unnecessarily. This has been prevalent in the Church with the rise over the debate about women serving in ministry and the increasing embrace of Calvinism. Both of these topics have been discussed at length on the podcast, so we'd encourage you to go back and listen to these two episodes: CCP7: On Women in Ministry and CCP59: On Calvinism.
The conversation then turned to parenting, and Dr. White noted an Aspen Institute study from 2022 that found children involved with travel sports teams spend 16.6 hours per week on average with those teams - including Sundays. What's sad is that the spiritual formation of these children is significantly impacted. You can read more about that study HERE. There are two past podcast episodes related to parenting that we've aired if you're interested in listening to those: CCP60: On Gentle Parenting and CCP101: On “Bluey” and Modern Fatherhood.
Pivoting back to the Church, they discussed the need for the Church at large to truly become hybrid - offering a blend of online and in-person experiences. We'd encourage you to read Dr. White's book Hybrid Church for an in-depth look at how to make this shift in your church. The shift to the hybrid is part of what led to Mecklenburg Community Church's decision to end our multi-site model. You can read more about that in the Church & Culture blog “Why We're Ending Our Multi-Site Approach.” You can also check out the podcast conversation that he had with Carey Nieuwhof about this subject HERE.
There are so many cultural changes taking place these days it's hard to keep up. And both Christians and non-Christians are often interested in knowing how the church would weigh in on these topics. Dr. White delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “What the Bible Really Says About…” after we polled Meck attenders via social media to find out their most pressing questions. The topics covered in this series include: A.I., Politics, Immigration, IVF and Abortion, and Angels.
Finally, the podcast concluded with a look at the decivilization that has been taking place in our culture today - as though we have lost the ability to see others the way that God sees them. Even those outside the church are taking note of this. Dr. White referenced several recent articles in The Atlantic which have focused on this:
Adrienne LaFrance, “Decivilization May Already Be Under Way,” The Atlantic, December 11, 2024, read online.
Peter Wehner, “An Astonishing Level of Dehumanization,” The Atlantic, December 31, 2024, read online.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how to keep the focus of the Christmas season on Jesus, as the birthday celebration it should be. “Keeping Christ in Christmas” has become almost a mantra in response to the ever-increasing consumerization of Christmas and how far we've seemed to drift from the historical event of Jesus's birth. And this has implications beyond how to tangibly keep Christ in Christmas. We also have to find ways to keep Christ in our giving and in our gatherings at Christmastime - the relationships that can make the holidays challenging for so many people and can take away from the joy this season is meant to hold.
Episode LinksThere are a couple messages series that you may want to check out related to today's conversation. The first shares the title of today's episode, “Keeping Christ in Christmas.” It will help you take an even deeper dive into the various ways to keep Jesus as the focus of the Christmas season, with installments that look at: Keeping Christ in Your Celebrating, Keeping Christ in Your Relating and Keeping Christ in Your Giving. The installment on “relating” is particularly helpful if the holiday season brings more anxiety than joy. There was a book that he noted as well written by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend called Boundaries that would be a good one to read. Dr. White also touched on the significance of the season of Advent and all that can hold for our lives. For this, we'd encourage you to look at “The Advent Conspiracy.”
When talking about the idea of giving being a key way to keep Christ in Christmas - particularly by beginning our gift-giving with Jesus - Dr. White mentioned an annual effort that was launched by Mecklenburg Community Church in 1994. You can read more about the “Giving to Christ at Christmas” effort in a recent blog that Dr. White wrote HERE.
Finally, you heard Dr. White mention something called the Daily Headline News at Church & Culture - a collection of headlines from around the globe that are curated by Dr. White each weekday. The news stories shared here are to help give you a better picture of what's happening within our culture today, and how many of these cultural events impact the Church.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss near-death experiences (NDEs) - profound experiences people have when they have been clinically dead and then resuscitated. Studies over the years of those who've had an NDE share similar characteristics or common denominators. And they can provide a powerful testimony on what we might experience in the life to come.
Episode Links1440, a group that strives to provide “a fact-driven news and knowledge resource that respects your time and intelligence,” produced an interesting video on NDEs. You can watch “Understanding Near-Death Experiences” HERE.
Dr. White discussed several books you may be interested in checking out pertaining to NDEs. The one that he would most recommend is The Case for Heaven written by Lee Strobel. He also mentioned a book written by Dr. Raymond Moody, who was one of the first to study NDEs and released his pioneering work called Life After Life. Another resource you may be interested in exploring is One Minute After You Die written by Erwin Lutzer.
There are a couple of podcasts that we would recommend you go back and listen to that are related to today's conversation: CCP107: On Hell and CCP77: On Angels. The first dives into whether Hell is real and what happens after we die, and the second looks at the spiritual realm, including the demonic.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a question that has been debated quite a bit within the church: Can someone lose their salvation? While there are some Christians who would say, “once saved, always saved,” the Bible clearly points to cases of apostasy, defined as “the abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief.” Jesus Himself even said that, at the end of time, “many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other” (see Matthew 24:10, NIV).
Episode LinksAs Alexis mentioned at the top of the podcast, this year marks the 10th anniversary of the release of Dr. White's book The Rise of the Nones. The “nones” represent people who, when asked to define their religious affiliation, simply respond by choosing "none of the above". Since the release of the book, the nones have only continued to rise. This was the topic of a past podcast episode that we'd encourage you to go back and listen to: CCP32: On a Non-Christian America. There has also been a growing trend with people “deconstructing” their faith - the process of rethinking foundational stances related to lifestyle, associations and beliefs, and usually in relation to a previously held spiritual faith. For more on this topic, again we'd suggest that you listen to CCP28: On Deconstructing or check out a series delivered by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church called “The Deconstruction Zone.”
Many who argue against the possibility that people can lose their salvation point to the idea of election - that God has decreed already those who will (or will not) be saved. This is one of the central doctrines of Calvinism, yet another past podcast episode. In fact, this has been one of the most popular episodes of the Church & Culture Podcast, and you can find CCP59: On Calvinism HERE.
Finally, if you know of someone who has walked away from the faith, someone who has essentially returned the free gift of their salvation, Dr. White encouraged us to continue to try to evangelize them. There are a number of series that Dr. White has given at Mecklenburg Community Church that may help you to be able to share with someone wrestling with their faith. They are gathered under the category of “Evangelism & Apologetics” HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the findings of a Lifeway Research study titled “Churchgoers Want to Hear Pastors Address Current Issues.” The study revealed that 80% of churchgoers believe their pastors need to address modern cultural issues to help them better understand the state of the world. So, are pastors taking on this challenge?
Episode LinksMany people today are truly confused about how to think about cultural issues of our day, especially when there are moral implications. At Mecklenburg Community Church, Dr. White has tried to speak out on a number of cultural issues over the years. Whether you are a pastor looking to craft a series on cultural topics or just someone wanting to learn how to engage some of the issues of our day, we've gathered these sermon series under the banner of “CULTURE” on the Church & Culture website HERE. Some of these hot topics also spill into the areas of another message category - “MARRIAGE AND FAMILY.”
There were two specific sermon series that Dr. White mentioned during today's podcast that we wanted to direct you to as well. He explained that we recently had a series at Meck where we allowed Meck members and attenders to vote for the topics they wanted to hear the church discuss. The series was called “What the Bible Really Says About…” and counted from the fifth topic selected to the first choice. You can find that series HERE. Dr. White also mentioned that he often works a cultural topic into a series about the Bible. For example, in our recent series “Bad Girls of the Bible” (borrowed from and attributed to the books and research of Liz Curtis Higgs), one of the installments focused on “The Medium of Endor.” In this installment, he was able to address the cultural topic of the occult and the practice of witchcraft. You can find that series HERE.
Finally, they discussed the importance of pastors building trust with those who attend their church in order to be able to speak with authority on cultural issues of our day - and to do the important research required. The problem is, many people do not place a lot of trust in clergy. This was the topic of a previous podcast episode: CCP94: On the Growing Lack of Confidence in Clergy.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
With the results of the 2024 presidential election now determined, we felt it would be helpful to release an early podcast conversation this week. This will hopefully serve as a helpful reminder that we are called to be Christians first, and Republicans or Democrats second - a distant second. And also to remind us that no matter whether the outcome of the election was what you hoped for, that Jesus is still on His throne and that He is bigger than any election.
Episode LinksPart of today's discussion included Dr. White reading this past Monday's Church & Culture blog titled “A Presidential Prayer.” You can read that blog in its entirety HERE. You may also be interested in listening to a past series that Dr. White delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Where Angels Fear to Tread: Meck Talks Politics.” You can find that series HERE. Also, you may be interested in two past podcast episodes that took a deeper dive into how Christians should engage the political world: CCP82: On Christians and Politics and CCP83: On Christians and Government.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the growing cultural force of social media influencers. Given what these influencers can make for simply sharing their opinions through their social media platform of choice, it's led many young people from Gen Z and Gen Alpha to aspire to become influencers themselves - a goal that a very minuscule percentage will attain. It's also interesting to note how willing people are to take the advice of influencers who, quite frankly, sometimes know very little about what they are even promoting.
Episode LinksToday's discussion was prompted by a Pew Research article titled “Who U.S. Adults Follow on TikTok,” revealing that users in the United States follow pop culture and entertainment personalities at a far greater rate than politicians or news organizations. And as mentioned earlier, young people today are increasingly saying they want to follow in the footsteps of social media influencers to become internet stars themselves. We'd encourage you to check out these articles to read more about that:
Jacob Dirnhuber, “Children Turn Backs on Traditional Careers in Favour of Internet Fame, Study Finds,” The Sun.
Tanith Carey, “Can Social Media School Make Your 16-Year-Old a Star?” The Telegraph.
They also discussed how pastors and clergy are losing their influence on culture as more and more people have witnessed moral failings of pastors. This was discussed in CCP4: On Pastors and Moral Failings and CCP31: On Celebrity Pastors.
Finally, when Alexis asked what the church could do to increase its reach and influence, Dr. White stressed the urgency for churches to have a stronger presence online - meeting culture where they are at in the world in which they live. You can read more about this in his book Hybrid Church: Rethinking the Church for a Post-Christian Digital Age.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how misunderstood the cultural history tied to Halloween really is. For many people, Halloween offers an excuse to dress up in a costume, for kids to rack up an insane amount of candy, or a reason to dust off an old horror film for a night's worth of adrenaline. But there are a lot of Christians who grapple with whether they should stay clear of any and everything tied to Halloween. To really understand it, you need to be familiar with its history and its background. Because its Christian roots run deeper than you may realize.
Episode LinksDr. White began today's discussion with a very helpful overview on the history and traditions that have led to our modern day celebration of Halloween. There is an article that you might find interesting written by Sophie Dickinson for The Telegraph titled “The origins of Halloween, from trick-or-treat to pumpkin carving.” And while a New York Times article from 1986 predicted that Halloween was on its way out as a cultural celebration, a recent article written by Aimee Ortiz highlights how it has quickly become a “retail monstrosity.” You can read that article HERE.
Dr. White has blogged in the past about how while many children embrace the fun and childlike innocence that Halloween can hold, it's often parents who are making it dark through their hyper-sexualized costumes. You can read that past blog HERE, as well as the article that Dr. White referenced titled “Good Girls Go Bad, for a Day.” And if you're interested in knowing what the most popular costumes will be this year, you can find the list from Frightgeist HERE.
Finally, at the top of today's episode, Alexis mentioned how another holiday is coinciding with Halloween this year - the celebration of Diwali. Dr. White wrote a recent blog titled “Should I Attend a Diwali Celebration?”, which you can read HERE. This was also the topic of a past podcast episode that we'd encourage you to go back and listen to: CCP38: On Attending Diwali Celebrations and Gay Weddings.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a topic that was highly requested by our faithful podcast listeners - why are there so many translations of the Bible out there? Some common follow-up questions are: Do all of these translations mean that we've deviated from the original texts? Is there one translation that is better than all the others?
Episode LinksThe truth is that unless you are reading the Old Testament Scriptures in Hebrew, and the New Testament Scriptures in Koine Greek, any Bible that you read is a translation of the original text. And this is true not only for the Bible, but also for countless historical writings that have been translated into modern languages.
Dr. White mentioned two books during today's conversation that would be extremely helpful to deepen your understanding of the various translations of the Bible. The first is The Bible: A Global History written by Bruce Gordon, which you can find HERE. The second is How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth written by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart, which you can find HERE. Both include very helpful information on the various translations of the Bible.
Not all translations are created equal, however. There are some that exist without a reputable team of scholars behind them, and others that are produced to undermine other translations - usually created by cult forms of religion. A good example of this is the “New World Translation” produced by Jehovah's Witnesses. For more on this, we'd encourage you to listen to the Church & Culture Podcast episode CCP18: On Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses.
Finally, we'd encourage you to explore a series given by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church titled “How to Bible.” The installments of this series walk you through: How to Get Oriented, How to Read and Interpret It, How to Apply It and How to Believe It. You can find it on Church & Culture HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss both the startling rise of cultural Christianity in the West, as well as the incurably churchy desires of our souls. While there is an upward trend in America for people to identify themselves as religiously unaffiliated, they don't actually seem to want to disaffiliate themselves from all things related to religion. In fact, there are many traditions and symbols associated with Christianity that they seem to long for. So what causes this spiritual hunger?
Episode LinksDr. White recently blogged about this topic, which is part of what prompted today's conversation. We'd suggest reading “The Rise of Cultural Christianity” and “Surprising Mourners for the Decline of Christianity.” There was also an article written by Madeleine Davies for The New Statesman titled “The rise of cultural Christianity,” which you can find HERE.
Dr. White also mentioned the surprising commentary made recently by famed atheist Richard Dawkins stating that he would consider himself to be a cultural Christian. You can watch the LBC video post of Richard Dawkins on X HERE, as well as read the article written by Walter Sánchez Silva titled “Famous Atheist Richard Dawkins Says He Considers Himself a ‘Cultural Christian'.” There was another article Dr. White referenced written by Derek Thompson - who considers himself to be an agnostic - in The Atlantic. You can read “The True Cost of the Churchgoing Bust” HERE.
There were a few books that Dr. White noted related to today's conversation: The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order by Sam Huntington, Mr. Jones, Meet the Master: Sermons and Prayers of Peter Marshall by Catherine Marshall and How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill.
There are a couple past podcasts that you may be interested in checking out related to today's conversation. One is CCP106: On Atheists and Agnostics and the other is CCP9: On Unchurched Christians. The first explores the rise in Americans saying “no” to organized religion and the second focuses on this desire that so many have to find church-like experiences in other settings. There is also an article written by Marc Ramirez in USA Today titled “As Millions Leave Organized Religion, Spiritual and Secular Communities Offer Refuge.” You can read that article HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent statement made by the Surgeon General that parenting is now considered a health hazard. He said that stress, loneliness and financial woes are so acute as to limit the ability of parents to function in every day life. To be sure, there are some new parenting dynamics today that parents haven't had to face before. So how can parents navigate these challenges and come out on the other side intact?
Episode LinksThere is pressure on today's parents to provide everything for their children - Dr. White mentioned the term “intensive parenting.” There are several articles that have talked about the impact this is having on parents, and we'd suggest you take a look at those:
Julie Jargon, “Parenting Is Hazardous to Your Health, the Surgeon General Warns,” The Wall Street Journal, August 28, 2024.
Clair Cain Miller, “Today's Parents: ‘Exhausted, Burned Out and Perpetually Behind',” The New York Times, September 16, 2024.
“Surgeon General Says Parenting is Horrible For Your Health,” The Skimm, August 29, 2024.
Even those outside of the U.S. have a consistent opinion that while the U.S. is an incredible land of opportunity, it is not a good place to raise children, with a lot of the problems stemming from the overprotectiveness of American parents. This was the subject of an article from The Atlantic that Alexis mentioned titled, “Why Parents Struggle So Much in the World's Richest Country.” She also mentioned a book written by Jonathan Haidt titled, The Anxious Generation.
One of the most difficult challenges facing parents today is the impact the online world is having on our children, and particularly social media. It's led to a culture of comparison for parents, and increased levels of anxiety for both parents and their children. The impact of social media was discussed in a past podcast, CCP25: On “Doing” Social Media. Social media has also been a contributing factor in the loss of childhood. This was discussed at length on the podcast in episode CCP43: On American Girl Dolls and the Disappearance of Childhood.
There are several series that Dr. White has delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church on parenting. You can find those messages in .mp3 and .pdf formats on the Church & Culture website at the following links: “Parent Traps,” “The Under Protective Parent,” and “Parent-Child Turning Points.”
Finally, finances play a big role in some of the stress that parents face when raising children today. For many Millennials and those in Generation Z, these concerns are fueling a desire to not have children to begin with. You can check out the article “Almost 1 in 4 millennials and Gen Z-ers say they won't have kids due to finances” from CBS News HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they continue last week's conversation on why people get divorced. If you missed the previous episode, we encourage you to go back and listen to that first. You can access that podcast HERE. In today's episode, we turn to what the Bible has to say about divorce and remarriage. Jesus essentially delivered a bombshell in His teaching on this as He took on the easy divorce culture of His day.
Episode LinksAs mentioned last week, what kicked off this conversation was a USA Today article exploring the current divorce rates in the United States. We'd encourage you to take a look at the article's findings if you haven't done so already. Dr. White also mentioned a book written by Dr. Willard Harley called His Needs, Her Needs: Building an Affair-Proof Marriage that noted the importance of love and respect within marriage. You can find that book on Amazon HERE.
Dr. White also discussed the need for the church to teach regularly on marriage, grounding people in a solid understanding of the Bible's view on the sanctity of holy matrimony. If you need help developing a marriage series at your church, you may be interested in checking out the following series given by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church on this topic:
Marriage Hacks
Don't Do Stupid: Marriage Edition
The Lies We Believe About Marriage
Holy Matrimony
Marriage Mentoring
And the Two Shall Be Done
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent USA Today article exploring the current divorce rates in the United States. The stats seem to vary based on state, religious affiliation, race, sexual orientation, occupation… even the number of times that someone has been married. They also noted that divorce rates tend to peak around the 5th year of marriage, and then again around the 15th to 20th year of marriage. Dr. White weighs in on why people get divorced.
Episode LinksDr. White noted that a big shift happens in people's mindset when the romance fades and reality sets in. This was actually an installment of a series that he gave at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Marriage Mentoring.” You can find that entire series HERE. Another factor that can play a big role surrounds marking the dawn of the 30s. Another series that you may be interested in looking at is called “Seasons of Life,” and in particular the installment called “30s - The Age of Second Thoughts.” A final series that Dr. White delivered at Meck and which he mentioned in today's episode is called “The Lies We Believe About Marriage.” You can find that series HERE.
Finally, Dr. White wrote a blog about how couples cohabiting before marriage can actually increase the rate of divorce, and why this is something that the church needs to teach on more often. Be sure to read “The Importance of Knowing Why and Casting Vision.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the controversy surrounding the release of the movie adaptation of the book by Colleen Hoover It Ends With Us. While the book attempts to shine a light on the issue of domestic violence and the many faces that it can take, the movie - largely due to comments in the press from lead actress Blake Lively - has been criticized for romanticizing domestic abuse.
Episode LinksFor those who've neither seen the movie nor read the book, we suggest you read the article highlighting the controversy and which gives an overview of the story. You can find the NPR article HERE. For more on the harrowing statistics that Dr. White mentioned on domestic violence, we suggest you visit the website for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence HERE. And if you're interested in listening to the Liberty University Convocation address that he mentioned from Ray Rice, you can find that HERE.
Dr. White raised the need for the church to speak out on issues like domestic violence, because having open conversations makes it so much easier for women to come forward. And then the church must answer in response. Dr. White has delivered several series at Mecklenburg Community Church over the years that have touched on this subject. The series “#MeToo” has an installment called “#HomeToo” which specifically focuses on abuse within the home. It was touched on in the series “Holy Matrimony” looking at the Bible's view of marriage. It was also raised through the series “Man Up” exploring the biblical call to manhood.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 737-225-3150. You can also find out how to create a safety plan on their safe-exit website HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a topic that was frequently suggested through our online form - whether it's okay for a Christian to use profanity. And the questions went beyond the individual level to the church at large. Because there has been a recent trend where churches seem to have become much more lenient when it comes to cursing and name-calling.
Episode LinksThe fact that churches and church leaders have seemingly loosened up when it comes to profanity is actually part of a larger trend of a general loosening within evangelicalism itself. This was the topic of a recent podcast episode that we'd recommend you go back and listen to if you missed it: CCP117: On the Loosening of Evangelicalism.
The trend we're seeing within the church is absolutely reflective of a trend in today's culture where a coarsening has taken place - there is very little shock value today even when hearing someone use the “F-word.” Dr. White mentioned an article in Psychology Today written by Dr. Valerie Fridland that discussed this topic at length. You can find that article HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a topic that's surprisingly not been tackled yet on the podcast: miracles. Today's conversation dives into the definition of miracles, their prevalence and purpose in Scripture, the Catholic Church's stance on miracles, and whether they still happen today.
Episode LinksThe Catholic Church is trying to get a firm hold on supernatural phenomena and claims of the miraculous around the globe. There was a recent article by Claire Giangravé in Religion News Service titled “Vatican issues new norms to rein in supernatural phenomena” explaining how the Catholic Church must now approve all supposed miracles and are urging people not to post about them until they have been confirmed. This is especially important when it comes to determining whether someone will be classified as a “saint” by the Vatican. You may find it helpful to read a BBC News article on that subject HERE.
When discussing whether miracles can still happen today, Dr. White brought up a series that he developed at Mecklenburg Community Church titled “Same God.” The idea behind the series is the importance of reminding ourselves that the God we have today is the exact same God we read about in the Bible. When we hear of His goodness and mercy and miracles and love, it is to the very same God we are in a relationship with now. You can find that series on Church & Culture HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss prebunking, the concept of trying to expose falsehoods before they even come about. The concept of prebunking is modeled after the way vaccines work, but targeted at false information. It involves creating an immune response in the brain to counter the disease of false information, hoaxes and conspiracy theories. In a world where misinformation and disinformation abound and are fueled by the prevalence of A.I., it's more critical than ever to be able to distinguish truth from deception.
Episode LinksAn article in The Washington Post titled “Debunking misinformation failed. Welcome to ‘pre-bunking,'” sparked today's episode. It discussed how the idea of prebunking was drawn from the “inoculation theory” of the 1960s. The hope is that prebunking efforts will stem the spread of misinformation ahead of the 2024 election.
As mentioned, A.I. is exacerbating the problem, making it increasingly difficult to root out fake stories and headlines. We tackled the topic of A.I. on the C&C Podcast - if you missed that episode you can find it HERE. Another recent podcast episode can shed some light on why prebunking is needed: CCP113: On Metamodernism. It looked at how we now have a culture that empowers the individual to first determine right ethics for themselves and then to find a corresponding religion or group that fits. This is simply fueling the struggle to recognize truth in our day.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent article in Christianity Today titled “The Loosening of Evangelicalism” written by Brad East. As the title implies, he gives his observations on the loosening of social norms within the church that has taken place for the last 25 years or so, particularly when it comes to changes in attitudes regarding alcohol, tattoos, dancing, gambling and mothers working outside of the home. So what, if any, are the implications of this shift when it comes to the church and how we are engaging with today's culture?
Episode LinksInterestingly, Dr. White gave a series at Mecklenburg Community Church several years ago that addressed many of the topics East mentioned in his article. The series was called “Is it okay for a Christian to…” and filled in the blanks with everything from gambling to watching R-rated movies to getting tattoos to smoking marijuana. You can find that series on Church & Culture HERE. And for an outline of the four-stage matrix Dr. White mentioned to determine whether something is prohibited or acceptable, we'd encourage you to read the Church & Culture blog entry HERE.
The Church & Culture Podcast has tackled some of the topics raised by East's article in the past. One area where culture has made a huge shift is in its embrace of marijuana. This was the topic of podcast discussion CCP74: On Smoking Marijuana and Drinking Wine that you can go back and listen to if you missed it. You can also check out CCP95: On Gambling, CCP79: On Cremation, CCP55: On Tattoos and Cosmetic Surgery and CCP22: On Yoga.
Finally, Dr. White discussed the importance of the church not capitulating to culture. Specifically, he mentioned recent decisions made by the United Methodist Church that have most definitely not led to growth of those churches. He mentioned a book written by sociologist Dean Kelley called Why Conservative Churches Are Growing, which you can find HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they continue the discussion from last week's episode about jobs and our work. While part one of this conversation focused on our vocation and calling, part two examined how we, as Christ followers, are called to engage with our coworkers. Because as it stands right now, we appear to be struggling in this area.
Episode LinksAn article in The Wall Street Journal titled, “The Loneliness of the American Worker,” shed light on an epidemic of isolation that seems to be present whether working in the office or remotely. There is certainly a need for people to find community through their workplace. However, it seems that some people may have over-and-above expectations for their employers to fill too many roles. A CNBC survey found that 56% of American workers are unwilling to work in an environment where their employers do not share their values. You can read that article HERE.
The truth is, so many people are lacking the true community that can be found in the life of the church and a relationship with God. Dr. White recently wrote a blog about the book Mostly What God Does: Reflections on Seeking and Finding His Love Everywhere written by Savannah Guthrie. She wrote a winsome, compelling, authentic, vulnerable apologetic for God's character and how we are called to be the aroma of Christ to the world around us.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they began a discussion about jobs and work but on a deeper level, delving into the ideas of calling and vocation. The effects of the pandemic can be seen in so many spheres of life, particularly through the lens of the American workforce. What seems to be missing is an understanding of the biblical view of work - something seldom taught in churches today.
Episode LinksSimone Stolzoff recently wrote an article in The Atlantic titled, “The Moral Case for Working Less.” The subheading to her article says: “We shouldn't work less simply because it allows us to be better workers. We should work less because it allows us to be better humans.” The younger generations seem to really resonate with these sentiments as they strive to have more of a work-life balance.
The truth is, many people are already working less than they did prior to the pandemic. You can read more about this in an article by S.J. Steinhardt titled, “Report: Many Factors Contribute to Americans Working Fewer Hours Than They Did Pre-Pandemic.”
Finally, as you heard mentioned in today's discussion, the ideas of vocation and calling are not often talked about in the life of the church, yet they are so important. There are two series that Dr. White gave at Mecklenburg Community Church that you may be interested in checking out: “Living On Purpose” and “Becoming a Difference Maker.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss France's ongoing struggle between the French State and organized religion. Their embrace of laïcité, which is best translated as secularism, means they really have adopted a freedom from religion mentality within the public sphere. This goes well beyond the idea of separation of church and state, and sets very tight restrictions on religious expression in public places.
Episode LinksAs the start of the 2024 Olympics in Paris rapidly approaches, the French laïcité will undoubtedly face challenges as the ban on religious symbols may prompt some French athletes to rebel. For a good article on this topic, we suggest that you read “From schools to the Olympics, how France's staunch secularism affects religion in public life,” by Giovanna Dell'Orto. Another article that came up several times in today's conversation is worth the time to read as well: “Why Is France so Afraid of God?” by Rachel Donadio.
This is not the first time that the podcast has centered around the interaction of religion and politics in the public sphere. In case you missed these past episodes, be sure to check out: CCP112: On January 6 and the Fastest Growing Christian Movement in America, CCP46: On the Clash over Religious Freedom and CCP37: On Christian Nationalism. Today's discussion also went into a bit of a history lesson on the Enlightenment and French Revolution. As Alexis noted, the importance of understanding history and its impact on the cultural trends of our day was something that Dr. White highlighted in another past episode: CCP73: On Becoming a Student of Culture.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a relatively new term on the cultural scene - metamodernism. For decades, the term “postmodern” has been used to define the cultural mood of Western society. Well according to scholars, postmodernism has been dead for years. Taking its place is the new era of metamodernism.
Episode LinksToday's discussion was prompted by a recent article written by Benjamin Vincent for Christianity Today titled, “Goodbye Postmodernism, Hello Metamodernism.” As Vincent notes, this concept was primarily introduced to culture through the work of cultural analysts Timotheus Vermeulen and Robin van den Akker who wrote an article titled, “Notes on Metamodernism.” They outlined how metamodernism is primarily a structure of feeling - a culture that empowers the individual to first determine right ethics for themselves and then to find a corresponding religion or group that fits.
It is within this culture of metamodernism that Generation Z has grown up, and it certainly marks them. Dr. White wrote extensively about this generation in his book Meet Generation Z: Understanding and reaching the New Post-Christian World. You can find that on Amazon HERE.
Finally, here are two additional articles that Dr. White referenced in today's episode that you may wish to read to further your understanding of metamodernism and its impact on culture:
Suzanne Blake, “Gen Z Wants Next President to 'Fundamentally Change' America,” Newsweek, May 13, 2024.
Greg Dember, “Metamodernism: A response to modernism and postmodernism,” IAI News, November 29, 2023.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss what is now the fastest growing Christian movement in the U.S. - the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) - and one that many people don't seem to be aware of. This group of leadership networks that include supposed modern-day apostles and prophets believe they have been called by God to take over the world. And their ideologies have begun to infiltrate mainstream Christianity as well.
Episode LinksToday's conversation was prompted by an article from The Atlantic written by Stephanie McCrummen and titled, “The Woman Who Bought a Mountain for God.” As stated in the article about the NAR: “The movement is seeking political power as a means to achieving a more transcendent goal: to bring under biblical authority every sphere of life, including government, schools, and culture itself, establishing not just a Christian nation, as the traditional religious right has advocated, but an actual, earthly Kingdom of God.”
There was a book written about this movement as well that was mentioned in today's episode. If you'd like to read more about the NAR, be sure to check out The Rise of Network Christianity by Brad Christerson and Richard Flory. Dr. White also referenced another article worth reading written by Matthew D. Taylor and Paul A. Djupe for Religion News Service titled, “How Trumpism has pushed a fringe charismatic theology into the mainstream.”
Finally, the discussion led to aspects of Christian Nationalism and the role of Christians in the political realm. This has been a topic discussed in past episodes of the podcast. We'd encourage you to go back and listen to: CCP83: On Christians and Government, CCP82: On Christians and Politics, and CCP37: On Christian Nationalism.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the subject of a recent Christianity Today article written by Russell Moore titled, “Why Young Men Are Failing to Launch.” The phrase “failure to launch” is not new on the cultural scene; however, it is increasingly becoming reflective of Gen Z men. This is a generation that Dr. White is very familiar with following the research he did for his book Meet Generation Z. So why do Gen Z men seem to struggle so much with branching out on their own?
Episode LinksAs discussed, one of the fundamental issues is that men these days don't seem to know what it means to be a man. This was a trend that Dr. White began to see in culture, and was what prompted the development of a series he delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Defining Manhood.” This topic has also been broached through the Church & Culture Podcast in episodes CCP101: On Bluey and Modern Fatherhood and CCP72: On Toxic Masculinity.
In addition to the CT article from Moore, other journalists who study culture have also taken note of this issue affecting Gen Z men. While there are many others out there, these are a good place to start if you're looking for more to read on this topic. Hannah Fry, writing in the Los Angeles Times, titled her article “A ‘failure to launch': Why young people are having less sex.” Christine Emba wrote a very interesting article on this subject in The Washington Post titled, “Men are lost. Here's a map out of the wilderness.” Glen Stanton, in an effort to help shed some light on this topic, wrote an article titled “Manhood Is Not Natural” in The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute. An article in Medium was titled “Are Gen Z Men Really That Undateable?”
The conversation also explored whether parents could be to blame for this failure to launch. After all, Gen Z have been raised by Gen X. And much of their parenting was focused on not becoming a helicopter parent. The result? They became too under protective when it came to parenting. On that topic, Dr. White gave a series at Meck called “The Under-Protective Parent.”
Lastly, today's conversation talked about the prevalence of domestic abuse and the tragic affects that it has on families. If you or someone you know is being abused, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800.799.7233.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the data coming from the CDC finding that the worldwide birth rate that had seen an uptick during the pandemic has slowed way, way down. In fact, between 2007 - 2022 the birth rate has fallen 22% with the average woman today having 1.6 children. This is something that we need to pay attention to because it matters a lot more than people may think.
Episode LinksAn article in Vox written by Anna North titled “You can't even pay people to have more kids” explores what countries are trying to do to counter this decline (and sadly not having very much luck).
Dr. White noted that part of the reason for this decline can be attributed to people getting married later in life or not at all. The C&C Podcast took a deeper dive into this topic during CCP76: On the Never Marrieds. And the conversation today also touched on the topic of IVF, which was discussed in detail in CCP97: On IVF.
Coincidentally, the topic of IVF also came up as part of a recent message series given by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church. For this series, Meck's social media team took a poll to find out what topics people were most interested in finding out what the Bible had to say about. Coming in at #2 on that poll were the topics of IVF and abortion. You can find that entire series titled “What the Bible Really Says About…” HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a string of recent articles exploring the growing trend among Generation Z students who are deciding to forego college and instead head to vocational schools. There are a number of reasons for this to be sure - everything from the rising tuition costs of a four-year college education to feelings that the trades lead to a greater chance for job security. What is the impact that this will have on our culture?
Episode LinksDr. White wrote a book specifically about this generation that is so helpful for having a better understanding of just what makes them tick. You can find Meet Generation Z: Understanding and Reaching the New Post-Christian World HERE. And then there were three articles that provided the fodder for today's conversation if you're interested in reading them:
“How Gen Z Is Becoming the Toolbelt Generation,” The Wall Street Journal, April 1, 2024.
Joshua Bay, “Survey finds many Gen Zers say school lacks a ‘sense of purpose' and isn't ‘motivating,'” Arkansas Advocate, April 30, 2024.
“Sense of Purpose in School and Work Drives Gen Z Happiness, New Gallup Survey Finds,” Walton Family Foundation, April 10, 2024.
One thing is clear: colleges need to change their existing models now before they find themselves without students to teach. Similarly, seminaries across the country are also facing this same challenge. Too many people are leaving seminaries with a lot of head knowledge, but very little practical knowledge when it comes to the day in, day out ministry of leading a church. Dr. White wrote a book titled, What They Didn't Teach You in Seminary that tries to help fill in the gaps. You can find that book HERE.
Finally, the conversation led to a discussion of the Meck Institute's Leadership Development Program - a program developed by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church to help train up future leaders within the church. If you are interested in implementing a similar program at your church, you can find that program HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the widespread campus protests that have been dominating the headlines of late. More than 2800 students have been arrested across 50 campuses across the U.S. Many Americans are unsure about what to think about all of these protests, and have mixed feelings about the response from college administrators to the protests. So how should we think Christianly about what's happening across the country?
Episode LinksThe best place to begin is by trying to have a deeper understanding of the conflict itself. While today's conversation does explore that, we'd suggest you go back and listen to CCP80: On the War in Israel. Dr. White and Alexis also mentioned the number of news stories of late tied to these protests happening across the U.S. Here are the ones specifically tied to today's conversation - we hope you'll take the time to read them:
Jerusalem Demsas, “The Problem With America's Protest Feedback Loop,” The Atlantic, May 10, 2024.
Amaris Encinas, “Rabbi decries act of ‘senseless hatred' after dozens of headstones damaged at Jewish cemetery in NY,” USA Today, May 7, 2024.
Livia Albck-Ripka, “Hillary Clinton Accuses Protesters of Ignorance of Mideast History,” The New York Times, May 9, 2024.
“A Few Graduations Are Disrupted by Protest, but Many Are Held as Planned,” The New York Times, updated May 13, 2024.
Elizabeth E. Evans, “Amid surge of campus protests, chaplains find reason for hope in their students,” Religion News Service, May 10, 2024.
Kirsten Grieshaber, “At time of rising antisemitism, Holocaust survivors take on denial and hate in new digital campaign, “ Associated Press, May 2, 2024.
Barbara Sprunt, “House passes bill aimed to combat antisemitism amid college unrest,” NPR, May 2, 2024.
David French, “Colleges Have Gone off the Deep End. There Is a Way Out.” The New York Times, April 28, 2024.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss what may seem like a surprising topic - hell. An AP/NORC study last year found that belief in heaven and angels is more common than belief in the devil or hell. For many, this may be because culture often portrays hell in a comedic or cartoonish way through various media platforms. Even some Christians struggle with the idea of hell and want to know why a loving God would create it.
Episode LinksIt is important for those who consider themselves Christ followers to be grounded in the fundamentals of the Christian faith - to have a solid understanding of biblical theology. Dr. White has a course available through Church & Culture called “Theology on Tap.” Heaven, hell and what will happen at the end of time are components of this study, which you can find HERE. You may also be interested in checking out a series given by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church called “The Apocalypse: The Message of Revelation for Today” which you can find HERE.
Dr. White also explained the importance of reaching those who do not have a relationship with Jesus with urgency. He shared a story of Penn Jillette receiving the gift of a Bible following one of his shows, and the impact that this made on him even though he is an atheist. You can watch Penn's vlog post HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent study from the PRRI titled “Religious Change In America.” One of the biggest headlines from the study is that more and more, Americans are saying “no” to organized religion, and the number of those identifying as atheist and agnostic are on the rise. In fact, since Dr. White wrote his book The Rise of the Nones in 2014, the number of atheists has doubled. But what differentiates an “atheist” from an “agnostic” from a “none?”
Episode LinksDr. White recently wrote a blog titled “Surprising Mourners for the Decline in Christianity.” It's interesting to find that many who choose to walk away from religion, or who never had a religion they affiliated themselves with, often find that something seems to be missing in their lives. In a recent article in The Atlantic titled “The True Cost of the Churchgoing Bust,” Derek Thompson (who is an agnostic) lamented over what has been lost by our culture abandoning the Christian faith. And self-proclaimed atheist Richard Dawkins recently explained how he considers himself a cultural Christian and is saddened by the thought that we may one day soon lose our cathedrals and parish churches.
Dr. White also wrote a book that's an extremely helpful resource for those who would put themselves into either the atheist or agnostic camps. It's called Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians and you can find it on Amazon HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the fact that as culture becomes less and less rooted in Christianity, and people (sadly) have more and more encounters with Christians who are not very Christlike, misconceptions and caricatures of the Christian faith seem to be growing. Today's discussion, which was a listener-submitted topic, will walk through four of the most common caricatures in today's culture.
Episode LinksHere are some series given by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church related to the caricatures covered in today's discussion that you may be interested in taking a look at:
“The Science of God”
“Astrophysics… for People Who Are Open to God”
“Don't Check Your Brains at the Door”
“When God Makes Us Laugh”
“Why?”
And then here are a few past podcast episodes that you can go back and listen to in case you missed them that may add to today's discussion:
CCP103: On the Sudden Rise of LGBTQ
CCP92: On Challenges to Believing the Bible
CCP63: On Why Christians Are So Mean
CCP49: On Faith vs. Science
Finally, here are two books that were mentioned in the conversation for you:
A Mind for God by James Emery White
The Gift of Pain: Why We Hurt and What We Can Do About It by Philip Yancey and Paul Brand
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they reflect on the four years that have passed since the U.S. declared a national emergency in response to COVID. The pandemic upended our lives and our world, and four years later its effects are still being felt.
Episode LinksJulie Bosman wrote an article in the New York Times titled, “Four Years On, Covid Has Reshaped Life for Many Americans.” While some found joy in things like home schooling, working from home and the slower pace of life we were all forced into, others are still mourning the loss of loved ones or still harboring feelings of anger toward the divisiveness the pandemic left in its wake.
The pandemic had a profound effect on the church as well. Two years into the pandemic Dr. White wrote a blog titled “Add Pastors to the Great Resignation,” following the departure of many pastors who felt they could not win no matter what decision they made for their church: masks or no masks, pro-vaccines or anti-vaccines, open or closed to in-person services, etc. He wrote another blog titled, “Five Ways the Pandemic Is Saving the Church,” noting how beneficial it has been for the church to be forced to go outside of its four walls and move online - a place where younger generations are easier to reach.
In Dr. White's book Meet Generation Z, he wrote about how this generation is the first to grow up in a truly post-Christian world. A Gallup poll found that 56% of Americans “seldom” or “never” attend a religious service. And an article in the Wall Street Journal noted how Gen Z became increasingly disillusioned as a result of the pandemic. Therefore, the church must respond by reaching these digital natives where they are - online. This was the heart of Dr. White's book Hybrid Church, which you can find HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent Gallup poll that found that 7.6% of Americans now identify as LGBTQ+ - a figure that has more than doubled over the last 12 years. When you dive into the generational data from this poll, it revealed that for Generation Z, 22.3% now identify as LGBTQ+, which is a percentage far beyond Millennials or any other generation. The most pressing question is: What is accounting for this very sudden rise?
Episode LinksIn Dr. White's book Meet Generation Z: Understanding and Reaching the New Post-Christian World, he noted five primary marks of this generation. One of those marks is that Gen Z are sexually fluid. This means that the rise in identifying as LGBTQ+ is not so much about a true shift in orientation, but rather an openness to all things sexual. And much of that openness is a direct result of cultural pressure that would say you must be open minded enough to explore other genders and sexual orientations. For more on understanding the cultural pressures, Dr. White suggested reading the book Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say by Preston Sprinkle.
Cultural acceptance, however, does seem to be shifting - at least among religious groups. The PRRI recently released their “Religious Change in America” study, which found that support does tend to be waning. This is likely a result of the cultural overreach that has taken place. And the church does need to speak out on this. Dr. White has delivered two series at Mecklenburg Community Church that we'd suggest you check out: Holy Matrimony and Gender. And this is not the first time we've touched on this topic on the C&C Podcast. Be sure to listen to these past episodes: CCP38: On Attending Diwali Celebrations and Gay Weddings and CCP21: On Gender.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent article in The Atlantic titled “The ‘Secret” Gospel and a Scandalous New Episode in the Life of Jesus.” The article talked about a 1958 historian who claimed he had found a lost gospel of Jesus' life that was later deemed a forgery. This was not the first nor the last time someone would make this claim. In fact, this was the basis for one of the biggest “lost gospel” fabrications, The DaVinci Code, written by Dan Brown and later turned into a film starring Tom Hanks. So what are Christians to think when discoveries like these are put forth, and could there truly be “lost gospels” out there that are yet to be discovered?
Episode LinksWe recently touched very briefly on this topic in CCP92: On Challenges to Believing the Bible which you can go back and listen to. And if you're looking for a solid foundation for understanding the Bible and how it was compiled, we encourage you to check out a series that Dr. White gave at Mecklenburg Community Church called “How to Bible.” The installments of this series walk you through five key Bible “how tos”: get oriented, read and interpret it, apply it and believe it (two parts). You can find that series HERE.
We would also recommend that you check out Dr. White's book Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians. This is a great resource whether you're exploring the Christian faith or want to be able to provide an apologetic for why you believe what you believe. There's a chapter on the Bible that is particularly helpful.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how traditional roles in parenthood are being rethought and are shifting. This has left many men with confusion about what a modern father should look like. In a day when dads are often portrayed negatively in the media, presented as clueless, incompetent slobs, an animated series called “Bluey” has surprisingly jumped onto the scene to help inspire modern dads.
Episode LinksA Washington Post article written by Christine Emba and titled, “Men are lost. Here's a map out of the wilderness,” highlights how men have seemed to lose sight of what it means to be a man. A large contributing factor is that many men did not have good fathers to look up to. Dr. White has done several message series at Mecklenburg Community Church on the role of fathers, of men, and the dynamics of family. If you're interested, we suggest you look at “Father Figure,” “The Sins of the Fathers,” and “Man Up.”
There are several articles that Dr. White mentioned in today's episode. A 2023 Brookings Institution study that would be helpful to explore is titled, “Boys and men,” and you can find that study HERE. We'd also suggest you read an article from The Atlantic titled, “Dad Culture Has Nothing to Do With Parenting.” You can read the “For Mamma” article from Demaryius Thomas in The Players' Tribune HERE. And finally, you can find the HuffPost article “Michael Lohan: I'm Happy With Lindsay's Playboy Photos” HERE.
We've had other podcasts that we'd encourage you to go back and listen to related to the roles of men and women in our culture and within the life of the church. These include: CCP78: On Trad Wives, CCP72: On Toxic Masculinity, CCP60: On Gentle Parenting, and CCP7: On Women in Ministry.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how in the U.S., people are still somewhat “turned on” to God (and specifically to Jesus) but very turned off to religion, pastors and even just your average self-identified Christian. They're saying, “Maybe” to Christ, but, “Absolutely not” to Christianity and Christians. And when you see what's happening in culture, it's not difficult to understand why. Because the Christian faith is often perceived as anything but Christlike, we, as the Church, need to have an answer.
Episode LinksIf you've been tracking with the Church & Culture Podcast, several of our earlier episodes shine a glaring light on the reasons many draw their conclusions about the Christian faith. CCP94: On the Growing Lack of Confidence in Clergy discussed how American culture at large is losing trust in Christian pastors. CCP96: On “He Gets Us” examined the popularity of an ad campaign focusing on the love and compassion of Jesus that is sparking anger in some Christians. CCP32: On a Non-Christian America tackled the continued rise of the “nones” – those who refuse to identify with any particular religion, but who aren't opposed to believing in God. And finally CCP4: On Pastors and Moral Failings took a hard look at the many high-profile religious leaders who have been in the news recently for immoral and sometimes illegal acts.
Grace was a theme woven throughout this discussion as it's what's so often missing from those unChristian Christians. Dr. White has given two series at Mecklenburg Community Church on grace: Christianity's Most Scandalous Idea and Getting Grace Right. And another series that we would recommend you listen to is The Deconstruction Zone which explored how many in our day are deconstructing their faith, raising questions, and exploring challenges to how they were raised or beliefs they have long held.
Finally, Dr. White mentioned a couple of books related to today's conversation that you may be interested in checking out: Grace Awakening written by Chuck Swindoll and unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity…and Why It Matters written by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent Gallup poll that found Americans believe the most important problem facing the country right now is immigration (you can read the article HERE). To be sure, there has been an influx of more than 300,000 people crossing the border in the month of December alone. This has made it an incredibly hot-button issue in our current culture, whether you're a Republican or a Democrat.
Episode LinksThe issue at our borders is a mess. We seem to be losing control of both the number of immigrants entering and how to deal with them when they're here. This is a struggle for Christians who do have concerns about the influx, but who also believe that it's our call as Christ followers to care for immigrants with loving compassion.
Fear is a big part of this cultural issue. Dr. White recently wrote a blog on this subject titled “Voting Out of Fear” highlighting how we can let fears drive how we land on certain issues, and even how we vote. Whether bigotry or racism, a prideful sense of nationalism or conspiracy theory, entirely too much of how we land on the issue of immigration comes from fear. Here are a couple of recent articles that show how fear is driving people.
Aaron Earls, “More Evangelicals See Immigrants as a Threat and Economic Drain,” Christianity Today.
Odette Yousef, “The Border Crisis Is Helping to Mainstream a Dangerous Conspiracy Theory,” NPR.
James Thompson, “UK Churches' Outreach to Muslim Migrants Scrutinized After Clapham Attack,” Christianity Today.
We all have incalculable worth and value because we were created by God and made in His image. This includes immigrants. So when it comes to issues like these, especially when it comes time to vote, we need to think Christianly. Dr. White gave a series at Meck called “Where Angels Fear to Tread: Meck Talks Politics.” We suggest you check that out. And wherever you stand on immigration reform, the Bible does call us to care for those who are foreigners, aliens or even “strangers” (for example see Exodus 22 & 23 and Matthew 25).
Finally, Christians can rally together to try to make a difference when it comes to the immigration issues. We suggest you read the article by Lauren Villagran in USA Today called “Could Evangelical Christian Women Hold the Key to Compromise on Immigration Reform?”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the newest generational cohort that sociologists and marketers are playing close attention to - Generation Alpha. Ranging in age from those born in 2010 through 2025, Gen Alpha will be the first generation raised fully in a world of technological integration. So what does the church, as well as the wider world, need to understand about this generation? What makes them unique?
Episode LinksDr. White has authored two books centered around the profiles of particular chunks of our society: The Rise of the Nones - those who refuse to identify themselves with any particular religion, and Meet Generation Z - an inside look at the inner world of Gen Zers, their cultural context, and their relationship with faith and God.
We're just seeing the beginnings of books and articles focusing on Gen Alpha and trying to learn more about them. Here are some that we'd suggest for you:
Harriet Walker, “We're Generation Alpha (14 and under with millions of followers),” The Times UK.
April Rubin, “‘A landmark generation': Introducing Gen Alpha,” Axios.
Mark McCrindle, Ashley Fell and Sam Buckerfield, Generation Alpha: Understanding Our Children and Helping Them Thrive (Hatchette: Australia, 2021).
Marcia Lawrence, “Welcome ‘Generation Alpha'— the Youngest Pre-Consumers,” The Emporia Gazette.
Adrianne Pasquarelli and E.J. Schultz, “Move Over Gen Z, Generation Alpha Is the One to Watch,” Advertising Age.
“Generation Alpha,” Hotwire.
Finally, never will parental involvement be more important than for Gen Alpha, who have so much access to information but so little access to wisdom. Dr. White has delivered a number of series at Mecklenburg Community Church on topics related to the family and parenting. You can find those messages HERE. And parents need to have the courage to have honest conversations with their children about faith. We'd suggest you read an article by Kara Powell and Steven Argue from Christianity Today titled “The Biggest Hindrance to Your Kids' Faith Isn't Doubt. It's Silence.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the recent ruling from the Alabama Supreme Court stating that frozen embryos used in IVF treatments are now considered children under state law. This has, as you can imagine, garnered a lot of attention, and particularly from Christians - many of whom have differing views on IVF and when life begins.
Episode LinksKate Shellnutt wrote an article in Christianity Today that explores the complications that this ruling will bring for the future of IVF treatments and the families who have been served by them. You can read her article titled “Alabama Rules that Frozen Embryos Are Children” HERE. And, as mentioned, the waters are already muddied among Christian denominations as to where they stand on IVF. We suggest you check out a New York Times article written by Elizabeth Dias titled, “What Christian Traditions Say About I.V.F. Treatments.”
The opinion on the ruling written by Chief Justice Tom Parker led to concerns over the separation of church and state and the blurred lines in this case. For point of reference you can read an article from Peter Smith and Tiffany Stanley for AP News HERE.
In addition to concerns about the separation of church and state, there are some who see the court's ruling as a clear sign of Christian nationalism. It's important, though, to have an accurate understanding of what Christian Nationalism really is. David French wrote an article in The New York Times titled, “What Is Christian Nationalism, Exactly?” This was also discussed on the podcast in two recent episodes that we'd encourage you to go back and listen to: CCP83: On Christians and Government and CCP82: On Christians and Politics. Both would serve your exploration into this topic and the impacts of the court's ruling.
Finally, for those wanting to know more about how the church should engage with the cultural and religious discussions on when life begins, we'd suggest that you take a moment to listen to two past podcast episodes: CCP61: On IVG and Bioethics and CCP10: On Roe v. Wade.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a Super Bowl commercial that's been getting a lot of attention - and no, it's not the DunKings. It was a commercial from “He Gets Us,” depicting a montage of somewhat unusual pairings of people washing feet. It concluded with “Jesus didn't teach hate. He washed feet. He gets us. All of us.” This ad has sparked a lot of controversy among Christians in particular. But should it?
Episode LinksWith each commercial that has aired since 2022, the goal has been to drive people to the “He Gets Us” website, which you can find HERE. In fact, following the ad during the Super Bowl, more than 700,000 people visited the site in the first 18 hours. Those visitors spent twice as long as normal on the site, with thousands subscribing to Bible reading plans and joining small groups. But many Christians have had a lot to say about it. Here are some articles that were mentioned in today's episode that you may want to check out:
Maria Baer, “$100M Ad Campaign Aims to Make Jesus the ‘Biggest Brand in Your City,'” Christianity Today.
Bob Smietana, “‘He Gets Us' Super Bowl Ads Part of Billion-Dollar Campaign,” Christianity Today.
Jessica Lea, “‘Heretical,' ‘Beautiful,' ‘Conversation Starters'—Christians React to He Gets Us Super Bowl Ads,” Church Leaders.
Kristine Parks, “'He Gets Us' Jesus Super Bowl Ad campaign welcomes criticism over polarizing ads: 'Very reassuring,'“ Fox News.
Another article featured the creator of the series The Chosen coming out to voice his support of the ads. You can read that article HERE. If for some reason you are unfamiliar with The Chosen, we'd encourage you to check out our podcast episode CCP54: On “The Chosen".
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss whether it is okay for a Christian to take part in gambling. Reports said that more than 68 million people bet on this year's Super Bowl accounting for well north of $23 billion. And with online gambling making it even easier to take part, it's left many Christians wondering whether this is something that is “allowed” within the Christian faith.
Episode LinksIf you've tracked with the podcast for a while now, you know this is not the first time we've tackled a “Is it okay for a Christian to…” type of question. To be able to study further the matrix that Dr. White discusses you can find it outlined in his book After “I Believe” which you can find on Amazon HERE or from your favorite bookseller. You can also check out the series that Dr. White gave at Mecklenburg Community Church HERE.
You also heard Alexis mention that we've had other podcasts along these lines, exploring what is or is not okay for a Christian to take part in. Here those are for you if you'd like to go back and listen:
CCP74: On Smoking Marijuana and Drinking Wine
CCP55: On Tattoos and Cosmetic Surgery
CCP38: On Attending Diwali Celebrations and Gay Weddings
CCP22: On Yoga
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the findings of a Gallup poll which revealed that Americans' confidence in clergy today has declined to an all-time low of 32%. Translation? Less than a third of all Americans consider clergy to be trustworthy. Ouch. The big question that follows is, “So how can we earn it back?”
Episode LinksIn case you missed it, Dr. White recently blogged about this topic in an entry titled “It's a Matter of Trust.” Several other blogs related to this conversation will also be really helpful for you to to dig into. On the discussion of the shadow lives, read “Evaluating the Fruit Test.” The phrase “there but by the grace of God go I” is so common but so inadequate. Find out why in a blog titled “Why Leaders are Falling.” And finally, consider a blog that explores whether it's possible for someone to be restored to ministry after a moral failing titled “When a Pastor Falls, What Then?”
Today, the moral failings of pastors and church leaders seem to populate news feeds and socials. And it's doing so much harm to the witness of the Church. There are two podcasts we'd suggest you go back and listen to related to today's conversation: CCP4: On Pastors and Moral Failings and CCP31: On Celebrity Pastors. To help with understanding how to gain back lost trust, Dr. White recommended a book written by Henry Cloud titled, Trust: Knowing When to Give It, When to Withhold It, How to Earn It, and How to Fix It When It Gets Broken.
Finally, we also want to share some articles with you that dive into the lack of trust the American public has toward organized religion and its leaders:
Lydia Saad, “Historically Low Faith in U.S. Institutions Continues,” Gallup, July 6, 2023.
Megan Brenan and Jeffrey M. Jones, “Ethics Ratings of Nearly All Professions Down in U.S.,” Gallup, January 22, 2024.
Kate Shellnutt, “Above Reproach? Fewer Americans See Pastors as Ethical,” Christianity Today, January 25, 2024.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent New York Magazine article titled “A Practical Guide to Modern Polyamory.” This article was what prompted Dr. White to write a blog on this topic titled “The Swinging Twenties,” as well as today's podcast conversation. Polyamory is defined as having multiple, intimate relationships with consent from all parties involved. To use the question posed by the NYMag, “What can go wrong?” A lot, actually.
Episode LinksFor starters, a fascinating article in The Wall Street Journal titled “How the Sexual Revolution Has Hurt Women” researched how “the free-marketization of sex” has truly gone mainstream and is only serving to harm women - and even children as well. It's worth the time to read the full article.
Much of this cultural change has to do with how Generation Z views sex and sexuality. In his book Meet Generation Z: Understanding and Reaching the New Post-Christian World (which you can find on Amazon HERE), Dr. White wrote about how one of the defining marks of Gen Z is that they consider themselves sexually fluid. This is why 30% of them identify as LGBTQ+. They also view marriage as outdated and too expensive (see an article in The Messenger), and certainly not what the Bible defines as holy matrimony.
It's the denigrating view of the sanctity of marriage that is causing a host of issues, and something that the church needs to address. Dr. White has delivered a number of series on marriage at Mecklenburg Community Church. We'd specifically recommend a series titled “Holy Matrimony” as it relates to this conversation, but you can also find his other series on marriage and family HERE.
Finally, Dr. White mentioned a book written by Philip Yancey titled Fearfully and Wonderfully Made where the author looks at the intricacies of the human body, including the wonder and beauty of God's creation when it comes to sex.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how culture seems to be so eager to dismiss the Bible and to reject the idea that it should have any authority over their lives. Many of the challenges that culture has to believing the Bible are really due more to a lack of knowledge and understanding about it.
Episode LinksIn this episode, Alexis asks Dr. White to weigh in on the most common questions and misconceptions that people have when it comes to the Bible including: What is it and why is it so special? Why and how were the 66 books within the Bible chosen? Why are there so many translations of the Bible out there? How do the claims of the Bible align with history? And what about all of the contradictions found in its pages?
One resource that would be really helpful for you - whether you're exploring the Christian faith or know someone who is - is Dr. White's book Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians: Uncommon Answers to Common Questions. You can find that resource on Amazon HERE.
If you'd like to go deeper on some of the questions raised in this discussion, there are several series that Dr. White has given at Mecklenburg Community Church that you'll find helpful. You can click the titles to find each of them: “How to Bible” will give you a practical overview of how to read and interpret the Bible, as well as how to believe what it says; “Don't Check Your Brains at the Door” explores how to engage the Christian faith intellectually - including the Bible; and “Science of God” takes a deep dive into the science of God's existence, of Creation and of faith itself.
Finally, at the end of the conversation they mentioned a couple of past episodes that would be worth checking out in regard to the Bible and science. These are: CCP49: On Faith vs. Science and CCP39: On Global Warming and Creation Care.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss one of the concerning trends for 2024 mentioned by Dr. White in a recent episode, something that was echoed by a listener-submitted question. Both had to do with the continued fracturing of the Church and Christians within it. Christians seem to have an underdeveloped skill of disagreeing agreeably. We've also lost sight of what's worth disagreeing over.
Episode LinksThe biggest test when it comes to when it's appropriate to disagree is to ask: is it a matter or orthodoxy (right thinking) or orthopraxy (right living)? Second, is it a primary or tertiary issue related to the Christian faith?
The problem is that many Christians have taken political and ideological divides and elevated them to the level of primary, theological issues - and that's heresy. There are certain values that are being embraced that are distorting the Christian faith. Dr. White has touched on this in past episodes of the podcast. We'd encourage you to go back and listen to the following for more perspective:
CCP63: On Why Christians Are So Mean
CCP46: On the Clash Over Religious Freedom
CCP37: On Christian Nationalism
Dr. White referred to an article by David Aikman titled “Attack Dogs of Christendom” where the author wrote how Christians seem to love to go after people who disagree with them, particularly other Christians. All this does is to hurt the witness of the church.
He also mentioned how Francis Schaeffer was taken with the community of the church and his concerns with Christians who seem to love finding mistakes in other believers. He wrote about this in a book titled The Mark of the Christian. Another great book on the divides in Christendom that have erupted over recent years is The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism written by Tim Alberta. Because sadly, a lot of Christians believe they are engaging in a battle by promoting a political platform, and treating it as though the Kingdom of God is at stake.
One easy place to identify when it comes to where to disagree is again on the foundational beliefs of the Christian faith, such as the belief that there is only one way to God. Understanding the differences between Christianity and other belief systems is important. We suggest that you go back and listen to the following episodes if you've missed them:
CCP86: On Islam
CCP84: On Hinduism and Buddhism
CCP35: On Scientology
CCP18: On Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they serve up a helpful outline of six transcendent values that have allowed Mecklenburg Community Church to beat the odds when it comes to the decline facing churches across the U.S. and around the globe. With the seismic cultural changes and challenges facing churches, it can be easy to get discouraged. Hopefully, this conversation will help to serve your church.
Episode LinksIf you missed last week's podcast, we hope that you'll go back and listen to that episode. In it, Dr. White gives an overview of what will likely dominate life and culture in 2024, and how the church must respond. You can find that episode titled CCP89: On Concerning Predictions for 2024 HERE.
There are a number of blogs that Dr. White has written related to the six values outlined in today's conversation. Rather than list them all, we'd encourage you to check out the Church & Culture blog archive where you can find all of his past writings.
Finally, there are three books that we'd like to recommend related to church growth and life:
Hybrid Church: Rethinking the Church for a Post-Christian Digital Age
What They Didn't Teach You in Seminary
Rethinking the Church
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, Dr. White gives an overview of what will likely dominate life and culture in 2024. The headline? Christians are needed more than ever to be salt and light to cut through the turmoil and chaos.
Episode LinksFirst up in the conversation were politics and the political turmoil that seems to be dominating the headlines as we have entered into an election year. It's important to know how, as Christians, we are called to engage the world of government and politics. Want to know how best to do that? Check out these two C&C Podcast episodes in case you missed them or want to go back and listen to them again: CCP82: On Christians and Politics and CCP83: On Christians and Government.
They also discussed a recent article by David Brooks in The Atlantic titled “How America Got Mean.” The division in our country, much of which is sparked by fear, is leading to a mean-spirited culture. We've touched on this topic a couple of times on the podcast, so if you missed those episodes be sure to check out CCP63: On Why Christians Are So Mean and CCP6: On Anger.
There has been a shift in our culture that will intensify in the coming year - a rejection of morality and transcendent truth. We allow ourselves to serve as our own moral compass, telling us what is right and wrong. This plays out in both the impact of social media and what it's doing to our mental health (see CCP70: On Social Media and Mental Health) as well as the way we've allowed psychology to drive how we're parenting the next generation (see CCP60: On Gentle Parenting).
The conversation turned toward the state of the Church for 2024. A recent article from Christianity Today titled “United Methodists Down 7,659 Churches As Exit Window Ends” focused on the largest denominational schism in the U.S. since the civil war. Dr. White and Alexis discussed this problem plaguing several U.S. denominations in CCP15: On Denominational Decline. When you couple denominational decline with the continued rise of the “nones” (see The Rise of the Nones written by Dr. White), you find the church in a state of crisis and needing to make a significant change. Dr. White would argue that the solution is to go “hybrid.” You can read more about this topic in his book Hybrid Church: Rethinking the Church for a Post-Christian Digital Age, which you can find on Amazon HERE.
Finally, the conversation turned to the future of A.I. and all of the implications this will have on our society. Be sure to check out a past podcast on this topic: CCP44: On Artificial Intelligence. The prevalence of A.I. is fueling the crisis of truth that we face in our culture. Check out a recent article in the New York Times titled “The Problem of Misinformation in an Era Without Trust.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a question submitted by a podcast listener: If you choose to participate in the tradition of Santa Claus with your young children, do you run the risk of losing their trust when they find out the truth, possibly causing them to have a crisis of faith later in life? How can the magic of Christmas be brought into a Christian home?
Episode LinksSpoiler alert: Dr. White and his wife embraced the tradition of Santa in their home with their (then) four young children and (now) fifteen grandchildren. But “how” you do it is important. And the most important thing is to keep Christ as the focus of this season. For a deeper exploration into this subject, we'd encourage you to check out a series given by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Keeping Christ in Christmas.” You'll learn about the rich Christian history surrounding many of the traditions of Christmas, including Santa Claus.
It's also so important, as Dr. White mentioned, to know the true history of the man named St. Nicholas - a man whose deep faith in God and love of children was so profound that he is considered the patron saint of children. You can read more about this in a blog written by Dr. White called “Yes, Virginia,” which is shared annually by the Church & Culture Team.
Finally, Dr. White also noted that it's important when celebrating Santa as a part of your Christmas tradition to keep the spirit of giving focused in the right place. You can read more about this in a blog Dr. White wrote called, “Giving to Christ at Christmas,” also published annually around this time of year.
Keep those questions coming! We'd love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
Thank you all so much for listening/watching the podcast! We pray that you have a very blessed Christmas and we'll be back with new episodes in the new year!
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the cultural tidal wave that is Taylor Swift. The impact that she's had on the music industry is unlike any other artist, and her Eras tour has brought in an estimated $5 billion into the U.S. economy. Swift's authenticity seems to be the key to what's made her such an enormous success. And it's led some to feel that her concerts are truly a spiritual experience.
Episode LinksAs promised, here are a number of articles for you to check out for more information on stats and details that were included in today's conversation:
Emily Olson, “A Thanksgiving Guest's Guide to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce,” NPR, November 23, 2023.
Caterina Bulgarella, “Three Ways To Tap Into Taylor Swift's Authenticity And Build An Eras-Like Workplace,” Forbes, October 20, 2023.
Hannah Dailey, “Taylor Swift Is In Her College Era: Harvard, University of Florida Add Courses Dedicated to Pop Star,” Billboard, November 28, 2023.
Chris Willman, “Gannett's Taylor Swift Reporter, Revealed: Meet Bryan West, the First Full-Time Swiftie Journalist,” Variety, November 6, 2023.
Giles Gough, “The Changing Faith of Taylor Swift,” Premier Christianity, July 18, 2023.
Kelsey Kramer McGinnis, “The Debate over Concert Worship Goes Back Eras,” Christianity Today, November 3, 2023.
In case you missed last week's announcement, we would love to hear from you - our listeners - to find out topics that you'd like to hear discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast! Whether it's a topic that we've never tackled, or something that surfaced in a past episode that you'd like to know more about, please let us know! You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss Islam - a worldview that is increasingly popular around the globe and one that can oftentimes be misunderstood or stereotyped. While there are some places where the beliefs and practices of the Christian faith and Islam intersect, in truth they are wildly different religions. And understanding those differences is important.
Episode LinksThis is not the first time the Church & Culture Podcast has looked at the differences between Christianity and other religions. For those who are interested, we'd encourage you to go back and listen to the following episodes: CCP18: On Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses, CCP29: On Protestants and Catholics, CCP35: On Scientology, and CCP84: On Hinduism and Buddhism. There is also a message series delivered by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church (Meck) titled “So What's the Difference?” which you can find HERE.
While both the Qur'an and the Bible have some “bloody” parts to them, there are also important distinctions to understanding what makes these texts so different from each other. For a deeper look into this, we would suggest listening to CCP75: On Bloody Violence in the Bible or taking a look at Dr. White's five-part series titled “The Bloody Bible.”
Conversations about Islam have been in headlines recently due to the current conflict in Israel. To get a better handle on the history of this conflict, we would encourage you to listen to CCP80: On the War in Israel and to read the book The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order by Samuel Huntington, which you can find HERE.
One of the biggest differences between Christianity and Islam is, of course, grace. You might want to check out two series delivered by Dr. White at Meck, both on the topic of God's grace and love: “Christianity's Most Scandalous Idea“ and “Getting Grace Right.”
Finally, as you heard Alexis announce we would love to hear from you - our listeners - to find out topics that you'd like to hear discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast! Whether it's a topic that we've never tackled, or something that surfaced in a past episode that you'd like to know more about, please let us know! You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the theology of race - human creation - and the evil that is racism. A few years ago, Dr. White delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church titled “Woke” with three installments on race, racism and civility. You can find that series in both .mp3 and .pdf formats HERE.
Episode LinksWhile there are not many people who think of themselves as racist, a shadow racism can certainly be found in today's culture. For more on that, you can click HERE to read a blog by Dr. White titled “Shadow Racism.” And for pastors and church leaders listening who would want to do an in-depth teaching on race and racism, you can check out our “Going Forward: Next Steps” pastor's package. This includes not only the “Woke” series, but also the discussion with members of Meck following the death of George Floyd.
Dr. White also referenced Why We Can't Wait (Letter from a Birmingham Jail) by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. If you've never taken the time to read it, you really should. Another book he mentioned was Not the Way It's Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin by Cornelius Platinga on the idea of “shalom” - finding peace and the human community that God desires for us to be.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss Eastern religions - specifically Hinduism and Buddhism. Few people seem to realize how much these religions permeate our culture and cultural influencers.
Episode LinksOne of the primary ways that Hinduism has crept into our culture is through the practice of yoga. It is worth your time to go back and listen to a past Church & Culture podcast on this topic: CCP22: On Yoga. Tied closely to yoga is the idea of meditation, which is vastly different from forms of Christian meditation. Check out an article in Religion News Service titled “How Americans Came to Embrace Meditation and, with It, Hinduism.”
And then many people are drawn to Buddhism and its ideals because of the number of celebrities who embrace this Eastern religion. You might be interested in checking out the “List of Celebrity Buddhists” HERE. Something that makes this religion easier to embrace is that you don't have to try to accept your own sin. You may be interested in looking at Anne Lamott's book Traveling Mercies.
Finally, for more on Christianity and how it compares to the religions of the world, Dr. White delivered a six-week series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “So What's the Difference.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they continue last week's discussion on Christians and politics to explore how Christians should interact with the government - especially when they feel their government isn't upholding Christian values. In case you missed it, we encourage you to go back and listen to CCP82: On Christians and Politics.
Episode LinksDr. White referenced several passages of Scripture related to Christians and their interactions with the government. In Matthew's biography of Jesus, He is being questioned by the Pharisees who were trying to trap Him into making a political statement. Jesus gives a masterful response. We encourage you to read the full passage in Matthew 22:15-22 (NLT). It's also helpful to read Romans 13:1-7 (NLT) where the Apostle Paul is writing about respect for authority, particularly governing authority. Finally, in Acts 5:29 the Apostle Peter explains God's sovereignty above all else.
As in last week's show notes, we suggest you check out Dr. White's five-week series given at Mecklenburg Community Church titled “Where Angels Fear to Tread: Meck Talks Politics” as well as John R.W. Stott's book, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount: Christian Counter-Culture.
Finally, you may be interested in listening to past podcasts from Church & Culture on topics related to today's discussion. These include: CCP46: On the Clash Over Religious Freedom, CCP37: On Christian Nationalism, and CCP12: On Legislated Morality.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the world of Christians and politics. What should Christians consider before entering into political conversations? Is it possible to come out of these conversations as brothers and sisters in Christ? Should politics even matter to a Christian? With the primaries nearly upon us, this is a very important conversation to be having.
Episode LinksDr. White delivered a five-week series at Mecklenburg Community Church related to this topic that you'll definitely want to check out. It is titled “Where Angels Fear to Tread: Meck Talks Politics” and we received so much positive feedback about this series. He also talked about the fact that it's important for pastors to speak out on important cultural topics like gay marriage, gender and creation care. You can find a collection of series that Dr. White has delivered on cultural topics HERE.
There are two books that Dr. White mentioned in today's conversation to help you delve further into this subject:The Message of the Sermon on the Mount: Christian Counter-Culture by John R.W. Stott and Mass Communication and Everyday Life by Dennis Davis and Stanley Baran. In the latter, the authors cited an article from Daniel Boorstin titled “The Road to Diplopia.”
In the discussion they referenced a 2016 Christianity Today article titled “Bible Influences Only 1 in 10 Evangelicals on Immigration Reform,” revealing how little Christians let the Bible guide and shape their political views. Had Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. taken this same approach to his Christian faith, he may have never been able to pen the words in his Why We Can't Wait (Letter from a Birmingham Jail).
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a topic that's been circulating lately, especially related to the current conflict in Israel (check out CCP80: On the War in Israel): are we in the end times? A recent Lifeway Research article titled “Fear Prevalent in Pews, According to Protestant Pastors” found that people have a growing sense of fear about the future, and that we may be rapidly approaching the end of all time. What are the signs and how do we know?
Episode LinksWhile every generation will express feeling this way, the fear and anxiety today is almost palpable. In truth, we've been in the end times since Jesus' resurrection. There is much to be found in Scripture tied to the end of time such as the “little apocalypse” found in Matthew 24, references in Ezekiel and Daniel, and then of course the entire book of Revelation.
Dr. White posted a blog related to this conversation that you may wish to read, titled “Are the End Times Finally Here?” exploring the eight signs that Jesus describes in Matthew 24. He also delivered an eight-weekend series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “The Apocalypse: The Message of Revelation for Today” that explores everything from the tribulation to Armageddon, the antichrist to the number 666, the second coming of Jesus and, yes, the end of the world.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the crisis that began overseas on Saturday, October 7 when the terrorist organization known as Hamas began to attack Israel. The brutality of these attacks has been difficult to watch. In response, Israel has declared war and is preparing for a ground invasion of the Gaza strip to target Hamas. How are Christians supposed to respond to this? Can war ever be just?
Episode LinksThere is much to understand with this topic, and we encourage you to stay tuned to the Church & Culture blog for two releases coming out next week for more on understanding the history of this conflict. If you are new to Church & Culture, we invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog. Dr. White also mentioned a book that he suggested for understanding more about the history of Israel as a state - The World: A Brief Introduction by Richard Hoss.
We hope that this podcast is helpful for understanding the need for Christians to be able to intellectually engage this topic and to know where to stand.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss whether it is okay for those who consider themselves Christ followers to be cremated, rather than pursuing a traditional burial. This has become the preferred form of disposition, and is two times more common than it was even a couple of decades ago.
Episode LinksThis discussion was prompted by a recent article in the Washington Post titled “The Stunning Rise of Cremation Reveals America's Changing Idea of Death.” It is uncertain whether the rise in cremation is due to people becoming increasingly uncomfortable with death and dying, the more transitory nature of our existence, or the incredibly high costs of traditional burials. What's for certain is that this form of disposition will only continue to rise.
Dr. White discussed the fact that cremation as a form of disposition is not prohibited in Scripture. There are two passages where cremation is mentioned: 1 Samuel 31:12 and Amos 6:9-10. In neither case is the decision to burn the body condemned. However, throughout Christian history the tradition has always been to have a burial instead.
Finally, at the beginning of the podcast Alexis mentioned earlier podcasts that have surrounded the idea of “Is it okay for a Christian to….?” You can check out Dr. White's series by this same title at Church & Culture HERE. And if you missed the past podcasts, we encourage you to go back and listen to:
CCP74: On Smoking Marijuana and Drinking Wine
CCP55: On Tattoos and Cosmetic Surgery
CCP38: On Attending Diwali Celebrations and Gay Weddings
CCP22: On Yoga
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the rising trend of women identifying as “trad wives.” The typical “trad wives” are Christian, conservative, homemakers handling all of the cooking and cleaning, and many who even adopt the dress and style of the women of the 1950s. And they're increasingly gaining attention and followers on TikTok with nearly 187 million views.
Episode LinksWhile in a recent podcast Dr. White and Alexis discussed a group called the “never marrieds” (you can listen to that episode HERE) who are quite happy with their independence, the “trad wives” go to the other extreme, taking pride in submitting to their husbands. In an article discussed in the episode titled, “What is a 'trad wife'? These controversial women are drawing attention – and opinions,” one “trad wife” stated that she doesn't even venture out of the house without her husband's permission.
This was definitely an interesting conversation, and brought up two other podcasts on related topics that would be worth going back to listen to. These include: CCP72: On Toxic Masculinity and CCP21: On Gender.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the reality and realm of angels. A fascinating poll from the Associated Press revealed that the vast majority of Americans believe in angels - more than God, the devil, astrology or reincarnation. This begs some questions: What's so unique about angels? Why do so many people believe in them? Are they real, and if so what do they do?
Episode LinksThe aforementioned poll was discussed in an AP News article titled, “Do you believe in angels? About 7 in 10 U.S. adults do, a new AP-NORC poll shows.” 70% is quite the percentage of the population. As Dr. White mentioned, he has spoken on the topic of angels at Mecklenburg Community Church. You might enjoy checking out a series called “Paranormal” that delves into several issues related to today's discussion. The first installment titled, “A Map of the Spiritual World,” specifically focuses on the world of angels.
The conversation also talked about fallen angels, known as demons. Americans are far less inclined to believe in the demonic world than they are angels - probably because angels are so much “safer.” However the denomic agents of our spiritual world are not to be ignored. Dr. White mentioned a book written by C.S. Lewis called “The Screwtape Letters” that is definitely worth a read to understand why it's to our detriment to ignore the existence of demons in our lives.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
Welcome back to the start of a new season for the Church & Culture Podcast. In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the stunning findings of a recent Pew Research Center survey titled “A record-high share of 40-year-olds in the U.S. have never been married.” The survey, conducted in 2021, found that 25% of 40-year-olds in the US have never been married, and many never intend to get married. Today's episode will explore the cultural implications of these findings.
Episode LinksIn addition to the Pew study, the Thriving Center of Psychology conducted its own study of unmarried Millennials and Gen Z finding that 40% believe marriage to be an outdated tradition. (Note: this is the 40% that Dr. White refers to in his opening remarks and is separate from the Pew study findings). You can read more about this study and its implications in an article from The Messenger* titled “Marriage Deemed ‘Outdated' by Millennials and Gen Z.”
The data from both surveys makes it clear that marriage, as we've traditionally known it, is in a free-fall. Whether because of reasons such as the cost of having a wedding or the increase in people living together before marriage, what our culture seems to have lost is the vision that marriage was created and ordained by God. It was woven into the very fabric of creation. Dr. White delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church to help people understand the significance of marriage titled “Holy Matrimony.” You can find other series he's given on the topics of both marriage and family HERE.
The conversation also touched on singleness, looking at this idea from several angles. First, since the pandemic culture seems to have become almost complacent about their state of loneliness. Dr. White wrote about this in his recent book Hybrid Church, and how we've essentially created a pandemic of loneliness with Gen Z. Second, there are some who view singleness as a sin. Our culture needs a good theology of singleness. Dr. White referenced an article from Christianity Today titled “Singleness Is Not a Sin.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how those outside the Christian faith often perceive the God of the Bible - particularly the Old Testament - as a moral monster. Largely this is due to the (sometimes) bloody violence found in its pages including holy wars, ethnic cleansing and even child sacrifice. Frankly, even those who consider themselves Christ followers find themselves grappling with the same questions as non-believers.
Episode Links If today's conversation proved to be a good primer for you, but you'd like to go deeper on this topic, we suggest that you get a series that Dr. White delivered at Meck called “The Bloody Bible.” The series installments explore whether God is the same God in both testaments of the Bible, punishments, sacrifices and slaughters found in Scripture, and finally the differences between Christianity and Islam. If you're new to the Christian faith, and aren't even sure what is meant by “two testaments,” you may want to also check out a series called “How to Bible” which reviews the basics of reading and understanding the Bible.
Another resource that Dr. White mentioned that is very helpful is a book he wrote called Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians: Common Answers to Uncommon Questions. If you're engaging in conversations about the Christian faith with unchurched friends, family members, coworkers, etc., this would be great to have on hand to give to them so that they can explore more questions about the Bible like these.
Finally, there were several stories from the Bible that were discussed in today's conversation. We would encourage you to read: Genesis 22 (for the story of Abraham and Isaac), Exodus 12 (on the Passover), Deuteronomy 7 (on the slaughter of the Canaanites), Numbers 31 (on the conquest of the Midianites), Matthew 5-7 (the Sermon on the Mount) and Matthew 26 (the Last Supper).
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, the idea for the topic came from a series Dr. White delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church called, “Is it okay for a Christian to…” This series explored questions that both Christians and non-Christians have about what is or is not okay to do once you cross the line of faith. So, is it okay for a Christian to smoke marijuana and drink wine?
Episode Links
When trying to determine whether the Christian faith allows you the freedom to do something, it's important to put those questions through a biblical framework that Dr. White outlined. For more on this framework and how to apply it to your life, check out his book After “I Believe”: Everyday Practices for a Vibrant Faith. It's also an excellent book to read whether you are new to the Christian faith or have been a Christ follower for years.
As the Bible is key to knowing whether it's okay for a Christian to do (or not do) something, there were a number of Scripture references that Dr. White gave that we wanted to gather for you:
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On your body being a temple of the Holy Spirit, read 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
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On the benefits of wine for your body and mental health, read 1 Timothy 5:23, Psalm 104:15 and Ecclesiastes 9:7.
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On Jesus' words about wine, read Luke 7:34 and Mark 14:25.
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On warnings about your personal freedom leading others astray, read 1 Corinthians 8:9, Romans 14:21 and 1 Corinthians 10:31.
Finally, Dr. White read an excerpt from a Christianity Today article titled, “A Toast to My Journey with Wine” which you can read HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they take a break from discussing what's happening in culture to talk about how to become a student of culture. While Dr. White touched on this briefly in the podcast's inaugural episode CCP1: Welcome to the C&C Podcast, this episode really dives down into his practices for staying on top of what's happening in our world and how the church should respond and engage.
Episode Links Being a student of culture is something Dr. White considers vital to his role in the church. He has a daily practice of reviewing more than 15 periodicals to see how they are engaging the news. The three he suggests to be most helpful for a true exploration of cultural events are: The Atlantic, National Public Radio, and The Washington Post. And for those in the Christian world he recommends: Christianity Today Magazine, UVA's Hedgehog Review, and Q from Gabe Lyons. Don't have time to read through multiple articles looking for important cultural trends? That's why Dr. White selects the four most relevant stories and posts these each day at churchandculture.org on our Daily Headline News.
He often uses these cultural stories and findings as the source of inspiration for topics for his twice-weekly Church & Culture blog, which you can subscribe to for free on the Church & Culture website. Once you subscribe, you'll receive the blog delivered straight to your inbox every Monday and Thursday.
Dr. White also uses his extensive research and study of culture to pour into the many books that he has written. There were five books specifically mentioned in this episode that are particularly relevant for the understanding of today's culture: Serious Times: Making Your Life Matter in an Urgent Day on understanding history as it relates to today's culture; A Mind for God which is extremely important for developing and maintaining a Christian mind and worldview; The Rise of the Nones: Understanding and Reaching the Religiously Unaffiliated to understand the alarming rise in those who claim no religious affiliation whatsoever; Meet Generation Z to grasp what makes this generation particularly unique and a primary mission field for the church; and finally his latest release, Hybrid Church: Rethinking the Church for a Post-Christian Digital Age looking at the digital revolution that has taken place in our day and the need for the church to adapt. Also, for help with how to quickly and efficiently read a book, Dr. White recommended “How to Read a Book” by Mortimer Adler.
Finally, the concern with people creating a “Daily Me” was brought up during today's conversation. This is the idea that people tend to cultivate their news feed through social media to only show them stories that align with their political and ideological beliefs. You can listen to the recent podcast episode CCP71: On Social Media and Mental Health for a deeper look into this topic.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the spirit of toxic masculinity that has invaded the church - something at the forefront of sexual abuse scandals and stories of domineering male leadership. As Dr. White said, he's truly sickened by this.
Episode Links An earlier podcast episode - CCP8: On Purity Culture - explored how the church sometimes tries to excuse sexual abuse within its walls by creating a caricature of men who are hopelessly ruled by their sexual desires, therefore attempting to put the blame for the incidents on the women involved.
This spirit of toxic masculinity can also move outside the church and into the home, particularly when it comes to the idea of submission in marriage. Dr. White explored the deeper meaning of the words found in Ephesians 5, particularly in verse 21 that says: “… submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” The idea is that husband and wife are to submit to one another. There are a number of excellent series that Dr. White has delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church in the area of marriage and family. You can find all of those messages HERE. One series that we want to highlight that is particularly relevant to today's topic was called #MeToo.” While it talked about the cultural implications of the #MeToo movement, it also has an installment called #HomeToo that talks about this need for husbands to also submit to their wives.
For information on some of the statistics and data shared during this episode, check out the following resources: Paul J. Wright, “Pornography Consumption and Extramarital Sex Attitudes Among Married U.S. Adults: Longitudinal Replication,” ResearchGate; “How Many Women Watch Porn?” Fight the New Drug; “Child Abuse Statistics,” Child Help; and “Child Maltreatment Report 2021,” Children's Bureau.
Finally, several podcasts would be worth going back to listen to as they relate to today's conversation. The recent episode “CCP67: On the Secrets of Hillsong and the Duggars” touched on male toxicity within both the church and the home. The episode “CCP21: On Gender” looks at the idea of gender stereotypes and how these might affect what it means to be a godly man. If we want a full picture of a godly man and how he is called to treat women, we should look no further than Jesus. He leveled the sexual playing field by uplifting the role of women in culture. This is being fleshed out well in the series The Chosen, and you can listen to the podcast “CCP54: On ‘The Chosen'” for more about that series.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent article written by Kelsey Kramer McGinnis for Christianity Today titled, “Worship Music Is Emotionally Manipulative. Do You Trust the Leader Plucking the Strings?” To be sure, there is much here to consider, particularly whether the music is serving to connect you with God or simply to the songs themselves… or even the people singing them.
Episode Links In general, people seem to have lost a sense of the true meaning of worship. For this reason, Dr. White delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Worth-Ship” to explore what it means to truly give honor and worth to God.
Dr. White referenced the call to worship found in Scripture, specifically in Psalm 100 that says: “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness” (vv. 1-2, NLT). In The Message translation of the Bible, verse two is written this way: “… sing yourselves into his presence.”
The potential for worship music to manipulate our hearts and minds has been considered for a while now. Here are two additional news stories mentioned in this episode that are worth the time to read:
Bob Smietana, “How Bethel and Hillsong Took Over Our Worship Sets,”
Christianity Today, April 12, 2023.
W. David O. Taylor, “Hymns and Neurons: How Worship Rewires Our Brains and Bonds Us Together,”
Christianity Today, August 29, 2022.
It is not only worship teams who can be susceptible to creating emotionally manipulative songs and experiences. It's also necessary for teaching pastors to make sure they are delivering a message rather than a performance. This was touched on during previous podcast episodes such as “CCP51: On Prosperity Preaching” and “CCP31: On Celebrity Pastors.”
The discussion then shifted to online worship experiences, as a Pew Research Center study found that many adults still choose to attend church online and are very satisfied with the online worship experience. This was further explored by Dr. White in his book Hybrid Church: Rethinking the Church for a Post-Christian Digital World.
Finally, when churches such as Mars Hill and Hillsong began to be investigated for their failings, a lot of people were quick to lump all large churches into the same bucket. We suggest that you go back and listen to two previous podcast episodes, especially considering that when the church was birthed into existence it was a megachurch! Those episodes are: “CCP40: On Criticism of Mega Churches” and “CCP53: On Asbury and Revivals.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the recent decision made by the U.S. Surgeon General to release an official statement on the harm that is being done to teens through the use of social media. It is causing an alarming rise in mental health issues, with studies finding that excessive use of social media has been linked to cyberbullying, disrupted sleep cycles, reduced physical activity, body-image issues, an increase in self-harm, exposure to pornography, and increased rates of depression and anxiety. Sadly, many parents consider themselves helpless to do anything about it.
Episode Links In his latest book Hybrid Church: Rethinking the Church for a Post-Christian Digital Age, Dr. White has an entire section on social media as it relates to the church, and how to think Christianly about it. Because it is clear that the church cannot remain silent about the harmful effects that social media has on our society. To help with this, Mecklenburg Community Church offers an on-demand class through the Meck Institute called “FaceTime: What Parents Need to Know About Technology, Social Media, Video Games and More.”
Along with that class that is designed to serve parents, Dr. White gave a series at Mecklenburg Community Church that stresses the importance of parents being informed, involved, and in charge. It's called “The Under-Protective Parent” and is available on Church & Culture HERE.
There are several stories that have been in the news of late related to this topic that were mentioned during today's conversation and that have been shared through the Daily Headline News on Church & Culture:
Matt Richtel, Catherine Pearson and Michael Levenson, “Surgeon General Warns That Social Media May Harm Children and Adolescents,” The New York Times, May 23, 2023.
Julie Jargon, “Why 16 Should Be the Minimum Age for Social Media,”
The Wall Street Journal, June 10, 2023.
Naomi Nix, “Meta Starts Task Force in Fight Against Child Pornography on Instagram,”
The Washington Post, June 7, 2023.
Ayana Archie, “Montana Becomes the First State to Ban TikTok,”
NPR, May 18, 2023.
Michaeleen Doucleff, “Major Psychologists' Group Warns of Social Media's Potential Harm to Kids,”
NPR, May 9, 2023.
Michaeleen Doucleff, “The Truth about Teens, Social Media and the Mental Health Crisis,”
NPR, April 25, 2023.
Peter Chappell, “One in five British children have a phone by age four,”
The Times UK, April 15, 2023.
Emily A. Vogels, Risa Gelles-Watnick and Navid Massarat, “Teens, Social Media and Technology 2022,”
Pew Research Center, August 10, 2022.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a survey from Lifeway that was the subject of an article titled “Most Churchgoers Say They Want to Serve, Fewer Actually Do” - and that's fewer to the tune of a mere 30%. This leaves many pastors and ministry leaders struggling with how to cultivate the drive for people to act on their desire to serve.
Episode Links Dr. White talked about the importance of having pastors directly speak to the church about the need for people to serve - to do more with their one and only life. There are a couple series that he delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church that you may be interested in checking out. The first is one that inspired the title of this podcast episode, “Get Off Your ‘But',” which attempts to break down the four primary excuses that people have for not serving. The second is titled “Maximum Impact” and speaks not only to the need to serve, but also the need to evangelize (because the same gap that exists between intention and action with regards to serving also exists with evangelism).
Continuing on the topic of the need to evangelize, Dr. White shared a story from Ken Gire's book Seeing What Is Sacred about the ripple effect that bringing others into a relationship with Christ can have.
Finally, your S.H.A.P.E. came up frequently in today's discussion. The idea of finding your S.H.A.P.E. comes from Rick Warren's book The Purpose Driven Life. Dr. White delivered a great series at Meck called “Living on Purpose,” with the third installment of that series specifically focusing on your S.H.A.P.E.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent article in the Washington Post titled “The Revolt of the Christian Home-Schoolers.” The article revealed that there can be a toxic side to some pockets of homeschooling, one that creates a breeding ground for ideas tied to Christian nationalism and pitting faith against science.
Episode Links Those who have followed the podcast or Dr. White's blog should know that he is a big proponent of homeschooling and the many benefits that it can have for children and families. This was also brought up during an earlier podcast, CCP17: On School Choice.
But the darker side of homeschooling is troubling, especially when it creates a breeding ground of bad ideology. For more on this we encourage you to listen to past podcasts such as: CCP37: On Christian Nationalism for a better understanding of whether we're called to be a Christian nation or a nation of Christians; CCP49: On Faith vs. Science to see how everything in science not only complements God's existence, but also demands it; and CCP64: On Cults and Conspiracy Theories to see how the desire for community is what can create this strange sense of belonging found in these toxic homeschooling groups.
The church needs to be an advocate for homeschooling families to be Christian biblicists, particularly when it comes to the clash between faith and science. Dr. White has delivered several series at Mecklenburg Community Church that specifically speak to this including: The Science of God, Astrophysics for People Who Are Open to God, Don't Check Your Brains at the Door, and Creation Care.
Finally, you heard Dr. White talk about his book A Mind for God. This is an incredible resource that also provides lists of books to help develop a Christian mind. You can find that book on Amazon HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss two recent docuseries that have drawn a lot of attention: FX's “The Secrets of Hillsong” exploring the distressing global patterns of misconduct at Hillsong Church, as well as Prime Video's “Shiny Happy People” exposing the nightmarish home life of the Duggar Family and the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP).
Episode Links Dr. White wrote a blog on the mess at Hillsong Church titled “Should Churches Still Use Music from Hillsong?” It definitely brought up a lot of points to consider, especially when it comes to contributions through royalties. You can read that blog HERE. Dr. White wrote another blog titled “Should a Church Use NDAs” that has become a big issue for churches like Hillsong that are coming to light. And as he mentioned during today's conversation, the Hillsong docuseries left a lot to be desired, and even some people who were hurt by it. You can read “The Secrets of Hillsong: An Open Letter to the Director” to see what we mean.
There are a couple podcasts we suggest that you check out where they've discussed some of the issues that lead to failings like what happened at Hillsong. These are: CCP40: On Criticism of Mega Churches, CCP31: On Celebrity Pastors, CCP4:On Pastors and Moral Failings.
A recent podcast is also worth going back to listen to as it helps explain how organizations like the IBLP draw people in, even when their practices are so extreme. It's CCP64: On Cults and Conspiracy Theories.
There are several news stories that were mentioned during today's conversation or that would be helpful for you to check out as they relate to this episode:
Roxanne Stone, “What the New Hillsong Doc Gets Right … and Wrong + Janice Lagata,”
Religion News Service, June 8, 2023.
Emily Hunter McGowin, “Shiny Miserable Family: How Bill Gothard's Ministry Missed the Sin Inside,”
Christianity Today, June 9, 2023.
Mariah Espada, “The True Story Behind the Duggar Family Docuseries Shiny Happy People,”
TIME, June 2, 2023.
Russell Moore, “We Believe in the Power of the Gospel, Not the Gospel of Power,”
Christianity Today, June 7, 2023.
Amy Julia Becker, “Opinion: Hillsong Was Extraordinary. That's The Problem.”
The Roys Report, June 5, 2023.
“Exit Music (For A Church),”
Christianity Today, June 9, 2023.
Finally, Dr. White encouraged pastors to remember that they are not above being susceptible to moral failings. He wrote about this in his book What They Didn't Teach You in Seminary which you can order HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the alarming rise in popularity of Satanism, and those who consider themselves to be part of the Satanic Temple. While the vast majority of members are essentially atheistic “believers” (meaning they do not actually worship Satan), Satan is still being upheld as a symbol of free expression and opposition to injustice among other things. You may be surprised to find out just how widespread this is….
Episode Links In his latest book Hybrid Church: Rethinking the Church for a Post-Christian Digital Age, Dr. White writes about the transition from Christendom to “humandom” that has fueled the post-Christian world that we find ourselves in today. The idea that we don't need to answer to a higher power, but rather should allow reason to be our guide is what draws so many people to Satanism. Not only that, it's what draws them to cults, conspiracies, and even the world of the occult. Check out these past podcasts for more on these topics:
CCP64: On Cults and Conspiracy Theories
CCP58: On Your Horoscope and Starbucks
CCP35: On Scientology
CCP11: On Wicca
There are several stories that have been in the news of late related to this topic that were mentioned during today's conversation, particularly about the “SatanCon” gathering and the mess that Target has landed themselves in. Here are three recent articles to check out:
Camille Fine, “SatanCon: World's ‘Largest Gathering of Satanists' Hails Diversity, Fellowship,”
USA Today, May 3, 2023.
Abigail Anthony, “Target Partners with Satanist Brand to Create Items for ‘PRIDE' Collection,”
National Review, May 22, 2023.
Niha Masih and Jaclyn Peiser, “Target Pulls Some LGBT+ Items Days After CEO Talks Up Inclusivity,”
The Washington Post, May 24, 2023.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discussed capital punishment - something that both Christians and non-Christians wrestle with. Old Testament Scriptures reveal that capital punishment was used for a number of offenses; however, Jesus brought many Old Testament laws to completion during His time on Earth. The Bible has shaped American thinking since the country's foundation, and our laws say that the states have the right to take a life. But where should Christians land on this?
Episode Links There is an ongoing news story that Dr. White shared recently through the Daily Headline News that prompted today's discussion. It's about a man in Oklahoma who is on death row who has had his execution stayed nine times to date. The details of the case have many questioning whether he should be punished with the death penalty. Here are two recent articles:
Emily Belz, “How an Oklahoma Death Penalty Case Shook Up Evangelical Views on Execution,”
Christianity Today, May 10, 2023.
Diana Chandler, “Oklahoma Pastor Advocates for Life of Convicted Man on Death Row,”
Baptist Press, May 23, 2023.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, the discussion was prompted by a disturbing article in the New York Times that was shared on Church & Culture's Daily Headline News. The title of the article, written by Andrew Higgins, was, “He Told Followers to Starve to Meet Jesus. Why Did So Many Do It?” Why indeed. What leads people to join a cult, especially when the leader encourages their followers to take their own lives? And what connection do conspiracy theories have to cults?
Episode LinksThis is not the first time that the podcast discussion has touched on the topic of cults. We'd encourage you to go back and listen to CCP35: On Scientology and CCP18: On Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses.
Dr. White outlined the marks of a cult and, in addition to discussing the cult led by Paul Mackenzie in Kenya from the NYT article, he also mentioned the story about the doomsday cult that led a mother in Idaho to murder her two children, as well as the HBO Max show “The Vow,” a documentary series about the cult NXIVM.
One of the big takeaways is that people seem to long for community, especially when facing times of difficulty in life. This is also what can make the world of conspiracy theories so appealing, particularly when they seem to morph into a cult like we witnessed happen during the pandemic. This is what led to the rise of QAnon, predominately through social media. For more on that you should check out an excellent article written by Katelyn Beaty in Religion News Service titled, “ QAnon: The alternative religion that's coming to your church,” as well as Dr. White's blog simply titled “QAnon.”
Finally, the discussion ended with a look at why truth matters so very much. Dr. White mentioned a video from Stephen Colbert that, while intending to be comedic, was really quite prescient. You can watch the video on “truthiness” HERE. Dr. White also wrote a blog called “Choosing Our Truth Sources” to help people understand why truth is so important. He referenced a quote from Freud who said, “If it were really a matter of indifference what we believed, if there were no knowledge which was distinguished from among our opinions by the fact that it corresponds with reality, then we might just as well build our bridges of cardboard as of stone, or inject a tenth of a gram of morphia into a patient instead of a hundredth, or take tear-gas as a narcotic instead of ether” (from the New Introductory Lectures on Psycho-analysis, 1933).
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discussed a recent article by Michael Hidalgo in RELEVANT titled “When Did Christians Get So Mean?” Since the pandemic, we've watched as the world seems to increasingly thrive on spewing vitriol from behind their keyboards. But more and more this behavior is coming from those who claim to be Christ followers. The concepts of grace and loving kindness seem to have gone out the window.
Episode LinksThe Bible offers very clear counsel on the power of words and the use of our mouths. Dr. White mentioned several passages that many Christians need to keep in the forefront of their minds:
“It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.”
- James 3:5-6, The Message
“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
- James 1:19, NIV
“Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.”
- Proverbs 10:19, NLT
As mentioned earlier, a lack of grace is a significant contributor to this problem, which is ironic as grace is what makes the Christian faith so distinct from other world religions. Dr. White recently delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church specifically on the topic of grace titled “Christianity's Most Scandalous Idea.” You can find that series HERE.
There are also two books that Dr. White suggested to listeners related to today's topic. The first is #Republic: Divided Democracy in the Age of Social Media written by Cass Sunstein. In this book Sunstein talks about the “daily ME,” where we now customize our social media feeds to see only the world that we want to see. Driven by insecurity, all this seems to do is increasingly cause hostility to ideas different from our own. The second book is The Bait of Satan written by John Bevere that explores how we are so eager to take offense at what others say and do.
Finally, if you're interested in listening to some other Church & Culture Podcast episodes that may shed further light on this topic, be sure to check out CCP6: On Anger and CCP13: On Cancel Culture.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a very difficult topic: when, how, and who decides whether to close a church? It doesn't matter if it's a church that's been around for decades, or a church plant only a couple years into their journey, it's never an easy decision to grapple with. But between the great resignation of pastors, the widespread denominational decline and the rapid closing of churches across the country, it's a decision that many churches are having to face.
Episode LinksIf you're new to the podcast, you may want to check out some past episodes where the conversation has touched on some of the background issues that led to today's discussion. These are: CCP4: On Pastors and Moral Failings, CCP15: On Denominational Decline, and CCP30: On Quiet Quitting and the Church.
As Dr. White said during the conversation, the heart of the people making up the church has much to do with whether the decision should be made to save a dying church. Two blogs that he wrote illustrate what it looks like to have a church community who are all-in - “Anything for the Mission” - versus one where they're completely turned inward - “Our Spiritual Pandemic of Narcissism.”
Many listeners may be interested in finding out more about the decision that Mecklenburg Community Church made to close three of its Charlotte-area campuses in order to make a more strategic missional investment in its Online Campus. To read all about that story and more be sure to check out Dr. White's latest book Hybrid Church: Rethinking the Church for a Post-Christian Digital Age.
At the end of today's conversation, Dr. White mentioned a blog that is released annually by the Church & Culture team that serves as an encouragement to pastors who may be struggling with a church that is either dying or failing to thrive. You can read the blog “The Monday After Easter” here.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, their discussion was prompted by an article that Dr. White shared on the Daily Headline News on Church & Culture. The title of the article (which has since been updated) was “Babies without sex? Researchers are working on it. Ethicists are troubled” and you can read the full article HERE. This has to do with scientific research for a procedure that goes beyond IVF and is known as IVG - in vitro gametogenesis. While bioethicists are pondering whether this is going too far, for the Christian this leads to stronger implications as the very definition of what it means to be human is coming under attack.
Episode LinksThere are two podcasts that we suggest you go back and listen to if you missed them, both related to today's topic: CCP10: On Roe vs. Wade and CCP48: On Medically Assisted Suicide. They both discuss the sanctity of human life and just how much control we should have versus what God - who created life - should have.
In today's conversation, Dr. White encouraged pastors to speak out on cultural issues of the day and to have the courage to do this. Past message series given by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church can all be found on the Messages by James Emery White page of Church & Culture. Once there, you'll find that all messages are arranged in categories, and we'd suggest that you check out the Culture page for series on some of the biggest topics in culture today.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how in today's world, it truly takes courage for parents to raise their kids in a way that honors the Christian faith. And an area of parenting where people tend to struggle the most is when it comes to whether it's okay to discipline our children. Culture has shifted toward the trend of “gentle parenting” - also known as “mindful” or “intentional” parenting. But is this the best way to go? Is it even biblical?
Episode LinksThere were two articles that Dr. White found to be helpful for this conversation that we want to share with you:
Jessica Winter, “The Harsh Realm of ‘Gentle Parenting,'” The New Yorker Magazine, online HERE.
Fiona Macrae and Paul Sims, “The Spoilt Generation: Parents Who Fail to Exert Authority Breeding Youngsters with No Respect for Anyone,” DailyMail, online HERE.
Additionally, there were several Scripture references that Dr. White provided that are helpful when trying to discern where the Bible lands when it comes to parenting. We'd encourage you to look at Proverbs 13:24 and 29:17, as well as Hebrews 12:5-11.
Finally, Dr. White has delivered several parenting series at Mecklenburg Community Church that have always received incredibly positive feedback. You can check these out on Church & Culture, or click the message title below for more information (the series installments are listed for you as well):
“Parent Traps”
Discipline; Peer Pressure; Faith; Education
“Parent-Child Turning Points”
When They Turn Two: Time to Shape the Will; When They Turn Eight: Time to Deepen the Relationship; When They Turn Twelve: Time to Focus on Communication; When They Turn Eighteen: Time to Let Go
“The Under Protective Parent”
The Passive Parent; Relationships; Media; God
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a topic that has been on the rise as of late - Calvinism. There are really two dynamics behind the ministry of Church & Culture: to look at the interplay between the Church and the culture of our day, but also to examine the culture within the Church itself. And it's with the latter that today's discussion lands.
Episode LinksThere are three helpful resources that Dr. White mentioned during the podcast, particularly when it comes to the debate over passages found in Scripture referencing election and predestination, as well as an understanding of Arminianism. They are:
William Klein, The New Chosen People: A Corporate View of Election.
“N. T. Wright on Predestination and Election,” watch on YouTube HERE.
Roger Olson, Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities.
Another topic that came up frequently in the conversation was grace. Dr. White recently delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Christianity's Most Scandalous Idea” that focused specifically on grace as it relates to the Christian faith. You can find that series HERE.
Finally, the idea of women in ministry and leadership within the church is a tension point for those who hold to Calvin's beliefs. You can listen to an earlier Church & Culture Podcast on this: CCP7: On Women in Ministry.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the recent release of Starbucks' “Star Signs” in partnership with the astrology app called Sanctuary. Designed to help you figure out the perfect beverage for your astrological sign, it will also tell you your power words, give you a spring flower and color, and tell you your horoscope. What may seem like a harmless and fun gimmick from Starbucks is, in truth, dabbling in the world of the occult.
Episode LinksDr. White has frequently blogged about topics related to the occult over the years - areas where people may believe something to be innocuous, but really they've crossed into the world of the occult. Here are four for you to check out: About Those Angel Numbers, The Season of the Witch, About that Horoscope App and About Those Tarot Cards.
This topic has also been a part of several Church & Culture Podcast conversations. If you're interested, you can go back and listen to them:
CCP45: On Superstition and God's Will
CCP22: On Yoga
CCP11: On Wicca
Dr. White's series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Paranormal” is a great one to listen to in order to give you a solid understanding of the world of the occult and the spiritual battle going on around us every day. Finally, today's conversation even talked about how this is a huge part of Satan's mission - to deceive people - and what this will look like at the end of time. You may be interested in the series “The Apocalypse: The Message of Revelation for Today.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a shocking statistic - that more than 200 million Americans are a part of the world of gaming. That's more than 60% of the U.S. population. Furthermore, the average “binge time” spent gaming has increased to five hours. This is having a profound effect, not only in the lives of children but on marriages as well.
Episode LinksDr. White's newly released book is titled Hybrid Church: Rethinking the Church for a Post-Christian Digital Age. Among many topics covered in this book is a look at all that encompasses the digital revolution that has taken place in our culture, including gaming and the metaverse.
There are several news stories posted to the Daily Headline News at Church & Culture that you may be interested in reading for more on this hot topic:
Elanor Hayward, “NHS treats child gaming addicts who attack parents,” The Telegraph, March 27, 2023.
Tom Hoggins, “World Health Organisation adopts 'gaming addiction' as official illness despite industry opposition,” The Telegraph, May 28, 2019.
Sonja Haller, “'This game is like heroin:' Fortnite addiction sending kids to gaming rehab,” USA Today, December 9, 2018.
Chris Moss, “Men and boys are in crisis, and technology is to blame,” The Telegraph, May 10, 2015.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the results of a recent poll from the Wall Street Journal and the NORC at the University of Chicago. The title of the WSJ article reviewing the poll's findings read, “America Pulls Back From Values That Once Defined It.” The poll revealed a radical change in American values since it was last conducted in 1988. And much of that change has to do with a dramatic rise in individualism in the United States.
Episode LinksIf you want to take time to dive into the poll's findings, you can read it all HERE.
There were several books mentioned during today's conversation if you are interested in exploring topics related to the poll's findings. For more on the topic of today's culture as it compares to the founding of our nation, you'll be interested in reading Dr. White's book Serious Times: Making Your Life Matter in an Urgent Day. For more reading on American history Dr. White suggested reading David McCullough's work titled John Adams and Thomas Paine's “Crisis Papers.” To help give you a better understanding of a profound shift in our culture, read James Emery White's book “The Rise of the Nones: Understanding and Reaching the Religiously Unaffiliated.” Finally, for a picture of what our society really values you can read “The Day America Told the Truth: What People Really Believe About Everything That Really Matters” written by James Patterson and Peter Kim.
We would also encourage you to go back and listen to two earlier podcasts that were brought up during today's conversation. The first is CCP2: On Ukraine, Russia and the Orthodox Church discussing how religious divides can lead to violent outcomes. And the second is CCP37: On Christian Nationalism exploring whether America really is meant to be a Christian nation.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss whether it's okay for a Christian to get a tattoo or cosmetic surgery. Culture clings tightly to the belief that we, as individuals, have the right to determine what we do with our bodies and how we use them. But what does the Bible have to say about this topic? How much are we allowed to manipulate our bodies?
Episode LinksDr. White referenced several articles from The Atlantic that have been written in recent years on tattoos. Katherine Wu wrote, “Tattoos Do Odd Things to the Immune System” discussing the body's response to ink-filled needles. Amanda Mull wrote, “Tattoos Now Have an Exit Strategy” looking at the increasing popularity of semipermanent tattoos. And finally, Adrienne Green wrote an article titled “Watching Tattoos Go From Rebellious to Mainstream” about how much culture has come to embrace the art of tattoos.
Dr. White did a series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Is it okay for a Christian to…” looking at everything from watching R-rated movies to smoking marijuana. One of the installments focused on whether it's okay for a Christian to get a tattoo or to be cremated. He also mentioned another series in today's conversation called “Seasons of Life.” The installment on the 40s explored how a fixation on anti-aging and all that we try to do to fight it tends to creep into our mindset during this decade of life.
Finally, Dr. White read an excerpt from an essay written by Lore Ferguson titled, “Beautiful Beyond Our Control.” We'd definitely encourage you to read the whole thing as it's so beautifully written.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss The Chosen - a multi-season series on the life of Jesus written and directed by Dallas Jenkins. The following for this series has been unprecedented, with more than 100 million people who've seen at least part of the show. So is the series biblically accurate? Does it matter whether it follows the Bible verse by verse, or could the Holy Spirit be creatively working through the series?
Episode LinksDr. White wrote a blog called "Topical or Expositional" that will offer a helpful explanation to a topic that came up during today's conversation.
The discussion also explored Christian film and television, and how it often changes or is shaped by culture. Dr. White brought up six movies/series (some overtly Christian and others that are more Christian-adjacent) and the cultural differences at the time of their release. For reference, those movies are: Godspell (1973) Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), Jesus of Nazareth (1977), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), The Passion of the Christ (2004) and The Chosen (2017).
Finally, the conversation turned to how series like "The Chosen" do so much to make Jesus relatable to us. Dr. White led a series at Meck that explored a unique side of God - it is called "When God Makes Us Laugh." You can find that series HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the revival that started at Asbury University in Kentucky back on February 8. For those who don't know what that is, what started as a small Wednesday night chapel service turned into a more than two-week long prayer and worship experience with thousands of people pouring into Wilmore, Kentucky to be a part of the experience. Important to this conversation is having a good understanding of what revival is, and why and how God can use revivals to advance the mission of the Church.
Episode LinksThe topic of revival was brought up during our Church & Culture LIVE Podcast, which then prompted today's conversation. If you missed that, we'd love for you to go back and watch or listen to that HERE.
There are two blogs written by Dr. White that we'd encourage you to check out on the topic of revival. The first is called “The Importance of Remembering Camp Meetings,” which discusses the power they held to help bring about social change and spiritual revival. At the end of the conversation, Dr. White talked about how every day the church has a responsibility to turn outward and to be ready for the work of the Holy Spirit. He wrote the blog called “Don't Wait for Revival” urging the church to be on mission.
It was also interesting to see how the outside, watching world viewed the revivals. Thomas Lyons wrote an article in The Atlantic titled “When a Christian Revival Goes Viral.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the recent release of the latest book written by Dr. White called Hybrid Church: Rethinking the Church for a Post-Christian Digital Age (Zondervan). Three years of research and writing were poured into this book, charting the sweeping, historic change that has taken place in our culture and in the life of the church. As Dr. White said, never has he prayed more for the ministry of a book he has written than for this one.
Episode LinksDr. White has been the author of more than 20 books to date, and he has proven to be on the cutting edge of some critical cultural changes that would impact the church in pivotal ways. If you've not read them, be sure to check out The Rise of the Nones: Understanding and Reaching the Religiously Unaffiliated and Meet Generation Z: Understanding and Reaching the New Post-Christian World.
For a preview of some of the book's content, you can check out this series of four blogs
that gives you a quick insight into the content of the book:
The Need for a Hybrid Model
Church 3.0
Opening the Digital Front Door
The Importance of Affirming Online Engagement
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a modern heretical movement that many people are susceptible to without even knowing it. They had an earlier discussion on this topic - CCP33: On the Rise of Heresy - that you definitely need to go back and listen to if you missed it. But today's discussion takes a deep dive into the “prosperity gospel movement,” also known as the “health-and-wealth gospel.” This is the idea that if you come to faith in Jesus, along with the eternal reward of heaven comes other benefits as well - specifically in the areas of health and finance. This is prosperity preaching, and it has no place in the life of the church.
Episode LinksA lot of prosperity preachers pull Scripture out of context to make sweeping generalizations about what followers of Christ should expect God to give them. Learning how to properly read and interpret Scripture is so vitally important for those who call themselves Christ followers, which is why Dr. White led a series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “How to Bible”. One of the installments is on how to read and interpret Scripture. He also wrote a blog on this topic titled “Two Main Principles for Getting the Bible Right” that you can read HERE.
A large part of today's conversation centered around the idea of receiving blessings from God, something that is absolutely a biblical truth. But God is not a genie in a bottle, and any type of preaching that says, “If you have enough faith God will give you everything you ask for” is heresy. For a better understanding of blessings that come from God, check out a series by Dr. White called “God's Blessing, Your Life.”
Finally, in case you missed the Church & Culture LIVE Podcast, you can go back and listen to that HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
Thanks to those of you who joined us for the first-ever Church & Culture LIVE Podcast with Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye. There were some great questions submitted through the chat on everything from whether it's okay for Christians to use CBD to the changing dynamics of online vs. in-person services. It was a fantastic conversation. Check out the Episode Links below for the podcasts, blogs, series and books that were mentioned as a part of the live podcast episode.
Episode LinksChurch & Culture Podcast Episodes:
CCP44: On Artificial Intelligence
CCP7: On Women in Ministry
CCP30: On Quiet Quitting and the Church
Church & Culture Blogs:
"The People Meck Needs"
"Beth Moore in the Pulpit"
"The Importance of Affirming Online Attendance"
Church & Culture Series:
"The Under-Protective Parent"
"Is it okay for a Christian to..."
"Primordial"
Recommended Resources:
James Emery White, Hybrid Church.
James Emery White, Meet Generation Z.
James Emery White, A Mind for God.
John Stott, Guard the Truth.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a topic that was sparked by Dr. White's latest series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Primordial: Genesis and the World's Primeval History.” The culture of our day seems to want to place science and faith at odds with each other when in reality everything in science compliments God's existence - in fact, it demands it. What's ironic is that the study of science itself was deeply rooted in a Christian worldview.
Episode LinksIn addition to the aforementioned series at Meck, there are two other series that Dr. White led on this topic that would be very helpful to check out. The first is called “The Science of God” with installments that explore the science of God's existence, of God's creation and of faith. The second is “Astrophysics… for people who are open to God.” As a culture, we seem to be almost obsessed with cosmic headlines from the Big Bang to black holes, from quarks to quantum mechanics, and from the search for planets to the search for life in the universe. This series explores whether when you delve into such things, they point away from God or to Him?
Dr. White has also written blogs tied to today's conversation that we would encourage you to read. “A Post-Empirical God” discusses the concept of reductive naturalism and how scientists have become increasingly hostile towards religion. “From How to Who” is a blog that discusses the Scopes Trial you heard mentioned in today's episode. It points to the fact that the real issue of our day is not between creation and evolution, but rather between theism and naturalism. Finally, he wrote a blog titled “UFOs… Confirmed?” taking a look at the significance of life on other planets and how future discoveries in science may impact our faith.
Dr. White's book Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians: Uncommon Answers to Common Questions is a great resource for you or others you may know who are open to exploring the Christian faith. He takes on the topic of faith vs. science in this book as well. You can find it HERE on Amazon or from your favorite bookseller.
Once again, we hope that you'll be able to join us for the upcoming Church & Culture LIVE Podcast on Thursday, February 23 from 12 - 1 p.m. You'll be able to access the podcast live through Meck's Online Campus platform. And if you can't make it that day, not to worry - you'll still be able to listen in on the conversation through all the usual channels the next day.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a difficult yet important topic - medically assisted suicide. The conversation was sparked by a podcast listener from Canada, where the Medical Assistance In Dying (MAID) law was passed in 2016 and is set to be expanded this year to include those who are suffering from mental illness. To say that this law has created a slippery slope is an understatement. And with the way things are trending in the U.S., we'll likely not be very far behind.
Episode LinksThe idea of euthanasia or MAID is increasingly viewed by culture as allowing death with dignity, and coincides with the mantra that individual freedom is all that really matters. There are already 10 states in the U.S. that allow what is known as PAD - Physician-Assisted Death. What people seem to be missing is that quality of life should never supersede the sanctity of life. Dr. White has written about this topic in a blog called “The Startling Rise of Suicide” that you can read HERE.
The expansion of the MAID law in Canada to include allowing those with mental illness to take their own lives is particularly disturbing. Although, this is a trend that we've witnessed in the U.S. where more and more states are pushing to allow youth who are suffering from gender dysphoria to undergo procedures without parental input or approval. This was discussed in CCP21: On Gender. Dr. White also referenced a case in the Netherlands where a young girl who had been raped made the choice to die by euthanasia. You can read more about that HERE.
Finally, you heard Alexis again mention the upcoming Church & Culture LIVE Podcast on Thursday, February 23 from 12 - 1 p.m. You'll be able to access the podcast live through Meck's Online Campus platform. And if you can't make it that day, not to worry - you'll still be able to listen in on the conversation through all the usual channels the next day.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent article from the UK Times announcing the first-ever gender-neutral production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” from the Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group. While the rock opera has always been controversial for stripping Jesus of His divinity and ignoring the resurrection, this takes it a step further having the lead role of Jesus played by a non-binary actor. In the words of the creative producer: “Jesus is remembered as being a man, but who are we to decide?”
Episode LinksThe release of this article prompted Dr. White to write a blog titled “The Non-Binary Jesus” that you can read HERE. As he notes in the blog and reiterates in today's discussion, deciding that Jesus is non-binary is a direct result of people's desire to be their own god and remake anything they choose to in their own image.
What's missing for so many is a true understanding of the theology of God and of Jesus. While Dr. White is able to briefly touch on this topic, we'd encouraging you to look into his “Theology on Tap” course. It's a 15-video course breaking down his graduate-level class in systematic theology in way that anyone can understand.
Scripture clearly says that we are made in God's image - male and female. This leaves little room for the idea of being non-binary. As gender is so central to today's conversation, we encourage you to go back and listen to CCP21: On Gender or to check out the “Gender” series delivered by Dr. White at Meck.
There can be no doubt that many in the LGBTQ community have experienced judgement at the hand of the Church. In fact, Dr. White delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “UnChristian” with one of the installments focusing on those who feel the church is homophobic. You can check out that series HERE. That being said, there is a huge difference between acceptance and affirmation. When Jesus came to planet earth, He came bearing both grace and truth. It was always a both-and, not an either-or.
Finally, make sure you've got your questions ready for the upcoming Church & Culture LIVE Podcast on Thursday, February 23 from 12 - 1 p.m. You'll be able to access the podcast live through Meck's Online Campus platform. And if you can't make it that day, not to worry - you'll still be able to listen in on the conversation through all the usual channels the next day.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the rising clash in culture when it comes to what qualifies as religious exemptions, religious discrimination, and where the line of freedom ought to be drawn when it comes to religious conviction. The clash has become so intense, that many cases are making their way all the way to the Supreme Court.
Episode LinksA couple of recent court cases were brought up during today's discussion if it's of interest to you to dig into them a bit more. The Supreme Court will be deciding how much employers need to accommodate the religious beliefs of their employees in a case involving a postman who said delivering mail on Sundays would be a violation of his faith. You can read more about that case HERE.
And then a federal case in Oregon dismissed a lawsuit by LGBTQ students who wanted to end religious exemptions at various Christian colleges. You can read more about that case HERE.
Hamline University also found themselves in the news recently after they tried to fire an art history professor for showing art depicting the prophet Muhammad. School officials claimed that this was “Islamophobic,” although the university has since backed off that claim after receiving pushback that the school was simply catering to the religious beliefs of a student. You can read more about this story HERE.
Finally, we hope that you are as excited as we are about the upcoming Church & Culture LIVE Podcast on Thursday, February 23 from 12 - 1 p.m. Stay tuned for more details coming your way!
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how best to discern between superstition and God's will. Dr. White recently wrote a blog titled “About Those Angel Numbers” that sparked a lot of interesting feedback from our readers. What caught people off guard was the idea that something they deemed as loving guidance from up above - a sign from an angel or a deceased loved one - might really be opening up a door for the presence of evil in your life. And this can go far beyond mere angel numbers. So how do you know when you're really receiving a clear prompting from God, or just being superstitious?
Episode LinksEarly in the conversation, Dr. White outlined how numbers found in Scripture can hold significance, particularly the number 40. If this piques your interest, you should check out the series that Dr. White gave at Mecklenburg Community Church called “40: God's Number for Life Change.” You can also get this series in an eBook format HERE.
But while certain numbers are biblically relevant, in the case of things like angel numbers you're getting into numerology, which is where you may be crossing over into the world of the occult. There is so much to unpack when it comes to all that the spiritual realm holds. While Dr. White was able to touch on some of this in today's conversation, you can take a deeper dive into this topic through another Meck series called “Paranormal.” The individual installments of this series take a look at the map of the spiritual world, the three marks of the occult, and putting on the armor of God.
Finally, the conversation turned to discerning God's will for your life, and how to pray to Him when you are trying to ask for clear signs and directions from Him. Another series that you'll find helpful was called “Ultimate Life Coaching: A Thirty-Day Experience.” While the whole series is a really good one to check out, there's a specific installment on finding and following God's will.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how Christians and non-Christians alike don't know what to make of the growing presence in our lives of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in all of its manifestations - from our digital assistants like Siri and Alexa to Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) which is AI reaching levels of human intelligence and beyond. This is an interesting discussion about how we can think Christianly about our ever-changing technological landscape.
Episode LinksToday's conversation started off with Dr. White mentioning a book written by Max Tegmark called Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. It's a fascinating (and at times frightening) read about AI, its origins and where it's headed. You can find that resource HERE on Amazon.
In 2018, Dr. White wrote a blog about this topic as it relates to potential impacts for Christians and the Church titled, “Start Thinking about AI.” And for more on that, you'll also find AI discussed in his forthcoming book Hybrid Church: Rethinking the Church for a Post-Christian Digital Age, which is available for pre-order HERE on Amazon or through your favorite bookseller.
Finally, Dr. White mentioned two additional resources during the conversation. The first was a Christianity Today piece written by Christopher Reese titled, “Rise of the Machines: New Book Applies Christian Ethics to the Future of AI.” This article highlights the future of AI as it will need to begin making ethical or moral decisions for us. The second is a book written by Oxford professor John Lennox called 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity that you can find HERE on Amazon.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a book released by the American Girl Doll company that's caused a lot of controversy. Titled “A Smart Girl's Guide: Body Image,” many parents thought they were getting their 10-year-old child a book on having a healthy body image. What many parents did not realize is that the book includes a chapter titled “Gender Joy” that attempts to indoctrinate children into things like considering different pronouns or whether they may be non-binary. It even directs children on how to contact specially trained doctors who can help them with access to puberty blockers and transitioning to another gender. Exposing young children to what are very adult and mature topics is a part of something Neil Postman wrote about in his book The Disappearance of Childhood which you can find HERE on Amazon. Needless to say, this was an interesting conversation.
Episode LinksToday's conversation touched on the topic of gender given the chapter in question in the American Girl Doll book. We'd encourage you to go back and listen to CCP21: On Gender for a more comprehensive discussion about the huge shift that has taken place in culture from those within the LGBTQ community wanting affirmation, not simply acceptance for their lifestyle choices. You will also find the series given by Dr. White at Meck called “Gender” helpful, with three installments covering a theology of sexual identity, all things transgender and parenting and gender.
Children today are truly being robbed of their innocence. An example mentioned by Dr. White in today's discussion was a Danish cartoon - created specifically with children as the target audience - about feats of heroism performed by the male character's unnatural endowment. He wrote about this in a blog titled “A TV Show Built Around an Oversized Male Organ… for Children.” Yes, you read that right. Even Disney is trying to get in on this with their recent releases of Lightyear and Strange World, both including characters engaging in homoerotic behavior. Both movies tanked at the box office.
This is why parents need to step up and reclaim their children's innocence. Whether supporting things like parental rights in education (check out CCP5: On the “Don't Say Gay” Bill for more on this discussion), writing letters, removing financial support from a company, what's clear is that parents need to be informed, involved and in charge. A very helpful series to explore how to do this effectively is “The Under Protective Parent.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how one of the best ways to step forward into something new - particularly the new year and all of the possibilities it brings - is to reflect on the past. This episode is devoted to looking back at some of the biggest headlines or takeaways from the past year to get a better sense of what we need to leave behind, and what we need to bring forward with us as learnings into the year ahead.
Episode LinksOn the global stage, one of the biggest events from the past year is definitely the war in Ukraine. In fact, TIME magazine just named Volodymyr Zelensky and the “spirit of Ukraine” as their person of the year for 2022. This was a topic featured both on the podcast in our second episode titled “CCP2: On Ukraine, Russia and the Orthodox Church,” as well as in a two-part blog series. The blogs were titled “Ukraine, Russia and the Orthodox Church – Part 1” and “Ukraine, Russia and the Orthodox Church – Part 2.”
In conjunction with the war in Ukraine and the religious aspects of the conflict, on the homefront there seemed to be a growing rise of the idea of Christian nationalism - that the US was founded as a Christian nation and that we must get back to that. You can listen to the podcast conversation “CCP37: On Christian Nationalism.” But counter to this trend is how the United States is increasingly separating itself from the church. You'll want to check out “CCP32: On a Non-Christian America.”
In this episode they discussed themes that seemed to come out of movies and music this past year, but how much of what is really affecting culture is social media. You can pop over and listen to “CCP25: On ‘Doing' Social Media” to review best practices in what we should and should not share on our socials.
There was a lot of discussion on topics tied to Christian subculture and some of the heated issues that surfaced in 2022. There are three podcasts here that you should check out: “CCP4: On Pastors and Moral Failings,” “CCP9: On Unchurched Christians,” “CCP15: On Denominational Decline” and “CCP31: On Celebrity Pastors.” Dr. White mentioned how so much of these issues are tied to an ever-declining understanding of the doctrine of ecclesiology. In 2022 he released a Church & Culture Course called “Theology on Tap” that would absolutely serve churches to ground themselves in solid Christian theology.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how no matter how big or small your church is, it can be really difficult when someone leaves your church. And if you're the person doing the leaving, it can be equally hard to know if or when it's the right decision to leave. The church is a family, and there are times and ways to exit that are healthy - and others that are definitely not.
Episode LinksAt the top of the podcast Alexis suggested that it would be helpful to go back and listen to CCP40: On Criticism of Mega Churches. Dr. White was able to offer a unique perspective on the common critiques, as Meck started out about as small church as you can get, growing gradually to be considered a mega church.
There are a few blogs tied to today's conversation written by Dr. White. The first is for those who are considering whether to walk away from their church home and is titled, “When Should You Leave a Church.” The second is for pastors and church leaders, about the hits and the hurts that come when those who are close to you decide to leave: “People Will Leave Your Church.” And finally, departures are one of the many things that fueled so many pastors leaving ministry. You can read more about that in a blog titled “Add Pastors to the Great Resignation.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the criticisms that are frequently directed at mega churches within the Christian community. Dr. White is able to offer a unique perspective on these common critiques, as Mecklenburg Community Church started out about as small church as you can get, growing gradually to be considered a mega church.
Episode LinksOne of the criticisms they discussed is that mega churches are all far too liberal in terms of orthodoxy, and that they are watering down the gospel. Dr. White mentioned a book titled Why Conservative Churches are Growing by Dean Kelley, which explored how many of the largest mega churches are those with very conservative doctrinal statements and beliefs.
There are several blogs that Dr. White has written related to some of the criticisms mega churches face. The first is titled “The Very False Dichotomy Between Evangelism and Discipleship” addressing the criticism that large churches focus only on evangelism and not on discipleship. He wrote two blogs on the idea of “community” today, as many feel community cannot happen within the doors of a mega church. These blogs are titled “Community 101: Finding vs. Building“ and “Community 102: Shalom.” Finally, you'll find the blog “The Ending of Seminaries as We've Known Them” as it relates to the often antagonistic attitude that some seminaries have towards large churches.
There are also two Church & Culture Podcast episodes that would be worth the time to go back and listen to that were mentioned during today's conversation. Be sure to check out CCP31: On Celebrity Pastors and CCP 4: On Pastors and Moral Failings.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a topic that has sadly become highly politicized, but in reality is a deeply biblical idea - creation care. The problem is that when it comes to environmentalism and global warming, people focus more on ideology than theology. This is where the church must step up to teach on the importance of caring for the world that has been entrusted to us by God. Because this really is a deeply spiritual issue.
Episode Links Dr. White just wrapped up a three-part series at Mecklenburg Community Church (Meck) called “Creation Care.” You can find the .mp3s as well as full manuscripts from this series HERE.
You also heard Dr. White mention two resources that proved incredibly helpful as he was developing the series for Meck. The first is a book called Stewards of Eden: What Scripture Says About the Environment and Why It Matters written by Sandra Richter. You can find that on Amazon HERE. The second is a report from the National Association of Evangelicals titled “Loving the Least of These.” You can download that report HERE.
There are a number of organizations working to care for our creation. A Rocha International is a global family of conservation organizations working together to care for creation. You can read more about the work they are doing around the globe HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. In fact, here are some recent headlines that we've shared related to the topic of creation care:
“Food insecurity is driving women in Africa into sex work, increasing HIV risk”
“Here are 3 dangerous climate tipping points the world is on track for”
“Egypt's Food Supply in Danger as Farmers Struggle to Adapt to Climate Change”
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the challenges that many Christians face when wrestling with a decision to participate in an event or celebration that may be in conflict with their beliefs. This particular discussion focused primarily on two events: attending Diwali celebrations and gay weddings. When the Bible doesn't offer clear permission or an obvious prohibition, it can be difficult to know the best course of action.
Episode Links The whole idea of whether it is (or is not) okay for Christians to do certain things or participate in certain activities was fleshed out in a very popular series given by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church. Titled “Is it okay for a Christian to…,” this series focused on topics such as smoking marijuana, getting a tattoo, being cremated and even attending a gay wedding. You'll definitely want to check it out.
Related to this series, Dr. White mentioned a matrix that he mapped out, which can be found in his book After “I Believe”: Everyday Practices for a Vibrant Faith. This book covers the foundational practices that can help strengthen and deepen your relationship with God. You can find more about this book HERE.
When it comes to a celebration like Diwali, many Christians may not be aware of its roots and moorings, all of which are tied to Hinduism. A great series to check out is “So What's the Difference” where Dr. White explored the difference between Christianity and other religions around the world. You can find that series, including the installment on “Christianity and Eastern Religions” HERE.
A final series that is worth listening to is a series called “Holy Matrimony” where the fourth installment focused on gay marriage. This message was also used to craft a four-part blog series. The first installment of that series can be found HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the highly controversial idea of Christian Nationalism. Now that Election Day 2022 has come and gone, it was a day that proved exciting for some and disheartening for others. For many Christians, they look at all of the negative political ads, hear the rhetoric being spoken by the candidates on both sides of the political fence and wonder, “What happened to a Christian America?” But is that truly what we are meant to be?
Episode Links There are some recent blogs written by Dr. White related to this topic that you will find very helpful to read. The most recent blog is titled “On Being a Political Christian” discussing how our Christian identify is far more important than whether we consider ourselves to be Republicans or Democrats. You can also read what he had to say in a blog titled “Is Christian Nationalism True?”
Talking about anything related to politics is often a difficult area for pastors to tread, especially as our country seems to become increasingly divided. A very helpful series that can serve pastors and church members alike is titled “Where Angels Fear to Tread: Meck Talks Politics.” You'll find the mp3 and pdf versions of that series on the churchandculture.org website.
Finally, if a topic like this is of interest to you, you will also enjoy going back to listen to CCP12: On Legislated Morality where Alexis and Dr. White discuss they discuss whether those of us who consider ourselves Christ followers should try to legislate moral issues.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the importance of examining mental health as it relates to the church, as the pandemic has undoubtedly caused severe increases in depression, suicide and more. This is a topic where the church has typically been silent, leading to a great deal of private suffering. Now, more than ever, this needs to end.
Episode Links There are some blogs written by Dr. White on the topic of mental health that you will find very helpful to read. The most recent blog is titled “Suicide and the Church,” addressing the fact that suicide has become the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. The digital revolution has added fuel to this fire, as we've become increasingly isolated online. You can read about this in a blog titled, “What the Online World Is Doing to Us.”
As Dr. White said in this episode, the church cannot remain silent and depression is a topic that needs to be brought to light. You may find it helpful to check out a series delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Fix Me.” The installments covered are: “A Prozac Nation,” “The 8th Deadly Sin” and “Extreme Makeover: Inside Edition.” You can also find an installment on mental health in the series “How to Be a New You in the New Year.”
Finally, Alexis and Jim talked about the term “self care” that is continually thrown around, and what the Bible really has to say about this topic. You can listen to “CCP19: On Self Care” on the Church & Culture website HERE or watch it on YouTube HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the very confusing world of Scientology. Branded as a church, Scientology is shrouded in mystery with a complex set of beliefs and ideology. But when you really dig down deep into its origins and practices, you find that it truly is a cult at its core. So what do Christians need to be aware of when it comes to the Church of Scientology?
Episode Links Years ago Dr. White delivered a series at Meck that would be particularly helpful related to today's conversation. Titled “Celebrity Religion,” the series installments looked at three prominent celebrities and the “religions” that they espouse: Tom Cruise, Oprah Winfrey and Bono.
Scientology's popularity increased because of its embrace by celebrities, most notably Tom Cruise, who were actively recruited in order to provide legitimacy to their organization. Dr. White and Alexis recently had a discussion about how being in the spotlight is something even pastors are susceptible to in CCP31: On Celebrity Pastors.
Finally, this is not the first cult that has been discussed on the podcast. In case you missed it, check out CCP18: On Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the very hot topic of banned books, especially given that “Banned Books Week 2022” took place just a couple weeks ago. For those who haven't heard of this week, the "mission" that prompted it is to celebrate freedom when it comes to reading and to ensure that people have unhindered access to information - no matter what that information is. While many would disagree with banning books in general, there are parents who want to protect their kids from certain books they are being given access to at inappropriate ages. So is it always a bad thing, or can it be an important cultural stand?
Episode Links There are two podcasts related to this topic that would be worth going back to listen to. CCP17: On School Choice and CCP5: On the “Don't Say Gay” Bill both dive into parental rights in education and the need for parents to take an active role in this realm.
Neil Postman wrote a book titled The Disappearance of Childhood that stresses the importance of sheltering our children from adult secrets, particularly sexual ones. Many of the books that parents are wishing to be banned from the schools fall into this category. You can find his book on Amazon HERE.
One of the best ways to protect yourself from being susceptible to heretical beliefs is to have a solid, firm foundation in Christian Theology. We encourage you to check out the “Theology on Tap” course that just became available at churchandculture.org. This 15-video course covers everything from the doctrine of humanity to revelation to the Person and work of the Holy Spirit.
And while some feel the need to engage with certain books for the purpose of being a student of culture, there are ways that you can work around this for content that is truly not worth filling your mind with. For more on this topic, you may be interested in checking out a series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Fifty Shades”.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how some of the very same heretical views that threatened the early Church are on the rise again today. The recent “The State of Theology” survey results are in from Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway, and the responses by so-called evangelical Christians were alarming to say the least. Why are Christians suddenly so prone to deviating from orthodoxy and increasingly mirroring the world rather than Jesus?
Episode Links Dr. White recently wrote a blog titled “The Modern Renaissance of Arianism,” a sect that rejects the entire belief in the triune nature of God, and that Jesus is God's Son. When you dig into the content of this blog, it's really quite shocking.
One of the best ways to protect yourself from being susceptible to heretical beliefs is to have a solid, firm foundation in Christian Theology. We encourage you to check out the “Theology on Tap” course that just became available at churchandculture.org. This 15-video course covers everything from the doctrine of humanity to revelation to the Person and work of the Holy Spirit.
There are many possible causes for the rise of heresy in today's culture. The average person - even the average Christian - is not particularly theological. They view the Bible as nothing more than a self-help book and don't really understand some of the heart of the Christian faith. Dr. White recently delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Fear of Missing Out.” This took a look at what people who are not Christians are missing out on when it comes to the Christian faith, but also what many Christians are as well. And then there's the fact that people today don't seem to recognize sin in their own life. They just view themselves as mistakers, but not sinners. Dr. White gave a series specifically on sin at Meck called “Wicked” that is definitely worth checking out.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the recent findings of the Pew Research Center on the future of Christianity in America. The article titled “Modeling the Future of Religion in America” projected that if recent trends continue, the percentage of Christians in the U.S. will fall below 50% by the year 2070. Is there anything that the Church can do to prevent this projection from becoming our reality?
Episode Links While it's hard to find a starting point for the state of this decline, what is for sure is that it's been happening quickly. Dr. White wrote his book The Rise of the Nones in 2014, calling on the Church to examine its methods of evangelism to strategically reach the unchurched.
Dr. White wrote a recent blog following the release of the Pew article that you can read HERE as well as an earlier blog titled “Nones Just Keep Rising” in response to this continued trend. During the conversation, they also talked about how other countries are ahead of the U.S. when it comes to the rise of the nones, but how Christianity is on the rise in the global South. You can read about this in Dr. White's blog “Global Snapshot.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss celebrity pastors and the harm that they bring to the witness of the Church. Ultimately, the goal for anyone answering the call to be a pastor or ministry leader should be to lead a lost world to Christ, not to set themselves up as an idol. But we live in an age where being committed to the doctrine of the Church and showing humility are values pushed far below charisma and popularity.
Episode Links There are three books that Dr. White mentioned in relation to today's conversation that are definitely worth the time to read. Celebrities for Jesus by Katelyn Beaty takes a look at how fame, when it's cultivated for the sake of fame, is precisely the opposite of the heart of the gospel message. When Narcissism Comes to the Church by Chuck DeGroat explores the dangers of narcissism within the life of the church - both in its leaders and members. And finally, Good to Great by Jim Collins discusses the combination that makes someone a great leader - having both strength and humility.
You'll also want to check out “CCP4: On Pastors and Moral Failings” discussing the litany of pastors in the news who've succumbed to moral failures, and the pain it brings to those within the church.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the rising trend known as “quiet quitting,” and specifically how it relates to the Church. It's clear that a side effect of the pandemic was that it changed how we view our work-life balance. Proponents of quiet quitting see it as a positive way to keep priorities in order, while opponents put it in the category of laziness.
Episode Links This idea for this conversation sparked from a recent blog post from Dr. White called “The ‘Quiet Quitting' Church,” which generated a lot of response. The big headline? The Church cannot have a lack of intensity when it comes to reaching people who don't have a relationship with Jesus. A lack of intensity can affect members of the church, allowing a spiritual narcissism to creep in. While written in the heart of the pandemic, the message of the blog “Our Spiritual Pandemic of Narcissism” is a sobering read. In this conversation, they also discussed how the pandemic affected pastors and church leaders. Dr. White wrote a blog titled “Add Pastors to the Great Resignation” taking a look at the high rate of pastor burnout caused by the past two years.
There are two recent podcast episodes that were also mentioned as a part of today's conversation. First is “CCP28: On Deconstructing,” as it's often claimed that the "deconstructing" of many Christ followers has been the cause for a lot of the quiet quitting happening in churches right now. And also mentioned was “CCP19: On Self Care” and the idea of putting care of self above all else, even the needs of those around us.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they explore the key differences between Catholicism and Protestantism, beginning with a look back at the history of the early Church. One of those divides has to do with salvation: whether it comes down to “Jesus plus nothing” or “Jesus plus something.” But what may surprise you when listening to their conversation is how much we really do have in common.
Episode Links Mecklenburg Community Church, where Dr. White is the founding and senior pastor, is an interdenominational church with a lot of people attending who grew up in the Catholic Church. He has had a lot of first-hand experience with people who find themselves deconstructing from their Catholic upbringing. If the idea of deconstructing is new to you, we would suggest you go back and listen to last week's podcast, “CCP28: On Deconstructing.” And for a deeper dive into all things deconstruction, check out a recent series given by Dr. White called “The Deconstruction Zone.”
If this podcast sparks an interest in knowing more about how the Christian faith compares to other religions of the world, you'll want to check out a series Dr. White delivered at Meck called “So What's the Difference?” This six-part series tackled Christianity compared to: Eastern Religions (including Hinduism and Buddhism), Judaism, Islam, Catholicism, Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses.
Sometimes the Catholic Church finds itself coming under criticism for its large cathedrals, particularly the great cathedrals of Europe. Ultimately they were created to inspire worship, and Dr. White wrote a blog about one of his favorites, Chartres, that you can read about here.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a rising buzzword over the last few years: deconstructing. “Deconstructing” or “deconstruction” is the process of rethinking foundational stances related to lifestyle, associations and beliefs, and usually in relation to a previously held spiritual faith. What may surprise you, though, is that the process of deconstruction is natural and normal, and when God is invited into the process it can be a healthy thing.
Episode Links
For a deeper dive into all things deconstruction, check out a recent series given by Dr. White called “The Deconstruction Zone.” The three installments explore the process of deconstruction in relation to three key areas: behaviors, belongings and beliefs.
Often times, deconstruction when it comes to the Christian faith can happen because of the moral failings of a respected pastor or church leader. This was the heart of a Church & Culture podcast that we'd recommend you listen to called “CCP4: On Pastors and Moral Failings.”
Finally, there is a five-part blog series from James Emery White that was mentioned as a part of the conversation, taking a look at why people today often feel called to separate themselves from the label of “evangelical Christian” due to some of the recent negative associations. It is titled “Understanding ‘Evangelical'” and you'll be able to connect to each subsequent installment from that first blog.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a tool for understanding who God created you to be that is deeply rooted in ancient Christian thinking. It's called the Enneagram. The concept of the Enneagram dates back to the earliest centuries of the ancient Eastern monastic movement, to the times of the Desert Fathers. It's most notably attributed to Evagrius Ponticus, who created a list of eight corresponding virtues and vices. These would later be incorporated into the nine points of the Enneagram. So how can Christians use this tool as a part of their ongoing walk with Christ?
Episode Links While this podcast provides a great overview of the Enneagram, you can take a deeper dive into it through a four-week series delivered by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Finding Your Way to You: The Bible, The Enneagram and Self-Understanding.” The fourth installment of that series was an interview between Dr. White and author and speaker Suzanne Stabile. She has, by far, written the most thorough and well-researched books on this topic, and has devoted her time to helping people understand how to apply the Enneagram to their life and their relationships. You can find out more about her through her website Life in the Trinity Ministry. Her books, which really should be read in the following order, are: The Road Back to You, The Path Between Us and her latest book, The Journey Toward Wholeness.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the life of C.S. Lewis - one of the most influential Christian thinkers in modern history. From his talks to his writings, “Jack” (as his friends called him) was also undoubtedly one of the greatest Christian apologists of the 20th century. He had an incredible gift for taking complicated topics and translating them in such a way that anyone could understand them. And Dr. White shares the influence that C.S. Lewis had on his life, in particular, as a spiritual mentor.
Episode Links Any conversation about C.S. Lewis must include the books that he's written that continue to speak into the lives of each new generation. Anyone not familiar with C.S. Lewis should begin with Mere Christianity, a work that is a compilation of addresses that he gave on BBC radio to explain the Christian faith. For those interested in learning more about the life of C.S. Lewis we would encourage you to read two of his autobiographies - Surprised By Joy and A Grief Observed - as well as two biographies - The Narnian by Alan Jacobs and The Inklings by Humphrey Carpenter. The Screwtape Letters and Men Without Chests are worth going back to read if you've been a Christ follower for some time. And finally, The Chronicles of Narnia as well as The Space Trilogy are both fun series to check out. He also referenced an essay written by Lewis called "Modern Man and His Categories of Thought," from Present Concerns (London: Fount Paperbacks, 1986).
C.S. Lewis not only influenced Dr. White's spiritual journey, but also his writing. In his recent book, Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians, Dr. White explains in the introduction that C.S. Lewis will accompany the reader on the journey through the book. Special permission was received from the C.S. Lewis Foundation to share several excerpts from his writings. You can also read more about Dr. White's time in Oxford and C.S. Lewis' influence in his ebook A Traveler's Guide to the Kingdom.
Dr. White has also written several blogs drawing from C.S. Lewis' life and writings. “C.S. Lewis and Covid” was written at the beginning of the global pandemic. “Rethinking Evangelism with C.S. Lewis” was a 2016 blog about the need to shift evangelism to both a process and event. And finally, you may enjoy reading “Celebrating the Birth of C.S. Lewis.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss whether it is okay for a Christian to be on and engaging with social media. Studies have shown that more than half of the world (yes, the world) uses social media. It has worked its way into our culture and into our lives, and there are ways that the power of social media can be harnessed for good or for bad.
Episode Links Here are some blogs written by Dr. White that we thought you'd like to check out. The recent blog “Getting Your “News” from TikTok” looks at the latest research showing how many young people today get their news and information solely from TikTok and Instagram, letting it guide and direct their lives. And while it was written in 2020, the blog “Eight Social Media Trends for 2020” proved to be prescient with its predictions for social media trends that year. Finally, the blog “Social Media Guidelines” provides a great summary of the latter part of today's discussion.
For listeners who are parents of tweens or teens, we would highly encourage you to check out the Meck Institute's on-demand class called “FaceTime: What Parents Need to Know about Technology, Social Media, Video Games and More.” In this class, you'll be introduced to the most commonly used media outlets, learn the potential dangers of each, and get some practical suggestions on what you as a parent can do to help guide your kids.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the shift in the cultural landscape when it comes to how people who are unchurched explore the church. The reality is that if someone makes the decision to check out a church, they are going to Google you. And what they find when they visit your church's website is vitally important to your mission as a church, as is the way that you intentionally market your church online.
Episode Links There are several blogs that Dr. White has written in recent years that were touched on throughout today's conversation. First is a blog titled “How to Market Your Church Online” that takes a look at all things digital marketing in the life of the church. You'll be surprised to find how many of them are incredibly easy to implement. In today's culture, once people decide to check out your church their preferred way to do it is online. For this reason, letting people know that this is a great way to attend is critical. You can read more about this idea in a blog titled “The Importance of Affirming Online Attendance.” Finally, much of the growth and development of Mecklenburg Community Church's Online Campus was made possible by the strategic decision to close Meck's satellite campuses. You can read more about that decision in a blog titled, “Why We're Ending Our Multisite Approach.”
In addition to checking out those blogs, you may also be interested in going back to listen to an earlier podcast episode related to this topic called “CCP9: On Unchurched Christians.” And also mentioned was Meck's YouTube Channel and all of the resources that we offer through it that you can find HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how the disappearance of bookstores makes it increasingly difficult to know about the foundational and formative books for developing a Christian worldview. Bookstores used to serve as influencers, but today people only find or buy what they know to look for. This was the heart behind the creation of The Grounds Bookstore and Café at Mecklenburg Community Church.
Episode Links Both Dr. White and Alexis share a passion for books, and you will enjoy listening to their recent podcast CCP16: On the Summer Reading List. That episode took a deeper dive into Dr. White's annual pre-summer blog which you can read HERE. He also wrote a blog titled “The Need for Church Bookstores” - a blog that was rereleased in 2019 following the closure of many of Lifeway's brick and mortar stores.
The Grounds Bookstore and Café at Meck really is an invaluable resource. Not only does it house incredible books by authors like C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, Corrie ten Boom, John Stott and more, all of the proceeds from the store are used to support Meck's ministries and our Missions 2.0 partners in Charlotte and around the globe. And the best part is that you can access it online, no matter where you are listening.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the practice of yoga - a discipline that for many has become an essential part of their mental and physical well being. The history of yoga, however, is critical to dig into, particularly for Christians who may not be aware of the spiritual implications of this practice.
Episode Links The idea for today's discussion came from one of the many “This could be a topic for another entire podcast!” remarks from an earlier podcast - CCP3: On Hypnosis and Meditation. As with yoga, those practices also tread into spiritual arenas you may not be aware of. Another earlier podcast tied to this discussion is CCP9: On Unchurched Christians, as yoga has become one of the many church-like experiences that many people leave the church to find.
Dr. White delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church that was very popular called “Is it okay for a Christian to…” The eight installments covered topics that both Christians and non-Christians alike often wonder whether it's okay to participate in - from tattoos, to drinking, to cremation, and yes, to yoga.
Finally, you may enjoy reading a blog that Dr. White wrote about yoga as well titled, “The Unofficial Religion of American Culture.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how conversations regarding the LGBTQ+ community have evolved over the decades from a narrow focus on sexual orientation to a broader focus on gender and what it even means to be male or female. It's important to have a solid theological foundation to be able to think critically about gender's manifestations when it comes to culture. Because it's clear the ripple effects this is having are significant.
Episode Links Dr. White delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church that would be extremely helpful to listen to as it relates to today's episode. Titled “Gender,” the three installments covered a theology of sexual identity, all things transgender and parenting and gender. And as parenting is such a key idea related to the disturbing rise in rapid onset gender dysphoria, another helpful series is “The Under Protective Parent.”
There are also a number of blogs that you can read by Dr. White on this topic. “Sexual Fluidity” is a blog that examines how Generation Z, in particular, have fully embraced the idea that gender can be fluid, with a shockingly high percentage claiming they are bisexual. Two blogs - “Unreported Regret” and “About Bruce” - both take a look at the fallout that so often happens when gender reversal surgery is pursued, particularly at a young age. Dr. White also wrote a three-part blog series on gender, that you can find HERE.
Finally, Dr. White mentioned a very helpful resource on transgender identities called Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say by Preston Sprinkle that you can find HERE on Amazon.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent congressional hearing on the subject of UAPs - Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon - more commonly known as UFOs. There has been a surge in recent sightings of UFOs, causing the government to take the issue more seriously. So is there really a place in a Christian worldview for belief in life on other planets? That's what you'll find out in this episode.
Episode Links Dr. White wrote a blog on this subject called “UFOs… Confirmed?” that explores the significance of what it would mean for life on other planets to be confirmed. During the podcast, they also mentioned a book series called The Space Trilogy written by C.S. Lewis that you can find HERE on Amazon. Finally, it may also be helpful to listen to a series delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Astrophysics… for People Who Are Open to God.” It explores our fascination with cosmic things, and whether they point away from God or towards Him.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how recent studies have revealed the steady rise within culture of everything from depression to drug use, mental health issues to suicide and more. To help people cope, there's been an increased emphasis on the need for “self care,” with apps and services designed to help you eat better, sleep more, find new hobbies, etc. With all of these self-help tricks at our disposal, shouldn't we be feeling better? This episode will take a look at what the Bible has to say about the idea of selflessness, and what Christians can be doing to care for themselves.
Episode Links There are several series that Dr. White has taught at Mecklenburg Community Church that can help you to explore more about the ideas netted out in this episode. A series called “Fit for Life” looks at the Bible's wisdom to be spiritually fit, emotionally fit, physically fit and financially fit, with all installments demonstrating how God-based self care is what is needed the most. A series called “Ordering Your Private World” addresses how to bring order to the substance of your life, with installments on motivation, use of time, wisdom and knowledge, spiritual strength and restoration. And finally, the series “Simplifying Your Life” explores the Bible's practical insights and guidelines for escaping the sometimes overwhelming demands in terms of activities and relationships, family and faith.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they explore two American-born religions, both started in the 1800s. Using similar language as Christians but under different names, they have left a lot of Christians wondering what, exactly, they are. In this episode, you'll learn a bit about their history and some compelling evidence to help you determine whether they are Christian, cult or counterfeit.
Episode Links For a deeper dive into understanding what separates Christianity from the religions of the world, you may find of interest a series delivered by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church called “So What's the Difference?”
The topic of salvation by faith vs. salvation by works was discussed throughout this episode, particularly how they both relate to grace. You may also want to explore a series called “Getting Grace Right” that really helps shed light on the importance of the true meaning of grace.
Both Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses challenge the Bible's authority. Check out Dr. White's blog “Does It Matter Which Bible We Use?” to understand the various translations of the Bible.
And finally, we encourage you to go back and listen to CCP15: On Denominational Decline.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the vast educational landscape (particularly in the U.S.) and whether all school options can be considered equally valid in terms of their value or mission. Parents can find themselves overwhelmed when deciding between public school, private school (both Christian and non-Christian), charter schools, university-model schools, magnet programs, homeschooling and more. Too often, however, the parents have their own needs in mind more than their child's when considering these options.
Episode Links There are two previous podcasts that came up in this week's discussion that would be helpful for you to go back and listen to if you missed those episodes. Alexis mentioned how the idea for this school choice podcast actually came up during CCP14: On Gun Violence. During today's episode, Dr. White said that whatever happens educationally must not undermine the home, and that schools are increasingly trying to indoctrinate our children. This was discussed in deeper detail in CCP5: On the “Don't Say Gay” Bill.
Dr. White has long been an advocate for homeschooling. While obviously not saying that it's the only option, you can read more about his rationale in a blog titled, “Seven Reasons to Homeschool.” More recently, he wrote a blog titled, “The Real Risk of Homeschooling” in response to an article in Harvard Magazine trying to outline the perceived risks of homeschooling children. In another blog, Dr. White shares the sentiments of Neil Postman's book The Disappearance of Childhood in a blog titled, “The Real Varsity Blues.”
For any parents listening who are interested in learning more about homeschooling, the Meck Institute at Mecklenburg Community Church has an online class coming up on Wednesday, June 29 from 8 - 9:30 p.m. called “Exploring Homeschooling.” You can get class details and register HERE.
Toward the end of the discussion, Dr. White discussed how critical it is for parents to have open conversations with their kids before sending them off to college where they may find themselves in the hands of intellectual predators. Having your children read books like “Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians” can help give them a solid apologetic for their faith - to understand why they believe what they believe. And reading “A Mind for God” will show them the importance of looking at things with a Christian worldview.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they take a deeper dive into the 2022 Summer Reading List - an annual Church & Culture blog tradition. Every summer, Dr. White shares the top 10 books that he either has read over the past year or that are at the top of his list to read over the summer. This summer's list was a curveball from the norm, based on questions coming in from the staff at Mecklenburg Community Church about recommended reading for their souls. So this year's list covers some of the classics of Christian devotion, of spiritual formation.
Episode Links As reading is a passion of Dr. White, he often blogs about books and reading. “Books We Lie About Reading” discusses a BBC survey about the top books people lie to say they have read. In this blog, Dr. White explains the importance of cultivating A Mind for God - the title of a book he wrote that has in the appendix three helpful book lists: 10 books to begin cultivating a mind for God, 25 books for a Christian worldview and a lengthy list of the “great books.” He also wrote a blog titled “Ten Books for Spiritual Growth,” a short entry listing the top 10 books that he recommends for spiritual growth and development.
Toward the end of the discussion, Dr. White mentioned how important he feels it is for churches to develop their own bookstores. He blogged about this topic as well in a blog titled, “The Need for Church Bookstores.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the seemingly constant outpouring of scandals, coverups, sexual abuse and institutional corruption in the news tied to the Church, the latest of which involved the huge scandal tied to the Southern Baptist Convention. It leaves many people wondering just how important Christian denominations are when it comes to exploring God. Because right now, denominational Christianity seems to be in an absolute free fall.
Episode Links There are several blogs written by Dr. White that are tied to this conversation and that you will find worth the time to read. He discussed how while all denominations have seen a decline in attendance and membership, there is a place where Christianity seems to be on the rise - the global South. You can read more about this trend in a blog titled “Global Snapshot.” Many people who have walked away from denominational Christianity have landed into an ever-increasing group known as the “nones.” In addition to Dr. White's book “The Rise of the Nones,” you may also find the blog titled “Nones Just Keep Rising” helpful for a recent update. A failure to see the urgency of evangelism is also at the heart of the denominational decline. For more on this you'll find it helpful to read a blog titled, “The Real Reason Churches Are in Decline.” Seminaries tied to denominations made their way into the conversation, and you may be interested in reading Dr. White's perspective in a blog titled “The Ending of Seminaries as We've Known Them.”
There were three recent Church & Culture podcasts mentioned during this episode that we suggest you go back and listen to if you missed them: CCP4: On Pastors and Moral Failings, CCP7: On Women in Ministry, and CCP9: On Unchurched Christians.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the distressing rise of gun violence in the United States. This is an issue, like so many others, that is increasingly polarizing in our culture. Regardless of where you stand on gun control, there is no doubt that gun violence is having devastating impacts on everyone. And there seems to be a radicalization of young people that is taking place through the internet and social media that is a very disturbing trend.
Episode Links Dr. White wrote a 2012 blog that the Church & Culture Team has (sadly) released over the years as mass shootings have happened in the U.S. It is appropriately titled “The Answer Is Evil”. Dr. White also mentioned that at Mecklenburg Community Church, our MecKidz Children's Ministry sent out resources for parents to help them talk with their children when tragic events occur:
“Talking to Kids about Mass School Shootings” from Focus on the Family
“8 Suggestions for Talking to Your Kids About Mass Shootings” from FamilyLife
“How to Help Your Kids Process Tragic News” from Focus on the Family
During their conversation, they discussed how Christians are called to have the same level of concern for the sanctity of life on the matter of gun violence and its victims as they do for abortion. For reference, it would help to listen to CCP10: On Roe v. Wade.
Often times, the Christian response to mass shootings is to say “you're in my thoughts and prayers.” Dr. White mentioned a resource that sheds light on the importance of not trivializing this phrase to a mere sound bite: Taylor S. Schumann When Thoughts and Prayers Aren't Enough: A Shooting Survivor's Journey into the Realities of Gun Violence, which you can find on Amazon.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. In fact, here are two recent stories shared related to this episode's discussion that you may have missed, both from the New York Times:
“A Disturbing New Pattern in Mass Shootings: Young Assailants”
“A Church, a Gathering Place for Generations, Becomes a Hub for Uvalde's Grief”
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the nature of today's cancel culture. What started in the '80s in the dating realm has taken on a life of its own in the last few years, largely through the platform of social media. On one side, you have those who say that it keeps people accountable and on the other side you have those who say that it violates free speech. Regardless of where you land, cancel culture has become the effort to block someone from their platform and, when possible, to end their career. So what are Christians to think about it all?
Episode Links Dr. White has written a few blogs that have touched on this topic that would serve to add to this conversation. “Cancelling Cinderella's Trip to the Ball” looked at the desire some people had to keep Oral Roberts University from playing in the NCAA Tournament in 2021 due to “the university's deeply bigoted anti-LGBTQ+ policies.”
With the increasing frequency of people being “canceled,” it can be tricky for pastors especially to know what topics are considered “safe” to talk about - you can read about that in a blog titled, “Preach the Bible or Talk about Culture? The Answer is…”
Much of the issue with cancel culture has to do with society's quick-to-anger temperament. You can read about that in a blog called, “What's Wrong with People?” And read more about how we've become so divided as a society in the blog post “Why Have Christians Suddenly Become So Divided?”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. In fact, here are two recent stories shared related to this episode's discussion that you may have missed:
From the Pew Research Center: “How Americans feel about ‘cancel culture' and offensive speech in 6 charts”
From NPR: “Quidditch leagues look to change their name, citing Rowling's anti-trans stances”
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss whether those of us who consider ourselves Christ followers should try to legislate moral issues. Secular culture implies that morals can change, and often, legislative decisions are made on the basis of majority rule. What is certain is that of utmost importance is having a Christian worldview.
Episode Links The are several blogs written by Dr. White that will help deepen your understanding of this conversation. To start off with, “Worldview Matters” is a blog that examines the foundational reasons to have a Christian worldview through which we engage culture. In considering our faith as it intersects with politics, two blogs that may serve you are “Is Christian Nationalism True?” and “On Being a Political Christian.” The conversation also touched on the importance of having objective truth, an idea fleshed out in a blog titled, “Abandoning Truth in the Name of Love.” And finally, “Culture's New Vocabulary” is an older blog, but one that's message still rings true diving into the ideas of freedom of religion and tolerance.
There are a few series that Dr. White delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church that you may also be interested in exploring. “Hot Topics” was a series on cultural issues and includes two installments on the topic of bioethics. “Where Angels Fear to Tread: Meck Talks Politics” was a very popular series on the Christian's role in the political realm.
Finally, because the conversation did touch on issues related to the LGBTQ+ community and the church, you may be interested in reading a four-part blog series beginning with “Gay Marriage: Part One,” or the weekend message series “Holy Matrimony” highlighting the significance of the biblical significance of marriage.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the increasingly popular practice of Wicca, which involves both witchcraft and nature worship. In 2019, there were so many books being written on the topic that Publisher's Weekly declared it “The Season of the Witch.” Wicca has become the new religion of secularity, but its origins date back for millennia. So how do Christians engage with friends, family members, neighbors and coworkers who may embrace its practices and beliefs?
Episode Links Dr. White released a blog in 2019 with the same title as the Publisher's Weekly article - “The Season of the Witch” - that you can read at churchandculture.org exploring culture's increased fascination with all things Wicca. To show you how quickly this practice is being embraced by culture, you can also read an earlier blog titled, “More Witches than Presbyterians.” Tied with this trend, the blog “New Age Christians” looks at professing Christians who may be dabbling in the occult without even realizing it. And here's a blog looking at the alarming rise of people using tarot cards - again tapping into the occult: “About Those Tarot Cards.” Along these lines, some Christians believe that reading your horoscope is fine. Find out why that's not the case in this blog titled “About That Horoscope App.” And finally, the conversation even dipped into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - for that you can read Dr. White's blog called “Mad About Harry.”
The best series delivered by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church that will serve your research into this topic is called “Paranormal” looking at the world of the occult. Another series that was mentioned during this podcast is a series called “Gender” - one of Meck's most popular series to date.
And to help understand why the younger generations are so much more open to allowing things like the practice of Wicca to enter their hearts and minds, we would suggest reading Dr. White's book Meet Generation Z that you can find through your favorite bookseller.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the significance of the leaked draft of the Supreme Court opinion on Roe v. Wade and how, as Christians, we can engage this conversation. The Politico story has unleashed very emotional responses on both sides of this issue, and not even those within the Church see eye to eye on this topic. For Christians, the sanctity of life is clearly understood, however determining when life begins is at the heart of this issue.
Episode Links There are several news stories of late that have been shared by Dr. White through the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe shared each weekday - that are worth the time to read them to have a full grasp of the weight of this vote.
First is the article that broke the story: “Supreme Court Has Voted to Overturn Abortion Rights, Draft Opinion Shows” by Josh Gerstein and Alexander Ward at Politico.
An article titled “The Roe Leak Spotlights America's Crisis of Credibility” by Russell Moore in Christianity Today calls into question how Americans are to find trust in our governing institutions and the way matters are handled.
And finally, it's worth reading “Roe v. Wade: Faith Leaders React to Leaked SCOTUS Opinion” by Emily McFarlan Miller at Religion News Service to see the reaction from faith leaders around the U.S.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog to read more insights from Dr. White on all matters of Church and culture.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the exodus of Christians from the Church who are trying to recreate “church-like” experiences elsewhere - whether that's an exercise class, a group Bible study, a parachurch ministry, etc. Their conversation takes a look at what cannot be surrendered to have a biblically functioning Church, and how many evangelicals have a terrible understanding of the doctrine of the church - either devaluing the Church or shaping it into their own image. One thing is clear, there is biblically no such thing as an unchurched Christian.
Episode Links The conversation kicked off with a discussion about the online church, a prescient decision to end Mecklenburg Community Church's multisite model, and the need to be a hybrid, phygital church - embracing both the digital and the physical. Dr. White has written several blogs that will serve as helpful additions for you to read. “They're Not Coming Back” explores the adjustments that the Church must make as we grapple with the fallout of a decline in attendance that began long before the pandemic. For churches that did experience online growth during the pandemic, the blog “The Importance of Affirming Online Attendance” discusses the need to continue to have a thriving online campus. In “Why We're Ending Our Multisite Approach” you can read about the decision made by Meck's leadership team to end the multisite model, a decision that proved to be a critical missional shift. And finally, “The Shift From Gathering to Connecting” examines just how well people are able to find thriving community through the church, even online.
Then the conversation turned to the doctrine of the Church, and how even Christians can find excuses to devalue the Church and to try to shape it into whatever they want it to be. Here, you'll find the blog “The Unofficial Religion of American Culture” to be an interesting read about people who would equate yoga classes with a church-like experience. And finally “This Is Church” that outlines when you have the church being the church.
Along those lines, Dr. White delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Being Church,” with four installments that outline what Jesus had in mind when He said, “... I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out…” (Matthew 16:18, Msg).
A final resource that will serve this conversation is a book written by Dr. White titled The Rise of the Nones that you can find on Amazon or at your favorite bookseller.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss purity culture and the Church. In the 90s we saw the outbreak of sexual permissiveness and sexual saturation within culture – and it hit women particularly hard, as they became the ones to blame. From this, purity culture was born - a movement characterized by modest dress, purity rings, the “true love waits pledge,” etc. Somewhere along the way this morphed into a toxic culture even within the church. What the church needs is a holistic theology of sex, showing the wonder of it all and the gift that it is within the context of a marriage.
Episode Links To take a deeper dive into this conversation. Dr. White has written several blogs that may serve as helpful additions, such as a blog titled “Sexual Fluidity” showing just how much Generation Z has become sexually and relationally amorphous in today's culture. And porn is not merely a contributing factor in this, it's creating a crisis among both youth and adults alike. There are two blogs Dr. White wrote that would specifically complement this episode: “This Is Your Brain on Porn” paints a very grim picture of how porn and its widespread availability is affecting our youth today and “The Obvious Reason They're Not Having Sex” showing the effects of porn within young adults as it quickly becomes a substitute for sexual intimacy.
There are two series that were delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church that serve as a fantastic model for how the church can talk about sex - painting a picture of God's intent in creating this for our lives. “Fifty Shades” is a series about sex and sexual intimacy with installments that include “A Theology of Sex,” “Pornified” and “Five Questions You Never Thought You'd Hear Answered in Church.” And “Holy Matrimony” is a series on the biblical sacrament of marriage with installments called “Four Big Ideas,” “Christ-Centered,” “Divorce and Remarriage” and “Gay Marriage.”
A final resource that will serve in this conversation is a book written by Dr. White titled Meet Generation Z that you can find on Amazon or at your favorite bookseller.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the very hot topic of women in ministry within the Church. Throughout Christian history, with the increased institutionalization of the Church came very set patterns of misogyny. And certain passages of Scripture have been used to fuel both sides of this debate as to what role women can and should take within the church.
Episode Links There is so much that can be explored from this conversation. Dr. White has written several blogs that may serve as helpful additions, such as a blog titled “Beth Moore in the Pulpit,” in which he explores the complementarian vs. egalitarian views held by many within the church. And one of the most foundational things Dr. White laid out was to follow the “The Biblical Model of Leadership.” The conversation also touched on Jesus and how He viewed women. Check out this blog simply titled “Sexism” to explore more about this.
Also mentioned was the letter of I Timothy in the New Testament and how that has impacted many churches' views on women in ministry. Dr. White mentioned that a good book on this is The Message of 1 Timothy & Titus by John R.W. Stott.
And at the beginning of the discussion you heard Alexis mention a conversation that took place in the most recent episode of the Christianity Today podcast titled “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill.” While the entire podcast has a lot to contribute to the topic of women in the church, Episode 13 in particular includes an insightful interview with CEO of CT Tim Dalrymple.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss anger and the seemingly endless flow of new stories where people are losing control. For those who are Christ followers, anger is one of the seven deadly sins, yet often times we are among the worst offenders. This conversation dives into everything from orthopathy to righteous anger to how this is impacting our children.
Episode Links To read more on this topic, Dr. White wrote several blogs related to this conversation that will be really helpful to dig into. His most recent blog is titled “What's Wrong with People?” and explores three of the most likely reasons anger is on the rise. But it didn't just begin to rise. Several years ago Dr. White wrote a blog titled “The Age of Rage” that rings even more true today. Also discussed was how our need to be liked by everyone can come into play, discussing the idea of the “10-10-80” rule when it comes to relationships. Finally, Dr. White mentioned a book written by Deborah Tannen, The Argument Culture.
After living more than a year into the pandemic, Dr. White delivered a series at Meck that would still serve called “The Long Night's Journey Into Day” with a look at how we can rise above our differences and live the life God is calling us to live. You may also be interested in checking out a series called “Wicked” that specifically focuses on sin and how it affects our relationship with God.
To serve parents out there, Alexis mentioned an on-demand class offered through the Meck Institute called “FaceTime: What Parents Need to Know about Technology, Social Media, Video Games and More.” That is definitely a class that you'll want to check out that will be very eye-opening.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. In fact, here's a recent news story shared related to this episode's discussion that you may have missed: ”Why People Are Acting So Weird”
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the “Parental Rights in Education” bill that is more commonly referred to as the “Don't Say Gay” bill. There seems to be a lot of confusion as to what this bill is really about at its core. Find out how Christians can engage this cultural debate, the role of parents tied to this law, and the difference between acceptance and affirmation.
Episode Links To read more on this topic, Dr. White wrote several blogs related to this conversation that will be really helpful to dig into. His most recent blog is titled “Don't Say Gay” and explores how more parents would likely support this bill if they really knew what it was about. To dive into issues related to gender and gender identity, here's a three-part blog series: “A Theology of Gender,” “The Transgender Issue” and “Children and Gender Identity.” And finally, a blog exploring the shift in our culture to the denial of biological sex “Sex Matters”. Dr. White also mentioned a book written by Neil Postman, The Disappearance of Childhood.
There are three sermon series related to today's conversation that would serve to provide a firm biblical foundation to engage this topic: “Gender,” “The Underprotective Parent” and “Woke.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. In fact, here's a recent news story shared related to this episode's discussion that you may have missed:
”DeSantis Signs Florida Bill That Opponents Call ‘Don't Say Gay'”
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the seeming litany of Christian leaders who have succumbed to moral failures and what this is doing to the Christian faith and our culture.
Episode Links To go a little deeper on this topic, Dr. White wrote several blogs related to this conversation that will be really helpful to dig into. On the discussion of the shadow lives so many lead and how you can evaluate the work that was done in ministry read “Evaluating the Fruit Test.” On the importance of building sexual fences read “Build the Fence!” The phrase “there but by the grace of God go I” is so common but so inadequate. Find out why in a blog titled “Why Leaders are Falling.” And finally, a blog that explores whether it's possible for someone to be restored to ministry after a moral failing titled “When a Pastor Falls, What Then?”
Dr. White also discussed the importance of talking about issues like this openly within the church. There are two message series he delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church that would be worth a listen: “#MeToo” and “Getting Grace Right.”
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. In fact, here are two recent stories shared related to this episode's discussion that you may have missed:
”Australian megachurch co-founder resigns over complaints of unwelcome behavior to women”
“Anglican Church of Canada leaders apologize to survivors, respond to ACCToo”
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how a new generation of hypnosis programs and apps are making the practice available digitally, hoping to popularize hypnosis in the same way as meditation. What's so concerning about that? More than you realize. You could be dabbling in the world of the occult.
Episode Links To go a little deeper on this topic, Dr. White recently wrote a blog titled “Alexa, Do Not Hypnotize Me.” The conversation also touched on the world of the occult. Dr. White delivered a message series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Paranormal,” a four-week series to address culture's ever-increasing obsession with the occult. Also popping up in the conversation was a discussion about yoga. You can get the .mp3 of an installment from a series called, “Is it Okay for a Christian to… do yoga?” For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. In fact, here are two recent stories shared related to this episode's discussion that you may have missed.
This week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye dives into an aspect of the Ukraine-Russia conflict that isn't garnering the attention that it deserves - that this is a deeply religious divide. To understand the heart of this conflict, you need to understand the history of the Orthodox Church.
Episode Links To go a little deeper on this topic, Dr. White has a two-blog series that you'll definitely want to check out. You can find the first installment titled “Ukraine, Russia and the Orthodox Church - Part 1” here. The conversation also touched on Christian nationalism that is definitely worth a read as it ties into the conflict happening in the East. You can find that here: Is Christian Nationalism True? For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. In fact, here are two recent stories shared related to this episode's discussion that you may have missed:
From Religion News Service: “Moscow patriarch stokes Orthodox tensions with war remarks”
From The Telegraph: “War tests faith and loyalties in Ukraine as priests call for break with Russian Orthodox Church”
Dr. James Emery White talks with co-host Alexis Drye in this inaugural episode of the weekly Church & Culture Podcast. Learn the vision and mission of this podcast, what you can expect to hear each week, and find out a bit more about Dr. White and his ministry with Church & Culture.
Show Notes For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. Dr. White discussed four series in this podcast, delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church, that were on the bleeding edge of recent happenings in culture. Clicking the titles below will direct you to the series description and the products available in mp3 and pdf formats:
Gender (all things gender and transgender)
Woke (race and racism)
Where Angels Fear to Tread (politics)
The Science of God
And be sure to check out A Mind for God by James Emery White, a book written to help break free from cultural captivity through the spiritual and intellectual disciplines of reading, study and reflection. Order from Amazon or your favorite bookseller.