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.

You 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.

As 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.

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.

Below 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.

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.

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).

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….

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?

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?

This 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.

The 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.

If 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.

There 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?

There 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.

There 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.

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.

Below 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.

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.

Dr. 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.

Dr. 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.

If 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?

Dr. 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?

Dr. 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.

The 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.

Dr. 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.

A 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.

Church & 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.

In 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.

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.

Below 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.

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.

The 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?”

The 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.

A 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?

Early 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.

Today'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.

Today'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.

On 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.

At 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.

One 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.

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”

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?

Below 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.

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.

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?

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.

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?

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?

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?

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Below 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 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.

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?

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.

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.