Church & Culture Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

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Church & Culture Podcast

Dr. James Emery White

Religion & Spirituality

News

Frequency: 1 episode/8d. Total Eps: 169

The Church & Culture podcast is a weekly discussion with Dr. James Emery White on the latest trends happening in culture, and where and how the church should respond. While this podcast reflects on the church's part in what may be going on in the world, it is very much a show that anyone, no matter what walk of life you may have come from or are currently in, can glean useful information. Some episodes may be an extended conversation based off one of Dr. White's bi-weekly blog posts, as he does not shy away from the controversial hot topics. So to be ready for full context, be sure to subscribe to the Church & Culture Blog at ChurchandCulture.org.

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Apple Podcasts

🇫🇷 France - christianity
18/10/2025
#88
🇫🇷 France - christianity
17/10/2025
#52

Spotify

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https://www.churchandculture.org/subscribe-main
168 shares
https://www.churchandculture.org/daily-headline-news
168 shares
https://www.churchandculture.org/church-culture-podcast
84 shares

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RSS feed quality

Good

Score global : 79%

Publication history

Monthly episode publishing history over the past years.

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Latest published episodes

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CCP168: On Pastors Promoting Political Candidates

Season 4 · Episode 168

Friday, October 10, 2025 • Duration 28:06

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss an announcement made by the IRS back in July that churches and other houses of worship are now allowed to endorse political candidates directly to their congregations. This type of political activity had previously been barred by the IRS because of the tax-exempt status of nonprofits, but that's no longer the case. Today's conversation explores why this ban was initially put into place and what led to the change of heart.

Episode Links

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.

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CCP167: On the 100th Anniversary of the Scopes Trial

Season 4 · Episode 167

Friday, October 3, 2025 • Duration 35:53

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss another significant anniversary happening this year. We recently aired CCP165: On the Nicene Creed as 2025 marks the 1700th anniversary of the creed. This year also marks the 100th anniversary of what's known as the Scopes Trial (or the “Monkey Trial”) - a sensational trial in American history where the debate over creation vs. evolution entered the courtroom. Set in the small town of Dayton, Tennessee back in 1925, the trial set defenders of evolutionary theory against those who wanted public schools to teach what was considered to be a biblical view of the origin of the world's inhabitants.

Episode Links

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 written by Marvin R. Wilson. And then for more on the interplay between faith and science, we suggest you read , edited by Kathryn Applegate and J.B. Stump.

CCP158: On the Tower of Babel

Season 3 · Episode 158

Friday, July 25, 2025 • Duration 29:42

This summer, we're taking a short break from our regular podcast format, and instead have selected various installments from past message series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church where he serves as the Senior Pastor. "The Tower of Babel" was the sixth installment of a series titled, "Primordial: Genesis and the World's Primeval History." Primordial is defined as that which has existed since the beginning of time. The first book of the Bible - Genesis - begins with the words “In the beginning..." So what do we really know about the beginning of time and those earliest chapters of human history? How do we grapple with all that it holds in light of fact vs. fiction, or science vs. religion? Today's episode will walk through what really happened when the tower of Babel was constructed, and the cultural implications for our day.

Episode Links

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 .

CCP68: On Toxic Homeschooling

Season 1 · Episode 68

Friday, June 30, 2023 • Duration 44:43

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent article in the Washington Post titled “The Revolt of the Christian Home-Schoolers.” The article revealed that there can be a toxic side to some pockets of homeschooling, one that creates a breeding ground for ideas tied to Christian nationalism and pitting faith against science.

Episode Links

Those who have followed the podcast or Dr. White's blog should know that he is a big proponent of homeschooling and the many benefits that it can have for children and families. This was also brought up during an earlier podcast, CCP17: On School Choice.

But the darker side of homeschooling is troubling, especially when it creates a breeding ground of bad ideology. For more on this we encourage you to listen to past podcasts such as: CCP37: On Christian Nationalism for a better understanding of whether we're called to be a Christian nation or a nation of Christians; CCP49: On Faith vs. Science to see how everything in science not only complements God's existence, but also demands it; and CCP64: On Cults and Conspiracy Theories to see how the desire for community is what can create this strange sense of belonging found in these toxic homeschooling groups.

The church needs to be an advocate for homeschooling families to be Christian biblicists, particularly when it comes to the clash between faith and science. Dr. White has delivered several series at Mecklenburg Community Church that specifically speak to this including: The Science of God, , , and .

CCP67: On the Secrets of Hillsong and the Duggars

Season 1 · Episode 67

Friday, June 23, 2023 • Duration 39:03

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss two recent docuseries that have drawn a lot of attention: FX's “The Secrets of Hillsong” exploring the distressing global patterns of misconduct at Hillsong Church, as well as Prime Video's “Shiny Happy People” exposing the nightmarish home life of the Duggar Family and the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP).

Episode Links

Dr. White wrote a blog on the mess at Hillsong Church titled “Should Churches Still Use Music from Hillsong?” It definitely brought up a lot of points to consider, especially when it comes to contributions through royalties. You can read that blog HERE. Dr. White wrote another blog titled “Should a Church Use NDAs” that has become a big issue for churches like Hillsong that are coming to light. And as he mentioned during today's conversation, the Hillsong docuseries left a lot to be desired, and even some people who were hurt by it. You can read “The Secrets of Hillsong: An Open Letter to the Director” to see what we mean.

There are a couple podcasts we suggest that you check out where they've discussed some of the issues that lead to failings like what happened at Hillsong. These are: CCP40: On Criticism of Mega Churches, CCP31: On Celebrity Pastors, CCP4:On Pastors and Moral Failings.

CCP66: On Satanism

Season 1 · Episode 66

Friday, June 16, 2023 • Duration 30:19

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the alarming rise in popularity of Satanism, and those who consider themselves to be part of the Satanic Temple. While the vast majority of members are essentially atheistic “believers” (meaning they do not actually worship Satan), Satan is still being upheld as a symbol of free expression and opposition to injustice among other things. You may be surprised to find out just how widespread this is….

Episode Links

In his latest book Hybrid Church: Rethinking the Church for a Post-Christian Digital Age, Dr. White writes about the transition from Christendom to “humandom” that has fueled the post-Christian world that we find ourselves in today. The idea that we don't need to answer to a higher power, but rather should allow reason to be our guide is what draws so many people to Satanism. Not only that, it's what draws them to cults, conspiracies, and even the world of the occult. Check out these past podcasts for more on these topics:

CCP64: On Cults and Conspiracy Theories

CCP58: On Your Horoscope and Starbucks

CCP35: On Scientology

CCP11: On Wicca

There are several stories that have been in the news of late related to this topic that were mentioned during today's conversation, particularly about the “SatanCon” gathering and the mess that Target has landed themselves in. Here are three recent articles to check out:

Camille Fine, “,”, May 3, 2023.

CCP65: On the Death Penalty

Season 1 · Episode 65

Friday, June 9, 2023 • Duration 31:02

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discussed capital punishment - something that both Christians and non-Christians wrestle with. Old Testament Scriptures reveal that capital punishment was used for a number of offenses; however, Jesus brought many Old Testament laws to completion during His time on Earth. The Bible has shaped American thinking since the country's foundation, and our laws say that the states have the right to take a life. But where should Christians land on this?

Episode Links

There is an ongoing news story that Dr. White shared recently through the Daily Headline News that prompted today's discussion. It's about a man in Oklahoma who is on death row who has had his execution stayed nine times to date. The details of the case have many questioning whether he should be punished with the death penalty. Here are two recent articles:

Emily Belz, “How an Oklahoma Death Penalty Case Shook Up Evangelical Views on Execution,”
Christianity Today, May 10, 2023.

Diana Chandler, “Oklahoma Pastor Advocates for Life of Convicted Man on Death Row,”
Baptist Press, May 23, 2023.

CCP64: On Cults and Conspiracy Theories

Season 1 · Episode 64

Friday, June 2, 2023 • Duration 37:36

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, the discussion was prompted by a disturbing article in the New York Times that was shared on Church & Culture's Daily Headline News. The title of the article, written by Andrew Higgins, was, “He Told Followers to Starve to Meet Jesus. Why Did So Many Do It?” Why indeed. What leads people to join a cult, especially when the leader encourages their followers to take their own lives? And what connection do conspiracy theories have to cults?

Episode Links

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, “ ,” as well as Dr. White's blog simply titled “.”

CCP63: On Why Christians Are So Mean

Season 1 · Episode 63

Friday, May 26, 2023 • Duration 35:00

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discussed a recent article by Michael Hidalgo in RELEVANT titled “When Did Christians Get So Mean?” Since the pandemic, we've watched as the world seems to increasingly thrive on spewing vitriol from behind their keyboards. But more and more this behavior is coming from those who claim to be Christ followers. The concepts of grace and loving kindness seem to have gone out the window.

Episode Links

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 written by John Bevere that explores how we are so eager to take offense at what others say and do.

CCP62: On Whether to Save a Dying Church

Season 1 · Episode 62

Friday, May 19, 2023 • Duration 39:25

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a very difficult topic: when, how, and who decides whether to close a church? It doesn't matter if it's a church that's been around for decades, or a church plant only a couple years into their journey, it's never an easy decision to grapple with. But between the great resignation of pastors, the widespread denominational decline and the rapid closing of churches across the country, it's a decision that many churches are having to face.

Episode Links

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 .

Church & Culture Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Church & Culture Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other99+

Amazon44

New York Times33

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other99+

Amazon44

New York Times33