Church & Culture Podcast

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the new animated film on Netflix that has everyone talking. It's called “KPop Demon Hunters,” and was an instant success when it was released back in June. It's gained so much momentum that it was shown in a limited release on the big screen - just for two days and in only 1,700 theaters - in a sing-along format. Despite that limited release, it still won the entire box office for the weekend, giving Netflix its first number one box office title in its 18-year history. Several songs from its soundtrack are simultaneously in the Billboard Top 10. So… what in the world is “KPop Demon Hunters” about, and is this something our kids should be watching? The answers might surprise you. Episode Links Given that the movie has the word “demon” in the title, it's not surprising that today's conversation raised issues regarding the paranormal world. Dr. White gave a series at Mecklenburg Community Church (Meck) called “Paranormal” that you may be interested in checking out - particularly the installment that maps out the spiritual world. You can find that series on Church & Culture HERE. Dr. White mentioned that when it comes to what you allow your kids to watch, including this movie, what's most important is to seize the opportunity to have really good spiritual conversations with your kids. He referenced a recent blog written by our MecKidz team - the children's program at Meck. The blog is titled “‘KPop Demon Hunters': How to Engage Movies and TV with your Kids,” and can be found HERE. Finally, there are a number of articles that were used as source material for today's conversation. If you're interested in going down the “KPop Demon Hunters” rabbit hole, you can check these out: Itzel Luna and Jake Coyle, “‘KPop Demon Hunters' gives Netflix its first box-office win,” AP News. Chloe Veltman, “Fans across the country raise their voices at 'KPop Demon Hunters' singalongs,” NPR. Stephen Thompson, “'KPop Demon Hunters' and the band Babymetal hit fresh milestones on the pop charts,” NPR. Isabel Ong, “We're Not Afraid of Monsters and Demons Anymore,” Christianity Today. Sopan Deb, “‘KPop Demon Hunters' Has Everyone Bobbing Their Heads. Especially Parents,” The New York Times. Stephen Armstrong, “Kpop Demon Hunters: the Netflix film giving Disney nightmares,” The Telegraph. Scott Greenstone, “It started with friends at home. Now Dungeons & Dragons is in its stadium era,” NPR. Samantha Masunaga, “‘KPop Demon Hunters' might win the box office. Why Netflix won't say,” Los Angeles Times. For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the recent controversy surrounding former HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines who rose to fame from their home renovation show called Fixer Upper, which aired back in 2013. In 2019, they announced their departure from HGTV and the launch of a new network called the Magnolia Network, which finally debuted in 2022. But just last month, many of their fans turned on them after they featured a same-sex couple on their show, Back to the Frontier. Same-sex couples on TV shows are hardly uncommon nowadays, so why have the Gaines received so much backlash and from whom? Episode Links Christie D'Zurilla wrote an article in the Los Angeles Times titled, “Chip and Joanna Gaines' new show features a same-sex married couple. Some Christians are ‘disappointed.'” If you're interested in reading the full article you can find it HERE. Some people who question the Christian community's response to their decision are seemingly misunderstanding the difference between acceptance and affirmation, between making a value judgment and being judgmental. Dr. White gave a series at Mecklenburg Community Church that might be helpful to listen to. It's called “Unchristian,” and its installments are a response to people who say that Christians are judgmental, hypocritical and homophobic. You can find that series HERE. There are two additional series that we think would be helpful for a deeper look at what the Bible has to say about judgmentalism, the true meaning of grace, and the significance of Jesus bringing both grace AND truth to bear on people's lives. Those series are “Judged” and “Getting Grace Right,” both available in .mp3 or .pdf formats at Church & Culture. Finally, there were two authors Dr. White mentioned during today's discussion. The first was John Stott and his book Sermon on the Mount, which includes an exploration of what true judgmentalism is like, and how it can lead to setting yourself up as God. And the second was Dr. Henry Cloud and his book Changes That Heal for more of the discussion on grace and truth. For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.

This summer, we're taking a short break from our regular podcast format, and instead have selected various installments from past message series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church where he serves as the Senior Pastor. In a world where streaming media often dominates cultural conversation, certain shows stand out - not only for their entertainment value but also for the deeper messages they convey. In Meck's series "Streaming Now," we explored four of the most popular streaming shows sparking widespread cultural and spiritual conversations: "Severance," "Adolescence," "The Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke," and "The White Lotus." We've already discussed one of these shows on an earlier episode of the Church & Culture Podcast - CCP144: On “Severance." Today, we're going to show the message on "Adolescence" to discover the message it contains, the lessons that can be learned, and the ways the Bible and Christian faith might engage and respond to them. Episode 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: “Streaming Now” Olga Khazan, “What Jonathan Haidt Thought When He Watched Adolescence,” The Atlantic, April 15, 2025, read online. Dr. James Dobson, Preparing for Adolescence. Ken Gire, The Reflective Life: Becoming More Spiritually Sensitive to the Everyday Moments of Life. Dolores Curran, Traits of a Healthy Family. We'd also encourage you to check out other parenting and family series given by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church. You can find them under the “Marriage and Family” category of resources HERE. For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.

This summer, we're taking a short break from our regular podcast format, and instead have selected various installments from past message series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church where he serves as the Senior Pastor. There are several critical areas of our spiritual life and our relationship with God that have both “good” and “bad” dynamics. When we confuse these areas, it can bring great spiritual harm. Today's episode comes from a Meck series titled "The Flip Side: The Bad Side of Good Things" with a look at "Good Guilt vs. Bad Guilt.” Episode 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: “The Flip Side: The Bad Side of Good Things” Becca Cowan Johnson, Good Guilt, Bad Guilt: And What to Do with Each. Verne Becker, Tim Stafford and Philip Yancey, What They Never Told Me When I Became a Christian. For more message series given by Dr. White that would fall under the banner of living out our Christian faith, check out the “Christian Living” resources. For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.

Dive into the intriguing question of the unforgivable sin in Christianity. The discussion sheds light on the concept of blaspheming the Holy Spirit and its serious implications for faith. Listeners are encouraged to explore their personal beliefs and the nature of divine forgiveness. The importance of the Holy Spirit in guiding relationships with God is highlighted. A call to embrace faith through prayer and baptism wraps up the conversation, inviting reflection on spiritual journeys and community celebrations.

Explore the fascinating narrative of the Tower of Babel, where humanity's ambition to build a monumental structure led to divine intervention. Discover how this story reflects our early unity and the cultural implications of language and diversity. Unpack the biblical view on race, emphasizing our common ancestry while examining how geography shaped human variations. Delve into the science of skin color genetics and how these insights connect with scripture, ultimately revealing a divine plan for unity amid our rich diversity.

This summer, we're taking a short break from our regular podcast format, and instead have selected various installments from past message series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church where he serves as the Senior Pastor. While topics related to marriage have been the focus of previous Church & Culture podcast episodes, we've never engaged this particular aspect of marriage before in our discussions. This installment titled "Marrying Outside of Your Faith" was a part of a series called "Don't Do Stupid: Marriage Edition." Because the Bible is incredibly clear about what happens when a couple is unequally yoked. Episode 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: "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.

Dive into a thought-provoking journey on the intricacies of sexual identity and gender roles. The discussion highlights the difference between biological sex and gender, illuminating how social and cultural influences shape identities. Explore the evolving concepts of gender identity and their implications for the transgender community. With a theological lens, the conversation navigates contemporary views on gender, encouraging empathy and understanding, especially as it relates to the church's role in these vital discussions.

Delve into the fascinating interplay between science and Christian faith, showing how they can coexist. Explore the historical shift from collaboration to conflict between science and spirituality. Discover how belief in divine miracles can coexist with scientific principles. Contemplate the void of purpose in a Godless world and the importance of personal relationships with God. Lastly, reflect on the significance of Jesus' incarnation in living out one's faith.

Today's episode of the Church & Culture Podcast is quite different from the norm. This summer, we're taking a short break from our regular podcast format, and instead have selected various installments from past message series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church where he serves as the Senior Pastor. There is no doubt that today's culture has become incredibly polarized - particularly when it comes to politics. That's why many churches avoid the topic altogether. It's also why we named this series at Meck "Where Angels Fear to Tread: Meck Talks Politics." Because church members often have questions like: Does God take political sides and, if so, which ones? Is America a Christian nation and is that even the goal? Are there values meant to guide us when it comes to politics? Do all Christians, if they are truly Christian, have to vote the same way? Does embracing the Christian faith automatically lead you to one particular political party? What if, as a Christian, you feel politically homeless - too conservative for the progressives, and too progressive for the conservatives? In this installment Dr. White explores the mark of a Christian and how we are called to engage the political realm. Episode 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: "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.