Church & Culture Podcast

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they explore the key differences between Catholicism and Protestantism, beginning with a look back at the history of the early Church. One of those divides has to do with salvation: whether it comes down to “Jesus plus nothing” or “Jesus plus something.” But what may surprise you when listening to their conversation is how much we really do have in common. Episode Links Mecklenburg Community Church, where Dr. White is the founding and senior pastor, is an interdenominational church with a lot of people attending who grew up in the Catholic Church. He has had a lot of first-hand experience with people who find themselves deconstructing from their Catholic upbringing. If the idea of deconstructing is new to you, we would suggest you go back and listen to last week's podcast, “CCP28: On Deconstructing.” And for a deeper dive into all things deconstruction, check out a recent series given by Dr. White called “The Deconstruction Zone.” If this podcast sparks an interest in knowing more about how the Christian faith compares to other religions of the world, you'll want to check out a series Dr. White delivered at Meck called “So What's the Difference?” This six-part series tackled Christianity compared to: Eastern Religions (including Hinduism and Buddhism), Judaism, Islam, Catholicism, Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses. Sometimes the Catholic Church finds itself coming under criticism for its large cathedrals, particularly the great cathedrals of Europe. Ultimately they were created to inspire worship, and Dr. White wrote a blog about one of his favorites, Chartres, that you can read about here. For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a rising buzzword over the last few years: deconstructing. “Deconstructing” or “deconstruction” is the process of rethinking foundational stances related to lifestyle, associations and beliefs, and usually in relation to a previously held spiritual faith. What may surprise you, though, is that the process of deconstruction is natural and normal, and when God is invited into the process it can be a healthy thing. Episode Links For a deeper dive into all things deconstruction, check out a recent series given by Dr. White called “The Deconstruction Zone.” The three installments explore the process of deconstruction in relation to three key areas: behaviors, belongings and beliefs.Often times, deconstruction when it comes to the Christian faith can happen because of the moral failings of a respected pastor or church leader. This was the heart of a Church & Culture podcast that we'd recommend you listen to called “CCP4: On Pastors and Moral Failings.” Finally, there is a five-part blog series from James Emery White that was mentioned as a part of the conversation, taking a look at why people today often feel called to separate themselves from the label of “evangelical Christian” due to some of the recent negative associations. It is titled “Understanding ‘Evangelical'” and you'll be able to connect to each subsequent installment from that first blog. For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.

This podcast explores the Enneagram, a tool rooted in ancient Christian thinking, for understanding oneself. It discusses the origins and value of the Enneagram in Christian spirituality, delves into its spiritual depth by exploring sin, motivations, vulnerabilities, and virtues associated with each type, and highlights the potential dangers of using it as an excuse for behavior. The podcast also touches on the Enneagram's relation to anger and provides recommendations for further study.

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the life of C.S. Lewis - one of the most influential Christian thinkers in modern history. From his talks to his writings, “Jack” (as his friends called him) was also undoubtedly one of the greatest Christian apologists of the 20th century. He had an incredible gift for taking complicated topics and translating them in such a way that anyone could understand them. And Dr. White shares the influence that C.S. Lewis had on his life, in particular, as a spiritual mentor. Episode Links Any conversation about C.S. Lewis must include the books that he's written that continue to speak into the lives of each new generation. Anyone not familiar with C.S. Lewis should begin with Mere Christianity, a work that is a compilation of addresses that he gave on BBC radio to explain the Christian faith. For those interested in learning more about the life of C.S. Lewis we would encourage you to read two of his autobiographies - Surprised By Joy and A Grief Observed - as well as two biographies - The Narnian by Alan Jacobs and The Inklings by Humphrey Carpenter. The Screwtape Letters and Men Without Chests are worth going back to read if you've been a Christ follower for some time. And finally, The Chronicles of Narnia as well as The Space Trilogy are both fun series to check out. He also referenced an essay written by Lewis called "Modern Man and His Categories of Thought," from Present Concerns (London: Fount Paperbacks, 1986). C.S. Lewis not only influenced Dr. White's spiritual journey, but also his writing. In his recent book, Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians, Dr. White explains in the introduction that C.S. Lewis will accompany the reader on the journey through the book. Special permission was received from the C.S. Lewis Foundation to share several excerpts from his writings. You can also read more about Dr. White's time in Oxford and C.S. Lewis' influence in his ebook A Traveler's Guide to the Kingdom. Dr. White has also written several blogs drawing from C.S. Lewis' life and writings. “C.S. Lewis and Covid” was written at the beginning of the global pandemic. “Rethinking Evangelism with C.S. Lewis” was a 2016 blog about the need to shift evangelism to both a process and event. And finally, you may enjoy reading “Celebrating the Birth of C.S. Lewis.” For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss whether it is okay for a Christian to be on and engaging with social media. Studies have shown that more than half of the world (yes, the world) uses social media. It has worked its way into our culture and into our lives, and there are ways that the power of social media can be harnessed for good or for bad. Episode Links Here are some blogs written by Dr. White that we thought you'd like to check out. The recent blog “Getting Your “News” from TikTok” looks at the latest research showing how many young people today get their news and information solely from TikTok and Instagram, letting it guide and direct their lives. And while it was written in 2020, the blog “Eight Social Media Trends for 2020” proved to be prescient with its predictions for social media trends that year. Finally, the blog “Social Media Guidelines” provides a great summary of the latter part of today's discussion. For listeners who are parents of tweens or teens, we would highly encourage you to check out the Meck Institute's on-demand class called “FaceTime: What Parents Need to Know about Technology, Social Media, Video Games and More.” In this class, you'll be introduced to the most commonly used media outlets, learn the potential dangers of each, and get some practical suggestions on what you as a parent can do to help guide your kids. For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the shift in the cultural landscape when it comes to how people who are unchurched explore the church. The reality is that if someone makes the decision to check out a church, they are going to Google you. And what they find when they visit your church's website is vitally important to your mission as a church, as is the way that you intentionally market your church online. Episode Links There are several blogs that Dr. White has written in recent years that were touched on throughout today's conversation. First is a blog titled “How to Market Your Church Online” that takes a look at all things digital marketing in the life of the church. You'll be surprised to find how many of them are incredibly easy to implement. In today's culture, once people decide to check out your church their preferred way to do it is online. For this reason, letting people know that this is a great way to attend is critical. You can read more about this idea in a blog titled “The Importance of Affirming Online Attendance.” Finally, much of the growth and development of Mecklenburg Community Church's Online Campus was made possible by the strategic decision to close Meck's satellite campuses. You can read more about that decision in a blog titled, “Why We're Ending Our Multisite Approach.” In addition to checking out those blogs, you may also be interested in going back to listen to an earlier podcast episode related to this topic called “CCP9: On Unchurched Christians.” And also mentioned was Meck's YouTube Channel and all of the resources that we offer through it that you can find HERE. For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how the disappearance of bookstores makes it increasingly difficult to know about the foundational and formative books for developing a Christian worldview. Bookstores used to serve as influencers, but today people only find or buy what they know to look for. This was the heart behind the creation of The Grounds Bookstore and Café at Mecklenburg Community Church. Episode Links Both Dr. White and Alexis share a passion for books, and you will enjoy listening to their recent podcast CCP16: On the Summer Reading List. That episode took a deeper dive into Dr. White's annual pre-summer blog which you can read HERE. He also wrote a blog titled “The Need for Church Bookstores” - a blog that was rereleased in 2019 following the closure of many of Lifeway's brick and mortar stores. The Grounds Bookstore and Café at Meck really is an invaluable resource. Not only does it house incredible books by authors like C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, Corrie ten Boom, John Stott and more, all of the proceeds from the store are used to support Meck's ministries and our Missions 2.0 partners in Charlotte and around the globe. And the best part is that you can access it online, no matter where you are listening. For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the practice of yoga - a discipline that for many has become an essential part of their mental and physical well being. The history of yoga, however, is critical to dig into, particularly for Christians who may not be aware of the spiritual implications of this practice. Episode Links The idea for today's discussion came from one of the many “This could be a topic for another entire podcast!” remarks from an earlier podcast - CCP3: On Hypnosis and Meditation. As with yoga, those practices also tread into spiritual arenas you may not be aware of. Another earlier podcast tied to this discussion is CCP9: On Unchurched Christians, as yoga has become one of the many church-like experiences that many people leave the church to find. Dr. White delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church that was very popular called “Is it okay for a Christian to…” The eight installments covered topics that both Christians and non-Christians alike often wonder whether it's okay to participate in - from tattoos, to drinking, to cremation, and yes, to yoga. Finally, you may enjoy reading a blog that Dr. White wrote about yoga as well titled, “The Unofficial Religion of American Culture.” For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how conversations regarding the LGBTQ+ community have evolved over the decades from a narrow focus on sexual orientation to a broader focus on gender and what it even means to be male or female. It's important to have a solid theological foundation to be able to think critically about gender's manifestations when it comes to culture. Because it's clear the ripple effects this is having are significant. Episode Links Dr. White delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church that would be extremely helpful to listen to as it relates to today's episode. Titled “Gender,” the three installments covered a theology of sexual identity, all things transgender and parenting and gender. And as parenting is such a key idea related to the disturbing rise in rapid onset gender dysphoria, another helpful series is “The Under Protective Parent.” There are also a number of blogs that you can read by Dr. White on this topic. “Sexual Fluidity” is a blog that examines how Generation Z, in particular, have fully embraced the idea that gender can be fluid, with a shockingly high percentage claiming they are bisexual. Two blogs - “Unreported Regret” and “About Bruce” - both take a look at the fallout that so often happens when gender reversal surgery is pursued, particularly at a young age. Dr. White also wrote a three-part blog series on gender, that you can find HERE. Finally, Dr. White mentioned a very helpful resource on transgender identities called Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say by Preston Sprinkle that you can find HERE on Amazon. For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent congressional hearing on the subject of UAPs - Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon - more commonly known as UFOs. There has been a surge in recent sightings of UFOs, causing the government to take the issue more seriously. So is there really a place in a Christian worldview for belief in life on other planets? That's what you'll find out in this episode. Episode Links Dr. White wrote a blog on this subject called “UFOs… Confirmed?” that explores the significance of what it would mean for life on other planets to be confirmed. During the podcast, they also mentioned a book series called The Space Trilogy written by C.S. Lewis that you can find HERE on Amazon. Finally, it may also be helpful to listen to a series delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Astrophysics… for People Who Are Open to God.” It explores our fascination with cosmic things, and whether they point away from God or towards Him. For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.