Church & Culture Podcast

This podcast delves into the recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling on frozen embryos in IVF, sparking discussions on Christian views and concerns about church-state separation. It explores the ethical landscape of IVF, legal personhood for embryos, and the impact of Christian nationalism in legal decisions, offering insights on the moral implications and ethical considerations in fertility treatments.

Discussion on a Super Bowl commercial showcasing diverse individuals washing feet to promote understanding over hate, $100 million 'He Gets Us' ad campaign driving people to the website, controversies and criticisms among Christians, parallels between Apostle Paul's defense and modern-day criticisms, exploring Christological themes and call for unity in acknowledging Jesus' relatability to humanity.

Dr. James Emery White and Alexis Drye discuss the ethics of Christians participating in gambling, considering the massive numbers and financial implications. They examine biblical principles on gambling, responsible financial planning, and not causing others to stumble. The podcast also explores the dangers of legalism in spirituality and the importance of a genuine spiritual relationship over strict rules.

The podcast discusses the decline in Americans' confidence in clergy, explores the crisis of authority and lack of trust in various professions, delves into the need for repentance and biblical morality, emphasizes the importance of earning society's trust, and highlights the role of love in resolving conflicts and fostering unity.

The podcast discusses the rise of non-monogamous relationships and the cultural factors behind it. It explores the biblical view of sex and the impact of denigrating the sanctity of marriage. The church's approach to marriage and the need to offer an alternative vision are also discussed.

In this podcast, Dr. James Emery White and Alexis Drye discuss challenges to believing the Bible, including misconceptions people have about its authority, its selection of books, and its translations. They also explore the credibility of the Bible through historical evidence and address contradictions by showing how they can be resolved to coexist with scientific truth.

The podcast discusses the concerning trend of the fracturing of the Church and Christians within it. They explore the importance of disagreeing agreeably and differentiating between matters of orthodoxy and orthopraxy. The distortion of the Christian faith due to political and ideological divides is highlighted. The negative impact of disunity on the church's witness is discussed, along with the problem of legalism and adding unnecessary barriers. The chapter on navigating disagreements provides guidelines for addressing conflicting beliefs. The influence of society on Christians and the importance of learning to disagree agreeably are also explored.

Discussion on how Mecklenburg Community Church defies decline by engaging with culture while remaining faithful. Emphasis on importance of children's ministry, cultural relevance and adaptation, unity and conflict resolution, the Bible for growth, and valuing lost people.

Topics discussed in the podcast include the role of Christians in politics, the mean-spirited culture in America, the rejection of morality and truth, the impact of social media on mental health, the decline in church attendance, the future of AI and its impact on truth, and the crisis of truth and authority.

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a question submitted by a podcast listener: If you choose to participate in the tradition of Santa Claus with your young children, do you run the risk of losing their trust when they find out the truth, possibly causing them to have a crisis of faith later in life? How can the magic of Christmas be brought into a Christian home? Episode Links Spoiler alert: Dr. White and his wife embraced the tradition of Santa in their home with their (then) four young children and (now) fifteen grandchildren. But “how” you do it is important. And the most important thing is to keep Christ as the focus of this season. For a deeper exploration into this subject, we'd encourage you to check out a series given by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Keeping Christ in Christmas.” You'll learn about the rich Christian history surrounding many of the traditions of Christmas, including Santa Claus. It's also so important, as Dr. White mentioned, to know the true history of the man named St. Nicholas - a man whose deep faith in God and love of children was so profound that he is considered the patron saint of children. You can read more about this in a blog written by Dr. White called “Yes, Virginia,” which is shared annually by the Church & Culture Team. Finally, Dr. White also noted that it's important when celebrating Santa as a part of your Christmas tradition to keep the spirit of giving focused in the right place. You can read more about this in a blog Dr. White wrote called, “Giving to Christ at Christmas,” also published annually around this time of year. Keep those questions coming! We'd love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE. Thank you all so much for listening/watching the podcast! We pray that you have a very blessed Christmas and we'll be back with new episodes in the new year!