ERLC Podcast

As Christians, we know that God’s design for raising children is in the context of a home with a loving father and mother—and he gave parents the responsibility to raise their children in accordance with His Word. This may seem obvious, but our society is increasingly pushing back against God’s design by undermining “parental rights.” While in a fallen world parents don’t always seek what is best for their children and should be held accountable by God-given authorities, in most cases, moms and dads should be able raise their children according to their deeply held beliefs, ensuring their children are protected from things like the harmful effects of radical ideas about gender and sexuality.So, why and how are parental rights being brought up at the Supreme Court this term in a case titled United States v. Skrmetti? On today’s episode, you’ll hear from two lawyers—Matt Sharp and Kayla Toney—who are well acquainted with these legal challenges and how they are related to radical gender ideology. Matt Sharp serves as senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, where he is the director of the Center for Public Policy. In this role, he leads ADF’s team of policy experts as they craft legislation and advise government officials on policies that promote free speech, religious freedom, parental rights, and the sanctity of human life.Sharp has also worked on important cases advancing religious freedom and free speech. He earned his J.D. in 2006 from the Vanderbilt University School of Law. A member of the bar in Georgia and Tennessee, he is also admitted to practice in several federal courts.Kayla Toney is Associate Counsel with First Liberty Institute, concentrating on religious liberty matters and First Amendment rights for clients of all faiths. Prior to joining First Liberty, Kayla litigated religious freedom cases as a Constitutional Law Fellow at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. She clerked for Judge Gregory E. Maggs on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. Kayla also worked as a litigation associate.Kayla earned her law degree from George Washington University. A native of Michigan, Kayla is based in First Liberty’s Washington, D.C. office and is licensed to practice law in Virginia and D.C.Listen to more episodes of The ERLC Podcast at erlc.com/podcast.

Election Day 2024 was one for the history books. President-elect Donald Trump was decisively returned to the White House by voters. A surprise given how close many commentators thought the race would be. Likewise, there was a Republican sweep in the House and Senate. In addition, the ERLC was closely watching 10 states with abortion ballot initiatives of those three states secured pro-life protections for the pre-born, while sadly, the seven other states enshrined pro-abortion legislation into their state constitutions. On today's episode, you'll hear from ERLC President Brent Leatherwood and our policy director Hannah Daniel. They'll talk about the results of the election, the importance of continuing to stand for the value of every preborn life and the good work we have the opportunity to accomplish with a new administration and Congress. Listen to more episodes of The ERLC Podcast at erlc.com/podcast.

Marriage and family are institutions that are pre-political, meaning they may be at the forefront of divisive political discussions and debates, but they originated in the mind of our Creator and were established by him with the creation of Adam and Eve and the command to be fruitful and multiply. In other words, marriage and family are God’s good idea and design. One of the areas of debate today regarding our families is concerning gender confusion, and whether or not parents have the right to teach and hold their children to the biblical design as male and female, especially in a school setting. The ERLC has written a white paper detailing the biblical and theological foundations for parental rights. We have also joined briefs in cases about parental rights, affirming before courts what Southern Baptists have affirmed: that parents have a God-given responsibility to raise their children according to a biblical worldview without interference from the government. On today’s episode, you’ll hear from two parents about raising our children in a sexually confused culture and exercising our parental rights, especially as we send them to school. Krissie Inserra is a pastor's wife, mom, and active member in her local church and community. She has served in pregnancy resource centers and has authored numerous articles. Dr. Benjamin Quinn is a husband, dad, and an ERLC research fellow. He is also assistant professor of Theology and History of Ideas and the director of L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He received his B.A. from Union University, his M.Div. and Th.M. from Southeastern, and his Ph.D. from University of Bristol in the United Kingdom.Listen to more episodes of The ERLC Podcast at erlc.com/podcast.

Politics matter because they are the means by which the laws of our country, states, and communities are shaped. And those laws communicate what we value as a society. This November, the issue of life is on the ballot as an initiative in many states where voters will decide on laws related to abortion access. These specific  states include, New York, Maryland, Florida, Missouri, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Montana, Arizona, and Nevada.Joining us today to help us better understand what these initiatives look like at a grassroots level and how they could impact the pro-life movement are Willie Isaacson and Joel Gilbert. Both Willie and Joel come highly recommended within their state conventions and come with years of experience in local and state policy advocacy.Willie Isaacson is senior pastor of First Baptist, Richmond, Missouri where he has served for over 11 years. He currently serves as the chair of the Missouri Baptist Christian Life Commission and president of the Ministerial Alliance in Richmond, Missouri.Joel Gilbert has served in Baptist churches in the D.C. area for over 25 years and currently serves as pastor at Poolesville Baptist Church in Poolesville, Maryland. He also serves on the Christian Life and Public Affairs Committee of the Baptist Convention of Maryland and Delaware.Listen to more episodes of The ERLC Podcast at erlc.com/podcast.

Article three of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 says, and I paraphrase, that “The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.” Because of this biblical truth, we believe that every person, regardless of age, level of ability, or stage of development, reflects the glory and goodness of God and should be treated with dignity and protection. The ERLC will always advocate for the most vulnerable among us, including preborn lives. Over the years, this advocacy work has taken many shapes and forms, but changed drastically in 2022 when the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Dobbs decision overturned the deadly precedent set in Roe v. Wade. While in many ways this was a watershed moment for the pro-life movement, we recognize there’s still much work to be done in the battle to protect human lives. The landscape has shifted and conversations about abortion rights are now happening at the state-level, where we find ourselves today in the wake of the 2024 election cycle. There are currently 10 states across the country where abortion ballot initiatives are up for a vote this November, many of which seek to harm preborn children and threaten the future of the pro-life movement. Joining us on today’s episode to help us better understand these initiatives and what would change should they pass are ERLC President Brent Leatherwood and ERLC Director of Public Policy Hannah Daniel.Listen to more episodes of The ERLC Podcast at erlc.com/podcast.

Our series on mental health has helped us understand its connection with human dignity. Though God created us as perfect, embodied beings, sin has marred the human experience holistically, not only crippling our relationship with God, but with our bodies as well. As a result, mental illness is a part of living in a broken world, but the gospel has not left us without hope. While we live in the presence of spiritual and physical brokenness, Christ has promised to redeem us, making right what has gone wrong, and that includes our bodies. In the meantime, we live in the tension of what God has already done in providing Jesus, and what he has promised to do in making all things new. And he has given us the gift of the Church and each other to help us as we walk in this world. Specifically, for those who may want specialized help, the Lord has provided counselors to assist us in the daily fight to grow in Jesus in the midst of both our spiritual and mental struggles.  Joining us on today’s episode to discuss the role of counseling in the church are Jonathan Holmes and Brad Hambrick. Jonathan Holmes is the founder and executive director of Fieldstone Counseling in Northeast, Ohio. Before founding Fieldstone, he served as a pastor for 15 years. He graduated with his M.A. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and has authored and contributed to a number of books.Brad Hambrick serves as the pastor of counseling at The Summit Church in Durham, N.C. He also serves as assistant professor of biblical counseling at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, is a council member of the Biblical Counseling Coalition, and has authored several books.Listen to more episodes of The ERLC Podcast at erlc.com/podcast.

In a recent article published by The Atlantic, Jonathan Haidt, author “The Anxious Generation,” shares that rates of depression and anxiety in the United States rose by more than 50% in many studies from 2010 to 2019. The suicide rate rose 48% for adolescents ages 10 to 19. For girls ages 10 to 14, it rose 131%. He also notes how loneliness and friendlessness among American teens began to surge around 2012.  It’s no surprise that social media use is tied to these staggering statistics. Romans 12:2 tell us, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." As Christians who are called to a higher standard of living, how can we exercise discernment and wisdom when it comes to using social media? Joining us on today’s episode to discuss technology and mental health is our colleague, Jason Thacker, the director of the ERLC’s Research Institute and a senior fellow. You’ll also hear from Eliza Huie, the director of counseling at McLean Bible Church located in the Washington D.C. metro area, and Megan Dickerson, a wife and mom who serves in the Center for Faith and Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Listen to more episodes of The ERLC Podcast at erlc.com/podcast.

Pastoring and shepherding a church comes with both rewards and challenges. A recent Lifeway Research study shows that stress, discouragement, and loneliness are listed among the top mental challenges for pastors. Similarly, a recent Barna study shows that U.S. pastors, overall, are feeling lonelier and more isolated from others than in years past. While struggling with loneliness and burnout themselves, pastors are often the first ones people in their congregations turn to when they are struggling with mental health issues. What is attributing to these struggles? And how can we encourage pastors to prioritize their own mental health in order to be able to help their congregations?Joining us on today’s episode is Mark Dance, director of pastoral wellness for Guidestone Financial Resources, and Kristen Kansiewicz, who serves as an assistant professor and program director of the graduate counseling program at Evangel University.Listen to more episodes of The ERLC Podcast at erlc.com/podcast.

In recent years, the issue of mental health has been more widely recognized and talked about. Whereas it was stigmatized in the past—and still is in some ways— conversations within the Church are turning toward how to help those who struggle with their mental health and how our mental health affects our spiritual health. As an article we posted on erlc.com notes, “a report by Lifeway Research reveals that 26%  of U.S. Protestant pastors overall and 46% of pastors who are under 45 say they face mental health challenges. And more than half of the church leaders have witnessed members of their congregations suffering from conditions like depression and bipolar disorder​.” The Bible doesn’t shy away from mental health, though it may not be described in those terms. Biblical figures such as David (Psa. 38:4), Job (Job 3:26), Elijah (1 Kings 19:4), and Jonah (Jonah 4:3) are shown dealing with feelings of despair, anger, depression, and loneliness. And Scripture is clear that we need to bear one another’s burdens in community (Gal. 6:2) and be reminded of the hope we have in our Redeemer (Lam. 3:21). On today’s episode our guests will address why mental health is an issue we’re talking about, how it connects to the work of the ERLC, ways it’s related to human dignity, and why it matters for Christians. You’ll hear from Brent Leatherwood, the president of the ERLC, as well as RaShan Frost, a senior fellow of the Research Institute of the ERLC and a pastor. Listen to more episodes of The ERLC Podcast at erlc.com/podcast.

Since 2016, the name that has been synonymous with our current political environment is President Donald Trump. However, within the Trump administration is a name with which we should be familiar and should want to know more about: Vice President Mike Pence. In a special episode, we’re featuring a conversation between Vice President Mike Pence and ERLC President Brent Leatherwood that we hosted at the 2024 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. They discuss Vice President Pence’s journey into politics, the priority he places on his Christian faith and his family, and how we all can engage with hope in the public square.In a polarized political age, we hope you’ll walk away encouraged to seek the good of your neighbors, engage in politics in a distinctly Christian way, and work together to be salt and light in our local communities, in our states, and in our nation. Listen to more episodes of The ERLC Podcast at erlc.com/podcast.