church and culture

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a topic that has sadly become highly politicized, but in reality is a deeply biblical idea - creation care. The problem is that when it comes to environmentalism and global warming, people focus more on ideology than theology. This is where the church must step up to teach on the importance of caring for the world that has been entrusted to us by God. Because this really is a deeply spiritual issue.

Episode Links

Dr. White just wrapped up a three-part series at Mecklenburg Community Church (Meck) called “Creation Care.” You can find the .mp3s as well as full manuscripts from this series HERE.

You also heard Dr. White mention two resources that proved incredibly helpful as he was developing the series for Meck. The first is a book called Stewards of Eden: What Scripture Says About the Environment and Why It Matters written by Sandra Richter. You can find that on Amazon HERE. The second is a report from the National Association of Evangelicals titled “Loving the Least of These.” You can download that report HERE.

There are a number of organizations working to care for our creation. A Rocha International is a global family of conservation organizations working together to care for creation. You can read more about the work they are doing around the globe 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 fact, here are some recent headlines that we've shared related to the topic of creation care:

“Food insecurity is driving women in Africa into sex work, increasing HIV risk”

“Here are 3 dangerous climate tipping points the world is on track for”

“Egypt's Food Supply in Danger as Farmers Struggle to Adapt to Climate Change”

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the challenges that many Christians face when wrestling with a decision to participate in an event or celebration that may be in conflict with their beliefs. This particular discussion focused primarily on two events: attending Diwali celebrations and gay weddings. When the Bible doesn't offer clear permission or an obvious prohibition, it can be difficult to know the best course of action.

Episode Links

The whole idea of whether it is (or is not) okay for Christians to do certain things or participate in certain activities was fleshed out in a very popular series given by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church. Titled “Is it okay for a Christian to…,” this series focused on topics such as smoking marijuana, getting a tattoo, being cremated and even attending a gay wedding. You'll definitely want to check it out.

Related to this series, Dr. White mentioned a matrix that he mapped out, which can be found in his book After “I Believe”: Everyday Practices for a Vibrant Faith. This book covers the foundational practices that can help strengthen and deepen your relationship with God. You can find more about this book HERE.

When it comes to a celebration like Diwali, many Christians may not be aware of its roots and moorings, all of which are tied to Hinduism. A great series to check out is “So What's the Difference” where Dr. White explored the difference between Christianity and other religions around the world. You can find that series, including the installment on “Christianity and Eastern Religions” HERE.

A final series that is worth listening to is a series called “Holy Matrimony” where the fourth installment focused on gay marriage. This message was also used to craft a four-part blog series. The first installment of that series can be found 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 the highly controversial idea of Christian Nationalism. Now that Election Day 2022 has come and gone, it was a day that proved exciting for some and disheartening for others. For many Christians, they look at all of the negative political ads, hear the rhetoric being spoken by the candidates on both sides of the political fence and wonder, “What happened to a Christian America?” But is that truly what we are meant to be?

Episode Links

There are some recent blogs written by Dr. White related to this topic that you will find very helpful to read. The most recent blog is titled “On Being a Political Christian” discussing how our Christian identify is far more important than whether we consider ourselves to be Republicans or Democrats. You can also read what he had to say in a blog titled “Is Christian Nationalism True?”

Talking about anything related to politics is often a difficult area for pastors to tread, especially as our country seems to become increasingly divided. A very helpful series that can serve pastors and church members alike is titled “Where Angels Fear to Tread: Meck Talks Politics.” You'll find the mp3 and pdf versions of that series on the churchandculture.org website.

Finally, if a topic like this is of interest to you, you will also enjoy going back to listen to CCP12: On Legislated Morality where Alexis and Dr. White discuss they discuss whether those of us who consider ourselves Christ followers should try to legislate moral issues.

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 importance of examining mental health as it relates to the church, as the pandemic has undoubtedly caused severe increases in depression, suicide and more. This is a topic where the church has typically been silent, leading to a great deal of private suffering. Now, more than ever, this needs to end.

Episode Links

There are some blogs written by Dr. White on the topic of mental health that you will find very helpful to read. The most recent blog is titled “Suicide and the Church,” addressing the fact that suicide has become the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. The digital revolution has added fuel to this fire, as we've become increasingly isolated online. You can read about this in a blog titled, “What the Online World Is Doing to Us.”

As Dr. White said in this episode, the church cannot remain silent and depression is a topic that needs to be brought to light. You may find it helpful to check out a series delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Fix Me.” The installments covered are: “A Prozac Nation,” “The 8th Deadly Sin” and “Extreme Makeover: Inside Edition.” You can also find an installment on mental health in the series “How to Be a New You in the New Year.”

Finally, Alexis and Jim talked about the term “self care” that is continually thrown around, and what the Bible really has to say about this topic. You can listen to “CCP19: On Self Care” on the Church & Culture website HERE or watch it on YouTube 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 the very confusing world of Scientology. Branded as a church, Scientology is shrouded in mystery with a complex set of beliefs and ideology. But when you really dig down deep into its origins and practices, you find that it truly is a cult at its core. So what do Christians need to be aware of when it comes to the Church of Scientology?

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Years ago Dr. White delivered a series at Meck that would be particularly helpful related to today's conversation. Titled “Celebrity Religion,” the series installments looked at three prominent celebrities and the “religions” that they espouse: Tom Cruise, Oprah Winfrey and Bono.

Scientology's popularity increased because of its embrace by celebrities, most notably Tom Cruise, who were actively recruited in order to provide legitimacy to their organization. Dr. White and Alexis recently had a discussion about how being in the spotlight is something even pastors are susceptible to in CCP31: On Celebrity Pastors.

Finally, this is not the first cult that has been discussed on the podcast. In case you missed it, check out CCP18: On Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses.

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 very hot topic of banned books, especially given that “Banned Books Week 2022” took place just a couple weeks ago. For those who haven't heard of this week, the "mission" that prompted it is to celebrate freedom when it comes to reading and to ensure that people have unhindered access to information - no matter what that information is. While many would disagree with banning books in general, there are parents who want to protect their kids from certain books they are being given access to at inappropriate ages. So is it always a bad thing, or can it be an important cultural stand?

Episode Links

There are two podcasts related to this topic that would be worth going back to listen to. CCP17: On School Choice and CCP5: On the “Don't Say Gay” Bill both dive into parental rights in education and the need for parents to take an active role in this realm.

Neil Postman wrote a book titled The Disappearance of Childhood that stresses the importance of sheltering our children from adult secrets, particularly sexual ones. Many of the books that parents are wishing to be banned from the schools fall into this category. You can find his book on Amazon HERE.

One of the best ways to protect yourself from being susceptible to heretical beliefs is to have a solid, firm foundation in Christian Theology. We encourage you to check out the “Theology on Tap” course that just became available at churchandculture.org. This 15-video course covers everything from the doctrine of humanity to revelation to the Person and work of the Holy Spirit.

And while some feel the need to engage with certain books for the purpose of being a student of culture, there are ways that you can work around this for content that is truly not worth filling your mind with. For more on this topic, you may be interested in checking out a series given by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Fifty Shades”.

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 some of the very same heretical views that threatened the early Church are on the rise again today. The recent “The State of Theology” survey results are in from Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway, and the responses by so-called evangelical Christians were alarming to say the least. Why are Christians suddenly so prone to deviating from orthodoxy and increasingly mirroring the world rather than Jesus?

Episode Links

Dr. White recently wrote a blog titled “The Modern Renaissance of Arianism,” a sect that rejects the entire belief in the triune nature of God, and that Jesus is God's Son. When you dig into the content of this blog, it's really quite shocking.

One of the best ways to protect yourself from being susceptible to heretical beliefs is to have a solid, firm foundation in Christian Theology. We encourage you to check out the “Theology on Tap” course that just became available at churchandculture.org. This 15-video course covers everything from the doctrine of humanity to revelation to the Person and work of the Holy Spirit.

There are many possible causes for the rise of heresy in today's culture. The average person - even the average Christian - is not particularly theological. They view the Bible as nothing more than a self-help book and don't really understand some of the heart of the Christian faith. Dr. White recently delivered a series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Fear of Missing Out.” This took a look at what people who are not Christians are missing out on when it comes to the Christian faith, but also what many Christians are as well. And then there's the fact that people today don't seem to recognize sin in their own life. They just view themselves as mistakers, but not sinners. Dr. White gave a series specifically on sin at Meck called “Wicked” that is definitely worth checking out.

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 recent findings of the Pew Research Center on the future of Christianity in America. The article titled “Modeling the Future of Religion in America” projected that if recent trends continue, the percentage of Christians in the U.S. will fall below 50% by the year 2070. Is there anything that the Church can do to prevent this projection from becoming our reality?

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While it's hard to find a starting point for the state of this decline, what is for sure is that it's been happening quickly. Dr. White wrote his book The Rise of the Nones in 2014, calling on the Church to examine its methods of evangelism to strategically reach the unchurched.

Dr. White wrote a recent blog following the release of the Pew article that you can read HERE as well as an earlier blog titled “Nones Just Keep Rising” in response to this continued trend. During the conversation, they also talked about how other countries are ahead of the U.S. when it comes to the rise of the nones, but how Christianity is on the rise in the global South. You can read about this in Dr. White's blog “Global Snapshot.”

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 celebrity pastors and the harm that they bring to the witness of the Church. Ultimately, the goal for anyone answering the call to be a pastor or ministry leader should be to lead a lost world to Christ, not to set themselves up as an idol. But we live in an age where being committed to the doctrine of the Church and showing humility are values pushed far below charisma and popularity.

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There are three books that Dr. White mentioned in relation to today's conversation that are definitely worth the time to read. Celebrities for Jesus by Katelyn Beaty takes a look at how fame, when it's cultivated for the sake of fame, is precisely the opposite of the heart of the gospel message. When Narcissism Comes to the Church by Chuck DeGroat explores the dangers of narcissism within the life of the church - both in its leaders and members. And finally, Good to Great by Jim Collins discusses the combination that makes someone a great leader - having both strength and humility.

You'll also want to check out “CCP4: On Pastors and Moral Failings” discussing the litany of pastors in the news who've succumbed to moral failures, and the pain it brings to those within the church.

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 rising trend known as “quiet quitting,” and specifically how it relates to the Church. It's clear that a side effect of the pandemic was that it changed how we view our work-life balance. Proponents of quiet quitting see it as a positive way to keep priorities in order, while opponents put it in the category of laziness.

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This idea for this conversation sparked from a recent blog post from Dr. White called “The ‘Quiet Quitting' Church,” which generated a lot of response. The big headline? The Church cannot have a lack of intensity when it comes to reaching people who don't have a relationship with Jesus. A lack of intensity can affect members of the church, allowing a spiritual narcissism to creep in. While written in the heart of the pandemic, the message of the blog “Our Spiritual Pandemic of Narcissism” is a sobering read. In this conversation, they also discussed how the pandemic affected pastors and church leaders. Dr. White wrote a blog titled “Add Pastors to the Great Resignation” taking a look at the high rate of pastor burnout caused by the past two years.

There are two recent podcast episodes that were also mentioned as a part of today's conversation. First is “CCP28: On Deconstructing,” as it's often claimed that the "deconstructing" of many Christ followers has been the cause for a lot of the quiet quitting happening in churches right now. And also mentioned was “CCP19: On Self Care” and the idea of putting care of self above all else, even the needs of those around us.

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 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.

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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.

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a tool for understanding who God created you to be that is deeply rooted in ancient Christian thinking. It's called the Enneagram. The concept of the Enneagram dates back to the earliest centuries of the ancient Eastern monastic movement, to the times of the Desert Fathers. It's most notably attributed to Evagrius Ponticus, who created a list of eight corresponding virtues and vices. These would later be incorporated into the nine points of the Enneagram. So how can Christians use this tool as a part of their ongoing walk with Christ?

Episode Links

While this podcast provides a great overview of the Enneagram, you can take a deeper dive into it through a four-week series delivered by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Finding Your Way to You: The Bible, The Enneagram and Self-Understanding.” The fourth installment of that series was an interview between Dr. White and author and speaker Suzanne Stabile. She has, by far, written the most thorough and well-researched books on this topic, and has devoted her time to helping people understand how to apply the Enneagram to their life and their relationships. You can find out more about her through her website Life in the Trinity Ministry. Her books, which really should be read in the following order, are: The Road Back to You, The Path Between Us and her latest book, The Journey Toward Wholeness.

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 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.

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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.

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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.