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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss how recent studies have revealed the steady rise within culture of everything from depression to drug use, mental health issues to suicide and more. To help people cope, there's been an increased emphasis on the need for “self care,” with apps and services designed to help you eat better, sleep more, find new hobbies, etc. With all of these self-help tricks at our disposal, shouldn't we be feeling better? This episode will take a look at what the Bible has to say about the idea of selflessness, and what Christians can be doing to care for themselves.

There are several series that Dr. White has taught at Mecklenburg Community Church that can help you to explore more about the ideas netted out in this episode. A series called “Fit for Life” looks at the Bible's wisdom to be spiritually fit, emotionally fit, physically fit and financially fit, with all installments demonstrating how God-based self care is what is needed the most. A series called “Ordering Your Private World” addresses how to bring order to the substance of your life, with installments on motivation, use of time, wisdom and knowledge, spiritual strength and restoration. And finally, the series “Simplifying Your Life” explores the Bible's practical insights and guidelines for escaping the sometimes overwhelming demands in terms of activities and relationships, family and faith.

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 two American-born religions, both started in the 1800s. Using similar language as Christians but under different names, they have left a lot of Christians wondering what, exactly, they are. In this episode, you'll learn a bit about their history and some compelling evidence to help you determine whether they are Christian, cult or counterfeit.

For a deeper dive into understanding what separates Christianity from the religions of the world, you may find of interest a series delivered by Dr. White at Mecklenburg Community Church called “So What's the Difference?”

The topic of salvation by faith vs. salvation by works was discussed throughout this episode, particularly how they both relate to grace. You may also want to explore a series called “Getting Grace Right” that really helps shed light on the importance of the true meaning of grace.

Both Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses challenge the Bible's authority. Check out Dr. White's blog “Does It Matter Which Bible We Use?” to understand the various translations of the Bible.

And finally, we encourage you to go back and listen to CCP15: On Denominational Decline.

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 vast educational landscape (particularly in the U.S.) and whether all school options can be considered equally valid in terms of their value or mission. Parents can find themselves overwhelmed when deciding between public school, private school (both Christian and non-Christian), charter schools, university-model schools, magnet programs, homeschooling and more. Too often, however, the parents have their own needs in mind more than their child's when considering these options.

There are two previous podcasts that came up in this week's discussion that would be helpful for you to go back and listen to if you missed those episodes. Alexis mentioned how the idea for this school choice podcast actually came up during CCP14: On Gun Violence. During today's episode, Dr. White said that whatever happens educationally must not undermine the home, and that schools are increasingly trying to indoctrinate our children. This was discussed in deeper detail in CCP5: On the “Don't Say Gay” Bill.

Dr. White has long been an advocate for homeschooling. While obviously not saying that it's the only option, you can read more about his rationale in a blog titled, “Seven Reasons to Homeschool.” More recently, he wrote a blog titled, “The Real Risk of Homeschooling” in response to an article in Harvard Magazine trying to outline the perceived risks of homeschooling children. In another blog, Dr. White shares the sentiments of Neil Postman's book The Disappearance of Childhood in a blog titled, “The Real Varsity Blues.”

For any parents listening who are interested in learning more about homeschooling, the Meck Institute at Mecklenburg Community Church has an online class coming up on Wednesday, June 29 from 8 - 9:30 p.m. called “Exploring Homeschooling.” You can get class details and register HERE.

Toward the end of the discussion, Dr. White discussed how critical it is for parents to have open conversations with their kids before sending them off to college where they may find themselves in the hands of intellectual predators. Having your children read books like “Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians” can help give them a solid apologetic for their faith - to understand why they believe what they believe. And reading “A Mind for God” will show them the importance of looking at things with a Christian worldview.

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 take a deeper dive into the 2022 Summer Reading List - an annual Church & Culture blog tradition. Every summer, Dr. White shares the top 10 books that he either has read over the past year or that are at the top of his list to read over the summer. This summer's list was a curveball from the norm, based on questions coming in from the staff at Mecklenburg Community Church about recommended reading for their souls. So this year's list covers some of the classics of Christian devotion, of spiritual formation.

As reading is a passion of Dr. White, he often blogs about books and reading. “Books We Lie About Reading” discusses a BBC survey about the top books people lie to say they have read. In this blog, Dr. White explains the importance of cultivating A Mind for God - the title of a book he wrote that has in the appendix three helpful book lists: 10 books to begin cultivating a mind for God, 25 books for a Christian worldview and a lengthy list of the “great books.” He also wrote a blog titled “Ten Books for Spiritual Growth,” a short entry listing the top 10 books that he recommends for spiritual growth and development.

Toward the end of the discussion, Dr. White mentioned how important he feels it is for churches to develop their own bookstores. He blogged about this topic as well in a blog titled, “The Need for Church Bookstores.”

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 seemingly constant outpouring of scandals, coverups, sexual abuse and institutional corruption in the news tied to the Church, the latest of which involved the huge scandal tied to the Southern Baptist Convention. It leaves many people wondering just how important Christian denominations are when it comes to exploring God. Because right now, denominational Christianity seems to be in an absolute free fall.

There are several blogs written by Dr. White that are tied to this conversation and that you will find worth the time to read. He discussed how while all denominations have seen a decline in attendance and membership, there is a place where Christianity seems to be on the rise - the global South. You can read more about this trend in a blog titled “Global Snapshot.” Many people who have walked away from denominational Christianity have landed into an ever-increasing group known as the “nones.” In addition to Dr. White's book “The Rise of the Nones,” you may also find the blog titled “Nones Just Keep Rising” helpful for a recent update. A failure to see the urgency of evangelism is also at the heart of the denominational decline. For more on this you'll find it helpful to read a blog titled, “The Real Reason Churches Are in Decline.” Seminaries tied to denominations made their way into the conversation, and you may be interested in reading Dr. White's perspective in a blog titled “The Ending of Seminaries as We've Known Them.”

There were three recent Church & Culture podcasts mentioned during this episode that we suggest you go back and listen to if you missed them: CCP4: On Pastors and Moral Failings, CCP7: On Women in Ministry, and CCP9: On Unchurched Christians.

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.