American Christianity is fixated on celebrity pastors, spectacular worship, and doing big things for God. But most of our lives aren’t that extraordinary. That’s good news, according to Glenn Packiam. He’s been a megachurch worship leader and pastor, but now he finds God in the most ordinary things. He talks with Skye about his new book, “Blessed, Broken, Given.” Also this week, Phil and Skye reflect on the recent shootings in El Paso and Dayton. Should the Billy Graham Rule apply to police officers? And a German study involving dropping oranges at train stations reveals surprising things about immigrants and discrimination.

Episode 364: Finding God in the Ordinary with Glenn Packiam

Join VeggieTales and What's in the Bible? creator Phil Vischer and co-host Skye Jethani (author, speaker, pastor) for a fast-paced and often funny conversation about pop culture, media, theology, and the fun, fun, fun of living a thoughtful Christian life in an increasingly post-Christian culture.

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Previously puritanical evangelicals are increasingly embracing profanity and lewd content. A recent New York Times article explores possible explanations ranging from politics and the culture wars, to the internet and the decline of churches. Also, fewer people are reading books, and that’s a challenge for Christian traditions rooted in literacy, education, and the Bible. How do we make disciples in a post-literate culture? Then, more people are comparing our divisive culture to America just before the Civil War. Are we heading toward a national divorce—or worse? Historian Tracy McKenzie is back to share lessons and warnings from 19th century America. Plus, new developments as the turducken turns.   0:00 - Sponsor - Richmont Graduate University - Join a Christian mental health counseling program! Use referral code HOLYPOST at checkout to skip the application fee. Go to https://www.richmont.edu/ 0:37 - Intro 1:56 - Show Starts 3:10 - Theme Song 3:31- Sponsor - Hiya Health - Go to www.hiyahealth.com/HOLYPOST to receive 50% off your first order 4:36 - Stronger Men’s Conference Story Continued 14:46 - Raunchy Christians 23:23 - Children and Public Spaces 33:00 - Literacy and Discipleship 35:38 - Hearing vs. Reading the Bible 42:23 - Can Churches be the Antidote for a Lonely, Digital World? 51:13 - Integrating Technology and Scripture 55:17 - Sponsor - World Relief - Visit https://worldrelief.org/holypost/ to download your family refugee guide and learn more about the Path Community 56:03 - Sponsor - Faithful Counseling - Get 10% off your first month at  www.betterhelp.com/HOLYPOST 57:03 - Interview 59:03 - Can We Compare Today and 1850? 1:03:21 - How Has Media Affected Current Politics? 1:15:16 - The Role of Conspiracy Theories 1:24:42 - Why Were We More Unified in the Past? 1:35:00 - End Credits   Links Mentioned in the News Segment: John Lindell and Mark Driscoll  https://julieroys.com/john-lindell-apologizes-for-inviting-driscoll-and-sword-swallower-to-stronger-mens-conference/   Biblical Literacy in a Postliterate Age  https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2024/april-web-only/biblical-literacy-in-postliterate-age-reading-video.html   The Raunchy Christians Are Here  https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/17/us/evangelicals-christians-conservative-trump.html   Other resources: Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/ Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop   The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.  

614: The Rise of Raunchy Christians & Avoiding Civil War with Tracy McKenzie

Atheist Richard Dawkins has said he doesn’t believe one word of the Christian faith, but he now considers himself a “cultural Christian” and wants to defend the Christian values of his country against the influence of Islam and immigrants. Does this represent an alignment between the New Atheists and Christian Nationalists? Curtis Chang shares about “The After Party”—the new curriculum he’s developed with David French and Russel Moore to help Christians focus on hope and humility rather than partisanship. Also this week, Mark Driscoll gets booted from a men’s conference. And another infraction by a Florida man with a Bible.   Holy Post Plus Getting Schooled - Mariah W. Stewart https://www.patreon.com/posts/100430727/   0:00 - Intro   1:02 - Show Starts   3:02 - Theme Song   3:23 - Sponsor - Sundays Dog Food - Get 35% off your first order of Sundays. Go to www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout.   4:35 - Florida Man Scales Tower with Bible   12:00 - Mark Driscoll Kicked Off Stage After Calling Sword-Swallower a “Jezebel Spirit”   22:35 - Richard Dawkins, the “Cultural Christian”   36:40 - Dusty Deavers, the Country Singin’ Senator   46:06 - Pray for the Middle East   50:46 - Sponsor - Blueland - Get 15% off your first order by going to https://www.blueland.com/HOLYPOST   51:54  - Sponsor - Hatch - Form better bedtime habits today with Hatch—$20 off and free shipping when you order the Restore at www.hatch.co/holypost   52:55 - Interview   1:04:34 - The “What” vs the “How”   1:16:26 - Four Quadrant of Political Engagement   1:27:19 - End Credits    Links Mentioned in the News Segment: Florida Man Climbs Cell Phone Tower  https://www.newsweek.com/florida-miami-man-climbs-cell-phone-tower-disconnects-power-live-video-1886494   Sword-Swallower on a Pole and Mark Driscoll https://www.newsweek.com/pastor-kicked-stage-strip-show-1890247   Richard Dawkins and Cultural Christianity  https://christianitytoday.com/ct/2024/april-web-only/new-atheism-destroy-christianity-richard-dawkins.html   Other resources:   The After Party: https://redeemingbabel.org/the-after-party/   Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/   Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus   Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost   Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop   The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.  

613: Driscoll, Dawkins, & Political Discipleship with Curtis Chang

This week we’re discussing a series of articles exploring what we’re gaining and losing as fewer Americans are committed to religion and attending church. Even some non-believers are beginning to worry that the decline in religion may not be good for society, but does it also represent a new opportunity for the message of Christianity? Then, N.T. Wright is back to discuss his new book with co-author Michael Bird, “Jesus and the Powers.” While everyone knows mixing faith and politics can be dangerous, Wright says there’s also a danger when we refuse to mix them. He talks to Skye about what the Bible says on matters of church and state, and why we should defend liberal democracy despite its many problems. Also this week: Is the sun alive? And a Florida man shares the Bible at Walgreens on Easter.   0:00 - Sponsor - Richmont Graduate University - Join a Christian mental health counseling program! Use referral code HOLYPOST at checkout to skip the application fee. Go to https://www.richmont.edu/ 0:35 - Intro 1:21 - Show Starts 3:08 - Theme Song 3:30 -  Sponsor - Wheaton Graduate School - Learn in a rich, rigorous Christian environment - www.wheaton.edu/holypost 4:34 - Kaitlyn’s new show announcement! 8:08 - Curiously, Kaitlyn Trailer - Go to holypost.com/follow to check it out! 10:15 - Florida Man Strikes Again (with a Bible) on Easter 13:43 - Does the Sun Dream of Electric Sheep? Consciousness and the Sun. 19:43 - The Cost of the Churchgoing Bust 28:52 - How Trump Fills the Secular Void 44:19 - Is Trumpism Emptying Churches? 52:24 - Sponsor - Hiya Health - Go to www.hiyahealth.com/HOLYPOST to receive 50% off your first order 53:28 - Sponsor - Faithful Counseling - Get 10% off your first month at  www.betterhelp.com/HOLYPOST 54:33 - Interview 56:02 - Why Doesn’t Separation of Church and State Work? 1:14:02 - Does the Kingdom of Heaven Imply There Will Be No Government? 1:17:10 - When Should Christians Submit to Governing Authorities? 1:24:56 - The Value of Liberal Democracy  1:30:15 - End Credits Links Mentioned in the News Segment: Florida Man Arrested for Hitting Manager with a Bible on Easter  https://www.christianpost.com/news/florida-man-arrested-for-smacking-walgreens-manager-with-bible.html#:~:text=A%20Florida%20man%20was%20arrested,a%20Bible%20on%20Easter%20Sunday.   The Sun’s Consciousness  https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a60229168/panpsychism-everything-has-a-soul/   Trump is Emptying Churches  https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-04-07/trump-s-brand-of-christian-conservatism-is-driving-people-from-church   How Trump Fills a Void in an Increasingly Secular America  https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/04/05/trump-religion-secularism-authoritarian-populism/   The True Cost of the Churchgoing Bust  https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/04/america-religion-decline-non-affiliated/677951/   Other resources: Jesus and the Powers: Christian Political Witness in an Age of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional Democracies by N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird: https://a.co/d/7tCBCK8   Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/ Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop  The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.  

612: The Religious Vacuum, Politics, & the Powers with N.T. Wright

The newest Holy Post team member, Esau McCaulley, joins Phil and Skye to discuss two stories that caused outrage from both ends of the political spectrum during Holy Week. Trump is selling an American flag-wrapped Bible, and the Biden administration honored “Transgender Visibility Day” on Easter. And why are Catholic Charities being attacked for helping immigrants? Then Skye talks to atmospheric scientist Katharine Hayhoe about how her evangelical faith led her to become a climate scientist. She says combating global warming is part of our call to love our neighbors and care for the least of these. Plus, an “emerging behavior” on Twitch grabs Phil’s attention.   Holy Post Plus Bonus Interview https://www.patreon.com/posts/101580815/   0:00 - Sponsor - Richmont Graduate University - Join a Christian mental health counseling program! Use referral code HOLYPOST at checkout to skip the application fee. Go to https://www.richmont.edu/ 0:35 - Intro 1:54 -  Show Starts 3:45 - Theme Song 4:06 - Sponsor - AG1 - Heavily researched, thoroughly purity-tested, and filled with stuff you need. Go to https://www.athleticgreens.com/HOLYPOST 5:02 - Esau the Hufflepuff 8:56 - News of the Butt, Twitch 14:41 - The “God Bless the USA” Bible 38:36 - Catholic Charities Targeted by Far-Right 49:09 - Sundays Dog Food - Get 35% off your first order of Sundays. Go to www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout. 50:20 - Sponsor - Faithful Counseling - Get 10% off your first month at  www.betterhelp.com/HOLYPOST 51:25 - Interview 54:51 - What Changed Things for Katharine Heyhoe 1:03:49 - Are Evangelicals the Stumbling Block for Stopping Climate Change? 1:25:26 - End Credits   Links Mentioned in the News Segment: “God Bless the USA” Bibles  https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-selling-bibles-easter-b2519373.html   Threats to Catholic Charity Staffers  https://religionnews.com/2024/03/22/threats-to-catholic-charities-staffers-increase-amid-rightwing-anti-migrant-campaign/    Other resources: Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/ Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop   The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.  

611: Trump’s Bible, Biden’s Easter, and Climate Change for Christians with Katharine Hayhoe

A recent bill to ban TikTok was passed in the House with bipartisan support. Skye talks with David French about the arguments for and against the bill, the likelihood of it passing the Senate, and why Trump claims China is America's biggest threat, and yet he still opposes the TikTok ban. Then, Skye and David break down two recent Supreme Court cases about social media content regulation. Should social media companies have complete control over what is posted on their platforms, and is it ok for the government to ask these companies to take down certain posts? Holy Post Plus - Getting Schooled https://www.patreon.com/posts/getting-schooled-100424439 0:00 - Theme Song 0:17 - Show Starts 1:11 - Tiktok's Security Risk 8:33 - Bipartisan Support 13:49 - Trump's 180 on Tiktok 19:27 - Will Bipartisan Agreement Last? 24:51 - Sponsor - Hiya Health - Go to www.hiyahealth.com/HOLYPOST to receive 50% off your first order 25:55 - Sponsor - Sundays Dog Food - Get 35% off your first order of Sundays. Go to www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout 27:07 - Regulating US Social Media  41:19 -  Do Companies Have to Host Speech? 51:59 - The Monopolies 1:05:24 - The Wrap-Up 1:09:36 - End Credits Other resources: What Trump's TikTok Flip-Flip Tells America by David French:  https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/17/opinion/trump-tiktok-ban-china.html Holy Post Events: https://www.holypost.com/events/ Holy Post Website: https://www.holypost.com/ Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Episode 364: Finding God in the Ordinary with Glenn Packiam

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