In this episode, Adam and Ty sit down with Rebecca McLaughlin to discuss her new book How Church Could (Literally) Save Your Life, which explores how regular involvement in a local church is linked with mental, physical, moral, and spiritual flourishing. Drawing on rigorous academic research (especially from Harvard School of Public Health), Rebecca outlines compelling findings: weekly attendance correlates with lower rates of depression, extended life expectancy, reduced deaths of despair, and more. She also addresses objections (such as church‑hurt, abuse, selection bias) and pivots to a theological framing: the church is more than an event — it is family.

In This Episode

01:00 – “church is our family”

06:00 – Why this topic? The research behind the book

08:00 – Stats: church attendance & health outcomes

11:00 – Not prosperity gospel: deeper than health hacks

12:00 – What about unhealthy churches?

14:00 – Data controls: not just correlation

16:00 – Theology: why worship matters

18:00 – Church vs. self-optimization culture

23:00 – Virtual vs. in-person: why weekly presence matters

26:00 – Making church a real family

29:00 – Marriage, singleness & spiritual kinship

32:00 – Closing reflections & next steps

Key Takeaways

• Regular attendance at church (once a week or more) is strongly correlated with improved mental health, longer life expectancy, and reduced risk of “deaths of despair.”
• The positive effect is not explained solely by social support.
• The church is not just “another activity” but a family.
• Making church family real may require simple but counter‑cultural practices.
• The research is not a guarantee of trouble‑free life or a health‑miracle; the gospel remains central — the church is for life in Christ, not just health benefits.
• For those who’ve been hurt in church: the invitation is not necessarily to abandon church, but to work toward healthy, safe, loving communities.

Guest Resources

• How Church Could Literally Save Your Life by Rebecca McLaughlin
• Rebecca’s Website 
• Confronting Christianity Podcast 
• Follow Rebecca 

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