The narrative of culture today is that whatever gender you are born with, you can easily change if it is not the one you identify with. And this change will have no long-term effects but will help you feel and live your true authentic self. But is this true?

On this episode of The Link, Pastor Chris Brooks and Laura Perry Smalts have a conversation about gender dysphoria, how to understand the mind of a transgender individual, and how to have conversations with those in your life who are seeking to transition. Filled with raw, honest emotion, Laura's story sheds light on the common deceptions about the transgender lifestyle and exposes the frustration and hopelessness of living with a self-created identity that is in opposition to who God created. This is an episode you won't want to miss!

Resources:
Transgender to Transformed by Laura Perry Smalts - https://amzn.to/3XJDIDR
Laura's Documentary "In His Image" - https://bit.ly/3D53aff
Loving Your LGBTQ+ Neighbor Resource Guide - https://bit.ly/3WpPZfU

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Each year, the third Sunday of the month is set aside to honor the sanctity of life. This is known as Sanctity of Life Sunday. As followers of Christ, we believe that life at every age matters, and we want to do all we can to partner with those advocating and protecting life.

On this episode of The Link, Pastor Chris Brooks is joined by Roland Warren, the President, and CEO of CareNet and the National Fatherhood Initiative, to have a meaningful conversation about choosing life, fatherhood, single moms, and ultimately building strong families. Roland has been interviewed by CSPAN, CNN, Fox News, Oprah, and more, and we are incredibly grateful to have him on this episode! 

Resources: 

CareNet – www.care-net.org

Bad Dads of the Bible by Roland Warren - https://amzn.to/3XDur0i

Raising Sons of Promise by Roland Warren - https://amzn.to/3XKp8w9

Sanctity of Life Resource Guide - https://bit.ly/3XmIbwE

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If we told you there is a problem happening in our world that affects 40 million people? And it's a problem that affects adults and children of all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities. Would you take an interest? Would you feel it's an issue we must immediately take action against?
 
On this episode, Pastor Chris Brooks is joined by two dynamic women on the front lines fighting against human trafficking, All Worthy of Love founder Lindsey Fischer and the Executive Director of Hope Against Trafficking, Lexie Schwarze. They'll be having a conversation about what human trafficking is, why it's a problem, and how you can help be a part of the solution.

Resources:
How to Fight Human Trafficking - https://biturl.top/RnInqy
All Worthy of Love - https://biturl.top/BfA7jm
Hope Against Trafficking - https://biturl.top/nmuiem

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We’re so excited - THE LINK IS BACK TONIGHT! 

Check out this clip to get a sneak peak of the topics we’ll be exploring this season and be sure to tune-in tonight at 6PM as we discuss the issue of human trafficking and how we can better take action. See you soon!

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One of the most debated and highly contested topics in all of our culture is abortion. The conversations surrounding abortion focus on the impact abortion has on men. But one of the areas surrounding this topic that is often overlooked is how abortion impacts dads.

Today on this special edition of The Link, Pastor Chris Brooks is joined by Vincent DiCaro of CareNet to talk about the important role that fathers play in the life of an unborn child and the long-term effects of abortion on dads.

References:
The Sanctity of Life Resource Guide - https://bit.ly/3swqyfQ
CareNet Pregnancy Resource Centers - https://www.care-net.org

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Everywhere we look, we are bombarded with different people telling us how we should think, act, or respond to the things happening in the world around us. It is becoming more and more difficult to discern truth from the false narratives presented to us. In this episode of The Link, Pastor Chris is joined by Jacob Ley and Brandon Cleaver of Everyday Theology to not only talk about discerning truth from lies and how to make sure the media is not becoming the truth in our lives.

Resources:
Everyday Theology - https://tinyurl.com/yck4cuxf
Everyday Theology Blogs - https://bit.ly/3SBtFh7
What God Says About Discerning Truth - https://bit.ly/3TPEUDN
Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel - https://amzn.to/3fPWfxS

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Politics. Love them or hate them; they are a part of our everyday life we just can’t seem to avoid. As believers, politics can be tough to navigate as we try to balance between being good stewards of our right to vote and understanding our commitment to God’s moral law. But what if we told you there was another way to look at politics--one that involves the people behind them. On this episode of The Link, Pastor Chris Brooks is joined by Senate Chaplain Barry Black to talk about politics, Scripture, and the people behind the policies. 

Resources: 
From the Hood to the Hill by Chaplain Black - https://amzn.to/3Cuj7us
5 Christians Books to Read About Politics - https://bit.ly/3D1aQzC

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The world we live in today has been described by many as a "post-Christian culture." But what does that even mean? Was culture ever fully Christian?  Well, whether you know it or not, you live in a post-Christian culture. And if you're a parent, you're raising your kids in a post-Christian culture.
 
 On this episode of The Link, Pastor Chris is joined by a long-time friend of Woodside, Dr. Domenic Ruso, to talk about the broad implications of living in a secular, post-Christian Culture, how we answer the questions people have about what we believe, and ultimately how we navigate the ins and outs of secular culture. 

Resources: 
Rethinking Christian Discipleship for A Secular Age - https://bit.ly/3RPujr8
A Secular Age by Charles Taylor - https://biturl.top/ANzMja

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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. And on this episode of The Link, we will discuss this tough and delicate topic. For many families, domestic violence is all too real. Statistics tell us that approximately 20 people per minute are experiencing some type of physical violence or abuse from an intimate partner or relationship.
 
Joining Pastor Chris Brooks on this episode is author and advocate, Tiffany Mensah. Chris and Tiffany discuss what is domestic violence, the signs, and how we can help be a part of the solution.
 
 *If you or someone you know are a victim of any form of domestic abuse or violence. Please contact us or one of the safety resources listed below

Resources: 
Domestic Violence: Signs & Solutions Resource Guide, written by Tiffany Mensah - https://bit.ly/3M1TGVi
Forgotten: Living in the Shadows of Domestic Violence - https://biturl.top/r2Qny2

Safety Resources:
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence http://ncadv.org/
Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence https://mcedsv.org/
National Domestic Violence Hotline https://www.thehotline.org/
RUSafe App https://www.techsafety.org/rusafe
Oakland County: Haven https://www.haven-oakland.org/
Wayne County: First Step https://www.firststep-mi.org/
Macomb County: Turning Point https://turningpointmacomb.org/

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Our culture's conversations around human sexuality seem to be at an all-time high. With our culture saying gender is fluid and who we love or are sleeping with is no one's concern, the questions surrounding how we respond are becoming more complicated to answer. On this episode of The Link, joining Pastor Chris Brooks is John Stonestreet of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview to have a conversation about how we hold true to our Biblical convictions while also showing the grace and love Jesus did to the world around us.

Resources:
Same-Sex Marriage: A Thoughtful Approach to God's Design for Marriage - https://amzn.to/3xFPYec
A Practical Guide to Culture - https://amzn.to/3xFPYec
Loving Your LGBTQ+ Resource Guide - https://bit.ly/3CdqxTK

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