It seems that everyone today takes offense at nearly everything. Carmen observes there are legitimate causes for righteous indignation, the real need is for each of us to become more resilient. Justin Giboney of the And Campaign talks about not being easily offended and helping our children develop the kind of gentle toughness they’re going to need as Christians in a world at emnity with God.

Then from Chick-fil-A to Hong Kong to Kanye West, Collin Hansen of The Gospel Coalition looks at TGC’s statistically  top theological news stories of 2019.

 

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On this 17th day of Advent Carmen opens the show with a survey of Luke 17.

Dr. Mark Caleb Smith from Cedarville University joins Carmen for a conversation about rediscovering or reestablishing a center in American politics. The extremes tend to define the positions and certainly the planks of the GOP and Democrat Party platforms, but are those polar opposite positions really where most Americans live? Do all of your views line up as either politically red or blue? If not, how do you find a political home in these grossly partisan times?

Worship leader, singer, songwriter and Bible study leader Kelly Minter shares her newest book, A Place at the Table. Taste and see that the Lord is good on this Tasty Tuesday!  There’s literally an entire chapter on tomatoes and another one on soup. It’s delicious and it will make you savor the Savior.

 

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Today we put the social back into social media. Thomas Russo, Jr. is a city manager in New Jersey. He connected with Carmen on LinkedIn and that led to an exchange of books which resulted in today’s conversation on air. Thomas Russo was living the life – the life the world tells us to crave. But it was a life that he knew was inauthentic and empty. So, in 2015, he made a choice and he is a new man. His testimony is unique but his experience of transformation is available to anyone and everyone who wants to be rid of fear, anxiety, despair and regret – and really live.

Then Carmen has her weekly conversation with Dr. David Aikman about headlines around the world. They talk about the UK election and prospects for Brexit then pivot to the China trade deal and finally discuss the Senate’s passage of the Armenian Genocide Bill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Remember Y2K? Twenty years ago we were all feverishly preparing for…the unknown. No one really knew what would happen at the strike of midnight on 12/31/1999 when all those new fangled computers rolled over. Some predicted the end of the world, others the end of the world as we know it. The doomsayers were wrong but the world has changed dramatically in the past 20 years. Do you remember the expectations you had about 2020? What happened in the past 20 years that you didn’t expect? When we consider the year 2020, what needs to come into focus for you?

Carmen’s conversations today are with The Christian Post’s Brandon Showalter and Hillsdale College professor Adam Carrington.  Enjoy!

 

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In the first half Carmen has her weekly Friday media round up with Adam Holz from Focus on the Family’s Plugged In.

Then, Kevin Singer from Neighborly Faith and Dr. Matthew Mayhew from The Ohio State University share the IDEALS project which examines the experience of college students in developing friendships beyond their own tribe.

 

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Ben Johnson is back to share his thoughts across a range of topics:

* The Jews. Ben and Carmen discuss everything from the shooting in New Jersey targeting a kosher deli to the President’s executive order related to reducing anti-Semitism on U.S. college and university campuses to the British election. They also discuss why anti-Semitism is so enduring.

* The Person of the Year. Time says its Greta Thunberg (whom Ben describes as more aspiration than accomplishment) but Carmen contends that there’s really ever only One Person of the Year every year: Jesus. This the day the Lord has made. This the Year of the Lord.

* And a brief look at so-called Christian doomsayers. Remember how it felt at this point in 1999? Y2K was going to be the end of the world? And then it wasn’t.

Next, Carmen talks with Dr. Bret Nick from the Christian Medical and Dental Assn. Dr. Nick works in Emergency Medicine and this time of year there’s an uptick in eye and face injuries. Come to find out, the movie was right! You really do risk shooting your eye out with that Nerf gun! They also talk about the dangers of ice, snow, sledding, falls, and low temperatures. Planning and preparation are key!

Then they discuss the measles outbreak worldwide and finally why it’s harder to be skinny today compared to the 1980’s. Yes, really! Apparently the combination of more sedentary jobs, chemical exposure in food and air, inactivity, anti-depressants, anti-biotics that kill off the good microbes in our gut…and our lack of sleep all means its just flat our harder to be skinny today.

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Dr. Linda Mintle talks with Carmen about emotional intelligence and how to boost it. Beginning with empathy but also exploring topics like curiosity and passion, your emotional intelligence affects you and everyone around you. Getting healthy at this point matters. They also discuss the need to say no and if you’re having a hard time saying no, exploring the underlying reasons why.

Then Dr. David Aikman is back to discuss recently released reports of the systematic detention of more than a million ethnic Uighurs, Kazakhs and others in reeducation camps over the past three years. Carmen refers to Dr. Albert Mohler’s Briefing on the topic and to the NY Times expose.  The U.S. Congress has taken action and there is now conversation about the U.S. contributions to the World Bank which recently extended loans to the Xinjiang region of China where the internments are taking place.

Carmen and David then turn their attention to the historic election taking place in Great Britain on the 12th. There are surprisingly religious storylines including Jewish and Hindu leaders condemning the Labour party candidate and Muslim leaders hitting back with accusations against the conservative candidate. Largely absent is any influential voice coming from the Church of England. David concludes with an observation about the enthusiasm Britain’s evangelical Christians have for Brexit because they see remaining in the EU as stifling to the Gospel.

 

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On this 9th day of December and the 9th day of Advent, Carmen discusses Luke chapter 9. Herod wonders aloud about who Jesus is and then Jesus asks his disciples who people say that he is. Finally, Jesus turns to his disciples and asks them directly, “who do you say that I am?”  It is the most important question any one of us will ever answer. It is the ultimate question. How we answer matters more than any other confession, any promise, any relationship we will ever make. So, who do you say that he is?

Carmen introduces the Fairness for All Act proposed in the U.S. Congress.

Peter Kapsner returns to continue the conversation about how Christians can faithfully respond to the challenges presented by the LGBTQ demands for the Christian’s capitulation to the demand for inclusion. A few notes….

 

* Does love actually require inclusion? No. 

 

Cultural Statement #1: Correcting the Church’s “Hatred”

“The church has been filled with hatred and bullying of the gay community. Therefore, we must correct that with inclusion.”

Response

* The proposition of hatred and bullying seems to have some merit as some of the more public ministries the past two generations have responded with anger, condescension, and dismissal.

* However, it is not a logically determinative that the remedy should be inclusion. There are a range of possible responses with inclusion as only one possibility.

*

* Most importantly, current “inclusion doctrine” is often based on a misunderstanding of biblical, unconditional love. “Inclusion doctrine” teaches that love is a synonym for approval.

* In the biblical text, however, love is not “inclusion-based.” Love is a deep affection (ahavah) that is self-sacrificing (agape), never forsakes (hesed), and based in an other-centered desire for wholeness. When God unconditionally loves it is in the pursuit of wholeness and not in the “including” or “approving” of all things. In fact, God EXCLUDES certain things because of love….because He knows such things will destroy us.  

 

 

* Who are you to judge? 

 

Cultural Statement #2:  Do not Judge…..

“Who are we to judge? Jesus said not to judge. Therefore, we must not judge others, but instead embrace inclusion.”

Response

* This line of thinking is based on a misinterpretation of Jesus teaching on judging and how “judge” is used in the biblical text.

* One form of judgment in the Bible is that of “condemnation” – which can be understood as someone whose future has been determined and is fixed outside of God’s Kingdom. The poor and marginalized were often treated this way by the Pharisees. They were not invited to the table of the religious leaders as their future was already decided.

* Judging as condemnation, in this way, is indeed, antithetical to Kingdom life. Everyone has a possible hope if they turn. When Jesus said, “Do not judge” in Matthew, He is saying, “Do not condemn.”

* A second form of judgment in the Bible is that of “discernment” – and this IS the call of Christians.  We must discern how our decisions and our ways of life ripple outward for good or evil as related to God’s Kingdom. The “fruit” of a sinful life is misery. Jesus died to break the power of sin and death and the “fruit” of staying tethered to Him as the Vine is life, love, hope peace, etc.

* This is why sin should not persist in the body of Christ. So we have to be able to JUDGE (discern) what is rightly ordered and consistent with the Kingdom of God.

* In this way, I hope I am both the most and the least judgmental person you will meant. Hopeful and discerning.

 

 

* Jesus welcomed sinners… (with the goal of redemptive wholeness)

 

Cultural Statement #3:  Jesus Welcomed Sinners

In this episode Carmen talks with Focus on the Family’s Adam Holz who offers movie reviews as well as a cultural commentary on whether or not we really need 105 new Christmas movies in just this year.

Chris Martin from Lifeway Voices then shares some of his preparations to become a first time dad and then they discuss the power of a (transcendentally) good #hashtag.

 

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Public theologian Matthew Hawkins joins Carmen for a conversation covering recent polling by Pew which indicates while a majority of Americans appreciate the positive influence religious institutions have on morality, they don’t want those religious bodies to flex their muscles in the direction of political engagement.  They also discuss whether or not religious liberty is really just code for protection of white Western nationalism. Carmen and Matt draw important distinctions in the use of language and why its imperative today to define terms when speaking in public about the way the Bible and the Christian faith applies to life – and our life together.

Cedarville University professor Dan DeWitt then joins Carmen to discuss a letter Charles Darwin once wrote to Billy Graham – well, not that William Graham