In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent article in Christianity Today titled “The Loosening of Evangelicalism” written by Brad East. As the title implies, he gives his observations on the loosening of social norms within the church that has taken place for the last 25 years or so, particularly when it comes to changes in attitudes regarding alcohol, tattoos, dancing, gambling and mothers working outside of the home. So what, if any, are the implications of this shift when it comes to the church and how we are engaging with today's culture?

Interestingly, Dr. White gave a series at Mecklenburg Community Church several years ago that addressed many of the topics East mentioned in his article. The series was called “Is it okay for a Christian to…” and filled in the blanks with everything from gambling to watching R-rated movies to getting tattoos to smoking marijuana. You can find that series on Church & Culture HERE. And for an outline of the four-stage matrix Dr. White mentioned to determine whether something is prohibited or acceptable, we'd encourage you to read the Church & Culture blog entry HERE.

The Church & Culture Podcast has tackled some of the topics raised by East's article in the past. One area where culture has made a huge shift is in its embrace of marijuana. This was the topic of podcast discussion CCP74: On Smoking Marijuana and Drinking Wine that you can go back and listen to if you missed it. You can also check out CCP95: On Gambling, CCP79: On Cremation, CCP55: On Tattoos and Cosmetic Surgery and CCP22: On Yoga.

Finally, Dr. White discussed the importance of the church not capitulating to culture. Specifically, he mentioned recent decisions made by the United Methodist Church that have most definitely not led to growth of those churches. He mentioned a book written by sociologist Dean Kelley called Why Conservative Churches Are Growing, which you can find HERE.

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. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they continue the discussion from last week's episode about jobs and our work. While part one of this conversation focused on our vocation and calling, part two examined how we, as Christ followers, are called to engage with our coworkers. Because as it stands right now, we appear to be struggling in this area.

An article in The Wall Street Journal titled, “The Loneliness of the American Worker,” shed light on an epidemic of isolation that seems to be present whether working in the office or remotely. There is certainly a need for people to find community through their workplace. However, it seems that some people may have over-and-above expectations for their employers to fill too many roles. A CNBC survey found that 56% of American workers are unwilling to work in an environment where their employers do not share their values. You can read that article HERE.

The truth is, so many people are lacking the true community that can be found in the life of the church and a relationship with God. Dr. White recently wrote a blog about the book Mostly What God Does: Reflections on Seeking and Finding His Love Everywhere written by Savannah Guthrie. She wrote a winsome, compelling, authentic, vulnerable apologetic for God's character and how we are called to be the aroma of Christ to the world around us.

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. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they began a discussion about jobs and work but on a deeper level, delving into the ideas of calling and vocation. The effects of the pandemic can be seen in so many spheres of life, particularly through the lens of the American workforce. What seems to be missing is an understanding of the biblical view of work - something seldom taught in churches today.

Simone Stolzoff recently wrote an article in The Atlantic titled, “The Moral Case for Working Less.” The subheading to her article says: “We shouldn't work less simply because it allows us to be better workers. We should work less because it allows us to be better humans.” The younger generations seem to really resonate with these sentiments as they strive to have more of a work-life balance.

The truth is, many people are already working less than they did prior to the pandemic. You can read more about this in an article by S.J. Steinhardt titled, “Report: Many Factors Contribute to Americans Working Fewer Hours Than They Did Pre-Pandemic.”

Finally, as you heard mentioned in today's discussion, the ideas of vocation and calling are not often talked about in the life of the church, yet they are so important. There are two series that Dr. White gave at Mecklenburg Community Church that you may be interested in checking out: “Living On Purpose” and “Becoming a Difference Maker.”

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. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.