Part of the fallout of the COVID pandemic is that more Americans are battling depression. But before we try to help a friend in the middle of the struggle, there are some things we need to know. “I think some of the common misunderstandings are that everyone experiences depression the same way or looks the …
The headlines have been filled with Christian leaders who’ve abused power. In this Inside Out podcast, counselor, pastor, chaplain, and author Michael MacKenzie talks about developing a Christian culture that discourages church leadership from misusing their position and influence. “We as a culture are enamored–have been enamored–with power, with charisma, and not in …
Even as we’re tightening our belts and scrambling for gifts this Christmas, author, editor, and speaker Kristen Wetherell joins me to talk about creative ways to be generous this season. “I think one of the ways that we can give in a creative and kind of unconventional manner that’s still deeply, deeply biblical is …
Do you expect an uncomfortable family gathering this Christmas? “I think that the Enemy and the World are in overdrive right now, seeking to divide people. Dividing families, dividing communities, dividing nations,” says Pastor Rob Rienow, co-founder of Visionary Family Ministries and author of the 2020 book Healing Family Relationships. “It’s political, it’s COVID, it’s …
In the US, Evangelical Christians are the most resistant to the pandemic vaccines, with a number applying to be exempt for religious reasons. As Americans, we have the right. But as followers of Jesus, is it the right thing to do? “It really depends on the individual and the moral witness that they’re called to …
Thanksgiving and Christmas—just ahead on the calendar—are happy times for many of us, but difficult times for those who grieve empty arms or an unwelcome diagnosis, or the death of a parent, a spouse, a child, a dream, or a job. “One of the most important things to do when you are navigating a loss–and …
High-profile Christians are “deconstructing” their faith. So are some of our family and friends. What are they doing, how might we love them through the process, and is there hope that after this deconstruction that they’ll reconstruct a faith that glorifies God? “I think, to be honest with you, some deconstruction is absolutely necessary …
By the most recent count, 35 million Americans are caring for their parents. As baby boomers continue to age, more adult children will join their ranks. Author Linda Winn used to be one of those caregivers. Here on Inside Out she talks about negotiating both the changing parent-child dynamic and the elder care system, and …
We’re not surprised that God’s Church and the surrounding culture are not in synch—but there was a time when the relationship felt friendlier. So what kind of challenge is this for Christians spreading the great news of Jesus? “We think, as Christians, that the more ‘Christian-y’ we can make the culture, the more Christianity—as …
COVID-19 has changed the Church. “There’s no question that the Church is different,” says Dr. Glenn Daman, my guest on this Inside Out podcast. “Our country’s different. The world post-COVID is going to be different.” Fewer people are returning to church after the 2020 shutdowns. And there’s tension as people express their …
