Intersect: Where Church Meets Culture

Betsy has now had a flip phone for two months! Josh wants to know if this is realistic. Can she keep it going? Do we have to all have smart phones? If you will never get rid of your smartphone what can you do to be less addicted and chained to it? Are we losing boredom and does that matter? This and more! https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/style/teens-social-media.html https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/style/luddite-teens-reunion.html https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/02/opinion/teen-luddite-smartphones.html https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/opinion/tech-free-college-spaces.html https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jan/31/we-have-lost-so-much-of-ourselves-to-smartphones-can-we-get-it-back https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/01/opinion/how-quit-smartphone-addiction.html?searchResultPosition=1 https://www.theludditeclub.org/contact-1 https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/the-return-of-dumb-things-why-young-people-are-ditching-their-smartphones-for-mp3-players-and-digital-cameras-103012025.html https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/05/opinion/social-media-phones-mental-health.html https://calnewport.com/on-digital-minimalism/ https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/2026-s-biggest-lifestyle-shift-living-life-on-analog-mode/ar-AA1Uru4L

“All sins are the same.” “I can do all things through Christ…” “All our works are filthy rags…” “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” There are a lot of bumper sticker slogans that Christians toss around. But are these statements biblically accurate? On this episode Josh and Betsy are joined by Dr. Seth Scott, the head of the counseling department at Columbia International University in Columbia, South Carolina. This discussion on Christians fallacies provides a rich window into what God’s true purposes are for this people. https://ciu.edu/program/ma-clinical-counseling/

Are limitations good or bad? Are limitations a result of humanity’s fall into sin, or a part of being a creature? Is it wrong to try to transcend our limitations? Shouldn’t we try to be as productive as possible and to optimize our health and lifestyle? Josh and Betsy dive into these questions and more with award winning author Dr. Kelly Kapic. Dr. Kapic’s 2022 book, Your Only Human, won Christianity Today’s award that year for the best theology book. Join us for a fascinating conversation that will leave you relieved and grateful that all of us are only human. https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Only-Human-Limits-Reflect/dp/1587437031/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.5FQsvhZ-UZ2HMXUzEKQlCw1w7eVZ3yUftY7hD5LT89uyjk-HmCAQ_X8o-QclDiFhROcUAIq3GOs9-J1ffrYuDTU6zUenDNkfNcugPUorDRXK0-Ih0FafpWmzfgebPooCFfH-yaDXshg-0yHEL7jdE8VN8J-zmbu54hDoz6IS1mDxAPBSIsZNhha8Gzs6DWE6J_oATt5Oj0JQrPipxVoJSk3n4-SzHoTUn03nUZJi4rg.ooLps5P4w3KDw_W-ay09w9-lnS15jto-Zv9I0HOG0Mw&dib_tag=se&keywords=your+only+human&qid=1761751361&sr=8-1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1540968987/ref=mes-dp?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=FgPMM&content-id=amzn1.sym.1763b2a9-7aa6-49c2-a60b-ee230f5faf79&pf_rd_p=1763b2a9-7aa6-49c2-a60b-ee230f5faf79&pf_rd_r=62RFEJSD4174ABA35F32&pd_rd_wg=LXT32&pd_rd_r=c01c034b-4692-4c64-998b-e94a066cd8f7

Have you heard about Christian Nationalism? What is it, who believes it, and what impact does it have? In this episode Josh and Betsy review the book, The Violent Take It by Force, by Matthew D. Taylor. This book explains the rise to power of Independent Charismatic Christians and their connection to what happened on January 6th at the Capital. Every Christian should want to be informed about what Chrisitan movements are arising around us and how faithful they are to the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1506497780/?bestFormat=true&k=the%20violent%20take%20it%20by%20force&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_k0_1_9_de&crid=CGHK01G9PR6V&sprefix=the%20viole

Artificial Intelligence . . . It’s here. We are all using it. Should we be? Does it matter? What are the benefits? What are the risks? Is ChatGPT your friend? It’s the AI episode. Brought to you totally by two people with real human brains! Listen in and let us know what you think. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/06/opinion/ai-therapist-suicide.html?smid=url-share https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/technology/chatgpt-openai-suicide.html?smid=url-share https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/24/health/ai-therapists-chatbots.html?smid=url-share https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/15/health/ai-therapist-mental-health.html?smid=url-share https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/20/magazine/ai-chatbot-therapy.html?smid=url-share https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/opinion/chatgpt-therapist-journal-ai.html?smid=url-share https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/18/opinion/chat-gpt-mental-health-suicide.html?smid=url-share https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/opinion/teen-mental-health-chatbots.html?smid=url-share

College. To go or not to go? There are few topics that bring up strong opinions and anxiety for modern parents than the question of college. Josh and Betsy take a deep dive into the research on college and evaluate the crucial college question from a variety of perspectives. The choice of whether or not a person should attend college is a complicated one. Here are Intersect we are here to educate you and help you think through this complicated question. And of course, we do it all through a Christian lens. This topic was so big we had to do it in two parts. ‎"Your Kid Got Into College. Does She Need a ‘Bed Party’?" - NYT -- Feb, 2025 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/style/bed-parties-college-acceptance.html "Sorry, Harvard - everyone wants to go to college in the South" - Sept, 2024 https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/sorry-harvard-everyone-wants-to-go-to-college-in-the-south-now-235d7934 "Americans are losing faith in the value of college - Whose Fault is That?" - NYT -- Sept, 2023 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/05/magazine/college-worth-price.html

College. To go or not to go? There are few topics that bring up strong opinions and anxiety for modern parents than the question of college. Josh and Betsy take a deep dive into the research on college and evaluate the crucial college question from a variety of perspectives. The choice of whether or not a person should attend college is a complicated one. Here are Intersect we are here to educate you and help you think through this complicated question. And of course, we do it all through a Christian lens. This topic was so big we had to do it in two parts. ‎"Your Kid Got Into College. Does She Need a ‘Bed Party’?" - NYT -- Feb, 2025 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/style/bed-parties-college-acceptance.html "Sorry, Harvard - everyone wants to go to college in the South" - Sept, 2024 https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/sorry-harvard-everyone-wants-to-go-to-college-in-the-south-now-235d7934 "Americans are losing faith in the value of college - Whose Fault is That?" - NYT -- Sept, 2023 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/05/magazine/college-worth-price.html

"Take Back the Game..." Are We Ruining Kids Sports? A Book Review — Season 7 Episode 7 Josh and Betsy tackle the issue of kids' sports in America. How should Christians navigate the challenging waters of youth sports? This episode is a book review of Linda Flanagan’s 2022 book, "Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids’ Sports—and Why It Matters". So, grab your Gatorade bottle and your thinking cap and enjoy the latest from Intersect. Buy on Amazon here. Email us at: intersect@nepres.com Facebook page: Facebook.com/IntersectPodcastNEPC YouTube Channel: Youtube.com/@IntersectPodcast Intersect Podcast is a ministry of Northeast Presbyterian Church. The views expressed on this podcast are those of Josh and Betsy Desch and are not intended to be presented as the official views of NEPC. Please see our Intersect Podcast landing page for further information. Contact us at intersect@nepres.com

"Exvangelicals: Leaving the Evangelical Church — Season 7 Episode 6" Book Review! "The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church" by Sarah McCammon. Why are so many people leaving the American evangelical church? Huge numbers of people, especially those under forty, are leaving the evangelical tradition of their upbringing. In this episode, Josh and Betsy discuss a recent book on this phenomenon by NPR correspondent Sarah McCammon. Does the word evangelical need a facelift? What can we learn from the Exvangelical movement? Buy on Amazon here. Email us at: intersect@nepres.com Facebook page: Facebook.com/IntersectPodcastNEPC YouTube Channel: Youtube.com/@IntersectPodcast Intersect Podcast is a ministry of Northeast Presbyterian Church. The views expressed on this podcast are those of Josh and Betsy Desch and are not intended to be presented as the official views of NEPC. Please see our Intersect Podcast landing page for further information. Contact us at intersect@nepres.com

"Providence Home: An Interview with Christy Cox" Men in America are struggling. Since the pandemic, media has been reporting on so called “deaths of despair” which particularly afflict men. These are deaths from suicide, drugs or alcohol abuse. In this interview, Josh and Betsy spotlight an amazing local ministry seeking to bring the light of Christ to struggling men in Columbia. Whether you live in Columbia or not, you will enjoy hearing about how men are finding freedom in Christ from addictions and other issues. Donate to Providence Home Ministries here. Email us at: intersect@nepres.com Facebook page: Facebook.com/IntersectPodcastNEPC YouTube Channel: Youtube.com/@IntersectPodcast Intersect Podcast is a ministry of Northeast Presbyterian Church. The views expressed on this podcast are those of Josh and Betsy Desch and are not intended to be presented as the official views of NEPC. Please see our Intersect Podcast landing page for further information. Contact us at intersect@nepres.com

"Wrap Up Some Hope for Christmas" In this festive episode of Intersect, Pastor Josh Desch and his wife Betsy discuss the cultural and spiritual significance of Christmas. They delve into Christmas songs, movies, and traditions, analyzing how each depicts the holiday season. They then discuss how the real theme of Christmas is summed up in 'Hope' -- as it played out so long ago in Bethlehem, and how we can still find Hope at this special time of year. Finally, join in on their lightning round of Christmas Questions and see if Josh and Betsy's likes and dislikes are anything like yours! Merry Christmas, everyone!! For a fun podcast from 2022, check out: "The Gospel According to Elf" Email us at: intersect@nepres.com Facebook page: Facebook.com/IntersectPodcastNEPC YouTube Channel: Youtube.com/@IntersectPodcast Intersect Podcast is a ministry of Northeast Presbyterian Church. The views expressed on this podcast are those of Josh and Betsy Desch and are not intended to be presented as the official views of NEPC. Please see our Intersect Podcast landing page for further information. Contact us at intersect@nepres.com

"David French: My Journey as a Christian to the New York Times" In today’s episode, Josh and Betsy are joined via phone by David French – a well-known writer and political commentator. David is an attorney, a former senior editor of The Dispatch, a professor at Lipscomb University, and a frequent columnist for The New York Times. David discusses his work at The New York Times, and what it is like to be a part of such a prestigious – and sometimes liberal – organization. He reflects on his influence as a man of faith, a follower of Christ, and shares his journey from a small Christian college to the NY Times. And – as another avid fan of J.R.R. Tolkien, he joins Josh and Betsy in ‘geeking out’ over the Amazon Prime series, “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”! David French's article/report on Masculinity in America Admiral McRaven speech - "If you want to change the world... make your bed." Email us at: intersect@nepres.com Facebook page: Facebook.com/IntersectPodcastNEPC YouTube Channel: Youtube.com/@IntersectPodcast Intersect Podcast is a ministry of Northeast Presbyterian Church. The views expressed on this podcast are those of Josh and Betsy Desch and are not intended to be presented as the official views of NEPC. Please see our Intersect Podcast landing page for further information. Contact us at intersect@nepres.com

"Reading Round Up" Josh and Betsy are back with more book recommendations. Each of them shares briefly about three books they read this summer. Log onto Amazon, open your Kindle, or get out your library card -- and let us know what you think of these books! Betsy reviews: "Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon" by Michael P. Ghiglieri & Thomas M. Myers "The Comfort Crisis" by Michael Easter "The Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt Josh reviews: "The Return of the Prodigal Son" by Henri J. M. Nouwen "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens "Rare Earth: Why Complex Life is Uncommon in the Universe" by Peter D. Ward & Donald Brownlee Email us at: intersect@nepres.com Facebook page: Facebook.com/IntersectPodcastNEPC YouTube Channel: Youtube.com/@IntersectPodcast Intersect Podcast is a ministry of Northeast Presbyterian Church. The views expressed on this podcast are those of Josh and Betsy Desch and are not intended to be presented as the official views of NEPC. Please see our Intersect Podcast landing page for further information. Contact us at intersect@nepres.com

"Which Vacation is Better: A Cruise, or an All-Inclusive Resort?" Welcome to the Official Launch of the "INTERSECT: Where Church Meets Culture" YouTube Video Show! While most of our episodes will dive into meatier topics, today Josh and Betsy Desch have some fun with one of their (in)famous debates: Which Vacation do you think is better -- a Cruise on a Luxury Liner, or an escape to an All-Inclusive Resort on a Tropical Island? Email us or chime in on our Facebook page... and come watch this inaugural video episode on our YouTube Channel! Email us at: intersect@nepres.com Facebook page: Facebook.com/IntersectPodcastNEPC YouTube Channel: Youtube.com/@IntersectPodcast Intersect Podcast is a ministry of Northeast Presbyterian Church. The views expressed on this podcast are those of Josh and Betsy Desch and are not intended to be presented as the official views of NEPC. Please see our Intersect Podcast landing page for further information. Contact us at intersect@nepres.com

"Metaverse Madness" Have you heard about the metaverse? Are you living in the metaverse already? Why is Facebook now called Meta? And do you need to take out a second mortgage and buy the new Apple Vision Pro glasses? Josh and Betsy are here to guide you through all these issues and more, so bring your “main character energy” and leave your NPC attitude behind as we jump into another exciting episode of "Intersect: Where Church Meets Culture". Items Discussed: "We've Lost the Plot"-- The Atlantic Article "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee"-- Book Betsy discussed Suggestions for future episodes? Email us at intersect@nepres.com Intersect Podcast is a ministry of Northeast Presbyterian Church. The views expressed on this podcast are those of Josh and Betsy Desch and are not intended to be presented as the official views of NEPC. Please see our Intersect Podcast landing page for further information.

"A Bridge Too Far — Assisted Death in Canada" Who has the right to determine when they die? For most of history, taking one’s own life has been viewed as something society should prevent at all costs. Yet in Canada today, assisted suicide is on the rise. In fact, the government has made it a legal option. Josh and Betsy put these concerning trends under the microscope as they examine a difficult but highly pertinent topic: should we have the power to determine when we die? Items Discussed: "How Canada's Assisted Suicide Law Went Wrong"-- The Atlantic Article Suggestions for future episodes? Email us at intersect@nepres.com Intersect Podcast is a ministry of Northeast Presbyterian Church. The views expressed on this podcast are those of Josh and Betsy Desch and are not intended to be presented as the official views of NEPC. Please see our Intersect Podcast landing page for further information.

"F·R·I·E·N·D·S, Friendship, and the Secret Sauce" “The passing of Matthew Perry, the actor known to so many as "Chandler Bing" on the popular TV Show "FRIENDS", has the world talking about this show again. Josh and Betsy offer their take on why this iconic show has remained nearly as popular today as it was in its heyday. What does FRIENDS teach us about friendship... and have we lost that special something in our uber-digital world of today? Do we still need good friendships? How do we make them?” Join us for this fun conversation, and remember... "we'll be there for you..." Items Discussed: "What Adults Forget About Friendship"-- The Atlantic Article "The Six Forces That Fuel Friendship"-- The Atlantic Article "Matthew Perry Found God at his Lowest Moment"-- obituary in Premier Christianity Suggestions for future episodes? Email us at intersect@nepres.com Intersect Podcast is a ministry of Northeast Presbyterian Church. The views expressed on this podcast are those of Josh and Betsy Desch and are not intended to be presented as the official views of NEPC. Please see our Intersect Podcast landing page for further information.

"THROWDOWN - Is the Casualization of Clothing in Our Culture Good or Bad?" “Josh and Betsy are ready to rumble! In this debate style episode they take opposite sides on the question of whether or not the casualization of clothing in America has been a good thing. This episode was prompted by the recent rule change in the United States Senate, which permits Senators to wear pretty much whatever they want on the floor of the Senate. So what will it be, stretchy pants or tailored slacks? You decide!” Items Discussed: "The Senate Dress Code Gets a Casual Overhaul"-- NY Times Article "Dress Up - What We Lost in the Casual Revolution"-- article in First Things Magazine Suggestions for future episodes? Email us at intersect@nepres.com Intersect Podcast is a ministry of Northeast Presbyterian Church. The views expressed on this podcast are those of Josh and Betsy Desch and are not intended to be presented as the official views of NEPC. Please see our Intersect Podcast landing page for further information.

"A Christian Perspective on Mental Health -- Are Mental Health Professionals the New High Priests?" Mental health is an area of constant growth and awareness in our country. We have certainly seen the demand for mental health services increase since COVID. So how should Christians navigate these challenging waters, especially as it relates to teenagers? In this interview, Josh and Betsy talk with Doctor Mo Hanna, who is both a highly successful child and adolescent psychiatrist and a deeply devoted Christian. Doctor Mo brings two decades of private practice and a keen analysis of the prominent issues in our culture. Get ready for a conversation that covers a wide range of topics and will cause you to think hard about the area of mental health. Books Discussed: "The Toxic War on Masculinity" by Nancy Pearcey (book) "A Secular Age" by Charles Taylor (book) Suggestions for future episodes? Email us at intersect@nepres.com Intersect Podcast is a ministry of Northeast Presbyterian Church. The views expressed on this podcast are those of Josh and Betsy Desch and are not intended to be presented as the official views of NEPC. Please see our Intersect Podcast landing page for further information.

"Every Human Has A Story" Stories. We read them, we watch them, we live them. Every person has a story, and every person has to make sense of life in terms of a story. That is to say, everyone believes some story about how we got here, what is our purpose, and what happens when we die. We are en-storied beings. Josh and Betsy jump into this topic and help us to think about the big questions. It’s time to examine your story. Is it a good one? Show Notes: "Being Mortal:Medicine and What Matters in the End" by Atul Gawande (book) Suggestions for future episodes? Email us at intersect@nepres.com Intersect Podcast is a ministry of Northeast Presbyterian Church. The views expressed on this podcast are those of Josh and Betsy Desch and are not intended to be presented as the official views of NEPC. Please see our Intersect Podcast landing page for further information.