
ERLC Podcast
Religion & Spirituality Podcas
Insights into the moral, cultural, and ethical issues of our day.
Location:
Nashville, TN
Description:
Insights into the moral, cultural, and ethical issues of our day.
Twitter:
@erlc
Language:
English
Website:
https://www.erlc.com/
Email:
glancaster@erlc.com
Episodes
Why a Southern Baptist witness before the executive branch is vital
2/6/2025
The ERLC’s presence in our nation’s capital allows us to speak up, for, and from our Southern Baptist churches before various audiences. More specifically, we’re able to interact with the executive branch of our federal government, advocating for policies that positively affect issues Southern Baptists care about and pushing back against harmful policies that violate our biblical convictions.
To help us better understand the executive branch, why Christians should care about this part of our government, and how organizations interact with it is Rachel Morrison. Rachel is a Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where she directs EPPC’s Administrative State Accountability Project. As an attorney, her legal and policy work focuses on religious liberty, health care rights of conscience, the right to life, nondiscrimination, and civil rights. She is also a member of an SBC church.
Duration:00:23:35
How the ERLC works in D.C. for Southern Baptist churches
1/23/2025
The ERLC operates out of two locations—Nashville, as our home base, and Capitol Hill, where we’ve had a permanent presence for 31 years. Our work in D.C. is focused on making the voice of Southern Baptists heard in the public policy space. We do this by regularly working with lawmakers, coalition partners, and like-minded organizations to increase our influence and maintain the stance of our SBC churches, shape the cultural debates of the day, provide pastors with information they need, and equip the SBC to stand for truth in their communities.
On today’s episode, we’re talking with Brent Leatherwood, president of the ERLC, Hannah Daniel, ERLC’s director of public policy, and Allison Cantrell, senior policy associate for the ERLC, to get a better idea of the important work your ERLC does in the public square.
Duration:00:26:03
How Christians can evaluate cultural views of marriage and sexuality
12/26/2024
Throughout our marriage and family podcast series, we’ve looked at our society’s gender confusion and how it’s affecting our children, especially in schools. We’ve also heard about an important Supreme Court case that involves protecting our children from “gender transition” medical interventions. In order to hold fast to God’s good design for marriage, family, and sexuality, it’s important to understand some of the underlying problems with how our society views these fundamental realities. Joining us today to talk about this is Dr. Gregg Allison.
Dr. Allison is a senior fellow in Marriage and Family for the ERLC Research Institute. He also serves as professor of Christian Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to that, he taught theology and church history at Western Seminary in Oregon. He is an author and has 18 years of ministry experience at Campus Crusade as well as serving as a missionary in Italy and Switzerland. He is a member at his church in Kentucky.
Duration:00:19:45
How Southern Baptists are working together on gender and sexuality issues
12/12/2024
Part of the mission of the ERLC is to assist churches by helping fellow Baptists understand the moral demands of the gospel. We also apply Christian principles to moral and social problems and questions of public policy. One of the ways we fulfill this mission is by partnering with like-minded individuals, churches, and institutions across the Southern Baptist Convention to produce work that is accessible and applicable to both the layperson and the scholar.
Today, we’ll highlight two instances of cooperation in the area of gender and sexuality issues. The first involves our resource, “God’s Good Design: A Practical Guide for Answering Gender Confusion.” The second involves our public policy advocacy with the Baptist Convention of Iowa. Together, we signed onto an amicus brief in defense of parental rights.
We’ll talk to Dane Hays, family pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Decatur, AL, about the “Gender Guide.” Dane has served in counseling and discipleship for over 20 years. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Psychology from UAB and a Masters of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he studied biblical counseling and theology.
You’ll also hear from Tim Lubinus, the executive director of the Baptist Convention of Iowa, about the amicus brief. Prior to his current role, Tim was a missions pastor and served overseas on the mission field with the International Mission Board. He received a Masters of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and has a Doctor of Ministry from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Duration:00:20:58
What is the Skrmetti Supreme Court case?
11/28/2024
As Christians, we know that God’s design for raising children is in the context of a home with a loving father and mother—and he gave parents the responsibility to raise their children in accordance with His Word. This may seem obvious, but our society is increasingly pushing back against God’s design by undermining “parental rights.” While in a fallen world parents don’t always seek what is best for their children and should be held accountable by God-given authorities, in most cases, moms and dads should be able raise their children according to their deeply held beliefs, ensuring their children are protected from things like the harmful effects of radical ideas about gender and sexuality.
So, why and how are parental rights being brought up at the Supreme Court this term in a case titled United States v. Skrmetti? On today’s episode, you’ll hear from two lawyers—Matt Sharp and Kayla Toney—who are well acquainted with these legal challenges and how they are related to radical gender ideology. Matt Sharp serves as senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, where he is the director of the Center for Public Policy. In this role, he leads ADF’s team of policy experts as they craft legislation and advise government officials on policies that promote free speech, religious freedom, parental rights, and the sanctity of human life.
Sharp has also worked on important cases advancing religious freedom and free speech. He earned his J.D. in 2006 from the Vanderbilt University School of Law. A member of the bar in Georgia and Tennessee, he is also admitted to practice in several federal courts.
Kayla Toney is Associate Counsel with First Liberty Institute, concentrating on religious liberty matters and First Amendment rights for clients of all faiths. Prior to joining First Liberty, Kayla litigated religious freedom cases as a Constitutional Law Fellow at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. She clerked for Judge Gregory E. Maggs on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. Kayla also worked as a litigation associate.
Kayla earned her law degree from George Washington University. A native of Michigan, Kayla is based in First Liberty’s Washington, D.C. office and is licensed to practice law in Virginia and D.C.
Duration:00:26:20
ABI Post Election Update
11/14/2024
Election Day 2024 was one for the history books. President-elect Donald Trump was decisively returned to the White House by voters. A surprise given how close many commentators thought the race would be. Likewise, there was a Republican sweep in the House and Senate. In addition, the ERLC was closely watching 10 states with abortion ballot initiatives of those three states secured pro-life protections for the pre-born, while sadly, the seven other states enshrined pro-abortion legislation into their state constitutions.
On today's episode, you'll hear from ERLC President Brent Leatherwood and our policy director Hannah Daniel. They'll talk about the results of the election, the importance of continuing to stand for the value of every preborn life and the good work we have the opportunity to accomplish with a new administration and Congress.
Duration:00:25:06
A parent's rights and responsibilities in an age of gender confusion
10/31/2024
Marriage and family are institutions that are pre-political, meaning they may be at the forefront of divisive political discussions and debates, but they originated in the mind of our Creator and were established by him with the creation of Adam and Eve and the command to be fruitful and multiply. In other words, marriage and family are God’s good idea and design.
One of the areas of debate today regarding our families is concerning gender confusion, and whether or not parents have the right to teach and hold their children to the biblical design as male and female, especially in a school setting. The ERLC has written a white paper detailing the biblical and theological foundations for parental rights. We have also joined briefs in cases about parental rights, affirming before courts what Southern Baptists have affirmed: that parents have a God-given responsibility to raise their children according to a biblical worldview without interference from the government.
On today’s episode, you’ll hear from two parents about raising our children in a sexually confused culture and exercising our parental rights, especially as we send them to school. Krissie Inserra is a pastor's wife, mom, and active member in her local church and community. She has served in pregnancy resource centers and has authored numerous articles. Dr. Benjamin Quinn is a husband, dad, and an ERLC research fellow. He is also assistant professor of Theology and History of Ideas and the director of L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He received his B.A. from Union University, his M.Div. and Th.M. from Southeastern, and his Ph.D. from University of Bristol in the United Kingdom.
Duration:00:34:07
How Baptist state conventions are engaging abortion ballot initiatives
10/17/2024
Politics matter because they are the means by which the laws of our country, states, and communities are shaped. And those laws communicate what we value as a society. This November, the issue of life is on the ballot as an initiative in many states where voters will decide on laws related to abortion access. These specific states include, New York, Maryland, Florida, Missouri, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Montana, Arizona, and Nevada.
Joining us today to help us better understand what these initiatives look like at a grassroots level and how they could impact the pro-life movement are Willie Isaacson and Joel Gilbert. Both Willie and Joel come highly recommended within their state conventions and come with years of experience in local and state policy advocacy.
Willie Isaacson is senior pastor of First Baptist, Richmond, Missouri where he has served for over 11 years. He currently serves as the chair of the Missouri Baptist Christian Life Commission and president of the Ministerial Alliance in Richmond, Missouri.
Joel Gilbert has served in Baptist churches in the D.C. area for over 25 years and currently serves as pastor at Poolesville Baptist Church in Poolesville, Maryland. He also serves on the Christian Life and Public Affairs Committee of the Baptist Convention of Maryland and Delaware.
Duration:00:18:17
Voting for a culture of life this election season
10/3/2024
Article three of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 says, and I paraphrase, that “The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.” Because of this biblical truth, we believe that every person, regardless of age, level of ability, or stage of development, reflects the glory and goodness of God and should be treated with dignity and protection.
The ERLC will always advocate for the most vulnerable among us, including preborn lives. Over the years, this advocacy work has taken many shapes and forms, but changed drastically in 2022 when the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Dobbs decision overturned the deadly precedent set in Roe v. Wade. While in many ways this was a watershed moment for the pro-life movement, we recognize there’s still much work to be done in the battle to protect human lives. The landscape has shifted and conversations about abortion rights are now happening at the state-level, where we find ourselves today in the wake of the 2024 election cycle.
There are currently 10 states across the country where abortion ballot initiatives are up for a vote this November, many of which seek to harm preborn children and threaten the future of the pro-life movement. Joining us on today’s episode to help us better understand these initiatives and what would change should they pass are ERLC President Brent Leatherwood and ERLC Director of Public Policy Hannah Daniel.
Duration:00:25:37
How biblical counseling can benefit our mental health
9/19/2024
Our series on mental health has helped us understand its connection with human dignity. Though God created us as perfect, embodied beings, sin has marred the human experience holistically, not only crippling our relationship with God, but with our bodies as well. As a result, mental illness is a part of living in a broken world, but the gospel has not left us without hope.
While we live in the presence of spiritual and physical brokenness, Christ has promised to redeem us, making right what has gone wrong, and that includes our bodies. In the meantime, we live in the tension of what God has already done in providing Jesus, and what he has promised to do in making all things new. And he has given us the gift of the Church and each other to help us as we walk in this world. Specifically, for those who may want specialized help, the Lord has provided counselors to assist us in the daily fight to grow in Jesus in the midst of both our spiritual and mental struggles.
Joining us on today’s episode to discuss the role of counseling in the church are Jonathan Holmes and Brad Hambrick. Jonathan Holmes is the founder and executive director of Fieldstone Counseling in Northeast, Ohio. Before founding Fieldstone, he served as a pastor for 15 years. He graduated with his M.A. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and has authored and contributed to a number of books.
Brad Hambrick serves as the pastor of counseling at The Summit Church in Durham, N.C. He also serves as assistant professor of biblical counseling at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, is a council member of the Biblical Counseling Coalition, and has authored several books.
Duration:00:17:36
How social media affects the mental health of teens
9/5/2024
In a recent article published by The Atlantic, Jonathan Haidt, author “The Anxious Generation,” shares that rates of depression and anxiety in the United States rose by more than 50% in many studies from 2010 to 2019. The suicide rate rose 48% for adolescents ages 10 to 19. For girls ages 10 to 14, it rose 131%. He also notes how loneliness and friendlessness among American teens began to surge around 2012.
It’s no surprise that social media use is tied to these staggering statistics. Romans 12:2 tell us, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." As Christians who are called to a higher standard of living, how can we exercise discernment and wisdom when it comes to using social media?
Joining us on today’s episode to discuss technology and mental health is our colleague, Jason Thacker, the director of the ERLC’s Research Institute and a senior fellow. You’ll also hear from Eliza Huie, the director of counseling at McLean Bible Church located in the Washington D.C. metro area, and Megan Dickerson, a wife and mom who serves in the Center for Faith and Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Duration:00:23:20
How can pastors take care of their mental health?
8/22/2024
Pastoring and shepherding a church comes with both rewards and challenges. A recent Lifeway Research study shows that stress, discouragement, and loneliness are listed among the top mental challenges for pastors. Similarly, a recent Barna study shows that U.S. pastors, overall, are feeling lonelier and more isolated from others than in years past.
While struggling with loneliness and burnout themselves, pastors are often the first ones people in their congregations turn to when they are struggling with mental health issues. What is attributing to these struggles? And how can we encourage pastors to prioritize their own mental health in order to be able to help their congregations?
Joining us on today’s episode is Mark Dance, director of pastoral wellness for Guidestone Financial Resources, and Kristen Kansiewicz, who serves as an assistant professor and program director of the graduate counseling program at Evangel University.
Duration:00:24:11
How does mental health relate to human dignity?
8/8/2024
In recent years, the issue of mental health has been more widely recognized and talked about. Whereas it was stigmatized in the past—and still is in some ways— conversations within the Church are turning toward how to help those who struggle with their mental health and how our mental health affects our spiritual health.
As an article we posted on erlc.com notes, “a report by Lifeway Research reveals that 26% of U.S. Protestant pastors overall and 46% of pastors who are under 45 say they face mental health challenges. And more than half of the church leaders have witnessed members of their congregations suffering from conditions like depression and bipolar disorder.”
The Bible doesn’t shy away from mental health, though it may not be described in those terms. Biblical figures such as David (Psa. 38:4), Job (Job 3:26), Elijah (1 Kings 19:4), and Jonah (Jonah 4:3) are shown dealing with feelings of despair, anger, depression, and loneliness. And Scripture is clear that we need to bear one another’s burdens in community (Gal. 6:2) and be reminded of the hope we have in our Redeemer (Lam. 3:21).
On today’s episode our guests will address why mental health is an issue we’re talking about, how it connects to the work of the ERLC, ways it’s related to human dignity, and why it matters for Christians. You’ll hear from Brent Leatherwood, the president of the ERLC, as well as RaShan Frost, a senior fellow of the Research Institute of the ERLC and a pastor.
Duration:00:21:16
Serving in the Public Square with VP Mike Pence
7/25/2024
Since 2016, the name that has been synonymous with our current political environment is President Donald Trump. However, within the Trump administration is a name with which we should be familiar and should want to know more about: Vice President Mike Pence.
In a special episode, we’re featuring a conversation between Vice President Mike Pence and ERLC President Brent Leatherwood that we hosted at the 2024 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. They discuss Vice President Pence’s journey into politics, the priority he places on his Christian faith and his family, and how we all can engage with hope in the public square.
In a polarized political age, we hope you’ll walk away encouraged to seek the good of your neighbors, engage in politics in a distinctly Christian way, and work together to be salt and light in our local communities, in our states, and in our nation.
Duration:00:41:41
Bringing hope to an election year (Part 2)
7/11/2024
Are you tired of our country’s partisan and divisive approach to politics? We are too.
We believe there is a better way. Like you, we want our nation to be a place where the vulnerable are protected, religious liberty is defended, families can flourish, and the gospel is proclaimed. We believe that Christians have a critical role to play this year and every year in the public square.
Today, in the second part of the discussion between ERLC President Brent Leatherwood and Daniel Darling, director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, they will provide further guidance for engaging the chaotic public square, discuss their issues of concern for this election cycle, and remind us of our anchor and hope as Christians.
Duration:00:20:06
Bringing hope to an election year (Part 1)
6/27/2024
Are you weary as you think about politics in our country? Is it hard to know what to say and do during an election year as you lead your church, talk to your family, interact in your community, and go to the voting booth? We feel those tensions, too, and want to provide encouragement as you seek to bring a distinctly Christian hope to the public square.
In a special two-part series, ERLC President Brent Leatherwood and Daniel Darling, director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, will discuss godly political engagement in a messy political landscape, give an overview of the issues we’re watching in this election year and beyond, and talk about how to anchor our trust in Christ as we seek the good of our communities.
Duration:00:25:23
The relationship between religion and politics in America
6/13/2024
The ERLC's Jason Thacker, Miles Mullin, and Alex Ward discuss the 40th anniversary of the book The Naked Public Square: Religion and Democracy in America by Richard John Neuhaus and how it can inform our understanding of bringing our faith into the public square.
Duration:00:37:02
Best practices for Christian political engagement
5/30/2024
Political chaos and noisy rhetoric are hard to escape during an election season. So, it’s no surprise that even well-meaning Christians get caught up in the fray. Some withdraw from political engagement, feeling as if their voices couldn’t possibly be loud enough to make a difference. Others give in to the temptation to vilify those with whom they disagree. Neither is the most constructive way to use whatever measure of influence the Lord has given us to seek the welfare of our earthly home.
As Christians, the way for us to engage is with the hope of Jesus Christ. On today’s episode, our guests will help us figure out what that looks like on a practical level.
You’ll hear from Hunter Baker, the provost and dean of the faculty of North Greenville University, and from Shaka Mitchell, the Senior Fellow for the American Federation for Children.
You’ll also hear from ERLC President Brent Leatherwood.
Duration:00:23:37
What to expect for the 2024 presidential election
5/16/2024
Many of us sense that politics are contentious and messy. They often leave us feeling weary about the future of our country and its leaders. This was certainly the case in the 2020 presidential race. As our nation prepares for yet another presidential election in November, it’s helpful for us to be aware of what’s happening in our culture and have clear expectations for the season ahead so that, as Christians, we can be “salt and light” in our communities and engage politics with the hope of the gospel.
On today’s episode, you’ll hear from Brooke Medina, who serves as vice president of communications for the John Locke Foundation and an ERLC Research Institute fellow.
You’ll also hear from Yuval Levin, the director of social, cultural, and constitutional studies at the American Enterprise Institute, and Jason Thacker, the senior fellow and director of the research institute at the ERLC.
Duration:00:23:14
Why do local and state politics matter? (Part 2)
5/2/2024
Are you weary from the current state of American politics? Does the noisy rhetoric by some political candidates and the lack of meaningful action leave you tempted to retreat from political engagement altogether? Know you’re not alone. Like you, we feel these tensions and want to explore ways that we can bring hope to the public square, together. And, we believe this starts in our own communities, which is why the ERLC produced an extensive state policy agenda for the first time this year, highlighting areas where you can make a difference in your community.
On today’s episode, you’ll hear from our colleague, Hannah Daniel, the ERLC’s director of public policy, about how you can get involved in bringing flourishing to your state and neighborhood. You’ll also hear again from our friends Tony Beam, the senior director of Church & Community Engagement for North Greenville University, and Lane Wakefield, a professor at Baylor University and candidate for his local school board in Texas.
Duration:00:15:00