ERLC Podcast

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

2024 is a big year for politics. If you ask any person you pass on the street why this is the case, their answer would likely be because of the presidential election; one that, sadly, looks like it will be a contentious repeat of 2020. And they wouldn’t be wrong. Federal politics are important. But, most Americans don’t give much thought to political issues beyond the national level. This causes us to miss out on the good we can effect at the state and local levels through political engagement. While it might not be as glamorous, popular, or as exciting as a national election, getting involved in the states, cities, and communities in which we live is more important than we might think. On today’s episode you’ll hear from Tony Beam, who is the senior director of Church & Community Engagement for North Greenville University in South Carolina. He represents South Carolina Baptists at the Statehouse in Columbia as director of the Office of Public Policy. Dr. Beam is also the host of the podcast, "Truth in Politics and Culture with Dr. Tony Beam." You will also hear from Lane Wakefield who is a clinical assistant professor of Marketing at the Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University. He’s also a candidate for the school board in his community.

Do you sense that American politics is in trouble? Are you frustrated by our inability, even as Christians, to dialogue and disagree across party lines and other differences? In 2019, the ERLC, the Fetzer Institute, and LifeWay Research conducted a study on civility in the public square. The study found that “the single most common adjective” evangelical leaders used to describe the current political discourse was “toxic.” Sadly, not much has changed over the last several years. At the ERLC, we feel the same tensions you feel. On the one hand, it’d be easy to throw up our hands and be done with politics altogether. On the other, we can be tempted to conform to the patterns of the world and adopt the same defensive posture in politics we see on social media and in the news. But, we, as Christians, believe there’s a better way and that Scripture guides us in our political engagement—maybe not in the specifics of voting on a certain policy, but certainly, in our speech, how we treat others, and the things we care about. Together, we want to be Southern Baptists who engage in politics and bring hope to the public square. On today’s episode, you’ll learn what this means from Brent Leatherwood. Brent is the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. He has extensive experience working in our nation’s capital and in Tennessee politics. He and his wife are committed members of their local church and have three children.

The reproductive medical technology known as in vitro fertilization, or IVF, has been in the news lately because of a crucial decision by the Alabama Supreme Court that clearly affirmed the personhood of human embryos. IVF is the procedure through which a woman’s egg and a man’s sperm are harvested and then fertilized outside of the womb. An embryo is created and implanted into the woman’s womb in hopes of leading to a pregnancy. IVF has enabled many couples wrestling with infertility to realize their dream of bearing children. Many of us know people who have used this technology. Yet, because it can lead to the good gift of children, most of us have not given the procedure a second thought. On today’s episode, Herbie Newell, president and executive director of Lifeline Children’s Services and its ministry arms, is going to discuss a vital aspect of thinking carefully about IVF. Lifeline is located in Alabama and is intimately acquainted with helping couples grow their families through adoption and orphan care.

Psalm 139:14 says that each life is “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God. Out of all of his creation, Genesis tells us that human life alone is made in His image. Because of this truth, we bear a responsibility to help preserve and protect all lives. This is why the work of pregnancy resource centers across the country and abroad is vital. The individuals in these centers commit themselves to the work of proclaiming the dignity of preborn lives, doing all they can to give them a chance at life while serving the vulnerable women and families who walk through their doors. And it’s also why partnership among Southern Baptists is essential. We can do more to protect life, together. On today’s episode, you’ll hear from a special guest, Karen Roseberry. She spent much of her life dedicated to serving both women and preborn children as the executive director of Care Net Women’s Resource Center in Lancaster, California. Tragically, Karen lost her life in a car accident shortly after we conducted this interview, but the staff of Care Net encouraged us to share her words with you since this work was a great passion of her life. Karen left a lasting impression everywhere she served and led many women to know Jesus as their Savior and choose life for their babies. She will be greatly missed, but the important work of the center continues onward as they work to provide free support and resources for women and families in their community. You’ll also hear from Todd Unzicker who serves as executive director-treasurer for North Carolina Baptists. Todd is passionate about the local church and the Great Commission, and his vision for North Carolina Baptists is focused on rallying them to be a movement of churches on mission together. The ERLC podcast is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. It is produced by Lindsay Nicolet and Elizabeth Bristow. Technical production is provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

As part of the ERLC Podcast, we will feature special episodes from the Research team from time to time to help equip you to think deeply about the most pressing questions we face in the public square. As we continue our series on life, the Research team is bringing you a special interview today with Scott Klusendorf, the author of The Case for Life. Scott is a respected pro-life speaker and advocate, best known for his work with the Life Training Institute which prepares Christians to be able to articulate and defend the pro-life movement with rational and theological arguments. He has participated in debates against abortion advocates such as the Planned Parenthood directors and attorneys who have argued for abortion access before the Supreme Court. Each year, he trains thousands of pro-life students how to share their beliefs with their classmates and helps them understand the common objections to ending abortion. We hope that this long-form interview will help you begin to understand that Christian pro-life advocacy must be rooted in the image of God and is an intellectually defensible and coherent worldview. Thanks for listening to this production of the ERLC Podcast. Join us next time as we focus on the ERLC’s policy work, especially as it relates to life.

We believe it’s clear in God’s Word that his perfect design is for many people to eventually unite as one man and one woman in a lifetime of marriage. That marriage, in many cases, leads to the blessing of children and establishes a family that glorifies God and benefits society. Unfortunately, in a fallen world, reality is messy. Marriage is put off and misunderstood. Families are broken and difficult. Infertility is faced far too often. And children are vulnerable and in need. That’s where adoption and foster care comes in to provide care for these children and help them find the loving and safe families that they were made for. The need for these ministries, organizations, and for people to get involved has only grown since the Dobbs decision overturning a federal right to abortion. Joining us on this episode is Herbie Newell, someone who understands this reality more than most. He’s the president & executive director of Lifeline Children’s Services and its ministry arms. Under Herbie’s leadership, Lifeline has increased international outreach to 25 countries through adoption and strategic orphan care, obtained licensure in 17 states, and established the foster care arm at Lifeline. The ERLC podcast is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. It is produced by Lindsay Nicolet and Elizabeth Bristow. Technical production is provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

The mission entrusted to the ERLC by the Southern Baptist Convention includes applying Christian principles to moral and social problems and questions of public policy and promoting religious liberty. One of the ways we do this is through our public policy advocacy, both in Washington, D.C., and throughout individual states. Every year, we compile and release a public policy agenda, highlighting the key pieces of federal legislation our staff is watching and working on within our four categories of priority: life, religious liberty, marriage and family, and human dignity. More recently, we’ve also started assembling a state policy agenda, focusing on our cooperation with Baptist state conventions in advocating at the state level. On today’s episode, you’ll hear from Hannah Daniel, our director of public policy who is based in D.C., and Brent Leatherwood, president of the ERLC. They’ll explain the importance of our policy agendas and highlight major pieces of legislation that matter to Southern Baptists. The ERLC podcast is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. It is produced by Lindsay Nicolet and Elizabeth Bristow. Technical production is provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

God’s Word, from the very beginning, affirms the dignity of all human life. Genesis 1 tells us that at the end of the creation process, “God said, ’Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.' … 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” This reveals to us that every person is made in the imago Dei, the image of God. And this means that every life, regardless of age, ability, or any other feature, has infinite value that cannot be taken away. The rest of the Bible unwaveringly affirms this truth. The pro-life movement is grounded in this reality and, most fundamentally, has sought to protect our tiniest citizens from the horrors of abortion. The culmination of this work was realized on June 24, 2022, a historic day of celebration as the Supreme Court ruled to overturn the constitutional right to abortion and return abortion legislation back to the states. This was a long-time unifying goal of the pro-life movement. According to The New York Times, since the court’s ruling, abortion access has dropped overall, with 21 states banning or restricting it and others reinforcing abortion protections. However, the fight for life and the mission of the pro-life movement is far from over, and there’s still much work to be done on the local, state, and federal levels. New frontiers have arisen, with abortion tourism, or travel for abortions across state lines, and chemical abortions, or abortion pills, gaining momentum across our country. As we begin our series, we’ll talk to several guests who will give us a clear picture of the current state of the pro-life movement since last year’s historic Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. You’ll hear from Benjamin Watson, a former NFL tight end, as well as a writer, speaker, and activist. He is the author of, “The New Fight for Life: Roe, Race, and a Pro-Life Commitment to Justice.” He serves as vice president of strategic relationships with the Human Coalition, one of the largest pro-life and pro-woman organizations in the country. Along with his wife, Kirsten, he is the founder of The Watson 7 Foundation, a nonprofit focused on strengthening families. The Watsons live in Georgia with their seven children. Also joining us is Herbie Newell, president & executive director of Lifeline Children’s Services and its ministry arms. He holds a Master’s of Business Administration in Accounting from Samford University. Under Herbie’s leadership, Lifeline has increased international outreach to 25 countries through adoption and strategic orphan care, obtained licensure in 17 states, and established the foster care arm at Lifeline. Finally, you’ll hear from Dr. Bart Barber, who is pastor of First Baptist Church of Farmersville, Texas, and president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Our goal on the ERLC Podcast is to help you think biblically about today’s cultural issues. As we discuss important topics that matter to Southern Baptists, you might have additional questions. We’d love to hear from you. Please e-mail us at erlcpodcast@erlc.com and let us know how you’re processing the conversations featured on the podcast. And just a reminder, we want to make sure you are kept up to date about the important work the ERLC is doing on behalf of Southern Baptists. The best way to do that is by joining us at ERLC.com/updates. Signing up for email updates allows you to hear directly from us about our work and ways we are serving you on the issues that matter most to Southern Baptists. Become an email subscriber at ERLC.com/updates. The ERLC podcast is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. It is produced by Lindsay Nicolet and Elizabeth Bristow. Technical production is provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens. Thanks for listening, and we’re looking forward to being back together with you next time.

Throughout this series, we’ve been seeking biblical answers and practical wisdom to apply to questions of gender and sexuality swirling around in our culture, our churches, and in our hearts. It’s been a joy to explore these issues with you and spur one another on to hold fast to Christ and love our neighbors. On this last episode in our series, we’re going to focus more on pastors and how they can shepherd their people to better understand the biblical sexual ethic and how to apply that to their daily lives. As we discuss these important topics, you might have additional questions. We’d love to hear from you. Please e-mail us at erlcpodcast@erlc.com and let us know how you’re processing this conversation. Joining us on today’s podcast is Dr. Bart Barber. Bart is the pastor of First Baptist Church of Farmersville, Texas and president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Bart has a B.A. from Baylor University in their University Scholars program, an M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and a Ph.D. in Church History, also from Southwestern. You’ll also hear from Matt McCullough, pastor of Edgefield Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Before joining Edgefield, Matt helped to plant Trinity Church near Vanderbilt University and served as pastor there for 10 years. He completed a Ph.D. in American religious history. Matt and his wife are the parents of three boys.

We began our gender and sexuality series by examining what the Bible teaches us about these important topics. And as we close out this series with two more episodes, we’re going to concentrate on the Church and how pastors and leaders can disciple their members to wrestle with and hold fast to God’s good design for us. Because gender confusion has disproportionately affected younger generations, we’ll spend a lot of time today focusing on discipling those at the forefront this ideological assault. As we discuss these important topics, you might have additional questions. We’d love to hear from you. Please e-mail us at erlcpodcast@erlc.com and let us know how you’re processing this conversation. Joining us on today’s episode are several of our former guests: Katie McCoy, the director of women’s ministry at Texas Baptists; Steven and Amy Castello from City on a Hill Church in Boston, where Steven is the lead pastor and Amy is the director for women’s discipleship and care; and Christopher Yuan, a professor and the creator of “The Holy Sexuality Project.” You’ll also hear from Dr. Dub Oliver. Dr. Oliver is the president of Union University, a Southern Baptist college. He completed a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Baylor University, Master of Science degree in educational psychology, and a Doctor of Philosophy in educational administration from Texas A&M. Dr. Oliver and his wife, Susie, have one daughter and two grandchildren.