The Socially Remote

TSR continues our discussion with Dr. Carl Trueman about his latest book. Come join The Socially Remote! In Part II of our discussion with Dr. Trueman about his most recent book, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution, we look at some of the key historical figures who helped paved the way for our modern understanding of self and sexuality, and we discuss what the path forward might look like for the Christian...

TSR sits down (via Zoom) with Dr. Carl Trueman to discuss his latest book. Come join The Socially Remote! In this episode, TSR talks with Dr. Carl Trueman about his most recent book, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution, which looks at persons and events over the last 200 or so years that have led to a world where the phrase "I am a woman trapped in a man's body" makes sense to a growing percentage of its...

TSR discusses the Christian's approach to politics. Come join The Socially Remote! In this episode, TSR discusses how the Christian should approach politics. We start by examining 1 Peter 2 and Romans 13. Then we use an article by the late J.I. Packer as a framework to discover that - when considering politics - Christians should start with Scripture and prayer. We should remember that God is in control no matter what happens, and we should not have division with our brothers and sisters in...

TSR discusses Netflix's new documentary drama, The Social Dilemma. Come join The Socially Remote! In this episode, TSR discusses The Social Dilemma, a new Netflix original docu-drama. We introduce the topic by discussing the history and people behind the film, then we dive into the film's strengths and weaknesses, some additional detail about how paid advertising works on these mediums, and a Christian response to the film and social media in general. You can read the long-form summary...

TSR continues our discussion with David and April McWhite about lessons they learned on the mission field that are applicable to all believers. Come join The Socially Remote! In this episode, TSR continues our discussion with David and April McWhite. The McWhites share lessons they learned while doing overseas missions. We talk about how the future of missions will more than likely look like "tentmakers" advancing the Gospel in their workplaces and, perhaps, God using their careers to...

TSR discusses modern sentiment toward Christian missions and interviews two former missionaries. Come join The Socially Remote! In this episode, TSR (finally) comes to the topic of missions! We begin by dispelling the modern sentiment that missions work is primarily colonial or imperial in nature and then move into an interview with two former missionaries. What we discover is that we must all be intentional about developing relationships and discovering the mission field to which God has...

TSR talks about the Church's response to the current COVID pandemic. Come join The Socially Remote! In this episode, TSR discusses the effect COVID has had on the Church’s gatherings and looks at what Scripture has to say about the importance of in-person worship and fellowship. You can read the long-form summary of this episode on our website, TheSociallyRemote.com. Legal Disclaimer: The views expressed on this podcast belong solely to the individuals expressing them and do not...

TSR continues their interview with Neil Shenvi (@NeilShenvi) and Pat Sawyer (@RealPatSawyer) about Critical Theory and the Christian. Come join The Socially Remote! In this episode, TSR follows up their critically acclaimed episode on the Foundations of Critical Theory by considering how the Christian should think critically on this topic. It's a critical conversation to have, and two critical points emerged from our discussion. First, keep first things first. Continue in the Gospel and...

TSR interviews Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer about the foundations of Critical Theory. Come join The Socially Remote. In this episode, we begin a two-part interview with Neil Shenvi (@NeilShenvi) and Pat Sawyer (@RealPatSawyer) about Critical Theory. The first portion of the interview is primarily about defining and understanding Critical Theory, which is at the foundation of the conversations happening in our current cultural moment. Pat helps us define what it is, and Neil examines how it...

TSR walks through the entire book of 1 Peter in under an hour. Come join The Socially Remote! In this episode, we flesh out our conviction that the Word of God is "living and active . . . piercing to the division of soul and of spirit" (Hebrews 4:12). We believe that the Word of God has the power to change lives, and since the three of us just finished teaching through the book of 1 Peter, we decided to read it through in its entirety and highlight the themes, topics, challenges, and...

TSR talks discipleship through the lens of doctrine lived out in community. Come join The Socially Remote! In this episode, we continue our discussion about discipleship by getting practical. We talk about our need to be invested in the church as a crucial part of our growth as disciples of Jesus. We also talk about ways we can catechize ourselves in theology and doctrine in order to help us love God with our whole selves - heart, soul, and mind. You can read the long-form summary of...

TSR talks de-conversion and what role the church and individuals play in Christian discipleship. Come join The Socially Remote! In this episode, we discuss some recent de-conversion stories and use them as a springboard to explore both the corporate and individual responsibilities regarding Christian discipleship. We conclude that, corporately, the church needs to be focusing on faithfully teaching theology and creating spaces for believers to wrestle with questions and pursue community....

TSR talks about how our relationships were created by God to reflect His character. Come join The Socially Remote! In this episode, we briefly discuss the writing and publishing process for Steven's book, The Relational God. The book then becomes a springboard for a conversation about our identities as children, spouses, siblings, and parents. We discuss the Biblical commands for each of those relationships and how those relationships are designed to reflect and teach us about the nature...

TSR talks social media, freedom of speech, and whether platforms should be regulated. The Socially Remote continues their conversation with Grumpy Dan by discussing freedom of speech and whether social media has an obligation to regulate content. And then, one week later, Twitter censors Trump! Come listen to our conversation about the dark side of social media before it actually became relevant! You can read the long-form summary of this episode on our website,...

TSR talks social media, cultural engagement, and the church. Come join The Socially Remote! We continue our discussion of social media with guest Grumpy Dan from the Deck the Hallmark podcast. He pushes back a bit against our views on social media and suggests it can be a tool for meaningfully engaging with others. We discuss how the church might better practice faithful presence by fostering genuine relationships and proclaiming truth in a sea of relativity. You can read the long-form...

The guys talk social media (from which they are socially remote)! In this episode, we define social media and provide some helpful stats. Matt, David, and Steven then share their own personal experiences with social media, their observations of the various platforms, and how social media has affected them. They then dive into the question of what could be for the next generation. In episode 4, they’ll ask (and hopefully answer), “How should we then live?” in light of social media’s...

More thoughts on the COVIDs and quarantine. Come join The Socially Remote! In the second episode of The Socially Remote, the guys continue their consideration of the Gospel Coalition’s article “8 Things the Coronavirus Should Teach Us” by Mark Oden. You can read the long-form summary of this episode on our website, TheSociallyRemote.com. Legal Disclaimer: The views expressed on this podcast belong solely to the individuals expressing them and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs and...

The hosts introduce themselves and talk COVID-19. Come join The Socially Remote! In the inaugural episode of The Socially Remote, hosts Matt (lawyer), David (pastor), and Steven (generalist) introduce themselves. You learn a bit about their families, careers, likes, and interests. Next they move into describing how each episode of the podcast will be structured (Sneak Peak; For the Counselors; Deep Dive; and Parting Shots). Finally, the guys dive into a mini-episode and cover the first 2...

Does it ever seem like the longer you adult, the less social you become? The responsibilities of being a spouse, a parent, and an employee often leave us with little time for meaningful interaction outside our home and office, and as a result, many of us aren’t even remotely social. We try to fill the void with outlets like Facebook and Twitter, but we soon discover social media isn’t as social as it sounds, and the effort we put into soliciting likes and comments doesn’t produce stronger...