Culture & the Cross

Mankind has been striving for equality since the Garden of Eden. But sometimes, we make things less equal in an attempt to make them more equal. There can only be one winner: truth. graceriverva.com Resources: https://nypost.com/2021/02/12/adding-wokeness-oregon-promotes-teacher-program-to-subtract-racism-in-mathematics/amp/ https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-executive-order-schools-transgender-athletes-girls-sports https://www.attacktheback.com/transgender-mma-fighter-fallon-fox-breaks-opponents-skull/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/05/20/lgbtq-equality-act-fails-fair-religious-freedom-provisions-accommodation-column/3731197002/

Biohacking. Ever heard of it? Neither had I. The interesting thing is that it's nothing new to culture. Today I sit down with Dr. Tab Jervey from Regent University to discuss the ins and outs of biohacking and why it may or may not be a problem for the church. graceriverva.com Resources: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/sep/21/extreme-biohacking-tech-guru-who-spent-250000-trying-to-live-for-ever-serge-faguet https://www.premierchristianity.com/Past-Issues/2018/December-2018/Exposing-the-dark-foundation-of-extreme-biohacking https://the1a.org/segments/biohacking-fasting-silicon-valley/ https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/03/top-biohacks/584584/

The COVID-19 pandemic isn't the only pandemic we've been watching lately. In this episode, Nick sits down with his wife, Amanda, their pastor, John McCloud, and his wife, Dianne to talk about healing stuck marriages and overcoming the difficulties of life. graceriverva.com Resources: https://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/what-will-marriage-be-like-in-the-future/ https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20201203-why-the-pandemic-is-causing-spikes-in-break-ups-and-divorces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0067O7HXQ/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Everyone is searching for happiness. But what does that mean for a Christian? And where can we find true happiness? graceriverva.com RESOURCES: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CKYHYoYJnHI/?igshid=v93v74t7yw3k https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g2222 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb-TgsHwDs4

With President Joe Biden sworn in and his administration already charging ahead with their agenda at an unprecedented pace, Christians have to stop and ask themselves: is this the beginning of the end for religious liberty? graceriverva.com

If you've been watching you news, you'll know that 2021 was not that fresh start everyone was hoping for. Instead, it started off with a little more of the same. But what's the root of it all? What causes so much division? Especially in politics, what's the issue there? Today, we're talking about political idolatry and striving to understand what happens when we place our faith in the wrong thing. graceriverva.com

Just this past week, the FDA approved Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in the U.S. While it's likely to be several months before the general public is able to receive the vaccine, Christians have to first decide if they even will get the vaccine. In today's episode, Nick puts forth 3 things to consider before making the decision. Resources: https://www.russellmoore.com/2020/12/09/a-conversation-with-dr-francis-collins-on-vaccine-development/ https://lozierinstitute.org/update-covid-19-vaccine-candidates-and-abortion-derived-cell-lines/ https://albertmohler.com/2020/12/14/briefing-12-14-20 https://youtu.be/iOb9wKzlEi4 Culture & the Cross is a member of the Grace River Podcast Network. graceriverva.com

In this first episode of Culture & the Cross, Nick sat down with Josh Williams and Michael Salas, the creators and producers of "The Miseducation of John Mark," a new audio drama about a city in upheaval after an unarmed black man is killed by a local police officer. Rising out of the clamor of protests and destruction is a an “unassuming” activist name John Mark whose mission is to unite his divided city and stop both sides from descending into chaos. They talk about the inspiration behind the drama, the Christian response to racism, the struggles of the African American in America, and how the church can come together to bring transformation and healing to our communities. To learn more about "The Miseducation of John Mark," visit whoisjohnmark.com. Culture and the Cross is a part of the Grace River Podcast Network. graceriverva.com

Culture & the Cross is a new podcast from Grace River Church that looks relevant, cultural topics through the lens of the cross to better understand how followers of Christ should react, believe, and feel about the world around them. Join Nick in the coming weeks as he looks at issues of race in America, the recent 2020 election, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Culture & the Cross is a part of the Grace River Podcast Network.