Empires of the Future

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  The First Sexual Revolution Much has been written about the sexual revolution, and in past podcasts we've mentioned a recent book by Louise Perry called “The Case Against the Sexual Revolution”, and believe she makes a strong case that the sexual revolution was actually bad for men, women, and children.  In an article posted at First Things, Kyle Harper explains how Christianity actually drove a completely countercultural sexual revolution in the first century whose effects are not only still felt today, but too often taken for granted.  We explore all this and more in this episode of Empires of the Future.  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill 

The Problem of Sexual Extortion Sexual extortion, or “Sextortion” as it is sometimes called, is a new and growing problem.  In the 21st century, there have been various problems related to the “connectedness” that being online offers, and sometimes these problems are not evenly divided among the sexes.  Sexual extortion is one of the newer ones.  Young men seem to be particularly susceptible not just to being fooled into seeking and sharing nude pictures but also into an even darker situation when those pictures are used against them.  Because of this, we wanted to release a short episode encouraging christian parents and ministers to do two things:  Parents - Talk with your children about why God invented sex but also the dangers associated with it.   All christians - Be clear that Christ died for all sins, and paid for all guilt and shame in the believer's life so that we don't have to fear consequences related to sin, even in our very online age.   This too shall pass.  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  Sheol, Death, and the Grave “There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!': the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!'  Proverbs 30:15 “Sheol”, here translated “the grave” is a complex concept in the Bible.  What did Old Testament believers (and non-believers) think when they spoke of “Sheol”?  What are Christians to think about the afterlife?  What is the relationship between the Hebrew “Sheol”, Greek “Hades” and “Gehenna”, and English “Hell”?  We consider all these questions and more in this episode of Empires of the Future.  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  On Gentle Parenting In this episode, we discuss an article by Trevin Wax for the Gospel Coalition entitled “The Church's Opportunity When ‘Gentle Parenting' Crashes.”  We agree with Wax that Gentle Parenting is lacking in some key areas, and examine the philosophy behind gentle parenting, what it assumes about children and people in general, and why we believe it does not reach the goals it strives for.  We also outline authoritative, biblical parenting, which does not fall into either the domineering, authoritarian style nor the passive, discipline-lacking parenting that is too often the norm in our culture today.  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill 

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Beginning in 1678, Puritan John Bunyan published The Pilgrim's Progress, a religious allegory that took the English-speaking world by storm and remains one of the most read books in the English language.  According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica, it is the most famous Christian allegory still in print.  Written while the author was in prison, this work attempts to consider and reflect upon all manner of troubles the christian will encounter in his or her life, and remains a gold mine of devotional reflection and christian imagination and encouragement.  In this episode Jackson and Denton reflect upon their own experiences with the book.  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  Why Don't Men Sing in Church? Some men do sing in church, to be sure.  But many don't.  A great deal of ink has been spilled about contemporary worship music and whether or not it encourages men to get involved in the corporate gathering, but we want to ask a few different questions in the four parts of this episode:  Is there a biblical mandate to sing? What is singing about anyway? Are we assuming that women do sing in church? Is the struggle to get men to engage in singing a new development in the church?  How do we foster and encourage male voices? The article that we discuss in this episode is entitled “All about that Tenor: Why Men Don't Sing in Worship” by Kelsey Kramer McGinnis for Christianity Today https://www.christianitytoday.com/2023/09/men-not-singing-in-church-male-voice-masculinity/ "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.   

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  Beauty and the Eye of the Beholder In this episode, we consider the article “Gaming's Uneven Progress Toward Diverse Female Figures” by Jamal Michel for the New York Times.  https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/18/arts/video-games-women-gamergate.html  In addition to considering how women have been and should be portrayed in video games, we ask more foundational questions about beauty and dignity as well.   "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change. 

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  What are the benefits of an Ivy League education?  Recently in his newsletter, Rob Henderson brought attention to one benefit that is rarely thought of: marrying an Ivy League spouse. The Hidden Marriage Market: The college sorting machine has replaced traditional arranged marriages by Rob Henderson, July 14, 2024 https://www.robkhenderson.com/p/the-hidden-marriage-market Additionally, "zoomers" (the generation after Millenials, or Gen. Z) seem to be finding one thing about their work very enjoyable: making friends with coworkers.  After the Lockdown Years, Teens Want One Thing From Their Jobs: Friends By Terell Wright, WSJ – July 6, 2024 https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/summer-jobs-teen-relationships-bf28810c Taken together, these trends outline a path forward for young people searching for companionship in our fractured age.  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill 

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  The Anxious Generation By Jon Haidt, Part 2 - A Plan of Action Can childhood be salvaged?   “After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rose sharply, more than doubling on most measures. Why?” - The Anxious Generation https://www.anxiousgeneration.com In this episode, we look at the challenges Gen. Z is facing according to this book.  The technology, and the cultural trends that have followed it, have changed childhood.  This calls for the current generation of parents to make changes for the sake of their children, so that childhood can be free from excessive comparison, bullying, distraction, and information overload. "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill 

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  The Anxious Generation By Jon Haidt, Part 1 - Defining the Challenge “After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rose sharply, more than doubling on most measures. Why?” - The Anxious Generation https://www.anxiousgeneration.com Matt Castro rejoins Empires of the Future for this installment of the podcast!  In this episode, we look at the challenges Gen. Z is facing according to this book.  The technology, and the cultural trends that have followed it, have changed childhood.  All who care about young people should ask how childhood has changed and what we can do about it.  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill 

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  Law Amendment, In Vitro, Sex Abuse Reform - SBC Annual Meeting 2024 Recap What is the SBC Annual Meeting? ·         Messengers are elected from churches, starting at 2 per church and adding more dependent on giving to the cooperative program, with a maximum of 12.  Link to kentuckytoday.com summary: https://www.kentuckytoday.com/baptist_life/wrap-up-2024-sbc-annual-meeting/article_f23f9cc4-29b1-11ef-bedb-27acbbb11f5e.html Link to In Vitro Resolution: https://www.sbc.net/resource-library/resolutions/on-the-ethical-realities-of-reproductive-technologies-and-the-dignity-of-the-human-embryo/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3jYwrmfT7uJ__8qjE1MF9SMCCvGI5rjN5L8Vs1C9mGa4VySOPt2tgq06o_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw Link to SBC Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force Ministry Toolkit: sbcabuseprevention.com "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill 

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  We will all suffer.  Life is not suffering, but suffering is a part of life.  In this episode, Jackson interviews Matt Higgins, the worship pastor of Northwoods Church on the north side of Evansville concerning the Doctor of Ministry that Matt is working on at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville.  The conversation ranges from trauma and sadness to joy and hope.  It was an encouragement to us, and we hope it will be an encouragement to you.  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill 

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  “What Good are Children?” In a recent New York Times opinion piece called “The Birth Dearth and the Smartphone Age”, Ross Douthat speaks to the precipitous fall in the birthrate that marks all of the western world in our day.   https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/04/06/opinion/the-birth-dearth-and-the-smartphone-age/?utm_source=ground.news&utm_medium=referral What are the possible reasons for this decline?  Is modern western culture itself hostile to children?  What good are children, after all?  We consider all these questions and more in this episode of Empires of the Future.  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  “10 Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health” by Donald Whitney Donald Whitney, popular author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, also wrote this very helpful book called Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health.  Here are his 10 questions:  Do you thirst for God?  Are you governed increasingly by God's Word? Are you more loving? Are you more sensitive to God's presence? Do you have a growing concern for the spiritual and temporal needs of others? Do you delight in the Bride of Christ? Are the spiritual disciplines increasingly important for you? Do you still grieve over your sin? Are you a quicker forgiver? Do you yearn for heaven and to be with Jesus? "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  “Rest - What it is and How to Do it” What's the difference between “rest” and “sleep”?  Why, with all of our modern conveniences and with all the advances in medical care that have taken place over the last hundred years are we seeing such increases in anxiety and struggles with stress, work, and peace?  How much peace does God even want us to have?  All these questions are considered in this episode of Empires of the Future, which uses the Holman Treasury of Key Bible words by E.E. Carpenter and P.W. Comfort (2000) as a references.  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  "Five Challenges Now Facing the Church" Hershael York retired from 43 years of pastoral ministry just a couple of weeks ago in January of 2024.  In an article at Southern Equip, he speaks to five ministry challenges he didn't anticipate in his time as a lead pastor.  In this article he speaks candidly about new challenges facing the church in the twenty-first century and encourages christians to face these issues with courage and wisdom.   https://equip.sbts.edu/publications/magazine/five-ministry-challenges-i-didnt-anticipate/ "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  “What do we do with Club Sports?” Over the last twenty years, club sports have come to replace many other activities that used to take place in the recreational life of a young person.  In this podcast, we consider the article “Why We Pulled Our Kids from Club Sports” by Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra and Ross Douma for The Gospel Coalition.  What's the difference between club sports, rec. leagues, and Kiwanis Baseball for that matter?  What is the value of kids' sports programs?  How does all this fit into Christian faithfulness?  All these questions and more are considered on this episode.   https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/pulled-kids-club-sports/ "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  What is the purpose of hobbies?  If Labor produces Leisure, how should we balance work and play?  In this episode of Empires of the Future, Jackson and Denton share their top three favorite hobbies and consider why God might have given us hobbies at all.   "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  "We are in a masculinity crisis", begins Seth Troutt in his article at Mereorthodoxy.com.  In an age that struggles to answer the question "what is a man?", is it any wonder that that men are struggling?  Seth answers this question by considering four important questions:  1. How is man different from God? 2. How is man different from an animal? 3. How is a man different from a boy? 4. How is a man different from a woman?  We consider all this and more in this episode of Empires of the Future.https://mereorthodoxy.com/the-masculinity-pyrami "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill  

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  One of the things that certainly decreased during the pandemic and has not returned its previous levels is singing with other people.  What are the benefits of singing with others?  Why is it a big deal to actually sing when you gather for worship?  We explore these questions and more in this episode of Empires of the Future based on this article by Alexandra Moe for the Washington Post.   https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/06/25/singing-with-others-mental-physical-health/ "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

“Identifying the Idols of the City” by Leonardo de Chirico” Every city has patterns of living and ever group of people has certain ideas, practices, and opinions about the kind of life that is worth living.  The Bible describes an idol as anything that takes the place of God in our hearts.  Through the lens of this helpful article on Acts 17 by Italian church planter and missionary Leonardo de Chirico, we examine what the Idols of Evansville may be and what we ought to do about it.  https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/identifying-the-idols-of-the-city/

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  “Company Says facial recognition can't be used in arrests, but it's happening in Evansville” 10-19-23 By Houston Harwood for the Evansville Courier & Press Here in Evansville, Indiana, the Evansville Police Department is using facial recognition software to give them a leg up on seeking out those suspected of crimes.  But what are the limits of this system, and what crimes should be prosecuted using this AI?  We explore these questions and more on this episode of empires of the future.   https://www.courierpress.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.courierpress.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Flocal%2F2023%2F10%2F19%2Fevansville-police-using-clearview-ai-facial-recognition-to-make-arrests%2F70963350007%2F https://ts2.space/en/facial-recognition-technology-used-by-evansville-police-misleadingly-identifies-crime-suspects/ https://www.14news.com/2023/06/13/epd-utilizing-facial-recognition-software-investigations/ "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  In an upcoming conference billed for parents of LGBTQ+ children and ministry leaders, Andy Stanley, pastor of North Point community church, claims “You will be equipped refreshed, and inspired as you hear from leading communicators on topics that speak to your heart, soul, and mind,” It further claims “”No matter what theological stance you hold, we invite you to listen, reflect, and learn as we approach this topic from the quieter middle space.”  What is the quieter middle space?  Given the speakers at the conference and the claims on the website, it is the same road that other Protestant liberals have walked in the past, leaving behind biblical authority to affirm popular cultural teaching, in this case on accepting LGBTQ+ sexuality.  Unfortunately, this is a path to theological emptiness and ruin, as we examine in this podcast. Here is a link from World opinion by Albert Mohler, which we discuss in this episode.  https://wng.org/opinions/the-train-is-leaving-the-station-1695036498 "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  The West is Repaganizing Anyone who grew up in the 80s or 90s remembers the claim that if the west could just get free of religion, then a golden age of science, reason, and technology would await.  What we are finding in the 21st century is the receding of Christianity in the West is leading to to a return of pagan morality, if not religion.  Louise Perry deals skillfully with this reality in an article at First Things entitled "We are Repaganizing". https://www.firstthings.com/article/2023/10/we-are-repaganizing "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill  

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney “Read the Bible, pray everyday, and you'll grow, grow, grow.”  This phrase common among christian teachers agrees with one of C.S. Lewis' sentiments that Christianity is a form of education in itself.  If so, what are the disciplines that come with it?  What is expected of a Christian?  Don Whitney's book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life is a simple yet comprehensive answer to this question, and in this podcast we dive into Whitney's summary of biblical teaching regarding the disciplines.   "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  The Boy Crisis Boys seem to be falling behind their sisters in almost every way, from educational achievement to emotional resiliency.  Why is this happening, and what can be done about it?  In this episode we examine an article by Physician Leonard Sax from the institute for family studies to consider these questions.  https://ifstudies.org/blog/boys-are-falling-farther-and-farther-behind-their-sisters-should-we-care- "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  New Methods and Timeless Truths - 8 Ways Modern Relationships are Forming Who makes the first move in modern relationships, and does it matter?  What methods and platforms are people meeting on and forming relationships through today? To answer these questions, we look at an article by Wendy Wang at the Institute for Family Studies.  https://ifstudies.org/blog/who-asked-whom-does-it-matter-who-makes-the-first-move-in-a-relationship "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  Season 4, Episode 1 - A Christian Esports Coach? Sam Henderson has recently moved to the Evansville area to pioneer an ESports program at the University of Evansville.  In this interview, we ask him about being adopted from South Korea, growing up as a gamer, becoming a Christian, and how he became an Esports coordinator and coach.   "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  In this article we consider the actions taken two weeks ago at the Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in June 2023.  We talk through an article written by Denny Burk at https://www.dennyburk.com/the-narrative-vs-the-reality-of-sbc-23/ and consider such issues as complementarianism vs. egalitarianism, sexual abuse in the church, and the future of the SBC.   "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to understand culture and encourage the Church in a time of change.  More than Nice People - Mere Christianity, Part 11 Should Christians always be nice?  Why do my daily decisions matter? What is God's goal for humanity anyway?  In this, the final installment of our review of Mere Christianity, we cover Chapters 10 and 11 of Book 4 and complete our journey through the book.  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

Let's Pretend - Mere Christianity, Part 9 Is Christianity Hard or Easy, and how does moral change happen at all?  What is the value of many of the old stories, which often surface as Disney movies in our day, about character and how it grows in us?  In this review of C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity, we explore Book 4, Chapters 7-9, which deal with these very questions.   "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  Good Infection - Mere Christianity, Part 9 How can we receive the spiritual life God has for us, and how is God working to give life to humanity at all?  How does God hear a thousand prayers all at the same time?  In this review of C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity, we explore Book 4, Chapters 3-6, which deals with these very questions.   "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  God and the Atlantic - Mere Christianity, Part 8 How can we have knowledge of God?  What is the use of good theology, and how do we get it?  In this episode we talk about Book 4, Chapters 1&2 of Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.  These chapters deal with questions about what makes Jesus unique, why God should be thought of as a Trinity, and how this fundamentally relates to what we are as human beings made in God's image.  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  The Greatest Good and the Deepest Evil - Mere Christianity, Part 7 In this chapter we engage with both what is the deepest problem with humanity as well as the greatest heights God may take us to.  We begin talking about Chapter 8 of book 3 which is on Pride, the Great Sin.  We also cover Chapters 9 and 10 which are on Charity and Hope.  We close with Lewis' consideration of Faith in chapters 11 and 12.  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  In this episode we talk about an article by Eric Levin for New York Magazine titled "No,Teen Suicide isn't Rising Because Life Got Objectively Worse". https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/02/teen-suicide-depression-girls-social-media.html He discusses the crisis facing Gen. Z (born 1995-2015).  We reflect on this article and try to consider holistically all the problems young people are facing right now, and what can be done about them.   "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  Christian Marriage and Forgiveness - Mere Christianity, Part 6 What is meant by the "one flesh" union in christian marriage?  How does this explain and affect the nature of divorce as well?  How do we find the heart and the courage to forgive?  These topics are discussed here in Part 6 of our discussion of "Mere Christianity".  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change. In this episode we discuss this article from the Independent in the UK: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/mounjaro-uk-ozempic-weight-loss-drug-b2295499.html?amp What is a balanced life?  What new vulnerabilities do our online lives bring us?  Here we talk about the feud over Mounjaro that is taking place in online spaces and what pharmaceuticals can and can't do for us.   "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill  

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  Psychoanalysis and Sexual Morality - Mere Christianity, Part 5 What do we know about our own consciousness and unconsciousness?  Is it wise to give in to our desires?  In this section of Mere Christianity, we deal with Book 3 Chapters 4 and 5 which includes Lewis' writing about psychoanalysis, a topic that was viewed very differently in his time than ours, and sexual morality, which has continued on the same "fewer limits are better" trajectory from his own time.   "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  How can we think clearly about morality?  Is there anything beyond the level of individuals hurting each other?  In this chapter we look at a deeper way to think about right and wrong and how it extends to individuals, society, and the meaning of life itself.   "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  This is part 3 of our review through Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.  Here we cover Book 2, Chapters 4 and 5 entitled "The Perfect Penitent" and "The Practical Conclusion", respectively.  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  In this episode we talk about good and evil in what is probably the most popular franchise of the last twenty years, Marvel movies. The Marvel Cinematic Universe contains near-endless messages about good and evil, and in this episode we analyze those themes with Christians like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis as our guides.  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

Are our intuitions about good and evil pointing to something real? What kind of reality is it?  In our second podcast on Mere Christianity, we examine Chapters 1-3 of Book 2 entitled "The Rival Conceptions of God", "The Invasion", and "The Shocking Alternative".  

Here we begin our review of Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, published in 1952.  This book is a clear summary of Christian doctrine that contains helpful insights not only about Christianity and the nature of humanity but also about communication and even clear thinking itself.  We hope it is helpful to you. 

What's been happening on college campuses since the Dobbs decision overturning Roe vs. Wade?  Denton interviews Kira O'Neal, president of Students for life at the University of Evansville and asks about the purpose of the pro-life movement, opposition on campus, and the future of the pro-life witness. 

How can we become more physically fit?  Are we simply stuck with the metabolism we were born with?  Jackson and Denton look into the work of Dr. Casey Means, founder of "Levels" and consider this article: https://www.levelshealth.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-metabolic-health

There is a mental health crisis on college campuses.  What is the origin of this phenomenon, and what is to be done about it?  Is college for everyone after all?  All these questions and more are considered in this podcast based on this article: https://www.commonsense.news/p/the-honest-guide-to-college

Splanka therapy claims to utilize the mind-body connection to heal a variety of physical and emotional ailments.  What is this practice?  What should Christians think about it?  All these questions are dealt with in this episode of Empires of the Future. 

What do we do when our focus on immediate happiness leads to spiritual bankruptcy?  In this episode, we turn toward the future and plot a course toward fulfillment rather than frustration. 

How fundamental is sex to who we are?  Is gender a gift from God?  In this chapter we look at these questions against the backdrop of the LGBTQ movement, the most successful movement in terms of culture change of the last one hundred years. 

What's the difference between a network and a community?  How can we attain real connectedness in a digital world?  We explore all these questions and more on this episode of Empires of the Future. 

What would really make me happy?  Is there more to it than sex and pleasure?  What can the ancients tell us about happiness?  These questions are more are considered as we make our way through "Strange New World" by Carl Trueman.