Listen Online
Watch Online
Find a Station in Your Area
Watch Now
Listen Now Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Wednesdays have become known as our Millennial Round Table Shows and this week, Kerby is joined by the Denison Forum’s, Dr Nick Pitts and Rev. Ryan Waller, assistant rector at Church of the Incarnation in Dallas. They will discuss politics, stories in the news this week and give you their biblical perspective.
Kerby Anderson
Host, Point of View Radio Talk Show
Kerby Anderson is host of Point of View Radio Talk Show and also serves as the President of Probe Ministries. He holds masters degrees from Yale University (science) and Georgetown University (government). He also serves as a visiting professor at Dallas Theological Seminary and has spoken on dozens of university campuses including University of Michigan, Vanderbilt University, Princeton University, Johns HopkinsRead More
Guests
Dr. Nick Pitts
Director for Cultural Engagement - Denison Forum on Truth and Culture
J. Nick Pitts serves as the director of cultural engagement at the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture.
He came to the Denison Forum in 2014. He contributes to the Forum in the areas of geopolitics and popular culture, as well as serving as the editor of the Daily Briefing. He continues work on his doctorate and serves as an adjunct professor at DBU, teaching a master’s level course in the philosophy of leadership.
His Ph.D. research centers upon John F. Kennedy’s engagement of the religious community in the 1960 presidential campaign. He presented a paper on the topic at Calvin College’s 2015 symposium on religion and public life.
He is an editor at large for The Liberty Project, an online magazine, and his op-eds have been published by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Religion News Service and Townhall.com.
He received a bachelor’s degree in 2007 from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, and a master’s degree in 2009 from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.
He came to the Denison Forum in 2014. He contributes to the Forum in the areas of geopolitics and popular culture, as well as serving as the editor of the Daily Briefing. He continues work on his doctorate and serves as an adjunct professor at DBU, teaching a master’s level course in the philosophy of leadership.
His Ph.D. research centers upon John F. Kennedy’s engagement of the religious community in the 1960 presidential campaign. He presented a paper on the topic at Calvin College’s 2015 symposium on religion and public life.
He is an editor at large for The Liberty Project, an online magazine, and his op-eds have been published by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Religion News Service and Townhall.com.
He received a bachelor’s degree in 2007 from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, and a master’s degree in 2009 from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.
Rev. Ryan Waller
Writer and Pastor - Church of the Incarnation
Ryan Waller studied philosophy and religion at the University of Southern California before earning a Juris Doctorate and Masters of Theological Studies from SMU.
After a brief career in the law Ryan felt called by God to teach and preach. He spent three years at All Saints’ Episcopal School before being led to the Church of the Incarnation.
He is married to Caroline Waller and has two sons, Ford Casey and Charles Henry. Ryan is passionate about sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ through imaginative preaching and is honored to serve as the pastoral leader of the Uptown Services.
After a brief career in the law Ryan felt called by God to teach and preach. He spent three years at All Saints’ Episcopal School before being led to the Church of the Incarnation.
He is married to Caroline Waller and has two sons, Ford Casey and Charles Henry. Ryan is passionate about sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ through imaginative preaching and is honored to serve as the pastoral leader of the Uptown Services.
Five Things Millennials Wish the Church Would Be
Millennials (today’s 18- to 30-year-olds) are leaving the Church in record numbers … and they’re not returning. Of course, this is far from new information. In the past decade, Christian research experts like Barna Group, LifeWay Research, and Rainer Research have widely reported on this reality.
But a new study—Making Space for Millennials, a joint project of Barna and the Cornerstone Knowledge Network—uncovers key findings that help reveal unique characteristics about the Millennial generation, plus practical ways churches can connect with and engage today’s young adults. Below, we offer five questions to ask yourself and your team as you pray and plan to reach this unique group:
1. Is our church real or relevant?
Millennials are looking for authenticity. Unfortunately, a lot of churches today are striving to win over young adults by being relevant. Consider what Leadership Journal Managing Editor Drew Dyck identifies as the potential point of connection:
“Millennials have a dim view of church. They are highly skeptical of religion. Yet they are still thirsty for transcendence. But when we portray God as a cosmic buddy, we lose them (they have enough friends). When we tell them that God will give them a better marriage and family, it’s white noise (they’re delaying marriage and kids or forgoing them altogether). When we tell them they’re special, we’re merely echoing what educators, coaches, and parents have told them their whole lives. But when we present a ravishing vision of a loving and holy God, it just might get their attention and capture their hearts as well” (from the blog post “Millennials Don’t Need a Hipper Pastor, They Need a Bigger God”).
But a new study—Making Space for Millennials, a joint project of Barna and the Cornerstone Knowledge Network—uncovers key findings that help reveal unique characteristics about the Millennial generation, plus practical ways churches can connect with and engage today’s young adults. Below, we offer five questions to ask yourself and your team as you pray and plan to reach this unique group:
1. Is our church real or relevant?
Millennials are looking for authenticity. Unfortunately, a lot of churches today are striving to win over young adults by being relevant. Consider what Leadership Journal Managing Editor Drew Dyck identifies as the potential point of connection:
“Millennials have a dim view of church. They are highly skeptical of religion. Yet they are still thirsty for transcendence. But when we portray God as a cosmic buddy, we lose them (they have enough friends). When we tell them that God will give them a better marriage and family, it’s white noise (they’re delaying marriage and kids or forgoing them altogether). When we tell them they’re special, we’re merely echoing what educators, coaches, and parents have told them their whole lives. But when we present a ravishing vision of a loving and holy God, it just might get their attention and capture their hearts as well” (from the blog post “Millennials Don’t Need a Hipper Pastor, They Need a Bigger God”).
What Technology Is Doing to Us
Just Google It: What we are doing with Technology and What Technology is doing to us
Just Google it. Find them on Facebook. Ask Siri. YouTube it. These phrases failed to exist twenty years ago, but today the services these products offer are almost indispensable. How did you find out information before Google? How did you keep up with friends—and friendly creep enemies—before Facebook? How did you function without Siri? And how could you tie a tie without YouTube?
These companies not only provide services but have created a significant number of jobs. Apple employs 66,000 people in the US alone. Google employs 54,000. 17,000 with Facebook. Technology is increasingly becoming more a part of the human experience, but what are the effects? They are a convenience, but are there detriments?
Just Google it. Find them on Facebook. Ask Siri. YouTube it. These phrases failed to exist twenty years ago, but today the services these products offer are almost indispensable. How did you find out information before Google? How did you keep up with friends—and friendly creep enemies—before Facebook? How did you function without Siri? And how could you tie a tie without YouTube?
These companies not only provide services but have created a significant number of jobs. Apple employs 66,000 people in the US alone. Google employs 54,000. 17,000 with Facebook. Technology is increasingly becoming more a part of the human experience, but what are the effects? They are a convenience, but are there detriments?
The Jesus Secret
If Christians aren’t the happiest people in the world then our religion probably isn’t true. Jesus Christ said He came to earth so we might have life in abundance. I cannot conceive of any version of abundance that does not include happiness. Not that anyone is happy all of the time. Of course not. That would actually be its own kind of hell, I think. But that’s an entirely different discussion.
So I’ve been thinking and researching and writing on happiness for a while now. And I think I’ve come up with something significant. I call it The Jesus Secret (TJS). It’s a project that can be described like this: a Christian personal evaluation and refocus project that uses principles found in Scripture and psychotherapy to guide readers toward a happier life.
My hope is that TJS becomes a book with an entry for every day of the year. Then when the year is over I’d like to publish a new edition for the new year. And then I’d like to keep doing this—forever. Because the journey toward happiness is a never ending one. Because happiness is a choice that must be made every day. And I don’t know about you but I need help making it—every single day.
So I’ve been thinking and researching and writing on happiness for a while now. And I think I’ve come up with something significant. I call it The Jesus Secret (TJS). It’s a project that can be described like this: a Christian personal evaluation and refocus project that uses principles found in Scripture and psychotherapy to guide readers toward a happier life.
My hope is that TJS becomes a book with an entry for every day of the year. Then when the year is over I’d like to publish a new edition for the new year. And then I’d like to keep doing this—forever. Because the journey toward happiness is a never ending one. Because happiness is a choice that must be made every day. And I don’t know about you but I need help making it—every single day.
Viewpoints
Take Action
Listen Now
Watch Online
