Viral Jesus Christianity Today

Are there certain questions you don't feel like you can ask in church about the Bible?
For today’s episode Heather sits down with Dr. Andrew Farley, a pastor and radio show host, asks him questions he often gets during his live radio show every night about the Bible. Andrew believes in grace, freedom, and the new covenant. If you have felt that religion offered you very little grace, less freedom, and didn’t talk very much about the beauty of the New Covenant, today’s episode is for you. 
During today’s episode Heather also sits down with Brady Shearer for your social toolkit. Brady Shearer is the director of Pro Church Tools and church software platform Nucleus. He helps churches navigate the biggest communication shift in 500 years. 
Guest Bio
Dr. Andrew Farley is a bestselling author of nine books including The Grace
Message, The Naked Gospel, and Twisted Scripture. He most recently launched the
“Heartbeat of Faith” podcast on pray.com and released his newest book, 101 Bible
Questions. He serves as president of The Grace Message, hosts a live, call-in radio program every weeknight, is the lead pastor of The Grace Church, and has been recognized with several awards for his excellence in teaching. Andrew lives in Texas with his wife Katharine and their son Gavin.

Host Bio
Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I’ll See You Tomorrow and It’s Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Receive Heather’s weekly inspirational email every Friday at 7pm EST; sign up at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is there such a thing as Good Baggage?
For today’s episode Heather sits down with Ike Miller and discusses the baggage that we experience in our past that sometimes impacts our present and future. But, is it possible that seeing our parents' parent, or do marriage, or live out their faith, can reveal to us how we can do things differently? Ike believes that his upbringing is what gave him a passion to pursue a different path for himself. What if some baggage can be good?
On today’s social toolkit, Heather discusses Elyse Meyers and her apparent social media break after being targeted by Operation Watermelon. Operation Watermelon is where a group of internet users target a single creator and try to take over their platform by commenting en masse on the tragedy impacting the middle east between Israel and Palestine. Elyse Meyers shutdown her Tik Tok with over 7 million followers and many users suspect it is because she was targeted by this peer pressure tactic. Should influencers make statements on cultural issues? Heather discusses her thoughts on this and adds a tool to your social toolkit.
Guest Bio
Ike Miller is the founding and lead pastor of Bright City Church in Durham NC. Ike writes regularly about the intersection of theology and mental health. His newest book is titled Good Baggage.
Host Bio
Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I’ll See You Tomorrow and It’s Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Receive Heather’s weekly inspirational email every Friday at 7pm EST; sign up at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to part two of our two part series on technology, church and culture.
For today’s episode Heather sits down with Brad Hill who is the Chief Solutions Officer at GLOO, where they’ve just developed a new initiative that helps churches navigate AI. What is AI? How is it impacting church culture? And should we be concerned as Christians about its potential? Heather gets answers to these questions and more during today’s conversation.
Heather also discusses deepfake videos and AI manipulation as it relates to the Princess Catherine cancer video during today’s social toolkit. Here is an article Heather found by the Washington Post about conspiracy theories and AI. 
Guest Bio
Brad Hill is the Chief Solutions Officer at Gloo, a technology platform for ministry leaders that recently launched its new AI & the Church Initiative to empower the Big C Church to navigate and engage AI responsibly. With partners like Barna, Carey Nieuwhof, YouVersion, and more, they’re initiating a connected conversation around AI and faith for Christians. Brad has been deeply involved in solving technology challenges for the Church for over 20 years. 
Host Bio
Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I’ll See You Tomorrow and It’s Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Receive Heather’s weekly inspirational email every Friday at 7pm EST; sign up at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to part one of our two part series on Technology, Church and Culture. On today’s episode Heather finally has a conversation she has been wanting to have since season 1, and that is on the topic of pornography. According to the Youth Pornography Addiction Center, 93 % of boys and 62% of girls are exposed to internet pornography before the age of 18. To discuss porns impact and what resources may be available to help a user who wants to quit, Heather sits down with John Michael Bout and Jacob Valk who created the documentary Into the Light, which helps people navigate and break free porn addiction.
Heather also sits down with investigative reporter on technology and culture, Taylor Lorenz to discuss the 12-page bill, known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, aimed to "protect the national security of the United States from the threat posed by foreign adversary controlled applications" like TikTok. Taylor walks us through what we need to know about the Tik Tok ban and adds another tool to our social toolkit, You can order her latest book, Extremely Online here.
Guest Bio
Jacob Valk holds a degree in Advertising from Mohawk College and a B.A. in Humanities from Brock University. He worked various roles in advertising/film in Toronto, co-produced the documentaries Ordinary Commission and Into The Light, and runs the podcast Chats Under The Sun. He is finishing an M.Div. at SBTS in Louisville, Kentucky, where he lives and works at the ReCenter homeless shelter. 
John-Michael Bout holds a B.A. in Classics from Brock University and is working on an M.Div. at SBTS in Louisville, Kentucky. He co-produced Ordinary Commission and Into The Light. He is married to his lovely wife Jessica with their two sons Roman and Andrew. 
Host Bio
Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I’ll See You Tomorrow and It’s Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Receive Heather’s weekly inspirational email every Friday at 7pm EST; sign up at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to part four of our four part series, Advice From a Woman. In this episode, Heather sits down with Rachel Marie Kang and talks about the relatively invisible matter of little losses. Life is full of love, but it is also full of loss. Like paper cuts to the heart, every big and seemingly insignificant loss--the loss of friendships, faith, dreams, health, community, and everything in between--grieves us more than we think it will, and often more than we let on. Rachel Marie Kang invites you to see and be seen in the midst of your sorrow, your suffering--your story.
Heather also sits down with our social media expert, Brady Shearer, to talk through what tips and best practices he would recommend before someone starts a Youtube channel. Brady Shearer is the director of Pro Church Tools, a company that trains churches and leaders on how to navigate the biggest communication shift in 500 years. 
Guest Bio
Rachel Marie Kang is a New York native, born and raised just outside New
York City. A mixed woman of African American, Native American (Ramapough Lenape Nation), Irish, and Dutch descent, she holds a degree in English with Creative Writing, and a minor in Bible. She is founder of The Fallow House and her writing has been featured in Christianity Today, Ekstasis, Proverbs 31 Ministries, She Reads Truth, and (in)courage. Rachel is the author of Let There Be Art and The Matter of Little Losses.
Host Bio
Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I’ll See You Tomorrow and It’s Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Receive Heather’s weekly inspirational email every Friday at 7pm EST; sign up at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is time for part three of our four-part series, Advice From a Woman. Today, Christian women face multiple tensions between home and work, navigating complex gender dynamics in the workplace, and social pressure to hold together picture-perfect lives. Joanna Meyer addresses a critical gap in Christian women's discipleship by speaking to the roles we play in public and professional life.
Heather also adds another tool to your social toolkit as she discusses social media and how your employer or potential employer may be using it to learn more about who you are. The lines between our private and public lives can blur when we log online. Heather gives you a tip she thinks you should remember every time you post.
Guest Bio
Joanna Meyer is director of public engagement at the Denver Institute for Faith & Work, where she leads public events, hosts the Faith & Work Podcast, and founded Women, Work, & Calling. Her latest book is called Women, Work, and Calling, step into your place in God’s world.
Host Bio
Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I’ll See You Tomorrow and It’s Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Receive Heather’s weekly inspirational email every Friday at 7pm EST; sign up at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links.
Some links we discuss in this episode:
Viral reel:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsWHNOJgi_G/
Christianity Today Article:
https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2023/october/wilkin-women-ministry-leaders-church-staff-wages-lifeway.html
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices