742: The Problem with Public Executions & Why We Fear Silence with John Mark Comer

Americans are spending more time alone, inviting fewer people into their homes, and struggling to build meaningful friendships. What's behind the decline of hospitality, and what can the church do about it? Live from New York City, Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn are joined by pastor Rich Villodas to discuss the loneliness epidemic, our growing preference for digital entertainment, and why real community requires more than just joining a small group. They also explore the difference between feeling fear and being controlled by it, and why following Jesus means risking vulnerability and even getting hurt. Plus, can Skye and Kaitlyn pass Phil's news quiz?

Why is Pope Leo drawing massive crowds in one of the most secular countries in Europe? Phil, Kaitlyn, and Mike Erre talk about the Pope's surprising celebrity in France and whether people are becoming more open to Christianity when they see it lived with sincerity and conviction. Then, after a botched execution in Tennessee, some Christian leaders are calling for a return to public hangings and firing squads. Is the death penalty really demanded by Christian theology, or does the gospel call Christians toward a different vision of justice and mercy? Finally, Skye talks with Todd Deatherage about escalating settler violence in the West Bank, the political fallout from the Iran war, and why support for Israel is shifting across the American political spectrum. And Phil has found a Chihuahua with a very important job.

Is empathy becoming a liability in American Christianity? Phil, Kaitlyn, and Mike Erre discuss the growing backlash against empathy and why some conservatives argue that too much compassion can lead to bad politics, bad theology, and even the decline of Western civilization. They also look at Russell Moore's warning about the "fear-driven church" and how anxiety about God, outsiders, and our own communities can shape the way Christians think and behave. Then, Kaitlyn talks with psychologist Alison Cook about attachment theory, the limits of human relationships, and why no other person can give us the security we ultimately need. Plus, what Lewis and Clark's bathroom habits can teach us about American history.

Podcast hosts, ASSEMBLE! Phil, Skye, Kaitlyn, and Esau come together to debrief the new books by Kristen Kobes Du Mez, Bonnie Kristian, and Charlie Dates, as well as their recent interviews on The Holy Post. They each critique or defend evangelicalism, but who's right? Is evangelicalism worth fixing? Does the current debate unknowingly center only white experiences of evangelicalism? And is evangelicalism even a thing, or just a category pollsters made up? Plus, the team wrestles with their own responsibility and calling in the Christian media marketplace.

Following the 9/11 terrorist attack 25 years ago, Americans began using more "good versus evil" rhetoric, but have we taken it too far? Many of the tech bros developing AI were fans of sci-fi novels and movies in middle school, but completely missed the point of those stories. We may all pay the price. Bonnie Kristian, the deputy editor at Christianity Today, returns to discuss her new book "In Defense of Evangelicalism." While she agrees with many of the recent criticisms of the movement, she says the problems within evangelicalism are bugs rather than features and believes its critics have gone too far.