I'd love to hear any thoughts y'all have after listening to this.
- This is excellent. More evangelicals need to understand that there are "machines" shaping the culture of evangelicalism. We need to be aware of what is driving those machines and in what direction. I agree with their conclusions (around 49m), but they say nothing about our current Covid-19 moment where we are all distanced. It feels a little disconnected of a statement given everyone is trying their best to figure out how to be their community online.
- I just finished listening to this. It articulated so much of what I've experienced growing up in church (and Christian schools.) For the past year or so I've struggled to comb through what's Biblical truth vs. what's been spoon fed to me by Christian leaders, teachers, my parents, and other authority figures. It's helpful to put a term to this system instead of blaming individuals (not that some shouldn't be held accountable.) It's also scary to hear how pastors feel so pressured to grow their social media platform. I can't quite remember how the lady at the beginning (Ingrid?) phrased it, but she pointed out that certain pastors are getting speaking engagements, books published, etc., based on their online following, size of their congregation, and not based on their character and real fruit from their lives. Really disturbing. I'd never ever thought about my own role in fueling the EIC and would like to explore that. It'd also be helpful to hear how to just start conversations with others who seem to be blindly caught up in the EIC, as well as with those who claim to have "defected" or "deconstructed" and are no longer a part of the Church.
- I felt so grateful to be apart of Church of the Desert while listening to this. I could see how many well-meaning churches and leaders can be sucked into this if they aren't aware or activity fighting against it. I am glad there is an awareness and intentionality here at COTD <3
