Culture Brief - Christian perspectives on the week's biggest news, sports & pop-culture stories

In this week's Brief: it's midterm season, the ads are everywhere, and this episode is a little different. Conner is joined by Dr. Mark Turman, host of Denison Forum's "Faith & Clarity" podcast, and Dr. Katie Frugé, director of the Christian Life Commission for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, for a special crossover episode. They start with the cynicism so many feel about politics — why it's often just misplaced hope, and why the government's frustratingly slow pace might actually be a feature, not a bug.
From there, they walk through how to research candidates and ballot measures before stepping into the voting booth (yes, Conner found a way to work in a movie analogy) and talk through the tension between a candidate's character and their policies.
Plus, they address growing doubts about election integrity, why the sheer scale of our system (and a lesson from Watergate) is actually reason for confidence, and a heated debate over whether stew is acceptable in July.
Their encouragement: Christian hope has a better address than any ballot, so vote with discernment, not cynicism.
Topics
(0:00) Introduction
(0:35) Culture Brief and Faith & Clarity crossover episode setup
(2:02) Midterms and cynicism
(8:37) Why government moves slow
(13:46) Fear, anger, and invisible government
(18:24) How to be an informed voter
(28:20) Research candidates directly
(30:56) Truthful witness in voting
(34:16) Character versus policy
(38:20) Election integrity concerns
(46:24) How elections actually work
(53:39) Responding to fraud claims
(56:20) Get involved as poll monitor
(56:51) Since You Asked: fall favorites
(59:42) Conclusion
Resources
Send us your thoughts, questions, and topic ideas: culturebrief@denisonforum.org
Culture Brief Instagram
Watch on Youtube 
Sign-up for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribe
About Conner Jones
Conner is the Managing Editor of Denison Forum, host of the Culture Brief podcast and author of the In The Know newsletter. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 and has spent his career at the intersection of faith, culture, and current events. Outside the office, he can usually be found at the movies, watching sports, or traveling with his wife, Raigan, and their sons, Nolan and Nash.
About Dr. Katie Frugé
Katie Frugé, M.Div, Ph.D., serves over 5,000 Texas Baptist churches as the Director of the Christian Life Commission for the Baptist General Convention of Texas. In this role, she equips pastors and ministry leaders to navigate complex cultural, moral, and political issues with biblical faithfulness and pastoral wisdom. Specializing in the imago Dei and human dignity, Dr. Frugé's work addresses questions of human flourishing and faithful witness, informed by her personal journey as a stomach cancer survivor and parent to children with special needs. She is married to her college sweetheart; together they are raising three daughters in Fort Worth, Texas.
About Dr. Mark Turman
Dr. Mark Turman serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Lake Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries.
Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry degree at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.
Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for thirty-five years, including twenty-five years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas. Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren.
About Denison Forum
Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.
All episodes are produced by Sound of a Rose. For more information, you can visit soundofarose.com.

In this week’s Brief: I’m joined by Denison Forum contributing writer Erin Kerry. Erin is a functional medicine health coach, podcaster, and author with a passion for helping others find healing in their mental health and offering solutions for Christians in a culture that thrives on chaos, division, and anxiety. 
Erin shares her own story of facing multiple diagnoses by age 18 and walks through why anxiety may be less a “thought problem” and more a God-given dashboard alert. 
From there, we revisit the tragic Lindsay Clancy case and the mental health failures surrounding it and the postpartum hormone piece too often missed. Erin offers practical guidance for anyone struggling and the loved ones walking alongside them.
Then we talk through the “outrage culture” and what the selective outrage looks like in our 24/7 news cycle, endless social media feeds, and even in a recent SNL monologue. 
Plus why Pringles and peppermint bark are so hard to put down, and a quick World Series preview before a possible MLB lockout!
Topics
(0:00) Introduction
(1:02) Meet Erin Kerry
(2:32) Anxiety defined
(6:34) Body causes anxiety
(10:07) Winter blues prep
(12:40) Lindsay Clancy case
(19:24) Hormones and postpartum
(21:34) Building a support team
(23:57) Peace of Christ
(27:34) Outrage culture and news cycle
(29:20) Brain stress response explained
(34:16) Dopamine hijacks scrolling, food
(36:35) Selective outrage examples
(41:28) Outrage as an idol
(42:45) Hope: God of order
(44:05) Books, podcast, and where to find Erin Kerry
(45:40) Host updates and World Series
(48:54) Conclusion
Resources
Send us your thoughts, questions, and topic ideas: culturebrief@denisonforum.org
Culture Brief Instagram
Watch on Youtube 
Sign-up for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribe
Denison Forum: A Christian response to the Lindsay Clancy case
Denison Forum: The Idolatry of Outrage
Erin’s Denison Forum articles 
Learn more about Erin – http://erinbkerry.com/ 
Erin’s book: “Live Beyond Your Label”
Pre-order “Kitchen Therapy”
Erin’s podcast: Sparking Wholeness
Erin’s coaching services (In person or virtual)
About Conner Jones
Conner is the Managing Editor of Denison Forum, host of the Culture Brief podcast and author of the In The Know newsletter. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 and has spent his career at the intersection of faith, culture, and current events. Outside the office, he can usually be found at the movies, watching sports, or traveling with his wife, Raigan, and their sons, Nolan and Nash.
About Erin Kerry
Erin Kerry is an integrative health coach, functional nutritionist, and passionate mental health advocate. As the owner of Sparking Wholeness and host of the Sparking Wholeness podcast, she combines personal experience with professional training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and the School of Applied Functional Medicine. A survivor of PTSD, depression, and bipolar disorder, Erin now lives symptom-free and equips others to move beyond labels through holistic care of mind, body, and spirit. She serves as the Integrative Health Coach at Living Well Counseling and Wellness Center in Tyler, Texas, where she works alongside her husband, Richard, a licensed therapist. Erin frequently speaks, writes, and coaches individuals on mental health and wellness, with her first book releasing through Tyndale Refresh in 2025. Outside of her work, she enjoys reading fiction, playing games with her three children, cheering them on in sports and music, cooking and sharing nutrient-dense meals, practicing yoga, and traveling whenever possible.
About Denison Forum
Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.
All episodes are produced by Sound of a Rose. For more information, you can visit soundofarose.com.

In this week's Brief: Conner is joined by Dr. Ryan Denison to break down three foiled suspected terror attacks in a single week – the thwarted plot against the US military in the UK, the failed FlyDubai hijacking, and an attack planned on the Texas State Capitol.
From there, Ryan walks through Christa Pike's botched execution in Tennessee and why nearly one in ten lethal injections now go wrong. This leads to the bigger question: What does the Bible say about the death penalty?  
Plus, a mysterious plague outbreak in Siberia, Alex Ovechkin's final season, the NFL's undefeated and winless teams, and Ryan's MLB playoff picks.
The enemy wants us living in fear — but Jesus came that we may have life abundantly (John 10:10). Are you wearing the whole armor of God?
Topics
(0:00) Introduction
(2:02) UK base attack plot
(8:56) Middle East plane hijack
(15:02) Texas Capitol threat
(22:33) Christa Pike case
(30:58) Euthanasia vs. execution
(35:19) Bible and capital punishment
(38:50) Humane punishment ethics
(41:33) Methods and lethal injection
(45:11) Russia plague watch
(48:09) Sports roundup: NFL, NHL
(51:48) MLB playoff storylines
(55:13) Conclusion

Resources
Send us your thoughts, questions, and topic ideas: culturebrief@denisonforum.org
Culture Brief Instagram
Watch on Youtube 
Sign-up for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribe

Articles on this week’s top headlines:
Were American soldiers targeted outside an English airbase?
Attempted hijacking called a “jihadist terror attack”
British man arrested over suspected RAF Fairford terrorism plot
FlyDubai co-pilot planned to crash plane into airport, shouldn't have been cleared to fly to Israel, sources say
Can Christians kill?
The failed execution of Christa Pike.
What the Bible says about Christa Pike and the death penalty

About Conner Jones
Conner is the Managing Editor of Denison Forum, host of the Culture Brief podcast and author of the In The Know newsletter. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 and has spent his career at the intersection of faith, culture, and current events. Outside the office, he can usually be found at the movies, watching sports, or traveling with his wife, Raigan, and their sons, Nolan and Nash.
About Dr. Ryan Denison
Ryan Denison, PhD, is the Senior Editor for Theology at Denison Forum. Ryan writes The Daily Article every Friday and contributes writing and research to many of the ministry’s productions. He holds a PhD in church history from BH Carroll Theological Institute after having earned his MDiv at Truett Seminary. He’s authored The Path to Purpose, What Are My Spiritual Gifts?, How to Bless God by Blessing Others, 7 Deadly Sins, and coauthored Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters and has contributed writing or research to every Denison Forum book.
About Denison Forum
Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.
All episodes are produced by Sound of a Rose. For more information, you can visit soundofarose.com.

In this week's Brief: What are today's teenagers and young adults really wrestling with? Conner is joined by Cole Travis, a Student Minister with a decade of youth ministry experience, for a candid look at the good, the bad, and the ugly facing Gen Z and Gen Alpha in today’s world. This conversation is for young listeners seeking guidance and older listeners who want to learn how they can best minister to these generations in a challenging, digital-first culture. 
They start with the question so many young people are asking: "What's my purpose?" From there, they dive into the concerning trends Cole sees most often — self-image among young women; lust, online sports betting, and NIL pressure among young men — along with how teen brain development shapes enduring suffering and how screens have changed the way they communicate (Cole even decodes Gen Z "deadpanning"). And Cole also shares what gives him real hope for these generations.
Plus, the guys debate iced coffee at job interviews, open the mailbag on college football, discuss two attempted terrorist attacks this week, and preview the MLB Wild Card round.
Topics
(0:00) Introduction
(0:46) Why Gen Z matters
(4:38) Identity, calling, assignment
(6:51) Three career questions
(14:59) Cultural struggles overview
(16:04) Porn and gambling
(20:34) Girls' self-image
(23:32) NIL pressure on athletes
(27:43) Youth sports industry pressure
(28:21) NIL laws and boycotts
(30:15) Gen Z communication: deadpanning
(33:31) Teen brain and suffering
(38:05) Hope for next generation
(40:56) Iced coffee interview debate
(44:19) Terror plots and plane hijack
(48:10) Conclusion
Resources
Send us your thoughts, questions, and topic ideas: culturebrief@denisonforum.org
Culture Brief Instagram
Watch on Youtube 
Sign-up for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribe
About Conner Jones
Conner is the Managing Editor of Denison Forum, host of the Culture Brief podcast and author of the In The Know newsletter. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 and has spent his career at the intersection of faith, culture, and current events. Outside the office, he can usually be found at the movies, watching sports, or traveling with his wife, Raigan, and their sons, Nolan and Nash.
About Denison Forum
Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.
All episodes are produced by Sound of a Rose. For more information, you can visit soundofarose.com.

In this week's Brief: Conner is joined by Josh Miller, CEO of Denison Ministries to discuss President Trump's ban on CNN, Politico and MS Now from the White House. We break down the lawsuit, the rare show of solidarity from rival networks (even Fox News!), and the comical, silent helipad ribbon-cutting that followed. Then we tackle a bigger question: What do we do when we doubt God? 
From there, we dive into the UN General Assembly, where world leaders from Brazil, France and Jordan — plus President Trump — all say they want peace but can't agree on how to get there. It serves as an illustration of pursuing unity in the body of Christ, even across dividing lines.
Plus, the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger clears a major hurdle (with CNN in the mix), Ella Langley's "Choosing Texas" dethrones Mariah Carey for the longest-running No. 1 in Billboard Hot 100 history, and the office fantasy football standings are totally upside down.
Topics
(0:00) Introduction
(0:49) Trump bans media outlets
(5:03) Networks boycott pool coverage
(7:44) Helipad moment backfires
(10:13) Legal precedent and Acosta
(18:11) Doubt, God, and lament
(22:42) UN General Debate begins
(24:21) Guterres warns of fault lines
(24:53) AI replaces nukes
(25:37) Lula slams UN
(27:43) Trump-Iran tension
(34:58) Church unity call
(40:18) Grace over judgment
(43:24) Pray for leaders
(44:05) Media merger news
(46:57) Conclusion
Resources
Send us your thoughts, questions, and topic ideas: culturebrief@denisonforum.org
Culture Brief Instagram
Watch on Youtube 
Sign-up for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribe

Articles on this week’s top headlines:
WH bars pool reporters, Fox and other networks push back
Politico: Access denied
Trump seizes press passes
President Donald Trump’s Truth Social post on banning news outlets
Major TV Networks Suspend White House Pool Coverage of Trump in Protest of His CNN Ban
Sophia Cai’s post on X about no audio at the WH
Aaron Rupar’s post on X about no audio at the WH
White House media bans have been tried before. They rarely hold up in court.
United Nations General Assembly High-level Week 2026
The Secretary-General -- Address To The Opening Of The General Debate Of The 81st Session Of The General Assembly
Leia na íntegra discurso de Lula na Assembleia Geral da ONU
United Nations His Excellency Emmanuel Macron President
King delivers Jordan’s address at 81st UNGA
United Nations United States of America His Excellency Donald Trump President

About Conner Jones
Conner Jones is the Managing Editor for Denison Forum at Denison Ministries and Co-Hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 with a degree in Business Management. Conner passionately follows politics, sports, pop-culture, entertainment, and current events. He enjoys fishing, movie-going, and traveling the world with his wife and son.
About Josh Miller
Josh Miller is the Chief Executive Officer at Denison Ministries. He is also a disciple of Jesus, husband, and father. A Christian leader, author, and songwriter, Josh brings over 20 years of ministry experience—from global worship tours to pastoral leadership. He lives in Plano, Texas with his wife and two sons, fueled by faith, craft coffee, and a love for tacos.
About Denison Forum
Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.
All episodes are produced by Sound of a Rose. For more information, you can visit soundofarose.com.