704: Love is All We Need + Moderate Churches with Ryan Burge
- Phil Vischer
- Jan 21
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 30
Over the last 30 years, the number of Americans who say they highly value patriotism, religion, community, and family has dropped dramatically. At the same time, the number of Americans who care about making more money has gone up. Phil, Kaitlyn, and Skye discuss David Brooks’ new article about the culture’s shift toward autonomy and away from loving attachments, and how Christians can begin rebuilding their social muscles. Sociologist and former pastor, Ryan Burge, is back to discuss why the political polarization of Christianity is hurting both the church and democracy. Also this week, why small houses are better for your soul, and monkeys are missing in St. Louis—or are they?
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Bonus Interview with Ryan Burge:
0:00 - Show Starts
3:38 - Theme Song
4:45 - Sponsor - Poncho - If you’ve been looking for the perfect shirt—something breathable, fits great, feels even better, and stands out in a good way—give Poncho a try. Get $10 off your first order by using this link: https://www.ponchooutdoors.com/holypost
5:12 - Sponsor - Tyndale - The Life Application Study Bible is here to give you resources to help you understand why scripture matters and how it applies today! Check it out now at:
7:00 - The Monkeys are Loose in St. Louis!
15:24 - David Brooks on Love
38:00 - Are You Socially Muscular?
50:33 - Sponsor - BetterHelp - This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/HOLYPOST and get 10% off your first month!
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52:34 - Interview
55:34 - Number of Christians Holding Steady
1:00:23 - Do Revivals Need to be Inside the Church?
1:09:38 - What is a Moderate Congregation?
1:17:50 - Evangelicalism Became Fundamentalism
1:24:00 - End Credits
Links Mentioned in News Segment:
Monkeys! On the Loose!
We’re Living Through the Great Detachment:
Elizabeth Oldfield on Social Muscles:
Other Resources:
The Vanishing Church: How the Hollowing Out of Moderate Congregations Is Hurting Democracy, Faith, and Us (Why the Culture War Led to Polarization and What We Can Do About it) by Ryan Burge: https://amzn.to/4r1rbKL
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I Really enjoyed the interview with Ryan Burge.
To me the biggest flaw of the institution of the church has been that the teachings have mostly been about what to think rather than how to think. When the only teaching revolves around “correct doctrine” (what to think), the chances of unity among diversity is pretty much unattainable.
Today's (1/21/2026) discussion on relationships really hit home. As someone probably on the senior end of your listeners (in our later 60s--ouch!!), we have experienced in our lives so much of the unexpected parts of love and loss mentioned.
Diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at age 37 in 2021, our daughter-in-law passed away two years later, leaving behind a widower, our son, and two children, ages 5 1/2 and 2. She had hoped to make it to age 40, and she only made it to just past her birthday at 39. As painful as those years were, our son and our family would never trade the good years we had; even the painful ones had their purpose. But w…