Wisely Engaging Culture with Trillia Newbell
On today’s episode, we’re chatting with Trillia Newbell about engaging culture wisely as followers of Christ, filtering everything we’re intaking through the truths of Scripture. Trillia is a third-time guest on Journeywomen, but if you don’t know her already, she is a wife, mom, author, and an Acquisitions Editor at Moody Publishers. We pray that this conversation encourages you to saturate yourself in God’s Word and ask him for wisdom as you seek to engage with the world around you for the glory of God.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Can you tell us a little about who you are and what you do?
What is culture?
Why is it important that we, as believers, learn to wisely navigate culture instead of completely disengaging from it?
How does what we watch, read, and listen to influence what we believe?
How can we begin to think critically about the things we're intaking in relation to the culture? What does this look like for you?
What happens when we truly seek to understand the messages behind what people are engaging with in the media? What does seeking to understand enable us to do?
How can we grow in discernment in this area? What are some questions you would suggest we ask ourselves as we thoughtfully take in the world around us?
How might we listen and engage with other cultures in a way that enables us to thoughtfully meet people where they're at with the good news of the gospel? What are some practical ways we might go about doing that?
What are ways that we might actually be able to shape and impact our culture for the glory of God?
How is Jesus helping us in all of this, even now?
NOTEWORTHY QUOTES
“As Christians, we have a better call, a better tool for how to engage [our culture]. We are set apart.”
“God has called us to be in the world, not of the world. He gave the disciples a mission and it’s our mission to go and make disciples of all nations. How are we going to do any of that if we withdraw [from the world and the culture]?”
“We have to be on guard as we go. And Jesus goes before us. He is going to provide the grace for us to engage. We need to pray and ask him for wisdom in what to say and how to say it.”
“We are called to love our neighbor as ourselves. Ultimately we love God and we love our neighbor, all things are working out of that… That means we’re going to be slow to speak, and we’re going to speak the truth in love.”
“There is a reason I’m sharing or I’m writing. I hope to be a light in a very dark place. There is darkness all around and I have the best news.”
“As I’ve repented and God has been so faithful to forgive, I’m learning when I’m not loving a person or wanting to win an argument or struggling with fear of man. As I’ve gotten older, God has helped me to be quicker to repent and ask him for words.”
“I really do believe that I can do nothing apart from Jesus.”
“You’re going to have a hard time not absorbing the world’s messages or trusting your own wisdom if you are not using the filter of God’s Word and allowing that to feed your soul and your mind.”
“Speak the truth in love. Put your faith in action. Use your life as a light and use your words for the gospel proclamation.”
“We need to engage in a way that is honoring the imago Dei, or the image of God, in others, that is speaking the truth in love, that is not slander or accusing, but that is asking questions.”
“I have had the joy of disagreeing with people online and it not looking crazy.”
“Everywhere the world is, we ought to be also, so that we can influence and shape and encourage.”
“We’re not all made the exact same. And knowing that will help us as we think about how to engage the culture and the world around us.”
“Jesus is interceding and he lives to make intercession for his own, which is remarkable to think about. It’s so crazy that he is right now interceding for us, and we can call upon him and ask him for help, he is available to us. The God of the universe is available to us. This is a remarkable truth to me.”
“God is for us, he’s with us, and he’s helping us.”
“Our prayer life is evidence of what we believe.”
“Do we believe that an eternal, holy God is for us, is interceding for us, is available to us, and continually gives of himself for the benefit of us. Do we believe that? If we do, then we will run to him in prayer.”
“The #1 practical thing that we can do to prepare for being a part of engaging the culture around us is getting in God’s Word and making sure that we’re feeding our souls to be equipped for every good work.”
“You have to get in his Word to know him better.”
“Identify: where is the one area where you can influence the most? Your neighbor? Your family? Your kids?”
RESOURCES
Getting in God’s Word
Beautifully Distinct: Conversations with Friends on Faith, Life, and Culture
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” James 1:19
“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” Ephesians 4:15-16
“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” John 17:17-18
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:31
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Why is it important to learn to wisely navigate culture instead of completely disengaging from it?
What are some practical ways or specific areas where you might be able to step in and impact your culture for the glory of God?
How can you lean more fully on Jesus as you seek to speak the truth in love and engage the culture around you?
How does knowing that Jesus is interceding for you change how you speak, pray, and live?
What are you going to do or implement as a result of what you’ve learned this week?
IMPORTANT NOTE
Journeywomen interviews are intended to serve as a springboard for continued study in the context of your local church. While we carefully select guests each week, interviews do not imply Journeywomen's endorsement of all writings and positions of the interviewee or any other resources mentioned.
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