Pastor Sam Ferguson joins Juli to get practical about loving the hearts of hurting people while staying rooted in God’s Word.
Sexuality & Culture
Has God Changed His Mind About Sex?
Cultural ideals around sex and sexuality have shifted over the last 100 years, but does this mean God’s design for sex has shifted as well?
#517 How to Beat Loneliness and Cultivate Deeper Friendships
Jeff Kemp joins Juli to talk about what we need to do to cultivate deep, long-lasting, and life-altering friendships.
Should I Go to a Gay Wedding?
Few topics in today’s world are more divisive in the Christian Church than sexuality.
#494 Purity Culture, Men and Sexual Entitlement
The purity narrative failed men too. Noah Filipiak unpacks some of the harmful ideas passed on to men in an effort to protect purity.
Q&A: What Does God Say About Divorce?
What does God say about divorce? Juli unpacks this layered topic.
#492 How Human Trafficking Causes Us to Rethink What We Believe About God
Author Charles Martin unpacks some of the realities of human trafficking, what it means to be broken, and what it takes to find freedom.
#363: Why Are Christians Afraid Of the LGBT+ Conversation?
Rachel Gilson discusses why it’s more important than ever to maintain a high view of scripture and know what the Bible says about our sexuality.
3 Subconscious Beliefs You May Hold About Living With Same-Sex Attraction
Scripture reveals that the way we think shapes our actions, but have you given thought to what and how you think about our sexuality?
#483 Why You Need a New Theology of Singleness, Even if You’re Married
Join Juli and guest Dr. Danielle Treweek as we kick off week two of our 7-week series exploring various themes around God, sex and intimacy.
#469 Porn, Rape Culture, and Why The Battle Against Sexual Assault Starts at Home
Did you know that on average, each year, around 463,634 Americans are victims of sexual assault? That’s a heartbreaking statistic, and it reveals a very real source of pain and trauma in contemporary American culture. What causes people to commit sexual assault? Is there a way to stop it? Dr. John Foubert joins Juli to discuss some of the reasons these numbers are so high, and what can and needs to be done to prevent sexual assault from happening.
#399: Why Questions About Sex Cause You to Question God
Juli and Hannah kick off the "Making Sense of God & Sex" series with a conversation about how questions around sex always lead...
#381: “Show It Off” or “Cover It Up”: Messages That Shape Our Body Image
What messages have you been told about your body and your sexuality? At the coffee shop with Juli are two...
#359: How To Help Women Speak Out Against Sexual Harassment
Tiffany Bluhm wishes this wasn’t her story to tell. Like most victims or bystanders of sexual harassment, she had everything to lose...
#358: Sexuality, Spirituality, and Why We Settle For Counterfeit Intimacy
Have you ever turned to Netflix instead of pursuing sex with your spouse? Have you turned to Instagram instead ending your day by...
#356: Sex & the City of God (What Life Looks Like When We Love God First)
That longing you have to be fully known? God put it there. It’s meant to draw you into intimacy with Him....
#345: What You Need to Know About Progressive Christianity
Compassionate. Inclusive. Nonjudgmental. Who wouldn’t want to be part of a church like this? It’s why...
#318: Why Are We Afraid to Touch?
Let’s face it: As Christians, we’re kind of afraid to touch. Touch feels unsafe and sexual—even...
#304: Stop Caring What Others Think
Are you constantly preoccupied with what others think about you? With how you look, how much money you make, or how many Instagram...
When Christians Disagree About Sex
When the Nashville statement was released, it brought conservative Christianity’s relationship with sexual issues front and center into the mainstream media. USA Today described the Nashville statement this way, “A coalition of conservative evangelical leaders laid...
#295: We All “Desconstruct,” It’s Reconstructing that Matters
Questions about sexuality, sexual abuse, and gender have sent a new wave of “deconstructing” throughout the Christian...
A Hopeless New Year?
Turning my calendar to January 1 is usually refreshing for me. It represents a new year with a clean slate and excitement ahead. So why does ushering in 2020 feel so heavy and discouraging? There are many indications that our culture is quickly moving in a dangerous...
The World Has a Lot To Say About Sex
If you haven’t noticed, our views on sexuality have changed quite a bit over the past 20 years. Americans are far more accepting of behaviors they once considered to be sexually immoral. Cohabitation, having sex outside of marriage, no-fault divorce, viewing...
Why Promise Rings and Purity Talks Fall Short
True Love Waits. I Kissed Dating Goodbye. Promise rings. These are the touchstones of predominant teaching on sexual purity promoted by the Christian community throughout the past several decades. Yet, the word purity among today’s Christian adults can elicit feelings...
#278: Aging with Enthusiasm & Grace
Tomorrow isn't promised to any of us. How can we be grateful, joyful, and love others well whatever season we're in? Today...
Joshua Harris, Sexuality, and “Deconstructing” Christianity
Recently, the evangelical world has been rocked by the news of Joshua Harris’s decision to leave his marriage and Christian beliefs. Joshua is the bestselling author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye and was a well-known spokesperson for the purity movement of the 1990s. A...
How to Have Tough Conversations
(Presione aquí para leer en español) If you listen to our podcast, Java with Juli, you know that I don’t like small talk. Ever since I was a little girl, I have been able to acutely sense unspoken tension in a room. I’m anxious when I have a conflict with a friend or...
#264: You (Too) Can Help #MeToo
What can you do to make sure the voices of sexual abuse victims continue to be heard following the #MeToo movement? How...
#260: BONUS! Confused About Sexuality? We Understand
Why is there so much confusion in the Church about sex? If God's word is clear on this issue, why do so many great...
#256: Who Is Jesus to You?
Every sexual question is a spiritual question. Every sexual opinion you hold comes from a foundation of who Jesus is to you. In the...
#242: Worried About the Future? Find Hope Here
We naturally fear what we don't understand or can't control -- like the messages and confusion surrounding...
#238: Josh Harris is Rethinking “I Kissed Dating Goodbye”
What if you gave millions of people the wrong advice? Two decades ago Josh Harris turned the Christian dating world...
#235: How the Purity Movement Hurt Us
"I always thought that if I did everything the way God told us to, then I would be blessed, I would be happy, and I would have a...
Webinar: Loving Your LGBT Neighbor
Ever feel like we're just fumbling through the LGBT conversation, always asking but never really finding Biblical answers to questions like: What does it look like to be friends with my lesbian neighbors? How should I love my gay child and his partner? What if I'm...
#196: Public Me vs. Private Me
What things in your life do you try really hard to hide? If my friends knew that I’m struggling with big temptations If people ever...
How We Love Each Other
I grew up in a family of six kids, all very close in age. My position as “number five” out of six is probably a huge part of why I became a psychologist. My earliest pictures are often of me in a playpen observing family life. As teenagers, my sisters and I became...
#180: Broken Women, Prostitutes and Your Part
Do you have the courage to reach out to someone who is hurting? We often feel fearful or ill-equipped when God calls...
Dealing With Friendly Fire in the Church
Juli Slattery and Mary DeMuth talk about how to deal with hurtful people and situations within the Body of Christ.
Q&A: How do you love people you disagree with?
What are practical ways to love people with whom you disagree?
Q&A: How do I love and care for a family member who just came out as LGBTQ+?
How to love family identifying as LGBTQ+.
Q&A: Does God want me to be happy?
Does God care about our happiness?
Cuando tu hijo adulto toma decisiones sexuales con las que no estás de acuerdo
Aquí hay un marco de cuatro cosas que pueden guiarte mientras recorres el difícil camino de criar a un adolescente o adulto joven a través del pecado sexual y el quebrantamiento.
¿Debería ir a una boda gay?
Pocos temas en el mundo actual son más divisivos en la Iglesia cristiana que la sexualidad.
Superando la adicción a la pornografía: El elemento crucial que puede que te esté haciendo falta
Este artículo fue escrito por uno de nuestros invitados, Jonathan Daugherty, fundador y presidente de Be Broken Ministries.
#513 A Child Psychiatrist On The Truth About Transgender Activism
Dr. Miriam Grossman, joins Juli to discuss what parents and kids need to be aware of when it comes to transgenderism.
#499 How Vulnerability Can Help You Heal From Sexual Trauma
Podcaster Tim Ross tells Juli how honesty, vulnerability, and grace helped him overcome sexual trauma.
God Says Sex is For Marriage – Here’s Why
More and more Christians are having sex outside of marriage, but is this in line with what God’s word says?
#496 Seeking Truth on Singleness, Married Sexuality and LGBTQ+ Issues – A 2023 Recap
Join Juli and Hannah as they revisit some common themes, topics and questions from this year’s most insightful Java with Juli episodes.
#495 Why Narratives About Sex Matter
Author Jennifer L Holberg explains why we need to challenge the narratives we’re given and see how the stories we believe shape our faith.
#493 How the Bible’s Teachings About Sex Reveal God’s Goodness
“Is God good?” Sam Allberry answers this in light of same-sex attraction, the heart of marriage, singleness, and the cost of discipleship.
Why Sexual Maturity Matters More Than Sexual Experience
What if the key to understanding sexual matters begins with knowing God’s word, trusting Him, and growing in self-control?
#481 Learning, Leading, and Growing: A Reflection on 10 Years of Java with Juli
In this celebratory episode, Hannah and Juli discuss the heart of the podcast, what Juli has learned, and plans for the next decade.
Help! I Know I Need to Talk to My Teenager About Sex, but How Do I Do It?
Want to share the good news about God’s design for sexuality with your teen? Start with creating a strong relational connection.
#476 When God Ran: How God’s Love Found a Woman Lost In Shame
What does it look and feel like to live in the tension of the weakness of your flesh when you have lengthy and ongoing struggles?
#461 Pride, Lust, and Why We Do Things We Don’t Want To Do
Juli Slattery and Jonathan Pokluda tackle tough questions about how to find freedom from the sin that we hate, the difference between regret and self condemnation, and how the gospel is good news for all of us.
#455 How God Changed My Heart (Even After I Changed My Gender) with Laura Smalts
For most of her childhood, Laura wanted to be a boy. In her 20s, she began hormone therapy, had surgery and lived as Jake for nine years. But she could never quite shake the feeling that none of it was real. “I remember looking at the photo on my driver’s license and saying, ‘I’m not as happy as I think I am.'” In this episode, Laura shares her remarkable story of desperation, hope and transformation.
#449 How to Guide Your Kids Through Confusing Messages About Gender
Juli and her guest share wisdom and encouragement to help you give clear answers to your kids’ questions about their gender and the way God created them.
#448: When Did Sexual Identity Become a Thing? (and Why Are We Obsessed With It?)
Sexual identity has become a common phrase, a personal choice, a political cause and, for many, the way we introduce ourselves to others (used even by tweens and teens who’ve never had a sexual experience)—and it feels like it all happened overnight. Do you ever wonder how we got here?
#367: Exchange Online Distractions for Real-Life Intimacy
“To be completely honest, the first two or three days, I was shocked by classic symptoms of withdrawal. I found...
#340: We Were Wrong About Modesty
The word “modesty” makes us cringe these days, and it’s easy to understand why: For years it’s...
#339: How to Have Hard Conversations with (Facebook) Friends
If you were standing in front of a crowd of 300 to speak, how carefully would you craft your words? Okay, so you’re actually at home...
#330: Loving the Person Who Isn’t Like You
It’s easy to love the neighbor who looks like us, thinks like us, and believes like us. With those who don't fall into those...
#117: How Your Sex Life is Connected to Your Spiritual Life
An early theologian once wrote, “We know that when a couple has sexual intercourse, the Holy Spirit leaves the room.” If you were...
#317: Bonus! Listen, Learn, and Give Grace (A Conversation About Race)
Are you grieved by the pain and brokenness you see in your news feed each day? We are too. God’s Word tells us that when one part of...
#313: The Greatest Love Story
From beginning to end the Bible tells a story about marriage. Woven through chapter and verse is a story of covenant love between...
#305: Becoming the Right Kind of Strong
The famous Proverbs 31 woman was "clothed in strength and dignity." She was strong! But perhaps not by our...
#284: Be a Truth Teller
If you're tired of smiling on the outside while you are broken and battered on the inside, Ashley Abercrombie has a message for you...
Webinar: Addressing Tough Topics with Truth & Love
In July 2019, best-selling author Josh Harris (I Kissed Dating Goodbye) announced that he and his wife are separating. The hundreds of comments to his Instagram post mirror how Christians generally respond to difficult issues and brokenness. One person wrote,...
Drowning in Shallow Christianity
I recently met with a friend who shared openly with me about her struggles in marriage. “It’s like living with a robot! He doesn’t seem to know how to connect emotionally. Am I supposed to live the next thirty years with this man? Does God really want me to be so...
Have You Forgotten Who God Is?
In the process of teaching about biblical sexuality, I have at times taken a critical look at traditions Christians have long held as truth. For example, you may have heard a recent Java with Juli episode exploring the missteps and harmful messages of the conservative...
Webinar: Female Friendships—the Good AND the Bad
We can all agree that having female friends is a great gift in life, but why can they cause so much difficulty? Dr. Juli Slattery hosts this webinar with one of her favorite friends, Erin Smalley! These two share the value in friendship, be honest about why it can be...
Webinar: Rethinking Sexuality: God’s Design and Why It Matters
We believe every Christian needs to be equipped with a Biblical understanding of sexuality. Not just, "Don't do it until your married,"but a full, practical, and Biblical narrative that we know, live out, and teach others. Dr. Juli Slattery invites you to join her for...
The “Why” for Every Question About Sexuality
When children reach the age of two, they begin asking a question they never stop asking. Why? If you are parenting a young child, you are faced with endless why questions. Why do I have to go to bed so early? Why do I have to eat brussel sprouts? Why do you have to go...
#218: Rethinking Sexuality in Your Life
Do I really need to save sex for marriage? What’s wrong with porn if I’m not hurting anyone else? Why should...
#216: BONUS! Do You Have an Agenda?
Relationships are tricky. Loving others well takes intentionality. It’s hard to watch our friends, co-workers, or kids make sexual...
#213: Sexuality & the Conversations the Church Forgot
Ready or not, the body of Christ needs and wants to have conversations about sex. Are you equipped? On this Java with...
#200: Listening So People Will Talk
The call to be a good listener comes straight from Jesus: in order to feel loved, people have to feel heard. Great...
Another Reminder That Something is Wrong
Several months ago, I got really sick. I was in bed for days with a high fever and chills, a deep cough, and no appetite. I gave the illness several days to run its course, treating my symptoms with Tylenol and cough medicine. When I didn’t get better, my husband took...
Why the Word “Purity” is Cringy
My teenage sons have recently introduced me to a new word… “cringy.” It’s how they describe my attempts to dance and many of my lame puns. But it’s also the word many would associate with the term “sexual purity.” As a ministry, we’ve shied away from teaching about...
#181: What Is the “Price” of Sex?
Birth control, pornography, online dating –according to our guest on this Java with Juli, all of these technologies...
#163: Women & the Tough Bible Verses
Do you bristle at being called “the weaker sex” or at the suggestion that women should stay silent in...
#149: Getting to the Heart of Female Same-Sex Attraction
At the core of any relationship are two people who care about each other. So when you don’t approve of a relationship, how do you...
#28: What Can YOU Do About Human Trafficking?
We got out of the coffee shop and recorded this conversation in front of over 1000 women, with human trafficking activist and lover...
#125: Why We Need to End Our Obsession with Christian Barbie
Barbie has been in the news lately. For 57 years, this plastic woman has projected the ideal and unattainable image for American...
The Erosion of Gender and You
Over the past few decades, we’ve slowly been eroding what it means to be male and female. Recently this movement has culminated in normalizing transgenderism and the vilification of anyone who stands upon a traditional definition of male and female. Just last week,...
#115: Celebrating My Jewish Heritage: An Interview with Dr. Michael Rydelnik
One of Dr. Michael Rydelnik’s favorite activities is “drinking coffee, talking, and laughing with...
How To Fight For Integrity In A Hyper-Sexualized World
Juli suggests some steps Christians can take as they pursue Godly living and surrendered sexuality in our hypersexualized world.
Purity Culture Failed Men Too
A male perspective on some of the negative fallout of purity culture.
4 Lies the Movies Told Us About Sex and The Truths You Need to Know
Have you learned and adopted more beliefs about sex from the movies than you realize?
Why You Still Need Boundaries As You Pursue Sexual Integrity
While we do need to reject the legalism of purity culture, Juli explains that boundaries still help us embrace godliness with our sexuality.
If I’m Free, Why Can’t I Do What I Want? And Other Ways We Misunderstand Freedom
There are significant differences between the way the Bible and the world talk about freedom, so what does it really mean to live freely?
#474 A Rebel’s Manifesto: How to Live Holy Different with Sean McDowell
What does it look like to live life as a Christian counter-culturally? How are we called to be in the world but not of the world when it comes to engaging with others, sharing the gospel, and addressing our own sin?
In this interview, Juli hosts author and professor Sean McDowell as they discuss his new book, “A Rebel’s Manifesto.” The book serves as a call and challenge to today’s Christians, urging them to revisit God’s Word and rethink what it means to be salt and light.
#470 Why Did We Start Hating Men? The Toxic War on Masculinity with Nancy Pearcey
When did it become normal for us as a culture not to like men? In this episode Juli’s guest is Nancy Pearcey, esteemed scholar, and author of “The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes”. She joins Juli to discuss the roots of toxic masculinity, what it means to be a good man, and how to combat the negativity around what it really means to be a man.
#463 (Bonus) The Need for Grace in Church-Based Conversations About Sex and Gender
When it comes to discussions around sex, historically the church has stayed quiet. As more and more pastors, authors, and psychologists within the church begin writing and talking about sex, the challenge becomes how to make these discussions accessible, nuanced, grace-filled, and Bible-based. In this episode, Juli speaks again with author and pastor Joshua Butler, as together they examine the challenges surrounding talking about sex from within the church.
Your Questions About Sex Point to Bigger Questions About God
Our sexuality is not an isolated part of who we are, but an integrated aspect of what it means to be created in God’s image and loved by Him. Our sexual questions and pain points connect with our deepest longings and fears. It’s impossible to grapple with our sexuality without also confronting our foundational beliefs about God. Is He good? Is He trustworthy? Does He see me?
#342: The Good Gift of Courage (And Why You Need It)
We talk often on Java with Juli about our culture’s confusing messages around sexuality. But today’s guest,...
Webinar: The Art of Asking Good Questions
In an era of emotionally charged politics, #MeToo, and gender identity questions, we've all witnessed, and likely experienced, how engaging with others can quickly lead to heated conversations and hurt feelings. How do we talk about difficult things in a way that BOTH...
Manhood on a Razor’s Edge
Last week, I spent $44 at Costco on Gillette razor blades for my husband. When I heard Gillette had just released a controversial video on toxic manhood, I wondered if I would regret my purchase. Having just watched the Gillette commercial, I couldn’t be more...
#236: Pursuing Wholeness, Not Purity
None of us is pure, but we can be whole. The imperfect packaging of the evangelical purity movement left many feeling confused and...
#209: Tradition, Teaching & Women In the Church
Beth Moore recently blogged “A Letter to My Brothers” and flung open the doors to a discussion about women, teaching, and misogyny...