Fox News Religion Correspondent Lauren Green uses her wealth of stories, vast network of contacts, and her own extensive study of theology to take the listener on a unique journey of spiritual discovery.
The Lighthouse Faith podcast, hosted by Lauren Green on FOX News Radio, is a delightful and informative show that covers a wide range of topics related to faith and spirituality. Green's interviewing skills are exceptional, as she engages with her guests in a calm and clear manner, allowing them to express their beliefs and perspectives. One standout episode featured Paivi Räsänen, who discussed her compelling case for the Bible to the legislature in Finland. The podcast provides a platform for individuals to share their unique viewpoints, making it an excellent resource for those interested in hearing different perspectives.
One of the best aspects of The Lighthouse Faith podcast is its diversity of topics covered. Guests from various backgrounds and belief systems are invited onto the show, offering listeners the opportunity to gain insights from different religious traditions and spiritual practices. This broadens one's understanding of faith and allows for greater appreciation of different points of view. Additionally, Green's skillful interviewing ensures that guests have ample time to explain their thoughts and beliefs fully.
However, one downside to the podcast is its duration. Some listeners may find it frustrating that episodes are typically around 30 minutes long. Given the depth and complexity of the topics discussed, there may be instances where more time would be beneficial to explore certain subjects in greater detail. It would be great if Green felt comfortable extending episodes when necessary or releasing bonus content for those who crave more discussion.
In conclusion, The Lighthouse Faith is an enlightening podcast that offers valuable insights into faith and spirituality through thoughtful conversations with diverse guests. While the fast-paced dialogue can sometimes make it challenging to grasp everything being said, overall it is an educational and enjoyable experience. Whether you are seeking alternative perspectives or simply want to learn more about faith-related topics, this podcast provides a wealth of knowledge through its engaging interviews conducted by Lauren Green.
Celebrity marriages come and go... and they do so rather quickly and often. But a true power couple is one where both man and woman, individually, are first devoted to God. So says Grammy Award-winning Christian artist Rebecca St. James and her filmmaker and pop band co-founder Cubbie Fink. Each found success in their careers before they even met, and both held up a godly standard for dating and for potential mates. Now married for 14 years, they have three children and full schedules. In this season of weddings and the hope in a love that lasts forever, St. James and Fink offer advice to couples on what gives a marriage the power to succeed. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith, the couple talks about their new book, "Lasting Ever: Faith, Music, Family & Being Found By True Love." The book's title is the giveaway, because the only true love available to the whole of humanity, is the love that survives into eternity, the love of Jesus Christ. Through ups and downs and sickness and health, marriage is a journey that needs Divine Guidance, to give it the best chance to not just survive, but thrive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Torah is made up of the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Both Christians and Jews revere these books as containing incredible wisdom and a wealth of knowledge of who God is and His purpose for humanity. But theologian and author Mark Gerson actually thinks the Torah should be in the self-help section of bookstores for its wealth of common-sense instructions on how we can have fulfilled lives. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Gerson, entrepreneur and Jewish leader, unpacks his book "God Was Right", explaining how social scientists today prove the Torah true; not just subjectively, but objectively. When it comes to marriage, dating, money management, etc., the Torah (the book Moses penned several millennia ago) is true to its Word. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Attorney Vernadette Broyles knows her biology and science when it comes to gender and sexuality. She has an undergraduate degree in biology from Yale and was headed to medical school before the legal profession became her passion. She now advocates for children and parents, walking alongside them in their legal battles against the powerful lobby and juggernaut of the gender ideological movement that's pushing transgenderism on children in schools, government, and the culture at large - stripping parents of their rights to determine their children's care. Broyles is the President and General Counsel for Child & Parental Rights Campaign. She and her team have created tools for churches, pastors and parents called The Church Transgender Response Guide. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Broyles explains the deeper evil fueling the transgender movement, its historical roots, and the legal cases she's now taking on. She's sounding the alarm, offering churches videos, in person training, and even zoom calls. A full court press to fight back and give parents and churches the ammunition to live out their God given authority. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
When the white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney Thursday evening, Fr. Roger Landry, like millions around the world, waited to see who among the 133 cardinals had just become the 267th successor to St. Peter. He knew to listen for the Latin version of the Cardinal's birth name in order to translate to a media outlet. He knew there were only four Cardinals with the first name Robert. But he was listening for "Petrus", thinking that getting white smoke on the fourth ballot of the conclave must mean that the frontrunner, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Secretary of State, had secured the needed two thirds vote. But instead, he heard Robertus... And he was shocked! This is the drama that unfolded in St. Peter's Square as tens of thousands packed into the piazza and the Via della Consilizione, cheered as the Basilicas bells peeled with joy knowing Habemus Papem, "We have a Pope!" On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast coming to you from Rome, Italy, Fr. Landry, the National Director of Pontifical Missions Societies USA, talks about that moment when he realized the first American born pope had just been elected. The former Cardinal Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, surprised the world. Who is he? Why did he impress the electors so thoroughly? Fr. Landry has insights and predictions about this American made pontiff who truly is more citizen of the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The movie Conclave, stocked with A-list Hollywood talent, has attracted much more attention since the death of Pope Francis and the impending Conclave to choose his successor. But how closely does the movie mirror the actual secretive event that has taken place for centuries under the frescoed walls of the Sistine Chapel? For veteran Vatican journalist and author John Allen, the only truth that is in the movie is that "Cardinals do vote for the pope." Unlike the election of a new president of the United States which occurs every four years, electing a pope occurs only when the person occupying the throne of St. Peter dies. St. John Paul II was pope 27 years, a very long period of time. Pope Benedict XVI was pope eight years, and Pope Francis, twelve years. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith, coming to you from Rome in the shadows St. Peter's Basilica, Allen talks about what the movie got wrong, which is most of it, and some of which was true to form. He also elaborates on some of the top contenders from the College of Cardinals who are papabile, Pope-able. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Courtney Walsh is an American who has lived in Rome for most of her adult life. She speaks Italian fluently, is married to an Italian, they have three children — one of which is getting married this summer in the Italian countryside — and for several decades, Walsh has covered the Vatican, reporting on the popes, traveling on the papal plane coordinating coverage for several networks. She is the consummate producer, the often-unsung hero, and the source of a plethora of inside information that other journalists rely on to do their jobs best. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Walsh reflects on Pope Francis, his death, his life, and what it's like working with the Vatican Press Office, covering one of the most historical events of modern day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Easter Sunday celebrates Jesus Christ rising from the dead. That day changed the trajectory of a world drowning in sin. God broke through the barrier separating Him from His highest and most valuable creation... humanity. But believing in the Resurrection of Jesus means believing in the supernatural, in a vast world of power that exists outside the realm of physical matter. Author Lee Strobel says the Resurrection is part of the plethora of spiritual mysteries in the Bible and also in our modern world today. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Strobel talks about his book, "Seeing The Supernatural". The Supernatural includes angels, demons, mystical dreams, near-death experiences, and of course, the Resurrection. Many of these mysteries have been investigated and studied separately. But putting them all together as part of a massive metaphysical reality is a game changer, because it means all these mysteries point to One Being who controls it all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How many Roman soldiers does it take to arrest one man? If the man is Jesus of Nazareth... hundreds. On the night of His arrest, Jesus's reputation was that of power and miracles. The Romans were taking no chances. In the Garden of Gethsemane, we see the Lord of all creation humbling Himself to take the place of humanity. He knows His arrest will end with death by crucifixion. But what happens on that night in that Garden has far more inciteful details than most biblical readers have fathomed, like who was that young man who ran away from the soldiers naked after being stripped of his loin cloth? Or the High Priest's servant whose ear is cut off? Why are these and more events even included in the biblical narrative? On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, theologian Rick Renner explores his new book for adults and children, "Easter: The Rest of the Story." He explains how even the most minute details of the various scenes in the Garden are important to understanding who Jesus is and what He came to do. He is God incarnate, come into the world to pay the penalty of sin for all of humanity, for all time. Easter celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It is the cornerstone of Christianity. Without it, nothing in the Garden makes sense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Polls show the vast majority of people believe in miracles. But what is a miracle? When does a healing defy the laws of medicine? Investigative journalist and author Billy Hallowell journeyed through the realm of the supernatural and the natural to find out if miracles do happen, why they happen, and why they don't happen. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Hallowell talks about his documentary "Investigating the Supernatural: Miracles", now streaming on Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). Hallowell says the bar was set pretty high to determine if someone indeed was miraculously healed, that there could be no other scientific reason for the healing. The investigation focuses on several different people including the case of Dr. Chauncey Crandall, a cardiologist who prayed over a patient who suffered a massive heart attack and had no pulse for 40 minutes. The patient was given one more jolt from the defibrillator after Crandall's prayers and his heart began beating. But that was only part of the miracle... The patient had no resulting brain damage. But why was Crandall's prayer for his patient answered, and yet years before his prayer for his own dying child was not? That, Hallowell says, is part of the mystery of our walk with God in searching for a miracle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Thirty-two years ago, finance expert Art Ally got tired of investing in companies that had a track record of diverting from biblical moral principles. So, he created The Timothy Plan, an investment firm that would screen out companies that pursued "unholy agendas," like abortion, pornography or sex trafficking. And the biblical directive has been profitable... to the tune of nearly $3 billion in the fund. But that's not the first priority. The often-misquoted verse in the Bible, Timothy 6:10, doesn't say money is the root of all evil, but that the "love of money" is the root of all evil. It's a big distinction. It means people of faith should put God first and make decisions about investments that align with God's Word. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Ally speaks frankly about the spiritual warfare going on in the financial world, and that companies like Disney and Target have lost their way morally. They are not even considered as part of a Timothy Plan portfolio. While supporting Israel, as the land of God's chosen people is the basis of their Israel Common Values Fund. Why is it important to care about where your money goes? Ally says, because there's nothing more central to anyone's life than money. And there's nothing more important than glorifying God. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
There's a spiritual battle waging in the world today. It's the same ancient warfare waged since the beginning of time. Today's manifestation is targeting our children. Christian author and speaker Laine Lawson Craft is out to give parents the spiritual ammunition they'll need to bring their prodigal child back into the fold of faith. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Craft talks about her devotional "Warfare Parenting" and the book it's based on "The Parent's Battle Plan." Craft says her "aha moment" came during several fights with her three children. There would be screaming and shouting over how each wanted to live their lives. Then she realized... she wasn't fighting against her child, but with the forces of evil that are out to kill and destroy them. Drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity, depression and thoughts of suicide are part of the spiritual forces of evil today. Craft says, prayer and handing a child over to God, is one of the first steps a parent must take. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A split-second look in the direction of a screaming baby out of the corner of the bride's eye became a viral TikTok video and sparked a wave of heated debates about 'childless' weddings. Texas bride Claire Kendall Taetz now regrets posting the video, which she thought would be a lighthearted way to 'get over' the crying baby interruption at the most important event of her life. But instead, it's become a source of pain. The video has had more than 3.5 million views online, the story surfacing on Facebook, People, New York Post and more, while garnering more than three thousand comments; the majority of which are positive. But the small percentage of haters has shaken her. The comments were mean and spiteful, and some even questioning whether or not she's a 'good Christian'. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, newlywed Taetz talks about the ordeal that has shocked her to her core, while also driving her deeper into her identity in Christ, and helped along the way by the devotional "Light For Today", written by the host of this Lighthouse Faith podcast, Lauren Green. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Your faith and your finances don't have to live in two separate worlds. In fact, counter to popular opinion, the Bible has some very positive things to say about the accumulation of wealth. But it also, of course, has some negative things to say as well. One of the most misquoted verses in the Bible is 1 Timothy 6:10. It's quoted as "Money is the root of all evil." But that's not actually what the verse says. It actually says, "For the love of money is the root of all evil." What's the difference? Well, having money is not a bad thing, it's when money has you. It's when money becomes your fundamental trust instead of the God who allowed you to prosper. Fox Business anchor Charles Payne joins this special edition of Lighthouse Faith podcast to discuss a special episode of his show "Making Money" this week. It's called "A Matter of Faith," about how more and more people are using their faith to guide their portfolios. Catch the special Tuesday, March 11th at 2pm ET on FBN! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
While Pope Francis appears to be slowly recovering from severe bronchitis and double pneumonia, talk is turning to the inevitable... Who will be the next Bishop of Rome to emerge from the next Conclave? It will be one of the 252 members of the College of Cardinals, the Catholic Church's bishops whose most important task is to elect the next Pope. But one of the challenges for the Cardinals? They don't know each other very well. Normally they would have an opportunity to encounter each other and learn more about each other at a Consistory, a Cardinal meeting in Rome usually held when new Cardinals are created. But Pope Francis hasn't called for a Consistory in more than ten years. So veteran Vatican journalist Diane Montagna is part of a group that created a website called 'Cardinalium Collegii Report', aka, The College of Cardinals Report. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Montagna talks about the website, why it was created, who are the Cardinals, what they believe, and most importantly who are the most papabile, able to be Pope. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Pope Francis has been in the hospital for the longest stay of his papacy. More than two weeks as of February 28. And while the latest updates out of the Vatican continually report a slow steady improvement from his severe bronchitis and double pneumonia, it hasn't stopped the Vaticanista rumor mill from speculating on his possible resignation. But papal historian, author and biographer Austen Ivereigh dispels the rumors saying that despite the secret letter of resignation he wrote at the beginning of his election as the Bishop of Rome, Francis believes the papacy is for life. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, recorded in Rome in Vatican City, Ivereigh talks about hopes for the pope's healing, his work ethic, and how this simple and humble man from Argentina has molded the Roman Catholic Church in ways so different from his predecessors. Ivereigh is the author of "Pope Francis: The Great Reformer," "Francis and the Making of a Radical Pope, "and also "Wounded Shepherd: Pope Francis and the Struggle to Convert the Catholic Church." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Who knew that the most popular podcast streaming today has nothing to do with politics, gossip, or getting ahead in life? In fact, it's the exact opposite of all those worldly and material aspirations. It's "The Rosary in a Year." It's a ten-to-fifteen-minute devotion hosted by a Franciscan monk, to help people to draw closer to Jesus Christ. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, RIAY host Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, of the Fransiscan Friars of the Renewal, talks about the spiritual hunger in the world that's making more and more people turn away from the unsatisfying pursuits of worldly wealth, and draw closer to the God who made them. Fr. Mark-Mary's calming, yet strong voice, helps listeners open their eyes, ears and hearts to the power that's in the name of Jesus, His mother Mary, and the Holy Spirit. Take that Joe Rogan! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Metropolitan Yevstratiy, the Deputy Head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine's External Church Relations, accuses the Russian Orthodox Church of being nothing more than an arm of the Kremlin, doing the bidding of President Vladimir Putin, the proverbial 'wolf in sheep's clothing'. In this case, religious vestments, and telling Russian soldiers fighting against Ukraine that if they die in battle, they will immediately go to paradise, all sins forgiven. In 2019, Ukraine's Orthodox Church was granted independence from the Russian Orthodox Church. It caused an uproar in Moscow. Kirill and Putin refused to recognize the authority of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Constantinople (modern day Istanbul, Turkey) that authorized Ukraine's identity as an Autocephalous Church. That Russia is engaged in a Holy War is not in question. But it's Patriarch Kirill in Moscow, says Yevstratiy, that claims the Russian aggression against Ukraine is for the "Liberation of Ukrainians from Godless West... From the evil." And to, "bring to Ukraine the light and truth." On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Metropolitan Yevstratiy also reveals a scarier version of the war in Ukraine; that Putin and Kirill want to make Moscow the third and final Rome, labeling the rest of Christianity, Catholics and Protestants alike as heretics and pagans. As President Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth look for diplomatic solutions to the war's end, Yevstratiy and His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphany, the leader of the OCU, are faithful that God Himself will bring an end to the battle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It's a heart-wrenching film that recounts the beheadings ten years ago this week of 21 Coptic Christians at the hands of ISIS, Islamic radicals. And yet, the film also tells the poignant story of the incredible faith these martyrs had, diligent to the end, never once denying their Savior, even unto death. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, producer Mandi Hart, talks about the making of "The 21" and the transformative power of learning about what these men endured for their faith. They were laborers from Egypt, working in Libia, when ISIS members kidnapped them and demanded they denounce their faith in Jesus Christ, the only condition to secure their freedom. The men refused. For a month and half the men were tortured and abused. Then they were put in orange jumpsuits and paraded to a sandy hill where masked, knife-wielding radicals lined them up and beheaded them. All of it was filmed by ISIS for the purpose of propaganda and power. But there were other supernatural forces also at work on that sandy hill, and those forces struck fear in the hearts of many of the radicals. The 21, although only 13 minutes in length, makes a power statement as it is animated using the imagery and style of Orthodox Christian iconography, intercut with the actual film ISIS shot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Now that Roe v. Wade is securely in the rear-view window, the pro-life movement has entered a new phase... and yes, a new battleground. The annual March For Life, now in its 52nd year, just wrapped up in Washington, D.C., and while it's clear pro-lifers are celebrating major victories with many states outlawing abortion altogether, it's also apparent there are new battles arising as some states expanded abortion access and others grapple with what their access should be. In the year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe, abortions actually increased. Fr. Frank Pavone says it's because chemical abortions have become a growing "choice" among those who want to end a pregnancy. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Pavone, founder and CEO of Priests For Life, talks about where the pro-life movement is headed under President Donald Trump and how it's not only important to change laws, but also hearts, in the fight for the sanctity of life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The National Cathedral's Prayer service the day after President Donald Trump's inauguration has stirred up a controversy that's been brewing in Christianity for decades, if not more. It's the divisiveness over how the Body of Christ should respond to the LGBTQ community. Forget how the Right Rev. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Washington D.C., chose to use her pulpit to scold the newly re-minted President of the United States; that's actually a side bar to the real concern. The underlying dispute is Mainline Protestantism's schism over gender and sexuality. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, culture expert and theologian Dr. Alex McFarland, a frequent podcast guest, uncovers the long-simmering discord in Christianity that simply can't be ignored any longer. Much of what Dr. McFarland says may be unsettling to many people, if not downright offensive. But he says, if The Bible is indeed God's Word, and faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, then he is called to speak the truth in love. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Actor John Schneider is best known for his role as Bo Duke on iconic 1980's TV show "The Dukes of Hazzard," but his talents go much deeper than playing a good ol' boy, and the resumè shows it. Originally from Mt. Kisco, NY, he's a singer who's recorded some 20 albums. He played Superman's father on the show "Smallville" and starred on Broadway. He's currently (through February 2nd) in the longest running show on the Great White Way, "The Perfect Crime," but his personal life took a tragic and traumatic turn a couple of years ago with the cancer death of his wife Alicia Allain. It was a time where he truly learned, 'God has a plan'. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith, Schneider and his new wife Dee Dee Benkie, talk about how their life together now can only be Divine will. Benkie, a former Fox News contributor, had also suffered the trauma of the death of her husband, actor Paul Sorvino. Together they have a powerful testimony about faith, family... and trusting in God. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Christian persecution is growing globally, and the biggest reasons are radical Islam, Communist regimes, and Secular forces in the West. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Jeff King, President of the watchdog non-profit International Christian Concern, delves into its most recent Global Persecution Index. One of the most dangerous places to be a Christian is Nigeria, where in the last 20 years nearly 100,000 Christians were murdered and about 3.5 million Christian farmers have had their land stolen by the extremist Muslim group Boko Haram. King says, "It's slow-motion genocide and stealth Jihad." While in Communist China, face-recognition AI technology monitors more than a billion people for the purpose of assigning a social credit score determining where they can work or go to school. And going to Church or reading a Bible assigns a much lower score. But in the West persecution is happening as well where the legal system has been weaponized to malign or marginalize certain believers. In one state, conservative Christians weren't allowed on a jury because of their religious views. King says he has hope that the incoming Trump administration will turn the tide and strengthen religious freedom around the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
For former cold-case murder detective J. Warner Wallace, the horrific New Year's Day terror attack in New Orleans followed an age-old pattern of why people kill. He says of all the homicides he's worked, there are only three reasons why people commit crimes: sex, money, power. There's no fourth reason. And those three reasons fall into the larger bucket of Pride. Authorities say the suspect, 42-year-old Shamsud Din-Jabbar, had been radicalized into a distorted view of Islam, and was inspired by the terror group Isis, a power obsessed group. But Wallace, a former atheist who used his forensic skills to try to debunk Christianity and came away a believer in Jesus, has a much more nuanced view on the nature of religion. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Wallace talks about his book, "The Truth In True Crime: What Investigating Death Teaches Us About The Meaning Of Life." Wallace says most religions, except for Christianity, are performance based; perform these rituals and services and God -or the world- will bless you. Even an atheistic worldview does this. However, that form of religion or belief falls prey to the greatest of deadly sins, pride. The only antidote to pride is humility, and humility is nothing anyone can achieve by works. And studies show, says Wallace, that humility leads not to the taking of life, but to human flourishing and the giving of life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Chosen is the widely popular television drama about the beginnings of Christianity. It is now in its fourth season, and no one is as surprised at its success than Amanda and Dallas Jenkins, the show's creators. They were skeptical of Angel Studio's crowd-funding business plan and thought they could raise at best $800; They ended up raising $10 million. But the career success has been accompanied by personal sadness with a chronically ill child. However, Amanda says, this has kept life and all its ups and downs in perspective- and that's God's plan. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Amanda Jenkins talks about her book, "God's Goodness For The Chosen", and explains how they learned that God allows success in our lives but that He allows struggles also to help us stay close to Him. For her, the bottom line is that "God is doing a new thing." That He is "drawing people around the world back to Himself." And that The Chosen is all part and parcel of that grand plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
More than two thousand years ago God broke through the barrier separating sinful humanity from a Holy God and took on human flesh in the form of a tiny baby. Christianity says all of human history had been building to that monumental event that separated time. Why did God, the creator of the universe, decide to enter our world, not as an avenging angel, but as a vulnerable and innocent baby? It's because of love. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Pastor Max Lucado, best-selling author and preacher, talks about the true meaning of Christmas. That Christmas set into motion the life-altering cosmos calamity that closed the chasm between God and sinful man."Christmas", says Lucado, "begins what Easter celebrates." The two highest holy days of the Christain calendar are eternally linked. While Christmas has become much more commercialized with shopping and Santa taking center stage, it hasn't changed the reality that the peace and joy we talk about on Christmas cards and ad slogans, flows only from this one event, the birth of Jesus: "For God so loved the world!" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
While religions of the world have some similarities, like the importance of family or mercy, Christianity makes a claim no other religion makes; that the founder of the faith is God in human form, Jesus. Every other religion tells followers, "this is the way to God." But Jesus says, "I am the way." Christianity says God has come to us. That means Christmas is all about the doctrine of the Incarnation, God taking on human flesh, born of a woman, entering into our world and the conditions under which we live, in order to save us from ourselves. The secular culture is very eager to have Christians pay more attention to superfluous trappings of the season, the glitz and glamour, rather than the real meaning of Christmas. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Hank Hanegraaff, the Bible Answer Man, explores what the Incarnation should mean to us, and why the Virgin Mary should be understood in the fullness of the gift she gave the world in saying "Yes" to God's invitation to be the mother of the Savior. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Martin Scorsese production of "The Saints", now streaming on Fox Nation, is wrapping up its first four episodes this week with Maximillian Kolbe, a Polish priest who sacrificed his life in a Nazi concentration camp so that another prisoner could be spared. The series will continue in the Spring, during the Lenton season, with four more stories of extraordinary people of faith: Francis Of Assisi, Thomas Becket, Mary Magdalene and Moses the Black. And after that, the creator of the project Matti Leshem, wants audience input about who they want to see next. The Catholic Church recognizes more than ten-thousand saints, so there's a lot to choose from for future episodes. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Leshem, who is Jewish, talks about working with Academy Award-winning director Scorsese, and how even people who aren't Catholic or Christian can be inspired by these stories of regular men and women, whose faith compelled them to unimaginable heights of bravery and courage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We are now in the Advent season, the four weeks leading up to Christmas and the joy of Jesus' birth. Like Advent itself, the birth of the Savior has a lot of back story. Woven through the Bible's Old Testament are hundreds of prophecies that tell of a Messiah that will be born sometime in the future. Many of the prophecies, like those in Isaiah, are written centuries before the birth of Jesus. Cumulatively, they predict the conditions of the birth, the location of the birth, who he will be born to, what he is coming to do and so much more. Jesus fulfills every one of those prophecies. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, evangelist Anne Graham Lotz and investigative filmmaker Tim Mahoney delve into the prophecies of the Old Testament and the archeological evidence that shows that the core tenets of Christianity are grounded in the historical record. Mahoney's Patterns of Evidence production house has investigated the archeological evidence biblical prophecies and events from the Exodus to his most recent on Israel Dilemma that explores the Israel's covenant with God and the land. Lotz, well-known author and Christian speaker, is the daughter of the late evangelist Billy Graham. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Fleeing from Europe to the New World for religious freedom in 1620, the Pilgrims intended to settle in northern Virginia, not far from Jamestown where there was an established community. But their ship was blown off course and landed instead at Plymouth, Massachusetts. And because they were in unsettled territory, the Pilgrims (before disembarking the Mayflower) created a document that became the prototype for America's Declaration of Independence and Constitution. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, author and historian Dr. Jerry Newcombe explores the faith steeped history of Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims who landed in the New World and created the essence of the American experiment, the agreement for self-government, a civil body politic under God. The very first Thanksgiving, as the Pilgrims sat down with the Indians to share a meal, was always about giving thanks to an Almighty God, through whose Providence they were brought to a new land. Unfortunately, the education system in this land of the free has worked to erase God from the history books. But Newcombe, the Executive Director of Providence Forum, is pushing back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The book of Acts seems to sit benignly in the Bible, following the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It's presented almost as a travelogue of what happens to the apostles and the growing community devoted to a man named Jesus who was crucified. But Acts, if read properly, is quite subversive, and a potential source of great fear for the kings and rulers of the world because it directly challenges their authority, says Dr. N.T. Wright. Acts, written by the Apostle Luke, announces that the Kingdom of God has been launched, and that Jesus is its head. Why is this a problem for us today? Because the Western world's 'Separation of Church and State' is a wobbly philosophy if in fact Jesus is King, and really can't be lived out to its most extreme manifestations, that they are on a collision course we can in fact see today in politics and the culture. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Dr. Wright, author, theologian, scholar, and Anglican priest, explains his new book, "The Challenge of Acts: Rediscovering What the Church Was and Is". Wright says, "Acts is a dangerous book; and if people take it seriously, it's still dangerous today because the powerbrokers don't like the idea that actually there is this thing called the Kingdom of God." Luke also wrote one of the two Gospels that includes the narratives of Jesus's birth. Luke describes it as the Royal Birth, of a King that will be at odds with all the Kings of the earth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The election is over, and Donald Trump will be the 47th President of the United States come January 20th, 2025. The voters have spoken and they've spoken decisively; the popular vote, the electoral college vote, the Senate, and the House likely. What's also very clear is how religious voters were key to Trump's victory. In almost every faith category, Catholics, Evangelicals, Jews -- Trump increased his share of the spiritual pie. It's proof that America's strong faith foundation still holds and that the path to the White House still runs through the nation's pews. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Dr. Alex McFarland, faith and culture expert, breaks down why Bible believing Christians were key to Trump's victory. And how it was more than a difference over politics, but in fact a widening gap of worldviews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ryan Bomberger has a challenge to the ladies of "The View"- have him on the show to debate all things related to abortion. He knows it's a long shot that they'll extend an invitation but it's worth a try. For that matter Bomberger also has a challenge to Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Senator Raphael Warnock, Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake and even Melania Trump. All of whom he says have position on abortion that rankle him. Bomberger is the co-founder, along with his wife Bethany, of The Radiance Foundation, a faith-based pro-life advocacy non-profit. Its mission is to "illuminate" that every human being, no matter how they are conceived, has inherent and God-given, equal worth. Bomberger boldly tells anyone and everyone, "I was conceived in rape, but adopted in love." He's one of 10 children of different races, adopted by the Bomberger family. He's just written an op-ed to answer the question, "What About Rape?" When abortion is debated, cases of rape and incest are often used to justify the cessation of a life in the womb. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Bomberger answers that question and more. For him, abortion is personal. He says, "Imagine for a moment, watching repeated news stories where people say that a person like you shouldn't exist. Imagine hearing, over and over again, that you should be dead. Imagine someone telling you on TV or in real life, that you should've been aborted." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
God made humans male and female not to build a divisive wall around their strengths and weaknesses, but to create a powerful union of husband and wife. Both have traits the other doesn't have. It doesn't make men and women better or worse... it makes them different. New York Times bestselling author Lisa Bevere is pushing back against the secular culture's obsession with gender ideology that she says is destroying the God-given image of male and female. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Bevere talks about her book "The Fight for Female, Reclaiming Our Divine Identity". Bevere is no feminist. In fact, she says feminism to her is teaching women how to be men. Instead, she's empowering women to be women; strong enough to be wives and mothers, and noble enough to see in their male counterparts a co-traveler on a journey of faith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Have you ever wondered why so many Evangelicals are starting to drift to the left? There's a good reason. Daily Wire journalist Megan Basham's new book uncovers the infiltration of conservative Evangelical churches by far-left billionaires like George Soros and Pierre Omidyar, the founder of eBay. Since around 2013 there's been a concerted effort to essentially buy off pastors through opportunities or large amounts of funding if they support left-leaning causes like climate change and abortion. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Basham talks about the research for her book, "Shepherds For Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded the Truth for a Leftist Agenda." Back in 2013 the likes of Soros and others saw religious voters as the one huge impediment to advancing their vision of America. Organizations like Soros' "Open Society Foundation" learned how to use the language of faith in order to lure pastors and their congregations to look more favorably toward a wide range of issues from the environment to gender ideology. Basham says, "They talked about how they could harness the power of high-profile Evangelical leaders in the hopes of influencing the rank and file in the pews." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The grade school rhyme about Christopher Columbus will not suffice in today's Woke world, "Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 14-hundred and 92." That's what Columbus Day, a national holiday, commemorates, the Italian explorer's founding of the Americas. Some municipalities have changed the title to "Indigenous Peoples Day", to honor the natives Columbus encountered, or conquered, or displaced... depending on which history class you take. But Columbus's intent, though, was to find a new Western trade route to Asia, since Turkey, conquered by the forces of Islamic Jihad, cut off the Eastern passages. Columbus, in his underestimating the circumference of the earth, may have stumbled onto the New World, but does that make him unworthy of accolades? And does it mean he was motivated by greed instead of the Gospel? No, says historian William Federer. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Federer, an author and national speaker, gives a veritable graduate school class on the centuries of history that leads up to Columbus's journey across the Atlantic, his spiritual motivation for lobbying the Queen of Spain to sponsor him, and the subsequent effects of what has happened in the centuries since, as even those who've benefited from the establishment of the United States of America have forgotten its roots. Columbus may have had no idea that a vast swath of land, another continent lay in his path to Asia; in fact, till his death he thought he had found a shorter, western trade route. But there was no mistaking that his faith in a God, who moves mountains and calms the raging seas, was real. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Scripture says, "The battle belongs to the Lord", (1 Samuel 17:47). Coach Joe Kennedy can attest to that. His whole life of trials and frustrations, anger and pain, were preparing him for a battle over the right to pray on a football field. Kennedy is famous for winning a Supreme Court case in 2022, after being fired for praying on the 50 yard line after every game, as he promised God he would do, win or lose. Now a major motion picture will be released about his life and court battle. Actor Eric Close (Nashville, Suits, American Sniper), portrays Kennedy in the film. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Kennedy and Close talk about making the film, and how they worked together in understanding Joe's journey from being a forgotten child, tossed between homes and growing up angry, to becoming a Marine, marriage, and then to a high school football coach. All the while, says Kennedy, God's hand was there. He says, "I didn't see until later in life that God had his fingerprints all the way from when I was in the womb, and all those trials and tribulations I went through. I didn't see how they fit all the puzzle pieces into the bigger picture, and it prepared me for the Marine Corps, prepared me for this battle." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For author and national Christian speaker Craig Huey, the group "Evangelicals For Harris" is bent on deception. Granted Donald Trump is no angel he says, but at least his policies were pro-life and protected religious freedoms far greater than the Biden/Harris administration. And yet, the left-leaning Evangelicals have launched a major seven-figure ad campaign targeting Evangelicals in swing states through Christian media, Google, TikTok and sites where only Christians will see them. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Huey talks about his book "The Christian Voter: How to Vote For, Not Against Your Values to Transform Culture and Politics", and takes aim at the new campaign and its clever marketing strategy that uses the image and powerhouse preaching of deceased evangelist Billy Graham, to make the point that Trump is unfit to be the leader of the United States. But Huey, who's worked in marketing for decades, says it's a classic misdirect, but one that could have a tremendous impact on the election if you just look at the numbers. According to Huey's research, nearly 7 million Evangelicals in swing states did not vote in 2020. In Michigan, nearly 1.3 million Evangelicals did not vote. Trump lost the state by 154,000. Huey explains that the campaign is not so much about convincing Evangelicals to vote for Harris, as much as it is about convincing enough of them NOT to come out to vote for Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
With the overturning of Roe v Wade two years ago, which sent the issue of abortion back to the states, the political battle over abortion entered a new phase that has seemed to stymie those on both sides of the argument. Shawn Carney, founder of the pro-life national organization, "40 Days For Life", says that the Supreme Court decision was probably a shocker for both Republicans and Democrats, for different reasons of course. For decades the question has been over your stance on abortion, are you for it or against it? Each side being able to simply check a box. But neither side got too far into the weeds to actually discuss abortion; what it is, and what it isn't. But that's exactly where we are today as several states now have abortion matters on the ballot this election. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Carney talks about his new book, "What To Say When 2: How to Discuss, Clarify, and Question Abortion in a Hostile Culture". Like its title suggests, it's a "how to" for people of faith, and no faith, to respectfully debate a very contentious and controversial topic. Carney also grades how both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris did during their debate. He says Trump could have done better, and Harris didn't do as well as she thinks she did. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We are in the final stretch of a very contentious presidential cycle. The two candidates vying for American votes couldn't be more different than day and night, and we're not talking about race or gender. They represent two almost diametrically opposite political views and two different visions for the future of the United States of America. What's more challenging for people of the Christian faith is the question, "How can you be a witness to the gospel in casting your vote when neither party or candidate is fully committed to Christian values?" Dr. James Spencer advises that they do what Jesus said to His disciples, "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." In other words, be informed but still bow to the authority of God to whom also the government is under, even if it doesn't operate that way. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Dr. Spencer, best-selling author and president of the D.L. Moody Center in Northfield, MA, talks about his new book written for just a moment as this, "Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness." This "Serpents & Doves" directive is like threading a needle. It brings up the very problematic New Testament Bible verse about God giving government authority, Romans 13. Spencer explains how believers should interpret it, and why it's so important to understand its ramifications and how to stay true to your faith values when casting your vote. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee calls the newest installment of the God's Not Dead film series a story made for this moment in history. He says it's a little like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington updated to this modern age where faith in God is not as publicly proclaimed and religious freedom totters in the wake of Woke political agendas. Huckabee plays himself in the film, and on this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, he jokes about getting his Oscar speech ready. But in all seriousness, this film, subtitled "In God We Trust", is meant to inspire millions of Christians, especially the 40 million who sat out last election, to make their voices heard at the ballot box this November. He says every vote counts. He also talks about why he, as an Evangelical Christian, still supports former President Donald Trump, and why even now, sees him as the best candidate to lead America... and why Kamala Harris is not. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pastor Max Lucado has never been an end times kind of preacher. It's just not a major factor in his preaching wheelhouse, which is why his most recent book, "What Happens Next: A Traveler's Guide Through The End Of This Age" seems at first a departure from his normal uplifting spiritual guidance. Predicting the end of the world has become a bit of a cottage industry of late. But prognosticators wouldn't pursue the subject if there wasn't widespread interest and attention given to it. Even though Jesus said no one but the Father would know the actual date and time, it hasn't stopped the forecasting. However, Jesus did tell His followers the conditions to look for when the end times will be upon us: "Wars and rumors of wars... famines and earthquakes." But Pastor Max says the 'when' of the end times is not nearly as important as the condition of our hearts, which is something we can address every moment of every day. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Pastor Max explains that the main point of his book is that, if you have clarity about the future, if you know what your ultimate destiny is, that allows you to be courageous about the here and now, and be able trust in the God who controls it all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices