The Good Citizen Podcast

Wheeler Mission opened its doors in 1893 and has began serving individuals experiencing homelessness, hunger, and addiction ever since. Wheeler is a remarkable example of a comprehensive, strategic ministry that is impacting its city and state, ands it programs include homeless services, residential programs, addiction recovery, and social enterprises. The ultimate goal? To point people […] The post #257 The Story and Impact of Wheeler Mission with Rick Alvis and Terrence Harper first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Though many races are not final, we have a general idea of the results of the 2022 midterm elections. So, what are the key takeaways from the election as they relate to Christian citizenship? And what should we focus on next? In this episode, I walk through 3 key takeaways from the 2022 midterm election: […] The post #256 3 Takeaways from the 2022 Midterm Election first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

I often hear concerns about Generation Z and, more specifically, a lack of interest in Christianity and civic responsibility. But those trends are, of course, not applicable across the board. There are a number of young leaders dedicated to following Jesus and living out Biblical principles in public life despite the cultural pressures they face. […] The post #255 Gen Z and Citizenship first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

In this sermon, we continue an in-depth review of The Daniel Manual for confidently living out our faith in uncertain times and in an increasingly plural culture. Big Idea: We find ourselves in a changing, increasingly secular culture that demands our attention and our absolute allegiance. So, what should we do? How should we live […] The post #254 The Daniel Manual, Chapter 11 first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

In his new book The Truth Changes Everything, Dr. Jeff Myers explains that America has passed a tipping point in its understanding of truth. A majority of Americans now say that truth is up to the individual and that ultimate truth cannot be known. Learning to “speak our own truths” was supposed to lead to […] The post #253 The Truth Changes Everything with Dr. Jeff Myers first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Moses' father-in-law, named Jethro, encouraged Moses to consider four criteria as he selected civic leaders. And his list of qualifications–what I have termed “Jethro's Voting Guide”–can assist us in the complicated moral exercise of voting for civic officials in the United States. Four qualifications for government officials according to Exodus 18:21: Competence Morality Honesty Financial Integrity […] The post #252 Jethro's Voting Guide: Ancient Wisdom for a Key Decision first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Here's a review of the top 5 legal issues Christian ministries and committed Christians are facing in the fall of 2022. In this episode, Josh walks through each challenge, explains the potential legal implications, and gives suggestions on how to respond. Top 5 Legal Legal Challenges: Employment Parental Rights Exemptions Partnerships Internal Dissension Link to […] The post #251 Top 5 Legal Challenges for Ministries in 2022 first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Since the Dobbs decision returned the issue of abortion to the states, state legislatures and state courts have taken up abortion restrictions; and the people of Kansas even considered and eventually defeated a pro-life amendment to their constitution. So, what lessons can be learned from this “first round” of state-level abortion contests? And what should […] The post #250 Latest Developments and Lessons for the Pro-Life Movement with Sue Swayze Liebel first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

In this sermon, we continue an in-depth review of The Daniel Manual for confidently living out our faith in uncertain times and in an increasingly plural culture. Big Idea: We find ourselves in a changing, increasingly secular culture that demands our attention and our absolute allegiance. So, what should we do? How should we live […] The post #249 The Daniel Manual, Chapter 10 first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

In contrast to our increasingly plural (many religions and ideologies) society's claim that all roads lead to Heaven, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” (John 14:6). Many insist that this exclusive claim about truth and salvation is prideful and leads to mistreatment of others in a diverse society. But that […] The post #248 The Why of the Way first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Dr. Wayne Grudem is a theologian and prolific writer perhaps best know for his book Systematic Theology and his work on Christian ethics. But he also wrote Politics According to the Bible, a more than 600-page comprehensive resource on the application of faith in public life. He also routinely speaks on worldview topics, the state […] The post #247 Politics According to the Bible with Dr. Wayne Grudem first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Greg Baker leads the Church Ambassador Network in the state of Iowa and the Daniel Impact, a ministry effort that now spans 14 states and is inspiring the church to engage government for the advance of God's kingdom. Greg is a return guest, and much has happened since the last time I spoke with him […] The post #246 The Growth of the Daniel Impact and Church-State Partnerships in Iowa with Greg Baker first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

In this sermon, we continue an in-depth review of The Daniel Manual for living and ministering in a diverse, quickly changing society. Big Idea: We find ourselves in a changing, increasingly secular culture that demands our attention and our absolute allegiance. So, what should we do? How should we live in such secular and uncertain […] The post #245 The Daniel Manual, Chapter 9 first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

In February of 2022, Aaron Renn wrote an article for First Things that described 3 phases of secularization in the United States since the 1990s. I have found these phases or “worlds” helpful in processing changes in American society, the church's response to those changes, and current strategies for cultural engagement. Aaron Renn is a […] The post #244 The Three Worlds of Evangelicalism with Aaron Renn first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

The Christian Civic League began ministering in Maine in 1897 and is one of the oldest if not the oldest ministry of its kind in the United States. Under the leadership of Carroll Conley, CCL continues to be a relevant and effective voice for Christian citizenship in his state. For example, the U.S. Supreme Court […] The post #243 Public Square Ministry in Maine with Carroll Conley first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Indiana was the first state in the nation to take up abortion legislation since the Dobbs case returned the issue to the states, and Governor Holcomb signed a near-total abortion ban on Friday, August 5th. I had the opportunity to be at the Indiana statehouse during this two-week legislative session, to observe many of the […] The post #242 3 Lessons from Indiana's Abortion Debate first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Since the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade, the issue of abortion has been front and center in American public life. Many churches have encouraged Christians to (1) support the pre-political, Biblical belief of the sanctity of life and to (2) serve women and children in crisis. Here are ten practical, strategic ways to serve […] The post #241 10 Ways to Serve Women and Children in Crisis first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

In this sermon, we continue an in-depth review of The Daniel Manual for living and ministering in a diverse, quickly changing society. Big Idea: We find ourselves in a changing, increasingly secular culture that demands our attention and our absolute allegiance. So, what should we do? How should we live in such secular and uncertain […] The post #240 The Daniel Manual, Chapter 8 first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Most churches either have a food ministry or have some method for addressing physical needs. But are these ministries an afterthought or an effective community hub that leads to evangelistic conversations and life transformation? In this conversation with Merlin Gonzales  from Faith, Hope, and Love, Merlin shares his story and explains how to effectively and […] The post #239 How to Turn a Food Pantry into a Community Hub with Merlin Gonzales first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Felt a pinch in your wallet lately due to rising gas prices and inflation? Well, consider the effect of those economic factors on individuals already experiencing poverty. Inflation is a disproportionate “tax” on the poor, and recent spikes in costs for everything from gas to cereal are creating significant need in many low-income neighborhoods. So, […] The post #238 How to Impact Poverty by Reducing Dependency and Growing Capacity with Jay Height first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

The last week has been a momentous one for the pro-life movement and for religious freedom. The U.S. Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey and returned the issue of abortion to the states. And SCOTUS held that Maine may not exclude religious schools from a generally available tuition assistance program […] The post #237 What's Next for the Pro-Life Movement and Religious Freedom? with Ryan T. Anderson first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

In this sermon, we continue an in-depth review of The Daniel Manual for living and ministering in a diverse, quickly changing society. Big Idea: We find ourselves in a changing, increasingly secular culture that demands our attention and our absolute allegiance. And we can sense the winds of local and even global change as technology […] The post #236 The Daniel Manual, Chapter 7 first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Research has repeatedly shown that individuals that experience a mental health crisis turn first to a pastor or faith leader. This is a remarkable opportunity for churches as many in our congregations and communities are seeking help for anxiety, loneliness, depression and many other mental health issues. In this episode, I discuss the mental health […] The post #235 The Church's Key Role in Responding to the Mental Health Crisis with Dr. Matthew Stanford first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Barna's American Worldview Inventory in 2021 found that approximately 6% of American Christians have a Biblical worldview, and Barna's 2022 Worldview Inventory found that approximately 37% of pastors have a Biblical worldview. Though I am somewhat cautious around statistics and especially interested in questions and methodology of such studies, Barna is a reputable firm and […] The post #234 Why You Should Be a Public Theologian with Todd Wilson first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

When I speak in churches on Christian citizenship, I generally preach on a Sunday morning about Biblical principles on government and set out some Dave Ramsey -like steps for applying those principles in the American context. My goal is to provide timeless Biblical principles so Christians can apply those principles according to their conscience and […] The post #233 Ask Me Anything about Christian Citizenship first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

When I am at the Indiana statehouse, I often hear about the “4 C's of Decisionmaking” from a broad range of public officials. I have found these principles helpful in navigating competing demands in high-pressure situations to make wise and effective decisions. Because of this, I thought I would pass them along as many leaders […] The post #232 How to Make High-Pressure Decisions in Public Life with Sen. John Crane first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

In this sermon, we continue an in-depth review of The Daniel Manual for living and ministering in a diverse, quickly changing society. Big Idea: We find ourselves in a changing, increasingly secular culture that demands our attention and our absolute allegiance. And we can sense the winds of local and even global change as technology […] The post #231 The Daniel Manual, Chapter 6 first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Since the leak of the draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization last week, I have had a number of conversations about abortion law, potential outcomes, and how the church should respond. In this episode, I brought all of that together in an effort to provide a (fairly) comprehensive overview of what's happening […] The post #230 Preparing for a Post-Dobbs America first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Gerson Cardona recently joined our team in Indiana as the Deputy Director of The Daniel Initiative, and I am grateful for the opportunity to minister with him to impact our state and beyond. In this episode, we discussed the importance of working together as fellow believers to reach people with the gospel and to impact […] The post #229 Ministering with the Hispanic Community with Gerson Cardona first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Cultural commentators on both the left and the right have termed the last few years the “transgender moment.” Though that description does not need much in the way of an explanation, the issue of transgenderism is now impacting Christian families and ministries in the areas of education, discipleship, outreach, and even evangelism. Given that development, […] The post #228 How to Respond to the Transgender Moment first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Over the last few years, I have had a fascinating conversation with pastors and other committed Christians about these critical questions: “Are we, as American Christians, in the equivalent of Jerusalem or Babylon? And, given the answer to that question, how should we engage our culture and the public square?” This may seem like an […] The post #227 Jerusalem or Babylon? and How to Live in It [Encore] first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

In this sermon, we continue an in-depth review of The Daniel Manual for living and ministering in a diverse, quickly changing society. Big Idea: We find ourselves in a changing, increasingly secular culture that demands our attention and our absolute allegiance. And we can sense the winds of local and even global change as technology […] The post #226 The Daniel Manual Chapter 5 first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Ratio Christi (Latin for “The Reason of Christ”) is a global movement that equips university students and faculty to give historical, philosophical, and scientific reasons for following Jesus Christ. Bringing together faith and reason to establish the intellectual voice of Christ in the University, Ratio Christi is planting student and faculty-led apologetics clubs at universities […] The post #225 Evangelism and Apologetics on the College Campus with Dr. Corey Miller first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Faith Church in Lafayette, Indiana, is a remarkable example of a church strategically impacting its zip code, and Faith's Biblical Counseling Ministry is considered a flagship in the United States and beyond. Further, Pastor Steve Viars recently made the national news due to his opposition to a proposed conversion therapy in West Lafayette, Indiana. In […] The post #224 Loving Your Community in a Changing Culture with Dr. Steve Viars first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

In this sermon, we continue an in-depth review of The Daniel Manual for living and ministering in a diverse, quickly changing society. We covered Chapters 1 and 3 in this sermon titled “How to Get Fired in Babylon,” and we covered Chapter 2 in this sermon in case you want to review the prior studies […] The post #223 The Daniel Manual, Chapter 4 first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine shocked the world, ended an extended period of peace among European nations, and shattered the vision of a 21st century without competing military alliances and attempted conquest. Given these momentous geopolitical events, I find it easy to overlook the terrible effect of war on individuals, families and ministries. Because of […] The post #222 How to Pray for and Support Ministries in Ukraine with Suzy Roth first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, 1in 5 Americans struggles with a mental health issue. Further, many government officials that we have met with in 2022 have pointed to mental health as a key and complex problem that they are spending time and resources to address. Churches and other ministries are also seeing […] The post #221 How to Impact the Mental Health Crisis with April Bordeau and Jean Crane first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

We find ourselves in a changing, increasingly secular culture that demands our attention and our absolute allegiance. And we can sense the winds of local and even global change as technology develops at breakneck speed, disease impacts our lives, and old divisions and conflict around the world threaten our sense of peace. So, what should […] The post #219 The Daniel Manual, Part 1 first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

While serving at a Christian addiction recovery ministry, David Palmer repeatedly heard the following statement, “I need a job.” He made this a matter of prayer and decided to apply his business acumen to a solution. The result? Purposeful Design, a remarkable business that creates handcrafted, custom furniture that creates a revenue stream for its […] The post #218 Turning the Tables on Poverty with David Palmer first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Luther's famous statement at the Diet of Worms, “Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God” sparked a reformation of the church, but it also sent shock waves through medieval Europe and laid the groundwork for religious freedom as we know it today. Now, more than 500 years on, members of […] The post #217 Luther's Legacy on Religious Liberty with Dr. Gregory Seltz first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Many Christians know where to find religious freedom in the U.S. Constitution, but do we know where to find it in the Bible? In this interview, theologian and ethicist Andrew Walker discusses the Biblical roots of this “first freedom,” the current state of religious freedom in the United States and explains why Christians should defend […] The post #216 Liberty for All: Defending Everyone's Religious Freedom in a Pluralistic Age with Andrew Walker first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Cultural commentators on both the left and the right have termed the last few years the “transgender moment.” Though I do not think that needs much in the way of an explanation, the issue of transgenderism is now impacting Christian families and ministries in the areas of education, discipleship, outreach, and even evangelism. Given that […] The post #215 Transgenderism, the Church, and the Gospel with Heather Skriba first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Note: Due to a technical issue, the audio quality in this episode is not as clear as the episodes we normally produce. We apologize in advance for that, but we wanted to get this content out to listeners due to the fact that many churches will recognize Sanctity of Life Sunday on January 23rd. Big […] The post #214 The Heartbeat of a Nation: 2022 and the Sanctity of Life first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

One of my resolutions for 2022 is to produce some short[er] form video content on issues at the intersection of faith and public life. So, here are some thoughts on conversion therapy bans, including what they are, how they affect the church's public witness, and implications for the common good. –A map of U.S. jurisdictions […] The post [Brief Brief] Thoughts on Conversion Therapy Bans first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

The foster care crisis is a pervasive and complex problem, and there are no easy or quick solutions. Because of that reality, I continue to look for example ministries that are effectively and strategically serving in the foster care space. I recently connected with Josiah White's, a ministry that has been serving kids, teens, and […] The post #213 Serving Kids, Teens, and Families in Crisis Since 1850 with Ron Evans first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

As we enter the 246th year of our Republic, we face increased polarization, economic uncertainty, the lingering effects of a pandemic, a growing secularism, rising geopolitical threats, and deep disagreement over the history and purpose of our union. So, where do we go from here? How can Christians steward their citizenship well and work toward […] The post #212 American Restoration: How Faith, Family, and Personal Sacrifice Can Heal Our Nation with Tim Goeglein first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

We all know the story about the wise men and the gifts they brought for baby Jesus, right? Or do we? Let's take another look at the Scriptural and historical references to the Magi and their importance to the Christmas story–and your story. Stated differently, they may not have been three in number or kings […] The post #211 The Mystery of the Magi first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

This is part 4 of a 4-part series on engaging Gen Z. Series Description: Here's a key question I hear all the time: “How do we reach the next generation?” This is an urgent question as Barna reports that atheism has doubled among Gen Z. But it is also a personal question because Christians, including ministry leaders, […] The post #210 How to Engage Gen Z, Part 4 (Evangelism and Key Apologetics Questions) with Ben Schettler first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

This is part 3 of a 4-part series on engaging Gen Z. Series Description: Here's a key question I hear all the time: “How do we reach the next generation?” This is an urgent question as Barna reports that atheism has doubled among Gen Z. But it is also a personal question because Christians, including ministry leaders, […] The post #209 How to Engage Gen Z, Part 3 (Christian Citizenship) first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

This is part 2 of a 4-part series on engaging Gen Z. For part 1, click here. Series Description: Here's a key question I hear all the time: “How do we reach the next generation?” This is an urgent question as Barna reports that atheism has doubled among Gen Z. But it is also a personal question […] The post #208 How to Engage Gen Z, Part 2 (Worldview Formation) with John Crane first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.