Podcast appearances and mentions of Billy Graham

Eachof these statements would have been highly valued by the Judaizers of his day.They believed that these things gave a person standing before God. Paul isabout to show that they do not. First, Paul says he was "circumcisedthe eighth day." This means that Paul was not a convert to Judaismlater in life. He was born into a faithful Jewish family that obeyed the Law ofMoses. According to Genesis 17 and Leviticus 12:3, Jewish male children were tobe circumcised on the eighth day. Paulis saying that from the very beginning he had every religious advantage. He didnot come from a pagan background. He did not enter Judaism as an adult. He wasraised according to the covenant traditions of Israel from infancy. Yet noticesomething very important. Even though Paul had experienced the proper religiousceremony at the proper time, he still needed to be saved.  Thatis a powerful lesson for us today. Many people trust in a ceremony. Some trustin infant baptism. Some trust in confirmation. Some trust in church membership.Others even trust in a profession of faith they made years ago. While thesethings may have their place, none of them can save us. A ceremony can identifyus with a faith community, but only Jesus Christ can save the soul. Paul hadthe right ceremony, but he still needed a Savior. Secondly,Paul said he was "of the stock of Israel." This means hebelonged to God's chosen nation, Israel. He was not a Gentile proselyte. He wasa direct descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Jews treasured theirnational identity. They knew God had chosen Israel and given them Hiscovenants, His Law, and His promises. Romans 9:4-5 lists many of theseprivileges. Yet Paul learned that being born into the right family could notsave him. Youmay have heard people say—and I certainly have—"My parents wereChristians," or "My grandfather was a pastor," or "I wasraised in church." Those are wonderful blessings. But no one enters heavenon the faith of parents or grandparents. God has no grandchildren.  Third,Paul said he was "of the tribe of Benjamin." This was one ofthe most honored tribes in Israel. Benjamin was the tribe that remained loyalto the house of David when the kingdom divided. Jerusalem was located on theborder of Benjamin's territory. Israel's first king, Saul, came from the tribeof Benjamin. Many Bible scholars even believe that Paul may have been namedSaul because of that connection. The tribe of Benjamin carried a certainprestige among Jewish people.  Finally,Paul said he was "a Hebrew of the Hebrews." This means that Paul hadmaintained the Hebrew culture, language, and traditions. Many of the Jewsthroughout the Roman Empire had adopted Greek customs and language. But Paul'sfamily had remained deeply committed to their Jewish identity.  Religion says,"Look at my family." Religion says, "Look at my heritage." Religionsays, "Look at my traditions." Religion says, "Look at mycredentials." The Gospel says, "Look at Jesus." Paul is buildinghis case carefully. He is showing that if anyone could have earned favor withGod through religious credentials and advantages, it was him. Yet in the versesahead, he will tell us that he counted all these things as loss for Jesus Christ.This is true today as well. You may have been raised in church. You may knowyour Bible. You may have Christian parents. You may even have served inministry as a pastor for many years. ButI am telling you, my friend, as wonderful as these blessings are, ourconfidence must never be in these things. Our confidence must be in JesusChrist alone. I will never forget reading where Billy Graham said, "Thegreatest mission field in the world is in the pews of American churches." Inother words, many people think that because they are sitting in church onSunday morning, they are Christians and on their way to heaven. 

„Pristupujme s dôverou ku trónu milosti…“ (Žid 4:16) Modlitba je jednoducho vzájomný rozhovor medzi nami a Bohom. Tisíce ľudí sa modlia len vtedy,  keď sú vo veľkom strese, v nebezpečenstve, premožení neistotou. Bol som sa v lietadle, ktorému  sa pokazil motor – a ľudia sa vtedy začali modliť. Rozprával som sa s vojakmi, ktorí mi prezradili, že sa prvý raz modlili, keď sa ocitli uprostred boja. Zdá sa, že človek má v sebe inštinkt modliť sa v čase problémov. Vieme, že vo vypätých chvíľach „nie je nikto ateistom,“ avšak kresťanstvo, ktoré nemá dosah na každodenný život, nikdy nezmení svet. Modlime sa, využívajme silu modlitby. V modlitbe sme silnejší ako pod ochranou najsilnejších zbraní. Národ je mocnejší keď sa spojí v úprimnej modlitbe ako keď investuje do zbrojenia. Odpovede na všetky naše problémy môžeme dosiahnuť kontaktom so všemohúcim Bohom. Modlitba dňa Môj čas strávený s Tebou v modlitbe, drahý Pane, je hlavnou udalosťou môjho dňa. Poznanie, že Ty čakáš na toto stretnutie ma pokoruje. A predsa vravíš, že môžem prichádzať v odvahe a s dôverou − práve teraz to robím vo vedomí, že ma počuješ. Billy Graham

In Episode 496 of the Reformed Brotherhood, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb open with a rich discussion on the theology of congregational singing — including the Trinity Psalter Hymnal, the Getty's Sing!, and why psalm-singing belongs at the heart of Christian worship. The main event, however, is the first installment of their study of the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30). Tony and Jesse argue that this parable is widely misread as a lesson in personal productivity or spiritual gift deployment, when in fact its center of gravity is entirely eschatological and theological: the wicked servant's failure is not financial incompetence — it is a catastrophic misunderstanding of who the master is, and therefore, who he himself is as a servant of that master. Key Takeaways The parable is eschatological, not motivational. Situated in Matthew 25 as the second of three eschatological parables in the Olivet Discourse, the Parable of the Talents answers the disciples' question about the sign of Christ's coming — not a general lesson about using your abilities for God. "Talents" refers to an enormous monetary sum, not personal giftedness. A single talent represented roughly 20 years of a laborer's wages. Even the least-endowed servant received an immense, unearned gift — which makes the wicked servant's inaction all the more indefensible. The wicked servant's problem is theological, not financial. He doesn't bury the talent out of ignorance or fear alone — he actively mischaracterizes the master as exploitative and unjust. His failure is a failure of theology: he does not know who his master is. The commendation "Well done, good and faithful servant" is the basic reward of every believer, not a tiered prize for the most productive. The five-talent and two-talent servants receive identical commendations, suggesting the measure is proportional faithfulness, not absolute output. Faithful stewardship is active, not passive. Both faithful servants are marked by immediacy and energetic engagement. The parable does not explain how they doubled their talents because the mechanics are not the point — their disposition of active, risk-taking faithfulness is. The parable resists works-righteousness readings. Whether one is Augustine or an anonymous deathbed convert, every justified believer enters into the same joy of the master. The parable is not a theology of graduated heavenly rewards but a distinction between those who understand their master and those who do not. The talents represent the stewardship of the Gospel and the Kingdom itself. The master entrusting his servants with his property is a picture of Christ entrusting the church with the message of salvation — ownership remains with the master, the servants are stewards, not proprietors. Key Concepts The Wicked Servant's Problem Is Who He Thinks the Master Is The most common misreading of this parable locates the wicked servant's failure in laziness or timidity — he was simply too afraid to act. But Tony Arsenal argues compellingly that the servant's own words expose something far more serious. He says, "I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow." This is not a confession of fear; it is an accusation. The servant has constructed a theology of his master as an exploitative, unjust overseer who doesn't deserve a return. What he catastrophically misses is that the very possession of 20 years' worth of wages — an unearned, unimaginable gift — is the master sowing into him. His refusal to act is, at its root, a refusal to acknowledge the master's generosity and authority. This is the parable's most penetrating theological edge. "Well Done" Is for Every Believer, Not Just the Most Productive One of the episode's most pastorally significant observations is Tony's argument that the commendation "Well done, good and faithful servant — enter into the joy of your master" is not reserved for spiritual high-achievers. Because the five-talent and two-talent servants receive word-for-word identical commendations despite wildly different absolute returns, the logical entailment is that the one-talent servant, had he been faithful, would have received the same words. This means the commendation is not calibrated to productivity — it is the basic inheritance of every believer who enters glory. The soul-winner and the deathbed convert, Augustine and the unknown faithful, all hear the same welcome. The parable is therefore not teaching a graduated hierarchy of heavenly reward, but a binary distinction: those who know their master and act accordingly, and those who do not. The Parable Cannot Be Detached from Its Eschatological Context Jesse Schwamb is careful to anchor the parable in its literary and theological context: this is the second of three eschatological parables in Matthew 25, all part of the Olivet Discourse, all delivered in direct response to the disciples' question about the sign of Christ's return and the end of the age. Detaching the Parable of the Talents from that frame — and reading it instead as a general productivity principle or a theology of spiritual gifts — drains it of what Jesse calls its "gravity." The master going away and returning after a long time is a direct image of the ascended Christ and his parousia. The servants' task during the interval is not self-improvement or career stewardship — it is watchful, active discipleship in the time between the first and second comings. Everything in the parable, including the staggering sums of money, is calibrated to that eschatological frame. Memorable Quotes The real difference is that the former servants understood that their master had trusted them with a task and expected something of them, and the unfaithful, wicked, lazy servant had a total misunderstanding of who the master was — and therefore what his role as the master's servant was. That's the point of this parable. — Tony Arsenal Well done, good and faithful servant — that's not a special commendation that only the most amazing Christian servants get. That's the basic commendation that every Christian who enters into glory will receive. Whether you have been the most productive soul-winner in the world... you're going to receive the same commendation as the person who dies, and on their deathbed the last thing that they think is, 'I trust Jesus.' — Tony Arsenal God's measure of faithfulness is proportional, not absolute. The two-talent servant is not judged by the five-talent standard. He is judged by what he received. — Jesse Schwamb Full Transcript [00:00:08] Tony Arsenal: that's not a special commendation that only the most amazing Christian servants get, right? That's the basic commendation that every Christian who enters into glory will receive. Whether you have been the most productive soul-winner in the world, whether you are the most, you know, the most sanctified Christian who's ever lived, whether you are, the most amazing person and millions of people have come to faith because of your ministry, you're going to receive the same commendation as the person who dies, and on their deathbed the last thing that they think is, I trust Jesus." Right. And they've produced no converts, no ministry, and maybe no one even knows that they were justified, because in their final moments before the lights went out, they trusted in Jesus, right? They hear the same well done, good and faithful servant when they enter into glory. Welcome to episode 496 of the Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse.  And I'm Tony, and this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey, brother.  [00:01:19] Jesse Schwamb: Hey, brother.  [00:01:21] Parable Teaser [00:01:21] Jesse Schwamb: You know, the parables just keep coming for us, like we've said. And on this episode, to, just to tee it up, to whet everybody's appetites, we've got three servants, one absent master, an uncomfortable amount of money. What could go wrong? Yeah. As it turns out, quite a bit, especially if you're the kind of person who responds to divine generosity by finding the nearest shovel. So we're gonna get to all of that in this, what I call, this now sandwich of eschatological parables or teachings of Jesus in Matthew 25. So hopefully you're curious, hopefully you're stoked. But you can go put your thumb right in the scriptures there, because you're gonna meet us there very, very, very, very shortly. But first we got business. It's always the business we must do, the part of the podcast where we affirm with something or deny against something. And as always, I'm really curious what you have, and now I understand you have a list, or you're keeping a list. So- I do ... never again will there be something like that falls to the cutting room floor, brothers and sisters. Tony is always gonna have for us whatever was- ... what came to his brilliant mind as an affirmation or denial at any point, day or night.  [00:02:29] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. Do you, Jesse, do you ever have... I know the answer to this question is going to be yes- Yeah. That's good ... but I'm gonna ask it- All right ... mostly for rhetorical effect here. This is good podcasting.  [00:02:38] Psalm 67B Praise [00:02:38] Tony Arsenal: Do you have, do you have those situations where, like, the, the so- a song hits you, and it's just, like, the right combination of words, but also the right combination of, like, musicality?  [00:02:49] Jesse Schwamb: For sure.  [00:02:50] Tony Arsenal: Where it just, like, it just, it just feels- For sure like, right and good in every part of your being. So- All the time, yep ... I, I'm affirming, um, th- this is like the most Presbyterian thing ever. I'm affirming the, the arrangement in the Trinity, uh, psalter hymnal for Psalm 67B. Now, I'm not gonna try to sing it for you, but I wanna read the words, because obviously it's, it's a paraphrase of a psalm. So, like, that's the first thing. Like, people, like, calm down. Like, it's okay to sing paraphrases. It's okay to sing. No one is actually singing the Hebrew psalms. Right. Amen. So, like, just calm down a little bit. Amen. Uh, there is a place for us to dedicate specific focus to psalms and songs that are from the psalms, but that can be something like Better Is One Day. Like, that's a song from a psalm. Anyway, that's a whole different, that's a whole different thing. Yes, I'm affirming psalm singing. Uh, yes, I'm denying overly rigid understandings of what that is. But here's the words for Psalm 67, Setting B. That's important It's, "O God, show mercy to us and bless us with your grace and cause to shine upon us the brightness of your face, so that the whole world over may truly know your way and so that your salvation all nations see displayed. O God, let peoples praise you. Let all the peoples praise. Let nations come rejoicing and songs of gladness rise, raise." Then, um, stanza two, "For you will judge the peoples with perfect equity. To nations of the whole Earth a governor you'll be. O God, let the peoples praise you. Let all the peoples praise. The Earth has brought its bounty throughout its harvest days.  [00:04:24] Why Sing Psalms [00:04:24] Tony Arsenal: Since God our God will bless us, yes, God will blessing send, that all the Earth may fear Him to its remotest end." Now, there are lots of really great, uh, theologically sound, edifying hymns and worship choruses, but there's just something about the Psalms, right? It's inspired- Um- ... it's perfect. Again, like I said, nobody is singing the actual Hebrew Psalms, or even, I shouldn't say nobody, most people are not singing, like, the Psalms from the ESV, right? These are almost all paraphrases. They're, they're translations. But there's just something about the Psalms that I have grown so much to appreciate since joining a Presbyterian church. That's not to say other traditions don't sing Psalms in their own right, and again, like, we would sing Better Is One Day and other songs that were based on Psalms. Um, even, like, real direct translations or real direct versions of Psalms, like Better Is One Day or Create In Me A Clean Heart, there's all sorts of them. But there's just something about singing the Psalms, and this particular musical setting, it's triumphant, but not in the, like, fanfare kind of triumphant. Do you know what I mean, Jesse? Like- Mm-hmm ... it's, it's a triumphant melody, and it has, like, really interesting rises and falls and... So I, I'm gonna probably try to put this at the end of the episode. So listen. Hopefully I'll get the whole thing. Let me just, let me just do this. Hold on a second. It's just gorgeous. It's just beautiful. So I, I, I don't know what it was this morning. Uh, it's, I wasn't, like, promo- particularly emotional. It didn't, like, make me cry. Yeah. But all of that's fine. Like, I've been brought to tears in worship before, and that's, that's all good and well. There was just something about it that resonated, and I was like, "This is just good." Like, this is just good music. It's good singing. Something about hearing, uh, the whole congregation singing together. Like, it was just beautiful. It was just a beautiful moment. So if you are not in a psalm-singing church, first of all, why aren't you in a psalm-singing church? Uh, no worship leader on Earth, no, no person who is worth... Uh, when I say worship leader, I mean the person who's responsible for leading musical worship. No one who's leading worshipful music, worshipful? Worship music, if you approach them and say, "I would like to sing more songs that are based on the Psalms," if they say, "We don't wanna sing Psalms here," then you just go somewhere else. Like, someone who tells you, like, "We don't wanna s- we don't wanna sing God's Word," that doesn't make any sense to me.  [00:06:56] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:06:56] Tony Arsenal: Um, now again, like, there's a way to do it. Sometimes musically they're challenging, especially if you're singing out of something like the hymnal. But again, there are plenty of really good modern style songs and hymn style songs that are either based on the Psalms or are paraphrases, very similar to what you get in the, in the Trinity Psalter Hymnal. Or most, most people who are leading in musical worship are competent enough to just sort of take the sheet music and figure out how to do it on guitar or figure out how to play it on piano. Um, they're not that difficult. So you will be edified if you do this. Your church will be edified. There's probably a lot of people out there responsible for musical worship that actually would really like to do this, and they're kind of probably, like, just waiting for that nudge, so you may even be benefiting them. But yeah, this, this psalm is beautiful. It's just a gorgeous arrangement, and it's, it's perfect, inspired words. Really was a, just a, a balm to my soul this morning.  [00:07:51] Jesse Schwamb: I love it. And o- of course, a lot of that is still happening, which is such a glorious gift to the church. The couple of times that I've had the privilege of writing music for my own church has been right from the scriptures, and for me recently that was, like, Ephesians 1 and Psalm 16. And that's mainly because, like, as a lyricist, I'm not that creative, and I'd rather go direct to the source. And all those end up being a paraphrase, like you said, anyway. Es- especially if you wanna get turn of phrase or if you wanna have a little bit of rhyming, which is always a beautiful thing. I love the Psalter, and my, my hot take on that is I sometimes find that I like, I don't wanna call them, like, the alternate, but, like, the other secondary arrangements-  Yeah and  lyrics better. I don't know why. I don't think that's purposeful, of course. It's probably just my taste. But I always find them to be, like, super fire. I, I don't know why. The, the B and C versions always kinda grab me, especially if... And here's another thing that I appreciate about the Psalter, as you know, is sometimes those B or C versions will be written in an alternate key or a minor key. Yeah. And that's even more awesome, because there's not a lot of, let's say, like, cla- I don't wanna say classic. Classic slash contemporary, uh, Christian music or wors- quote-unquote worship music that's written in minor keys. But it's good to lament, as we've talked about before. So- Yeah ... you're gonna get that full breath and scope in the Psalter there. [00:09:06] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:09:07] Beyond Music Styles [00:09:07] Tony Arsenal: A- and, you know, maybe let me put in one more little plug here. Um- I am not one of those people that is gonna say that there's like a particular style of music that's more godly than another. I've heard people try to make arguments that there's like certain kinds of rhythms or certain kinds of like beats that are- Right either, either more godly or somehow demonic or less godly. Um, I think there might be an argument to be made that some styles of worship are not suited well for congregational singing, so they may not be appropriate for like a, a congregational worship service. Like, you're probably not gonna go in and do a lot of hip hop and have the congregation be able to like stick with you. Right. That doesn't mean that you can't worship God through that or that it somehow is less like intrinsically beautiful. But, um, there are a lot of Let me just put it this way. In modern contemporary Western Christianity, uh, there's a lot of songs that are basically just the same thing musically. You know, you'll find, um, if you go to, like, YouTube, and, and maybe, like, be careful, 'cause sometimes some of these are, they're funny but they're a little bit crass. But if you look up, like, a video about how, like, every song is Pachel Bell's Canon. Right. Right? Every song follows the same basic arrangement of chords, and this gets even more pronounced when you're talking about modern worship music or contemporary mu- worship music, because it's designed to be able to be very simple and very easily played. Um, a lot of times worship directors are not super classically trained. Um, you think of, like, the youth pastor with the guitar around the campfire. Like, those kinds of songs have to be easy, 'cause they're not, like, classically trained guitar players. They probably picked up a chord book and figured out how to play a couple easy songs like Jesus, Lover of My Soul and things like that. That's how I learned how to play guitar. That's the extent of my skills, so I'm not, I'm not banging on that person. Um, but there are a lot, there's a lot more to music. Um, there's a lot more to singing, and there's a lot more to choral music than, you know, GCDC kind of like worship courses. Uh, and singing something like the Psalter, or even just singing out of a good hymnal- Right will actually expand your musical horizons. And there's something to be said about the creativity of our God being reflected in the creativity of His people that I do think we miss out on when we are locked into really simplistic worship styles. Um, again, like, I interpret Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to mean, like, sing in the vernacular of the people. Um, and I, you know, that's a different episode. We can talk about that sometime. But th- that, that requires the songs to be singable, and I think sometimes, uh, sometimes some of the song- some of the Psalters, some of the songs in the Psalter hymnals, and sometimes hymnals in general, are very difficult to sing. And so I think a congregation, the people leading in music need to be thoughtful of that. But I think you would do well to, like, open your horizons a little bit to something a little bit more challenging and a little bit off the beaten path. Like, this melody, I don't know the chords behind it. It may not be anything crazy, but that, like, musicality and that, that sort of, like, melody is not a typical... And this might be why it resonated with me. It's not a typical kind of melody you're gonna find in contemporary music. Um, it's, it's very different. It's older. It's more classically styled. The, it's, it's meant to sort of bring you up to these crescendos in ways that modern music is not necessarily. So enough about that. I don't know a lot about music theory, so I might be totally wrong and, and- ... people might be rolling their eyes. But I, I do think that there's something to it. Like, a lot of the older hymns- utilize chord progressions and melodies and harmonies and things like that that we're just not used to. You're not gonna get that listening to, you know, even something like, like the more musical kind, uh, more technically proficient music like something like Bethel or Hillsong, which is at times musically very good. Uh, I don't know that I would recommend listening to it, but the music is actually, like, technically very good in some instances. Uh, even there you're not gonna find a lot of this stuff. So instead of going there for, like, really nice sounding musical worship, just go to something like the Trinity Psalter app. You know, for $10 on a- on your iPhone you can sing with it. Um, yeah, enough about that. I, I, I could talk about how great the Psalms are and how great psalm singing is for an entire episode. We should do that episode- We should ... when we're done with the parables, 'cause I know we've done a lot of episodes on, like, uh, on, on, like, the regulative principle and- Right I, I think we're still both in the same spot that, like- Right ... exclusive psalmody is probably not where we would land. Right. But I think I'm coming to the conviction that the psalms should have a much greater portion of our worship diet, uh- Hmm ... than they do in most churches. Um, and I really only came to that conviction when I was in a church where psalm singing was the norm. Uh, I know that we try to have at least one s- one canonical psalm for every single worship service. Usually there's multiple, but, um, even in a, a, a setting where we normally wouldn't be so focused on that, we still try to have at least one, and it's been a, a really huge edifying thing to my soul.  [00:14:06] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. I absolutely love that. You'll find no complaint from me on that. I think that that's a good reminder for all of us.  [00:14:13] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:14:14] Book Sing Recommendation [00:14:14] Tony Arsenal: Jesse, what do you have?  [00:14:15] Jesse Schwamb: Well, it's, we're not gonna stop this conversation, just so you know. Because we don't sync up on these things ever, but it just so happens that I'm affirming with a book that it's a really simple primer on congregational singing-  There you go that has  long been on my list and overdue to read, and I am coming in hot with a recommendation for this, and that is the book entitled Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church by Keith and Kristyn Getty. And really, it covers so many of the things that you already talked about. I, I think at the foremost, it's a reminder that God cares whether in what we sing, but he does not mind how well we sing. Yes. But it is, like, the, this... What's true is that our voices might not be of a professional standard, but they are of a confessional standard. Yeah. And so it is incumbent upon every Christian to sing. And if you need just, like, a little bit of inspiration, so to speak, or a reminder of why that's important, I highly commend this book to you. In fact, in the back they have what's called, like, these bonus tracks. It's like four or five separate chapters that they've written just to particular people in the church, pastors, laypeople, musicians, even the people that help produce the sound. I found that bit to be so lovely and pastoral. It, it's gentle, the tone is encouraging, but it is also strong, and I appreciate that. So a lot of it is some of the themes that we've just talked about, but my conviction grows all the time of just how important congregational singing is, and how everything you just said, the music, the liturgy that we bring forward- has to be of a deliberate kind to strengthen that exercise, to make it easy, so to speak. And that does come into practical things like if you look at the psalter, and I, I don't... I have it on my phone, but I don't know where my phone is, so I was gonna look at the one you were referencing. My guess is it's, it's in probably a key with a couple of sharps in it, because those are the ones that are easiest to sing. So even little things like that matter. What you hear on the radio often is, or radio? People still listen to the radio? What you hear, like, in, like, contemporary music, like, often is not necessarily for congregational singing just in its key, and, and that's okay. And so even in my own church, we transpose things to make it reasonable and approachable. But what I think was, like, the critical question put forward in this book that I absolutely loved as a great reminder was: how did the congregation sing? It's very interesting that they kind of bring forward this thesis that that's how you should be judging your music. How did the congregation sing? And I think if we started asking that, it might slightly tweak or maybe change altogether, to your point, the methods and the practices that we use when we undergo worship by way or through music. So this is really great. It's easily readable, and it's for everybody, and it, there's a chapter on family worship as well, how to bring singing into your home and music into your home all the time as an act of worship so that when you get to the Lord's Day, your kids are like, "Yeah, this is our jam." Uh, especially maybe even recognizing some of the pieces of music and be excited about that. So there was a lot that made me think about here. It's fantastic. And to your point, Tony, I would say the Gettys, especially in, like, "Christ Alone," some of the other things, this is probably the closest to what you're talking about, where they've taken and imported kind of the classical hymn structures-  [00:17:26] Tony Arsenal: Yeah [00:17:27] Jesse Schwamb: but modernized a little bit just the language while without sacrificing any of the theological richness or the musicality that draws your ear to those beautiful rising and falling melodies, the swelling of the vocal there, without, like, distracting from anything that's going on there. It's not emotionalism- Yeah but it certainly is filled with the emotion of what it means to be a Christian and to sing in response as an act of praise to God.  [00:17:50] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:17:52] Family Worship Singing [00:17:52] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I mean, I can't underscore enough the importance of congregational singing. We, we've, we've actually talked about, about it in context of, like, how important it is for the men of the congregation to sing, which is something I, I really appreciate about my congregation, is, is the m- the men just go all out. Like, people are, like- Love it ... nobody is, nobody is ashamed of the fact that they squawk on a note that they're not used to or anything like that. And where this really pays out, um, at least in our congregation, but I'd, I'd be willing to bet if you go to any congregation where the, where the men particularly are passionate and active in musical worship, right? Um, I think where this plays out is you see the children very quickly picking up those songs and learning them and singing them. And the, the favorite part of my day, this is gon- any parent of toddlers is gonna be like, "What are you talking about?" Bedtime is one of my favorite times of day, not just because it means that, like, in a little while I'm gonna get a little peace and quiet. Like, that's part of it, too, but there are two songs that we sing almost every single night, and Augie leads them, which is really great. He always wants to start, and he always wants to sing, and it's the Doxology and the Gloria Patri. And these are songs that he has just picked up from being in the congregation, and, you know, I, I don't remember consciously teaching him any of these songs. And now, now Adeline, who is, uh, my two-year-old daughter, almost two, she's starting to pick those songs up, and she's starting to sing them, and she recognizes them, and she responds very differently to those songs than she does to other songs. Um, it's funny because I don't, I don't know where she got this. Neither my wife nor I are particularly, uh, charismatic, emotive people. Like, we don't raise our hands when we're singing, but she, she does. She, she, when we start singing- My girl ... the Gloria Patri or the Doxology, her hand is in the air, and she's looking at the sky, and she's waving her hands around. Yeah. And, um, she recognizes that those songs have a different place than a Miss Rachel song. She doesn't put her hands in the air and wave and look up at the ceiling when Miss Rachel comes on or when Baby Shark comes on. She knows those songs. She can sing those songs. Um, but she doesn't- Respond to those in the same way. And that is a direct result of the fact that congregational singing is an important thing in the life of our church and in the life of our family. And I think a book like Sing, I haven't read it, but I've heard very good things about it, and the, the Gettys are rock solid, like- Right ... theologically. Yes. Musically. They're, they're well within our Reformed tradition, at least broadly speaking. Um, and, and they have a, they have one of the strongest sort of theologies of praise music that you're gonna find. Mm-hmm. It's not quite like a liturgiology or something like that, but it's, it's, it's a theology of praise worship, praise and worship music. Right. Um, and that's not something that's super common, right? There's a lot of theology of liturgy. There's a lot of practical theology on liturgy. Um, the Gettys have developed a really unique kind of place in things in that they've really developed this idea that congregational singing has a specific theological import, and they've developed it in a way that's approachable. So yeah, I haven't read it and I sh- I probably should, but it, it sounds like a really great book. And, um, I c- just can't underscore it enough. And- Maybe this is my little plug. Like, uh, family worship is really tough, and it's not something I've mastered. Like, we don't, we, we don't have a regular rhythm. But what we do have is we have a consistent, uh, we consistently pray at night before bed, and we consistently sing one or both of those songs. And that by itself, like, the kids are learning and they are, they're absorbing that by osmosis. Um, they're picking up the phrasing, right? Augie can tell you who the three persons of the Trinity are, and that's partially 'cause we do catechism questions, but it's also partially, and I would actually argue probably more, because of the Trinitarian structure of those two songs. Right. He's picked up the language of the Father, the Spirit, and the Son from the Gloria Patri and from the doxology in ways that probably I wouldn't have been able to teach him otherwise. So yeah. Anyway, I, I just co-opted your affirmation. But, um, but yeah. I'm here for it. Congregational worship, family worship, singing, uh, to our Lord is commanded, and it's commanded for our good- Right and for his, his benefit and his blessing. Um, and so any book that is, is solid and will help you do that, I, I'm wholeheartedly behind.  [00:22:17] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. This is... All that is fire. This is fire.  [00:22:19] Reclaim Congregational Song [00:22:19] Jesse Schwamb: God designed our psyche for singing, and we're probably, uh, I would say contractually obligated since Reformed is in the name of the title of the podcast- to remind ourselves and everybody else that one of the things the Reformation did was reclaim the singing of God's word by his own people. Yes. Taking it out of that performatory space back into literally the voice boxes of the people who are sitting in worship together. So sometimes we might have to do that again. You know, there is a little bit, I think, of... There, there is in some places, not everywhere, this kind of tilting of that time of worship through music to be vouchsafed or relegated to those who are, uh, let's say, like, the most, like, talented in doing that, and somehow we participate merely by observing or by- Yeah just, uh, you know, being an audience spectator of that, and that's totally backwards. So I get it. The thing is- We're all singers. We may not all be very good singers, but we're all created to be singers nonetheless. This is what the Bible tells us. So we need to lean into that. We need to invest in that. Yeah. And so I, I like, of course, what you're doing with, uh, your kids because you're not only teaching them to sing, and this makes me so happy, but you're teaching them to love singing to the Lord. Yeah. And so that is, I think, what a lot of our congregations miss, is sometimes we do it, and I'm among them often, but grudgingly. And so to get to a place where we come excited that our reasonable response, our reasonable preparation on the Lord's day is to sing together, to hear that gospel message in melody in the ear of our... You know, the voice of our neighbor in our own ear is a wild thing. It's just, like, un- unheard of. And it's like, uh, we gotta stop, right? It's one of those things also that, like- ... we've, we've talked about how it's just kind of otherworldly. Not, not only in the sense that it gives us this really kind of foundational sense of God's, you know, kind of transcendence, of what it means to participate in the worship of someone who is transcendent because it is all these voices together, but also this is something that rarely happens in any other way, especially in the Western culture anymore. This coming together to express and to participate in something where we're all reading literally from the same sheet music is just an entirely different experience, increasingly relegated to this kind of experience. So we, we must protect it, not only because God says that we ought to, but also because, again, it is, it is our reasonable response. Yeah. And it is something, like you've just said, that brings Him glory and is certainly for our good. So, uh, this is the Singcast, so everybody- ... everybody get to it. You can make your own music. God has commanded us to sing. So the sooner we just understand, like, hey, it's, it's... You know. Uh, but... And the last thing I'll say is this is one of those things that's, like, practice too. A- and I get it. Like, you may say, like, "Listen, I can only hit two notes, and that's all I'm gonna hit no matter what the music is." Well, then belt the two notes, and also know that, like, the more you practice that kind of thing, honestly, the better that you'll get and the more comfortable that you'll become. The voice is an instrument like any other instrument that takes, like, a little bit of practice and a little bit of work. But even that can cause, I think, great benefits and build a little bit of confidence. But just the example of singing and doing it from a heart that is keen to worship God and that is filled with passion to respond to Him with gratitude and, you know, adoration is really the key thing. And so I, I'd rather have a entire group full of worshipers that are singing off-key but, like, with just resounding passion than to have this performance of just a handful of voices because they feel like they're the most capable to do it. Yeah. I think we'd, we'd rather have everybody else, and to hear the congregation mixed as one of those instruments. So sing. Yeah.  [00:26:05] Everyone Can Sing [00:26:05] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, and y- you and I have made the point in the past, too, like- I, I don't think, uh, maybe I'm wrong. Uh, we are a top 50 healthcare podcast, so maybe some doctor- I'm sure you're correct ... is gonna... Right. Like, I don't think being tone deaf is actually a physical condition. Like- Mm. I, I mean, I, I mean, obviously, like, some people have hearing problems, and that means they have trouble singing. I hear what you're saying. But, like, the people who are like, "Well, I j- I just can't sing. I'm just not capable of that," uh, like, I think the, the physical conditions that would make you incapable of singing are not usually what people are talking about. Like- Right. Yeah ... you know, some people have, like, vocal fold disorders or they have hearing problems, and I guess maybe, like, if perfect pitch is a thing, which it, it is. Like, perfect pitch is a... I don't know what causes it, but some people are born with perfect pitch. I suppose in theory that means some people must be born with, like, the opposite of perfect pitch. But I think most people who say, like, "Well, I just, I'm just tone deaf. I can't carry a tone," that, that's probably not true. Like, it just means you need practice. Um, and some people's voices, like physically, their bodies are more, more designed by God to produce a pleasant sound than other people. But I, I think actually just about anybody with a little bit of practice, and mostly I think this is probably just the confidence to actually sing and a little bit of practice to learn how your body works, like how your voice works, um, could probably get to a point where singing is not only very relatively comfortable and easy, but it's something that is pleasant and is not overly challenging. This is actually something that I think we've lost in the church. We should... This, I mean, this is about to come the episode, but, um- ... something we've lost in the church when we have sort of changed from a true genuine congregational singing model, which was the norm- And I've heard people make arguments about the importance of hymnals, and I, I agree with those arguments, although I know some people have moved them into almost like a realm of, like, divine mandate- Right that you have to use hymnals because it trains people to teach. But we have lost something with both the sort of commercialization of worship music and the pro- like making it a professional thing, and we've lost congregational singing. The, the people in the church throughout history have learned to sing. Many of them have learned to read, learned the scriptures, learned theology, not in the seminary and not in the monastery, but in the pew as they sing God's word and as they sing- Right ... the great theological hymns of, of the church. There's so much you can learn through that process that I just think we've lost. And I think going back to something like a hymnal or the Trinity Psalter Hymnal or whatever, whatever standard music your church is gonna use, and I mean standard music. Like, whether this is a collection of worship choruses that has been curated for the church or it's a published hymnal or something like that, going back to something like that teaches the church how to sing. And I don't remember who wrote it, but the trellis and the vine, like the worship that we sing, I know Mike Horton makes this point. The worship that we sing is the tre- is the trellis that the vine of our wor- of our- Yes ... faith grows on, right? That's true. Like, what the, what the church lex credendi, lex orandi. Like, the church, what the church prays, the church believes. What the church sings, the church believes. So all of that to say, like, the, the importance of congregational singing can't be under-emphasized, and it's... I, I mean, I don't know that I would I don't know that most theologists say technically s- like, congregational singing is an element of worship, but praising the Lord through song certainly is. Yes. It's, it's evidence. Um, and, and so I think that's definitely something that the church has lost in general. Um, and I know there are churches... I- it's funny, when Ashley and I were between churches, uh, very briefly after, um, our previous church closed down, um, we went to a local sort of, like, high, high, uh, production, seeker-sensitive church, very Steven Furtick-esque, and we only lasted, like, 10 minutes in this, in this service. We went in and the production value was great, and the music sounded great, but we couldn't hear ourselves, we couldn't sing- Right ... and it was very performative, and we just left. We were only there for a few minutes, and we left. And I think that's something we've lost as we've sort of migrated worship to almost, like, a professional class. So yeah, bring it back to the pews. Bring it back to your- Bring it back ... bring it back to your house, bring it back to your kid's bedroom when you're tucking them in. Everywhere. Bring it back to the car on the way to work, in the bus. Right. Like, just let's everywhere we go, let's sing and worship the Lord. [00:30:30] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, that's right.  [00:30:31] Train Your Voice [00:30:31] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, so as a final thing, let me compound your hot take and say that I agree with you, that I... And I think professionals would as well, and I'm gonna stand on a resource that I'm gonna recommend to everybody here in a second, that in fact the Getty say, "If you can speak, you can sing." And there are a f- a few conditions that would prevent you from doing that, of course. And even there, they wanna explore opportunities for you, for instance, signing, for instance, to ensure that you can participate in worship. Uh, the hot take is I do think that because the instrument that God has given us in the vocal cords is exactly that, that it can be trained, and that actually most people can sing. And if you're serious about that, if you think, "You know what? I'd like to be able to do that. How can I explore that?" Here's a book for you. It's called Set Your Voice Free by Roger Love. The full title is How to Get the Singing or Speaking Voice You Want. Roger Love is, like, this amazing behind-the-scenes vocal coach. He has coached, like, a ton of really talented recording artists, and this is his very contention in the book, is that everybody can sing. It's really about how much or little work you wanna put into it. And in fact, this book comes with, like, these exercises that you can listen to and then record yourself. And then he, from a distance basically, can give you some pointers based on allowing you to kinda evaluate what you hear in your own recording back. So if you really are the kind of person that's like, "Listen, I, I dare you. I cannot sing," I would challenge you, I would double dog dare you to get this book, Set Your Voice Free, and if you're really serious about wanting to try and see if it can make a difference, I, I think it can. And I've, I myself have enjoyed this book, gone back to it many times, use it in my own work and practice because I found it to be helpful. So there you go. Sing, sing, and sing again.  [00:32:06] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:32:07] Singing Apps and Practice [00:32:07] Tony Arsenal: And if you're not a reader, first of all, why are you listening to the podcast? But second of all, if for some reason you're not a reader I'm, I'm joking. I'm sure there are people that are listening to the podcast who are not readers. That was, like, a super smug thing to say. How dare you. I'm sorry about that. How dare you. Um, if for some reason you don't wanna read that book or you're not a reader, um, y- you can do something as simple as looking up Yousician on your Yousician, Y-O-U- Yeah ... S-I, like the word musician, but U instead of, like, Y-O-U instead of, uh, musician. Um, there are plenty of apps out there. I just, I mention Yousician just because I've used that on, like, a free trial basis with some guitar teaching, and it's a reputable source. They also have a vocal module. So, like, if you wanna learn to sing, there are plenty of resources out there who can help you train your voice. A- and it- Again, I'm not a doctor, I'm not a vocal coach, I'm not a professional singer. I'm not even that great of a singer, and I, I probably could be a better singer if I wanted to devote the time to it. Um, it doesn't take much to, to be able- Right ... to become a competent singer. Um, I think most of us, you pick up one s- just like I learned guitar, you pick one or two songs that you really like and you wanna learn, and you learn to sing those songs, and then those skills will develop over time. So enough about that, Jesse. We've got, speaking of talents- ... we've got some talents to talk about. There it is. Boom, bazinga. Baza-bazom. I'm  [00:33:27] Jesse Schwamb: back. There it is. Yeah, so- I was excited  [00:33:31] Tony Arsenal: about that one ...  [00:33:32] Jesse Schwamb: that, that was really good. And, and we should just h- honor everyone. That's it.  [00:33:37] Tony Arsenal: That's it. Tip your waiters and waitresses, folks. It  [00:33:39] Jesse Schwamb: was so good. We're here all week.  [00:33:41] Parable Context Setup [00:33:41] Jesse Schwamb: So we're in Matthew 25, uh, verses 14 through 28, and this is at least gonna be a two-parter for us. This goes by the name you might be familiar of, which is The Parable of the Talents. But before we get to it, just a quick reminder that we've been speaking about this parable, not like in a special way, but hopefully in the more contextual sense. So this is the second of three eschatological parables in Matthew 25. So the first was The 10 Virgins, which we went through. We're in The Talents, and then we're coming up to everybody's favorite, The Sheep and the Goats. All three are part of this Olivet Discourse, which is, of course, Jesus' final teaching block before his Passion. And I think it h- behooves us so that we do not get distracted from, like, the center of gravity of this thing, that this is delivered in response to the disciples' question about the sign of his coming and the age to come. Because I've heard so many, like, little talks, maybe homilies is more the right word, on this particular parable that lack gravity. So little gravity that basically NASA could train their astronauts in it. So we wanna stay away from that and I think get into, like, the, the proper context. So Tony, do you have it in front of you by any chance? And would  [00:34:50] Tony Arsenal: you- I do. I do, yeah. Yeah. Read it for us? I'll read it here.  [00:34:52] Reading the Parable [00:34:52] Tony Arsenal: So this is, uh, starting in, uh, Matthew 25 verse 14, and I'm gonna read down through, uh, the end of verse 30 here. So it, it reads here, "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them, entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time, the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents. Here I have made five talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little. I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, "Master, you delivered to me two talents. Here I have made two talents more." His master said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little. I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master." He also who had received one talent came forward, saying, "Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed. So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours." But his master answered him, "You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming, I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him who gave it, who give it to him who has 10 talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. For, uh, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness in that place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."  [00:36:56] Watchfulness and Stewardship [00:36:56] Jesse Schwamb: So it starts with that amazing connective, which we really spoke about in the last episode, in verse four- 14, starting with four. So it's tying, like we said, this parable directly to verse 13, which we know is in the, the parable of the ten virgins. But it's this idea of watchfulness. "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." So th- I think this is the point we really drove last time, that we really felt highly convicted about, that this parable is not like a detached economic lesson, but it's really like an expedition, exposition, not expedition- ... of what watchful discipleship actually looks like during the interval of the master's absence. Like, that's the whole setup here. So it's starting with this idea of like the master goes away, but here we have these slaves or these servants who are entrusted. And to me, again, that's like such a linchpin in this whole thing, 'cause it's, it's carrying the sense that of course, like, he's handing over stewardship. It's a deposit held on another's behal- I love this parable because it has some banking language in it. It's, it's a deposit held on another's behalf, and that's like the key covenant concept of the entire thing. Ownership remains with the master. The servants are stewards. They're not proprietors. And that language, I think, really anticipates, like, the entire New Testament theology of stewardship, which is developed by Paul. So like when Paul writes in 1 Corinthians, "This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful." So like all of that, that's like just one verse for me. Like, that's an incredible setup.  [00:38:27] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:38:28] Common Misreadings [00:38:28] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, and you know, I think it bears saying, too, um, I wanna be careful how I say this because I don't wanna impugn, uh, poor motives or anything like that on, on the, the people that I'm about to speak to. And I say this a little bit tongue in cheek, but also I say this as someone who used to be deeply involved in youth ministry. There's kind of like a, a youth ministry, um- international version of the Bible, I guess, if you wanna put it that way, where, like, there are certain, certain passages and parables that s- for some reason seem really prone to misapplication- Sure in, in some context. And I would say, like, youth ministry is the one I have in mind. Like, um, one of them is, like, in Matthew 18 where it's like, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them." Like, that's a, that's a statement about God's, God's presence in the judgment of the church and excommunicating an un- like, a, an unrepentant, uh, person who identifies with Christ. And, and ironically here, maybe not ironically, but, like, casting them into the outer darkness of excommunication, which is representative of casting them out into the actual inner darkness of damnation. Right. Like, th- there's a, there's a misapplication of that, that like, well, you know, like, if only a couple people came to youth group tonight, like, it's still worth meeting because where two or three are gathered, there I am in the midst of them. Um, this, this parable has a very similar kind of misapplication that is maybe a, a little bit less of a misapplication. Like, I think there is something to say in this parable about the fact that God entrusts us with abilities, talents, treasure, t- our time. Like, He's entrusted us with resources, and He does expect us to use those resources, uh, in a way that is honoring to Him and beneficial for the, for the gospel and for the kingdom. Um, that's true in a broad sense, but I don't think actually that this is what that... But, like, that's not what this passage- Mm ... is teaching. Right. I think I, I kinda joked last time, but, like, I've heard more than one sermon that draws the parallel between the word talent here and our talents in terms of, like, our spiritual gifts or our ability to play guitar or, like, to bounce a basketball and, like, thr- like, throw a free throw. Like, that's not the kinda talent we're talking about here. So I wanna, I wanna sorta, like, point that out just to sort of exclude that from the conversation. Yes, God gifts His people, and He expects His people to use those gifts for His glory and for their own benefit. Um, but that's not what this parable is talking about. This is a parable about the fact that God has entrusted the kingdom of heaven on Earth to His people.  [00:41:08] Jesse Schwamb: That's right.  [00:41:08] Tony Arsenal: And He expects His people to make use of that in a way that expands the kingdom and also in a way that does not... And this is, this is, I actually think, the main point of the parable. In a way that properly understands the nature of the king. The, the punchline or the main point of the parable here, it, just to sort of, like, I don't know, give away the ending or, like, unbury the lead, I don't know, whatever that is. The point of this parable- It's not that, like, it's a really good thing to double what God has resourced you with. The point of the parable, the reason that, just like the, um, just like it wasn't the virgins falling asleep in the last parable that was the problem because everybody fell asleep, in this instance, uh, the amount of money or the amount of return on investment that the servants produce is not the point of the parable. That's not the real difference between them. The real difference is that the former servants understood that their master had trusted them with a task and expected something of them, and the, the unfaithful, wicked, lazy servant had a total misunderstanding of who the master was- Right ... and therefore what his role as the master's servant was. That's the point of this parable, and I think, this is the last thing I'll say before I, I, I take a breath here. There's a lot of people that would look at this parable and might read some sort of works righteousness or, um, and this is more understandable and I think has a place within the Reformed tradition, although I don't necessarily hold this view. But would look at this as sort of like a theology which would, would argue that we receive some sort of enhanced rewards in heaven based on our faithfulness. There's plenty of good, faithful Reformed Bible teachers that would hold that position. I actually think whether or not that's true, this is still also not what this passage is getting at. [00:43:00] Jesse Schwamb: I, I totally agree with you there.  [00:43:02] Talents as Huge Wealth [00:43:02] Jesse Schwamb: I, I think one of the reasons that we know that is because we can look at some of these details and let the details speak to us about the magnitude in their representation, why they're given. So of course, whenever the scripture gives us detail, especially in a context like a parable, it can be helpful of cour- of course not to overanalyze them, but to respect their place in the context of the story, and that's why verse 15 I think is so important. So to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability, then he went away. Now, this, this varies slightly, but there's a lot of, I think, very common historicity here that points us to understanding, like, the talents as a unit of monetary weight, and there is some discrepancy about its exact weight. But what we can say for sure is this: that we're talking about, as I teased at the beginning, a huge sum of money. So in other words, like, this is a gift from God himself. It's a divine gift. Yeah. It's something that's not earned. It's something that's given and something that's entrusted. So in the first-century Roman world, a talent was roughly equivalent to, like, 6,000 denarii, depending on who you talk to, which would mean that a single talent represented approximately, like, 20 years on average of a laborer's wages. So the sums then here we're talking about are staggering even at the lowest one. So the five-talent servant is receiving essentially approximately equivalent of a century's wages, and the one-talent servant is receiving 20 years' worth. There's no such thing as a small gift in Christ's economy, I think is the point here, and even the least endowment is immense beyond our reckoning. Yeah. So the distribution also is deliberately unequal. It's five, one, two, and the text doesn't offer any apology for this inequality. The master distributes to each according to his ability, which as I say that, I realize that could probably be its own episode, that we could talk about what that even means. Yeah. But he is matching and entrusting to capacity, and that's not arbitrary. Of course, that's wise and personal, and even the Greek here for this idea of capacity or power suggests the master knows his servants intimately and calibrates the stewardship accordingly. But nonetheless, it proves the point you're making here, which is not just about, like, well, do you have some kind of innate ability that's above average that God has endowed you with here? That's not even what we're talking about. Again, the whole point of this is to answer the question eschatologically about what the end means and when the time is coming and what good discipleship looks like. And so in that way, we understand then these talents to be these divinely appointed and massively generous gifts of God, essentially, like you said, the stewarding of the gospel in the story of salvation itself unto his people, and then to make something of that, so to speak, by the power of the Holy Spirit that earns a return for the kingdom, that is all empowered by God, that is under the volition of the person, uh, the Christian who says, "As a disciple, it is my responsibility to steward these gifts." That is really what we're after. So we do kind of get in this place where when you take this and say, "Well, what are you doing with," let's say- your home, if you have a nice home, are you being hospitable enough? If you have, let's say, a good singing voice by talent, are you using that to make sure that you're on the, quote-unquote, "praise and worship team," is not, like, entirely wrong, but it's not right either- Yeah to use this passage- Yeah ... for that purpose. There's a bigger theme here. There is, there's a much stronger and widescale framework that God is drawing us to and examine, and it's about the stewardship of the church itself.  [00:46:30] Tony Arsenal: Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah.  [00:46:31] The Foolish Servant Exposed [00:46:31] Tony Arsenal: That's really key, and this is what struck me as, as you were speaking about that, is like we see in so many of the kinda like, uh, like the chump in the parable. Like, there's- Yeah ... a lot of these parables have like a chump- Right ... where like you're looking at and you're like, nothing about what you've decided to do makes any sense. We're talking about people who've been given, in the first case, 100 years worth of, worth of wages. Right. Right? Any one of these people, and again, we're talking about a timeframe where, like, you could just take that money and run and, like, nobody's gonna find you. There's no digital trail on any of this, right? If I stole, if I stole 100 years worth of labor from my manager or from my, my employer, they would find me, right? That's not the situation we're talking about. So even the chump who decided, "I'm not gonna do anything with this," he could've just take- taken off with the money and had 20 years worth of labor. Right. Just 20 years worth of wages. Right. This is a, this is a sum of money that makes all f- all three of these servants unimaginably wealthy instantly, right? The point of this is, in part, that the final servant has no idea the amazing blessing and responsibility that he's been given. And again, I come back to this. It's not because he is dumb or because he is, um, somehow less competent in a strict sense, right? It, it's so funny to me, like, we also gloss over the fact that, like, the guy who has five talents, he's got 100 years worth of money, 100 years worth of wages. Right. And he just goes and gets 100 more. Like- Right he just goes and trades and- Right ... comes up with 100 years worth of wages that he brings back. Like, that's, in itself is, like, phenomenally, amazingly outrageous. We ran into this too with the, um, the parable of the unmerciful servant, right? We've, we've got one guy who's got this unimaginable debt, like, like, thousands of years worth of, uh, worth of wages that he could never make up, and he thinks he's gonna somehow come up with it if you just give him enough time. It's kind of like the opposite here. This guy's got this unimaginable amount of instant wealth, and he just buries it in the ground. First of all, how much... We're also talking about an era where money was a physical, entirely physical.  [00:48:53] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:48:53] Tony Arsenal: There were no, there were no digital banks. Like- No zeros and ones most of our money exists as ones and zeros in a computer program right now. Right. Like, in reality, like- Right ... my money doesn't exist. We don't have, like, a physical gold standard anymore in America. Jesse could probably s- I'm probably making dumb things up right now. No, that's that's- Like, it used- Right on to be that, like, every dollar that the United States government printed had, like, a piece of gold sitting at Fort Knox- Yes ... uh, like backing it up, but we just don't have that anymore. Most of the money that exists in our system is entirely imaginary. It's an entirely, like, made-up digital currency way before, like, Bitcoin was a thing. That's not the case in this timeframe. This dude who buried 20 years worth of money in the ground, that's a significant amount of labor in and of itself- Right ... to even be able to do that. So we're not talking about, like... And I think this is the thing we miss when we, when we read the word talents, and one, when we obscure it and we, like, we misappropriate the word talent to mean, like, abilities, 'cause it, that's a convenient, like, illustration tool. We're talking about a huge sum of probably gold or silver that this dude just buries in the ground, and then, like, digs it up when the master comes back.  [00:50:01] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:50:01] Tony Arsenal: And I think, like- When we don't realize how much money this is, we miss the force of the master's like, "You stupid, dumb, wicked, slothful servant." Like, if you had even taken this money to the bank and done the least imaginable- Yes ... effort. Exactly. Like, if you had done anything at all, like how mu- how difficult, granted more difficult back in this age than it is now, but like if you had even done something as simple requiring as little labor as possible and just brought this to the bank and let them collect interest on it, we'd still be talking about a huge return. [00:50:35] Jesse Schwamb: That's right.  [00:50:36] Tony Arsenal: And he doesn't even do that, and that's, that's the point. There's the people who do, and they gloss over this. The parable totally glosses over the amazing effort and work that it must have taken to take 100 years worth of la- of wages and turn it into 200 years worth of wages. Right. Or to take 40 years worth of wages and turn it into 80 years worth of wages. That's an amazing, probably almost miraculous return on, on investment. Whatever they did is amazing, and the parable's like, "Yeah, they did that." They just took it to the traders and they brought back five more talents. Like, it's nothing. And then this idiot, and I say idiot in like the most like, like exegetically sound, idios, like, like foolish idiot person. [00:51:20] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:51:20] Tony Arsenal: This idiot just buries it in the ground and doesn't even bother to bring it to the bank where he's gonna get some return on it. This is the picture of the fool who does not make use of the means of salvation. This is the picture of the fool who refuses to receive Christ as savior, who refuses to make use of the benefit and blessing of salvation that is available to all who will trust in Christ and turn to him. This is the same picture as the idiot virgins who didn't buy enough oil and just fell asleep when they knew that the bridegroom was coming, right? Right. It's not that they fell asleep, it's that they didn't do the most obvious, simple,

#1 New York Times bestselling author Patricia Cornwell finally tells the story that rivals all of the works that precede it: her own Patricia Cornwell is best known for her international bestselling thriller series about forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta, now an Amazon Prime series adaptation starring Nicole Kidman as Kay Scarpetta and Jamie Lee Curtis as her sister, Dorothy. Every story comes from somewhere, and Scarpetta's began when Patricia Cornwell embedded herself in a morgue. In this achingly honest memoir, Cornwell excavates her own life, detailing her traumatic childhood being raised by neglectful parents, her father abandoning the young family on Christmas day, her mother being institutionalized twice, an abusive foster family, and developing a parental relationship with evangelist Billy Graham's wife Ruth. Cornwell depicts a harrowing hospitalization and near-death car accident. She unflinchingly shares overcoming obstacles that later gave her the ambition to become an award-winning police reporter. From there it was research in a medical examiner's office that would turn into a full-time job. She would become a forensic expert and worldwide publishing phenomenon.  Cornwell leaves no stone unturned in this deeply candid account of her life, offering inspiring insight into what made her into the international sensation she is today.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

„… máme dôveru v Boha“ (1J 3:21) Biblia učí, že viera sa prejavuje troma spôsobmi. V doktríne – teda v tom, čomu veríš. V uctievaní − tvojom spojení s Bohom a spoločenstvom kresťanov. A prejavuje sa aj v morálke − v spôsobe, akým žiješ a ako sa správaš. Biblia tiež učí, že viera nekončí pri vďačnosti Kristovi za spasenie. Viera pokračuje, rozvíja sa a rastie. Na začiatku môže byť slabá, ale postupne sa rozvíja a stáva sa silnejšou čítaním Biblie, modlitbou, zapojením sa do zboru. Takto môžeme stále viac vnímať vo svojom živote Božiu vernosť. Stále viac sa potom učíme spoliehať na Krista v každej potrebe, okolnosti a skúške. Modlitba dňa Tvoje Slovo učí ako veľmi túžiš, aby som sa spoliehal na Tvoju lásku a silu. Chválim Tvoje meno, môj Pán a Spasiteľ. Billy Graham

Andy Cook is the Executive Director at the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College. He also co-chairs Lausanne North America and every year he hosts the Amplify Conference. Today we talk about what the Billy Graham is doing to promote evangelism and Andy gives evangelists a dangerous prayer they should pray every day. 

At just 15 years old, Anne Wilson experienced heartbreaking loss when her older brother passed away in a car accident. In the midst of grief, she sang publicly for the first time at his funeral. That moment changed the course of her life.Today, Anne is an award-winning Christian and country artist whose music, including her two-time Platinum hit “My Jesus,” has encouraged millions. On this episode of GPS: God. People. Stories., Anne shares how God met her in her pain, called her to music, and continues to use her story to point others to live for Christ.Connect with us through email at gps@billygraham.org or on Facebook at Billy Graham Radio.Visit AnneWilsonOfficial.com for her tour dates and her new book “Rebel: Following Jesus When the World Walks the Other Way.”If you'd like to know more about beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ, or deepening the faith you already have, visit FindPeacewithGod.net. If you'd like to pray with someone, call our Billy Graham 24/7 Prayer Line at 855-255-7729. 

In the halls of our Venice, Italy retreat house are priceless paintings and works of art. Clearly, the owner is a serious collector. But one piece stopped me. It hangs in a second-story hallway—gold-framed, almost sculpted into the canvas itself. It's not just a painting; it has depth, dimension, movement. Figures seem to step forward out of the frame and cast real shadows on the wall. And it tells a story. A man is kneeling in prayer, hands lifted, eyes fixed on a crucifix of Jesus on the wall before him. His posture is steady. His focus is anchored. But beside him stands another figure—dark, winged, intent. Not attacking violently, but persistently present. Watching. Pressing. Distracting. And yet the man does not turn. He stays fixed on Jesus. That image is not just art—it is a spiritual reality. We live in that scene. There is always a battle for the mind. Not always loud. Not always dramatic. Often subtle. Persistent. Relentless. The enemy does not need to destroy you if he can distract you. Because where your attention goes, your life follows. My friends, this is a real picture of what is continually going on around us. The spiritual battle of Satan's demons forever against us, flying around, shooting flaming arrows, throwing threats and insults – all while Jesus is strong and steady above it all. The question is, where are we looking? What are we focusing on? What gets our mind? If your mind isn't saved by Jesus, then it is completely vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. If you're not focused on Jesus, you are continually distracted by the forces of darkness, acts of evil, and threats of terror. Your mind is the battlefield of this spiritual war. If the enemy captures your thoughts, he doesn't just influence your mood—he distorts your vision. If he gets your thoughts, you spiral in fear. If he gets your focus, you lose peace. If he gets your attention, you forget truth. This is why Scripture is so direct: The battle is not first in your circumstances—it is in your mind. For this battle, God offers a very specific piece of armor over your mind – the helmet of salvation. Ephesians 6:17, “Put on salvation as your helmet.” It's the final piece of your defensive armor. The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, and finally the helmet of salvation. “Put on salvation as your helmet.” This is not decorative language. It is defensive language. A helmet exists for one reason: to protect what cannot afford to be struck. Your head. Your mind. Your thoughts. In Roman warfare, the helmet marked identity and provided protection. It told others who you belonged to—and it guarded what could end the fight instantly. Because a blow to the head ends everything. So Paul is saying something deeply practical and deeply spiritual: God is not only saving your soul—He is guarding your mind. The phrase translated “take” or “put on” carries the idea of receiving what is being handed to you. This matters. Because salvation is not self-produced. It is not achieved through willpower or positive thinking. It is received. You don't fabricate salvation. You accept it. You don't defend yourself from the enemy by willpower alone. You stand under what God has already given. The word “salvation” here is not abstract. It means rescue. Deliverance. Being pulled out of danger you could not escape on your own. So the “helmet of salvation” is not just: “I am forgiven.” It is also: “My mind belongs to the One who rescued me.” It is the assurance that “I am saved, I am held, I am not defenseless in my mind.” The enemy rarely begins with destruction. He begins with intrusion. The crafty enemy of our is soul doing everything he can to distract us, torment us, fill us with doubts and fears. He says, “take off that helmet and let me get in your head!” That's the battle. If he can saturate your thoughts, he doesn't need to change your circumstances. He simply convinces you that darkness is all there is. But the helmet of salvation interrupts that lie. Girl, did you take off your helmet? Did you let the devil get in your head? Are you filled with doubts, worries and fears? Oh, my sister, your eyes aren't on Jesus because your head isn't protected. God is offering you a helmet to protect your mind, but it's always up to you to accept it and put it on. The helmet of salvation reminds us of this: WE ARE SAVED, WE ARE REDEEMED and WE ARE PROMISED A FUTURE. When your mind knows that full well, it changes the way you live. You're no longer distracted by the wispers of Hell. You're no longer fearful of the pokes of Satan. You're locked in to Jesus. There is an old story often told of two wolves—one feeding darkness, one feeding life. It goes like this: An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life: “A fight is going on inside of me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between 2 wolves. One wolf is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, jealousy, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.” He continued, “The other wolf is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. The same fight is going on inside of you – and inside of every other person too.” The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.” Whatever you feed grows stronger. And the truth is simple: Your thoughts are your daily feeding ground. What are you feeding? Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose THOUGHTS ARE FIXED ON YOU.” This is not for those who are partially focused. Not for those who are occasionally focused. This is for those who have a FIXED FOCUS on God. That's what the helmet does. It fixes our focus. The helmet of salvation is not just protection from attack—it is alignment of attention. It brings your mind back into place. Back to truth. Back to Christ. Back to peace. Not shallow peace. Not temporary peace. But perfect peace. “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose THOUGHTS ARE FIXED ON YOU.” Remember the art work in the Venice retreat house – the man kneeling in prayer with his eyes fixed on Jesus even while Satan's demon is present and making his attack. The protected mind that knows it is saved by Jesus is unbothered, held in perfect peace. And so the works of God grows in his life while the works of Satan diminish. Have you been giving the enemy daily food with your thoughts? Has he been growing stronger and stronger in your life because you've allowed your mind to be attacked by him? Girl, put on your helmet. Your helmet reminds you who God is and who you are in him. You are saved. You are redeemed. You are promised a future with him. A soldier's helmet includes a marking identifying who they are fighting with and for. A crest or emblem on their helmet would signify their allegiance. When you put on the helmet of salvation, you're taking a stand in this spiritual battle of whose side you're on. But when your identity is unclear, your thoughts become vulnerable. You gotta know your identity in Jesus – then you know who you are saved, redeemed, held, secured, and the accusations from Hell lose their power. The enemy cannot easily dominate a mind anchored in identity. You're standing with Jesus in victory. Your enemy has already been defeated – he fights from a place of defeat, settling for the spoils of your wandering thoughts and dark corners of your mind left unprotected. Give him NOTHING. The bad wolf gets NOTHING from you. Starve him out! Satan doesn't even get the crumbs of your thoughts today. Nothing. Give him no space in your mind. Billy Graham said this, “If you get your mind off Christ and you get it on some things you shouldn't be thinking about, then you pray, ‘Lord, forgive me and help me to get my mind back on Christ.’ I do many times.” This is the action of putting the helmet of salvation on. The moment you recognize your mind is wandering, you get it back under the protection of your salvation offered in Jesus! This is the discipline of the helmet. Not striving. Not panic. Just returning. Again and again. To Jesus. That painting in Venice shows it clearly: A man kneeling in prayer. Darkness present—but not dominant. Eyes fixed on Christ. That is the helmet of salvation. A protected mind is not a mind that never sees darkness. It is a mind that refuses to be ruled by it. So keep your focus. Keep your identity. Keep your helmet on. Because you are not fighting for victory. You are standing in it. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Send us Fan MailAngels show up everywhere in the Bible, yet most of us learn “angel theology” from TV reruns and sentimental stories. We start with Hebrews 1:14 and let Scripture set the terms: angels are ministering spirits sent by God to serve those who will inherit salvation, not cute symbols or mystical side characters we get to redesign.From there, we walk through several famous accounts often described as angelic help, including stories popularized by Billy Graham. They're compelling, they're moving, and they raise the right kind of question: if God sometimes sends unseen aid, how do we stay grateful without building doctrine on anecdotes? That leads us to a needed boundary line from Deuteronomy 29:29, reminding us that God reveals enough for faith and obedience, not enough to satisfy every curiosity.Then we go straight into the biblical data on angels across both Testaments: angels minister to Jesus after the temptation, Jesus compares resurrected life to angels who do not marry, and angels appear as God's active servants in major redemptive moments. We also map key Bible terms for angels, including messenger, sons of God, morning stars, heavenly host, ministering spirits, and even ranks like “chief princes” in Daniel. Finally, we tackle the question everyone asks, “How many angels are there?”, and land where Revelation and Hebrews land: an innumerable company, with the sobering truth that a third fell in rebellion.If you want a clear, Bible-based foundation for understanding angels, listen through and share it with a friend, then subscribe and leave a review so more people can find the series. Support the show

„Ale z milosti Božej som, čo som…“ (1K 15:10) Potrebujeme si uvedomiť jednu zo základných právd: Na tento sveta sme nič nepriniesli a ani si z neho nič neodnesieme. Po slovensky niekedy zvykneme povedať: „Nahí sme na svet prišli, nahí z neho odchádzame“. Prečo si ľudia myslia, že ľudské kritériá na to, čo je úspech, sú rovnaké ako Božie? Niektorí píšu knihy, iní sú schopní manažéri, ďalší dokážu nadchnúť pre svoje zámery iných, máme talentovaných umelcov. Medzi nami sú ľudia bohatí, populárni, slávni. Kde by však všetci boli bez Božích darov, akými sú napríklad múdrosť, kreativita, predstavivosť, fyzické zdravie a sila? Rodíme sa i umierame nemohúci. Uvedomujeme si, že rovnako nemohúci by sme boli v našom živote bez Božej nekonečnej milosti a lásky? Boli sme stvorení z ničoho; a ak sme niečím, je to preto, lebo Boh je všetko. Pokiaľ by sa On od nás na krátky okamih stiahol, ak by len na moment zadržal náš dych, naša  existencia by sa scvrkla do ničoty a naše duše by sa zmietali v nekonečnej prázdnote. Ľudia chudobní duchom sú si vedomí svojej hriešnosti a tiež toho, že sú Božím stvorením. Čo je však viac, sú pripravení vyznať svoje hriechy a zrieknuť sa ich. Modlitba dňa Všetko čo mám a čo som, Pane Bože, mi dali Tvoje všemohúce ruky. Odpusť mi, keď sa chválim svojimi úspechmi, pretože bez Tvojej milosti a lásky nie som ničím. Billy Graham

My next door neighbor in our dorm in college always wanted to preach like Billy Graham. I mean he really wanted to preach like Billy Graham. He would record Billy Graham on his radio program, and then he would listen to the tapes over and over again. He would copy everything, including even the inflections of Billy's voice. And then he would watch Billy Graham. He studied his gestures; he'd try to get them down and gesture just when Billy Graham would. He'd hold his Bible like Billy Graham. Now you are going to think he was really a fanatic, but this really is true. He told me he even counted the words per minute that Billy Graham averaged and tried to get the same pace. Wow! That's a crazy way to approach ministry, huh? Well, it's more common than you might think. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “You Be You.” Our word for today from the Word of God – one of the most challenging, exciting statements in all of the New Testament – is in Ephesians 2:10. This is about you now. “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Wow! God has created you as a unique, one-of-a-kind servant, uniquely prepared, uniquely wired by Him for a very unique set of plans which He prepared in advance for you to carry out. The problem comes when we start to compare ourselves with other people. You really can't compare yourself because you are a category all by yourself. You might never count the words per minute in somebody's sermon to copy them, but maybe you are looking at someone else God is using and you're saying, “You know, I can't talk like that. I don't know what they know. I'm sort of shy; I'm not that outgoing. You know, I don't have the training they have. I could never serve God like that; I'm not like that person.” You're right! You're not like them. Hurray! You weren't meant to be. You were created for works only you can do. I think we should look for models and learn from their values and their thinking and their ways of working, but not to become clones. The Mona Lisa is an original, it's priceless, but you can buy a postcard of the Mona Lisa for like 50 cents at the museum, because copies are cheap. Originals are priceless. Don't devalue yourself by copying someone else; trying to be like someone else. There's so much in social media that makes us want to do that. Don't do it! That's an awful, unnatural bondage if you're still trying to be like someone else. You see, everything you need - to do what God put you here to do - you have. And all those things that you don't have? Guess what? You don't need. You've got the right hair, you've got the right height, you've got the right body, you've got the right voice, you've got the right intelligence, you've got the right talents, and you've got the right limitations - even your background. See, God is using your background to make you into that unique servant of His. He's weaving a tapestry, and putting into that tapestry the people and experiences that will make you the man or woman you were designed by Him to be. So be yourself! Relax! Be the person that God made for a unique role that you are destined to fulfill. You compare with somebody else? You'll never get off the ground. You try to copy someone else, and you will never be the person you were created to be. I think you can say as you look at your life and the plans that God has for it, “God, you know what You're doing.” He sure does. Thank Him for making you the only you there is, and don't try to be a Christian clone. You are an original. So, you be you.

„Hľadal som Hospodina a vyslyšal ma i vytrhol ma zo všetkých mojich hrôz.“ (Ž 34:4) Človek bol odnepamäti sužovaný starosťami a náročné požiadavky moderného života tento problém len zhoršujú. Ježiš zanechal ľudstvu neustále platný odkaz: „Nebuďte ustarostení o zajtrajší deň…ale hľadajte najprv  kráľovstvo Božie a Jeho spravodlivosť a všetko toto bude vám pridané.“ (Mt 6:33-34) Mnohí z vás sú plní strachu a úzkostí. Prineste to všetko vo viere pred Ježiša Krista. On poskytne vašej duši a mysli pokoj. Modlitba dňa Vedomie toho, že ma počuješ, keď sa s tebou rozprávam, Pane, mi prináša pokoj uprostred akejkoľvek búrky. Billy Graham

Franklin Graham's May 2026 visit to Belarus wasn't just an evangelistic crusade — it was a diplomatic mission for Donald Trump. Lukashenko, Europe's last dictator and Putin's key ally in the northern invasion of Ukraine, used Graham's visit to send "warm greetings to President Trump." That's not gospel. That's Christian nationalism with a passport. Tihomir Kukolja, former Executive Director of the Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation, was born in the former Yugoslavia, where Billy Graham preached to 10,000 people in a steady rain in 1967 — braving communist power to reach ordinary people with nothing to offer him politically. He watched that legacy get dismantled in real time when Franklin Graham sat across from Lukashenko and called it an honor. In this conversation, Tihomir — a Croatian theologian, reconciliation leader, and eyewitness to both legacies — walks through exactly what happened in Minsk, what it reveals about Franklin Graham's double gospel, and why a message that poses no threat to authoritarian power is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the Belarus dictator story American evangelicals aren't talking about. It should be.

Billy Graham pregou para multidões no mundo inteiro, marcou o Brasil em cruzadas históricas e tornou-se símbolo de integridade e paixão pelas almas. Conheça um testemunho emocionante sobre o impacto espiritual provocado por uma vida totalmente dedicada ao Evangelho.Esse post encontra-se no:TEOmídia Blog - uma preciosa fonte de edificaçãoConfira também:TEOmídia - plataforma gratuita de vídeosTEOmídia Rádio - 24 horas no arTEOmídia Cast - disponível no seu serviço de streaming de música e podcast.

Nicole Martin made history as Christianity Today's first Black female CEO — and took the hits that come with it. In this conversation: the backlash, Billy Graham's original vision, how the magazine is advancing and speaking into a polarized world, and why leadership is designed to kill you.

God's promises of hope and joy can appear out of reach when you're in a season of suffering or pain, but God always has a purpose. He will either remove the pain or walk with us through it; He will never leave us to suffer alone. Anne Graham Lotz and her daughter, Rachel-Ruth Lotz Wright, focus on that theology in their new book, "God Won't Leave You There: Joseph's Story." On this episode of the Lighthouse Faith podcast, Lotz—daughter of renowned evangelist Billy Graham—and her daughter provide vulnerable anecdotes of their own battles with health issues and personal loss, sharing powerful testimonies to God's power and promise in the face of hardship and heartbreak. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1965, Mick Jagger, the lead singer of The Rolling Stones, and the lead guitarist, Keith Richards, wrote one of their most popular hit songs; “Can't Get No Satisfaction.” This 1965 classic perfectly captures that restless, unfulfilled endless chase for satisfaction that nothing in the world can truly provide. Many of you feel like you have tried everything, and yet you aren't satisfied. Something deep inside still feels empty, restless, and lonely. Billy Graham stood before brilliant students at Harvard when one asked, “Tell me plainly, how can I know God?” The answer hasn't changed in 2,000 years. Today we'll walk through the four simple yet powerful steps from God's Word that will answer plainly, how you can know God.1 - God's Purpose2 - Our Problem3 - God's Remedy4 - Our ResponseKey Scriptures used in today's teaching: Romans 5:6-11Other Scriptures referenced: Romans 15:13; John 10:10; Isaiah 59:2; Romans 6:23; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 Peter 2:24-25; John 1:12-13; Romans 10:13If you prayed with Tiff, click here https://lostlamb.org/ and let him know!  Be sure to check out the playlist “New Beginnings” - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsX8E19Azl58_FjxELPxjnsL8CAtmama4Thank you for listening, and subscribe for new content each week. 
Connect with Tiff Shuttlesworth:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LostLambAssociation/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiffshuttlesworth/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/tiffshuttleswor Learn more about my ministry: https://lostlamb.org/ Learn more about my ministry in Canada: https://www.lostlamb.ca

Pastor Mike explains his theological opposition to altar calls. Reflecting on his 29 years of ministry, he argues that altar calls lack a New Testament mandate and dangerously confuse an outward physical act with a supernatural, inward new birth. He critiques methods popularized by Billy Graham and Charles Finney, asserting that they offer a superficial view of human depravity by appealing to human will rather than sovereign grace. Ultimately, Abendroth urges pastors to reject preacher-driven compliance and rely strictly on preaching the biblical commands to repent and believe.   Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/aTMfr7Dbv6o  No Compromise Radio “Always biblical, always provocative, always in that order.” Video Episode 67: “No Altar Calls" Hosts: Pastor Mike Abendroth (Pastor & Author) Produced/Edited By: Marrio Escobar (Owner of D2L Productions) 

In this episode the guys break down exactly when you should NOT add weight to the bar, including when you've already reached your strength ceiling, when your form isn't perfect, when you feel any pain or discomfort, after a bad night of sleep, and when you're in a calorie deficit.  They also get into a study showing exercise variety predicts longevity better than exercise volume, Sal's experience with a new peptide called 5-amino-1MQ through MPHormones, TMG as a creatine-stacking supplement, and the story of Pope John Paul II's assassination attempt and the remarkable forgiveness that followed. Then they coach live callers submitted through ⁠mplivecaller.com⁠. Sarah Beth from Mississippi on reverse dieting as a petite woman, Chelsea from Australia on training through pregnancy, Sandy from Connecticut with a 30-day check-in update, and Parker from Georgia on how to structure progression as an intermediate lifter returning to consistency. MAPS 15 BOGO —⁠ https://maps15bogo.com⁠ Buy 1 get 1 FREE — limited time (all 7 MAPS 15 programs same price) SPONSORS Rho Nutrition (liposomal NAD+ & Glutathione) —⁠ https://www.rhonutrition.com/discount/MINDPUMP⁠ Code: MINDPUMP — 20% off sitewide. Liquid liposomal delivery for cellular energy, recovery & oxidative stress support. Huel —⁠ https://huel.com/MINDPUMP⁠ Code: MINDPUMP — 15% off (new customers only). Ready-to-Drink: 35g protein, 7g fiber, 27 vitamins & minerals, no artificial sweeteners. Black Edition Powder: 40g protein. Complete nutrition for chaotic days. LMNT (electrolytes) —⁠ https://drinklmnt.com/MindPump⁠ Free 8-count sample pack with any purchase — no code needed. Citrus Salt, Raspberry Salt, Watermelon Salt & Orange Salt (2 of each). Submit a live caller question:⁠ https://mplivecaller.com⁠  Mind Pump Store:⁠ https://mindpumpstore.com⁠  Maps Fitness Products:⁠ https://mapsfitnessproducts.com⁠  Instagram: @mindpumpmedia   0:00 - Intro 2:40 - When you should NOT add weight to the bar — the full breakdown 5:23 - Reason #1: You've already hit your strength ceiling — what that looks like 11:07 - Reason #2: Your form isn't perfect — the leverage math that makes this critical 14:01 - Reason #3: You feel anything that isn't right — why every injury had a warning sign 16:19 - Reason #4: You had a bad night of sleep — the #1 predictor of injury in the data 17:47 - Reason #5: You're in a calorie deficit — why ramping intensity during a cut backfires 23:34 - Exercise variety study — more types of exercise = better longevity than more volume 29:01 - 5-amino-1MQ peptide — Sal's NP Hormones experience, NAD & energy 37:32 - TMG (betaine) — stacking with creatine for strength, power & body recomposition 41:03 - Pope John Paul II assassination attempt — forgiveness, redemption & Billy Graham story 50:08 - Meal replacement shakes as a fat loss strategy — when and how to use them correctly 56:03 - Reverse bands — why band-assisted pressing feels so different from band-resistant 1:01:38 - Caller: Sarah Beth (Mississippi) — petite woman, reverse diet, how high should she go? 1:20:35 - Caller: Chelsea (Australia) — 18 weeks pregnant, lost motivation, identity crisis 1:32:02 - Caller: Sandy (Connecticut) — 30-day check-in, big strength gains, community & letting people in 1:57:58 - Caller: Parker (Georgia) — intermediate lifter returning to consistency, how to structure progression

Ronald Olivier shot and killed another teen in New Orleans in 1991. Tried as an adult and facing the possibility of the death penalty, Ronald cried out to God. Right away, amazing things started to happen.Hear how Ronald's life was transformed during the decades he spent in one of America's most notorious prisons on this episode of GPS: God. People. Stories. Join with us in prayer for the United States of America at OneNationUnderGod.com. Connect with us through email at gps@billygraham.org or on Facebook at Billy Graham Radio.If you'd like to know more about beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ, or deepening the faith you already have, visit FindPeacewithGod.net.If you'd like to pray with someone, call our Billy Graham 24/7 Prayer Line at 855-255-7729. 

Buddhist students riot in Vietnam; Ronald Reagan slams Berkeley; Billy Graham crusades in London; Andy Warhol brings "The Exploding Plastic Inevitable" to San Francisco; a Santa Barbara judge orders sterilization or jail; Muhammad Ali retains his title. Newscaster: Joe Rubenstein.   Support this project on Patreon!

Stay connected with us at americangroundradio.com, on Facebook, and Instagram. You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for May 22, 2026. We open with the Supreme Court's pending decision on birthright citizenship — one of the most consequential immigration rulings in American history. We break down the actual constitutional debate over the 14th Amendment's phrase subject to the jurisdiction thereof, what the founders who wrote and debated the amendment said it meant at the time, why the logical interpretation is that children of people who entered the country illegally were never intended to receive automatic citizenship, and why President Trump's comment that the court will probably rule against him may be more strategic than frustrated — a piece of reverse psychology designed to force the justices to rule on the law rather than their feelings about Trump. In our Top 3 Things You Need to Know, the Democrat National Committee released its 192-page post-mortem on the 2024 election — complete with a disclaimer that it doesn't necessarily represent the views of the DNC itself. The report blames Kamala Harris for not changing her position on transgender issues, says Democrats didn't run enough negative ads against Trump, and admits the party took Latino voters for granted — but doesn't say a single word about Biden's mental decline or the decision to install Harris as nominee without a single primary vote. Then the DOJ indicted 15 people in Minnesota for $90 million in Medicaid fraud — the largest Medicaid fraud case in Minnesota history and the largest autism fraud case in American history — while Tim Walz was governor. And the Department of Homeland Security announced that more than 3 million illegal aliens have either been deported or voluntarily self-deported since President Trump took office — with self-deportation costing the government over $10,000 less per case than forced removal, and an app available for anyone who wants to take advantage of the $2,600 voluntary departure payment while preserving their right to return legally. We also discuss the broader immigration picture in France, where a major new study shows that roughly one third of France's population is either foreign-born or the child or grandchild of immigrants — and what happens when mass immigration is welcomed without any expectation of cultural assimilation. We connect it directly to the debate happening in America and explain why saying American culture is worth preserving is not racism. It's patriotism. Our American Mamas Teri Netterville and Kimberly Burleson tackle a deeply relatable topic — growing up with spoiled cousins, and the particular heartbreak of watching a child feel less valued than their cousins by the same grandparents. We get into the nine-year-old boy who told his mother through tears that he was really trying to be grateful, the grandmother who took one grandchild on a New York trip and forgot she had other grandchildren, and why the awareness to keep things equitable across cousins is one of the most underappreciated gifts a grandparent can give. We sit down in studio with Dan Clark, regional director for Bill Glass Behind the Walls Ministry — a national and international prison ministry founded by former Cleveland Browns defensive end Bill Glass, a close friend of Billy Graham, who walked onto a prison yard decades ago and never stopped going back. We talk about fatherlessness as the pipeline to incarceration, why people of faith have a measurably lower recidivism rate than those without, what it looks like to go behind the walls of a supermax facility and share the gospel, and why the men on that prison yard self-police themselves on event days because they know the ministry won't come back if something goes wrong. If you want to get involved or volunteer, visit BehindTheWalls.com. Then it's Fake News Friday — real news, fake news, or really fake news — including whether Chevron gas stations in California put up signs blaming Sacramento politicians for high gas prices, a fleet of driverless Waymo vehicles getting stuck doing laps around an Atlanta cul-de-sac, a car dealership in Kansas that can't sell a truck because a robin built a legally protected nest on the tire, a Democrat running for Congress in Texas proposing concentration camps for American Zionists, a Democrat from Pennsylvania proposing mandatory vasectomies after a man's third child, and whether California's Medicaid program reimburses providers for exorcisms. We work through all of it — some will surprise you. And we close with a Memorial Day reflection — because honoring those who gave their lives for this country should not happen once a year. When you truly understand what someone sacrificed to give you something precious, you protect it every day. Bob Dylan, Norman Schwarzkopf, James Garfield, and George Patton each had something to say about that. So do we. May your pursuit of happiness bring you joy. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, one of classic rock's most recognisable voices — singer, guitarist and songwriter Mark Farner, founding member of Grand Funk Railroad.With more than 30 million records sold worldwide, 16 gold and platinum albums and a string of massive hits including “I'm Your Captain,” “Some Kind of Wonderful,” “The Loco-Motion” and “We're An American Band,” Grand Funk Railroad became one of the biggest rock acts of the '70s. But in this deeply personal conversation, Mark reveals there's far more to his story than stadiums and success.Mark opens up about his childhood in Michigan and the devastating loss of his father when he was just nine years old. He shares how his family's Sunday gospel gatherings, filled with bluegrass music, harmonies and love, became the foundation for both his spirituality and his future career in music. He also talks about his Cherokee ancestry on his mother's side and the powerful influence spirituality had within the family from an early age.You'll hear the extraordinary story of how a young Mark experienced what he describes as a life-changing spiritual moment while watching evangelist Billy Graham on television — a moment that would shape the message and direction of his music for decades to come.Surprisingly, music wasn't Mark's first dream. He had originally planned on a future in football until injuries forced him off the field. That setback led his mother to rent him a guitar and arrange lessons, unknowingly setting him on the path that would eventually change rock history.Mark takes us through the early Michigan band scene, including his time with Terry Knight and the Pack alongside future Grand Funk drummer Don Brewer. He explains how the frustrations of struggling bands, freezing road trips and failed tours eventually led to the formation of Grand Funk Railroad with bassist Mel Schacher.One of the highlights is Mark's vivid recollection of the band's breakthrough appearance at the Atlanta Pop Festival, where three unknown musicians from Flint, Michigan stunned a crowd of 185,000 people and instantly realised their lives had changed forever.Mark also reflects on the unique musical identity of Grand Funk Railroad, explaining how the band's roots were grounded more in soulful R&B than traditional blues or heavy metal. He discusses wanting audiences to dance, feel joy and experience connection through the music.The conversation dives deeply into the creation of the band's most iconic songs. Mark reveals the remarkable spiritual experience that inspired “I'm Your Captain,” describing how the song arrived almost fully formed during a semi-conscious moment in the middle of the night after praying for music that could truly reach people's hearts.He also shares incredible behind-the-scenes stories about recording “The Loco-Motion,” including how producer Todd Rundgren spontaneously decided the band should record the song after hearing them casually singing it outside the studio.Throughout the interview, Mark speaks passionately about the emotional connection between musicians, instruments and songwriting. He explains how specific guitars and keyboards inspired entire songs and albums, including E Pluribus Funk and “Mean Mistreater.”Mark also discusses:The pressures and excitement of massive success in the '70sGrand Funk Railroad being labelled “the loudest band in the world”The unexpected breakup of the band in 1976His Christian music careerCharity work Family life, marriage and staying grounded despite fameWhy spreading love and positivity remains his greatest missionWarm, funny, spiritual and refreshingly honest, Mark Farner proves himself to be far more than simply a rock star. This is an uplifting conversation about resilience, creativity, faith and the enduring power of music to bring people together.If you love classic rock history, candid artist interviews and the stories behind timeless songs, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

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In this emotional and deeply personal episode of Your Weekly Calling, Brad Lowe explores the tension between temporary satisfaction and eternal hope, reminding listeners that this world was never meant to fully fulfill the human soul. Using Philippians 3:20 and Revelation's promise of heaven, Brad challenges the constant chase for more money, comfort, success, and approval that still somehow leaves people feeling empty. Brad shares heartfelt memories of his grandmother, who became a mother figure to him after the loss of his mom. He reflects on singing Amazing Grace together, learning about faith through her example, and the overwhelming realization that she would be 117 years old today if she were still alive. That personal story leads into a powerful reminder that, for believers, death is not the end—it's temporary separation and ultimately the doorway home to Jesus. The episode also highlights a famous quote from Billy Graham about being “more alive” after death, using it to paint a picture of heaven-minded faith that stays anchored even when life feels overwhelming. Brad contrasts people who build their identity around temporary things with those whose hope is rooted in eternity, encouraging listeners to stop obsessing over what fades and start investing in what lasts forever.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit smokeempodcast.substack.comNancy and Sarah talk to journalist Mary Lisa Gavenas, whose new biography of cosmetics queen Mary Kay, Selling Opportunity, also traces the profound role that direct sales had in selling the American dream. It took a while for women to enter the salesforce, but once they did, oooh, watch out. Mary Kay, in particular, had a genius for sales, which she turned into an empire that exists to this day. Although the company largely sells skin care, Mary Kay also sold inspiration, a better life, transformation. As a pop-historical figure, she's part self-help guru, part social media influencer, part girlboss — but entirely a self-made woman.We talk about the resilience of 20th-century women who cared less about having the correct politics and more about feeding their family, the line between opportunity and exploitation, and (of course) those pink Cadillacs.Also discussed:* “I like women. Nancy is undecided.”* The power of a good sob story* Yankee peddlers!* Mary Kay seminars: Where tent revival meets Las Vegas floorshow* Billy Graham put himself through divinity school as a Fuller Brush salesman* Want to come over and see my new dust mop?* Mary Kay had six husbands* The Night of the Mary Kay Commandos* The founder of Tupperware was actually someone named “Tupper”* Also, Mr. Tupper thought he was the Leonardo DaVinci of his time* Pink bathtubs as aspirational* Did your grandmother work?* Is Mary Kay a Ponzi scheme?* The power of a “thank you” notePlus, Sarah learns the definition of “pin money,” Nancy creams over a new tinted moisturizer, Mary Lisa's dream of Aix-en-Provence includes hunting dogs, and much more.Gee, that paid subscription looks good on you ..

Dr. Bill Thrasher joins Wayne Shepherd in conversation remembering those who have given their lives in the service of their country and thanking God for the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf. (click for more...)Website:  www.VictoriousPraying.orgThis week's First Person is a Memorial Day weekend episode featuring host Wayne Shepherd in conversation with Dr. Bill Thrasher, a longtime professor at Moody Bible Institute. The discussion weaves together two themes: honoring military sacrifice on Memorial Day and reflecting on the sacrifice of Christ. Thrasher shares his personal faith journey — from a "cultural Christian" upbringing to his conversion at a 1965 Billy Graham crusade and deeper spiritual growth through a Campus Crusade-connected fraternity brother in college — and expresses gratitude for mentors who shaped him, including pastor Ben Haden, theologian Charles Ryrie, and radio preacher Stephen Olford. The theological heart of the conversation centers on Paul's charge to Timothy to "remember Jesus Christ," with Thrasher drawing on Oswald Chambers to caution against burying faith under busyness, and exploring the doctrines of propitiation and redemption as reasons for gratitude. The episode closes with Thrasher leading a prayer of thanksgiving for religious freedom, spiritual mentors, and the liberating work of Christ on the cross.               NEXT WEEK:  Ben Olsen of the Global Center for CoachingSend your support for FIRST PERSON to the Far East Broadcasting Company:FEBC National Processing Center Far East Broadcasting CompanyP.O. Box 6020 Albert Lea, MN 56007Please mention FIRST PERSON when you give. Thank you!

In this message from Exodus 20:7, Pastor Jared Richard continues Bay Leaf Baptist Church's series through the Ten Commandments by turning the congregation's attention to the Third Commandment: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." Using a word association exercise with names like Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, and Adolf Hitler, Pastor Jared establishes that names are far more than titles — they represent the full weight of a person's life and character. Because God's name, Yahweh, is a revealed, personal, and representative name that encapsulates all of who He is, it carries a holiness that demands our deepest reverence. As Exodus 3:15 declares, "This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations." Pastor Jared then walks through the many ways God's people misuse His name, going well beyond the obvious offense of profanity. Drawing from the Old Testament, he identifies three ancient patterns of misuse — sorcery, false prophecy, and false oaths — and shows how each has a modern equivalent. The prosperity gospel, for instance, mirrors ancient sorcery by invoking God's name as a tool to claim health and wealth, effectively turning the relationship between God and man into a transaction. False prophecy lives on whenever someone attaches "God said" to their own spiritual intuition or personal agenda, and false oaths persist whenever we use God's name to prop up promises we have no intention of keeping. Ultimately, Pastor Jared anchors the sermon in the gospel. Every person in the room has broken this commandment and stands guilty before God. But Jesus, who declared in John 12:28 that His aim in going to the cross was to glorify the Father's name, perfectly honored what we have profaned. He was condemned for blasphemy so that blasphemers could be forgiven. Because of Christ, we are now free to hallow God's name as we were created to — calling upon it in worship, prayer, and lives of genuine integrity that reflect the Lord we claim. WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Take a moment to fill out our digital connection card here: https://www.bayleaf.org/connect We hope you enjoy this programming and please let us know if there is anything we can do to be of service to you. ONE CHURCH. TWO LOCATIONS. ONE MISSION. Bay Leaf at Falls Lake: 12200 Bayleaf Church Road, Raleigh, North Carolina 27614 Bay Leaf at 540: 10921 Leesville Rd, Raleigh, NC 27613 SERVICE TIMES Come join us on Sundays at Bay Leaf at Falls Lake (8:30 AM or 11:00 AM) or at Bay Leaf at 540 (10:00 AM) CONTACT www.bayleaf.org (919) 847-4477 #BayLeafLife #Worship #Inspiration

If this is the question you ask yourself at the end of each day, then I have some really good news for you.  That good news is, Your Salvation is by grace, not works.  God's provision is that salvation is granted to us by our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.   God tells us in His word, over and over again, in plain and simple words that “No, you have not been good enough.  Not today, or any other day of your entire life.  Not even close.”  In fact, I would not bet on the best 15 minutes of my life to get me into heaven, because it won't. The truth is, no matter who you are, no matter how good your intentions are, you cannot be good enough to stand before God as righteous.  The Apostle Paul couldn't.  Peter couldn't.  Abraham couldn't.  Billy Graham couldn't, and the Pope most certainly couldn't.  Nobody, not one of the great heroes of the Bible, and not one of the religious leaders of today, could stand on their works as justification for their salvation.   But God does not leave you with just the statement that your works are as filthy rags before His Holiness.  The good news proclaimed in His word is that Jesus Christ, God's Son, has done all the work for your salvation.  Now, all you have to do is believe on Him, confess and repent of your sins, and accept God's gracious gift of eternal life.  That is all there is to it.  It is so simple, it is difficult.  It is difficult because most people can't believe it is that simple.  It is simple because God did the difficult part.  Don't believe for an instant that your salvation came easily and without great sacrifice.  God choose His only begotten Son to die on the cross for you as payment for your sin, and so that your salvation might be simple.   Click on the link below to hear a message on the gospel truth that salvation is by God's grace and not works. This is a live recording of The Master's Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS. Amen.

Dr. Jim Vickrey has met many notable history makers in his career as an education leader, and he shares his memories of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as well as evangelist Billy Graham on In Focus today. 

This week on Stay True Podcast, Madi sits down with Anne Graham Lotz and Rachel-Ruth Lotz Wright for a profound conversation about revival, suffering, and purpose. They explore how God meets us in the midst of pain, turns trials into purpose, and brings peace when life feels overwhelming. Anne and Rachel-Ruth share lessons learned from the legacy of their dad and grandfather, Billy Graham, and discuss how personal trials can deepen faith, shape perspective, and call us into God's purposes. If you've ever felt lost in your pain, questioned God's plan, or wanted to see how faith can sustain you through trials, this conversation will encourage and inspire you.   Always remember to stay you and stay true.   Topics we dive into: -How God turns trials into purpose -Navigating grief, confusion, and suffering -Lessons from the legacy of Billy Graham -Finding peace and hope in difficult seasons AND SO MUCH MORE!   Helpful Resources: God Won't Leave You There: Joseph's Story by Anne Graham and Rachel-Ruth Lotz Wright: https://a.co/d/0bCzYQaX Dare To Be True by Madison Prewett Troutt: https://a.co/d/gdfpHX5 Stay True Website: https://www.staytruepodcast.com Stay True Merch: https://www.staytruepodcast.com/merch Olive and June: Visit OliveandJune.com/STAYTRUE for 20% off your first System! Her PLAN: Take the quiz at herplan.org/prolifecelebs Veracity: For up to 65% off your order, head to VeracityHealth.co and use code STAYTRUE. GCU: Visit gcu.edu to learn more.   Connect with Stay True!

Get AudioBooks for Free Best Self-improvement Motivation Why Chosen Ones Feel Lonely: Billy Graham Motivation Discover Billy Graham's inspiring message on loneliness, struggle, and purpose. Learn how pain can shape strength, faith, and personal growth! ⁠We Need Your Love & Support ❤️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get 3 Audiobooks Free -

Get AudioBooks for Free Best Self-improvement Motivation Win the Battle in Your Mind: Billy Graham Motivation Strengthen your mind and faith with Billy Graham's powerful motivation. Learn to overcome fear, doubt, and negativity through spiritual resilience! ⁠We Need Your Love & Support ❤️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get 3 Audiobooks Free -

Send us Fan MailWhat if the “Billy Graham rule” (or the evangelical distortion of it) says more about fear than integrity? In this episode, Danielle Strickland helps us unpack the assumptions behind the idea that men and women can't be alone together—and ask whether it protects integrity or quietly reinforces suspicion, segregation, and control. Drawing on Scripture, leadership research, and real-world church experiences, our conversation explores how transparency—not isolation—is a stronger safeguard against abuse and moral failure. We also dig into how purity culture, pornography narratives, and fear-based systems shape the way we interpret opposite-sex friendships, mentoring, and authority. If you're ready to rethink gender, leadership, and trust through a more Jesus-centered lens, this one will give you plenty to chew on.TO SUPPORT US: Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month to support our work (and get access to the book club!)And check out our Merch, or any of our courses!Give to the Good Fruit Faith Initiative of the Bosko FoundationJoin our email list!LINKS MENTIONED: Danielle's Book, “Better Together”Danielle's WebsiteDanielle's Substack“The Billy Graham Rule” aka The Modesto ManifestoPodcast Episode 192: How Every Young Man's Battle Makes Everything Worse: "Recovering From Purity Culture" by Dr. Camden Morgante The Whole Story coursesSupport the showJoin Sheila at Bare Marriage.com!Check out her books:The Great Sex Rescue She Deserves BetterThe Marriage You Want and the Study Guide The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex and The Good Guy's Guide to Great SexAnd she has an Orgasm Course and a Libido course too!Check out all her courses, FREE resources, social media, books, and so much more at Sheila's LinkTree.

Billy Graham was one of the most influential evangelists of the 20th century. He boldly proclaimed the Gospel to over 200 million people. But in addition to his important preaching ministry, Billy Graham also had an important message for fathers.He said,“A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.”As a dad, you have the incredible privilege of raising your son to love the Lord and follow His ways. This brings with it the responsibility of providing a strong, Christ-centered foundation for your family.So, how is your parenting journey coming along? Remember, you'll never regret investing time and attention in your son. For information about a Proven Process that is helping boys grow into godly men, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

Richard Gamble went on national radio in the UK to announce his plans for a massive, million-brick monument to answered prayers—a tribute to God's faithfulness. But the response he received was deeply disappointing. Frustrated, Richard cried out to God. What happened next is part of an amazing story that's unfolding right now in the heart of England.  Visit the Eternal Wall of Prayer website: eternallwall.org.uk Connect with us through email at gps@billygraham.org or on Facebook at Billy Graham Radio. If you'd like to know more about beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ, or deepening the faith you already have, visit FindPeacewithGod.net. If you'd like to pray with someone, call our Billy Graham 24/7 Prayer Line at 855-255-7729. 

Get AudioBooks for Free Best Self-improvement Motivation Stop Worrying & Let God Lead You: Billy Graham Motivation Find peace and strength through faith. Discover Billy Graham's inspiring message on trusting God, overcoming fear, and letting divine guidance lead your life! ⁠We Need Your Love & Support ❤️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get 3 Audiobooks Free -

Get AudioBooks for Free Best Self-improvement Motivation Morning Prayer with Psalm 23: Billy Graham Faith Motivation Start your day with a powerful morning prayer inspired by Psalm 23 and Billy Graham. Strengthen your faith, find peace, and walk with confidence! ⁠We Need Your Love & Support ❤️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get 3 Audiobooks Free -

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Kim Song Ju, the man who would become Kim Il Sung, was born to devout Presbyterian parents. Billy Graham's wife was born to christian missionaries in China and went to high school in Pyongyang. American protestants once spread the gospel in northwest Korea and found fertile ground for their gospel message. Kim listened, learned, and used those teachings to shape a cult of personality that rules North Korea to this day.On this episode of Angry Planet I'm joined by Wall Street Journal China bureau chief Jonathan Cheng to talk about his new book Korean Messiah. Cheng's work is an exploration of the origins of North Korea and Kim's deep ties to American Christianity.ShareAngry Planet as dress rehearsalBilly Graham in the Hermit Kingdom19th century Protestant missionaries in KoreaPresbyterians in the untamed northwestUntangling the history of a self-made godkingThe Kim Song Ju nativityWomen without namesAttending church during the Fire and Fury periodThe Soviet eraLeading from beyond the graveKim bombs his first public appearanceBuy Korean MessiahSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. Today we're joined by Dr. Derwin L. Gray, co-founder and lead pastor of Transformation Church. Since launching in 2010, Transformation Church has become a multi-ethnic, multi-generational movement impacting thousands locally and globally. In this conversation, Derwin tackles one of the most pressing—and often avoided—questions facing church leaders today: what are we actually multiplying? Are we forming disciples of Jesus—or unintentionally shaping people more through culture, politics, and media than through the gospel? Derwin challenges leaders to examine the deeper currents shaping their churches and to recover a bold, Christ-centered vision for discipleship. What are we actually multiplying? // Derwin raises a provocative concern: many churches are focused on growth, expansion, and multiplication—but not always clear on what is being multiplied. Are we producing disciples rooted in the gospel, or consumers attracted to experiences? He warns that without intentional focus, churches can unintentionally replicate shallow faith, cultural Christianity, or even ideological distortion. The goal of multiplication must not simply be more campuses or larger attendance, but deeper, more faithful discipleship. A discipleship crisis beneath the surface. // The issue isn't that churches lack discipleship. It's that many people are being discipled by the wrong influences. Social media, political ideologies, and cultural narratives are shaping beliefs and behaviors, often more powerfully than Scripture. This creates a “wrong discipleship” problem, where people identify as Christians but reflect values that are inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus. The challenge for leaders is to re-center discipleship around Christ, ensuring that people are being formed by the gospel rather than the surrounding culture. The danger of ideological captivity. // Derwin speaks candidly about the ways the church can become entangled in political ideologies—whether on the right or the left. He specifically critiques the rise of Christian nationalism, defining it as the fusion of the church's identity with the identity of a nation-state. This, he argues, distorts the gospel by elevating political allegiance above allegiance to Christ. At the same time, he acknowledges the influence of secular progressivism. Both extremes, in different ways, can pull believers away from the centrality of Jesus. The call is not to disengage from society, but to engage from a distinctly gospel-centered perspective. Recovering a gospel-shaped identity. // At the heart of Derwin's message is a call to rediscover what it means to be shaped by the gospel. The good news of Jesus is not merely about individual salvation—it creates a new family across ethnic, cultural, and social lines. This vision is central to Transformation Church's identity as a multi-ethnic community. Derwin emphasizes that the gospel reconciles not only vertically (between people and God), but horizontally (between people and one another). When churches lose this vision, they lose their witness in a divided world. Courageous and compassionate leadership. // Leading in this cultural moment requires what Derwin calls “courageous compassion.” Pastors must be willing to speak truth clearly while loving people deeply. This means addressing difficult issues without fear of losing people, while also avoiding harsh or divisive rhetoric. Derwin acknowledges that this approach can lead to criticism from multiple sides, but he emphasizes that faithfulness to Christ must take priority over maintaining comfort or approval. Practical steps for leaders. // For pastors who feel their churches have been shaped more by culture than by Christ, Derwin offers simple but powerful starting points: pray, repent, and refocus on the gospel. He encourages leaders to equip themselves through study and to guide their teams in rediscovering a biblical framework for discipleship. Most importantly, leaders must model what they teach, demonstrating lives rooted in Christ rather than captured by cultural narratives. A renewed vision for the church. // Ultimately, Derwin calls the church back to its prophetic voice. The church is not meant to mirror the divisions of the world but to offer a compelling alternative: a community shaped by love, unity, and truth. When the church remains rooted in Jesus, it becomes a powerful witness to a watching world. To learn more about Transformation Church and Dr. Derwin L. Gray, his teaching, and resources, visit transformationchurch.tc and derwinlgray.com. Plus, pre-order his book, It’s Time to Heal: Four God-Given Steps to Restore What Life Has Shattered. Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Lastly, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live! Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: Portable Church Your church is doing really well right now, and your leadership team is looking for solutions to keep momentum going! It could be time to start a new location. Maybe you have hesitated in the past few years, but you know it's time to step out in faith again and launch that next location. Portable Church has assembled a bundle of resources to help you leverage your growing momentum into a new location by sending a part of your congregation back to their neighborhood on Mission. This bundle of resources will give you a step-by-step plan to launch that new or next location, and a 5 minute readiness tool that will help you know your church is ready to do it! Click here to watch the free webinar “Launch a New Location in 150 Days or Less” and grab the bundle of resources for your church! Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey friends, so glad that you decided to tune in to today’s episode of the unSeminary podcast. Really looking forward to this. I had a fragment of a conversation with a dear friend at the Exponential Conference and I want to have more of that today with you listening in. And this is a conversation that I know is impacting people. I think 100% of our church is in the country today. It’s something that we all are seeing. It’s impacting us. We’ve got to be thinking about this. Rich Birch — Honored to have Dr. Derwin Gray with us, incredible leader from Transformation Church. He and his wife, Vicki, co-founded the church in 2010. It’s a multi-ethnic, multi-generational, mission-shaped community community with two locations in South Carolina, as well as Church Online. He’s an award-winning author of multiple books. He’s been on the podcast in the past and is one of the people who, he’s called me out on the podcast before, and I have taken those lessons with me. And so I’m I'm hoping that happens with you today. Derwin, welcome to the show. So glad you’re here.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Hey, man, thank you. So good to be with you.Rich Birch — No, it’s it’s honest. You know, been multiple times you’ve been on the show and I I’ve walked away being like, man, okay, Derwin just, he’s just pushed me and and got me to think different, which I really appreciate that. So for folks that don’t know about Transformation, kind of tell us a little bit about the church and give us the context you’re in, that sort of thing.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, man. So ah my wife and I co-planted Transformation Church in 2010 in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. And so neither my wife and nor I grew up in church, and both of us came to faith in our mid to late 20s, and primarily through people at work. There was a woman at my wife’s job who shared Christ with her. I had a teammate named Steve Grant, with the Indianapolis Colts, where I played in the NFL. We called him the naked preacher because after practice, he’d dry off, take a shower, wrap a towel around his waist, and he’d share the gospel. And over five years, I came to faith. My wife came to faith before me. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And all we knew was this. If Jesus is this incredible, this forgiving, this gracious, this is the greatest news there is in the world. And so we didn’t know what words like evangelism and discipleship meant. All we knew was this. I want to know him. I want to make him known. I want to know his word.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And so that was in 1997, 1998. We moved to Charlotte, North Carolina to play for the Carolina Panthers, and I got injured. And so all I could do was read my Bible, rehab my knee. And the following year, both my wife and I said, you know what? I think my NFL time is done.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — What are we going to do? We don’t know. So I got an invitation to speak at a youth event to share my testimony. And I said, well, what is that? They were like, a testimony is where you share your story of how you met Christ and what what took place. So I did that. People started calling me.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And in 1999, other Christians says, you guys need a nonprofit organization. You know, we’re like, what does that mean? So we started a ministry called One Heart at a Time. I would travel and speak. She would organize everything. We served at our church. Well, the longer we did that, we saw incredible fruit, but we also saw that wherever I would preach, it was ethnically segregated. It was it was really weird, right?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — I’m like, wait a second. America is integrated, but the church is basically segregated. And so I began to ask questions and I got lousy answers. But as we read the Bible, it was like the early church was Jews and Gentiles. That’s what it was. It was a multi-ethnic church. Jesus not only forgave sins, but he created a family with different colored skins. Not only is that the future of the church in Revelation 7:9, but that’s the present reality of the church that intrinsic to the gospel is ethnic reconciliation. What good would it be Jesus forgives you but don’t love your brother and sister? So the cross is vertical and horizontal. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So we were frustrated. And then we just sense God say, well, you can criticize or you can create. And so ultimately that led to planting Transformation Church in the south area of Charlotte, North Carolina, where actually physically in what’s called Indian Land, South Carolina, and our other campus is in Lake Wiley, South Carolina, but it’s really the greater Charlotte area.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And our church is more ethnically diverse than our community. And I want to be very, very clear. One of the reasons why we are ethnically diverse is because of the good news of Jesus. Like I explained, Jesus not only forgives sins, but he creates a family with different colored skins. And so for us, ethnic unity in Christ not only enhances our discipleship, but it enhances our witness to a looking and watching world which is filled with so much division. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And over the last 16 years, God has done miraculous things. We’ve seen 9,000 people come to faith, thousands be baptized. God has given us massive influence. We also have what’s called the Multi-Ethnic Church Roundtable, where we’ve equipped 800 leaders from around the world to do gospel-centered multi-ethnic ministry. We’re also in the process, Leon’s Crump and I, of launching what’s called the Promise Collective, which is going to be an intentionally multi-ethnic gospel-centered church planting network.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So a lot of wonderful things are taking place. And we think it’s pretty cool that God planted us in the state of South Carolina where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. And God has used this church here to influence not only the church in America, but even around the world. Rich Birch — Yeah, absolutely Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So we’re grateful.Rich Birch — Well, I, yeah, there’s I respect you on so many levels. And, and, you know, they these issues around being a multi-ethnic church are, you know, at the core of that. And just to respect you on for lots of what you’ve done. and And we ended up at this in this conversation, just to kind of bring everybody up to speed, we ended up in this conversation at Exponential that I leaned forward as just declaring my, ah you know, a little bit about me for folks that are listening in. So I am Canadian, don’t hold it against me.Rich Birch — But I’ve served mostly American churches in the churches I work with. And most of the 95% of the listeners of this podcast are in the States. I was in the States for a bunch of years. And that may become a little more obvious as we’re talking here why that’s why I’m talking about that context. But one of the things in this conversation that I heard you, the question you asked, which made me lean forward and then where it kind of unfolded from there is you asked the question, what are we actually multiplying? Exponential is obviously the global conference for multiplication, but you were pushing us to think about what are we actually multiplying? What is the the core of that? Can you unpack that for us?What were you thinking of when we started talking about that that day?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, sure, sure. Just to provide either even a little bit more context is it was a gathering of of very large churches. Rich Birch — Right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And the question is what’s going well, what’s not going well? And so typically in those types of rooms, I like to listen. And so as I was listening, I was hearing no disrespect, but a lot of the same.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And so I kind of waited for everybody to to finish what they were saying. And I said, here’s something that Transformation Church does well, is we are equipping our people to stand against secular progressivism and Christian nationalism. And I said, what are we exactly multiplying? Because the state of the church the United States America is not good. It’s not healthy. It is divided. In many cases, it is it’s mean. Shallow theology, not loving our neighbors as God commands us to be loved. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So so my question was, are we just putting up more boxes for consumers to come in and consume because we have good music, good human-centered preaching. You know, we’re not going to mess with your idols. We’re not going to topple your idols at all. And yeah, you can invite your friends when we get more campuses. Because if that’s just what we’re doing, don’t sign me up for that. I don’t I don’t I don’t want any parts of that. That’s how we got to where we are now. And so you as a Canadian, here in America, the witness of the church is not very good. Like when I talk to people who are unbelievers, I have to untangle…Rich Birch — Right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — …politics from the gospel because unfortunately there’s been an unholy wedding, particularly on the far right with aspects of Christianity, which has distorted and deformed. I think the secular progressivism is pretty easy to see, but I think the Christian nationalism is a lot harder. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Now, let me define what I mean by that. So first of all, Loving your country is a good thing. That’s called loving your neighbors. You love yourself. So my fourth grandfather, Moses Davis, fought for the Union, the colored cavalry of Virginia… Rich Birch — Wow. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — …against the treasonous Confederate whatever it was. So in my blood is patriotism for my nation. America’s my home. But to love my neighbors, I love myself means not only do love America, but I love the entire world. And then as a Christian, we have a global body that we love. There are more followers of Jesus of color outside of America than the United States of America.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Now, what do I mean by Christian nationalism? This is what I mean. Christian nationalism is the attempt to fuse the identity and mission of the church with the identity and power of a nation state, treating the nation as a primary vehicle of God’s purposes rather than seeing God’s kingdom as a global Jesus-centered reality that transcends all nations.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — By that definition, Christian nationalism is a heresy. Because it basically says, if you don’t think like us, you can’t be a follower of Jesus. And so you’re adding to the works of Christ. And so Christian nationalism has infiltrated much of what I would say the majority culture, Caucasian church in America. Not all, but a lot. Where Christians, what what it means to follow Jesus has turned into a far right, almost authoritarianism versus, no, no, you have the right to vote in the United States of America. But as Christians, we don’t have a right to idolize nor demonize those who vote differently than us.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — I’m not sure Americans know this, but most people in the world are not Republican or Democrat. Rich Birch — Right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So if you say your faith is based on what you vote for, you’re adding to the work of Christ.Rich Birch — So, so Derwin, I appreciate you. So I’ve not heard a lot of people talk about this. This seems to be, I don’t know, it seems like something happened post COVID and the church in general, there was this like shakeup in the church in general where, you know, lots of people ended up in different places and it was like, we’ve become more divided than ever before. And I do think that there’s a significant dividing line at or close to what you’re talking about here, that it’s like, there’s a, there’s a new voice around Christian nationalism that seems to be gaining influence. Is that, is that, is that ah a false perception or is that the way you see it as well?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — No, you are 100% right. And it is a well-orchestrated, well-funded plan. With social media and the rise of social media influencers, paid propagandists can go on and infuse their propaganda into people immediately.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And here’s and here’s the thing. Populism does not require much intellect. All it requires is somebody to be angry at who’s taking from you. So the more divided we are as people, the more the oligarchs have power and the money that they make.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — They own the social media. They own the algorithms. I mean, for goodness sakes, Elon Musk promised people a million dollars to vote in Pennsylvania for the election. How is that even legal? Right. Rich Birch — Right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So people are being inundated. Like we have family members that don’t even talk to each other anymore because they have red hat or a blue shirt, right? And so it has been in increasingly effective. But here’s the thing, Rich, that’s so wild to me. The admin the the Trump administration greenlit the FDA approval of an abortion pill. And I don’t hear any evangelical saying anything about it.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And even when you look at the Supreme Court now saying states can choose whether you do abortion or not, that’s pro-choice. You know, what used to be the Republican Party, small government, family values, those things are way gone. Rich Birch — Right. Right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And so not only has Christian nationalism changed like, or not only has this current administration changed what the Republican Party was, but in many cases, it’s changed even so much of the church. And it is wild to listen to people in 2016 who said one thing, who say a totally different thing now.Rich Birch — Yeah.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — It’s hard.Rich Birch — Well, yeah. And I so I think the thing you’ve, you’re putting a finger on and it’s, I appreciate you being willing to talk about and unpack it is there’s definitely like a broader cultural conversation that’s happening around these issues. That is for sure. We’re seeing that. And that’s having an impact on our ability to disciple the people in our churches or our people are being discipled by social media, by the algorithm, by YouTube And that can create or is creating a discipleship crisis in many of our churches. How do you try to find the line between those two to say, hey, we’re going to talk about the discipleship stuff… Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah. Rich Birch — …without getting dragged in on the you know the exterior? How do we how do we draw those lines in a way that makes sense?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah. Yeah. So, so, so what I would say is we don’t have a discipleship problem. We have a wrong discipleship problem. Rich Birch — Okay, that’s good. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Because somebody is making students out of somebody.Rich Birch — Right, sure.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And so are we becoming students of Jesus? that’s That’s the issue. And so what I say is this, how a person votes, that’s their conscience. But how do you treat the people who don’t vote like you? Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So for example, research shows black Americans are more socially conservative, more biblically committed than white Americans. But 90%, I’m sorry, but black American Christians, but black American Christians, 90% vote for Democrats. So how can you be more socially conservative, more biblically committed, but you vote for Democrat?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Well, because they don’t take everything that’s in the Democratic Party, just like most people who voted for Trump don’t take everything with him. And so we have to give each other the latitude and the grace. And there’s also pro-life Democrats. And not everybody who voted for Trump is evil. Not everybody who votes Democrat is evil. But the powers that be want us divided. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s true. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And when I and when I talk to my friends from Canada, when I talk to my friends that are pastors from around the world, Norway, different parts of Europe, Australia, England, and they’re going, what has happened to you guys?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — I can tell you what’s what’s taken place is our faith is being distorted and driving it is fear and hatred.Rich Birch — Yeah. So I would echo that. The joke I’ve made, both with American leaders and leaders from other parts of the world, is there is a segment of the body of Christ that seems very angry about the love of God. Like they’re and they’re very fearful. Like it’s all it’s all anger and fear driven. And I don’t know whether, and it probably is related to the algorithms, but like we’re hearing from these people so much more than, than we used to. It used to be an echo chamber of people that lived in so much fear, but now it’s just out there. It seems to be in, in our, you know, in our feeds all the time.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, what used to be on the fringes is now on the main street, right? And so we need to re-gospel ourselves. We need a greater commitment to Christ. So, for example, life in the womb is precious and sacred. That’s not conservative. That’s gospel. That’s biblical.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Caring for the dignity of undocumented people in America is not liberal. That’s gospel. Wanting border control is not conservative. That is understanding that a nation has to have borders to flourish. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Believing that marriage is between a man and a woman, we believe that’s biblical. But loving and respecting LGBTQ people is not liberal. Loving my neighbors as I love myself. And if I have any hope of anybody ah coming to Jesus, they’re not going come to Jesus because I’m yelling at them and I’m angry. I’m going to love them and pursue them just like we’ve done here at our church.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And so I feel like what we’ve done in in in the church is we’ve taken a 250 year old country called America. And then specifically the last 10 years, we’ve made that the hermeneutic to understand the gospel.Rich Birch — Yeah, right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — We’ve made that the lenses that we look through to determine the gospel. Whereas what I’m saying, let’s go back to the text. Let’s go back to the early church, the book of Acts, Paul’s letters, the gospels. That’s where our faith comes from. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Like I have lobbied on Capitol Hill with Republicans and Democrats about immigration reform. We need border security, but we can also secure the dignity of human beings, especially human beings who are undocumented and don’t have a record against them. Right. So there has to be a process to have strong borders, but also to hold to people’s hearts.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — But but at the end of the day, right at the end of the day, we are people of the Lamb, not the elephant or the donkey.Rich Birch — So good. So good. So what’s the hardest part about leading in a church that really refuses to be captured by either side? I feel like there’s pressure on from both political parties to they, you know, I think somewhere along the line, they realize, wow, there’s a lot of power in these churches. And how do we you know, how do we kind of infiltrate or how do we gain that? What’s it like to lead a church that’s trying to, that’s refusing to be captured by both sides is wants to keep Jesus ahead. What does that cost? How is that, you know, what are some of the pressures of that? What have been some telltale signs for you as you’ve led at Transformation in this front?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, um i would i would I would say, Rich, sometimes I’ll get a critical email and a eventually those people will leave. But but but but for the most part, I mean, we’re 16 years in, it’s our ethos, it’s our character. People know who we are. They know why we are. And so like we’re flourishing, we’re growing. It’s beautiful. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — There’s a matter of fact, I got some messages earlier today just saying, hey, thank you. Like I was just about done with Christianity and I found Transformation Church, right? I mean, this Jesus, you’re this is what I want to be a part of. So I think respecting and loving all people, even though you disagree with them. And the thing that I said, I did a series in 2024 in the fall before the election on on the Beatitudes.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And my whole thing was how you vote is up to your conscious. How you treat people is not up for debate. We’re called to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. And so in our church, I’m sure we got people all over the political spectrum. I’m a registered independent myself.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — But something that I think really landed well with our people is this: 99.9% of all followers of Jesus for 2,000 years and even now have never voted Republican and have never voted Democrat.Rich Birch — Right. Right. That’s good.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Our faith is in Christ and Christ alone. And America is what’s called a constitutional republic democracy. It is not a theocracy. It is governed by a constitution, not the Bible. And so, yes, I want believers in place not to do some kind of spiritual Sharia law, but to make sure that the Constitution is upheld, which gives life and liberty and justice, not for some, but for all.Rich Birch — What would you say, you know, I’ve often thought around this, these, this issue and we’re kind of related issues. I have to think back to Billy Graham and I think like, man, we don’t know what, don’t what he’d be doing today. Like what would, I’ve heard this story that and in the fifties he gathered a group of what at the time, they you know they self afflicted they gave themselves the title of fundamentalist and they said, hey, we gotta stop calling ourselves fundamentalist because that word is so loaded in our culture. It feels like evangelical is like that today. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah.Rich Birch — It is when people ask me, are you evangelical? I’ll say, well, it depends on what you mean by evangelical because it has so much freight behind it. Do you think there is a place for kind of a broader discussion? How, how can we continue to try to create a middle here that where people can actually try to shed these, like you say, the Lamb and the donkey and, or the, the, the elephant and the donkey and, and focus on the Lamb. How do we do that going forward? How do we create those kinds of places where those kinds of conversations can continue to happen?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, you know, so let me answer the first question first is when I preached in Norway a few years ago, the people said, thank you for being so evangelical. And it had nothing to do with politics. So the term evangelical comes from the Greek word, which means good news. So it’s never meant to be a political voting block. Rich Birch — Right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — It’s never meant to be an ethnicity. It is good news people. So in Europe, I say I’m evangelical because it goes well. Here in America, I say I am shaped by the gospel. I’m a Christian that’s shaped by the gospel. Rich Birch — That’s good language.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — I love God and I love my neighbors. I love myself. So I think we have a fundamental gospel problem in the American church. If you simply think the good news is Jesus died for your sins, now you don’t go to hell, then your discipleship is going to be very reductionistic. It’s going to be very individualistic.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, his ascension and then sending the Spirit, is not only do we spend eternity with him, but as brothers and sisters, we’re equally righteous, equally redeemed, equally the temple of the Holy Spirit, equally God’s children. So if all those things are true equally, then by definition, we are the body of Christ. So if you hurt, then I hurt, but we don’t think that way.Rich Birch — Right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So we have to change the way we think. Paul says in Philippians 2.3, do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but consider others better than yourselves. Verse five is “for you have the mind of Christ”. And so what we’ve been able to do here at Transformation Church is really move people deeper to the gospel. If you listen to one of my messages, you will hear gospel. That’s why we are the way we are. And the gospel challenges idols.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — When President Obama was president, I would get emails, “Oh you must be a Republican.” And then when President Trump, “You must be a Democrat.” I’m like, no, I’m an independent, but I’m called to be prophetic and to equip us to not be captivated by the zeitgeist…Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — …the spirit of the age. When the church loses her prophetic witness, we’ve lost everything.Rich Birch — That’s good.Rich Birch — Yeah, that that that names something that you put a finger on there, on something that I’d love you to unpack a little bit more. How do you do that as a pastor? Because I’ve seen you do that consistently. It’s like, how how do we be that prophetic voice, speak with clarity to ultimately point people back to Jesus, not be captured by just the winds of the day?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Be courageously compassionate. Rich Birch — That’s good.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Be courageously compassionate. I believe, you know, so I have, I have, I have talked to pastors who lead churches that may be, you know, center a little bit left. And well, if I talk about this issue too much, people may leave. Then I’ve heard other people like, well, if I talk about about this, the MAGA people may leave. And it’s like, well, Are you concerned about people leaving or are you concerned about honoring the call that God has given you? Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And one day you have to face him and you’re going to say, well, you know, what Lord, I was afraid people were going to leave. Like you can be courageous and compassionate simultaneously.Rich Birch — That’s good.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So I, there are people on both sides of the aisle that passionately and deeply love Jesus, but have different perspectives politically. Now, Christian nationalism, that is a whole different species that that has to be lovingly challenged. And my job at Transformation Church is to equip our people and to be a shepherd because there are false prophets and wolves that are coming.Rich Birch — There’s a ton here. I really appreciate that. For a pastor that’s listening in today that’s thinking, man, I look at my people and I think maybe I they have been discipled more by cable news than by scripture. And I maybe haven’t done everything I could could have done. I haven’t been clear with compassion. I’ve just been, I’ve just kind of let this happen. What would you say some of the first steps that you would say for a for a leader like that?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, pray, repent, pray, repent. Take your elders and your staff through a book by Preston Sprinkle called “Exiles in Babylon” or the book by Michael Byrd and N.T. Wright. Both of them deal with you know how to be a faithful witness in this time of political division. But before you go out and share, make sure that you are equipped. But also choose not to be partisan.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Rich, the Epstein Files is one of the biggest cover-ups in American history. We’re talking about precious kids who were taking advantage of. And I mean, where is the prophetic voice that this is wrong, regardless of who’s in it? This is wrong and it demands justice. We as God’s people are going to be held accountable to equip this. Like, this is serious. Like, I’ve heard people say, well, there’s bigger problems in the world. No, there’s not.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. Derwin, this has been fantastic. I want to point people towards, you’ve got a new book that’s coming out. That’s like like a huge left-hand turn here, but just looking at it, I think this could is is connected, obviously, to what we’re talking about in today’s conversation. It comes out this fall.Rich Birch — It’s called it’s a time or “It’s Time to Heal: Four God-Given Steps to Restore What Life Has Shattered”. Tell us a little bit about this book, and I and I want to get people to you know actually pre-order this thing.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, man. So basically the last seven years, what I have seen from followers of Christ is we’re the walking wounded. We are, we are just stuck. We have allowed our traumas, our histories, our pains, our failures, the way we’ve been hurt to keep us in a position of hurt. And we’ve just circled and circled. And then, a lot of preaching deals with behavior modification and doesn’t get to the root. And so I’ve just been like, you know what, God, I want to help God’s people. Right. And it starts with helping myself.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And what I do is I really take a theology of who we are in Christ. I take neuroscience and psychology and marry them in spiritual formationRich Birch — Love it.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And it’s by far the best book that I’ve ever written. I can’t wait for people to see the endorsements from people like Dr. Daniel Amen, Craig Groeschel, Christine Caine. It’s by far the most important book I’ve ever written and the best book I’ve ever written. And I believe that it can really help people heal. Like really understanding that trauma gets in our nervous system. It’s not just think harder, do more. Like we have to learn how this is embodied inside of us. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And so, man, it transformed me writing it. And what I do is I walk the people through an acronym. The the book is in four parts and the acronym HEAL. H stands for honest about what what happened. E, expect hard. A, accept what happened and L, live from love, not for love. And I share some incredible stories in there. And so, yeah, I’m really, really looking forward to people healing.Rich Birch — Well, yeah, I would encourage people to, we’ll link to that in the show notes and all that. But I think it’s connected in that I think I think the extremes on both ends politically, they’ve picked up on kind of the pain in the zeitgeist. And they’ve they’ve said, hey, the solution is is is the other side is the enemy and we got to do something to tear them down. And we know that just won’t work. At the end of the day, it’s Jesus transforming our lives. It’s him restoring us to who we are. And I think this could be a great tool for folks as they’re wrestling with that. So I’m excited for that book to come out. Looking forward to that. And we’ll we’ll link to all that. Rich Birch — Any kind of final words as we wrap up today? I really appreciate you unpacking this a bit more and taking some time to, you know, kind of let us chat a little bit about it.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, two thoughts. Jesus said in Matthew 5:44 and 45, bless those who persecute you. And I said, love your enemies. And then Jesus said, you will know my disciples because they love one another. Refuse to let anger and hatred and division guide you.Rich Birch — That’s good. So good. You said two things. You had two you that and one other thing.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Well, yeah, it was it was Matthew 5 and you’re on…yeah.Rich Birch — Oh, I see. Right, right, right. Yep. Okay. That’s good. Nice. Where if people want to track with you or with the church, where do we want to send them online? Just as we wrap up today’s call conversation.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, just go to derwinlgray.com, derwinlgray.comRich Birch — Nice. That’s great. Dr. Derwin, I just want to honor you. You’re an incredible leader. Thank you for being here today and helping us think through these issues. Thank you.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Thank you, my friend.Rich Birch — Take care.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Appreciate you.

Billy Graham once said, “A checkbook is a theological document. It tells you who and what you worship.” It's a striking statement—but an important one. Most of us make financial decisions every day without thinking much about them. We buy groceries, renew subscriptions, grab coffee, replace something that broke, or make an impulse purchase that feels harmless in the moment. These choices can seem ordinary and disconnected from our spiritual lives. But Scripture invites us to look deeper. Our spending habits often reveal more about our hearts than we realize. They can uncover what we value, what we pursue, and where we place our trust. More Than Transactions A bank statement may look like a list of numbers and purchases, but over time, it tells a story. It reflects priorities. Where our money goes often shows what matters most to us. That's why money is never just about math—it also has a spiritual dimension. Financial decisions can expose desires, fears, habits, and hopes that might otherwise remain hidden. The prophet Isaiah asked this searching question: “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?” (Isaiah 55:2) That's not merely a budgeting question. It's a heart question. God is asking His people why they keep investing themselves in things that can never truly satisfy. It's a question worth asking today as well. Jesus adds another layer in Luke 16: “If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?” (Luke 16:11) Jesus is not condemning money. He is reframing it. Money is temporary. It is a tool. But how we handle that tool reveals something deeper about our readiness to receive what truly matters. In that sense, money becomes a test of trust. Every purchase, every swipe of the card, every budgeting decision expresses something about what we love. And because of that, even everyday spending can become an opportunity for worship. Ownership vs. Stewardship The early church martyr Polycarp of Smyrna is often credited with this insight: “The world asks, What does a man own? Christ asks, How does he use it?” That gets to the heart of biblical stewardship. The question is not simply what we possess, but how we use what God has entrusted to us. Scripture consistently reminds us that everything belongs to the Lord, and we are called to manage His resources faithfully. That changes the way we think about spending. We are not merely consumers deciding what to do with “our money.” We are stewards seeking to honor God with what He has placed in our hands. A Warning from Haggai The book of Haggai gives us a vivid picture of what happens when priorities drift. After returning from exile in Babylon, the people of Israel came home to ruins. The temple—the center of worship and identity—had been destroyed. At first, they began rebuilding it. But as opposition grew and enthusiasm faded, their focus shifted. Instead of restoring God's house, they concentrated on their own comfort, building paneled homes while the temple remained neglected. So God sent the prophet Haggai with a piercing message: “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? … You have sown much, and harvested little… and he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.” (Haggai 1:4–6) Their spending reflected misplaced priorities. And the result was frustration, emptiness, and lack of satisfaction. The Same Tension Today That same dynamic can surface in our lives. When spending is driven more by comfort than conviction, we may find ourselves chasing more while enjoying less. The satisfaction we expected never quite arrives. Sometimes the issue is overspending. Other times, it's an unwillingness to spend generously at all. If generosity feels difficult while personal indulgence comes easily, that tells a story too. If fear keeps us from open-handedness, it may reveal a struggle to trust God as our provider. Our spending always reflects something deeper. Grace and Realignment Here is the good news: God meets us with grace. No matter what our financial story has been, He invites us to realign our hearts with His. That process rarely happens all at once. It begins through simple, intentional steps. You might start by asking: What story does my recent spending tell? Do my financial habits reflect my deepest values? Am I giving first or only if there is something left over? Does this purchase align with eternal priorities? These questions are not meant to produce guilt. They are invitations to greater awareness and faithful stewardship. Spiritual Decisions in Everyday Life Ultimately, our spending reveals what—or whom—we love most. The goal is not perfection. It is alignment. It is learning that everything we have belongs to God and growing in the freedom of using it for His purposes. When that happens, our financial lives begin to tell a different story—one marked by contentment, generosity, and trust. And that's when we realize something important: Spending decisions are really spiritual decisions. If you'd like to explore this theme further, we cover this in Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship. You can find it at FaithFi.com/Shop. Bulk discounts are also available for churches and small groups. On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions: Could you explain what a fiduciary is? Many people think they have a financial planner, but sometimes it's really an insurance salesperson offering only a limited set of products. How can someone truly act in a client's best interest if they're paid by what they sell? My wife and I want to pay off one of our sons' student loans—about $20,000. He's married. Would that create any tax consequences for him, and is it better to pay the loan servicer directly or give him the money to make the payment? My mom went to be with the Lord in November and left a trust with money, two homes, and a large piece of property. There are also two small annuities that may not be in the trust. My brother and I are co-trustees. What steps should we take, and do I need to think about creating a trust for myself? I'm 65, still working, and expect to work until about 67. I may receive more than $200,000, but I'm not experienced with investing. What should I do with that money? And can the FaithFi app help my wife and me start budgeting? Resources Mentioned: Faithful Steward: FaithFi's Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner) Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA) FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God's resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Billy Graham once said that a checkbook is a theological document; it tells you who and what you worship. Each day, we make financial decisions—often without much thought. It is wise, however, to slow down and look deeper because how we spend may reveal more about our hearts than we realize. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West explores how our typical purchases reflect what we truly value. Then, it’s on to calls. That’s Faith and Finance Live . . . biblical wisdom for your financial journey. That’s weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio. Faith & Finance Live is a listener supported program on Moody Radio. To join our team of supporters, click here.To support the ministry of FaithFi, click here.To learn more about Rob West, click here.To learn more about Faith & Finance Live, click here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While hiking on a mission trip in Nicaragua, Chad Roberts began experiencing eye problems. He had no idea that would lead to losing his sight completely. As Chad continues to pastor his church, he helps people trust in a God they can't see. Hear his journey of faith on this episode of GPS: God. People. Stories. Connect with us through email at gps@billygraham.org or on Facebook at Billy Graham Radio.If you'd like to know more about beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ, or deepening the faith you already have, visit FindPeacewithGod.net.If you'd like to pray with someone, call our Billy Graham 24/7 Prayer Line at 855-255-7729. 

Send me a DM here (it doesn't let me respond), OR email me: imagineabetterworld2020@gmail.comToday I'm honored to have back on the show for a second time: Satanic and Masonic ritual abuse, governmental mind control, and organized abuse survivor, loving mother and devoted wife, survivor small group facilitator, homeschool extraordinaire, and a woman who walks and heals all things with the power of the Holy Spirit on her side: Kate  Kate was born into a bloodline deliberately claimed by darkness. Her father's ancestry traces to the year 1000, emblazoned with the Freemasonic square and compass; her 33rd-degree Mason grandfather loomed large, while distant relatives linked to royalty and the Sinclair bloodline filled her childhood with forced genealogies and heirlooms soaked in occult power. Yet even before the rituals began, Jesus claimed her. At just five years old, her Christian grandmother insisted on a Billy Graham crusade. When her mother refused the altar call, tiny Kate defied her for the first time in her life, marched forward alone, and surrendered her heart to Christ. That single act of childlike courage became her anchor through decades of unimaginable horror.Hand-picked at an elite private school for her dissociation and family legacy, Kate was funneled into clandestine programs including MK ULTRA and Project Stargate. From kindergarten onward, she endured things like remote-viewing sessions with hypnotic colors and dial-up-like tones, underground labs lined with electric-shock tables, spinal taps, probes, and handlers who trained her through torture. Her body still carries the scars, yet her spirit never yielded.All the while, Jesus walked with her. When they locked her in the tunnels at fifteen to break her, she preached the gospel to every creature and soul she met. Her DID was never a disorder; it was a God-given superpower that let her endure nightly torment and still rise each morning to live, learn, and later serve others in her career path.Through it all, Kate built a life of defiant light. She married a steadfast man who has walked beside her for over thirty years. Together they homeschooled their two children and shielded them from the same abuse and targeting that pursued her family. And now Kate returns, bolder than ever, to expose the hidden connections few dare name in addition to sharing more about her own testimony. She will be drawing the parallels with crystal clarity between aliens and alien abductions and satanic ritual abuse and mind control.  WATCH KATE'S PART 1 ON 'THE IMAGINATION': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4PXRVcc-XUARTICLE ON SRA & ALIEN ABDUCTION: https://www.alienresistance.org/satanic-ritual-abuse-sra-and-alien-abduction-comparison/CONNECT WITH KATE: FB: https://www.facebook.com/llamafuzz.kateIG: https://www.instagram.com/pandapearl444/CONNECT WITH EMMA:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@imaginationpodcastofficialEMAIL: imagineabetterworld2020@gmail.com OR standbysurvivors@protonmail.comMy Substack: https://emmakatherine.substack.com/BUY ME A COFFEE: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theimaginationVENMO: @emmapreneurCASHAPP: $EmmaKatherine1204All links: https://direct.me/theimaSupport the show

What does the raucous laughter of Nicki Minaj and Billy Graham have to do with 14th century saint? Find out in PART TWO of our MOST requested episodes ever -- diving deep into the question "Who is Saint Julian of Norwich???" Author of Revelations of Divine Love, coiner of the phrase "All Shall Be Well," and delighter in God's delight, St. Julian is such a powerful visionary and leader we needed two episodes to do her justice. We're joined again by the The Rev. Dr. Amy Laura Hall, one of Lizzie's professors from her time at Duke Divinity School. In part two, we explore "Christ as our true mother," the nature of the devil, and we see how Julian has echoes for us to consider in today's religious landscape. We also get a little teaser for Dr. Hall's new book, out in May 2026, called ERECTING THE PULPIT: MUSCULAR CHRISTIANITY FROM TEDDY ROOSEVELT TO DONALD TRUMP. Amy Laura Hall is Associate Professor of Christian Ethics and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies at Duke University, where she has taught since 1999. She is the author of four books, including Conceiving Parenthood: American Protestantism and the Spirit of Reproduction (2007) and Laughing at the Devil: Seeing the World with Julian of Norwich (2018). A noted authority on Christianity and culture in the U.S., Hall has also contributed provocative essays on Protestantism and politics to Religion Dispatches and Religion News Service. Resources mentioned in this episode: Laughing at the Devil: Seeing the World with Julian of Norwich by Amy Laura Hall https://www.dukeupress.edu/laughing-at-the-devil Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich trans. by Elizabeth Spearing https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/261039/revelations-of-divine-love-by-julian-of-norwich-translated-by-elizabeth-spearing-introduction-and-notes-by-a-c-spearing/ Julian of Norwich and the Mystical Body Politic of Christ By Frederick Christian Bauerschmidt --https://undpress.nd.edu/9780268022082/julian-of-norwich/ The Writings of Julian of Norwich A Vision Showed to a Devout Woman and A Revelation of Love Edited by Nicholas Watson and Jacqueline Jenkins -- https://www.psupress.org/books/titles/0-271-02547-6.html?srsltid=AfmBOoopOJOEaY69eupR8Rx1uxzSJyVJpaSpLJKpJoHSPKAQ9ry8HPJY Rev. Dr. Amy Laura Hall's works: FORTHCOMING: Erecting the Pulpit: Muscular Christianity from Teddy Roosevelt to Donald Trump https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/erecting-the-pulpit-9798216383475/ Laughing at the Devil: Seeing the World with Julian of Norwich by Amy Laura Hall https://www.dukeupress.edu/laughing-at-the-devil https://arcmag.org/home-movies-for-holy-week/ +++ Like what you hear? We are an entirely crowd-sourced, you-funded project.  SUPPORT US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/AndAlsoWithYouPodcast There's all kinds of perks including un-aired live episodes, Zoom retreats, and mailbag episodes for our Patreons! +++ Our Website: https://andalsowithyoupod.com Our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andalsowithyoupodcast/ ++++ MERCH: https://www.bonfire.com/store/and-also-with-you-the-podcast/ ++++ More about Father Lizzie: BOOK: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/762683/god-didnt-make-us-to-hate-us-by-rev-lizzie-mcmanus-dail/ RevLizzie.com https://www.instagram.com/rev.lizzie/ https://www.tiktok.com/@rev.lizzie Jubilee Episcopal Church in Austin, TX - JubileeATX.org  ++++ More about Mother Laura: https://www.instagram.com/laura.peaches/ https://www.tiktok.com/@mother_peaches ++++ Theme music: "On Our Own Again" by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue). New episodes drop Mondays at 7am EST/6am CST! 

Kristy Graham (Billy Graham's granddaughter-in-law) has a front row seat to what God is doing around the world. She's the podcast host of On the Ground with Samaritan's Purse. Maybe you've packed a shoebox with Operation Christmas Child to send the Gospel and gifts to children around the world. How can we raise kids who give generously at Christmas AND as a way of life? You'll hear about families who travel for the first time to get life-saving heart surgeries for their kids (for free!). And about women who have been rescued from poverty, abuse and war in Kenya at Amani ya Juu through the work of Samaritan's Purse. Kristy opens up about what it's like to grow up Graham for her kids, and the beautiful legacy of faithfulness she has experienced. But this doesn't mean her life is problem free. Like many of us, her kids have struggled with sickness. You'll find hope and encouragement from a fellow mom in the trenches. In this episode, Arlene and Kristy talk about: 2:30 Life saving surgeries for kids (Children’s Heart Project) 5:45 The power of generosity and how it reflects the gospel 9:10 I didn’t want my kids to become resentful about ministry 11:00 When we don’t have the answers about our children’s illnesses 13:44 More than healing, I want you to want the Healer 15:35 Amani ya Juu in Kenya (what it does for refugees) 20:15 What if we could be more like Ingrid (the Ingrid Effect)? 21:30 How a shoebox is changing families by giving gifts to kids 24:41 What is like having Billy Graham as a grandfather? Learn more about Samaritan’s Purse: https://samaritanspurse.org/ On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse Podcast: https://ontheground.samaritanspurse.org/home Follow on Instagram @onthegroundSP More Resources from Arlene Pellicane: SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse. Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier. Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook Go to Arlene's YouTube Channel How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email speaking@arlenepellicane.com Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE) Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today on the Christian History Almanac, we remember the man Billy Graham called the most effective evangelist of the 20th century. Show Notes: Germany / Switzerland - Study Tour  Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on YouTube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: 1517 Youtube: How God Still Speaks Today Being Family by Dr. Scott Keith A Reasoned Defense of the Faith by Adam Francisco Stretched: A Study for Lent and the Entire Christian Life by Dr. Christopher Richmann The Essential Nestingen: Essays on Preaching, Catechism, and the Reformation Philip Melanchthon's Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Translated by Dr. Derek Cooper More from the hosts: Dan van Voorhis SHOW TRANSCRIPTS are available: https://www.1517.org/podcasts/the-christian-history-almanac CONTACT: CHA@1517.org SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Overcast Google Play FOLLOW US: Facebook Twitter Audio production by Christopher Gillespie (outerrimterritories.com).

Louis Zamperini was an Olympic athlete and war hero who survived being adrift at sea and POW torture. But the most important and powerful part of his incredible story is what came after. Everything changed for Louis when he encountered Jesus Christ at a Billy Graham crusade—trauma, rage, and all. Listen to the entire interview with Pastor Greg Laurie and Louis now on The Greg Laurie Show. — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we jump back 15 years to two back-to-back episodes of the PWTorch Livecast from Apr. 11 and 12, 2011.On the Apr. 11, 2011 episode, PWTorch assistant editor James Caldwell and PWTorch columnist Bruce Mitchell, they discuss with live callers Larry Sweeney's death, Scott Hall's weekend health issues, Raw tonight, Tough Enough Week 1, Sin Cara Week 1, potential WWE roster cuts, successor to McMahon, how Triple H would fare in charge of creative, Abdullah the Butcher & Billy Graham, and much more.Then on the Apr. 12, 2011 episode, PWTorch editor Wade Keller and Jason Powell of Prowrestling.net, they discuss with live callers Edge's retirement in-depth, his final two-year run in WWE, items from Monday's Raw including the WWE Title picture and R-Truth's inclusion, Keller's clarifications on John Cena's physical look and the Taker-Hunter chair shot from WrestleMania, Tough Enough Week 2, and more.In the previously VIP-exclusive Aftershow, they discussed the Trish-Morrison controversy last week, TNA's inevitable re-branding changes, and more topics.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wade-keller-pro-wrestling-podcast--3076978/support.