Podcasts about city on a hill

Jesus never asked us to fake it for an audience—He invited us into something real. In the Sermon on the Mount, righteousness isn't a performance we put on for others; it's a character formed in the quiet, secret places where only the Father is watching. When we give, pray, and fast without needing anyone to notice, something beautiful happens: the spotlight shifts off of us, and the light of Christ shines through us instead. And as we practice this together—loving, forgiving, serving, showing mercy—we become a city on a hill, not because we're trying to earn our way into the Kingdom, but because we already belong to it. This is the invitation: less performance, more communion.

Pastor John Bingham - Acts: Keeping the Main Thing - Acts 11:19-30

Listen to a special service from City on a Hill. Family Minister Brad Marvine led the church in communion, and we heard special reflections from Elders Jeff Gordon and Jason Lorch. This service was a break from our series through Hebrews to allow Pastor Derrick to be with his wife as she recovered from a planned surgery. 

Sermon preached on Sunday Evening from Matt 5:14-16  on 7/5/2026 by Pastor Henry Funkhouser at First Baptist Church of Easton.Welcome to those joining via Podcast, we are glad to have you join us. If you are ever in the Easton Area, we would love to have you visit us!If you care to support the ministry, visit us at firstbaptisteaston.com, click Donate. https://app.aplos.com/aws/give/FirstBaptistChurchofEaston

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, Todd examines a striking Gallup poll showing a dramatic partisan divide in national pride. Why do so many Democrats say they are not proud to be Americans while Republicans overwhelmingly express gratitude for the nation? Todd explores the difference between biblical pride and patriotic gratitude, discusses the dangers of virtue signaling, reflects on America's unique role in advancing liberty and opportunity, and responds to a CNN segment featuring Harry Enten highlighting the polling data. Plus, Todd encourages listeners to celebrate Independence Day with thankfulness for the freedoms and blessings that make America a shining city on a hill.

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, Todd examines a striking Gallup poll showing a dramatic partisan divide in national pride. Why do so many Democrats say they are not proud to be Americans while Republicans overwhelmingly express gratitude for the nation? Todd explores the difference between biblical pride and patriotic gratitude, discusses the dangers of virtue signaling, reflects on America's unique role in advancing liberty and opportunity, and responds to a CNN segment featuring Harry Enten highlighting the polling data. Plus, Todd encourages listeners to celebrate Independence Day with thankfulness for the freedoms and blessings that make America a shining city on a hill.

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It's a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God' goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It's a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you're interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at contact@gospelspice.com **Together, let's encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie welcomes Os Guinness again to explore what has made America unique in its freedom and what threatens that legacy today. They examine foundational principles, historical roots, the virtues necessary for sustaining freedom, and the challenges now facing the American experiment.America's greatness rests not only on its achievements but on its founding principles. Os Guinness stresses that neither contemporary political movements nor leaders have answered the vital question: What made America great in the first place?To steward freedom, each generation must understand, embody, and transmit the foundational ideas and virtues that made the American experiment possible. The Republic's survival—and America's blessing to the world—hangs on recovering this covenant vision.The American republic was never intended to be a pure democracy; the framers deliberately moved away from direct rule by majority, fearing the dangers of unchecked popular power. Its distinctive structure draws from ancient Hebrew ideas, especially the Exodus and Deuteronomy, rooting political liberty in biblical covenant rather than secular philosophy.Os Guinness highlights that America is “…a nation by intention and by ideas.” It means at least that:Societies must begin by shaping principles before policies; neglecting foundational ideas leads to losing the core of freedom.The American Revolution's most-cited book was Deuteronomy, not Locke or Montesquieu—emphasizing spiritual over philosophical freedom.Modern political discourse overwhelmingly focuses on policies rather than underlying principles, missing the root causes of freedom's decline.The sustainability of freedom relies on what Os Guinness calls the "Golden Triangle":Freedom requires virtueVirtue requires faithFaith requires freedomAbandoning any side of this triangle causes freedom to wither. In recent times, American society has widely dismissed the importance of virtue, attacked faith, and misunderstands freedom's true foundation. Authoritarian societies depend on fear. Free societies depend on trust, built on shared morals and character.Several virtues are essential for sustaining freedom, including:Freedom: Modeled on God's own restraint, granting humanity genuine free will.Reciprocity: Mutual responsibility and equality; its neglect enabled the tragedy of slavery.Civility: Respectful public discourse grounded in truth—now degraded in contemporary society.Morality: Freedom is a "moral accomplishment." Public life requires both the rule of law and private character; otherwise, legal structures become weapons for power rather than justice.Fidelity: The conscious passing of identity and purpose to the next generation. Education and storytelling sustain freedom.Guinness cautions that America's crisis is not only external (the "wolves at the door") but internal—moral decay ("the termites in the floor") is often the greater danger.Failure to transmit and sustain these virtues can render America's freedom a "byword" rather than a "city on a hill". As the nation nears its 250th anniversary, the Republic is at a tipping point.However, Os Guinness grounds hope in the power and truth of the biblical heritage that birthed American freedom. For example,Reform and recovery are possible if Americans reembrace the core virtues and principles from Scripture.Christians, in particular, have a calling to model and advocate for these truths, showing society the way back to lasting freedom.The lesson for Christian and freedom-loving citizens is clear: freedom is not inevitable or self-perpetuating. It requires gratitude for its biblical roots, courage to exemplify truth, virtue, and responsibility, and commitment to pass these on. As Os Guinness says, our hope lies not in political maneuvering but in recovering the profound, transformative truths of the Bible as the wellspring of true liberty.MORE ABOUT OS' LATEST BOOK, "A FREEDOM LIKE NO OTHER"To renew America, we must remember what made it great in the first place.Across the ages, republics have been lost not only to enemies without, but to corrosion within. Free societies are rare. Lasting free societies are rarer still. So, what are the prospects for the American republic at the 250th anniversary of the revolution? Many citizens long to “make America great again,” but far fewer ask the deeper question: What made America great in the first place—and what kind of freedom can last? What does it mean that half a century of cultural conflict, ideological polarization, and unprincipled power has left Americans fractured, disillusioned, and tempted by extremes of chaos on one side and control on the other? And what happens when the older menace of tyranny is joined by the newer challenge of artificial intelligence—magnifying the forces that weaken truth, character, and self-government?In A Freedom Like No Other, Os Guinness offers not another round of outrage from left or right, but a constructive path forward—twelve foundational principles for restoring the Republic and renewing ordered liberty. The third in a quartet of studies on the crisis of America and the West (following Our Civilizational Moment and America Agonistes), this book is a foreign admirer's call for America's semiquincentennial to be more than celebration: a time of honest self-examination, needed correction, and national rededication. Drawing on America's Jewish and Christian roots and the covenantal vision of freedom and responsibility that shaped the Republic at its best, Guinness sets out the moral and civic architecture a free people must recover if they are to remain fit to be free.This is a book for every American who believes freedom is worth the cost, and for anyone around the world who knows the alternatives and longs for a human-friendly future.Purchase today here: https://a.co/d/06XUZLbK DISCOVER THE BOOK BEHIND THE PODCAST | "Awaken Delight" by Stephanie Rousselle"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4 isn't a poetic suggestion — it's a promise. But many believers quietly assume it doesn't really work, or it's not really possible here on earth.In Awaken Delight, Stephanie Rousselle invites you to rediscover what Scripture actually means by delight — not emotional hype, not religious performance, but a steady satisfaction rooted in who God is.Delight in God isn't a mood to manufacture; it's a relationship to receive.Through biblical theology and practical rhythms, you'll learn how communion with God reshapes suffering, quiets restless striving, and anchors your identity in something unshakable.Delighting in God isn't sentimental optimism. It's deeply rooted in Christ, Jesus.It's the quiet revolution that reshapes how we endure pain, love others, and understand our own heart.Awaken Delight is a theologically grounded spiritual formation book for thoughtful believers who feel spiritually fatigued and are ready to embrace the reality of Psalm 37:4.More at https://www.gospelspice.com/awakendelight Purchase the book, "Awaken Delight" by Stephanie Rousselle: https://a.co/d/0bqhUb5JKind words from Jennifer Rothschild, Bible teacher, Author, Speaker, Podcast Host, Founder, Fresh Grounded Faith: “Stephanie helps us awaken to and experience true delight. It is a rich mix of God's delight in you and your delight in him. This is the life you were made for, the life your soul deeply longs for. So, the table is set. Pull up a chair and let your heart sit alongside Stephanie. As your delight in God wakes up and becomes fully realized, you'll find a satisfaction in Christ that makes you want more and more.”Kind words from Amanda Jenkins, Lead creator of THE CHOSEN's literary content: "I have yet to meet another person quite as eager to intimately know Jesus as Stephanie is. Her enthusiasm for the beauty found inside a thriving relationship with her Savior is downright contagious. Indeed, Stephanie's joy and faith and commitment to growth—along with her love for really good food!—will implant themselves in the hearts of readers. Lucky readers."Kind words from Os Guinness, Theologian, Social critic, Author, The Call:  "Stephanie addresses one of the greatest needs of Christians today. Knowing God is not knowing about God, but knowing Him genuinely and with desire and delight. She does so practically and helpfully, and in a style that sparkles with a verve and joy that is distinctively French."Kind words from Pippa Gumbel, Pioneer, The Alpha Course; Author, The Bible in one year with husband Nicky: "Stephanie's love of God is inspiring and infectious. Her book is an invitation to share in that delight and to come to know God in new and wonderful ways."More at https://www.gospelspice.com/awakendelight Purchase the book, "Awaken Delight" by Stephanie Rousselle: https://a.co/d/0bqhUb5JSupport us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

As believers, Missions is not just something we do, it's who we are. We live on mission because we emulate Jesus. This series reminds us the purpose of outreach and missions but also helps us to see how God is working in and through Bethany and our mission partners. Text: Matthew 5:14-16Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.com THIS SERMON CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmshgH0JLqxzRXiEr2QktQ Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) June 28, 2026Worship Service of Bethany Baptist Church (Wendell, NC/Raleigh, NC) Come visit us in person! To learn more about our church visit: https://www.wearebethany.comFollow us on Facebook and Instagram

In today's sermon, Apostle Alfred Williams challenges believers—especially the men of Christ Faith Tabernacle—to reject distraction and embrace the call to greatness. Drawing from Nehemiah 6:3, he reminds us that every Christian has “a great work” to do, and that focus, courage and resilience are essential if we are to fulfil heaven's mandate. Using the theme “The Men Who Change Their World”, he points to Jesus Christ as the greatest example of lasting impact, while also reflecting on Moses, Joshua and Nehemiah as men whose lives reveal both the power of obedience and the danger of losing focus. Apostle then anchors the message in Matthew 5:14–16, declaring that believers are the light of the world—a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. He teaches that when our motive is right, heaven backs us; when we stop asking “what can I get?” and begin asking “what can I give?”, our light begins to shine in our homes, workplaces, churches and nation. With Isaiah 60:1 and John 8:12, the sermon becomes a call to rise, shine, seek God wholeheartedly, and serve Him with willing devotion. Don't be distracted, don't hide your light, and don't settle for less—because God has called you to stand out, build boldly, and become a man or woman who changes their world.

https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrentJoin the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) Stay up to date.In this special Lead Time conversation, Tim Ahlman sits down with Rev. Dr. Erik Ankerberg, President of Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor, and Rev. Dr. Aaron Moldenhauer, Vice President for Mission and Church Relations, for a timely conversation about Concordia Ann Arbor.This episode gives CUWAA leadership an opportunity to respond to major questions and concerns surrounding the Ann Arbor campus, including financial challenges, communication breakdowns, the City on a Hill proposal, the sale of part of the campus to the University of Michigan, and the future of Lutheran higher education.This conversation is not presented as the final word on every disputed detail, but as one important perspective in a larger and painful story that continues to matter deeply to many across the LCMS.Our hope is that this episode contributes to greater clarity, charity, repentance where needed, forgiveness, and faithful conversation as the church continues to wrestle with institutional trust, stewardship, and mission.Please listen with discernment, grace, and a desire for truth spoken in love.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org

What did Jesus really mean when He called His followers the salt of the earth and the light of the world? In this message from Matthew 5:13–16, we discover that these are far more than inspiring metaphors, they are Kingdom identities.Building on the Beatitudes, Jesus shows that true discipleship moves from inner transformation to public witness. Salt preserves, purifies, flavors, and remains distinct. Light reveals truth, gives direction, shines visibly, and ultimately points people to the glory of God.We'll also explore why Jesus says, “You are a city on a hill,” and how the Church is called to display God's Kingdom together, not merely as isolated believers, but as a transformed community whose lives reveal the King.The goal isn't influence for our name.The goal isn't good works for our reputation.The goal is that people would see the Father and glorify Him.Become part of the movement financially. Any amount helps us to reach people all around the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ because as you give, God through you!

In this episode of Zooming In, The UnPopulist's editor-in-chief, Shikha Dalmia, talks with Greg Sargent of The New Republic about whether America has truly turned against immigration—or whether Trump's 2024 victory has been badly misread. Sargent argues that the election reflected a thermostatic, economy-driven backlash rather than a durable cultural shift, and that the past year and a half of mass deportations, ethnic purges, and high-profile cases like Kilmar Abrego Garcia's has snapped majorities back toward a consensus favoring legal pathways, humane treatment, and border security—but not Stephen Miller's vision of ethnic homogeneity. Along the way, Dalmia and Sargent dig into the thwarted history of comprehensive immigration reform, why a radical minority in the GOP has repeatedly blocked it, and the split among Democrats between the "salience bros" who counsel silence on immigration and those who see an opening to win the argument on favorable terms. They examine how figures like Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Texas Senate candidate James Talarico make the connection between immigration and authoritarianism in different registers, take apart David Frum's "if liberals won't enforce borders, fascists will" thesis, and close on why both believe the country's pro-immigrant, "shining city on a hill" ethos runs deeper than the populist rage of the last decade.© The UnPopulist, 2026Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Get full access to The UnPopulist at www.theunpopulist.net/subscribe

This week, we continued our series, The Church, with a message from one of our Elders, Ben Owliaie, on what it means to be a city on a hill. As the Church, we're called to reflect Jesus brightly and clearly to the world around us. In a culture marked by cynicism, we have the opportunity to stand out by remaining faithful and pointing people to the hope found in Him.

Chuck Todd reacts to Tuesday's elections and what the fallout means for both parties. Then he discusses the latest on the US-Iran deal and why it's already a failure for the Trump administration, and why the Kennedy Center and White House ballroom drama signals the beginning of the end for the Trump era. Plus, he discusses the most underreported story of the week.Then historian Dominic Erdozain — author of To Love a Country — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a deeply thoughtful conversation about the difference between Americanism and the actual promise of America, and what it means to love a country honestly rather than mythologically. Erdozain argues that Joe Biden's "this is not who we are" framing of Trump-era nationalism was simply not accurate — the darker currents in American life are very much part of who we've always been, and pretending otherwise makes them harder to confront. He pushes back hard on the version of American exceptionalism that requires looking down on others, noting that while America was a genuine pioneer of democracy, it was painfully slow on feminism and racial equality, and that democracy itself can become a hollow shell for something tyrannical when it's imposed rather than consented to. Erdozain offers a fascinating historical excavation of how the South's distinct identity was forged by the Civil War, why that war seeded the worst possible conditions for Black freedom, and how Germany managed to avoid the "lost cause" mythology that still poisons American politics. He even takes aim at the Gettysburg Address — arguing its soaring language was later weaponized to justify wars it was never meant to bless, and that the enduring American myth that unity comes through blood and conflict is a dangerous one.The conversation broadens into a sweeping meditation on patriotism, war, and historical memory. Erdozain observes that today's reviled "elites" are essentially the "Yankees" of the 19th century in the Southern imagination, that the greatest war hawks tend to be people who never actually fought, and that America still hasn't reckoned with how profoundly 9/11 changed its society — pointing out that the people who championed the Iraq war have never been ostracized for it. He reflects on John F. Kennedy's hard-won realization that weapons alone were never the true guarantor of American security and Kennedy's deliberate effort to dampen American hatred of the Soviets, contrasts that with the "peace through strength" mantra of the Reagan era, and warns about the very real danger of a proxy conflict spiraling out of Ukraine. Erdozain argues that the "city on a hill" mentality, however flattering, inevitably curdles into nationalism — and that whenever a country fully embraces nationalism, someone always loses their freedom. But his book isn't a counsel of despair: he makes the case that America's singular ability to assimilate immigrants is one of its true superpowers, and that genuine patriotism means challenging the country to actually live up to the ideals it committed to paper. His closing pitch for why both a liberal and a conservative should read the book is the heart of the whole conversation — loving a country, like loving a person, means holding it to its highest self rather than excusing its worst instincts.Finally, Chuck gives his Top 5 most overlooked races and then, in "Ask Chuck", he answers your questions about the U.S.-Iran situation and sports playoff systems. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 01:42 Election reaction 12:22 Failure for Trump in Iran 23:59 Beginning of end of Trump era 36:11 Week's most underreported story 49:13 Dominic Erdozain (To Love A Country) joins The Chuck ToddCast 51:13 Americanism vs. the promise of America 52:13 America’s founders believed in John Locke’s natural rights 53:28 2016 was traumatic between Brexit & election of Trump 54:28 Biden’s “This is not who we are” framing of nationalism wasn’t accurate 55:28 American exceptionalism can’t come with looking down on others 57:13 America is a pioneer democracy but slow on feminism & racial equality 58:28 Democracy can’t be imposed on others, it requires consent 59:43 Democracy can become a shell for something tyrannical 1:00:58 America’s “southern identity” was created by the civil war 1:01:43 The civil war seeded worst possible grounds for black freedom 1:02:43 How did Germany avoid “lost cause” mentality seen in American south? 1:03:58 What the Gettysburg address got wrong 1:04:58 The language of the address was used to justify many other wars 1:05:58 The myth is that unity comes through blood and conflict 1:06:43 Today’s “elites” are basically the “Yankees” of the 19th century 1:08:13 A civil society is one that’s in a state of peace 1:09:28 Avoiding a cult mentality when professing love of country 1:11:13 When a country embraces nationalism, someone loses freedoms 1:13:43 Accounts of history tend to be infused with the authors biases 1:15:43 The “patriotic myth” infused into cold war & Iraq war mythology 1:16:28 We create new myths to tell stories about ourselves 1:17:58 Kennedy tried to dampen down hatred of the Soviets 1:20:13 Greatest war hawks tend to be people who never fought 1:21:28 We haven’t reckoned with the changes to American society post 9/11 1:22:58 The people who championed Iraq war haven’t been ostracized 1:24:58 JFK realized that weapons weren’t the guarantor of American security 1:26:43 America’s projection of soft power wasn’t purely altruistic 1:28:13 What does Reagan’s “peace through strength” mantra mean to you? 1:29:58 Fear the development of a proxy war that spirals out of Ukraine 1:32:13 The “city on a hill” mentality will lead to nationalism 1:35:13 America’s ability to assimilate immigrants is one of its superpowers 1:36:28 Book is challenging Americans to live up to the ideals we put on paper 1:37:58 Why should a liberal and a conservative read this book? 1:43:50 - Top 5 Most Underrated Races 1:53:23 - Ask ChuckSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Historian Dominic Erdozain — author of To Love a Country — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a deeply thoughtful conversation about the difference between Americanism and the actual promise of America, and what it means to love a country honestly rather than mythologically. Erdozain argues that Joe Biden's "this is not who we are" framing of Trump-era nationalism was simply not accurate — the darker currents in American life are very much part of who we've always been, and pretending otherwise makes them harder to confront. He pushes back hard on the version of American exceptionalism that requires looking down on others, noting that while America was a genuine pioneer of democracy, it was painfully slow on feminism and racial equality, and that democracy itself can become a hollow shell for something tyrannical when it's imposed rather than consented to. Erdozain offers a fascinating historical excavation of how the South's distinct identity was forged by the Civil War, why that war seeded the worst possible conditions for Black freedom, and how Germany managed to avoid the "lost cause" mythology that still poisons American politics. He even takes aim at the Gettysburg Address — arguing its soaring language was later weaponized to justify wars it was never meant to bless, and that the enduring American myth that unity comes through blood and conflict is a dangerous one. The conversation broadens into a sweeping meditation on patriotism, war, and historical memory. Erdozain observes that today's reviled "elites" are essentially the "Yankees" of the 19th century in the Southern imagination, that the greatest war hawks tend to be people who never actually fought, and that America still hasn't reckoned with how profoundly 9/11 changed its society — pointing out that the people who championed the Iraq war have never been ostracized for it. He reflects on John F. Kennedy's hard-won realization that weapons alone were never the true guarantor of American security and Kennedy's deliberate effort to dampen American hatred of the Soviets, contrasts that with the "peace through strength" mantra of the Reagan era, and warns about the very real danger of a proxy conflict spiraling out of Ukraine. Erdozain argues that the "city on a hill" mentality, however flattering, inevitably curdles into nationalism — and that whenever a country fully embraces nationalism, someone always loses their freedom. But his book isn't a counsel of despair: he makes the case that America's singular ability to assimilate immigrants is one of its true superpowers, and that genuine patriotism means challenging the country to actually live up to the ideals it committed to paper. His closing pitch for why both a liberal and a conservative should read the book is the heart of the whole conversation — loving a country, like loving a person, means holding it to its highest self rather than excusing its worst instincts. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 01:46 Dominic Erdozain (To Love A Country) joins The Chuck ToddCast 03:46 Americanism vs. the promise of America 04:46 America’s founders believed in John Locke’s natural rights 06:01 2016 was traumatic between Brexit & election of Trump 07:01 Biden’s “This is not who we are” framing of nationalism wasn’t accurate 08:01 American exceptionalism can’t come with looking down on others 09:46 America is a pioneer democracy but slow on feminism & racial equality 11:01 Democracy can’t be imposed on others, it requires consent 12:16 Democracy can become a shell for something tyrannical 13:31 America’s “southern identity” was created by the civil war 14:16 The civil war seeded worst possible grounds for black freedom 15:16 How did Germany avoid “lost cause” mentality seen in American south? 16:31 What the Gettysburg address got wrong 17:31 The language of the address was used to justify many other wars 18:31 The myth is that unity comes through blood and conflict 19:16 Today’s “elites” are basically the “Yankees” of the 19th century 20:46 A civil society is one that’s in a state of peace 22:01 Avoiding a cult mentality when professing love of country 23:46 When a country embraces nationalism, someone loses freedoms 26:16 Accounts of history tend to be infused with the authors biases 28:16 The “patriotic myth” infused into cold war & Iraq war mythology 29:01 We create new myths to tell stories about ourselves 30:31 Kennedy tried to dampen down hatred of the soviets 32:46 Greatest war hawks tend to be people who never fought 34:01 We haven’t reckoned with the changes to American society post 9/11 35:31 The people who championed Iraq war haven’t been ostracized 37:31 JFK realized that weapons weren’t the guarantor of American security 39:16 America’s projection of soft power wasn’t purely altruistic 40:46 What does Reagan’s “peace through strength” mantra mean to you? 42:31 Fear the development of a proxy war that spirals out of Ukraine 44:46 The “city on a hill” mentality will lead to nationalism 47:46 America’s ability to assimilate immigrants is one of its superpowers 49:01 Book is challenging Americans to live up to the ideals we put on paper 50:31 Why should a liberal and a conservative read this book?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send me a Text Message!This episode is going to hit on a few of my favorite themes, calling, travailing prayer, revival, finishing well, and God's desire to do a new thing. You know I have found over and over again, that it's difficult, to finish well, if we aren't willing to lean into new things. And it's almost impossible to lean into new things, without being done with the old things. So my question is, "Are we done with the old things?" As a church are we done with the old things? I long to see the church shine bright like a city on a hill. I long for us to be known as the hands and heart of Christ. I still believe that the church that Jesus is building is the hope of the world. I want to be part of that church and I'm praying for that church to be done with old things. Do you know what the Bible calls being done with old things? It's called repentance. That's where we will end this episode, with a call to repentance. 

As we wrap up our City on a Hill series, we tackle an essential question: What motivates our outreach?Many people care, but not everyone acts. While guilt, religious duty, and judgment can all produce temporary action, none of them reflect the heart of Jesus. In Matthew 9, we see that Jesus was moved by compassion—a deep, inward mercy that saw people, understood their condition, and moved toward them in love.This episode explores why compassion is the necessary fuel for healthy outreach and how believers can become people who don't just talk about loving others, but consistently live it out.A city on a hill isn't bright because it's impressive. It's bright because it burns with the compassion of Christ.

Pastor Paul started a new series this week, "Faith of our Fathers," to coincide with the 250th anniversary of America. For 8 weeks he will be preaching sermons from the Great Awakening and the Revolutionary Era. In this sermon he expounded on the history leading up to the Revolutionary War and how clergy and biblical truths set the foundation for a new country being formed.

“We must perpetrate the paradox that our American cultural tradition lies in the future.” — Randolph Bourne, via Dominic Erdozain Should Americans be proud of their country? The Anglo-American historian Dominic Erdozain thinks not. His new book, To Love a Country, argues that there's a problem with American patriotism. Americans shouldn't love their country, Erdozain says. It's not a good place. His argument is that American patriotism has the same Puritan root as British imperialism. The idea of a chosen people, a city on the hill, a nation with a special mission is a kind of moral virus. He says it infected America in the great awakenings of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and has provided moral cover for slavery, military aggression abroad, and the denial of rights at home. So what America needs, he argues, is a new set of foundational myths laid out by progressives like Jane Addams, Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison and Martin Luther King Jr. This would establish a new kind of American patriotism which is forward-looking and internationalist rather than nativist or exceptionalist. Erdozain even gives Gandhi a shoutout as a model of American patriotism, although one wonders what the Indian pacifist would have made of this. So what will the Atlanta-based Erdozain be doing on July 4? Hiding under his bed, perhaps, rather than enjoying the hotdogs and fireworks. In hiding from hundreds of millions of patriotic Americans. Five Takeaways •       The Puritan Root of American Exceptionalism: The idea of America as a chosen people, a city on a hill with a special mission to the world, was not invented in America. It was inherited from English Puritanism. As it spread through the first and second great awakenings of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries — what some scholars call the New Englandization of America — it became the canopy under which very different kinds of people sheltered. You didn't have to be a Puritan in any theological sense. You just had to accept the premise that America was righteously exceptional. And once you accepted that, a great deal of scrutiny became unavailable. •       Nationalism Is Immune to Failure: One of Erdozain's sharpest observations, via historian Lindsey O'Rourke's work on American interventionism: nationalism can absorb any amount of failure. The defeat in Vietnam, the disaster of Iraq, the failure of Afghanistan — a certain kind of nationalism insulates itself from the lessons these events might teach. It's always someone else's fault. It's always a particular administration's failure, never the national premise. This makes exceptionalism uniquely resistant to the ordinary mechanism of democratic accountability. •       Randolph Bourne and the Patriotism of the Future: Erdozain's most original historical recovery: Randolph Bourne, a radical journalist writing during the First World War, who argued that nativism and nationalism were European imports, backward-looking and derivative. Bourne's phrase: “we must perpetrate the paradox that our American cultural tradition lies in the future.” A patriotism faithful to the diversity of modern America — its bustling pluralism, its immigrant energy — cannot be built by looking backward to the founders. It must be built by looking forward to the founders we have not yet had. •       Alternative Founders: Addams, Douglass, Garrison, King: Erdozain proposes replacing — or at least supplementing — the canonical founders with a different cast. Jane Addams, who said the question is not what can we teach the bewildered immigrant but what can we learn from them. Frederick Douglass, who held America to account for its foundational promises. William Lloyd Garrison, the abolitionist. Martin Luther King Jr., who went to India to learn about nonviolence from Gandhi. These are the people, Erdozain argues, who offer a patriotism adequate to the diversity and complexity of twenty-first century America. •       JFK's Strategy of Peace: The Possibility of Reinvention: Erdozain ends the book with Kennedy's strategy of peace speech at American University in June 1963 — two months before his assassination. By then, Kennedy had come to believe that the impetus for war was coming from within his own country, from his own military and CIA, not from the Soviets. His speech — conceding nothing to communism as an ideology, but immensely generous about the Russian people and about Khrushchev as a leader — is Erdozain's model for what reinvention looks like. The Bay of Pigs taught him something. By the end, he was talking about Vietnam as not America's fight. Lessons can be learned, even in office, even at the last moment. About the Guest Dominic Erdozain is a historian and writer, graduate of Oxford and Cambridge, and visiting professor of history at Emory University in Atlanta. He is the author of To Love a Country: The Problem of Patriotism in America (Crown, June 2, 2026) and One Nation Under Guns. He grew up in Preston, Lancashire, supports Liverpool FC, and lives in Atlanta, Georgia. References: •       To Love a Country: The Problem of Patriotism in America by Dominic Erdozain (Crown, June 2, 2026). •       Randolph Bourne — radical journalist and critic of American nationalism during the First World War. His phrase “our American cultural tradition lies in the future” is the book's central provocation. •       Jane Addams — co-founder of Hull House, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Referenced as an alternative founder. •       JFK's Strategy of Peace speech, American University, June 10, 1963 — the closing argument of the book. •       Episode 2922: Alexandra Natapoff on America Unfinished — directly referenced at the opening. •       Episode 2923: Joe Cunningham on Life of the Party — directly referenced at the opening. About Keen On America Nobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States — hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 2,900 episodes since the show launched on TechCrunch in 2010, Keen On America is the most prolific intellectual interview show in the history of podcasting. WebsiteSubstackYouTube

J.John sits down with Peter Anderson, Lead Pastor of City on a Hill Church in Edinburgh, to explore the journey of building a church from humble beginnings to a thriving, multi-community movement. Starting with just 30 members after four years, Peter shares how City on a Hill has since grown to reach hundreds across seven communities. In this honest and inspiring conversation, he reflects on the tension of holding onto a big vision while facing the challenges of a small reality. Peter also opens up about the powerful culture of prayer among church leaders in Edinburgh and what it looks like to witness signs of a spiritual awakening across Scotland today. If you've ever wrestled with slow progress, big dreams, or staying faithful in the early stages, this conversation will encourage and challenge you.--Follow Peter Anderson on Instagram: @peteedinburgh.Visit the church website: cityonahill.org.uk.Find his book 'Foundations' at https://amzn.eu/d/0bTYOZ6X

Many people say they are "members" of their church. But at Cultivate we aren't members, we are partners. Membership says "this is what I get." Partnership says "this is what I give." We are all living life on purpose to make a difference in the lives of others.In this message we see how Jesus taught and lives this principle.

Chris Cuomo lays out the analogy he says explains this entire political moment: Ronald Reagan was Superman, and Donald Trump is Bizarro — the dark, distorted mirror image selling the same thing with none of the charm. Trump isn't original, Cuomo argues. He's running Reagan's playbook with all of the darkness and none of the optimism. Cuomo breaks down the structural parallels: the same supply-side economics, the same trickle-down promises that have never worked, and the same explosion of national debt — Reagan blew it up first, and under Trump the debt has now passed GDP for the first time in history. Where Reagan sold a shining city on a hill and played to the better angels, Trump sells anger, destruction, and outrage. Same pitch, opposite delivery — and Cuomo argues it's failing the same way it did in the Reagan midterms of 1982 and 1986. Drawing on his own family history — his father, Mario Cuomo, was the Democratic Party's most powerful answer to Reagan — Chris makes the case that the left won't beat Trump by matching MAGA's anger. The only thing that worked then and works now is being about better: better policies, real ideas on the chip economy, worker training, and small business, not just pointing out that the other side is corrupt. Join The Chris Cuomo Project on YouTube for ad-free episodes, early releases, exclusive access to Chris, and more: https://www.youtube.com/@chriscuomo/join Follow and subscribe to The Chris Cuomo Project on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday: https://linktr.ee/cuomoproject NOBL gives you real travel peace of mind — security, design, and convenience all in one. Head to https://NOBLTravel.com for 46% off your entire order! #NOBL #ad Get 15% off OneSkin with the code CUOMO at https://www.oneskin.co/cuomo #oneskinpod #news #trump #politics #reagan #gop #republican #democrat #cuomo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Patrick begins with Father James Brent’s encouragement to absorb and ponder Scripture deeply, then reflects on scientific studies about animal intelligence, particularly why apes never ask questions while even young children do which raises profound questions about the soul. Patrick brings in Chris Pratt’s outspoken faith and Marco Rubio’s deep assessment of the Catholic Church’s impact on American history, weaving together spiritual insight, real-life questions, and public witness in unexpected, sometimes even joyful bursts. Audio: As we receive the word of God with our faith, our souls come alive with Fr. James Brent - https://x.com/dominicanfriars/status/2054689776645677258?s=46 (01:14) Apes don’t ask questions - https://x.com/anishmoonka/status/2054558279775240554 (07:13) Martin (11-years-old) - What does this verse from Matthew mean where nations rise against nations? (09:07) Audio: Chris Pratt “you take a risk being vocal” Matthew 5:14 — “A city on a hill cannot be hidden” - https://x.com/newstart_2024/status/2056479303370490228?s=46 (16:01) Audio: Marco Rubio on the Catholic Church in America - https://x.com/Sachinettiyil/status/2053609739716632987?s=46 (22:44) Daniel (13-years-old) - My teacher said there is no sin that God can't forgive. I always thought that it was blasphemy against the Holy Spirit that could not be forgiven. (29:58) Patrick reads and responds to an email from a daughter who has been put in a precarious position (37:57) Deacon Mike (email) - A young mother wants to baptize her child but her anti-Catholic, Protestant husband is very much against it. I’m unsure how to advise her. (45:46)

Why are you here? Why now? Why has God placed you in this specific community, city, workplace, family, and season?In this message, we talk about what it means to resolve our location theologically. Through Acts 17, Jeremiah 29, and Matthew 5, we see that God is intentional about where and when we live. Our community is not an accident — it is an assignment.Jesus calls His people salt and light, meaning we are called to proximity, presence, and visibility. We cannot influence people we refuse to be around, and we are not called to hide the light of Christ in us. As followers of Jesus, we allow people to taste and see that the Lord is good through proximity, and we generate visibility for Jesus by reflecting His light.

There's a difference between hearing a sermon and receiving a message. A sermon is something you sit through. A message is something God speaks directly into your life. It's when the living Word of God reaches past information and into transformation. It reshapes how we live, how we love, how we lead, how we parent, how we speak, and how we walk with Him every day.In this message we discover the personal power of God's Word.

In the premiere episode of season five of Our Seven Neighbors: Religion and Resistance in America, host Reza Aslan joins historian and Smithsonian curator Peter Manseau for a sweeping conversation about the real history of religious freedom in the United States. Together, they dismantle the comforting myth that America was founded as a uniformly Christian nation devoted to liberty for all, revealing instead a far more contested and complicated story. From Puritan theocracy and the execution of Quakers to the struggles of Jews, Muslims, Native peoples, and enslaved Africans for recognition and belonging, the episode explores how pluralism in America was not gifted from above, but forged through centuries of conflict, resistance, and negotiation. Drawing on Manseau's landmark work One Nation, Under Gods, the discussion reframes American religious history as a living, unfinished struggle over who counts, whose beliefs matter, and what freedom truly means in a diverse democracy. Aslan and Manseau examine the enduring power of myths like the “city on a hill,” the dangers of Christian nationalism, and the ongoing fight to widen the circle of belonging in American life. At a moment when religious diversity and democratic pluralism are once again under pressure, this episode offers a powerful reminder that the American experiment has always depended on people willing to challenge exclusion and insist that the story is bigger than any one faith, nation, or identity. Subscribe to O7N: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/our-7-neighbors-religion-and-resistance-in-america/id1511771313 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gaius and Germanicus debate in their favorite wine bar by the Thames, in Londinium, Spring 92 AD. This segment critiques the "Redeemer Nation" myth, which portrays America as a divinely appointed "city on a hill" tasked with saving humanity. While this vision was cemented following World War II, the hosts argue it is now an "inappropriate myth" for a nation that has moved closer to the original Roman model of "might makes right." Over the last 25 years, the U.S. is seen as having abandoned its role as a "wellspring of good" in favor of "Roman imperial fiat," using a "gossamer curtain of altruism" to mask the forced bringing of nations to heel. The hosts list a series of failed interventions—including Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya—that have resulted in millions of deaths and degraded America's remaining moral authority. They conclude that the idea of American redemption is now a "lie that is no longer sustainable," as the world recognizes the disconnect between the nation's rhetoric and its actions. The episode ends with a stark depiction of the "emperor" lecturing children on the "madness of Iran" while appearing physically diminished and disconnected from reality, suggesting that the U.S. has become the very tyrannical force it once sought to liberate the world from. (3/3)1793 VIRGIL READING THE AENEID TO AUGUSTUS

Visitors drop in unannounced, uninvited, and unprepared for. But guests are planned and prepared for. We live with the anticipation of serving others and bringing them to Christ. In this message we discover how Jesus welcomed those around Him and how we can too.

It's time to do a tribute to yet another key STAR WARS TV show music composer: Kevin Kiner (Ahsoka and the many cartoon shows).   Outside of this, you get to hear an interview clip during this minisode and I guarantee you'll dig his persona instantly.   His movie work includes: Leprechaun, Freaked, Safe House (1998), Tremors 3 and Samaritan (2022) as well as various Roger Corman and Chuck Norris projects.   His TV credits include: Stargate SG-1, SyFy's The Invisible Man, Star Trek: Enterprise, CSI: Miami, Hell on Wheels, Transformers: Robots in Disguise, Narcos: Mexico, City on a Hill, Doom Patrol, Dark Winds & Peacemaker.   Aside from the James Bond videogames, I get to briefly touch on what makes his sound different from other composers of late!       INTERVIEW CLIP:  Gold Derby interview on May 10, 2024     MUSIC USED:  "Undaunted" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Spouting Off with Karen Kataline Defending the American Experiment: History, Populism, and Navigating the New American Populism: Historical Reverence, and the Specter of Antisemitism Guests, Jeffrey Lord: Former Reagan Associate Director & Sal Litvack: Director, "Guns & Moses" This episode of the Alan Nathan All Stars features in-depth discussions with Jeffrey Lord and Salvador Litvack regarding the erosion of historical literacy and the resurgence of antisemitism in American politics. The guests explore the parallels between current social shifts and historical precedents, emphasizing the necessity of civic vigilance and the enduring importance of the U.S.-Israel alliance. Historical Literacy and the Roots of American Dissent Jeffrey Lord emphasizes that a lack of historical knowledge among Americans has contributed to the current political predicament, specifically the rise of socialist and communist ideologies. He traces the American tradition of dissent back to the Pilgrims and the Mayflower Compact, noting that the original settlers were "separatists" seeking to escape the religious and political overreach of King James I. Lord argues that without a reverence for this history, citizens are more susceptible to "left-wing" revisions of the American story, which he believes led to the election of radical figures like the current leadership in New York City. The Reagan Legacy and the Art of Negotiation Drawing from his experience in the Reagan administration, Lord recounts the 1986 Reykjavik summit between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. He highlights Reagan's background as a labor union negotiator, which gave him the resolve to walk away from the table when Gorbachev demanded the abandonment of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). This "walk-away" tactic eventually forced the Soviet Union to return to the table a year later to sign the treaty on Reagan's terms. Lord uses this as a template for how American leaders should handle ideological adversaries: through strength and the clarity of "saying yes" to fundamental principles. Confronting Antisemitism on the Political Right A significant portion of the dialogue focuses on the internal fractures within the conservative movement, specifically regarding antisemitism. Lord defends Mark Levin's recent criticisms of Tucker Carlson, echoing Levin's sentiment that "if you're a Jew hater, you're a Christian hater." The discussion highlights a disturbing trend of "replacement theology" and the scapegoating of Israel. Lord shares his personal observations from a recent trip to Jerusalem, noting that the historical depth of the region—dating back thousands of years—should inform a more serious and respectful American foreign policy. Jewish Resilience and the "Guns & Moses" Philosophy Salvador "Sal" Litvack, director of the thriller Guns & Moses, discusses the historical cycle of Jewish persecution and the necessity of self-defense. He challenges the "victim-blaming" narrative often used against Jewish communities, pointing out that countries historically thrived when they welcomed Jews and declined after expelling them. Litvack critiques the recent interview between Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes, arguing that Fuentes uses "80% truth" about American populism to Trojan-horse "irrational" and "dangerous" antisemitic conclusions. He advocates for active community protection, noting that he now carries a firearm in synagogue as part of a trained volunteer security force. The Geopolitical Importance of Israel The guests conclude by addressing the secular and strategic benefits of the U.S.-Israel relationship. Litvack dismisses the narrative that the alliance is one-sided, citing Israel's contributions in intelligence sharing, military technology, and as a stable democratic ally in an unstable region. They warn that the "mob" mentality seen in recent protests outside New York synagogues is a symptom of a broader "Arab Spring in America" that threatens the social fabric of the country. The episode serves as a stark warning about the consequences of historical amnesia. By connecting the dots between the Pilgrims, the Cold War, and modern-day antisemitism, the guests argue that the "American Experiment" is under threat from both external radicalism and internal division. The consensus remains that only through a combination of historical reverence, strategic alliances, and the courage to stand against "rabid" ideologies can the "shining city on a hill" be preserved.

At Cultivate you will hear us talk about a Sunday Experience rather than a Sunday Service. It's not about semantics, but intention. Our heart is to create experiences where people not only hear about Jesus, but experience Him. In this message we discover how we live this out.

Children of Light Ben McEachernEphesians  5:8-16  Once again, it all comes down to our identity in Christ. How do we think about ourselves? What do we understand God's purpose for us to be? Jesus said that when we follow Him we are the light of the world, a city on a hill that can't be hidden. The Jesus way is a lifestyle that reveals Jesus to the world. This week we learn how to be children of light. #NorthRidge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#Jesus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#churchonline⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ WELCOME PAD / MY RESPONSE -- Use this link to respond to the sermon, request prayer, or to give tithe/offerings online: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://northridgefellowship.churchce...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠I'M SAYING YES TO JESUS!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://northridgefellowship.churchce...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MORE SERVICE INFO AND INTERACTION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://northridgefellowship.org/watch/⁠

Shocking Security Failures in the Attempted Trump Assassination Attempt, Deep State? Eric Metaxas and John Zmirak. The Theory of Everything Documentary, American Revolution Book Shocking Security Failures in the Attempted Trump Assassination Attempt Eric's New Book on the American Revolution New Documentary ‘The Theory of Everything' Today On The Eric Metaxas Show, Eric talks with John Zmirak about the latest attempt on President Trump's life, the shocking security failures, Tommy Robinson, the rise of political violence, and why parts of the left now seem to justify violence against their enemies. They also discuss Eric's new book on the American Revolution, the difference between America's founding and the French Revolution, and why Darwinian materialism leaves young people vulnerable to destructive ideologies. The Eric Metaxas Show John Zmirak   Apr 29 2026   Subscribe for clips from The Eric Metaxas Show to hear politics and culture from a Christian perspective.⭐ PRE-ORDER TODAY:Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World

Also --  JT & Looney talk NBA playoffs, NHL Playoffs, Boxing and "waking up and enjoying life rather than raging about politics."  PLUS -- JT describes the city of Los Angeles as "chaos" as LA-DEE-DAH Looney looks out the window and describes LA as "a shining city on a hill." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Matthew 5 | George Wright

A storm-tossed servant nearly vanishes into the Atlantic but ends up shaping the future of the United States.  This is the dramatic saga of the Mayflower — the persecution that drove the Pilgrims from England, their nightmare crossing of the Atlantic, and the fragile pact that held their fractured community together.  You'll meet Squanto, whose astonishing journey across continents becomes the colony's lifeline, and follow the rise of the Puritans, the clash of empires, and the eruption of King Philip's War, one of the bloodiest conflicts in American history.  This unlikely story of faith and resilience traces how one tiny ship's journey forever alters a continent. GLENN'S SPONSORS: Relief Factor: If you're living with aches and pains, see how Relief Factor, a daily drug-free supplement, could help you feel better and live better. Try the three-week QuickStart for just $19.95 by visiting ⁠⁠https://ReliefFactor.com⁠⁠. American Financing: American Financing can show you how to put your hard-earned equity to work and get you out of debt. Dial 800-906-2440, or visit https://www.americanfinancing.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christian hope found in the American spirit.  __________ Applications for next year's class are now open, and you can learn more at colsonfellows.org.

In this week's episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared reflect on ten years and over 400 episodes of the podcast, revisiting what they thought they were doing and what they now see more clearly in hindsight. They explore themes that have emerged along the way, including the shift from certainty to wisdom in reading the Bible and the move from information to personal and communal formation. They also discuss how these conversations have been shaped by a wider range of voices and why engaging the Bible calls for ongoing discernment rather than fixed answers, inviting listeners to rethink what the Bible is for today. Show Notes → thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/episode-324-pete-enns-and-jared-byas-a-city-on-a-hill-a-ten-year-retrospective Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/zMia-yKjnN0 ********** This episode is sponsored by Factor. Head to factormeals.com/normalpeople50off and use code normalpeople50off to get 50 percent off and free breakfast for a year. Eat like a pro this month with Factor. New subscribers only, varies by plan. 1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year while subscription is active. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How often do we stop and really think about the presence of God? This week on The Bible Study Hour with Dr. James Boice, we'll continue our study of the Psalms with Psalm 48, which speaks of the splendor and beauty of Jerusalem, a shining city on a hill. But what's so great about Jerusalem? Is it location, buildings, or maybe even the people? To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/81/29?v=20251111

In this message from New Vision Church, we are reminded that Jesus calls His followers a “city on a hill”—a visible, collective light meant to shine in a dark world.This is not about standing out individually, but about living together in such a way that the world sees something different.Through practical teaching and real-life examples, this sermon explores what it means to live:intentionallyincarnationallyinvitationallyAs believers, we are not the source of the light—God is.But when we live surrendered to Him, His light becomes visible through us.

Acts 17 shows the gospel as a moral earthquake, upsetting the ancient world and turning it "upside down." Today many judge Christianity by the very moral instincts Christianity itself created. In this message we will trace how the risen Christ reshaped history through His Spirit-filled people, and why America needs not a political reset but a spiritual revival that begins in the heart and shines into the world like a city on a hill.Time:EveningMinister:Rev. T. R. KernTexts:Acts 17:1–9Matthew 5:14–16Heidelberg Catechism: Lord's Day 32Series:Apologetics

In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus uses two powerful metaphors to describe the role of Christians in the world: salt and light. Speaking to a crowd of broken, marginalized people that society had written off, Jesus declared they were the answer to the world's problems of moral decay and spiritual darkness. As salt of the earth, Christians serve as preserving agents in a morally decaying world. Just as salt prevents food from spoiling, believers are called to slow moral drift and oppose corruption while adding flavor and hope to life. However, Jesus warns that salt can lose its effectiveness when it becomes mixed with worldly influences, losing its distinctive preserving power. Christians lose their saltiness when they blend so thoroughly with the surrounding culture that they become indistinguishable from non-believers. As the light of the world, Christians reflect Christ's illumination through consistent good works done for God's glory. Jesus uses two images: a city on a hill representing the corporate witness of the church community, and a lamp on a stand representing individual believers. The goal isn't performative religion but a genuine lifestyle that demonstrates God's love and concern for others. People should see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven. This requires avoiding two extremes: the monastery model of complete withdrawal from the world, and the mirror model of blending in so completely that no distinction remains. Instead, Jesus calls for presence with distinction - being in the world but not of it, penetrating decay without becoming corrupt.

Time to roll the dice for a...silliness check? It's an all new episode of Geek at Arms! From the City on a Hill gaming podcast we welcome good friend of the show Ryan! He kicks off Geek Out by sharing a profound philosophical truth: Any Lego set can be the Millennium Falcon if you just believe hard enough. He also shares his experience with the new Nintendo Switch 2. Bryan follows up with his thoughts on the factory building game Satisfaction and the final season of Stranger Things. James shares how much unexpected pleasure he's found in the game Hunting Simulator 2 and his plans for upcoming game nights at his church. Mike wraps it up with describing how much he's enjoyed the book, and audio book, of Space Opera by Catherynne Morgan Valente. In the main topic, the guys take "a serious look at silliness" in roleplaying games. How it can be a fun experience, the dangers of it taking over a game, and how it can positively impact mental health.

Send me a Text Message!We've been settling for the false finish lines of comfort and control. We've been settling for false finish lines of politics and the economy. I have no faith in politics to bring us glory. That's not our finish line. In fact, filling up church buildings on a Sunday morning is a false finish line.  But I have found over and over again, that it's difficult, if not impossible to lean into new things without being done with the old things. So my question is  Are we done with the old things?  Are we ready to run to the true goal, the finish line of Christ?I long to see the church shine bright like a city on a hill. I long for us to be known as the hands & heart of Christ. I still believe that the church that Jesus is building is the hope of the world. I want to be part of that church. But to be that church some old things need to die and get planted. What in you needs to die and get planted?   praying for that church to be done with old things. What if God wants to do a new thing in our day, but he's just waiting for us to give up some old things?

In this sermon by TJ, the central message revolves around Jesus' declaration that "You are the light of the world." TJ reflects on how this proclamation, originally spoken to a diverse crowd of ordinary people—fishermen, farmers, tax collectors, and others—was radical in its inclusivity. Rather than singling out just the elite or spiritually gifted, Jesus affirms that every individual has a significant purpose to fulfill as a bearer of God's light. TJ uses the illustration of a city on a hill and a lamp on a stand to emphasize that the light we have is not for our own benefit, but to illuminate and guide others. The sermon traces biblical history—Jesus calling the first disciples, teaching on the hillsides of Galilee, referencing the broader ministry of the early church—and connects these moments to our calling today. TJ draws parallels to various examples of "letting your light shine," such as individuals using their gifts in music and service, mission work in Guatemala, and local acts of compassion. The story of Louis Braille is shared to show how persistent acts of goodness, even those not immediately recognized, can bring light to many. The message also acknowledges the church's imperfections but assures listeners that God has not given up on them. The deeper point is that the "light of Christ" is a gift meant to be shared; our task is to point others to Jesus, not to draw attention to ourselves. TJ concludes with an anecdote about Mother Teresa, illustrating that the ultimate gift we offer is simply Jesus Himself. The sermon encourages believers to find ways small and large—through a smile, a listening ear, a helping hand—to reflect Christ's light in their everyday sphere of influence. It closes with a prayer for God's help to fulfill this calling, so that all glory returns to Him.

America right now is a county that no one wants to come to, vacation in, go to school in, work in, invest in, do business with, or become a citizen of. America right now is a country people fear and are disappointed in and disgusted with. MAGA, MAGA. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

King Jesus had an incredible plan, it wasn't to save us from the world but for the world. He has this incredible idea that He will dwell in us as His temple and that collectively we would be built together as a multitude of temples...a city on a hill...the light of the world.

As we continue to walk with the Children of Israel, today we turn to Joshua 6 and the Fall of Jericho. While the events of this chapter are straightforward, the spiritual and practical gems of this chapter are rich and numerous. Join us as we mine out key principles of God's Word! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    Jericho was a well-fortified city on a hill. In normal conditions, it was safe and secure. However, what does verse 1 tell us about the state of the city? What does this show us about their perspective of the threat of the Jews? 2.    What did the Lord promise in verse 2? What did the Lord tell Joshua to have the people do in verses 3-5? How did the Lord's promise in verse 2 make sense of the Lord's instructions in verses 3-5? 3.    How does verse 8 describe the people's obedience? What does this show us about the mindset and perspective of the people? How was their obedience different from the mindset and perspective of the previous generation that failed to enter the Promised Land? 4.    What happened when the people marched around the city for 6 days and then seven times on the 7th day? What did they do to the entire city in verse 24? How was this in obedience to the Lord's instructions in verses 17-19? Why did everything belong to the Lord (in verse 17)? 5.    Who was saved out of Jericho in verses 17 & 22-23? How was her salvation from the fires of Jericho a picture of our salvation from God's eternal fire of judgment?  6.    What does Joshua do in verse 26? How was this fulfilled later in 1st Kings 16:34? What principle does this teach us about toying with something that God has cursed? 7.    What does this passage show us about the relationship between faith and obedience? What does it show us about the relationship between our faith in God and our lack of clamoring after this world's goods?  8.    Who was in charge throughout this chapter? How was this reality demonstrated throughout this chapter?  9.    What does this chapter teach us about obeying God, even when obedience seems impossible?  10.    What does this chapter show us about working together in unity? How did their unity show us how the people were on board with what the Lord was doing? In your own life, in your own church, are there places that you can get more on board with what the Lord is calling your church to be? Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon just in time for the Genesis relaunch in January! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

Of course, SCOTUS struck down Trump's stupid tariffs. Nearly every legal expert in America said they were unconstitutional, but we have had to live with them for more than a year. Now, he's threatening war on Iran apparently because it's not fair that Obama got a Nobel and he didn't. Meanwhile, as we approach the fourth anniversary of Russia's war on Ukraine, Putin still holds out hope he can seize all of the country. Plus, Marco is working on getting Cuba to be the next domino to fall, Trump's Board of Peace is pushing a complete fantasy in Gaza, the battle against ICE in Minnesota is not over, and gold medal-winner Alysa Liu—a California lib, and a child of an immigrant—represents the shining city on a hill. She is America. Michael Weiss joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.show notes Michael's Substack Alysa Liu's gold-winning performance The Gettysburg Address Tim's playlist Learn more and join using my link. Visit www.functionhealth.com/THEBULWARK and use gift code THEBULWARK25 for a $25 credit toward your membership. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code BULWARK at https://www.oneskin.co/BULWARK #oneskinpod

When are people watching your life the most? Not when everything is going well—but when you walk through difficulty with a peace that doesn't make sense. In Matthew 5:13–20, Jesus reminds us that we are not just saved by grace—we are sent with purpose. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. Our lives should push back darkness and point people to Christ. So the question is: are you shining… or just sitting in the shaker?