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9 episodes with jared brock
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2 episodes with jared brock
2 episodes with jared brock
2 episodes with jared brock
Today, we're having a conversation that will challenge what you think you know about the devil, evil, temptation, and spiritual warfare. Jared Brock is back with us - if you remember our last incredible conversation about Jesus, where we unpacked the human life of Christ and the political imagination of his time, you know Jared brings profound theological insights that challenge our perceptions. This time, we're exploring a figure who's been misunderstood, mythologized, and frankly, given way too much credit: the devil. Who is he really? What's his actual role in the cosmic story of redemption? Jared's new book, "A Devil Named Lucifer," promises to right-size our understanding - minimizing the devil and magnifying the true King. If you're ready to see spiritual reality through a lens of hope, kingdom advancement, and radical trust in God's ultimate victory, then this episode is for you. So join us as we right-size the devil. Jared Brock is an award-winning author and director of several films including PBS's acclaimed Redeeming Uncle Tom with Danny Glover. His writing has appeared in Christianity Today, The Guardian, Smithsonian, USA Today, Huffington Post, Relevant, and TIME. He has traveled to more than forty countries, including North Korea, Transnistria, and the Vatican. Learn more at jaredbrock.com.Jared's Book:A Devil Named LuciferJared's Recommendation:Forgive Them Their DebtsSubscribe to Our Substack: Shifting CultureConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Bluesky or YouTubeConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below Ashley T Lee PodcastAshley T. Lee Podcast will cover many life issues such as overcoming stress, anxiety...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Support the show
What's The Devil really like according to the original Biblical writers who talked about him? We discuss with writer and filmmaker Jared Brock, author of the new book, "A Devil Called Lucifer". Definitions of The Devil: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Satan https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/history-of-the-devil Christiian views of The Devil: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/satan-and-demons/ Blesses Dardevil (TV Show) Alan Wake 2 (Video Game) The Screwtape Letters (Book) Paradise Lost (Book) Hellboy: The Crooked Man Michael Hudson (Economist) Friday Night Lights (TV Show) Curse The Devil's Advocate (Movie) Hazbin Hotel (TV Show) Woe Anyone who makes money from lending (Usery) Websites Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.world Nathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.me Joseph Holmes: josepholmesstuidos.com Jared Brock: jaredbrock.com
Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.comIs everything we think we know about the devil wrong? In this episode, author and filmmaker Jared Brock joins the Faithful Politics podcast to discuss his latest book, A Devil Named Lucifer. From the myth of the horned red figure to the misuse of the word “Lucifer,” Brock breaks down centuries of cultural and theological misconceptions. Drawing from biblical texts, he argues that Satan is not the all-powerful rival we've made him out to be—but a minor character in a much bigger story. Hosts Josh Burtram and Will Wright explore how dualistic thinking has shaped theology and politics, and why fear-based rhetoric around evil distorts the gospel message. The conversation also touches on demon possession, mental health, spiritual warfare, and how Christians can “judo” the devil's tactics to grow in faith.Guest Bio: Jared Brock is an award-winning author and filmmaker known for A God Named Josh and the PBS documentary Redeeming Uncle Tom, narrated by Danny Glover. His writing has appeared in Time, The Guardian, and Christianity Today. His latest book, A Devil Named Lucifer, challenges conventional Christian beliefs about Satan and spiritual warfare.Resources & Links:Read the first chapter: https://adevilnamedlucifer.comJared's films and books: JaredBrock.comA Devil Named Lucifer on Amazon: https://a.co/d/gOtutw9 Support the showPlease Help Support the showhttps://donorbox.org/faithful-politics-podcastTo learn more about the show, contact our hosts, or recommend future guests, click on the links below: Website: https://www.faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/ Faithful Host: Josh@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com Political Host: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com Twitter: @FaithfulPolitik Instagram: faithful_politics Facebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast LinkedIn: faithfulpolitics Subscribe to our Substack: https://faithfulpolitics.substack.com/ Join our next event on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/faithful-politics-podcast-107664696981
In his new book, “A Devil Named Lucifer, Uncovering the Daibolical Life of Satan and How to Resist Him,” award-winning biographer Jared Brock sorts through the myths and misinformation about the devil. Despite growing secularization, our culture still pays a lot of attention to the devil. He shows up everywhere from movies to music and is blamed for all sorts of crimes, natural disasters, and the policies of politicians we don't like. Yet in the Bible, Satan is barely present, barely speaks, and is subject to God's authority. So how has he gotten so much airtime in the lives of Christians and the wider culture? Jared breaks down “A Devil Named Lucifer,” and reveals a biblical adversary we need to know, including: · his real name, home, and life story--past, present, and apocalyptic future · his actual powers--and lack of power · how to spot, avoid, and overcome his tests, tricks, and tactics You can connect with Jared here: https://www.jaredbrock.com/ OR here on Amazon using my affiliate link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/076424048X/ref=nosim?tag=da2he-20
Lucifer, Beelzebub, Old Slewfoot... Who IS this guy anyway? This week, Steve and the gang sit down with Jared Brock to untangle some long-held (but theologically flawed) beliefs about El Diablo. The post Jared Brock | A Devil Named Lucifer | Steve Brown, Etc. appeared first on Key Life.
Lucifer, Beelzebub, Old Slewfoot... Who IS this guy anyway? This week, Steve and the gang sit down with Jared Brock to untangle some long-held (but theologically flawed) beliefs about El Diablo. The post Jared Brock | A Devil Named Lucifer | Steve Brown, Etc. appeared first on Key Life. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1544/29
Jared Brock is a biblical scholar teaching his view based on his book a Devil Named Lucifer. Connect with Kathy on her website at https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/ Purchase Kathy's new book at: https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/healed-at-last/ Receive Free Prayer: https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/declarations-download/ Purchase Kingdom Scents anointing oil at:https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/anointing-oils/ or on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Kingdom+Scents&ref=bl_dp_s_web_0 Kathy's Deliverance and Kingdom Development intense mentoring and e-courses: https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/training/ Subscribe to Kathy's podcast on Apple or Spotify Podcast title – Prophetic Spiritual Warfare | Kathy DeGraw Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathydegraw/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathydegraw/ Please donate and partner with us to impact lives! Give today! CashApp $KDMGLORY Venmo @KD-Ministries paypal.me/KDeGrawMinistries or donate to email admin@degrawministries.org Online at Kathydegrawministries.org https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/donate/ Consider partnering with us for $7, $15, $35, $75 or any amount! Every dollar helps us help others! https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/donate/ Mail a check to: Kathy DeGraw Ministries ~ PO Box 65 ~ Grandville MI 49468
SummaryIn this engaging conversation, Danielle Strickland and James Scholl discuss with Jared Brock the themes of evil, the nature of Satan, and the insights from his book 'A Devil Named Lucifer'. They explore the misconceptions surrounding the devil, the importance of human agency, and the dynamics of spiritual warfare. The discussion also touches on the relevance of biblical teachings in understanding modern issues of morality and choice. In this conversation, the speakers explore the complex themes of freedom, autonomy, and the influence of the devil in contemporary society. They discuss the paradox of freedom as seen through the lens of Jesus' sacrifice, the misconceptions surrounding demonic influence, and the need for discernment in understanding mental illness versus spiritual oppression. The conversation also delves into the economic injustices that reflect satanic principles, the false gods of modern society, and the importance of recognizing God's sovereignty over evil. Ultimately, they emphasize the Christian mission of liberation and the necessity of right-sizing both God and the devil in our understanding of faith and life.TakeawaysThe devil is not an equal opponent to God.Satan's role is often misunderstood in modern Christianity.Human agency plays a crucial role in resisting evil.The concept of possession is more about individuals holding onto demons.Footholds and strongholds can be identified in our lives.Freedom is about choosing the virtuous, not autonomy.The devil's influence is often through lies and deception.Understanding the historical context of evil can reshape our views.Revelation reflects cycles of rebellion and salvation throughout history.The portrayal of Satan in popular culture is often inaccurate. Freedom is often misunderstood in the context of autonomy.Demonic influence is prevalent in popular culture but often misrepresented.Exorcism is a fundamental aspect of Jesus' ministry.Discernment is crucial in distinguishing between mental illness and demonic influence.Economic systems can reflect satanic principles of greed and injustice.Modern society has diversified its false gods.The devil serves a purpose in God's plan for growth and character development.Deliverance is a universal need for all individuals.Right-sizing God is as important as right-sizing the devil.Liberation is a core mission of the Christian faith.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Powers and Principalities03:09 Jared Brock's Journey and Background06:04 Exploring the Book: A Devil Named Lucifer08:56 Understanding the Nature of Evil11:46 The Misconceptions of Satan14:47 The Devil's Influence and Human Agency18:02 Footholds and Strongholds in Life21:06 Possession and the Nature of Demons23:55 Revelation and the Cycle of History26:58 Freedom vs. Autonomy27:56 The Paradox of Freedom and Autonomy29:15 Understanding the Devil's Influence Today30:13 The Role of Exorcism in Christianity32:39 Discernment Between Mental Illness and Demonic Influence34:55 The Economic and Social Implications of Evil36:28 The False Gods of Modern Society39:16 The Satanic Nature of Economic Systems41:34 Using Adversity for Growth43:55 Right-Sizing God and the Devil48:45 Liberation as a Christian MissionLinks: https://www.jaredbrock.com Get full access to Right Side Up: Danielle Strickland at daniellestrickland.substack.com/subscribe
Jay Brock on the humanity of Jesus in his book "A God Named Josh: Uncovering the Human Life of Jesus Christ".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week, on a special Summer edition of the SLHour, we revisit some of the conversations we had on this program earlier in 2023. We learn about mental health Sunday and the importance of recognizing mental health in the Church with Fr. Stephan Kappler of the Southdown Institute and speak with Jared Brock about his new book A God Named Josh. We also reconnect with the EPIC the band and singer/songwriter Aly Aleigha.
Jared Brock, author of "A God Named Josh: Uncovering the Human Life of Jesus Christ," joins Bill once again to talk about how Jesus relates to His disciples, why money is a rival god, and more. Then Greg Headington joins to continue the study of the book of Daniel. Today Greg teaches how God humbles the proud, looking at Daniel 4. Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here
We take a humorous look at news and life with friend Patrick Albanese. Today, Bill and Patrick discuss what good friends will do for each other and the emotional connection of your testimony. Then author Jared Brock joins Bill for a lively conversation on the human side of Jesus, through his book A God Named Josh: Uncovering the Human Life of Jesus Christ Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now
In this episode, Jared Brock uncovers the human life of Jesus. Who was he as a child? What was the culture and context of his life and ministry? What were the economics, philosophy, and teachings of Jesus? Who was the crime family that had Jesus killed? We talk about these things and more.Jared Brock is an award-winning author and director of several films including PBS's acclaimed Redeeming Uncle Tom with Danny Glover. His writing has appeared in Christianity Today, The Guardian, Smithsonian, USA Today, Huffington Post, Relevant, and TIME. He has traveled to more than forty countries, including North Korea, Transnistria, and the Vatican. Learn more at jaredbrock.com.Jared's Book:A God Named JoshConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook or Instagram at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/shiftingculturepodcast/Consider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below.Support the show
He didn't start a religion. He didn't wear long robes. He didn't have 12 disciples (and they weren't all men). And his name wasn't even Jesus. What did the real Jesus look like? What did he wear? What did he eat? And who actually killed him? Jared Brock says almost everything we know about Jesus is wrong. Today on Connections, Jared uncovers the human life of Jesus Christ.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A God named... Josh? This week, Steve and the gang hang out with author and filmmaker Jared Brock to discuss the surprising implications of a Savior who is both Holy God and Wholly Human. The post Jared Brock | A God Named Josh | Steve Brown, Etc. appeared first on Key Life.
A God named... Josh? This week, Steve and the gang hang out with author and filmmaker Jared Brock to discuss the surprising implications of a Savior who is both Holy God and Wholly Human. The post Jared Brock | A God Named Josh | Steve Brown, Etc. appeared first on Key Life. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1544/29
This week author Jared Brock tells us why if Jesus lived today, we would call him Josh. Damien O'Connor of the Knights of Columbus returns us to the basics in Into the Breach; Billy has another question about the Mass in Church for Dummies; and we reconnect with singer/songwriter Aly Aleigha.
Welcome to the Word Made Digital Podcast! --- Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say I am?" It's a question that still needs an answer today. Author Jared Brock explores this question in his new book "A God Named Josh", and the answer to that question may challenge everything you once thought about who Jesus was during his time on earth, starting with his very name. This is a charged, provocative book that Jared has researched, studied and pushed the boundaries of his own comfort to learn all that he can about Jesus, the most revolutionary man who ever lived. --- Learn more about Jared's book "A God Named Josh" https://www.amazon.ca/God-Named-Josh-Uncovering-Christ/dp/0764239627 --- Learn more about Word Made Digital: Website: https://www.wordmadedigital.com/ Connect with us on Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/fsycm98m Join our Facebook Group "Digital Church": https://tinyurl.com/hfwuecm9 --- Thank you to our sponsors: Compassion Canada: https://www.compassion.ca/ Canadian Bible Society: https://biblesociety.ca/ --- Music: "Good Morning" by Laxcity Musicbed Licensed
In This Episode:Mike and Tyler sit down with a friend of Tyler's from his Ohio days. Jared Brock joins the podcast to share what his "richest men in town" life is looking like these days. Jared and the guys do their best to "sell adulthood" and in true RMIT fashion, the discussion covers a lot of ground. Jared shares some unique perspective on the idea of making time and living our lives in alignment with priorities. He shares examples from his life of faith and courage. He also gets real and lets the guys in on some recent news that has him taking inventory and trying to wake up every day with the goal of being his kids' hero. Tough to beat that. Through it all, he's doing his best to keep the faith of his parents alive and strong in his own story. To Jared Brock, thank you for showing up in the lives of those that love you. You are our hero. Keep going brother! Show NotesWho Said It..."I have learned that not shrinking is more important than surviving." -Neal A. MaxwellReferences...President Russell M. Nelson's May 2022 broadcast "Choices for Eternity"Chapter 6 from Christlike Attributes of Preach My Gospel"I was guilty of levity, and sometimes associated with jovial company..." -Joseph Smith History 1:28"I could not be shaken." -Jacob 7: 11-12The Greatest Adventure is the theme song from the 1977 of The Hobbit.Vanilla Ice California Love by Tupac Shakur1956 Gibson GuitarInclusion body myopathy with early-onset Paget disease and frontotemporal dementiaThe Greatest Salesman in the World by Og MandinoCheck out Jared's YouTube channel for his musicDavid vs. Goliath in 1 Samuel 17Jared on Reverb Nation DollywoodGarth Brooks "The Dance"Psst...Check out our website or visit us on our Facebook and Instagram platforms.Mike and Tyler are both members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. If you would like to learn more about the Church or their beliefs, we invite you to check it out by clicking here.
Jared Brock tells us to, “Rest in the knowledge that God is both abundantly gracious and ridiculously generous.” and that's what we're doing today, resting in the gratitude for God's abundant grace and unmatched generosity. Weekly Prayer Focus & Today's Verses Worship: Psalm 2:11 Prayer: Numbers 6:26, Psalm 29:11, 2 Timothy 4:8, and Ephesians 1:3-6 My evening Facebook posts focus on praying scripture. I'd love you to join the conversation there: https://www.facebook.com/graceandthegravelroad/?eid=ARCg61S6YS1PwfD3586KvFAKYejoFjUYR51xO_BHv9xbo9L2063w_hFGdXmlNnjJV3qQ_nvmesJFJ9He (www.facebook.com/graceandthegravelroad) Or, connect with Grace & the Gravel Road out on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/graceandthegravelroad (www.instagram.com/graceandthegravelroad) If you're interested in how to meditate on scripture, check out this link: https://graceandthegravelroad.link/meditate (https://graceandthegravelroad.link/meditate) http://www.graceandthegravelroad.com (www.graceandthegravelroad.com)
Hello brothers and sisters, welcome to Future Faith, a podcast, newsletter, and publication about living faithfully in an age of democratic destruction, ecological collapse, and economic irrelevance, available for free on Substack, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. I'm your host, Jared Brock, and today we're going to discuss ten signs that America is headed for certain collapse.Superpowers aren't impressive.Italy, Greece, Ethiopia, Egypt, Britain, Spain, Portugal; they've all ruled the world for a time before sliding back to just regular-ol'-nation status.Now it's America's turn.The United States is going to collapse.This isn't a fear-mongering statement.Just a fact.Everyone knows it.Whether in five years or fifty, the days of America-as-global-superpower are numbered.In the same way that Rome pulled back its troops from Alexandria in Egypt and the Scottish borders in Britain, the American military-industrial complex will continue the work started in Afghanistan and eventually withdraw its 800 global military bases in order to make a last-ditch effort to enslave its own people in a soft-totalitarian panopticon surveillance state.And then it will collapse.Diehard nationalists insist it could never happen, but the signs of American collapse are obvious:1. Wealth inequalityAmerican income inequality is growing, too.Higher than the Roman Empire's, in fact.The stats on wealth inequality are crazy. Please read them all.Nevermind the Gilded Age of corporate tyrants like Vanderbilt and Carnegie and Rockefeller — today's billionaires control more wealth and political power than the monopolists of the past could ever have dreamed.Christians, of course, live by a different economic policy: From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.And while extreme right-wingers are quick to shout “Communism! Socialism!” they fail to realize we're not advocating central ownership or central control of the economy. That's what billionaires are working on.2. DebtThe numbers are staggering:* America has nearly $29 trillion in federal debt.* Total consumer debt sits at $14.9 trillion.* Half a million American families are systemically forced into bankruptcy every year.Don't listen to those nutty Modern Monetary Theory boosters who think we can pile up debt forever and it will never destroy our society.The bell will toll, and it will toll for us.Don't get me wrong, the MMTers are technically right — we can print money forever. But every unbacked printed dollar erodes trust and purchasing power.When society is built on a literal lie, it's only a matter of time before it falls.Because only the truth can set us free.3. Economic InstabilityBecause of how hyper-elites have structured the economy, we're stuck with permanent economic instability — insane asset bubbles, followed by massive crashes that hurt those who a.) didn't benefit in the good times, and b.) suffer most in the bad times.While it's never occurred to the corporations who control our countries, people want to live in economically stable places.Because America refuses to deliver on true, long-term economic stability for the majority, it's no wonder we're currently seeing a national strike, and why many of us with the power to do so have already moved overseas.4. Homeownership in CrisisRentership, too.I've been sounding the alarm on this one for a while — people have no idea the tidal wave that's about to shatter the American middle class once and for all.House prices are going to $10 million in our lifetime, and if we don't ban for-profit residential real estate investment and overthrow the corrupt zoning boards that keep young families from building homes they can afford, we will see a houselessness crisis never witnessed before in human history. There is a massive opportunity for the real-estate-rich Western church to become a global leader on affordable homeownership, but sadly, the church is asleep at the wheel.5. Crony Corporate PoliticsDemocracy, of course, has never existed in America, but the corporate oligarchy now owns Congress lock, stock, and barrel, including the Federal Reserve which is in charge of the economy.There's honestly no point in voting unless it's with your money.6. Environmental InstabilityWhen I was younger, my wife and I visited Tikal in Guatemala, the New York City of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization.They destroyed their environment, and then it destroyed them.It's really simple: Nations that don't protect people, wildlife, soil, water, and air eventually go extinct.It's not personal, it's science.As commenter Nikos Papakonstantinou put it:You can't eat, drink, or breathe money.It takes 1,000 years for nature to grow 3cm of topsoil, and America has managed to burn through several feet in the past century.Now, America only has sixty harvests left.(An excellent book on the topic is Empires of Food: Feast, Famine, and the Rise and Fall of Civilization.)Some Christians are starting to realize the importance of creation care and the huge opportunities it could afford us to connect with people on their way to God, but sadly, strong leadership has yet to emerge on this front.7. The Vampire EconomyLet's face it, the American productive economy is dead.Most of the major brands are zombie companies that burn cash and have never been profitable a day in their short-lived corporate lives.Rather than producing products and services of real value, corporate America is just a giant game of extractivism, a dung pile of rent-seeking skimmers who blood-suck time and wealth from the productive poor while contributing nothing of real value:* Landlords* Bankers* Stock investors* Crypto speculators who would rather treat Bitcoin as a Ponzi scheme instead of freedom money to stave off abhorrent central bank surveillance currencies.When a nation stops creating real value and starts eating itself like a snake, its days are mathematically numbered.There have been several seasons in history where Christian businesspeople have practiced nobless oblige — the obligation to help those in need, and we certainly need a renaissance of that holy task.8. Mass HysteriaLooking at you, anti-vaxxers.And Q-Anoners.And cancel culturists.And people who vote for Republicans and Democrats.America is now filled with conspiracy theorists and people who draw the line and refuse to dialogue with people outside of their own box. This signals a total breakdown in personal understanding, civic goodwill, institutional trust, and national unity.9. Screen AddictionThe invention of the smartphone will surely go down in history as one of the most destructive pieces of technology ever invented.Homo sapiens are in no way adapted for the super-stimulus of digital outputs.Between social media, streaming, porn, gaming, and shopping addictions, we're breaking our necks, frying our eyes, and shattering any sense of offline meaning or belonging.Just wait until Gen Z and Gen Alpha are in charge.10. IndividualismAmerica is a culture (from the Latin cultus, where we derive the word “cult”) built on the myth of rugged individualism, of “one for me, and all for me.”It's a dog-eat-dog, survival-of-the-fittest, winner-take-all, loser-dies-in-poverty cult where the rich prey on the poor and the masses suffer so the elites can live a little better a little longer.America is a piece of glass that has been shattered into 331 million shards, each stabbing the next in a frantic fight for survival.Only a hard fire can forge the pieces back together.It's quite telling that the period of largest church attendance in history — and the greatest period of peace and wealth and democracy — came out of the ashes of World War II.Naturally, there are those who believe a Canadian living in Europe shouldn't have the right to comment on America at all, but of course, those people are usually nationalists who fail to see we live in a hyper-connected world where everyone's choices affect everyone else. The failure to understand this is yet another symptom of hyper-individualism.America is a fractured, atomized nation, with each member so hell-bent on self-actualization, obsessed with concocting a singularly unique identity, and blinded by the idea that autonomy and freedom are the same thing.Because the nation cannot fathom it shares one common freedom, it simply cannot surrender any amount of selfhood to the collective, despite the fact that human togetherness is the #1 thing correlated to human happiness.God made us for each other.The end isn't the endAll empires fall. It's a non-negotiable. It's just a matter of when, how, and how hard.Collapse doesn't mean disappearance.And it doesn't necessarily mean a total dystopian hellscape like the movie The Book of Eli.But it does mean a loss of global superpower status and all the unfair advantages that came along with it, like currency supremacy and cheap goods. It means a country seriously diminished, greatly impoverished, wracked with crime and disease and exploitation, and subject to the whims of foreign corporatists hell-bent on extraction.You know, like much of the rest of the world.Normally, my articles outline a challenge facing society and offer some proposals for how to fix it. This is one of those rare posts that just points out the macro factors that will lead to the inevitable fall of America, and how Christians simply aren't rising to the task at hand.Collapse shouldn't sit well with Christians, because human beings who are made in the image of God will suffer.Everyone needs to be working on solutions for challenges big and small. (And yes, peacefully turning the American landmass into a dozen or so new nations is highly preferable to a bloody second civil war.)The goal, of course, isn't to maintain a hyper-violent military empire and coercive global economic grasp on others. It's time for new ideas, and extremely ancient ideas, and real servant-hearted leadership, and working together.We shouldn't mourn the loss of corporate-controlled America as the global superpower. It's a monstrous menace to global freedom and widest-spread wellbeing.I remember attending the Catalyst Conference many years ago. Dave Ramsey was speaking, and in a moment of passion he declared, “our allegiance is to the cross, not the flag!” Our small group of Canadians cheered — and we were the only ones in an audience of ten thousand Christian leaders.To Christ-centered people, nation-states are irrelevant. Jesus couldn't have cared less about a legal fiction called Rome. All he cared about was people, and we should do the same.Now, does that mean this is China's century?Maybe.They already own America's largest pork producer, and Canada's largest dairy farm, but a third of their domestic economy is a giant real estate bubble that could seriously slow their growth.China's rise to global super-power will all depend on their continued colonization of Africa and their ability to debt-trap the world via their Belt and Road Initiative — practicing capitalism abroad to enforce fake communism at home.Clearly, the world doesn't need or want a conformist culture to dictate global policy. People often say that America is still the world's “best hope for freedom.” But as billions of people who've endured the heavy hammer of the American military-industrial complex can attest, it's simply not true.Modern corporate America doesn't equal hope. No self-centered human institution can ever deliver the freedom that people truly need. That's why the church of Jesus Christ still is and always will be the hope of the world. 1 Peter 1:25 says that “The word of the Lord will endure forever.” Do you believe it? I certainly do. As Peter said to Jesus, “To whom else shall we go? Only you have the keys to eternal life.”This world belongs to God. America is just a temporary guest in His house.But don't worry, America itself isn't going anywhereAfter all, Rome's as gorgeous as ever.And Athens is amazing, albeit under-maintained.America the superpower is waning, but that doesn't mean Concord Massachusetts won't always be a gorgeous place to visit.And Texas will probably always be the BBQ capital of the world (or at least until the radical left bans meat or the radical right makes beef-raising an environmental impossibility.)And maybe Canada or Mexico will annex America and finally provide free healthcare to the poor?And if the fifty states decide to split up, which they almost certainly will in time, you never know if a united Maine and New Hampshire might rule a world in desperate need of lumber and freshwater.Or maybe we just don't need superpowers anymore.Maybe it's time for Tinyism and a million little democracies. It's certainly time for Christians to start building alternative societies by the thousands, like we did for 1,700 years, places that can give the world a glimpse of the life that is truly life, and the kingdom that is and is to come.Either way, the United States of America won't be around to see it happen.Thanks for listening to Future Faith. If you think this episode is important, please email the link to your friends or share it on social media.We are 100% follower-supported, so if you'd like to help us grow this community, please visit jaredbrock.com. Get full access to Future Faith at jaredbrock.substack.com/subscribe
Hello brothers and sisters, welcome to Future Faith, a podcast, newsletter, and publication about living faithfully in an age of democratic destruction, ecological collapse, and economic irrelevance. If you're a visual learner, head over to jaredbrock.substack.com to follow along in print. I'm your host, Jared Brock, and today we're going to discuss whether or not Christians should invest in Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.I'm in a good mood today. My freshly pressed apples are happily fermenting themselves into cider, my very pregnant wife is four days past her due-date, and my mother has just landed on the continent after nearly two years without seeing her. So it's a good day, and I appreciate your prayers in the weeks and eighteen-or-so years ahead.I'm going to try to get a few episodes out this week, but with baby due at any moment, it's not so much a promise as a hope.Let's dive in, shall we?Non-wealth-backed, debt-based, government-printed paper money is the greatest scam of all time.America's central bank, the Federal Reserve, is owned by private banks including Citibank, JPMorgan Chase, and Goldman Sachs; predatory corporations who actually pay some of their bankers to go work for the Fed. Additionally, the major banks sponsor political candidates and lobby them hard once they're in Congress, leading to a dangerous political situation called regulatory capture. It's the same in most countries — essentially, rabid foxes now rule our global henhouse.Because America is bank-captured, the richest people in history get to monopolize legal tender and pillage your wealth whenever they please. And they do. If you haven't noticed, they're absolutely out of control right now, having printing 80% of all American M1 money stock in existence in the past 18 months alone:All this debt-based money printing has created a tidal wave of negative consequences in our lives, and we haven't even felt the effects of the past two years of crazy printing yet:* They've dangerously inflated house prices.* They've wildly inflated stock prices.* They've put the world $300 trillion in debt.* They've devalued our purchasing power by debasing our legal tender. Not only does this straight-up steal money from everyone holding cash, but it discourages savings — making people less antifragile and more dependent on the state while creating an instant-gratification culture instead of one that plans for tomorrow.* They've locked us in an unsustainable debt+interest death spiral that requires all of us to compete against each other, and by pure mathematical necessity, heartbreakingly bankrupts more than 3,000 families per day for thirty years straight.* They use their money power to set the agenda for the whole nation, spending on unending wars, toppling foreign governments, extracting wealth from poorer nations and sacrifice from their own citizens, stealing trillions of hours of human life. In total, this crime against humanity has pillaged several quadrillion dollars in real wealth from active societal contributors.Let's not mince words: The corporate-controlled central banking money-printing scam is the biggest sin and crime in human history.Enter challenger moneyGiven the utterly corrupt state of modern money, you can see why smart people who actually care about the sustainable long-term wellbeing of humanity started looking for a solution.One such person was Satoshi Nakamoto.We don't know if Satoshi is a man, woman, group, or an AI, and we don't know if he/she/they/it is even still alive.Satoshi invented a new form of digital currency that could be sent peer-to-peer, even anonymously. The system can be trusted because all transactions are automatically verified by its decentralized network and recorded in a blockchain, which is essentially a giant decentralized cryptographic spreadsheet.On January 9th, 2009, Bitcoin was born.And then greed set inOur total global wealth is currently valued at around USD$400 trillion.There will only ever be 21 million Bitcoins.In early 2017, savvy speculators did the math.If Bitcoin eventually became the global currency, each Bitcoin would be worth twenty million bucks.That's when things went crazy.People started buying and hoarding coins.As supply constricted, the coin price rose.More people saw what was happening and jumped on board, bidding coin prices higher and higher and higher.Other people wanted to get in on the goldrush, and started making their own inferior versions of Bitcoin. Today, there are over 12,000 cryptocurrencies on the market.Then the pandemic hit and corrupt elites sent the money-printer into overdrive. As house and stock prices ballooned outrageously high, people like Michael Saylor realized they needed to get rid of their rapidly-devaluing $USD, but couldn't rationally buy wildly overpriced assets either.So they turned to Bitcoin as a speculative asset, further jacking the price, attracting more speculators in search of a quick buck in hard times. As greed and FOMO set in — and all those government stimulus checks arrived — prices soared even higher.Today, Bitcoins that cost a few cents worth of electricity are now “worth” around $50,000. The total Bitcoin market cap now hovers around $1 trillion.So… should Christian invest?As my newsletter disclaimer makes crystal clear, nothing I write is financial, legal, or tax advice. Blah blah blah, you're an adult, do what you want to do.But I don't think anyone should invest in Bitcoin for four major reasons:First:* It has no intrinsic value. You can't eat it, wear it, or heat your house with it.* It is not a productive asset. It isn't a factory that produces an item. It's not a field that produces a crop. It's not a firm that offers a service.* It has zero underlying value. It's not backed by land or commodities or any other form of real useable wealth.Bitcoin is just a bunch of computer files. It's just a distributed ledger, a fancy Excel spreadsheet.Its value is derived solely from the trust that people place in it — namely, that the price will continue to rise indefinitely and that there will always be new investors to buy out the old ones. On that standard of belief, the evidence is crystal clear (and don't trust any online bitboy who tells you otherwise): Bitcoin is currently being treated like a Ponzi scheme.So if your motivation for buying Bitcoin is to buy and hoard it until the price goes up, this is deeply unethical, because someone will eventually get hurt. Currency is meant to be spent, given, or invested in producing real wealth for the world. Not hoarded.Second: God calls Christians to be good stewards of our money, and speculating in Bitcoin is a massive risk right now. Just remember what you're actually doing when you decide to “invest” in crypto: You're betting against the established powers. A bet on crypto is a bet against centralized violence-backed money. It's a noble act, but an extremely risky investment strategy.There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that many governments will make crypto illegal once they introduce their own totalitarian surveillance coins. (See last week's Panopticoin episode for more.)Third: Christians are called to work with their hands and enjoy the fruits of their labor, not passively skim profits off the backs of others without contributing anything of real value to the world. For the same reason that gambling on the stock market isn't moral, Christians hold themselves to a higher standard when it comes to stewarding God's money. I have a friend who owns 36 full Bitcoins. He fully expects them to be worth $10 million apiece within a decade or two. But has he contributed $360 million in value to the world? Not at all. All he did was buy a few thousand dollars worth of digital files and waited for other people's greed and fear to pad his bank account. Is this a God-honoring way for a Christian to amass wealth?Four: When (not if) the next recession comes — when house prices plummet, the stock market crashes, and millions lose their jobs — people will need to pull money out of assets in order to fund fiat liabilities like mortgage payments and daily expenses. What's the most liquid asset most people have? Crypto. When millions of crypto holders desperately need fiat cash to stay afloat, expect them to reluctantly pull tens of billions from the exchanges and sink prices, if not crash questionable coins like Tether and house-of-cards operations like the DeFi and NFT markets. Wouldn't it just be better to be generous to the poor instead of gambling in an online casino?All told, it seems to me that investing in Bitcoin is an extremely unwise and likely unethical thing to do.That said, it doesn't mean we still shouldn't buy Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.After much research and deep introspection, I have come to the conclusion that if the only two realistic options are an unfortunately hyper-individualist libertarian currency called Bitcoin versus the dystopian nightmare that is totalitarian surveillance currency, the inevitable decision for rational people is to side with the former. Humanity stands a better chance of achieving widest-spread well-being when we the people create our own money.So… what should we do with crypto?Satoshi Nakamoto made a huge mistake when launching Bitcoin.He mined about one million coins — which would sell for about $50 billion today — but he never used them. Just like the bitboy Ponzi speculators in the current market who dream of the day when Bitcoin is the world currency and they all get rich for doing nothing, Satoshi hoarded his coins instead. He just sat on them back in 2009, and all these years later, they're still just sitting there to this very day.So what should we do with cryptocurrency?I think we should do the same thing we do with every other currency:1. We should spend it.We need to spend crypto like crazy. Every day we treat it like a Ponzi scheme brings the whole thing nearer to the end, as corrupt governments rapidly build their own Orwellian competitor coins.We need widespread global crypto adoption as fast as possible; where every man, woman, and child on earth is spending crypto daily, and businesses are transacting in hundreds of trust-based coins, ridding the economy of trillions in toxic debt-based money.Crypto needs to be so widespread that governments should be absolutely terrified to take it away from us. That's why we need to make crypto cheap and plentiful, spreading those satoshis as far and wide as digitally possible.2. We should create our own cryptocurrenciesI cannot believe that there aren't any Christian cryptocurrencies out there yet!We are the largest and most networked family on the planet, and we don't have our own micro-economies up and running? It's insane.We have the opportunity to create sound money that can be a blessing to the planet and the poor, but when was the last time your church or denomination talked about investing in world-changing projects like this?We could create coins that are stable, free from thieving inflation, backed by real value, that are fair and trust-based instead of violence-backed, that can serve as a secure means of payment even when governments try to exclude Christians from the global economy.On a personal note, if you know any Christian technologists or investors, please send them this episode and get them to contact me via jaredbrock.com, as there's a group of us who would love to get a God-honoring coin off the ground.3. We should give it away.Imagine, if instead of hoarding his coins, Satoshi had sent the following text to millions of people:Hey,Here's a free Bitcoin.Spend it.Smooches,Satoshi.You would've heard about crypto ten years ago if millions of people had immediately started using it in 2009.We would've had a ten-year jump on corrupt governments to reach global crypto adoption.Just look at El Salvador. When they made Bitcoin legal tender, they gave everyone $30 in free Bitcoin to get started, and 25% of the population jumped on board in the first two weeks.(On the sinister flipside, China is doing the exact same thing to induce people into using its horrific social credit system-linked surveillance currency.)Imagine if we, as Christians, were radically generous with our coins. If the poor widow can give the very last of her wealth, just two copper pennies, then surely we can give a little more of our wealth today.We need to be generous with our money, be it dollars, pounds, euros, pesos, or Bitcoin. And our time, our possession, and our homes.As for Bitcoin, the Bible tells us to honor God with our wealth. That's why I encourage all my listeners not to invest in any currency. Currency is supposed to be a means of payment. Currency isn't supposed to be an investment. It's meant to be spent, invested, and given. When it comes to cryptocurrency, we need to do that now, before money is out of our control forever.Luckily, our ultimate treasure is one that can never be vanquished. Governments can't inflate it, thieves can't steal, moths can't eat it. My friend Andrew likes to say that his life's work is to convert temporary money into eternal worth. That's our ultimate call as Christians, no matter what currency we choose.If you think the Future Faith conversation is important, the best thing you can do is email this podcast to your friends right now.I publish more than 150,000 words of free content each year, and it's radically generous supporters like you who keep it free. If you'd like to become a gospel patron, please visit jaredbrock.com. Get full access to Future Faith at jaredbrock.substack.com/subscribe
Jared Brock's Future Faith podcast is also available for free on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.Hello brothers and sisters, Welcome to Future Faith, a podcast, newsletter, and publication about living faithfully in an age of democratic destruction, ecological collapse, and economic irrelevance. Future Faith is now available for free on Substack, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. I'm your host, Jared Brock, and today we're going to discuss what many people think is the scariest thing in the Bible, the Revelation 13 passage that predicts a day will come when Christians will be excluded from the global economy.This episode is sponsored by Swanbitcoin. Visit www.swanbitcoin.com/jaredbrock to get $10 in free Bitcoin to spend. That's $10 in free Bitcoin at www.swanbitcoin.com/jaredbrockToday's episode is entitled The Panopticoin Is Coming. Let's dive in.“The more strictly we are watched, the better we behave.” — Jeremy BenthamAt some point between 1785 and 1786, while visiting his dictator-serving brother in Russia, the now-stuffed-in-a-glass box utilitarian social engineer Jeremy Bentham started asking himself a series of questions that two centuries later are about to yield disastrous consequences for your freedom, privacy, and personal autonomy:* What if there was a way to design a prison that would allow one person to oversee the activities of thousands of inmates?* What if the watcher couldn't be seen by the inmates, and therefore not even need be on duty at all times, effectively leaving the watching to the watched?* What if the surveilled inmates were coerced into working in their cells in order to stay alive?* What if the prison was named after Panoptes, a mythical Greek giant who possessed a hundred eyes?The result was the Panopticon.The Panopticon prison design was devilishly brilliant. The inmate cells lined the outer circular wall, with a surveillance tower in the center. The watcher could see all cells at all times and even speak to the inmates through a network of “conversation tubes,” but the inmates could never see the watcher.Bentham declared his invention was a “new mode of obtaining power of mind over mind.”Only a dozen or so Panopticons were ever constructed — Fidel Castro was once imprisoned in one — but unfortunately, it created an insidious panopticon paradigm that lasts to this very day.Because a panopticon is no longer just a physical building; ultimately, it's a system of totalitarian control.Panopticon PowerPatrick Henry said, “give me liberty or give me death,” and he wasn't being hyperbolic.He understood that humans without freedom are just inmates in a panopticon prison —without free will, we're just dead people walking.Free will, of course, is an incredibly dangerous thing. It's what allows us to choose God, but it's also what allowed a small group of moneyed elites to murder Jesus in the first century A.D.Panopticons derive their ultimate power by creating a state of conscious visibility, assuring automatic obedience through coercive and anonymous power.Under the panopticon eye, people wither and die.Panopticon TodayWe already live in a panopticon.Anyone who owns a smartphone is being surveilled at all times.Every word spoken… Every sentence typed…Every photo and video taken…Every item purchased…Every relational connection forged…Every movement made…All tracked.The only difference between today and Bentham's poor prisoners is that:a.) most people aren't punished for wrongthink, wrongspeak, and wrongaction, andb.) most people aren't conscious they're being watched.Yet.Panopticon Tomorrow“All data is credit data, we just don't know how to use it yet.” — Douglas Merrill, GoogleNearly all the other pieces necessary for a modern panopticon society are already in place:* CCTV* Facial recognition* Voice recognition* Digital fingerprinting* IoT surveillance (via your fridge, car, etc.)* DNA banking* GPS tracking* Credit scoring* Non-anonymized consumer data harvesting* Biometric under-the-skin tracking* Heart rate and body heat monitoringWe've literally never been more surveilled at any point in human history.Social coolingPanopticon culture is already changing our behavior and policing our free speech.We're becoming more risk-averse.We're self-censoring constantly.There's even a term for it: Social cooling.Have you ever not said something because you thought it would hurt your reputationHave you ever avoided posting something online for fear of reprisal at work? Have you ever hesitated to click on a link, watch a video on Youtube, or buy a book on Amazon for fear it might be tracked and come back to bite you in the future?That's social cooling.When we let elite-controlled algorithms change our behavior in any way, we become less human.And now there's a piece of technology coming on the market that will make everything monumentally worse:Digital surveillance currencies.PanopticoinPanopticoin: A digital currency that allows totalitarians to surveil and completely control the economic activity of their subjects.Imagine a world in which all money is digitally controlled and monitored by corporate-corrupted national governments.Yes, we already have digital $USD, but this is something else.Imagine a government-issued cryptocurrency — a digital file created from nothing by the most dangerous power-seeking sociopaths on the planet — that can be completely controlled.* They can create it at will — inflating prices, crushing purchasing power, draining wealth from productive workers to those closest to the money printer.* They can surveil every transaction — knowing exactly how you spend, where you spend, and who you know.* They can destroy it at will — if you fall out-of-bounds of the powers that be, they can delete your money, impoverishing or bankrupting you instantly.* They can exclude you from the global economy — in fact, economic exclusion is an eventuality predicted in the Bible nearly 2,000 years ago. It's a shocking prediction, especially when you consider that John lived in a time where most of the world was still agrarian and barely monetized. It simply wouldn't have been possible in his day.But in a hyper-monetized global economy, there is nothing more dangerous than a surveillance currency that can be tracked, traced, devalued, or deleted at will.Sure, countries are letting bitboys have their Ponzi-like casino fun with cryptocurrencies for now, but the whole cryptoverse experiment allows them to silently watch and learn.When governments launch their own Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) — as conformist countries like China have already done — expect them to fully ban cryptocurrency and pair their CBDCs with Orwellian social credit systems and under-the-skin surveillance.Believe in a better tomorrowAt the end of the day, it all comes down to what we believe.I believe the United Nations should enshrine into international law the illegality of social credit systems and surveillance currencies as an egregious invasion of the human right to privacy.I believe in the old-fashioned notion that everyone is legally innocent until proven guilty in a court of law by a jury of their homo sapien peers.I believe that conformity culture is anti-cultural.I believe in a future without mass surveillance.I believe in the right to make mistakes.I believe in the right to be unperfect.I believe in the right to be human.And those are just my earthly under-the-sun beliefs.I believe we are made in the image of God.I believe that God is on a mission to restore all things to Himself.I believe that God is working everything together for the good of those who are called according to His purpose.I believe that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.I believe that our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities in the spiritual realm.I believe we are to be conformed to the image of Christ, not to an algorithm or a ruling party's opinion of what is right and good.I believe that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power.I believe that we can resist evil, and that when we do so, it will flee.In conclusionWe don't need to live in a panopticoin world.In fact, we can go in the exact opposite direction, toward a coinified future where there are thousands of non-coercive trust-based currencies, all non-surveilled and even completely private. We can live in a world where the richest people on earth are no longer able to exploit the poorest of the poor, where the powerful have far less power over the weak, and where secularist governments no longer get to dictate whether or not you get to participate in the global economy because you refuse to believe their lies.To get there, we need to do a few major things:1. On an earthly level, we need to vote out of office every single sociopathic corporate-captured politician who's ever taken a single dollar in dark money. We must absolutely resist digital surveillance currencies.Maybe that means you need to run for office, or support someone in your church to do so. Perhaps you won't get elected the first time around, but at least you'll get to speak truth to power and help planet seeds in the communal conversation.If you're a gospel patron or Christian of means, maybe it means you need to help fund candidates or entirely new political parties at a local, state, and national level.2. Pray. Pray about your role in resisting evil. How are you helping to spread peace in a world of war? How are you being light in a darkening world? How are you giving hope in a society filled with hopelessness? How are you bringing peace amidst the growing threat of exploitation and control?These are questions that only you can answer, and only I can answer, when we take time to walk with God, read His word, and commune with His people.3. Christian technologists need to go all-in on creating new God-honoring currencies. We are the largest and most networked family on the planet; we share the same Father and hold dear the same values and beliefs. If the secular world is going to go down a doomed totalitarian path, there is no reason why Spirit-filled innovators can't use blockchain technology to protect a remnant from economic enslavement.As I said last week, it is my strong belief that Christians need to start building new currencies, new economies, and entirely new sovereignties. Churches and denominations need to wake up and re-invest their resources—not in maintaining crumbling buildings, but in building resilient communities that can survive and thrive even in the midst of global economic exclusion.If we can revolutionize our $10 trillion piece of the global economy before the surveillance coins take over the market, we'll have a far better chance of securing our future economic freedom for the precious little time we have left on earth.Otherwise, the panopticoin is coming.If you want to help grow the Future Faith community, the best thing you can do is email this podcast to some friends and leave a 5-star review.This episode is sponsored by Swanbitcoin. Visit www.swanbitcoin.com/jaredbrock to get $10 in free Bitcoin to spend. That's $10 in free Bitcoin at www.swanbitcoin.com/jaredbrockThanks for listening and we'll see you next week. Get full access to Future Faith at jaredbrock.substack.com/subscribe
Jared Brock's Future Faith podcast is also available for free on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.Hello brothers and sisters, Welcome to Future Faith, a podcast, newsletter, and publication about living faithfully in an age of democratic destruction, ecological collapse, and economic irrelevance. Future Faith is now available for free on Substack, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. I'm your host, Jared Brock, and today we're going to discuss the wildly corrupt world of modern money. Grab a coffee and a pen and paper, because it's vitally important that Christians understand how money works so we can make it serve our vision and values instead of becoming enslaved by it.This episode is sponsored by Swanbitcoin. As you'll discover in this episode, government fiat money is wildly corrupt… but “investing” in Bitcoin is highly risky and just turns it into a pyramid scheme. Instead, we need to SPEND and GIVE crypto to achieve rapid global adoption before centralized surveillance currencies monopolize money forever. So head over to swanbitcoin.com/jaredbrock to get $10 in free Bitcoin to spend. That's $10 in free Bitcoin at swanbitcoin.com/jaredbrockToday's episode is entitled Christians and Money. Are you ready? Here we go.Sixteen of Jesus's 38 parables involved money and wealth.Nearly 15% of everything Jesus spoke about related to money and possessions, and the only thing he talked about more was the Kingdom of God.There are over 2,300 Bible verses about money. By comparison, faith and prayer are mentioned about 500 times.Clearly, the writers of the Bible knew it was important that we have a right view and understanding of money. As one pastor put it, “Our attitude toward money is an indication of where our heart is with God.”And on an everyday level, knowing what money is and where it comes from is incredibly important, as it plays a huge role in our future wealth or poverty, as well as our time and earthly freedom.Understanding money is so important that it will never be taught in schools.So let's talk about it.What is money?It's a simple question, but if you ask the average person, they'll have a hard time actually explaining what modern money is, where it comes from, and how badly it's destroying our society and advancing the plans of the enemy.Just as fish are rarely conscious that they're swimming in water, we humans are rarely conscious that we live in a powerful financial stream that's taking us places we don't want to go.So let's dive in. Or rather… dive out?What is money?Money is simply an agreement between two or more strangers to use something as a means of payment.* If 325 million Americans agree to use a tiny green rectangle of paper backed by the full might of the US military as a means of payment, that's money.* If 100 million mostly young adults agree to use digital bits of cryptographic code as a means of payment, that's money.* If all my friend agree to accept IOU homebrews as a means of payment for cooking, carpentry, and car repairs, that's money.Money is an agreement between two or more strangers to use something as a means of payment, and it requires trust between the parties involved — ideally, by making sure the money represents some sort of enforceable underlying wealth.The difference between wealth and moneyMoney and wealth aren't the same thing.True wealth is purely biological. You can eat it. Drink it. Wear it. Drive it. Live in it. Heat your house with it. Power your car or machine or business with it.Money, when it's working well, is an accurate representation of real wealth.True wealth isn't imaginary; it's biological. Bankers, hedge fund managers, and NFT creators aren't “wealth-creators” — they're sophisticated video game players who successfully convince people to ascribe value to digital numbers, which in turn allows the creators to then acquire items of real wealth like mega-mansions, Ossetra caviar, doomsday bunkers, and hyperyachts.So how can you figure out the difference between wealth and money?Quite easily.Remember, money is an agreement between two or more strangers.So to determine if something is money or real wealth, just pretend that you're the last person on earth or alone on a deserted island for the rest of your life.Money in that context immediately becomes worthless. American dollars, Euros, pounds, gold, silver, Bitcoins, beaver pelts… it's all money, and it's all utterly useless without another person to accept it as a means of payment.Real wealth proves itself real in isolation. If you're the last person on earth, you'll value water, food, and shelter far more than Mexican pesos and Chinese renminbi.Jack Sparrow didn't scream for $USD — he hollered for rum.How is wealth created?True wealth is created by applying time, effort, creativity, and sacrifice to the raw materials that God freely gives.* When a carpenter sacrifices time/effort/creativity to turn a tree into a desk, table, or bed frame, she creates wealth.* When a chef sacrifices time/effort/creativity to turn some eggs and lobster into a $1,000 omelet, he creates wealth.* When engineers sacrifice time/effort/creativity to build Elon Musk's Tesla-building robots, they create wealth.On the flipside…* When a landlord extracts rent from a tenant, he isn't creating real wealth.* When a Bitboy's crypto holdings go up in price, he isn't creating real wealth.* When a Robinhood addict's shorts pay off, he's isn't creating real wealth.* When a billionaire's stock goes up in price, he's isn't creating real wealth.But when a minimum-wage worker at one of those portfolio companies applies her time and effort to assemble two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and a sesame seed bun into a Big Mac, she's creating a tiny bit of real wealth.People generally value real wealth. We instinctively understand that the more sacrifice is required, the more it should be worth. That's why machine-assembled Casio watches are five bucks apiece, while hand-made Patek Philippes can run you up to $24 million.Wealth versus valueWealth and value aren't the same thing.To someone with a full bank account and access to a reliable grocery store, a lump of gold jewelry is often more valuable than a loaf of bread. But to a person on the brink of starvation, a lump of gold is often more only valuable if it can be readily exchanged for a loaf of bread.Value is a measure of desire.Value can fluctuate wildly, and it is easily manipulated. We can survive without bankers and insurance brokers, but we're dead without doctors and farmers. Yet brokers and bankers earn far more money than the latter, which suggests the value hierarchy of the elites who control our economy needs a radical recalibration. Elites clearly desire private profits over public health, so they assign more value to extractive professions like financial services.Let's pretend for a moment that value was democratically determined.Even in that fairy tale scenario, not all sacrifice is the same. Bitcoin's proof-of-work is that a specific computational effort has been expended. A house builder's proof-of-work is the 500-unit subdivision he just finished. Both of these sacrifice-created forms of value can be sold as money, though one is clearly more valuable (from a true wealth perspective) than the other.Price versus valuePrice and value aren't the same thing.A house's wealth is comprised of all the material and sacrifice that went into it.A house's value is determined by how useful it is to a potential purchaser.A houses' price is the amount of money charged for it, which is determined by value + manipulation. House prices are often boosted far beyond true value by a purposeful constriction of supply (thanks developers and land-lorders) and a purposeful glut of interest-bearing credit (thanks bankers).Prices can become even more unfair for products when corporations have a selling monopoly (or conversely, when a single buyer has a monopsony.)Prices can spike when powerful elites constrict supply, be it housing, Bitcoin, diamonds, gold, copper, oil — anything where people can at least temporarily corner the market.An easy way to understand the money vs. wealth vs. value vs. price schema is to consider which piece of financing changes most:* Money is the means by which you pay for a house. (This rarely changes — most Americans use $USD.)* Wealth is the materials and sacrifice that go into building a house. (This doesn't change. Once a house is built, it's built.)* Value is the personal usefulness to you. (This doesn't change. You need 365 nights of shelter each year.)* Price is what you're forced to pay by the market. (This changes on a daily basis, suggesting that prices rarely accurately reflect real value or wealth.)This is the problem with our current economy: Prices are rigged.And when prices are rigged, it allows the most powerful people in society to extract real wealth from the masses. By rigging the housing market through limiting supply, boosting demand by bankrolling investors to buy up multiple properties, and offering cheap credit to all with little money down, bankers can extract vast amounts of sacrifice from others without sacrificing anything themselves.There's a word for this practice: injustice.To recapMoney is negotiable.Wealth is objective.Value is subjective.Price is manipulated.How is money created?Brace yourself.Unlike creating real wealth, which is a measure of sacrifice, modern money is created in the exact opposite way — by extracting future sacrifice from others.Today's fiat currencies are created as private debt in one of two ways:* Public debtGovernments and central banks print money out of thin air (via treasury notes or bond-buying) and call it “stimulus” or “quantitative easing.”* Private debtYou go to the bank and ask for a mortgage or a car loan. A banker types on a computer and creates credit in your account. Now you have to pay it back with real cash plus interest. That's it. New money has been created. (If someone deposits $10 in a bank, the bank can loan out $9, then another bank can book that loan as an asset, which allows them to loan out eight more dollars, which allows another bank to book that loan as an asset, loan out $7, $6, $5, etc. It's called the money-multiplier effect, and it's the reason you have to work harder year after year. The end result? Almost all new money is created as debt.)Welcome to the insane fractional-reserve banking system.That's why it's called fiat currency. In the Latin Bible, God's first words were “Fiat lux” — Let there be light. Governments now say, “Let there be money.”That can't be it, right?Surely bankers and governments shouldn't be able to type numbers into a screen and print money out of thin air. Wouldn't that inflate house prices and stock prices and put the squeeze on billions of people who have to work hard to pay back fake loans (plus interest) with the real wealth of their real labor? Wouldn't printing money make currency worth less every year until $100 trillion doesn't buy a loaf of bread?Yep.And yet, 80% of all American M1 money stock in existence was printed in the past 18 months.Modern magical money creation is so simple and insidious that it's downright repellent to most civilized minds.Back in the day, someone would have to show up in London with 500 sheep or 1,000 bottles of Madeira to receive a note of credit that was redeemable at a sister bank across the Atlantic in New York.The value came first.Now, because humans are such a wonderfully hopeful (and often delusional) species, we do it the other way around — we create new money out of thin air and hope the value chain will catch up.It never does.Most people can't believe that most money is created via private debt.Thankfully, Western governments are at least honest about the scam:“Even though I work at the Fed, I really hadn't thought a lot about money creation in awhile so I looked up your question and basically, yes, banks create money by what is called fractional banking. Banks take your deposit, hold a certain % in reserve, and lend out the rest, which then gets redeposited, spent, etc.” — My friend who's worked at the U.S. Federal Reserve for 20+ years“The majority of money in the modern economy is created by commercial banks making loans.” — Bank of England“Private commercial banks create money when they purchase newly issued government securities by making digital accounting entries on their own balance sheets. Money is also created within the private banking system every time the banks extend a new loan, such as a home mortgage.” — Bank of CanadaHow in the world did we let this happen?Well… we, the people never had a choice:America's central bank, called the Federal Reserve, is actually owned by 12 regional reserve banks.Each of these regional banks are owned by private commercial banks.Let's look at the most important of those 12 reserve banks, the New York Fed. A Freedom of Information Act request revealed that the biggest shareholders of the NY Fed are… wait for it… Citibank at 42.8% and JPMorgan Chase at 29.5%. Other shareholders include Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and even foreign banks like HSBC and Deutsche Bank.So who owns the central bank and the monopoly on money-printing?The richest people on earth.No wonder they're so rich. They're the closest to the money printer.If the GameStop crowd really wanted to have some fun, they should buy a majority stake in America's biggest bank and expose this fraud from the inside.The problems with modern money-printingWhen corporate-captured governments print debt-based money that isn't backed by real wealth and has to be paid back with interest, they create a tidal wave of negative consequences in our lives and the lives of the poor:* They wildly inflate house prices.* They wildly inflate stock prices.* They put the squeeze on billions trying to make ends meet.* They make the masses work hard to pay back fake money loans (plus interest) with the real wealth of their real labor.* They devalue purchasing power by debasing currency. Not only does this straight-up steal money from everyone holding cash, but it discourages savings — making people less antifragile and more dependent on the state.* They detach money from real wealth and value.* They lock us into an unsustainable debt+interest death spiral that bankrupts millions of families on a regular basis and requires all of us to compete against each other.* They use their money power to set the agenda for the whole nation, spending on wars, toppling foreign governments, extracting wealth from poorer nations, sacrifice from their own citizens, stealing trillions of hours of human life.Let's not mince words: The secular, corporate-controlled, central banking money-printing scam is the biggest sin and crime in human history.What about cryptocurrency?Unfortunately, crypto does the same thing as fiat currency — it prints (AKA “mines”) magic zero-wealth-backed money out of thin air.Unlike government currencies, which are backed solely by violence, at least cryptocurrencies are backed by real trust. But trust is easily undermined. Bitcoin relies entirely on the human imagination to give it value.Because when you look at it objectively, what is cryptocurrency? Nothing but bytes in a file, to which people have temporarily assigned extravagant prices due to hoarding and mass hysteria.As one of my commenters put it:“When someone gives ~$40,000 to get 1 Bitcoin, what actually happens is some bytes in a file change their values. People give a pile of cash to have some bytes in a file associated with them. Sounds like a good definition of insanity. Especially bearing in mind that anyone can create such files at will. There are currently thousands of cryptocurrencies, but there could actually be millions or billions, and all of them are backed by nothing. Just files.”Now, to be clear, cryptocurrency has a ton of benefits over government currencies:* Bitcoin is limited to 21 million coins, unlike the $USD, which has no limit.* Unlike the millions of Americans who've endured gold seizures, crypto can't usually be seized by the state.* Unlike the thousands of poor Indians whose 500 rupee notes became worthless overnight, crypto can't be officially canceled by the state (though it can be severely curtailed and outlawed.)Clearly, mined crypto is better than printed fiat. But it doesn't mean the elite powers won't shut it down. In fact, Bitcoiners themselves have given the government the perfect excuse to do so: instead of treating Bitcoin like a regular currency and spending it into the economy to achieve widespread global adoption, they treated it as a Ponzi scheme, hoarding it like a speculative investment, skyrocketing the price.In fact, it gave central banks an idea: What if we ban cash and created our own digital surveillance currencies so we can track and trace every penny in the economy, directly manipulate spending, and bankrupt people at will?So that's exactly what they're building.Thanks, bitboys.How should money be created?Money should be created as a representation of real wealth, and its price should match its unmanipulated value.Right now, the global financial system is essentially a precariously-stacked house-of-cards pyramid of glorified IOUs — we need stable money that is violence-free, value-backed, and vision-loaded. As one of my commenters recently posted:“Not only is the current process of money creation corrupt, but it produces very poor quality money. Money is ideally a neutral, globally fungible trade medium. We need money to be a fixed unit of cost for planning, stable store of value for saving, with global acceptance for maximum utility, and nothing else.”We need to strip money-making power away from private banks and entrust it to democratic, accountable, and transparent processes. We need to create new money free of debt, not by lending money into the economy but by spending it into real eco-assets via democratic, blockchain-built infrastructure banks.But it's extremely likely that this will ever happen, because scam money is far more profitable than sound money.So, where does that leave us now?First, a macro note: Psalm 62:10 is very clear: Don't set your heart on riches. Don't put your hope in wealth. Love others, but don't trust human nature and the money it creates. On a related note, purge the love of money from your heart. The love of money really is the root of all kinds of evil, and Scripture is very clear that we can't serve both God and money. It's either the almighty dollar or the almighty God. Choose this day who you will serve.Second: Prepare for fiat hyperinflation, or your money is worthless.Third: Love your neighbor. Be good to each other. We're going to need each other in tomorrow's economy.Fourth: Get educated. Christians need to have a sound understanding of economics, debt, interest, investment, and power. Fifth: Prepare yourself for the forthcoming social credit system by amassing real, non-centralized, not-easily-seizable wealth with others.Sixth: Be extremely cautious of the crypto bubble. Hundreds of millions of people have made bets on various vision coins, but they're betting against the violence-backed central powers. A bet on crypto is a bet against centralized power. It's a noble act, but an extremely risky investment strategy.Seventh: Instead of hoarding crypto coins or playing the stock market, actually invest in the the kingdom economy.It is my strong belief that Christians need to start building new currencies, new economies, and new sovereignties, and we need to get started yesterday. Churches and denominations need to wake up and re-allocate, building Benedict Option citadels to resist the impending totalitarianism that's coming.Matthew 6:21 says that where our treasure is, there are hearts will be also. We can lead our hearts by sanctifying our money — setting it apart for God's service — dedicating it to things that honor God, be it advancing of the gospel, transitioning to renewable energy and sustainable food production, supporting circular economy businesses that work for everyone, or helping to house the estimated three billion people who will be forced into slums in our lifetime.It's time for Christians to revive our hearts and reform our part of the $400 trillion global economy. Money is a resource, but it's not the source. Instead of amassing temporary dollars here on earth, we have the opportunity to use our worldly wealth to create everlasting impact. As Jim Elliot said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”This is our invitation to turn mere money into eternal value.And that's a vision worth investing in.If you want to help grow the Future Faith community, the best thing you can do is email this podcast to some friends and leave a 5-star review.In upcoming episodes, we'll look at eight scenarios for the future of money. Next week, we're going to look into what Christians should be doing with crypto and blockchain technology.As I mentioned at the top, this episode is sponsored by Swanbitcoin. Government fiat money, as you now know, is wildly corrupt, but “investing” in Bitcoin is highly risky and just turns it into a pyramid scheme. Instead, we need to SPEND and GIVE crypto to achieve rapid global adoption before centralized surveillance currencies monopolize money forever. So head over to swanbitcoin.com/jaredbrock to get $10 in free Bitcoin to spend. That's $10 in free Bitcoin at swanbitcoin.com/jaredbrockThanks for listening and we'll see you next time. Get full access to Future Faith at jaredbrock.substack.com/subscribe
Jared Brock's Future Faith podcast is also available for free on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.I've been avoiding publishing any articles on vaccines because it's an absurdly contentious subject that wins you no friends and makes you quite a few enemies.It's an issue plagued with political ideologies, conflicts of interests, bad faith arguments, issue conflation, terrible research, and appallingly stupid false dichotomies.But alas, my inbox has been flooded with good folks asking me my perspective, so hopefully, I can lay it all out in one article and never have to discuss it again. My guess is that this will be one of the most contentious pieces I ever publish, so even if you disagree but can manage to stick with me through this one, I think we can continue our relationship for years to come!In this piece, I'm going to try and lay out a biblical framework for approaching issues like this. I have no financial incentives in this fight, and I want to make it clear that my goal isn't to make you get a vaccine or not get a vaccine, but to help tune up our reasoning and look at this highly-contentious subject through a Christ-centered lens.Let's start at the beginning“A very good place to start.” — Maria von Trapp in The Sound of MusicThere are a lot of people out there who think vaccines are “inherently dangerous because there is no long-term safety data.”These people have never read a history book.Let's go back in time…The year is 1774. Smallpox is ravaging the world. Sore throats, headaches, and difficulty breathing are the nice symptoms. Instead, disfiguring rashes cover most infected people's faces, feet, throat, and lungs with pus-filled pustules. A third of adults infected will die. Eight in ten infants will die. At least 400,000 people will die per year for decades, and survivors will be marred with blindness and lifelong scars, driving some to suicide.Here's what that looks like in real life:People tried everything to halt smallpox outbreaks — hot rooms, cold rooms, avoiding melons, wearing the color red, drinking twelve beers per day. None of it worked, of course, but there was one genuine cure — an ancient practice from India and Africa called “variolation” an early form of inoculation. We even know the name of the African slave who brought the life-saving practice to North America. His name was Onesimus, likely named after the slave mentioned in Colossians and Philemon. The American Onesimus's master convinced 287 Bostonians to get variolated — among the inoculated, their rates of death fell sevenfold.Variolation is pretty freaky by today's standards: People just took pus from someone suffering from smallpox and scratched it into the skin of healthy folks. During the American Civil War, people would take the dried scabs of smallpox survivors, grind them into powder, then sniff it up the nose or drink it in tea.Variolation worked… ish. People would usually get a mild case of smallpox and survive, thanks to their well-prepped immune systems. Some people still got full-blown smallpox and died, but variolation increased your chances of survival.Over in rural England, one class of person seemed completely immune to smallpox: milkmaids. The women occasionally suffered from a cattle disease called cowpox, but they usually survived with little scarring. In 1774, as a smallpox epidemic once again swept his nation, farmer Benjamin Jesty decided to scratch some cow pus into his family's skin.None of them got smallpox.The science was and is simple: The cowpox pus — vaccinia — could create antibodies and genetic memory that would trigger the human body to create immunity against life-threatening pathogens.Ben Jesty renovated his garden cottage into a “Temple of Vaccinia” and invited locals to visit after church for their life-saving doses. For his generosity, he was labeled inhuman, “hooted at, reviled, and pelted whenever he attended markets in the neighborhood,” with some neighbors even worrying he'd turn them into horned beasts.Because of a lack of widespread and effective vaccination, 300 million people died in the 20th century from smallpox alone.A resounding successWe now have nearly 250 years of data and it all says the same thing: Vaccination decreases your chances of dying from deadly pathogens.* We no longer have regular rolling rounds of smallpox, whooping cough, scarlet fever, polio, hib, cholera, and other deadly diseases that have killed tens of millions of people across time.* Since 1962 alone, 4.5 billion virus cases have been averted thanks to modern vaccinations.* Tetanus mortality has been reduced by 96% since 1988.* 17.1 million lives have been saved from measles since 2000.* Smallpox has been completely eradicated.To be anti-vaccination is the same as saying you're anti-medicine.Thankfully, the vast majority of the world understands that vaccination is medicine. 9 out of 10 people in the world think that vaccinating children is important.But there's a small but vociferously vocal minority — typically white, right-leaning, Westerners who have never lost a child to a life-threatening pathogen — who would rather risk their family's life and safety than give them this particular form of medicine.They have about five major reasons, but none of them are Socratically sound:1. Therapeutics aren't a good enough reason to reject vaccine therapySome of our more earthy brothers and hippie sisters think we should stop playing God and just let nature do its thing, building our immune systems naturally.Which is exactly what vaccines do.Innoculation comes from the Middle English word “inoculaten,” which means “grafting a plant part to another plant.” When we get a vaccine, we're essentially grafting some of the enemy pathogens into our immune system, but in a way that teaches our body to do the miraculous work of defending itself when the real pathogen shows up.Most football coaches don't let their teams go onto the field until they've analyzed the competition for weaknesses. Most militaries don't send their soldiers into battle until they know their enemy's setup. I hate to use computer terms for something as gloriously biological as a homo sapiens, but human bodies are old hardware in need of constant software updates.Some people think our updates should only come from therapeutics and not inoculations.But don't forget Brock's Rule! Avoid false dichotomies.When given two bad options, choose neither.When given two good options, choose both.Don't fall prey to the false dichotomy that it's one or the other, therapeutics versus vaccinations.Clearly, governments should have instituted a two-year ban on fast food, high fructose corn syrup, added sugars, processed foods, and everything non-organic, then sent everyone to the woods and beaches for exercise and sunlight while scientists worked on a vaccine.And if you're so inclined, go ahead and take therapeutics — sniff all the essential oils and eat all the vitamins to try to build a killer immune system, and also get the vaccine… which is just another natural immune booster.If our rationale for therapeutics is truly to boost our natural immunity, then vaccines are the #1 weapon in our arsenal for doing so. The Cambridge dictionary defines a therapeutic as anything “tending to make a person healthier.” Vaccinations are therapeutic.2. Big Pharma profits aren't a good enough reason to reject vaccine therapyBig Pharma is awful.Life-saving medicine shouldn't be a money-making industry.There should be zero for-profit vaccines.Pfizer and the other drug cartels are making billions off Covid, and it's not right.I wonder how many more anti-vaxxers would take vaccine therapy if it was owned and administered by democratic governments, not-for-profits, and charities. Imagine how many more people would get vaccinated if the Red Cross did the deed at their local church.But alas, here we are.We need to ask the same question as Cicero and the ancient Romans:Cui bono? Who profits?Clearly, Big Pharma is reaping a waterfall of cash from their vaccine. That's a huge issue we must address.But it doesn't mean vaccines are any less effective.What's interesting is that many anti-vaxxers are happy to take all sorts of other for-profit products — literally anything under the sun, including anti-malarial hydroxychloroquine and a mostly Chinese-producedlice medication (and horse de-wormer) called Ivermectin.Who do they think is paying for all the marketing and social media posts they're reading about these products?Who do they think profits from every single therapeutic purchase they make?It's just shadow Big Pharma.(Ironically, one of Ivermectin's biggest manufacturers… is also a vaccine maker.)There are profit motives on both sides — clearly, Big Pharma's profits are far larger because they have so many unfair advantages — but it doesn't mean vaccines are any less effective. Vaccines don't care who makes money off them; they simply decrease our chances of dying from deadly pathogens.3. Economic re-engineering isn't a good enough reason to reject vaccine therapyCorporate elites have used this pandemic as an excuse to enrich themselves to the tune of $5.5 trillion and growing.We clearly have to deal with this.We need a wealth tax, a global minimum corporate tax, and a robot tax.Otherwise, the Great Reset will leave us all as full-time wage-slaves and rent-slaves.But wealth inequality and systemic impoverishment also have nothing to do with vaccination efficacy.Vaccines decrease our chances of death, regardless of who dominates the economy and tries to grind the middle class to dust.4. The risk of a superbug isn't a good enough reason to reject vaccine therapyThere's also the very bad argument that taking vaccines will eventually create some sort of vaccine-resistant superbug. While the odds of such a pathogen eventually existing is extremely high, the argument itself is extremely poor for two big reasons:First, this argument naturally forces the anti-vaxxer to admit that vaccines have, up until this point in time, indeed worked.Second, when that vaccine-resistant pathogen does arrive, millions of people will die and no vaccine will help — and neither will the immune systems of millions of anti-vaxxers. There's no evidence that says people who've avoided vaccines their whole lives will magically be granted immunity from the superbug.I've met people who literally believe no one should take vaccines and we should risk the annual loss of millions of lives in an effort to boost our collective immune system. This, frankly, is unacceptable in a pro-human society. Sure, it would be great if our immune systems naturally adapted as fast as viruses do, but they don't. Christ-followers can't in good faith permit millions of deaths when we have a suboptimal but effective immune-training technology in our possession. That would be like withholding a life-preserver from a drowning person today because there might be a tsunami in the future.We cannot allow the delusional perfect to be the enemy of the concrete good. The Bible is very clear that the earth is currently in a fallen state. In heaven, we won't need vaccines. On earth, we clearly do.5. Covid passports aren't a good enough reason to reject vaccine therapyThis is the big one, isn't it?It's certainly the thing everyone keeps emailing and calling me about.“Aren't Covid passports just the tip of the spear for government surveillance?”No, they're not.We're way past that.A vaccine passport is a joke compared to your smartphone, your digital bank, your social media, your Internet usage history, and especially the coming central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and social credit systems.Don't lose the plot, friends. Vaccines aren't the “tip of the spear” whatsoever. That weapon belongs to the elite monopoly control of money-creation. Everything else is secondary.And here's a big thing a lot of non-travelers have forgotten:We've already had vaccine passports for years.My wife and I have traveled to plenty of risky places including North Korea, Transnistria, Honduras, Ethiopia, and West Texas. Tourists who only go to Florida and Hawaii and Caribbean all-inclusives may not realize it, but much of the world has required proof of vaccination for decades.As any missionary kid knows, you can't get into many countries without showing your doctor-stamped visa that proves you've had your yellow fever shots. 124 nations require you to show a yellow fever vaccine visa to get across their borders. We've shown ours many times. (We've also never had yellow fever, which still kills 30,000 people per year, because our vaccination gave us 99% immunity 30 days after injection.)Yes, future vaccine visas will likely be logged on the blockchain and movement will be automatically restricted by robots and algorithms. This is anti-human and should rightly be outlawed. But avoiding vaccination itself won't change this. It's the wrong hill to die on.Tyranny isn't defeated by leaving your immune system under-educated.Why vaccines are so politicalIf Covid had a 100% transmission rate and a 100% kill rate, we wouldn't be having this conversation.If any disease spread to everyone and killed everyone, everyone except suicidal sociopaths would be in favor of mandated vaccination and proven containment measures.Conversely, if a “disease” had a 0% kill rate and a 0% transmission rate, none of us would be in favor of any vaccination or any containment measure.Clearly, it's just a sliding scale, based on personal risk tolerance.So the question is: Who gets to decide when we should mandate vaccines and when to implement containment measures?Ebola has a 50+% kill rate, but a low transmission rate. The vaccine is effective 97.5% of the time. If it had a 90% transmission rate by simply breathing in public, would you mandate a vaccine and/or try to implement containment measures? Even though we live in a troublingly individualist anti-culture, most people would say yes.(If it were solely up to me, for the sake of stopping variants, vaccines would be mandatory for any contagious disease with an R-nought of more than 1.27 and/or an Infection Fatality Rate of more than 0.038%. If someone doesn't like it, they can move to Arkansas.)But it's not up to me, of course.And it's not up to you.Because we can all infect each other, it's only fair that we all get to decide.Vaccine regulation is democracy's job.And people are actually furious because they don't live in a democracy.Let's be honest about what this is really all about:Thisisallabouttrust.The vaccine debate has almost nothing to do with health:People don't trust Big Pharma.Nor should they — if it were up to Big Pharma, we'd all die unless we could pay top “free”-market dollar for their wares. They already do this in unregulated nations in Africa.People don't trust Big Medicine.Nor should they — the American for-profit healthcare system is the biggest scam in global health.People don't trust Big Government.Nor should they — we live in an undemocratic corporatocracy ruled by private interests with anti-commons agendas.The Bible is quite clear in Psalm 146:3 “Do not put your trust in princes; there is no hope for you there.”But our distrust of government has nothing to do with vaccine therapy.We need to think clearly about the big picture: We're rapidly approaching the age of the panopticon surveillance state.So long as we continue to buy from giant corporations and vote for their corporate-captured political parties and candidates, social credit systems are coming, with or without a vaccine passport.Vaccines are an opportunityAs far as I can see it, vaccination provides Christ-centered people with five intriguing opportunities:1. The opportunity to serve othersJust because some of us feel young, strong, and healthy doesn't mean we aren't surrounded by more vulnerable people, especially the elderly brothers and sisters in our churches. In Philippians 2:5–7, Paul encourages us that, “In your relationships with another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus by taking the very nature of a servant, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Supercharging our immune systems is yet another way we can serve each other.One thing is for certain: Vaccinations aren't worth losing unity over. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” The reality is that vaccine passports are just the next technology that secularist governments may try to use to control their citizens. These new technologies are emerging at a faster and faster rate, which suggests Jesus-followers actually need to slow down, get in step with the Holy Spirit, and wrestle together as Christ-centered communities on how to honor God in this cultural moment.2. The opportunity to obey our governmentsThis one is very, very tough for those of us who've been raised in this hyper-selfish individualist anti-culture.But Scripture is brutally clear on this point: we are to obey every government law that doesn't disobey God's law. Titus 3:1 — “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.” 1 Peter 2:13–15 — “Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors… For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.”Clearly, getting vaccinated doesn't go against the word of God and the gospel of Christ. In fact, it creates obedience to 1 Corinthians 6:19, where Paul insists our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. But if you're like me, you have a deeply rebellious spirit! This is our opportunity to submit to the government. Believe me, there will soon be plenty of reasons to glorify God by practicing civil disobedience, but avoiding vaccination isn't one of them.3. The opportunity to honest and truthfulWe don't need to delude ourselves into thinking we're “educated” on vaccines. The vast majority of us don't have a doctorate in the subject, and no amount of online article-reading will ever get us there. We don't argue about whether or not houses reliably stay standing — they generally do, and we don't need to research the intricacies of house-engineering to trust the experts. In the same, we know that vaccines have proven to boost our immunes systems for the past few centuries, and while they aren't perfect, that's probably all a lay-person needs to know. This is an opportunity to lay aside the notion that we are experts on this subject. As Mark Twain said, “It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.”4. The opportunity to practice wisdomPastor Andy Stanley says that the best question ever is, “In light of our past experiences, current circumstances, and future hopes and dreams, what is the wisest thing to do?”This isn't a question to answer alone. Followers of the Way will naturally do what we always do when faced with tough questions: Go to the Word, get on our knees, and meet with other believers.Only the Holy Spirit can guide us into all truth.5. The opportunity to wear a cloak of humilityThis is our chance to not think better of ourselves than we should. Having the vaccine doesn't make you a better person — it just means you're less likely to die from Covid-19.In the same way, not having the vaccine doesn't make you better than your vaccinated brothers and sisters — it just means you're putting them and yourself at a greater risk of infection.Remember: Christ-followers don't have human enemies. We are called to love those who hate us, and pray for those who persecute us. As John Mark Comer says, we are to make our bodies a graveyard for hate.For pastors and elders, there is a huge opportunity to disciple your believers toward a less individualistic outlook on life, re-orienting your people to a communal framework for living, and a proper understanding of the government's role in the life of a Jesus-follower.In ConclusionRegardless of mandates or economics or passports, I would've gotten the Covid vaccine anyway. Why? Because vaccination helps train my God-given immune system to be awesome, and because this vaccine is proven to significantly decrease my chance of death by Covid.That's it.Vaccines just aren't political for me, at all. I can't fathom why anyone makes them political — vaccines are therapeutic medicine that trains your body to fight pathogens, pure and simple. Sadly, ours is an age of outrageous conflation. Rather than thinking clearly and tackling the real problems of tyranny, we endanger our children because we think it's magically “creating change.”My track record shows that I'm extremely anti-partisan, anti-politician, and anti-corporatocracy, and I'm not going to let any tyrannical earthly institution weaponize my own health against me.We need to stay strong so we can take down the powers and principalities who are actively at work in the spiritual realm.This often ugly debate should make us ask important questions:* Am I placing my trust in the government, myself, or my Savior?* Am I spending more time on social media than in God's word?* Do I spend more time researching vaccines than I do in prayer?* Would I rather fight digital people on the Internet more than commune with local believers in the flesh?At the end of the day, everything always comes back to the gospel. The good news is that the kingdom of God is here in our midst; that Christ has taken our sin on his shoulders; that through Him we can be restored to God. This has massive implications for how we live and move and have our being.As you wrestle with the Word and the Holy Spirit and your church through this issue, I pray that you will find unity and peace in the bonds of His love. Get full access to Future Faith at jaredbrock.substack.com/subscribe
Jordan chats with Award-winning author and documentarian, Jared Brock about our current economic situation, vax passports, why the stock market is kinda fake, social credit scores, fighting porn addiction, and not having a cell phone for 10 years. Check out Jared's work here - jaredabrock.medium.com, @jaredbrock (Twitter), and jaredbrock.com.
(00:00-9:14): Brian and Aubrey shared their thoughts on Peter Newman's Gospel Coalition article, “Why Do We Go to Church? Because We're Forgetful. (9:14-26:27): Clarissa Moll, Author, Co-Host of Christianity Today's “Surprised by Grief” podcast, and Host of the weekly Hope*Writers podcast joined Brian and Aubrey to talk about finding God's hope in the midst of grief, her Gospel Coalition article “Life Is Reopening. Why Am I Still So Sad?” and the new edition of her husband, Rob Moll's book, “The Art of Dying: Living Fully into the Life to Come.” Learn more about Clarissa at clarissamoll.com and connect with her on instagram at mollclarissa *This interview originally aired on 6/29/21* (26:27-35:25): What's the difference between having knowledge about God and knowing God through a personal relationship? Brian and Aubrey chatted about this topic and commented on a clip of Preston Sprinkle's recent interview with Francis Chan. (35:25-44:06): Brian and Aubrey chatted about Tim Keller's Relevant Magazine article, “You Never Marry the Right Person.” (44:06-1:03:15): Dr. Caroline Leaf, Cognitive Neuroscientist, Bestselling Author, and Host of the podcast, “Cleaning Up The Mental Mess,” joined Brian and Aubrey to chat about her new book, “Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess: 5 Simple, Scientifically Proven Steps to Reduce Anxiety, Stress, and Toxic Thinking” and the Neurocycle app. Learn more about Dr. Leaf at drleaf.com and connect with her on Twitter at @DrCarolineLeaf *This interview originally aired on 5/21/21* (1:03:15-1:12:07): Brian and Aubrey discussed Jared Brock's Relevant Magazine article, “10 Ways to Simplify Your Life.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
(00:00-9:19): Brian and Aubrey chatted about the weekend and shared a fun story about Brian spotting Aubrey's car on the highway while they were traveling to different places for the holiday weekend. (9:19-19:22): Brian and Aubrey discussed Donie O'Sullivan's CNN article, “Flynn says he didn't endorse Myanmar-style coup after he appears to back plan in video exchange.” (19:22-29:21): Brian and Aubrey chatted about the new podcast from Christianity Today, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. (29:21-37:49): Brian and Aubrey shared their thoughts on Jen Wilkin's Christianity Today article, “Let the Little Children Come to ‘Big Church.'” (37:49-47:25): What steps can churches take to protect themselves from narcissistic leaders? Brian and Aubrey discussed this and commented on Roxanne Stone's Religion News Service article, “Exclusive: Sex abuse allegations by Carl Lentz's former nanny put spotlight on Hillsong culture.” (47:25-1:05:40): Dr. Beth Allison Barr, Associate Dean & Professor of History at Baylor University, joined Brian and Aubrey to chat about her new book, “The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth.” Learn more about Dr. Barr at bethallisonbarr.com and connect with her on Twitter at @bethallisonbarr (1:05:40-1:14:36): Brian and Aubrey discussed Jared Brock's Relevant Magazine article, “10 Ways to Simplify Your Life.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Where a writer writes, how important is it? THE WRITER SHED explores the writing spaces of famous authors and why your own special space could be just what you need. Host David W. Berner interviews writer Jared Brock about his exploration of writing spaces, and the dozens of author writing spaces he has visited.
Jared Brock is the co-founder of Hope for the Sold, an abolitionist charity that fights human trafficking. He is an author and film documentarian. His films include: Red Light Green Light, Over 18, and Redeeming Uncle Tom. His books include: The Road to Dawn, The Year of Living Prayerfully, and Bearded Gospel Men. His writing has appeared in TIME Magazine, Esquire, Christianity Today, Relevant Magazine, Huffington Post, Smithsonian Magazine, Writer's Digest, The Guardian, and he is a frequent contributor to Medium.com. He owns no cell phone, is an anti-political, ambiverted, ENTJ, Enneagram 8, and spends his days synthesizing perennial knowledge into everyday wisdom – discovering the practical long-term principles that can cultivate human flourishing. Join us as Jared shares from his personal journey, his work, and stories that will inspire and equip you to a deeper life of justice, kindness, and humility. The inimitable Jared Brock on today's 68 Culture Podcast. www.jaredabrock.com
In this episode, we are joined by author and documentarian Jared Brock who is known for works such as A Year of Living Prayerfully, Red Light Green Light, and most recently The Road to Dawn. Jared shares about his work and the riveting behind-the-scenes info about how his books and documentaries came to be, as well as about some projects he is currently working on.
Getting out of the friend zone, plus Jared Brock on great (bearded) men in church history, and a listener discovered her dad has other kids.
This week, on a special edition of the SLHour, we speak with Joe Sikorra about lifting his family from death back to life and reconnect with author Jared Brock who tells us about the unknown inspiration for the famous novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin. We we also meet two young singer/songwriters, Corrie...
This week, on a special edition of the SLHour, we speak with Joe Sikorra about lifting his family from death back to life and reconnect with author Jared Brock who tells us about the unknown inspiration for the famous novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. We we also meet two young singer/songwriters, Corrie...
Author and filmmaker Jared Brock highlights the life of abolitionist and 40-year-slave Josiah Henson in his book, “The Road to Dawn” (Encore Presentation).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The name Josiah Henson probably doesn't mean much to you. This week author and film maker Jared Brock tells us about the former slave whose life story inspired Uncle Tom's Cabin and possibly ignited the Civil War; Gillian Kantor learns something new from her kids; Billy has a question about th...
The name Josiah Henson probably doesn’t mean much to you. This week author and film maker Jared Brock tells us about the former slave whose life story inspired Uncle Tom’s Cabin and possibly ignited the Civil War; Gillian Kantor learns something new from her kids; Billy has a question about th...
I lived in South Philadelphia for seven years, and knew very little about the area's connection to the Civil War or the Underground Railroad. But just a couple years ago, I read a story about how a house not far from where I used to live was actually visited by Harriet Tubman. And I think this is how many Americans live, right on top of history, particularly the history of the Civil War and the Underground Railroad, and don't even realize it. My guest today, Jared Brock, author of The Road to Dawn: Josiah Henson and the Story That Sparked the Civil War, says that roughly one in three Americans live in close proximity to Civil War or Underground Railroad history, many never realizing it. On this episode we talk about what the Underground Railroad really was, the incredilble journey of Josiah Henson, and how listeners can learn more about Jacob's documentary. History in our backyard The story goes that when Abraham Lincoln met Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of the classic work of American literature Uncle Tom's Cabin, he said, “So you're the little lady who started the Civil War.” That's how important that book was. But as Jared told me, the book was based on a real man, Josiah Henson, and he soon found out Josiah's house wasn't far from where Jared lived at the time. As Jared says, this is the “history in our backyard” episode. But it's also about how the Civil War and the Underground Railroad permeate our current lives. Raiders of the Lost York The Underground Railroad was the name for the network of people who worked to bring slaves north to freedom, but as Jared tells me in this episode, it meant a lot of different things. People traveled by rail, by foot, by boat, however they could to escape slavery. And while there were general routes taken, the “railroad” was always changing to avoid predictability. And the people who operated the railroad cut across cultural lines. The Quakers played a large role in the railroad, but so did free blacks. The life of Josiah Henson The story of Josiah Henson is incredible. As a child he was so sick that he was given to another slave owner, the man who owned Josiah's mother, to see if she could nurse him back to health. He does get better and becomes very strong and distinguishes himself with his skill. He then becomes a preacher, and begins collecting money to buy his freedom. But it turned out the slave owner had pulled a scam on him, and sold him on the New Orleans slave market. Josiah's escape actually predates the Underground Railroad, but it is an amazing story of being helped up into Canada, and arriving with a wife and four children. Jared provides amazing details from Josiah's life, and great places to visit to connect with Josiah's story. Outline of This Episode [3:12] What got Jared interested in the Civil War [5:18] Underground Railroad's beginning [9:04] The life of Josiah Henson [14:07] More details about Josiah [20:18] Josiah settles in Canada [23:15] Where to connect with Josiah's story [27:40] How Josiah inspires [29:21] The documentary Resources Mentioned The Road to Dawn Watch The Road to Dawn preview Connect With Stephanie stephanie@historyfangirl.com https://historyfangirl.com Support Stephanie on Patreon Featuring the song “Places Unseen” by Lee Rosevere. More info and photographs for this episode at:
It's episode 34! Jared Brock is a man of many talents, including growing a beard. So he wrote a book about it - well sort of. His latest book, Bearded Gospel Men, represents his epic quest for manliness and godliness. He profiles men throughout history (who happen to be bearded, probably) who boldly stood for their spiritual convictions. This is what Jared wishes for every man today (and women too). The book will inspire you and our conversation will challenge you and probably make you laugh too. I hope it will make you think differently about God and beards.
If it's one thing that has come out of our digital world its the ready access to pornography. There's often a tragic human story behind those images. Michelle and Jared Brock have committed their lives to bringing Hope to the Sold, shedding light on this industry and culture which traffics in the lives of vulnerable human beings - children and women in particular. I think you will find this interview enlightening and I hope it inspires you to learn more about their work. Michelle and Jared have brought their work to us via the documentaries Red Light, Green Light and Over 18.
Is there a connection between beards and Godliness? This week, author Jared Brock argues that there is. Sr. Marie-Paul Curley has the Windows to the Soul to a new Christmas animated film; Emilie Callan goes to a conference on Catholic Education; Billy Chan has more questions about the afterli...
Yes, there actually IS a book called “Bearded Gospel Men,” and Jared Brock, one of its bearded authors, talks about both the serious and silly sides of connecting beards and the Bible.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is there a connection between beards and Godliness? This week, author Jared Brock argues that there is. Sr. Marie-Paul Curley has the Windows to the Soul to a new Christmas animated film; Emilie Callan goes to a conference on Catholic Education; Billy Chan has more questions about the afterli...
Join us for a special encore Easter edition of the SLHour from 2015: Sister Marie Paul Curley tells us about Easter with the Daughters of St. Paul and gives us a new (and unexpected) Five-Easter-film countdown. We also speak with Jared Brock, author of A Year of Living Prayerfully about prayer and...
Join us for a special encore Easter edition of the SLHour from 2015: Sister Marie Paul Curley tells us about Easter with the Daughters of St. Paul and gives us a new (and unexpected) Five-Easter-film countdown. We also speak with Jared Brock, author of A Year of Living Prayerfully about prayer and...
Join us for a special Easter edition of the SLHour: Sister Marie Paul Curley tells us about Easter with the Daughters of St. Paul and gives us a new (and unexpected) Five-Easter-film countdown. We also speak with Jared Brock, author of A Year of Living Prayerfully about prayer and of course, Easte...
Join us for a special Easter edition of the SLHour: Sister Marie Paul Curley tells us about Easter with the Daughters of St. Paul and gives us a new (and unexpected) Five-Easter-film countdown. We also speak with Jared Brock, author of A Year of Living Prayerfully about prayer and of course, Easte...
In this episode of You University, I interview Jared Brock. Jared is the author of A Year of Living Prayerfully, and the co-founder of Hope for the Sold, an abolitionist charity that fights human trafficking one word at a time. Jared is happily married to his best friend, Michelle, with whom he is the co-director and co-producer of Red Light Green Light. Together they have traveled to over 40 countries and have spoken in over 100 cities around North America. Jared’s writing has appeared in Huffington Post, Converge, Esquire, and Relevant Magazine, and he writes regularly at JaredBrock.com. Ready to build your brand? Get your 15 Free Videos RIGHT NOW http://goo.gl/oDCqdL
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Why Jared stuck two fingers up at convention and live in a campervan! What is Hope For The Sold? Why was a 37,000 mile world pilgrimage necessary for success? What Jared's story has to do with goat testicles and lunching with the freakin’ Pope! How Jared eliminated distractions to write an entire book in three weeks No techy skills? No prob! Why simple, old school business tools are where it’s at How your authentic values will help you stand out and influence How to stay true to an eco, minimalist life AND still grow a successful modern business Are those dollars feelin’ a lil empty? We chat meaning, ethics and being unconventional
Jared Brock is back today to talk about some of the crazy adventures he experienced on his journey to live prayerfully for a year. Also included are some tips on how to become a minimalist, and a crazy travel mishap with a happy ending!
Jared Brock is a world traveler who has done some crazy things. He fights human trafficking as co-founder of Hope for the Sold. Join us to learn about his adventures making documentaries and walking on hot coals!
In this episode, Mike chats with Jared Brock, a gentleman who has lived a multi-faceted, intentional, and international life. Jared runs a charity to fight human trafficking with his wife, completed a 37,000-mile pilgrimage around the world - where he even gained an audience with Pope Francis. He and his wife also took the 100 Things challenge and now they live carbon neutral in a 1975 Airstream trailer in a forest, they don't own cell phones, and get by on just the essentials. Jared is an interesting guy and I'm sure you'll enjoy the conversation he had with Mike on this episode. Relevant Links http://amzn.to/1Io70Ol (A Year of Living Prayerfully by Jared Brock) http://hopeforthesold.com/ (Hope for the Sold –) http://redlightgreenlightfilm.com/ (Red Light Green Light) http://jaredbrock.com/start/ (Welcome to Living Prayerfully!) Want to send Mike an app, book, or something similar to discuss on the show? Email Productivityist at info@productivityist.com and we'll give it a look. Want to listen on Stitcher? http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=53149&refid=stpr (Click here.) Really like the show and want it to flourish even more? Support The Productivityist Podcast by becoming a patron! http://patreon.com/productivityist (Click here) to visit The Productivityist Podcast's Patreon page and see what perks await those who pitch in a buck or more.
The post Jared Brock: Author of a Year of Living Prayerfully appeared first on The Blog of Ian Robinson.
What is the importance of prayer? How does spirituality connect to travel? We talk with our next guest about these questions. A christian activist and author. He’s completed a 37,000 mile prayer pilgrimage around the globe. Introducing, Jared Brock. “World travel is fundamental for world peace.” – Jared Brock (Tweet It) Travel Topics: What the point of prayer … Continue reading "Jared Brock: Author of a Year of Living Prayerfully" The post Jared Brock: Author of a Year of Living Prayerfully appeared first on The Blog of Ian Robinson.
On this episode, I’m in the room with Jared Brock. Jared is a documentary film maker, an author, and the co-founder of “Hope for the Sold” - an abolitionist non-profit organization fighting sex trafficking. While filming in the red light districts of Amsterdam, Jared was reminded of our deep need for prayer. This reminder resulted in a 37,000 mile prayer pilgrimage around the globe. His new book, “A Year Of Living Prayerfully” is a travel memoir documenting this journey. In my conversation with Jared, we discuss the reasons prayer runs dry in our lives, how ministry leaders can help fuel the fire of prayer in their own lives and the lives of those they lead, and how in the world Jared ended up meeting the pope on this journey. Buy “A Year Of Living Prayerfully”: rdmptn.org/LivingPrayerfullyFollow Jared on Twitter: twitter.com/jaredbrockCheck out the Red Light Green Light Film: redlightgreenlightfilm.comFind out more about “Hope For the Sold”: hopeforthesold.com Check out Jared’s Blog: jaredbrock.comBooks Jared recommends on prayer:rdmptn.org/PracticingPresenceOfGodrdmptn.org/RuleOfTaizerdmptn.org/GeorgeMullerrdmptn.org/PeteGreigrdmptn.org/TooBusyNotToPrayrdmptn.org/Intercessor
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Jared Brock recently completed a 37,000 mile pilgrimage around the world, including a trip to North Korea and meeting the Pope. Jared shares stories from the journey as well as his moment of inspiration in the Red Light District of Amsterdam. His new book, A Year of Living Prayerfully, documents the trip. Recorded 18 May 2015 from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and Baltimore, MD, USA wtepodcast.com/2015/05/27/livingprayerfully
Jared Brock had lunch at the Pope's house, travelled to North Korea, walked on a bed of hot coals, and even got to chat with the Westboro Baptist Church! Connect with Jared Brock LivingPrayerfully.com @ Jared Brock Facebook.com/JaredABrock Hope For The Sold Red Light Green Light Documentary Today's guest has travelled all over the world to see and document how different people pray. Jared Brock has lived an amazing life to this point and shows no signs of stopping. While deeply involved in crusading against human trafficking, he got the opportunity to write his first book called A Year of Living Prayerfully! Jared Brock's incredible story is one that must be shared with people of all religions, and to get a taste of what the book is all about, please watch the trailer below. Purchase Jared Brock's Red Light Green Light Documentary On Amazon Buy Jared Brock's Book Living Prayerfully For $2.99 Until May 29th! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC23CWNTm5E More about Jared Brock Jared Brock is the author of A Year of Living Prayerfully, and the co-founder of Hope for the Sold, an abolitionist charity that fights human trafficking one word at a time. Jared is happily married to his best friend, Michelle, with whom he is the co-director and co-producer of Red Light Green Light. Together they have traveled to over 40 countries and have spoken in over 100 cities around North America. Jared's writing has appeared in Huffington Post, Converge, Esquire, and Relevant Magazine, and he writes regularly at JaredBrock.com. Jared's Life Story Born in the royal city of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, on the same birthday as Benjamin Franklin, Jared was raised by a Culligan man/youth pastor and homemaker/life coach. Jared was permanently kicked out of Sunday school in the fifth grade. He met the love of his life in the seventh grade, and kissed her that summer at a Newsboys concert. His eighth grade teacher claimed that he would either “be a prisoner or a pastor.” Jared came to faith in Jesus at the age of 17, and was baptized at a Christian camp the following summer. Jared skipped 56 days of his last semester of high school and graduated from real estate college before he finished high school. He worked as a realtor, then as a used car salesman, but eventually got tired of selling people things they didn't need. He spent 3 years as a youth pastor, which was more than enough. Jared and Michelle decided to simplify their lives- they took the 100 Things Challenge and volunteered at intentional communities and eco-villages as they backpacked through all 7 countries in Central America. Upon returning to Canada, Jared interned on Vancouver Island at New Life Church, and was mentored by Christian author Mark Buchanan. In between all this, Jared and Michelle started Hope for the Sold, after hearing Gary Haugen speak at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Together they produced Red Light Green Light, which has been seen in over 100 cities around North America. While filming undercover in the red light districts of Amsterdam, Jared discovered his great need for prayer, and so embarked upon a 37,000 mile prayer pilgrimage around the globe. He chronicles his journey in a newly-released Tyndale book entitled A Year of Living Prayerfully. Jared spends his time writing, reading, speaking, and traveling. He also eats and sleeps with remarkable regularity. The Brocks have been married for six years, and together they've traveled to over 40 countries. They live in a 1975 Airstream Sovereign Land Yacht six months each year, and spend the other six months on the road. They don't have any children yet, but Jared would like to adopt at least a baker's dozen. Michelle does not. Episode 179
This week, on a special edition of the SLHour, we speak about prostitution and sex trafficking with filmmaker Jared Brock; Fr. Guerric DeBona, OSB tells us how to be good preachers; Joe Zambon has a new album, Brothers and we meet singer songwriter Marie Miller. Email us your comments Th...
This week, on a special edition of the SLHour, we speak about prostitution and sex trafficking with filmmaker Jared Brock; Fr. Guerric DeBona, OSB tells us how to be good preachers; Joe Zambon has a new album, Brothers and we meet singer songwriter Marie Miller. Email us your comments Th...
How can sex trafficking be stopped? That's the question that the new film Red Light Green Light attempts to answer. This week we speak with filmmaker Jared Brock. Sr. Marie Paul Curley gives us the Windows to the Soul of The Lego Movie; Fr. Thomas Rosica offers a reflection for the Feast of the ...
How can sex trafficking be stopped? That’s the question that the new film Red Light Green Light attempts to answer. This week we speak with filmmaker Jared Brock. Sr. Marie Paul Curley gives us the Windows to the Soul of The Lego Movie; Fr. Thomas Rosica offers a reflection for the Feast of the ...
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