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This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses the argument that A.I. will replace imams, priests, and preachers, and he answers questions about women in singleness, the difference between a passion and a calling, and how a Christian should approach the ‘transitioning' of a family member.Part I (00:14 – 10:09)Imams, Priests, and Preachers — Will A.I. Replace Them? A.I. Can Never Replace the Preaching of the Gospel and the Word of GodAI is changing religion and religions are trying to change by The EconomistPart II (10:09 – 15:53)Why are You So Harsh Towards Christian Single Women About Not Being Married and Having Children? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingPart III (15:53 – 21:08)How Do I Know the Difference Between a Passion and a Calling? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingPart IV (21:08 – 26:34)I am a Christian, Husband, and Father. How Should I Approach the ‘Transitioning' of My Sister? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses the culture war flashpoint at The Smithsonian, the confirmation that the U.S. air force has an orbital defense system in space, and America's educational failure.Part I (00:14 – 12:50)The Smithsonian Has Become a Culture War Flashpoint: Museums Tell Stories, and There Are Big Fights Over What Story Will Be ToldPart II (12:50 – 20:30)Weapons in Space: The U.S. Confirms New Military Advances of ‘Orbital Defense System' – This Marks a New Era of Modern WarfareUS says for 1st time it now has weapons in space. What we know (so far) by USA Today (Eric Lagatta)Part III (20:30 – 26:58)America's Educational Failure: This Should Sound the Alarm for Parents and Society at Large For the Future of American Children and Our NationChinese Students Are Lapping U.S. Children by The Wall Street Journal (The Editorial Board)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
In this week's episode, the midterms are more Godless than ever, we meet the man who puts the Orr into “illegal donor”, and we learn that our high school experience could too have been worse.---To make a per episode donation at Patreon.com, click here: http://www.patreon.com/ScathingAtheistTo buy our book, click here: https://www.amazon.com/Outbreak-Crisis-Religion-Ruined-Pandemic/dp/B08L2HSVS8/If you see a news story you think we might be interested in, you can send it here: scathingnews@gmail.comTo check out our sister show, The Skepticrat, click here: https://audioboom.com/channel/the-skepticratTo check out our sister show's hot friend, God Awful Movies, click here: https://audioboom.com/channel/god-awful-moviesTo check out our half-sister show, Citation Needed, click here: http://citationpod.com/To check out our sister show's sister show, D and D minus, click here: https://danddminus.libsyn.com/Report instances of harassment or abuse connected to this show to the Creator Accountability Network here: https://creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org/---Guest Links:Hear Eli on Murder Made Fiction here: https://www.patreon.com/MurderMadeFiction/posts/teenage-bonnie-169200080---Headlines:Hemant Mehta publishes this year's list of openly non-religious candidates in the midterms: https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/here-are-the-openly-non-religious-22fConvicted sex offender offered opening prayer at rally for GOP Senate nominee in North Carolinahttps://apnews.com/article/whatley-pastor-sex-offender-prayer-rally-01eab33af03f6a308719ce6a62157451Orthodox church sends medieval prince's remains to Russian troops in Ukraine | Russia | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/10/russia-orthodox-church-dmitry-donskoy-medieval-prince-hand-troops-ukraine After backlash, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary retracts his support for blasphemy laws: https://religionnews.com/2026/09/14/al-mohler-reverses-course-rejects-blasphemy-laws-after-controversy/The 'golden door' is 'closed': US won't admit persecuted Christian refugees in 2026, report warnshttps://www.christianpost.com/news/us-wont-admit-persecuted-christian-refugees-in-2026-report.html
This is Thinking in Public, a program dedicated to intelligent conversation about frontline theological and cultural issues with the people who are shaping them.In this edition of the popular podcast series “Thinking in Public,” Albert Mohler speaks with the Edward R. Meyer Distinguished Professor of History at Washington State University, Matthew Avery Sutton. They discuss his recent book, “Chosen Land: How Christianity Made America and Americans Remade Christianity.”You can purchase a copy of “Chosen Land” here.Sign up to receive every new Thinking in Public release in your inbox.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses the failure of another assisted suicide bill in Europe, a new start-up in New York built on assisted suicide, and the parable of the special master who decided the financial compensation for the family of lives lost in 9/11.Part I (00:13 – 13:27)Assisted Suicide Bill in Britain Fails: The Bill Failed on Account of Legislative Issues Rather Than the Central Moral and Convictional Principles at StakeBritain walks back from the assisted-suicide brink by The Washington Post (Ramesh Ponnuru)Part II (13:27 – 18:55)A Complete Reversal of Compassion and Liberty For Death: A New Start-Up in New York Turns Medical Ethics Upside Down After Assisted Suicide Legalization in New YorkThe Start-Up That Helps People Die by The New York Times (Emma Goldberg)Part III (18:55 – 28:04)‘What is Life Worth?': The Parable of the Special Master Who Decided the Financial Compensation for the Family of the Lives Lost in 9/11Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:14 – 07:25)Islam or Islamism? 25 Years After 9/11 Americans and Britons Wrestle with Government Confusion About IslamIslamism is a threat to Britain. Islam is not. by The Economist The truth and the lies about Islam in Europe by The EconomistPart II (07:25 – 13:47)The Sword or the Ballot Box: The Worldview Collision of the West with IslamThe good news: few Muslims want to subvert European democracy: The bad news: there is no easy way to counter those who do The Economist by The EconomistPart III (13:47 – 22:18)Cultural Power and Revolutionary Change: Islam, Its World Picture, and its Mandate for ChangePart IV (22:18 – 25:52)Subscriptions Burning Holes in Gen Z Pockets: The Economy and Spending Habits in a Digital AgeSubscription, Streaming Spending is Rising Despite Cost Worries by USA Today (Betty Lin-Fisher)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
Join us for a conversation with Jim Hamilton, Professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Senior Pastor of Kenwood Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Jim Hamilton is the author of many books, including 'The Book of Psalms: A Transparent Translation for Daily Meditation', 'Psalms Volume I: Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary', and 'What Is Biblical Theology: A Guide to the Bible's Story, Symbolism, and Patterns'. The Book of Psalms: A Transparent Translation for Daily Meditation: https://a.co/d/05Qpf03h RFN Conference: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/room-for-nuance-conference-tickets-1992649384951
We all desire the church to be a safe place, where people with trauma know what it is to love and be loved (Matt. 22). In this workshop, we will explore the need for our youth ministries to become trauma-informed so that we may disciple students holistically and prevent further harm. We will discuss what trauma is, how the hope we have in Jesus speaks directly to any past, and when to seek a counseling referral.Liz Edrington serves as the Associate Director of Care for McLean Presbyterian Church. She received her M.A. in Counseling from Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida, and she's taught as an adjunct professor in the psychology department at Covenant College. She is an emeritus member of the Rooted steering committee, and she's the author of Anxiety: Finding the Better Story (P&R Publishing, 2023), which won The Gospel Coalition 2023 Book Award for Bible Study & Devotional Literature. Pickled things delight her, as does her snuggle beast, Bella the Dog.Resources: Matthew 22Helping Teenagers Process Graphic Violence: An Interview with Counselors Rahab Marshall and Gordon Bals - Rooted Ministry On Handling Crisis in Your Youth Ministry - PodcastsCreating a Child Protection Policy for Your Church - Rooted Ministry Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates. Register for the Rooted 2026 Conference in Nashville. Hosted by: Danny Kwon, author of Teenagers and Mental Health; Becca Heck, M. Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary; Isaiah Marshall, Rooted's Director of Ministry Development; and Josh Hussung, M. Div. in Pastor Studies from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:14 – 12:39)Is A.I. Going to Bring About the End of Humanity? The Issues May Be More Urgent, But the Questions Are Older and Deeper Than Many Tech Leaders AcknowledgePart II (12:39 – 19:29)A.I. Companies Have an “Alignment Problem”: What's the Problem and Is It Even Possible to Solve?Part III (19:29 – 26:46)Remembering Charlie Kirk on the First Anniversary of His Assassination: How the Moment that Shaped a Generation Crystalized the Worldview Divide in AmericaNeighbor turned on neighbor after Charlie Kirk’s killing. Is the divide here to stay? by National Public Radio (Odette Yousef)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
Barry Harvey is back with a book that puts madness, theocracy, and anarchism in the title. It's a collection of essays developed over his career, and beneath them all sits one assertion: the church is not a subsystem of civil society. It has its own integrity, its own allegiance, and its own context for rethinking how it relates to everything else. The preface opens with Justin Martyr noting that second-century Christians were charged with madness for putting a crucified man right next to God. Barry's point: if the church has a healthy understanding of itself, it already is a resistance movement — rooted in scripture, liturgy, and tradition, and located, as Bonhoeffer put it, in the middle of the human village. We got into ecclesial solidarity and the ordo amoris (and the administration official who thinks he can do Catholic theology), the American form of cheap grace, the neoliberal collapse of state and market into one thing, and then — because Barry has multiple music degrees and I have no self-control — Bonhoeffer's polyphony, Tolkien's Silmarillion, the long defeat, eucatastrophe, and Gandalf's ecclesiology. I skipped every one of my Richard Rorty questions the moment Tolkien came up. I regret nothing. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Dr. Barry Harvey is Professor of Theology in the Honors College and the Department of Religion at Baylor University, where he has taught since 1988. He holds an MDiv from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a PhD from Duke University. His new book is Madness, Theocracy, and Anarchism: Political and Cultural Reflections on the Church. JOIN OUR OPEN ONLINE CLASS: The Empire Christ Couldn't Keep Ever notice how Christian nationalism gets talked about like it's some bizarre new glitch in the faith? It isn't — it's a 2,000-year-old arrangement wearing new clothes, and once you see how the pattern works, you can also spot the Christ who keeps slipping free of it. Join theologian Joerg Rieger and Tripp Fuller for The Christ Empire Couldn't Keep, a free six-week online class tracing the holy alliances, imperial creeds, and stubborn resistance that have shaped Christianity from Paul to the present. You'll get six lectures from Joerg, six live Q&As, weekly readings from his book Christ and Empire, and a community of fellow troublemakers thinking it through together. It's free to join, every session is recorded, and it kicks off Thursday, August 27. Grab your spot at HomebrewedClasses.com. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 75,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 50 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Third Avenue Baptist ChurchLouisville, KYJoshua 21:1-24:33September 13, 2026You can find Dr. Mohler's other Line by Line sermons here.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses the 25-year anniversary of 9/11, Americans in a situation of war undergirded by the theology of Islam, 9/11 as a death knell to postmodernism, the lasting worldview impact of 9/11 on Americans, and praying for the safety and security of the U.S. in light of the evil of 9/11.Part I (00:14 – 08:43)The 25-Year Anniversary of 9/11: Remembering the Effects of Terrorist Attacks That Left an Indelible Mark on Our NationPart II (08:43 – 16:57)The Wake-up Call of 9/11: 9/11 Showed Americans That They are in a Situation of War Undergirded by the Theology of IslamPart III (16:57 – 19:48)9/11, a Death Knell to Postmodernism: Those Terrorist Attacks Forced Evil as a Moral Category Back into the American ConsciencePart IV (19:48 – 22:10)9/11 and the Short Memory Span of Americans: Where is the Lasting Worldview Impact of 9/11 on Americans?Part V (22:10 – 23:55)The Power of Evil in Light of the 25-Year Anniversary of 9/11: Americans Need to Pray for the Safety and Security of the U.S. – May God Bless AmericaSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses a Colorado school district at war with the Trump Administration over its transgender agenda, Mount Sinai's shut down of ‘gender-affirming treatments' for adolescents, and Europe's struggle of what to do with empty churches.Part I (00:13 – 10:02)Colorado School District Goes to War with Trump Administration: Jefferson Co. School District is Fighting the Trump Administration's Pushback Against the Transgender AgendaOne School District's Fight Against Trump's Anti-Transgender Push by The New York Times (Michael C. Bender)Part II (10:02 – 16:55)Mount Sinai Shuts Down So-Called ‘Gender-Affirming Treatments' for Adolescents: This Is Big News and Good NewsMount Sinai Agrees to Pay a Fine Over Adolescent Gender-Transition Care by The New York Times (Joseph Goldstein)Part III (16:55 – 26:12)Europe Wrestles with What to Do with Empty Churches: This is an Unfolding Tragedy from the Devastating Wake of Secularism, and a Parable of Our TimesWhat to Do With Europe's ‘Zombie Churches'? These Artists Have Some Ideas. by The New York Times (Nina Siegal)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:13 – 10:26)The Rise of the AfD in Germany: Far Right Party in Germany Wins in State Election, Raising Big Issues and Signaling Political Warfare Across the GlobeGermany's ‘Firewall' Against the Far Right Is Being Tested as Never Before by The New York Times (Jim Tankersley)After Victory in German State, Far Right Needs Help to Take Power by The New York Times (Christopher F. Schuetze)The AfD Rises on the German Right by The Wall Street Journal (The Editorial Board)Part II (10:26 – 17:13)The Right vs. Far Right vs. Extreme Right: Changing Political Titles and Ideas and the Shift in the Political Landscape in Germany (and Beyond)Part III (17:13 – 25:43)Low Birth Rates Lead to Looming School Closures in France: The Ripple Effects of France's Catastrophic Birth Rate is Now Hitting Its Schools – The Birthrate Reveals the Deeper Spiritual Crisis at WorkFrench schools face ‘unprecedented challenge’ of accelerating demographic decline by Le Monde (Sylvie Lecherbonnier)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
The Four Senses of Scripture: Patrick Schreiner on Recovering the Church's Ancient Way of Reading the BibleFor nearly 1,700 years, Christians read the Bible through four interwoven lenses — the literal, the allegorical, the moral, and the eschatological — a framework known as the quadriga. Then modern hermeneutics largely set it aside in favor of the grammatical-historical method alone. In this episode, Chad sits down with Dr. Patrick Schreiner of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary to ask what the church lost in that trade, and whether it can be recovered.Patrick and Chad work through his new book, The Four Senses of Scripture: Learning from Ancient Ways of Reading the Bible. Schreiner is careful to say the modern method isn't wrong — it's incomplete. They walk through each of the four senses: the literal (grammatical-historical), the allegorical (Christological), the tropological (moral), and the anagogical (eschatological), and discuss how the early church read the Old Testament through Christ, why the fourfold approach preserved the radical unity of Scripture, and how holding the senses in conversation with one another might enrich preaching and Bible reading today. The conversation takes up the standard objections to allegory as well — and how a "medieval mind" can serve modern readers without abandoning the gains of critical scholarship.Dr. Patrick Schreiner (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is associate professor of New Testament and biblical theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City. He is the author of numerous books, including Matthew, Disciple and Scribe, The Transfiguration of Christ, and The Ascension of Christ. The Four Senses of Scripture (Baker Academic) includes a foreword by Jonathan T. Pennington.Links:
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:13 – 12:52)The Lindsay Clancy Case Goes to Mistrial: There are Massive Worldview Issues Here, But For the Sake of Justice, a Mistrial is Not Necessarily the Worst ThingLine by Line by AlbertMohler.com (R. Albert Mohler, Jr.)Part II (12:52 – 21:36)The Death of Feminist Icon Gloria Steinem: The Feminist and Abortion Revolutionary Died at 92 – Her Ideology and Influence Reminds Us of What is at StakeShe was out to change the world, and she said so by WORLD Opinions (R. Albert Mohler, Jr.)Part III (21:36 – 25:56)A Rave at St. Paul's Cathedral? Lord Nelson's Family is Claiming the EDM Dance Party is an Insult – More Importantly, It is an Insult to Biblical ChristianityFabric nightclub ‘raves’ at St Paul’s Cathedral are ‘an insult to Lord Nelson’s memory’ says naval commander’s family by Daily Mail (David Olaseinde)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
In this episode of YMU, Danny is joined with Hannah Augustine, the program director at KidzMatter Ministry. They discuss how Youth and KidMin leaders have a unique opportunity to disciple the teens who are serving in both their ministries. By partnering together, leaders can leverage their collective influence on the teenagers in their ministries.Resources:Kids Discipling Kids: The Integration of Youth and Children's Ministries Building a Scope and Sequence for Biblical Literacy in Children's Ministry and Parents by Tara Davis and Cameron Cole Children's Ministry Resources Follow the YMU podcast and download it wherever you find your podcastsJoin us at the Rooted 2026 Conference in Nashville, Oct. 22nd to 24th. Hosted by: Danny Kwon, author of Teenagers and Mental Health; Becca Heck, M. Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary; Isaiah Marshall, Rooted's Director of Ministry Development; and Josh Hussung, M. Div. in Pastor Studies from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Lamentations 3:25 NLT “The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.” *Transcription Below* Mike Blackaby serves as a church planter in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, where he lives with his wife, Sarah, and their four children. He holds a PhD in Worldview and Apologetics from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of several books and Bible studies including God, Heroes, and Everyday Dragons, Experiencing God in Everyday Life and Straight to the Heart: Communicating the Gospel in an Emotionally Driven Culture. Listen to his sermons. Daniel Blackaby is the author and co-author of nine books, including Experiencing God in Everyday Life, 7 Steps for Knowing, Doing, and Experiencing the Will of God and God, Heroes, and Everyday Dragons, as well as the imaginative fiction trilogy The Lost City Chronicles. Daniel holds a PhD in Christianity and the Arts and a ThM in Philosophy, Apologetics & Worldview from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He speaks on cultural engagement, Christianity and the arts, apologetics and reaching the next generation for Christ. He is the founder of The Collision (thecollision.org), a multimedia ministry designed to help Christians thoughtfully and biblically engage with culture and the arts. Daniel is married to Sarah, and they are the parents of twin boys. Blackaby Website Thank you to our sponsor: Sam Leman Eureka Questions and Topics We Cover: How has faith been strategically passed along in your family to the next generation (and how can we do the same?!) How do your families personally preserve these stories of the generations of faith? Can you tell us more about Spiritual Markers and share how we can use this practice in our family to disciple our children? Related Savvy Sauce Episodes: Brain Science and Spiritual Abundance with Ken Baugh Theology and Discipleship with Ken Baugh Gospel Truth for Salvation and Sanctification with Hunter Beless Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook or Instagram or Our Website Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“ Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“ Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” *Transcription* Music: (0:00 – 0:09) Laura Dugger: (0:09 - 1:45) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here. The principles of honesty and integrity that Sam Leman founded his business on continue today, over 55 years later, at Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka. Owned and operated by the Bertschi family, Sam Leman and Eureka appreciates the support they've received from their customers all over central Illinois and beyond. Visit them today at lemangm.com. Mike and Daniel Blackaby are my guests for today. They come from a long line of incredible generational faith, and so they're going to share some stories about how they've inherited this rich legacy, and then also inspire us to do the same in our families. They also are authors of this recent resource, Experiencing God in Everyday Life. Here's our chat. Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Mike and Daniel. Glad to have both of you joining and would you first mind both introducing yourself and share your connection to Dr. Henry Blackaby, and maybe tell a few stories about his life to illustrate how his legacy has helped shape the heart behind this recent study. Mike Blackaby: (1:46 - 5:00) Sure. My name is Mike Blackaby. I'm the oldest grandson of Henry, so I'm not gonna say that he loved me the most, but he loved me the longest of all of his grandkids, and I remember we lived close to him for a while, and then far, and then close again, so it was interesting being around him when we were teenagers, and then being around him later on as our own children were being born, sort of two significant times in our lives where we lived close, and I just remember when I was a teenager chatting with him about, what am I gonna do with my life? What am I gonna do after high school? You know, like what everybody tries to figure out, and his advice was really just, if you follow God one day at a time, then you'll be exactly where you need to be in 10 years. You don't necessarily have to plan out your whole life. God has a plan, and you trust him today, and you'll end up where you need to be tomorrow, and so I've really taken that advice ever since then, and so I was grateful for that, especially at the time when I was trying to figure out, what am I gonna do with my life after high school graduation? Daniel Blackaby: Yeah, I'm Daniel Blackaby, his second oldest grandchild. He would have probably said his favorite. Yes, second oldest, first favorite, and I live down here in Atlanta, Georgia, actually in the same neighborhood that he lived in. I came on to work for the family ministry, so kind of got to overlap with him the last couple years of his life, which was just a blessing to see him up close. Obviously, we grew up around him at various stages, but just kind of see him finish well, and to have both Mike and I have kids. Our oldest kids are around the same age, and I think one of the memories, I was gonna share the one that Mike just shared, but I think one of the memories that, I don't know, was meaningful for me came near the end, and I actually wasn't even there personally, but the last picture, actually, that was taken of my grandfather before he passed away was actually him with my two, I have twin boys, and my father was gonna be on the road traveling, and he had stopped by, and I was busy doing something, but he took my kids, and they got to spend a bit of time with him, and there's a picture with them kind of by his chair, smiling, and I just sort of had that last moment. I think that's, and then he passed away, I think just a couple days after that, but the last time any of the family got to see him, and for me, it's just such a testimony of his faithfulness. He has his great-grandchildren around him, and being able to be blessed by him, even at the end of his life. He had the opportunity to travel the world, do amazing things, but I think his, for me, his lasting legacy is just the way that he inspired his family, that he lived in such a way that even his great-grandchildren are inspired by his faith, and want to hear more about his story. So even though I wasn't there, that picture of my two kids sort of representing my family has just been a really meaningful one for me. Laura Dugger: (5:01 - 5:12) Such a life well-lived, and I'm so curious, how has faith strategically been passed along in your family from one generation to the next? Mike Blackaby: (5:14 - 10:41) Well, the funny thing is, I don't know that it's always been super strategic. In some ways, I think it's been organic. We didn't always maybe do all the things that you would expect a family to do. We didn't sit down at dinner time and have family devotions and stuff. I think we tried it for a while, and it never really took, but for us, when we watched our parents, both our mom and our dad, and aunts and uncles and grandfather, so many people live out their faith, it was just very real for them. There was never this sense of, I'm just doing this, or that they were different behind the scenes than they were when they were in ministry. We got to see them on stage preaching, but then in the car on a road trip when they're frustrated with us annoying kids in the back, and there was no hypocrisy. It was the same thing, and I think something that's always stood out for me is, so much of our family was in ministry, so not just even in the faith, but in active Christian ministry, and we just never really heard our parents bad talk the church. There was lots of issues. There's always issues, and there's always things that happen, and it didn't mean that they wouldn't call out sin when there was sin, and not that, but this sense of, they always talked positively about God's church and about ministry, and I don't know, I think the more people I talk to, I think maybe that's not super common. I think sometimes people, maybe especially pastor's kids, get turned off of it all because they see behind the scenes how, oh man, this is not good, and my dad, he served these people, but he kind of hated these people or whatever, and we just never really got that sense. It was very personal. It was very consistent. It was very authentic, and it was very positive, even though our dad and mom dealt with issues in ministry, and people are messy, right? You're gonna deal with that anywhere, but they're like, the church is God's plan A, and there is no plan B, and so my whole life, I've tried to be very, very slow to criticize the church in general. A lot of people love to do that. I'm very slow to criticize something that God loves and Christ died for. It's not perfect, and there's issues that need to be pointed out for sure, but we just had a very positive example, I think, growing up, and so for myself at least, I was fearful of stepping into ministry because I was like, I can't preach. I can't get up in front of people, that sort of thing, but I also saw it as a great privilege. I didn't want to do it, but it wasn't because it was a bad thing to do. It was almost because it was such a good thing to do, and I didn't feel like I could or I was worthy of it or whatever, but just a very positive example, and the more people I talked to, the more rare that seems to be the case of people growing up in ministry families. Daniel Blackaby: Yeah, I think too, like Mike said, it wasn't necessarily always strategic as far as super scheduled, or we do this at this day, but I do think strategic is to build on what Mike said as far as just the mindset. Like our family was always very intentional, not just about not bad talking and being negative, but to celebrate where God has done things, like very much a value on just telling the stories of what God has done, either currently of just, hey, this happened today, or else just sharing stories of, hey, have I ever told you the story about your grandpa when he did this, or what God has done in the past, to the point that even like my kids who were, wouldn't have been born until decades and decades after those stories, and never even probably heard them firsthand from my grandfather, or even the generations before their great-great grandfather, know a lot of these stories because they were just, we would tell them, we would share them, we'd celebrate the things that God has done in the past, the things God has done in the present, so I think maybe not strategic as far as, okay, this is our Bible time now, from whatever, 10 to 10:30, but I think very strategic as far as just, we are going to celebrate what God has done, and sort of cultivate a posture of always looking for God's activity, and then not taking it for granted that everyone just sort of knows that, like making sure our whole family knows, this is a God thing, let's talk about it, and so in some ways, I think we probably had more spiritual conversations than we would have, had we sort of been more structured in our Bible study time, because it was very natural to say, when God does something, let's talk about it, and I think for both Mike and I, that's something we've tried to do with our own kids now as they're getting older, is just make sure you, to seize those opportunities to just celebrate when God does, you know, is faithful in our life, and not take it for granted that, you know, ourselves or our kids or families are just going to naturally sort of recognize that as God's faithfulness. Laura Dugger: (10:43 - 11:34) Okay, that's huge, what you both are saying, because that is very biblical to pass along to the next generation through our words, through sharing the stories of God's goodness, I don't know how many verses there are that encourage us to do that, and it helps us remember, I think, reading and writing and even conversation that can all go together, so I was struck with all the stories that were included, that you recounted so well in this Bible study, so two parts, do you write these down like in a journal as they happen, and also it's so interesting to see the two of you being related, and even your background right now, full of books, and so I'm wondering if that was a value in your family, and just how that ties in the love of story and reading. Mike Blackaby: (11:34 - 19:55) Yeah, at least I preached a lot of those, because anytime there's a good story, it usually ends up in a sermon, and that's something we both sort of drew from our dad, he's a great storyteller, but just coming out of even what we were just talking about, you know, there's always stories to tell, I don't keep all the details, which is why usually I don't have a ton of the details in the story, it's sort of more the gist, my wife's the detail person, and we joke that she'll tell a story, and it'll take like 10 minutes, because she'll know every, and she loves all the details, and I'll tell the same story in like two minutes, because it's just like, you know, just hit the main points here, but I keep a little, I call it an illustration file, because I use them for preaching, but I think it's good to keep some sort of record, even if it's not all the details, but just the gist. When we moved to Victoria, I live on Vancouver Island, we planted a church here in Victoria, the west coast of Canada, and it's a hard place to plant a church, and I have a file on my computer that's God's stories from Oak Bay, and it's just whenever we see God do something, I mean God's always at work, but whenever we see something, you know, that really stands out, I'll write that down, and I'm like, I don't want to forget these things, like I want to be able to pass on these stories, and I know I will forget them if I don't write them down, so there's the record of the stories, and then, you know, when we put them in a book, we try to make it interesting, and you know, we try to write it in a compelling way, but we do, at least I do, keep a record of those things, because I don't want to forget those stories. Those are worth passing down, and then when we get an opportunity to write something like this book, it's great because you can draw on these things, and you can say, whenever God does a work in my life, it's never just for me, like it's always part of something bigger, a bigger story of what God's doing, and so I want to pass those along, and if those stories can be encouraging for others, then great. And one of the differences, I would just add, and then let Daniel go, but one of the differences between this book and the original Experiencing God is that the original Experiencing God has a lot of big God moment stories where you read, you're like, whoa, that's amazing, you're like, these miracle stories, but sometimes we can expect that that's the only way that God ever works, is the burning bush, or the fire from heaven, or these sort of big miracles we see in the Bible, or we read about in grandpa's life, and in this other book, we were very intentional to try and not just put the wow stories in there, there are those, those do happen, but we wanted to put some stories of just, hey, here's how this plays out, and it's not a huge earth-shattering miracle, it's just sometimes just regular life stuff, and most of life is in those moments, and God is in those moments, as well as the big moments, and so a lot of the stories we put in this book were, we actually edited out some of the ones that were a bit more like, whoa, that's cool, because we want people to see that God is in the ordinary stuff as well, and so sometimes those are a bit harder to think of, because the big moments stick in your mind pretty good, but when you're thinking about, what does this look like though in just the day-to-day, you're like, that's not as interesting, but we think hopefully it's even more powerful for people, because they can come to realize, wow, God is at work all around me, even in the ways where I didn't expect to see him, he's in those places too. Daniel Blackaby: Yeah, well, and I'd quickly just say too that, you know, Mike's better at keeping track of stories, my wife and I were just talking the other day, how we regret that we weren't better like when our kids were growing up, and some of those funny things that they did, but I think in some ways that is also the value of just being very intentional about constantly sharing stories, is sort of the old oral tradition of just, you know, you may not remember, but you've told the story, and other people remember, because the funny thing with these books is you'd probably assume that, you know, if it's a personal story from me or Mike, that we were the one that put that story in, that we added, that was our idea, but a lot of times it would actually be, you know, like Mike might, he might not, I might still write the story, but he might add, hey, remember when this happened, and this would be a great illustration of this, and I'll be, oh, I forgot that happened, you know, like, oh yeah, now that I think of it, like, you know, or we'd tell our dad, like, hey, we heard you tell this story, like, why don't you add that here, and so it's sort of that collective memory of, you know, we may, it may jolt our memories, you know, and we learn some new ones. Like, we wrote a youth version of this book, too, that comes out in the fall that parallels it, but we swapped out a lot of the stories for a bit more youth, youthy, kind of humorous ones, and I learned some stories about Daniel that I actually didn't know, that, like, one story that might be one of the funniest things that I've, like, ever heard is in that book, and so, yeah, it is fun to sort of go back into the archives and even learn some new ones. So, yeah, it is fun to sort of collectively and reminisce, even as we were writing them, but I'll say to you, because you asked us about the storytelling, like, the books, and that that very much is, I think, an application of what we were trying to get at in this book, of just, that was something we saw, like, our dad has a big library, we constantly would come into his office, see him reading a book. I think back, even our mom, when we were quite young, kind of had two rules that, I don't know if you even remember these, Maggie, one was we can always have an apple. At any time of the day, we can, we're always allowed to have an apple, and the second one was that she'll always buy us a book, if we read a book that she bought us, she'll always buy us a new book, so that we can keep reading, which she made that promise before we got quite as, as hooked. She had to sort of back down, when she couldn't keep up with, you know, the credit card couldn't handle. I had a huge stack of Goosebumps books. I think she was, like, hoping to steer us a little bit, like, well, I guess not just any book. But that was just always a value to them. I mean, I mean, apple, and be healthy, make healthy choices, but the reading of just constantly be stretching yourself, you know, whether that's fiction, and as we got older, more non-fiction as well, mixed in there, different types of literature, but, you know, just any way that, as a family, we can encourage thinking, and storytelling, and, you know, whether, even if they weren't necessarily, you know, faith, Christian books, just stories, learning the power of stories, and a well-told story, and I don't know if you've done that, Mike, that's one of the, we've adopted those rules for my kids, of just, you know, if you're going to read a book, I'll buy you a new book. I want you guys to, and just, I want you guys to see me reading in my library, and just the power of books, and literature, and thinking, hopefully, some of that rubs off. Mike Blackaby: Our kids love apples so much, though, that we can't really do the apple rule, because then we would just never have any apples. We just wouldn't have them for lunches. Well, and even today, we're all in a book club together, so with our dad, and with our sister, and our brother-in-law, and our cousin, and so we'll all choose a book that sort of stretches our thinking, and then we'll, they all, most of them all live right by each other, so they'll all meet together, eat Chinese food, and then a couple of us outsiders will zoom in, but that's even still a practice that we have in adulthood, is we'll do a book club together, and we'll read a book, and we'll discuss it, and big, big fans of reading old school books. Daniel's maybe more of a Kindle guy nowadays, too, but, and anything, same with our kids, just, hey, you guys just read anything. It's just good for you. Laura Dugger: (19:57 - 20:13) It is so helpful in, I think, cultivating faith. That's fascinating to hear how different families do it in different ways, and I know that we can't share all of the stories, but now, Mike, you kind of left us hanging. Do you want to share that one story about Daniel that they may find in the youth resource? Mike Blackaby: (20:15 - 21:52) Yeah, it might be a little, a little bit PG, Daniel, you may have to correct me, but you were, like, brand new to a school, too, like, your high school. He was a new student at his school, and they all went, they all went out on a lake, going, like, being pulled on a tube behind, behind, like, a speedboat, and so, of course, you're trying to make a good impression. You're, you're brand new. You don't have any friends yet, and so you're trying to, you're trying to break into this crowd, so Daniel goes on that tube, and, of course, you're trying to get you to fall off, and so they're taking these huge corners, and, and they, they wipe Daniel off of the back of that tube so hard that he loses his swim trunks, and he's floating there, and the boat's got to, like, make the big wide turn, and come back, and pick him up, and he looks, and his shorts are, like, you know, he's lost them way out in the lake, and so he's frantically swimming, trying to, trying to get to his shorts before, before the boat comes back, and so, for those of you who are, who are audio listeners only, you'll be thankful for that, I guess. Sorry, I apologize to the listeners, but I forget what point we're making. So, not, not the age you want to be to, to humiliate yourself. Daniel Blackaby: I did find, I did swim fast enough, just to tie a bow on that. I was able to be covered. Somehow, I had never known that story, and I've laughed for, I mean, months now, I guess, whenever, whenever you wrote that. I'm still laughing about that. Laura Dugger: (21:53 - 23:29) And now, a brief message from our sponsor. Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka has been owned and operated by the Bertschi family for over 25 years. A lot has changed in the car business since Sam and Stephen's grandfather, Sam Leman, opened his first Chevrolet dealership over 55 years ago. If you visit their dealership today, though, you'll find that not everything has changed. They still operate their dealership, like their grandfather did, with honesty and integrity. Sam and Stephen understand that you have many different choices in where you buy or service your vehicle. This is why they do everything they can to make the car buying process as easy and hassle-free as possible. They are thankful for the many lasting friendships that began with a simple welcome to Sam Leman's. 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Mike Blackaby: (23:31 - 29:40) I think one reason might just be that our ordinary time is so full of distractions now, just so much more than it ever used to be, and everybody knows this, like with phones and just ads coming at you all the time, and constant noise, constant stimulus, and just being as busy. Technology has also allowed us to be very productive, which doesn't mean that we rest more. It means that we attempt to do more because we can do more, and so our lives are just full and busy, and I would say that probably one of the biggest reasons why we don't see God in the everyday is because our every day is so full of distractions, and if we're not intentional, just there's a million things that will come and take our attention and fill our time, and so that would be, I think that would be a big reason is life's just too crazy, and unless you push back against that intentionally, there's just so much that you'll miss out on. Daniel Blackaby: Yeah, I think too, just expectations. I think it's easier, maybe it's more flashy to see God in like a burning bush type moment of, oh that must be God, because that's a miracle that never happens, as opposed to just in the daily grind of life, and I think we're just we're sort of stuck in a worldly perspective. I know like our grandfather in the first Experiencing God book talked about God's activity is always God-sized, which is true, there always is that God eternal dimension, but I think even as we've, you know, the decades since that book and being able to go through that study with people, and we're so conditioned I think to think, well God's size must be big, you know, God's big, so whatever he does must be big and spectacular, which is not what our grandfather meant, you know, God's size just means God is in it, and the significance comes because God's in it, not because it's flashy, or it was in front of a lot of people, or you know, it was some miraculous story, and I think a lot of times we just miss the ordinary, because we're not looking for it, we're kind of looking, we may even get discouraged that God's not doing anything in my life right now, because there hasn't been a big moment, and if our spiritual eyes were open to just, well God was all around you in your family today, God is all around you at work today, or you know, that conversation you had at the grocery store, this, you know, that sense of peace you had when, you know, your schedule went crazy, and it was a chaotic day, but somehow you had this, those are all God moments, that's God's presence too, but we don't always recognize that, just because we're not looking for it, we don't, that's almost too small for God in our eyes, which I think says more about us than it does about God. I know even just in the process of writing this book, it was sort of the act of trying to apply it into my own life, of you know, just being more intentional about, you know, if I'm just like in the living room with my kids, or doing, you know, whatever I'm doing at work or something, and just sort of sitting back a bit and being, this is a good moment, like this is a God moment, like this is, you know, my kids are laughing, this happened, there was a breakthrough at work, you know, some small comment that maybe I would brush off, that no, that actually is a sign of God's activity, and I think once you get in the habit of that, once that becomes sort of, you know, not that you're trying to like, where's Waldo, and force it if it's not there, and make everything a God moment, but if you just sort of get in the habit of keeping your eyes open and recognizing it, I don't know, it's sort of contagious, if you start noticing more and more, and you get in, you sort of, that becomes more of your default, and the more you do that, the more you realize, so God's been doing a lot of stuff that I've been missing, just because my own expectations are, I want God to do something that, in my eyes, seems more miraculous and spectacular, when maybe God wants to do something just as important, but way more intimate, or personal, or sort of, you know, behind the scenes. Mike Blackaby: And something that's come up a couple times in our conversation is just the consistency and the practice of something, like Daniel said, if you put that into practice, it may not feel natural at first, but if you put that into practice, Daniel just said like, that'll become more your default, and even the language we use in the book, and other people use as well, is just the rhythm of your life. What is your life rhythm? What is those defaults that you fall into, either unintentionally or intentionally? And if you, you have to create the rhythm of looking for God's activity, and I think that's one thing the original Experiencing God did, is it opened people's eyes to, God is at work all around me, and if I'm gonna see that, if I'm gonna recognize that, then I need to be looking for that. It's not that it starts happening because I start looking, but I start seeing it because I start looking. It's always been there. And so just building that consistency, and those rhythms, and one of the things we really hit on in the book is, you are shaped by what you do consistently over time. And it's interesting, because the big moments maybe inspire you, but they don't necessarily shape you into who you are. It's the erosion of rock. It's the consistent small things that build up over time that really shape your character and shape your faith. And so, the big moments play a part in that, but just like anything else, if you want seeing God's activity to become the default rhythm of your life, it's one of those things that you have to put into practice, because it's not going to be naturally what you do, just right off the bat. It's one of those things that has to be learned and practiced. But as you do, it slowly does become second-rate, and it does become more of the default. And you are just aware of looking around for where God is at work and recognizing it, but it's not going to just happen by accident, because very rarely do good, healthy things happen just unintentionally and by accident. Absolutely. Laura Dugger: (29:42 - 30:22) And there's this verse that's been meaningful all year, but it's one that I was, again, reflecting on today from Lamentations 3:25, and it kind of ties into what you're talking about. It says, "The Lord is good to those who depend on Him, to those who search for Him." And I think you're talking about cultivating those small incremental steps of spiritual growth by even just searching for Him and being on the lookout and expectantly awaiting for Him to do something. So, would you build on that and share a few more practical habits that we can cultivate to experience progressive sanctification? Daniel Blackaby: (30:25 - 37:43) Yeah, well, I know, because in the book, each unit, we give different suggested habits that contribute to that rhythm of intentionality. And obviously, we start the book with sort of the standard, you know, read your Bible, pray, things that every Christian should, that should just be a part of your rhythm at any stage of life. But I think a lot of times when we think of habits and things, I think people get intimidated because we're busy, and obviously, it's a matter of priority. We make time for the things that we love and prioritize. So, most of the time, busyness is an excuse to prioritize, you know, watching Netflix or going to bed early or whatever it is instead of God things. But I think one of the things we try to do in the book, too, is just redeeming the time of, you know, that they're not necessarily that you need to, okay, well, I have a busy life, and I got to add 10 new habits into my life, and slot them into whatever remaining, you know, openings I have in my busy schedule, but just kind of reclaiming some of these times or, you know, and a lot of the habits, too, they're not necessarily just, you know, go spend two hours fasting and prayer before work every day, things that are that are daunting. I think a lot of them can be small, just mindset things. I know one of our habits is just gratitude, where we encourage people, like if you're standing there by the coffee maker half asleep, you know, in the morning before you're going to go to work or school or whatever you're doing, like if you're just standing there waiting for your coffee, you got whatever, two minutes, you know, use that moment to voice a prayer to God and just thank Him. Find one thing that you can thank Him for that day, and that's not adding, you know, that's not adding a lot of commitment, but it's starting your day, you know, one of the first things you do is, before you even had coffee, is thanking God for something, and you do that every day, every day, you start every day thanking God for something, then that begins to shape your rhythm, to grow you into being a more thankful person. Rather than, you know, spending that time to think about how much you don't want to go back to work this morning, or you're too tired, or you know, regretting that you stayed up too late, or, you know, you feel sore from how you slept on your pillow, like things that could sort of shape our day, and I mean, the book has a lot of those sort of things, even just commutes, you know, we encourage people, pick one day, just, you know, one day, if you're going to work or picking up your kids from school, or whatever your regular commute is, and just turn off the radio, turn off the audiobook, just, you know, you can pray in that time, or you can just look and, you know, appreciate the sky, or you can just have some silence to kind of clear your mind from all the stimuli that you get, you know, so much throughout the day, and so I think, for me, those are the ones that have been the most impactful for me. Obviously, if you're not reading your Bible, or praying, some of those things work to include those, but I think a lot of the habits, especially when it comes to noticing God, and joining God in the small things, can be small habits of just shaping, how can I become a more gratitude, or grateful person, or generous, or encouraging person, you know, encourage one person at work each day, there's different things like that, but I think over time, those do contribute to sort of these bigger rhythms of aligning yourself more with kind of God's presence. Mike Blackaby: Yeah, one that I like, that has challenged me and stuck with me is the water basin. It says he went over to this water basin, and he used that to wash his disciples' feet, and of course, the practice would have been for a servant to have done that when they all got there, and maybe a servant already did that, it would seem odd if a certain servant had already done that, and then Jesus repeats it, maybe that's how it happened, but I get a sense that they went in, and nobody had done that, sort of the custom got missed, and they're all sitting there with dirty and disgusting feet, and Jesus is the one that takes the initiative, doesn't just wait for somebody else to do it, we don't hear of any of the other disciples saying, oh, well, somebody's got to do this, sort of like someone's got to do the dishes, I guess I'll go do it, like it's Jesus that does it, there's the sense that the water basin was there the whole time, but Jesus is the only one who took the initiative to use it, and so I would say everything that we want to develop in our character towards Christlikeness is going to come out of the foundation of humility, a posture of humility is where all of that is built on, and so the act of serving others, what it does is it slowly makes us humble, it's the action of putting someone else before myself, if I do that over and over again, eventually that starts to wear down my pride, that actively pushes back against my pride by putting somebody else in front of me, and that's good, if I can work my way down to a place of humility, then that's a great starting place for everything else that God wants to develop in my character, and so one of the practices would be everywhere you go look for the water basin, like every room you walk into, everywhere you go there's going to be an opportunity to serve others, most people are going to ignore it, most people are going to let that water basin sit there and wait for somebody else to do it, cultivate the habit of being that person, of saying everywhere I go I'm going to be the one who starts stacking chairs, I'm going to be the one who starts collecting everyone's dirty dishes, I'm going to be the one who asks if anybody could use a top-up on their water or their coffee, I'm going to be that person, and when I'm at home, it's like where are those moments, if I see that my wife needs something, am I going to wait for her to ask, or am I going to see that as a water basin moment, and I'm going to jump on it, and that's hard for me, that's not natural for me, and so that is something I'm actively for years now just trying to do that, but every time I see a water basin and use it to serve somebody else, I'm pushing back against my natural tendency towards pride, and I'm setting myself up to receive whatever else the Holy Spirit wants to, whatever fruit of the Spirit that needs to be developed in me, comes out of the foundation of humility, and so something like that, it's not a scheduled thing, but it's a mindset, it's a habit of saying, okay, everywhere I go, there's going to be a water basin, and so every room I walk into, I can ask where is that, and then take that opportunity to serve, and over time, that should start to develop humility in you, and that's a great place to be for everything else that God wants to do in your life. Laura Dugger: (37:43 - 39:07) I love that picture of the water basin, and I was telling my husband last night, he does this so well to jump to serve others, and it's a quiet form of leadership, but that is one way that he spiritually leads our family, and I was hoping to encourage him last night, I saw it in one of our daughters then as well, and I know that it sadly didn't come from me, but from her witnessing him and just that eagerness to serve, so I think it's contagious as well, these even practices, and the spirit lights the flame, but to fan the flame, you guys talk about some other ideas, I'll just mention a couple more. I love how you said activate the other side, so maybe learn from podcasts or from reading, and that's more of our thinking brain, so to activate the emotional brain, you're talking about listening to worship songs, or vice versa, if you're always going to music, activate the other side, and another personal favorite was reflective journaling, and you just elaborate on all of these practical ideas, and I think it was really helpful, but you also sprinkle in insightful questions and tips throughout the whole study to inspire us to deeper levels of connection with God, so do you mind just sharing a handful of those? Daniel Blackaby: (39:09 - 48:32) Yeah, I think just trying to think of it in that terms of all, where, you know, where has God brought me, where do I have to go, and then I'm curious, because we repeat that activity at the end to see if throughout the study, people maybe evaluate themselves differently than they did at the start, but even just questions like, which I believe Mike actually added these ones in the book, but just, you know, list the places that you go to, kind of your weekly schedule, and then how many, what percentage of the people there are believers or not believers, you know, as far as just joining God on mission in your everyday life, I don't think we're always aware of those things, that we assume we believe in missions, we want, we're joining God's activity, but if we actually stop to reflect, is what, you know, I may go, other than maybe like the dentist or something, I may go or the grocery store, and I'll talk to these people, like I could go days without even coming in contact with someone that doesn't share the faith that I do, I mean, Mike is in a more secular surrounding, like I'm down here in the Bible Belt, so it's, you even have to be more intentional to, even like the restaurants, and my dentist is already a Christian, you know, they're playing, I was there yesterday, they were playing worship music, so I get, you do sort of need to be, you know, more, maybe more intentional with that, but I think it starts with just being honest and sort of reflecting on where has God placed me, and how am I, you know, am I joining Him the way that He has called me to, am I around Christians all the time, am I around non-Christians, am I, you know, my community, am I actually being a blessing to my community, am I involved in my community throughout my everyday, you know, weekly schedule, so I think a lot of the activities are just kind of guidance to reflect on sort of where we are in that process, and maybe where God could have us if we were to step out a bit more with faithfulness. Mike Blackaby: Yeah, I like that. Some of the questions we asked are, they're not necessarily super profound, but there may be questions that aren't intentionally asked all that often, even something like, how would you define spiritual maturity? You ask somebody, “Do you want to grow in your faith?” They're like, yes, I do. Okay, so what are you growing towards? Like, what's the end goal? And most people will probably say, well, I want to be like Jesus. Well, what do you mean by that? Like, you want to go around casting out demons and, you know, feeding 5,000 people through miracles? Well, I don't know, I mean, I want to reflect his character. Okay, so in what way? What character trait of Jesus do you think? Like, narrow it down. Don't just say, I just want to be like Jesus. Well, like, here's Jesus, and we're all way down here, so that's just like, it's like climbing Everest. It's like, well, yeah, I want to get up there. Okay, so what's your map to get there? I don't know. I don't have one. And so, this idea of just making it, just zeroing in, okay, the fruit of the Spirit, start there. What's one fruit? Pick one thing. You spend the rest of your life working on that one thing, but it's like, okay, what stands out right away to you? Patience. Yeah, for me, it's patience with my kids and with, you know, everything, traffic. It's just like, okay, man, I need this fruit in my life. Okay, so start there. Don't try to just become like Jesus. Say, here's one thing about Jesus that I need to cultivate in me. And if I become a more patient person, then I'm actually becoming a more spiritually mature person, because there's a certain part of my life that is aligning more with the character and the person of who Christ is, who is our model. That is the blueprint of who we desire to be like. And so sometimes the questions we ask, they're not necessarily super deep or profound, but maybe they're just hopefully helping people to focus it a little bit and to say, okay, we all want to be spiritually mature, but none of us really have a plan to get there. We just sort of hope it happens, like Daniel said, over time. If I'm a Christian long enough, or if I just also, if I fill my life with enough Christian activities, if I just read enough Christian books, if I go to enough Christian Bible studies, that will just make me into a mature Christian. And there is some truth to that. That stuff does shape you. But I heard a pastor one time say, experience doesn't make you wiser, it makes you older. Evaluated experience makes you wiser. And so just putting in time doing Christian activities without reflecting on them or being intentional about it doesn't necessarily make you a more mature person. It just makes you somebody who's been to a lot of Bible studies. And in one sense, it can almost be immature to say, okay, I don't actually know how to disciple myself. And so, I show up every time the church offers me something to sign up for, but if they don't offer me something to sign up for, then I actually don't know how to take control of my own discipleship. I don't know what to do. And so, in one sense, ironically, the end goal of this book is to help wean people off of needing these types of books all the time. It's sort of counterproductive. Like, hey, the best thing is less and less people need to buy this book. But this idea of build rhythms into your life, take control of your discipleship. A mature Christian shouldn't be needing to be spoon fed or bottle fed 20 years into their Christian walk by saying, okay, what's the next thing that I need to read? After 20 years, Jesus had his disciples for three years, and then he made them the leaders of the church. It's like after three years, he thrusts them into leadership. And we go for 20 years. And if somebody's not telling us what Bible study to take, we don't know what to do. There's a sense of, God, would you make me a mature believer, that I can then begin to pass this on to someone else, to a believer that's coming behind me. And slowly, as we progress down this road, we're passing it on to the others coming behind us. And we never stop growing. But there is a sense of, am I still doing the same things 20 years down my Christian road that I did when I started? Or have I grown at all? And what's the evidence? How do you measure spiritual growth to even know that? And so those types of questions, they're not necessarily super deep or profound, but they're questions that we may not ask in our normal everyday lives. And so, I think that's a good starting place just to get people thinking, if I want to grow, what am I growing towards? And then how do I get there? So that's some of the heart behind it. Laura Dugger: (48:32 - 50:04) I want to make sure that you're up to date with our latest news. We have a new website. You can visit thesavvysauce.com and see all of the latest updates. You may remember Francie Heinrichson from episode 132, where we talked about pursuing our God-given dreams. She is the amazing businesswoman who has carefully designed a brand-new website for Savvy Sauce Charities. And we are thrilled with the final product. So, I hope you check it out. There, you're going to find all of our podcasts now with show notes and transcriptions listed, a scrapbook of various previous guests, and an easy place to join our email list to receive monthly encouragement and questions to ask your loved ones so that you can have your own practical chats for intentional living. You will also be able to access our donation button or our mailing address for sending checks that are tax deductible so that you can support the work of Savvy Sauce Charities and help us continue to reach the nations with the good news of Jesus Christ. So, make sure you visit thesavvysauce.com. One other tip that we can hit on is another personal favorite, something that you call spiritual markers. So, can you tell us more about this idea of spiritual markers and how can we incorporate these into our own walk with the Lord and discipling our children? Daniel Blackaby: (50:07 - 54:54) Yeah, well, I think in some ways this sort of brings us full circle to where we started with as far as just, you know, as you recognize the moments that that you have, you know, very clearly heard from God or experienced God or joined in God's activity and just allowing those, you know, like through the Bible there's, especially in the Old Testament, people are constantly making altars and, you know, God doesn't think we'll stack a bunch of rocks here so when we see the rocks we remember and we can tell our kids about it and this sense that let's do things that remind us of what God has done in the past, not just so that we can sort of, you know, be nostalgic and reminiscent about the good old days, but that as we face challenges today, we can, you know, hey, God was faithful there. Every time I see, like I know I have a part of my testimony involved, kind of pretty miraculously receiving a letter, a handwritten letter from a friend that God used to answer prayer, and as we're recording this podcast, I can look and like I have that framed, you know, in my office, like every day I see, you know, at my lowest moment, God was there for me and I have physical evidence that God was there for me, that as, you know, as I face new challenges decades and decades later, that, you know, may look nothing like those challenges. I know it's the same God that guided me, that was provided for me, was faithful then. He's still the same God that I can trust today. So in many ways, I mean, that can be stories, that can be, you know, I'm a big proponent of just getting physical objects or reminders or things that, whether that's like a picture or just, you know, like I have another, when I was working on my dissertation for my PhD and under a lot of stress, my kids were very young, you know, they were born my first semester, so I was very stressed, and I had one of my kids came up one day when I was just really under a lot of pressure and gave me a picture. It's just a bunch of scribbles and some random, like, animal stickers and stamps, and it's just very abstract, modern, impressionist art, but he gave me that and just sort of, you know, on his own initiative and, you know, just to let me know that he, you know, he loved me, and that's so meaningful. I have that also framed, you know, he's embarrassed now, he's 11, and you say, oh man, that's awful, but I keep that in a very prominent place in my, you know, that's not necessarily God's provision, but I think it is God working through my son to remind, just remind me that, you know, God is at work in my family and using my family and my children, and so I have sort of all around me even now, like, there's just things that I've put around me to remind myself that, you know, when I face a challenge today, trust to what God's done in the past, you know, trust those moments that, you know, that I can move forward with that confidence, that I can still trust him today. Mike Blackaby: I think that all of that is dead on. I'm a fan of the physical reminders too, like, have, like, that's what they did in the Old Testament, they would, they'd pile rocks together and that would spur on conversations specifically with the next generation, and so, yeah, I think tell the stories to everybody, but be even more intentional to tell the stories to the generation coming behind you, and if you need reminders of those things, then, yeah, fill your home, don't just clutter up your home, but fill your life with reminders of God's goodness, because no matter how good he's been in the past, it's easy to forget that when you're right in the storm today, and so sometimes you just need that reminder, say, okay, like, I remember feeling this way before, and yet God got me through it that time, and I believe he'll get me through it this time too, and not even just the hard times, but recognize and be quick to give God credit for the good things, and just, you know, remember those, we're in a good, we're in a good season in our church right now after some difficult, just hard work, and we're seeing some harvest, and we're seeing some good things, and I know there's ups and downs in ministry, and so I've been telling people I'm just enjoying the up right now, you know, and probably should memorialize it in some way to also look back and say, hey, when things get rough, it doesn't usually stay there forever, and things are good, it doesn't always stay there forever either, you know, growth happens through struggle and tension and those types of things, not ease, and so, yeah, the physical reminders are good. Laura Dugger: (54:56 - 55:12) And we didn't even get to touch on something, you're bringing out the seasons of life and how God brings the harvest and those winter seasons and how it's cyclical, so if all of this message is resonating with someone, where can we go after this chat to learn more from the two of you? Mike Blackaby: (55:14 - 57:32) Most of, I'm not super active on social media anymore, I probably should be, but I would say most of anything worth hearing that I have to say, I put in my sermons, and so if anybody ever wants to just tune in, we've got a live stream at our church where whatever God is currently teaching me usually ends up in my teaching just week to week on Sundays, and so I would say commit to your own church, let your pastor be your pastor, but if you're ever interested in maybe gaining some other perspective or, you know, looking for something to listen to on the way to work, our church has a live stream that you can go to, Canvas Oak Bay is what our church is called, so anything profound that I have to say will at some point end up in there. Daniel Blackaby: Yeah, I think you can, for me, you can, I mean, blackaby.org, I work for the ministry, and a lot of the stuff that, I mean, Mike or I, or our father, or other relatives, or things related to this book, I gather resources, and you can find a lot of information and resources on the website, and one of the things I personally do is I run a kind of a culture engagement ministry, The Collision, if anyone wants to check out TheCollision.org, do a lot of, in some ways, applying the message of this book, just in the field of kind of the arts and pop culture, you know, in movies, you know, finding where's God at work, or what's the conversations happening in culture through, you know, the trends, and the stories, and things that are happening, and just trying to guide people to join those conversations, so if that sounds like something, or if you have kids, and you want to help, you know, guide them through some of those conversations, love to have you guys check out our website there, too. Mike Blackaby: Yeah, I also recommend TheCollision.org, it's good, I love reading Daniel's movie reviews, and it's unlike other things that are out there, what he sees in culture is really good, helping people navigate as a Christian exile, navigating through this world, it's really good, and so I encourage people to check that out, too. Laura Dugger: (57:33 - 57:54) Thank you for those wonderful recommendations, we'll add links to all of that in the show notes for today's episode, and the two of you may already be familiar, we're called The Savvy Sauce, because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge, and so as my final question for both of you today, what is your savvy sauce? Mike Blackaby: (57:57 - 1:00:59) Do or do not, there is no try. I would say, this is, I heard somebody say this years ago, and I've always loved it, they said, nothing good happens after 11 p.m., so put away your phone, turn off the TV, you're not going to do anything typically that grows your faith, or encourages your soul, after 11 o'clock, just go to bed, I mean, not much of good typically ever happens late at night, and so, I mean, I know someone will say, well, no, at midnight, this great thing happened to me, like, yeah, I know, it's not a, it's more of a proverb than anything, it's a, typically, this is what, typically, good things don't happen after 11 o'clock, and so, build the habit of putting your phone away, and getting off screen time, getting off your computer, any of that sort of stuff, don't go late into the night on any of that stuff, because typically, healthy things don't happen. Daniel Blackaby: Yeah, but my two kids had their first sleepover last night at our house, and so I think they learned firsthand that staying up super late, I don't know, there's a lot of chaos, I don't know what was good that came out of that, but I think, maybe for me, kind of a motto, and I've sort of phrased it different ways over the years, but something that I've really tried to use when faced with decisions, is just to, like, choose what I want most, instead of what I want now, and I feel like most healthy decisions can be summed up in this, what I want now is to eat this, you know, donut that was left on the counter, or eat, you know, potato chips for breakfast, or whatever, like, what I want most, though, is to be a healthy example for my kids, or to feel good, or, you know, what I want now might be to just veg on the couch on my phone, and just do nothing, like, what I want most is to, you know, be well-read, or to be, you know, in good shape, so I should go for a run, or whatever it is, like, just, and I'm not, I don't always make the right choice in that, but that, for me, that's just been a helpful of, you know, most decisions come down to, like, this is what I want, but what I want most, and what would be the decision that gets me closer to that, rather than just sort of feeding my kind of carnal impulses, which usually are very rarely edifying, or healthy to the spirit, or body, or mind, or anything, so I've put that on, you know, like, if I make a running schedule, or different things, I've sort of put that, some version of that slogan, just to remind myself, like, even this, you know, I once printed off a sign, I put it on our pantry, of just remembering, what do you want most, what do you want now, like, because don't, you know, don't go for that snack shelf now, but so, for me, that's just been one of those things that I've tried to, I'm constantly telling myself, just, you know, choose what I want most, not just what I want now. That's good. Laura Dugger: (1:01:00 - 1:01:30) I love it. You both have just shared profound wisdom and insight today. I'm so grateful for your generosity of time, and just inspiring all of us, even giving hope, and all of that through this uplifting conversation, where we're getting to see the thousand generations blessed through the faithfulness, even of those who have gone before you, and you two also carrying the torch on. So, thank you so much for everything you shared today, and thank you, Daniel and Mike, for being my guests today. Mike Blackaby and Daniel Blackaby: (1:01:31 - 1:01:32) Thanks so much for having us. Laura Dugger: (1:01:33 - 1:05:16) One more thing before you go, have you heard the term gospel before? It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you, but it starts with the bad news. Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves. This means there's absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved. We need a savior, but God loved us so much. He made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him. That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life. We could never live and died in our place for our sin. This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus. We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished. If we choose to receive what he has done for us, Romans 10:9 says, “that if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” So, you pray with me now. Heavenly father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place. I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you. Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life? We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me. So, me for him, you get the opportunity to live your life for him. And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason. We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So, you're ready to get started. First, tell someone, say it out loud, get a Bible. The first day I made this decision, my parents took me to Barnes and Noble and let me choose my own Bible. I selected the Quest NIV Bible and I love it. You can start by reading the book of John. Also get connected locally, which just means tell someone who's a part of a church in your community that you made a decision to follow Christ. I'm assuming they will be thrilled to talk with you about further steps such as going to church and getting connected to other believers to encourage you. We want to celebrate with you too. So, feel free to leave a comment for us here. If you did make a decision to follow Christ, we also have show notes included where you can read scripture that describes this process. And finally, be encouraged. Luke 15:10 says, “in the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” The heavens are praising with you for your decision today. And if you've already received this good news, I pray you have someone to share it with. You are loved and I look forward to meeting you here next time.
Third Avenue Baptist ChurchLouisville, KYJoshua 16:1-20:9September 6, 2026You can find Dr. Mohler's other Line by Line sermons here.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.
A new book argues that classical Islamic law conflicts fundamentally with the U.S. Constitution on apostasy, due process, and the rights of women and non-Muslims. Mary Reichard speaks with A.S. Ibrahim, professor of Islamic studies at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, who says Christians should love their Muslim neighbors while opposing political Islam.Additional support comes from the Voice of the Martyrs. Pastor Richard Wurmbrand was imprisoned a total of 14 years in Communist Romania for his faith in Christ. Upon his release, he and his wife, Sabina, founded The Voice of the Martyrs to help the families of imprisoned Christians in Communist nations and other countries where Christians are persecuted for their faith. Today, VOM works in more than 70 hostile areas and restricted nations. More information is available at vom.org/SaturdaySpecial
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses the DOJ's lawsuit against Kansas City schools for violating parental rights for LGBTQ ideology, the moral influence of Dolly Parton, new creation and socialism, and if Reformed theology lends itself to bold cultural engagement.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses the DOJ's lawsuit against Kansas City for trouncing on parental rights for LGBTQ ideology, the morality of Dolly Parton, new creation and socialism, and if Reformed theology lends itself to cultural engagement.Part I (00:13 – 09:18)DOJ Sets New Precedent: Kansas City Receives Lawsuit From DOJ For Trouncing on Parental Rights for LGBTQ Ideology, Among Other ReasonsJustice Department Sues Kansas City Schools Over Gender Policy by The New York Times (Michael C. Bender)Part II (09:18 – 15:32)Why Did You Question the Morality of Dolly Parton? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingPart III (15:32 – 18:43)Is the End Goal of Christianity in the New Creation Basically Socialism? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingPart IV (18:43 – 25:23)Does Reformed Theology Lend Itself to Bold Cultural Engagement? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses the Lindsay Clancy trial and deadlocked jury, the primary results in Massachusetts, and the recent conviction of a man for the murder of Tupac.Part I (00:14 – 14:17)Lindsay Clancy and a Deadlocked Jury: The Dark Case of Lindsay Clancy and the Possible Outcomes of Her Case – It is Vitally Important That Justice is ServedPart II (14:17 – 20:55)The Primaries in Massachusetts: Progressive Markey Defeats Less Progressive Moulton in the Senate Race in Massachusetts – This is a Clarifying MomentPart III (20:55 – 23:05)Justice for Tupac: Man Who Thought He Was Immune to Prosecution is Now Found Guilty Tupac's Murder After He Talked About It in Podcasts, Publicly, and in a MemoirDecades After Tupac's Murder, a Talkative Gang Member Is Convicted by The New York Times (Julia Jacobs and Anusha Bayya)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses the cultural response to AOC's egg freezing, the failure of Mayor Mamdani's city-funded daycare proposals, a new study that posits singleness is better for human flourishing than marriage, and why being a parent leads to better financial planning.Part I (00:14 – 08:55)The Cultural Response to AOC's Egg Freezing: Many in the Culture See This as a Win for the Left and For WomenHow AOC is upending norms around motherhood and political candidacy by USA Today (Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy)AOC's Egg Freezing Is Suddenly a Bipartisan Conversation by The Wall Street Journal (Kara Voght)Part II (08:55 – 17:02)The AOC Illusion: This is a Direct Violation of Creation OrderPart III (17:02 – 21:17)The State Cannot Replace the Creation Order of the Family: Mayor Mamdani's City-Funded Daycare Proposals Fails on Theological, Economic, and Logistical GroundsFunding Delays Threaten Rollout of Mamdani's 2-K Program by The New York Times (Matthew Haag)Part IV (21:17 – 24:18)Do They Really Believe This? Study Posits Singleness is Better for Human Flourishing Than MarriageNew study reveals a major perk of being single by The Washington Post (Cheyenne Buckingham)Part V (24:18 – 26:58)Childlessness and Retirement: New Study Shows Americans Without Children Are Nervous About Retirement Savings – Turns Out, Parents Are Better at Financial PlanningChildless Americans are feeling uneasy about retirement savings too by USA Today (Medora Lee)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is Thinking in Public, a program dedicated to intelligent conversation about frontline theological and cultural issues with the people who are shaping them.Dr. Nigel Biggar is the Emeritus Regius Professor of Moral Theology at the University of Oxford and Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Pusey House, Oxford. He received his Ph.D in Christian Theology & Ethics from the University of Chicago and his baccalaureate degree in Modern History from Oxford University. Professor Biggar was also appointed a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to Higher Education, in the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours list. He's the author of more than 5 books and numerous articles which have appeared in publications such as The Financial Times, The Times of London, The Daily Telegraph, and The Spectator. It is his most recent book, The New Dark Age: Why Liberals Must Win the Culture Wars, that is the topic of this new episode of Thinking in Public.You can purchase The New Dark Age here.Sign up to receive every new Thinking in Public release in your inbox.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses 5 MLB teams partnering with prediction markets in states where betting is illegal, Kalshi's George Soros ban, the moral complexities of data centers, and why secularism is not a sufficient worldview to keep students from using A.I. to cheat in school.Part I (00:13 – 07:58)Pete Rose Would Like a Word: Five MLB Teams Partner with Prediction Markets in States Where Betting is IllegalKalshi partners with MLB teams in latest prediction market marriage by USA Today (Adam Kaufman)Part II (07:58 – 11:52)Serial Fraudster Gets Lifetime Ban from Kalshi: George Santos Receives First Lifetime Ban From Kalshi For Betting on His Own Attendance to State of the Union AddressEx-Congressman George Santos Receives Kalshi's First-Ever Lifetime Ban by The Wall Street Journal (Brian Schwartz and Jack Morphet)Part III (11:52 – 20:30)The Moral Complexities of Data Center: There are Many Things to Consider Morally and Politically HerePart IV (20:30 – 27:28)A.I., Secularism, and Students Cheating: A Secular Ethic is Not Enough to Create Honest Students and to Prevent Them From CheatingSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
Artificial intelligence is already changing how pastors research, write, communicate, and manage the practical demands of ministry. But does using AI necessarily make a preacher less faithful, less authentic, or less dependent upon God?Mike Neglia speaks with pastor, theologian, and AI developer Miles DeBenedictis about the opportunities and ethical challenges that artificial intelligence presents for Christian ministry. Rather than offering either uncritical enthusiasm or fearful rejection, Miles encourages pastors to think carefully about authorship, disclosure, human responsibility, and the nature of consciousness itself.The conversation explores practical uses of AI in sermon preparation and church administration, including research assistance, prayer-request processing, Bible translation, and tools that can preserve more time for prayer, pastoral care, and the ministry of the Word. Mike and Miles also consider the dangers of pastoral deepfakes, cloned voices, deceptive content, autonomous AI agents, and outsourcing the spiritual and intellectual work that belongs to the preacher.At the heart of the episode is a deeper theological question: what does it mean to be human? Miles argues that the church needs a robust biblical anthropology—grounded in the image of God—if it is going to respond wisely to claims about machine intelligence and artificial consciousness.The episode concludes with a practical look at SermonBrief, a research tool designed to assist preachers without writing their sermons for them, and a memorable reminder that AI generally amplifies the habits, convictions, and character already present in the person using it.Special offer for Expositors Collective listenersReceive 20% off SermonBrief for your first year with the code:EXPOSITORSLearn more and sign up:SermonBriefhttps://sermonbrief.com/About Miles DeBenedictisMiles DeBenedictis is the senior pastor of Cross Connection Church in Escondido, California, where he has served since 2008. He has nearly three decades of pastoral and Bible-teaching experience and is pursuing doctoral studies in artificial intelligence ethics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.Miles is also the founder and CEO of Nomion AI, which develops technology for churches, pastors, and Christian organizations. His ministry and technology work has included collaboration with Enduring Word and Blue Letter Bible.Cross Connection Churchhttps://ccchurch.com/Miles DeBenedictis on Substackhttps://pastormiles.substack.com/Nomion AIhttps://nomion.ai/Line Upon Line — Miles DeBenedictis teaching archivehttps://www.lineuponline.com/Miles DeBenedictis at Blue Letter Biblehttps://www.blueletterbible.org/audio_video/debenedictis_miles/The Southern Baptist Theological Seminaryhttps://www.sbts.edu/Resources mentionedMinistry and preaching resourcesSermonBrief — AI-assisted sermon research created to support the preacher's study without writing the sermonhttps://sermonbrief.com/Docent Group — the sermon-research service that helped inspire aspects of SermonBriefhttps://www.docentgroup.com/sermon-researchDispatch — church communication and administrative tools developed by Nomion AIhttps://dispatch.church/Enduring Word Bible Commentaryhttps://enduringword.com/Blue Letter Biblehttps://www.blueletterbible.org/Line Upon Linehttps://www.lineuponline.com/Tools, Not Taskmasters: A Christian Dominion Diagnostic for AI — Miles DeBenedictishttps://pastormiles.substack.com/p/tools-not-taskmasters-a-christianBooks mentionedThe Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World — Iain McGilchristhttps://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300245929/the-master-and-his-emissary/The Matter with Things: Our Brains, Our Delusions, and the Unmaking of the World — Iain McGilchristhttps://channelmcgilchrist.com/matter-with-things/Mere Christianity — C. S. Lewishttps://www.harpercollins.com/products/mere-christianity-c-s-lewis
From Miriam to Priscilla, the story of Scripture calls women into leadership and encourages them to endure as “oaks of righteousness” alongside men. The uniqueness of a woman's position in the world carries with it a different weight than our brothers have. In this workshop, we'll see what God has to say to his daughters and to his sons who work alongside them. Becca Heck is a veteran youth minister who has served in Atlanta, GA for the last 15 years. She recently graduated from Reformed Theological Seminary in Atlanta with her M.Div and a Certificate of Bible and Ethnicity from the Edimston Center at RTS. Becca served on Rooted's Steering Committee in the early years and loves getting to be a part of all things Rooted Ministry. She is currently working in the field of crisis management and relational reconciliation in the Church, partnering with those who are in need of meditation and healing in order to proclaim the gospel clearly and boldly. Becca has a passion for helping Church leaders be not only theologically trained, but to be gospel-centered leaders who lead with integrity, humility, and wholeheartedness. When she isn't talking about all things Church health related, you can find her visiting her family in Indiana, trying out every coffee shop in Atlanta, borrowing friend's dogs, and watching reruns of Friends and The West Wing. Rooted Resources: From a Female Youth Worker - Substack Building A Table for Men and Women in Youth Ministry Valuing Women in Youth Ministry Heartfelt Advice to Women in Youth Ministry Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates. Register for the Rooted 2026 Conference in Nashville. Hosted by: Danny Kwon, author of Teenagers and Mental Health; Becca Heck, M. Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary; Isaiah Marshall, Rooted's Director of Ministry Development; and Josh Hussung, M. Div. in Pastor Studies from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:14 – 09:54)A Devastating and Horrific Tragedy in Nepal: This is a Deadly Case of Natural Evil – Christians Need to Pray For All InvolvedPart II (09:54 – 12:36)The Script Was Already Ready: The Western Media Jumped to the Conclusion That Climate Change is Behind This, But the Jury is Still OutAn Explanation Without Evidence for the Nepal Flood by The Wall Street Journal (Matthew Hennessey)Disaster Experts Say Nepal Glacier Collapse Was Difficult to Predict by The New York Times (Laura Chung)Part III (12:36 – 22:26)The Progressive Strategy on ‘T': The Progressives in Politics and the WNBA See the Society ‘Moving Forward' on Transgenderism Once Americans Focus on Other IssuesMost Democrats Don't Want to Talk About Transgender Athletes. He's Leaning In. by The New York Times (Reid J. Epstein)WNBA will become an unstoppable force when it unites, outlasts culture wars by The Athletic (Ian O’Connor)Part IV (22:26 – 25:36)Log Cabin Republicans Drop the ‘T': Homosexual Republican Group Distances Itself From Transgenderism – But They're Still Defying Creation Order With LGBConservative Gay Rights Group Ends Support for Trans Causes by The New York Times (Richard Fausset)Log Cabin Republicans Renews Its National Advocacy Focus by Townhall (Ross Hemminger)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
Third Avenue Baptist ChurchLouisville, KYJoshua 13:8-15:63August 30, 2026You can find Dr. Mohler's other Line by Line sermons here.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today’s edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses the precipitous drop in children in big cities, a New York Times article that reflects age-old issues between husbands and wives, Flock cameras and the increase of the surveillance state, if it’s wrong for a Christian couple to utilize a surrogate, and why there has been such a rise in anti-Semitism.Part I (00:14 – 10:34)The Precipitous Drop in Children in Big Cities: There are Massive Worldview Issues Behind ThisAmerica's Big Cities Are Rapidly Losing Kids by The Wall Street Journal (Rachel Louise Ensign and Paul Overberg)Part II (10:34 – 14:09)‘Men Don't Want to Go From Screw Up to Screw Up': New York Times Article Reflects Age-Old Issues Between Husbands and Wives—Especially When Babies ComeDoes Your Relationship Need a ‘Mental Load' Coach? by The New York Times (Jancee Dunn)Part III (14:09 – 21:18)What About Flock Cameras and the Increase of the Surveillance State? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingPart IV (21:18 – 25:07)Is It Wrong For a Christian Couple to Utilize a Surrogate If They Cannot Have Children on Their Own? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingPart V (25:07 – 27:50)Why Does Antisemitism Exist, and Why Has There Been Such an Increase in Antisemitism Recently? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses Meta's lawsuit settlement over social media harm to young people, Harvard Medical School's director caught in black market body part scandal, and the CIA Director's rare and undisclosed trip to Moscow.Part I (00:13 – 09:23)Meta Agrees to Settle Massive Lawsuit Over Social Media Harm to Young People: Parents Will Now Bear More Power and Responsibility in How Their Children Access Social MediaMeta to Pay Up to $17.1 Billion in Landmark Settlement Over Social Media Addiction Claims by The New York Times (Cecilia Kang and Eli Tan)Part II (09:23 – 21:08)Why Is This Unspeakably Wrong? Medical School Morgue Director Caught in Black Market Body Part ScandalHarvard settles stolen body parts lawsuits. Here’s what happened by USA Today (Saleen Martin)Part III (21:08 – 26:44)CIA Director Makes a Rare and Undisclosed Trip to Moscow: Is This an Indicator That Putin is About to Attack NATO?CIA director's secretive visit to Moscow stirs mystery by The Washington Post (Alex Horton, Michael Birnbaum, Warren P. Strobel and Joyce Sohyun Lee)The CIA might just have given an alarming signal that Putin is about to attack Nato by The Telegraph (Tom Tugendhat)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses The Economist's argument for embryo selection on the basis of disease resistance and IQ, how IVF led to the trend of designer babies, and the outsized life and legacy of Dolly Parton.Part I (00:14 – 07:08)We Have Reached the Age of Designer Babies: One of the Most Influential Publications in the World Argues for Embryo Selection on the Basis of Disease Resistance and IQIn praise of designer-ish babies: Couples should be allowed to select embryos on the basis of both disease resistance and IQ by The EconomistThe Next Parenting Trend Starts Before Conception by The New York Times (Ross Douthat and Noor Siddiqui)Part II (07:08 – 17:54)The Slippery Slope of IVF: The Arrival of the Trend of Designer Babies Began with IVF TechnologyPart III (17:54 – 26:14)Dolly Parton Dies at Age 80: The Outsized Life and Legacy of American Country Music Icon Dolly PartonDolly Parton, country music singer and cultural icon, dies at 80 by The Washington Post (Emily Langer)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
Why are so many historically Christian colleges quietly abandoning their roots — and what does it take to raise a generation that won't? In this episode of *Refining Rhetoric*, host Robert Bortins sits down with Dr. Albert Mohler, president of Boyce College and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, to talk about raising faithful Christian kids, the secular pressures pulling Christian colleges off course, and why parents need to be "loud" about their convictions instead of silent. Dr. Mohler names the three "exit points" where Christian kids are most vulnerable — leaving the home, adolescence, and the transition from adolescence to adulthood — and explains why the 18-to-22 window matters more than parents think. He also unpacks his push to add the Truth in Unity Amendment to the Southern Baptist Convention's Constitution, why he believes Christian colleges are only ever one generation from drifting (citing Harvard's own Puritan founding), and why he's convinced America's Christian roots are recoverable, not lost. Whether you're weighing where to send your student after homeschooling or just trying to raise kids who can articulate what they believe and why, this conversation is a bracing, hopeful case for staying convictional — and loud about it. Dr. Albert Mohler's site & The Briefing: https://albertmohler.com/ Boyce College: https://boycecollege.com/ This episode of Refining Rhetoric is sponsored by the 2027 CC Family Cruise featuring the National Memory Master Competition, the National Number Knockout Competition, & the National Commencement. The CC Family Cruise is setting sail May 2-8th, 2027, departing from Galveston, Texas, and your whole family is invited! Onboard, you can enjoy CC Signature events and exclusive perks like group dining, merchandise, events, onboard credit, and time with Leigh and Robert Bortins. Space is filling up quickly, so visit classicalconversations.com/cruise to start your booking today!
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses the new U.S. ‘Operation Economic Outcast' war strategy against Iran, the history and function of modern political polling, and the influence of prediction markets on modern politics.Part I (00:14 – 10:20)The New War Strategy Against Iran: The U.S. is Calling for ‘Operation Economic Outcast' to Squash Iranian Economy to End the U.S-Iran ConflictBessent Launches ‘Operation Economic Outcast' to Isolate and Squeeze Iran by The Wall Street Journal (Brian Schwartz, Laurence Norman, and Alexander Ward)Part II (10:20 – 17:11)How Did We Get Into Such a ‘Wild West' of Political Polling? The Important History and Function of Modern Political PollingWhy Polling Chaos Could Create Big Problems for American Politics by The New York Times (Reid J. Epstein)Part III (17:11 – 26:00)The Influence of Prediction Markets on Modern Politics: Young Men and Gambling Markets are Having a Massive Influence on Modern Polling – There are Big Issues HereSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
The differences between an adult Sunday school class and one for kids are quite striking. A class for toddlers and preschoolers is rarely organized around the logic of a Bible passage, or even a lesson outline. Instead, lessons are structured by the classroom schedule and environment—by a basic routine and activity centers that are designed for play, music, the Bible story, and other games or crafts. How do we prepare children's lessons that are Christ-centered, biblically faithful, engaging for kids, and oriented towards the distinct ways that kids learn? This workshop will help you learn how to do just that. Jared Kennedy serves as an editor for The Gospel Coalition. He is also co-founder of Gospel-Centered Family and the author of books for children and families like Faith-Builder Catechism (New Growth Press, 2023), Keeping Your Children's Ministry on Mission (Crossway, 2022), and The Beginner's Gospel Story Bible (New Growth, 2017). He, his wife Megan, and their three daughters live in Louisville, Kentucky, where they attend Sojourn Church Midtown. Announcing Rooted Children's Ministry Curriculum: Why and How to Use 'Gospel Basics' Building a Scope and Sequence for Biblical Literacy in Children's Ministry and Parents by Tara Davis and Cameron Cole Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates. Register for the Rooted 2026 Conference in Nashville. Hosted by: Danny Kwon, author of Teenagers and Mental Health; Becca Heck, M. Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary; Isaiah Marshall, Rooted's Director of Ministry Development; and Josh Hussung, M. Div. in Pastor Studies from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:14 – 07:30)The U.S. and Canada in a Trade ‘War': The Term ‘War' is Misleading, But It is Not to the Advantage of Either Nation For This to Spread to Other Sectors of the EconomyPart II (07:30 – 19:18)Harry and Meghan are Moving Back: The British Royal Family is Following a Soap Opera Script, and Americans are Fascinated By ItPart III (19:18 – 23:13)The Modern Miracle of the Green Revolution: The Moral Good of the Decline of World Hunger, and the Problems That the World Now FacesWorld hunger decline is the fruit of growth by The Washington Post (The Editorial Board)Part IV (23:13 – 25:51)Kyle Kirkwood's ‘Star Spangled Victory': The Freedom 250 Grand Prix Race in Washington D.C.Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
Third Avenue Baptist ChurchLouisville, KYJoshua 12:1–13:7August 23, 2026You can find Dr. Mohler's other Line by Line sermons here.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses the deaths of Mary Morello and a famous fiddler and fiddle maker, if any nations have thrived under socialism, if socialism is compatible with Islam, advice for a young man considering college and a career path, and if God's mercy is different from his grace and forgiveness.Part I (00:13 – 07:37)Mother of Rage Against the Machine Rock Dies: Mary Morello, Who Fought ‘Censorship' in the Culture, Dies at 102Mary Morello, Free Speech Activist Who Defended Explicit Lyrics, Dies at 102 by The New York Times (Alex Williams)Part II (07:37 – 10:34)Famous Fiddler and Fiddle Maker Dies at 109: She Lived a Very Different Life Than Mary Morello, and It ShowedViolet Hensley Dies at 109; Ozarks Fiddler Made Opry Debut at 99 by The New York Times (Richard Sandomir)Part III (10:34 – 15:50)Are There Any Nations That Have Thrived Under Socialism? Have Any Nations Been Ruled by Democratic Socialists? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingPart IV (15:50 – 21:33)What Should I Do After I Graduate? What Majors or Career Paths are Worth Pursuing? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From a Young Listener of The BriefingPart V (21:33 – 23:24)Is Socialism Compatible with Islam? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingPart VI (23:24 – 27:24)Is God's Mercy Different From His Grace and Forgiveness? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses the primary election results on Tuesday from Alaska and Florida, the federal court battle between Meta and four state Attorneys General, and the appeal to SCOTUS over the 10 Commandments in Texas schools.Part I (00:13 – 08:17)Results From Primary Elections on Tuesday: A Ranked Choice Election in Alaska and a Democratic Socialist of America Wins a Stunning Victory in the Democratic Senate Primary in FloridaAnother democratic socialist victory – Angie Nixon in Florida – sends shock waves through party establishment by The Guardian (Richard Luscombe)Part II (08:17 – 16:59)Meta Faces Big Battle in Federal Court: Four State Attorneys General Take Lead in Lawsuit Against Meta Over Social Media Impact on Children and Young People – This is a Massively Important CasePart III (16:59 – 24:44)The 10 Commandments in Texas Schools in Headlines Again: Activists Against 10 Commandments in Schools Appeal to U.S. Supreme CourtSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses the surrogate mother who fled to Texas who says couple who hired her wanted her to abort the baby after diagnosis of heart defect, the incongruence of surrogacy with conservatism, and NYC's immoral reconsideration of bathhouses as ‘safe spaces' for sex.Part I (00:14 – 11:29)Surrogacy and Abortion Clash in Texas: Surrogate Mother Says Couple Who Hired her Wanted Her to Abort the Baby After Diagnosis of DefectA Fight Over Abortion and Surrogacy Ends With a Baby Born in Texas by The New York Times (J. David Goodman)Part II (11:29 – 22:03)There is Nothing Conservative About Surrogacy: Babies are Gifts From the Lord, But It Does Not Justify Every Means By Which They are ConceivedIs surrogacy ‘barbarism’? Conservatives are turning on their own. by USA Today (Ingrid Jacques)Part III (22:03 – 27:36)More Suppression of Truth in Unrighteousness in New York: NYC Reconsiders Bathhouses as ‘Safe Spaces' for Sex – This is Immoral and ReprehensibleShould N.Y. Bathhouses Be Allowed to Offer Space for Sex? by The New York Times (Grace Ashford)Minneapolis City Council votes to repeal ban on adult bathhouses, sex venues by MPR News (Sam Stroozas)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is Thinking in Public, a program dedicated to intelligent conversation about frontline theological and cultural issues with the people who are shaping them.Steven D. Smith is the Warren Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of San Diego School of Law. Since earning his law degree from Yale University, Professor Smith has taught at numerous institutions, including the law schools of Notre Dame University and the University of Virginia. Prior to that, he served as a law clerk for three years on the prestigious United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He's a sought-after legal authority, especially on issues of religious freedom. His book Pagans and Christians in the City: Culture Wars from the Tiber to the Potomac was the topic of a previous Thinking in Public conversation, but it is his most recent book, The Godless Constitution and the Providential Republic, that is the topic of this episode of Thinking in Public.You can purchase Professor Smith’s book, The Godless Constitution and the Providential Republic, here.Sign up to receive every new Thinking in Public release in your inbox.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:14 – 14:16)Democratic Socialism is Bursting Onto the Scene Among Democrats: New Poll Shows Majority of Democrats Report Positive View of SocialismCBS News poll on whether Democrats split over socialism, and how Americans see parties in today’s economy by CBS News (Anthony Salvanto, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus)Part II (14:16 – 19:37)Why is the University Experience Producing Socialists? The Culture of Elite Education is Teaching University Students Wrong Lessons About the EconomyHow Colleges Produce Socialists by The Wall Street Journal (Kimberlee Josephson)Part III (19:37 – 22:55)The Energy Is in the Extreme: The Current Ideological Battle in the Democratic Party Was InevitableBeware the Democrats' ‘Redshift' by The Wall Street Journal (Matthew Continetti)Part IV (22:55 – 26:03)The Parable of Raoul Vaneigem: The Obituary of a French Marxist Points to the Nearness of HistoryRaoul Vaneigem, Whose Manifesto Inspired 1968 Revolt in France, Dies at 92 by The New York Times (Adam Nossiter)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses the tragic death of Jason Arday, the moral evasion of Luigi Mangione premeditated murder confession, and the resignation of Karoline Leavitt to stay home to take care of her young children.Part I (00:14 – 12:58)The Tragic Death of Jason Arday: This is an Absolute Tragedy, and Cambridge University Has Lots of Questions to AnswerAn update from Jason Arday by Good Law Project (Jason Arday)Statement from the Vice-Chancellor 12 August 2026 by University of Cambridge (Deborah Prentice)Statement from the Vice-Chancellor, 14 August 2026 by University of Cambridge (Deborah Prentice)Professor's Death Leaves Behind Hard Questions for Cambridge on Race and Hiring by The New York Times (Mara Hvistendahl, Megan Specia, Leo Sands, Ali Watkins, and Susan Dominus)Playbooks, plagiarism and a pig's head: new claims surrounding a star Cambridge professor by The Guardian (Lanre Bakare)Part II (12:58 – 20:32)The Moral Evasion of Luigi Mangione: Mangione Confessed in Federal Court to Premeditated Murder and Said He Knew it Was Illegal, But He Didn't Say the Killing Was Morally WrongRead Mangione's Motion Arguing Double Jeopardy in State Case by The New York TimesPart III (20:32 – 27:08)The Resignation of Karoline Leavitt: The Youngest White House Press Secretary in History Resigns to Stay Home to Care for Her Young Children–With the President Trump's SupportSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses the University of Michigan's ditching grades for freshman, Malaysia's difficulty enforcing social media ban, the ethics of Trump's escape plan from Turkey, if the story of Gideon is a biblical example of righteous deception, the increase of grandparents becoming caretakers of their grandchildren, and at what age a person will be resurrected.Part I (00:14 – 08:26)The University of Michigan To Ditch Grades for Entering Freshman: University Says It’s Attempting to Curb “Mental Health Crisis” Among Students – This is RidiculousMediocrity in Michigan by The Wall Street Journal (Matthew Continetti)Part II (08:26 – 10:23)The Ban Doesn't Yet Ban: Even With a Legal Ban, Malaysia is Finding It Increasingly Difficult to Keep Children and Young People Off Social MediaMalaysia Was Confident in Its Social Media Ban, but Kids Are Still Logged In by The New York Times (Zunaira Saieed)Part III (10:23 – 16:55)Was It Ethical for President Trump to Leave the Press Corp On Presidential Jet As He Secretly Escaped Turkey on a Different Aircraft? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners to The BriefingPart IV (16:55 – 17:26)Is the Story of Gideon a Biblical Example of Righteous Deception? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners to The BriefingPart V (17:26 – 23:05)What About the Increase in Grandparents Who Become Caretakers of Their Grandchildren? Is This Unique to Contemporary Society? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners to The BriefingPart VI (23:05 – 25:17)At What Age Will a Person Be Resurrected? Will It Be at Their Point of Death or At Another Point in Life? — Dr. Mohler Responds to a Letter From an 8-Year-Old Listener to The BriefingSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses David Crowley's narrow defeat of Francesca Hong in Wisconsin, Peggy Flanagan's landslide victory in Minnesota, the parable of Lindsay Graham, and the continuation of the Sophie Cunningham saga as the WNBA and other women's sports league confuse creation order.Part I (00:14 – 10:41)David Crowley Defeats Francesca Hong in Wisconsin: But the Democratic Socialist Insurgency Lost By Less Than One Percentage Point and Will Press OnCrowley scores Hail Mary win over Hong: Takeaways from Aug. 11 primary by USA Today (Susan Page)Part II (10:41 – 13:34)The Minnesota Senate Primary Results: Progressivist Gains Again in Minnesota as Peggy Flanagan Wins in a LandslidePart III (13:34 – 18:25)There is More to This Race Than Most See: The Parable of Lindsay Graham and the Runoff Between Darline Graham and Ralph NormanWTA mandates genetic testing for all future competitions by USA Today (Danielle Lerner)Part IV (18:25 – 28:13)The Parable of Sophie Cunningham Continues, Even as the WNBA and Other Women's Sports Leagues Confuse Creation OrderSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses Secret Service's art of deception to save the president, spy drama and the Christian tradition, and the morality tale of Cambridge University's Now Famous Ex-professor, Jason Arday.Part I (00:14 – 10:20)National Security and Hiding the President: Secret Service Apparently Used the Art of Deception to Save the President, and It Raises Massive Moral Questions With a Long and Fascinating HistoryTrump Was Secretly Transferred to Military Jet Amid Threats to Air Force One by The Wall Street Journal (Josh Dawsey and Marianne LeVine)Trump Said to Have Secretly Used Military Jet to Leave Turkey Amid Threats by The New York Times (Maggie Haberman, Eric Schmitt, and Zolan Kanno-Youngs)Reporter breaks 26-year silence on briefing that preceded Clinton's plane swap by The Washington Post (Scott Nover)Part II (10:20 – 14:07)Spy Drama and the Christian Tradition: Espionage Fiction Emerged From a Christian Conscience – The Worldview of Complicated Moral Battle Between Good and Evil is Drawn from Christian SourcesPart III (14:07 – 26:44)The Morality Tale of Jason Arday: The Moral Issues Raised by the House of Cards Built by Cambridge University's Now Famous Ex-ProfessorGreat and Unfortunate Things by Simon and Schuster (Jason Arday)Fact check: the many claims of Jason Arday by The SpectatorJason Arday: Times analysis finds ‘impossible' data in his work by Times of London (Emma Yeomans)The Jason Arday ‘memoir' that now appears to be more fiction than fact by The Telegraph (Leaf Arbuthnot and Janet Eastham)A Top Scholar's Fall Shows That Universities Don't Get It by The New York Times (Jesse Singal)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses Bill H.5595 in Massachusetts that makes Massachusetts the 11th U.S. state with no limits on abortion, AOC's freezing her eggs and her attempt to reframe “woke,” and what to watch in the primary elections today.Part I (00:14 – 11:59)A Dark Day for the Sanctity of Life in Massachusetts: Massachusetts Governor Signs New Bill into Law to Make Massachusetts the 11th U.S. State with No Limits on AbortionBill H.5595 by The Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Governor Maura Healey)Massachusetts Becomes 11th State With No Abortion Limits As Gov. Healey Signs Bill by National Catholic Register (Tessa Gervasini)Governor Healey Signs Landmark Child Welfare Reform Legislation Massachusetts by Department of Children and Families (Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll)Part II (11:59 – 21:23)AOC Announces She's Freezing Her Eggs: She Sets Stage for Running for Higher Office—And Attempts to Reframe “Woke”‘This Week’ Transcript 8-9-26: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez & Mark Esper by This Week (Jonathan Karl and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez)Part III (21:23 – 23:19)Looking Ahead to This Week's Primary Elections: There are Some Really Important Races – Watch Wisconsin Most CloselyPart IV (23:19 – 26:21)‘Woke 1 Was Crazy': AOC is Providing Cover for Democratic Leftist Candidates – But ‘Woke 2' (and ‘Woke 3' and ‘Woke 4' and So On) Will Be Even CrazierSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:14 – 12:30)The Confirmation of Attorney General Todd Blanche: Looking at the History of this Crucial Cabinet RolePart II (12:30 – 18:55)The Fires of Spokane: The Arsonist is in Custody, and His Confessed Motivations are a Dark Reminder of the Fall — and a Reminder of the Fire of God's JudgementPart III (18:55 – 26:49)For Israel, This is an Existential Threat: Hamas and Hezbollah and Israel's CrisisCan Iran's Diminished Diplomats Deliver a Hormuz Deal? by The Wall Street Journal (Benoit Faucon and Summer Said)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:13 – 09:02)The Fall of Silicon Valley Wunderkind, Leopold Aschenbrenner: Situational Awareness Founder Loses $45 Billion on His Wedding DayHis Wedding Guests Were Arriving—Just as His $45 Billion Fund Was Falling Apart by The Wall Street Journal (Berber Jin, Peter Rudegeair, Gregory Zuckerman, and Anissa Gardizy)Situational Awareness: The Decade Ahead by Situational Awareness (Leopold Aschenbrenner)Part II (09:02 – 13:02)The Worldview of Effective Altruism: The Influence of Peter Singer on Silicon Valley and the Changing Moral Rules of the A.I. IndustryPart III (13:02 – 19:37)Will You Define the Term ‘Creation Order'? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingPart IV (19:37 – 23:34)How Does Contraception Fit Into the Biblical Worldview? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingPart V (23:34 – 28:35)Is There a Biblical Justification For Boundaries with Relatives to Protect Our Young Family? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.
This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:13 – 07:44)Liberals Battle Progressivists in the Heartland: Democrat Senate Race in Michigan Shows Massive Shift Towards the DSA and Far Left in the Democratic PartyA Small Band of Socialists Is Sowing Panic in the Democratic Party by The Wall Street Journal (James Fanelli, Joshua Chaffin, Eliza Collins, and Kevin T. Dugan)Liberals Are Now Fighting a Two-Front War by The Atlantic (Jonathan Chait)Part II (07:44 – 13:42)Progressive Left vs. Center Left and Neoliberals: The ‘Two-Front War' Democrats Now FacePart III (13:42 – 18:01)How Can Mayor Mamdani Pull Off Government-Run Grocery Stores and Government Childcare in New York City? – Inevitably, This is Going to Be Funded by New York TaxpayersMamdani May Need to Find $5 Billion More a Year for Free Child Care by The New York Times (Eliza Shapiro)Part IV (18:01 – 24:36)California's Proposed 5% Tax on Wealth of Billionaires: There are Huge Moral Issues with the Taxation of Unrealized Gains – And It Won't Stop With BillionairesSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.