Christian Parent, Crazy World

The crisis of leadership in our country is palpable right now, and Christian parents feel that challenge in big ways and small. We don’t have a pure choice at the ballot box, particularly on the national stage. Many Christians have a crisis of conscious when choosing a presidential leader. How should we respond? Catherine continues her conversation with the world-renowned author, philosopher, historian, and theologian Os Guinness. Together, they have a frank discussion about: *The evangelical roots of abolition. *The bewitching of Americans from the ideals of our revolution to the ideals of the French Revolutions. *The “Long March” (infiltration of Marxist ideology) on our institutions. *Antonio Gramsci: 5 Pillars of western civilization that must fall for a successful Marxist Revolution to succeed identified by Antonio Gramsci (religion, family, education, media, law). *Classical Marxism (communism) vs. Cultural Marxism. *The link between faith and fertility/secularism and futility. *The perilous state of our union. *The crisis of leadership on the national stage. *The dilemma Christians face at the ballot box (co-belligerence vs. alliance). *The prayer we should pray for the leader we need. Much of their conversation centers on the desperate need for Godly leadership at all levels of our government, but especially on the national stage. “Leaders serve. Great leaders of free republics are teachers of freedom, like Moses,” says Os. We need that kind of leader. Os admonishes Christians to hold our leadership accountable while recognizing the difference between co-belligerence (uniting for a common cause) and alliance. Os also shares the prayer that he and his wife pray over our nation every day: “Lord… Set over us a leader such that it would be to Your glory to give the victory through him or her.” Amen. OS GUINNESS' BIO: Os Guinness is an author, social critic, and great-great-great grandson of Arthur Guinness, the Dublin brewer. Os has written or edited more than 30 books that offer valuable insight into the cultural, political, and social contexts in which we all live. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of London and his D.Phil in the social sciences from Oriel College, Oxford. Os Guinness WEBSITE The Magna Carta of Humanity: Sinai’s Revolutionary Faith and the Future of Freedom OTHER EPISODES IN THIS SERIES: EPISODE 93: “What Most Americans Don’t Understand about Freedom” RESOURCES MENTIONED: EPISODE 9: “How the Christian Worldview Creates a World We All Want To Live In” Italy’s Primer Minister Giorgia Meloni attacks cultural Marxism, progressivism, globalism and quotes Chesterton “Is Voting for Trump the Lesser of Two Evils” by Catherine Segars   Trump Speech at NRB 2024 (National Religious Broadcasters   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

There's a lot we don't understand about freedom in this country. Lasting freedom, in any quantifiable sense, is very new to the historical landscape. After all, the United States fought a bloody revolution to acquire it just a few centuries ago.   But where did the idea of freedom come from? What prerequisites are necessary to achieve freedom? And most importantly... What is necessary to keep freedom?   Catherine is joined by one of the great intellectual minds in the world today to discuss the nature of freedom and the future of our country. Having authored and edited over 30 books, including The Magna Carta of Humanity: Sinai’s Revolutionary Faith and the Future of Freedom, Os Guinness is a world-renowned authority on freedom. As a western survivor of the Chinese Communist Revolution under Mao Zedong in 1949, and then having extensively studied the fields of history, philosophy, religion, theology, apologetics, and culture, Os possesses not a one-in-a-million perspective on the nature and necessary foundation for freedom to exist and thrive—his perspective is one-in-8 billion.   As Os reveals, slavery is the norm in human history. Freedom is the anomaly. And yet America’s founders established freedom. But they did not uncover the roots of liberty in 17th century enlightenment thinkers as some suppose. Rather the roots of freedom were excavated from the ancient Hebrew Republic, which was founded on a radical concept of covenant, or constitution, that requires the consent of the governed. The ramifications of these applied truths are far reaching, and they establish the critical foundation for freedom to exist.As freedom-loving Americans, there's a lot we don't understand about our freedom. Starting with the definition.   “Freedom is not the permission to do what you like. It is the power to do what you ought,” says Os. Most Westerners see freedom as a license to fulfill one’s whims and desires, as Rousseau’s philosophy encouraged. This hedonistic definition supports the ideals of the French Revolution of 1789. But a Biblical understanding of freedom, which our founders possessed, recognizes the weakness of mankind and therefore establishes a system of checks and balances for  "ambition to counter ambition." The plan was brilliant.   The American Revolution is diametrically opposed to the French, but as Os prophetically speaks to our country today, "WHO HAS BEWITCHED YOU, AMERICA? YOU ARE FOLLOWING THE WRONG REVOLUTION." We cannot maintain freedom by following the ideals of the wrong revolution.   We would be wise to remember Paul's words to the church of Galatia: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (5:1)   OS GUINNESS' BIO: Os Guinness is an author, social critic, and great-great-great grandson of Arthur Guinness, the Dublin brewer. Os has written or edited more than 30 books that offer valuable insight into the cultural, political, and social contexts in which we all live. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of London and his D.Phil in the social sciences from Oriel College, Oxford.   Os Guinness WEBSITE The Magna Carta of Humanity: Sinai’s Revolutionary Faith and the Future of Freedom     Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Something in the human soul cries out for equality. It is certainly a virtue that our culture lauds and espouses.   Where does the idea of equality come from? Can we arrive at the concept of equality from a naturalistic or humanistic worldview? How do we obtain equality?   Catherine’s special guest in this episode is an expert in the fields of philosophy, theology, and apologetics. Dr. Douglas Groothuis has devoted an entire chapter of his recent book Fire in the Streets: How You Can Confidently Respond to Incendiary Cultural Topics to the topic of equality. The necessary foundation for equality is a huge argument in favor of the Christian faith and the Christian worldview.   The renowned atheistic historian Yuval Noah Harari openly admits in his bestselling book, Sapiens, that “the Americans got the idea of equality from Christianity, which argues that every person has a divinely created soul, and that all souls are equal before God.”   It is impossible to ground the concept of equality without the Christian worldview, which says that we are created in the image of a personal, loving, all-powerful, all-knowing God. We have all fallen short of His glory, so Christ paid an equal price to redeem us.   There is no basis for equality without the Christian God and the Christian worldview. Catherine and Dr. Groothuis unpack the concept of equality in this episode, and in doing so they arrive at a powerful argument in favor of the Christian faith. Our kids in live in a world that demands equality. We need to help them see where it comes from.   GROOTHUIS’ BIO: Dr. Groothuis holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy (University of Oregon, 1993) has served a Professor of Philosophy and the head of the apologetics and ethics program at Denver Seminary since 1993. He is looking forward to a new chapter as the distinguished university research professor of apologetics and Christian worldview at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is the author of nineteen books, including the popular and voluminous textbook, Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith, 2nd ed.(IVP Academic, 2022), as well as a poignant memoir, Walking Through Twilight: A Wife’s Illness—a Philosopher’s Lament(InterVarsity, 2017), and a bold critique of Critical Race Theory, Fire in the Streets (Salem Books, 2022).   Dr. Groothuis’ website Dr. Gruuthuis’ podcast: Truth Tribe   EPISODE RESOURCES:   Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith by Dr. Douglas Groothuis Dr. Stephen Meyer’s website The Psychology of Totalitarianism by Mattias Desmet Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari John 18:37   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Cancel culture is nothing new. We see it all throughout Scripture. The enemy loves to cancel people. He tried to cancel Jesus, but it didn’t work. Satan never stops trying to silence the truth.   In this episode, Catherine investigates the shocking roots of the new political movement that has codified cancel culture in our society. Where does it come from?   Catherine’s special guest has written a brilliant response to the radical ideology at the heart of cancel culture, an ideology that has set our cities on fire and exacerbated the racial divide. Dr. Douglas Groothuis has authored dozens of books and scholarly articles and is a leading expert on philosophy, theology, history, religion, and culture. His recent book, Fire in the Streets: How You Can Confidently Respond to Incendiary Cultural Topics, expertly traces cancel culture back to its Marxist roots.   Topics covered in this episode include:   Marxism & Neo-Marxism Repressive Tolerance Racism Black Lives Matter Defund the Police Cancel Culture Standpoint Epistemology Intersectionality   Dr. Groothuis takes us on a journey to dig up the toxic roots of cancel culture and points us toward the liberating truth at the heart of the Gospel.   DR. GROOTHUIS’ BIO: Dr. Groothuis holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy (University of Oregon, 1993) has served a Professor of Philosophy and the head of the apologetics and ethics program at Denver Seminary since 1993. He is looking forward to a new chapter as the distinguished university research professor of apologetics and Christian worldview at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is the author of nineteen books, including the popular and voluminous textbook, Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith, 2nd ed.(IVP Academic, 2022), as well as a poignant memoir, Walking Through Twilight: A Wife’s Illness—a Philosopher’s Lament(InterVarsity, 2017), and a bold critique of Critical Race Theory, Fire in the Streets (Salem Books, 2022).   Dr. Groothuis’ website Dr. Gruuthuis’ podcast: Truth Tribe   EPISODE RESOURCES:   Episode 66: How Can a Good God Allow So Much Evil & Suffering in the World?   Articles on Morgan Bettinger: Reason Magazine: How an Ill-Informed Internet Mob Ruined a UVA Student's Life The NY Post: BLM Activist Ruined White Univeristy of Virginia Student’s Rep over Misheard Remark Daily Mail: Celebrated BLM Activist Ruthlessly Destroyed White Woman’s Life   The Woodson Center “Repressive Tolerance” by Herbert Marcuse Heather MacDonald – The War on Cops: How the New Attack on Law and Order Makes Everyone Less Safe   Hosea 4:6 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Is it possible for a marriage to recover from infidelity? Can the emotional wounds of an affair ever be a thing of the past? Can trust be rebuilt after betrayal?   Catherine’s special guests in this episode answer those questions with a resounding “yes!” Josh and Katie Walters, authors of New Marriage, Same Couple: Don’t Let Your Worst Days Be Your Last Days, had a marriage that was rocked to the core from an affair that nearly destroyed their relationship. Their restoration required grace, forgiveness, hope, and leaning into God like never before, but now their marriage is the epitome of love and fulfillment that we all long for with our spouses.   In this raw conversation, Josh shares how the desperation of his darkest hours fed a hunger for God like never before, and that hunger brought hope and healing. Katie shares how she found in Christ a loving Savior who is kinder than anyone we know. Piece by piece, God put their marriage back together and has given them a ministry to restore other marriages.   The enemy has come to steal our marriages, our children, our families, our futures, but God is committed to bring abundant life into our closest relationships. Josh and Katie Walters have experienced this reality first hand and they seek to share that redemption with others.   Josh’s Bio: Josh has been on staff at Seacoast Church for the last 14 years where he currently serves as the Executive Pastor for Seacoast Experience. He is a member of the Teaching Team and helps oversee what happens in person and online each weekend.   Katie’s Bio: Katie serves on the Experience Team at Seacoast Church and teaches as well. She is the CEO of Francis and Benedict, a fashion line that creates waxprint clothing hand made by single moms and widows in Togo, Africa.   EPISODE RESOURCES:   Josh & Katie’s Website Connect with them on Instagram & Facebook New Marriage, Same Couple: Don’t Let Your Days Be Your Last Days New Marriage, Same Couple Workbook Josh’s Doppelganger   SCRIPTURES REFERENCED: John 10:10 Romans 5:3-5 Romans 4:17 John 16:33 Hebrews 11:6   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

We all want to have a marriage that thrives, but one-third of Christian marriages end in divorce, a figure that is “statistically identical to that of non-born again adults” according to recent research from Barna.   What critical foundation are so many Christians missing in their marriage that leads to the demise of their primary relationship?   Josh and Katie Walters, authors of the brand new book New Marriage, Same Couple: Don’t Let Your Worst Days Be Your Last Days, identify four essential principles that will help every marriage to thrive. After a devastating season involving an affair that rocked their marriage to the core, Josh and Katie discovered four Biblical mindsets that transformed their relationship. Those mindsets form the word STAY:   S—Start with you. T—Take quitting off the table. A—Allow others to be a part of your story. Y—Yield to God’s vision for your marriage.   The true testament of these mindsets is that they were applied to a dead marriage, and now that marriage is thriving. Catherine, Josh & Katie have a refreshing, raw, and grace-filled conversation about how we allow the enemy to sew seeds of discord and destruction into our relationships, but God has a plan to redeem what the enemy has stolen.   Josh’s Bio: Josh has been on staff at Seacoast Church for the last 14 years where he currently serves as the Executive Pastor for Seacoast Experience. He is a member of the Teaching Team and helps oversee what happens in person and online each weekend.   Katie’s Bio: Katie serves on the Experience Team at Seacoast Church and teaches as well. She is the CEO of Francis and Benedict, a fashion line that creates waxprint clothing hand made by single moms and widows in Togo, Africa.   EPISODE RESOURCES:   Josh & Katie’s Website Connect with them on Instagram & Facebook New Marriage, Same Couple: Don’t Let Your Days Be Your Last Days New Marriage, Same Couple Workbook Josh’s Doppelganger   SCRIPTURE’S REFERENCED:   1 John 1:9 James 5:16 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Life has tough lessons in store for all of us. Seeing those experiences through the lens of Biblical truth is imperative if we want to thrive in these difficult seasons and grow. As parents, we want to prepare our kids for these challenges so they can flourish.   What lessons are most important for our kids to learn?   In this wildly creative episode, Catherine digs into her acting roots and shares the three most important lessons life teaches everyone by examining the foundational principals of improvisational acting. Those lessons are:   1.  You can’t choose what happens to you in life, but you can choose your response.   At some point, life throws everyone a curve ball. An anticipated promotion doesn’t happen. A beloved child has a permanent disability. A routine outing results in a tragic accident. In big ways and small ways, life disappoints us. So what do you do? Life lesson # 2 tells us.   2.  Whatever life brings you in life, accept it and build.   When life gives us a sucker punch to the gut, we must remember that God causes all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28) So we need to teach our kids to accept whatever comes our way, and build on it—expecting God to do something good with what ails us.   3.  With God, your mistake can become a masterpiece.   That excruciating loss in your life, that big mistake, that epic fail, that horrific accident… in the hands of God can become triumphant. It can become the greatest victory. It can become a new ministry that leads other people to victory—if we let God have His way.   Teaching our kids these practical principles will enable them to grow in the toughest seasons of life by trusting God to bring good out of what the enemy meant for harm.   SCRIPTURES REFERENCED:   James 1:2-4 Romans 8:28 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

We think of sex trafficking as being out there somewhere in the jungles of Central America or in Thailand and Cambodia. And to be sure, it is there. But what we must understand as parents and as Christians is that human trafficking is in every zip code in the United States as well. What do we need to know as parents to help prevent our children from being sexually exploited?   In this episode, Dr. Rondy Smith shares the shocking way many young girls are being lured by sexual predators. She reads a letter from a young woman with the pseudonym “V” who was sexually exploited for all of her teenage years—and  her parents had no idea even though it was happening under their roof. “V” was lured into a sexually exploitive relationship by a distant family member in his 30s who was posing as a suicidal 12-year-old boy from a neighboring school. Once this predator got his first image, he had control which he used to manipulate “V” for 8 years.   Rondy provides invaluable advice for parents to spot the signs of sexual exploitation. Moms and dads must:   *Heed that still, small voice—if something feels off, trust your instincts. *If your child panics when denied access to their devices, dig deeper. That could be a sign that they are in a sexually exploitive relationship. *Know that your child will often take the blame for their abuser and seek to shield others from the pain of what is happening. *Use extreme caution when posting pictures of children online. *Learn to think like a predator because they exist. *Not live in fear, but awareness.   Parents must be “wise as serpents but innocent as doves.” (Matt. 10:16). We must know the threats and the signs in order to prevent the spread of this evil.   Rondy’s bio: Dr. Rondy Smith is Founder & CEO of Rest Stop Ministries, which is a residential restoration program for female survivors of sex trafficking in the Nashville, TN area. Rondy is an ordained minister with a Doctorate in Education from Vanderbilt University in Human & Organizational Development, and she has served 37 years in Corporate, Academic, and Ministry professions.   EPISODE RESOURCES:   Rest Stop Ministries, Rest Stop: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter NCOSE: The National Center on Sexual Exploitation   SCRIPTURES REFERENCED: Galatians 1:5 Hebrews 10:23 Romans 4:17 Matthew 18:10-14 (the lost sheep) Psalm 40:1-3 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

January is National Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month. Joining Catherine in a vital conversation to promote awareness is an expert in the field of sexual trauma recovery. Dr. Rondy Smith is the Founder & CEO of Rest Stop Ministries,Tennessee’s first long-term residential restoration program for female survivors of sex trafficking. Rest Stop walks hand-in-hand with victims of sexual trauma through a 3-year recovery program. Graduates are able live happy, healthy, productive lives after completing this God-ordained work.   Catherine’s powerful conversation with Rondy reveals the magnitude of the problem, highlighting the shocking fact that sex trafficking exists in every zip code in the United States. Human trafficking is a world-wide, multi-billion dollar industry that is hidden in plain sight. Here is the alarming reality:   There are 27 million people enslaved in the world today, more than any time in history.   80% are female and 50% of those are children trafficked for sexual exploitation. (That is over 10 million kids.)   Sex Trafficking is a 34 billion dollar business – it is the 2nd largest criminal enterprise and fastest growing crime in the world.   Every 2 minutes a child is trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation in the United States (according to the U.S. Department of Justice).   Almost 300,000 American children are at risk annually for trafficking into the sex industry (according to the U.S. Department of State).   The average age of entry into prostitution is 13.   There are girls as young as 5 and 6 years old in the U.S. that are forced to do sexual acts for economic gain by their pimp (U.S. Department of Justice).   (Stats from Rest Stop Ministries.)   The problem is overwhelming, but Rondy points listeners toward practical ways that they can get involved in the fight against human trafficking. Proverbs 24:11 tells us to “ Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.” The imperative from Scripture is clear, and we all have a part to play.   We can’t fix a problem that we refuse to look at. God hates injustice. So we must take a long, hard look at this problem and become a part of the solution.   RONDY'S BIO: Dr. Rondy Smith is Founder & CEO of Rest Stop Ministries, which is a residential restoration program for female survivors of sex trafficking in the Nashville, TN area. Rondy is an ordained minister with a Doctorate in Education from Vanderbilt University in Human & Organizational Development, and she has served 37 years in Corporate, Academic, and Ministry professions.   EPISODE RESOURCES: Rest Stop Ministries, Rest Stop: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter The Samaritan Women: Institute for Shelter Care   SCRIPTURES REFERENCED: Isaiah 61 Proverbs 24:11 Matthew 22:39 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

There are eight critically important words that as parents we need to say to our kids, as often as necessary—and they are hard. They may be the hardest words to say in the English language. They are relationship building words, and words that model what true repentance looks like. If you don’t learn how to say these words, at some point, your relationship with your child will break. Those words are:   “I’m sorry. I was wrong. Please forgive me.”   In this episode, Catherine walks through the vital components of this critically important admission. It isn’t enough to express regret or sorrow. When we have wronged our child, as parents we must also admit culpability, which helps to free our child from the injury and begin the process of healing. Finally, we must ask for forgiveness, which helps our child to actively release the wound to God.   Also in this episode, Catherine shares:   3 key objectives that repentance accomplishes 2 crucial ways parents can be wrong 4 primary stages of parenting 8 bonus words to restore your relationship with your child   Talking about what is wrong in the world is the central theme of CPCW, but talking about what is wrong in us is much harder. We can’t effectively address what is wrong out there until we first address what is wrong in us. Expressing humility and true repentance is one of the most important spiritual disciplines we can teach our child. We must teach our kids this vital disciple not just in theory, but also in practice.   SCRIPTURE PASSAGES REFERENCED:   1 Corinthians 13:1-7 John 13:2-17 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.