Headlines: The Restraining Force

On the first half of today’s SUFTT, Mary welcomes back Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs to remind the listener that we are approaching another International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. We discuss the current state of the persecuted church around the world; restricted regions and active hotspots. We talk about the goal of having all churches pray for our persecuted brethren around the world and other ways we can practically help them despite being separated by long distances – and how prayer changes things. Then in the 2nd half, we carry the subject forward by looking at the storm of persecution brewing in the West through the systematic destruction of the Judeo/Christian worldview. Both Canada and the UK have seen an uptick in legal pressures and anti-Christian bias that is now labeled “hate”, and as such, those who are targeted could be open to potential prosecution. An eye-opening hour for believers in the West who need to have their wits about them as things grow ever darker.

Mary welcomes Autumn Christensen to discuss Her Plan – a hands-and-feet approach to being pro-life. There seems to be a disconnect in the church between being pro-life by conviction and finding opportunities to bring practical hope in real time. Christians often think the only way to show that conviction is to protest somewhere, when actually there are organizations in place to provide for the needs of women who are in dire straits with an unplanned pregnancy, combined with no support group or perhaps mired in poverty and homelessness. Important research has shown that if women had actual resources to see the pregnancy through, around 2/3 of them say they would reconsider abortion. With so many disenfranchised people in the world, this should not be a surprise – and government organizations are not the solution. Rather, charities and ministries have the people and resources to help find ways to meet the needs of women desperately in need of answers. Autumn is the executive director of Her Plan, and chats with us about the myriad of ways we can put our pro-life convictions into real action, meeting the needs of real people, showing the love of Jesus.

Mary welcomes back Pastor Mike Spaulding of Calvary Chapel of Lima Ohio to talk about the changing face of an unchanging gospel. How do we navigate profound cultural changes and stay the course? And not only stay the course but exhort others to as well? Change is the one constant, it would appear. With that in mind, we discuss some weighty things with Pastor Mike, such as sound doctrine, political engagement and the church, pastors and their reputations, and how to steady the ship here in 2026. There are so many things tugging at us all, but shouldn’t church be safe, painless, and uncompromising? On paper, yes of course. In practice, with people’s sensibilities today, is it even possible? And if we got a letter from Paul, or John, what might it say? Or maybe we can queue up in the Laodicean line, a prophecy that is easier and easier to comprehend the closer we get to His return. A challenging hour for the church, in real time and on today’s edition of SUFTT.

The news cycle of the last several days serves to tell us that the world in its current form is becoming very unstable, especially where the West is concerned. Watching riots break our all over France is disturbing enough, but that uneasy feeling that this is only the beginning is possibly the most unsettling because of who is behind all the violence. On today’s edition of SUFTT, we look at the list of agitators who are being assembled and sufficiently agitated to burn France to the ground. Whatever narrative was originally floated to explain the riots last week was, not surprisingly, mostly false. Will this spread to the US? Well, look at the elections and be very concerned. We also look at what the bible says is in Europe’s future, a global leader who will promise to quell the insanity. Also today we talk about Obama’s outrageous anti-Israel comments in Belfast, blaming the Jews for France’s nightmare, and why speaking against Israel is trendy – but morally irresponsible.

Mary welcomes JB Hixson back to the podcast to talk about how Christianese often ventures into platitudes and fridge magnets, and from time to time, just absolute contextual disasters. Back in 2016, a book was published about things Jesus “never said”, followed by a raft of memes that were alternately funny and cringe-worthy. And unfortunately, even these, without discernment, are all over the doctrinal map. What’s to keep the publisher from releasing “Things Jesus Never Said: Cult Edition”? Instead, we look at some sayings that just don’t make the cut of biblical truth. Does God help those who help themselves? Is all truth God’s truth? Then we look at the Hallmark-card-friendly Jeremiah 29:11 and 2 Chronicles 7:14, checking into the context of 2 passages that are constantly misapplied. We might just challenge some long held presumptions today.