Lighthouse Faith

The world stood still on September 10th, when the news broke of Charlie Kirk's assassination. At just 31 years old, Charlie helped redefine the youth conservative movement by founding Turning Point USA, a conservative, faith-based movement that captivated students on college campuses nationwide.  On this episode of the Lighthouse Faith podcast, Dr. Alex McFarland, of Alex McFarland Ministries, remembers his friend Charlie Kirk as a man of faith, a father, husband, and trailblazer. He was also a man who took on the hard questions in dialogue with people who, more often than not, didn't agree with him.  Dr. McFarland reminisces on a profound conversation where Charlie said, 'There are some things worse than death. Being bought, or being fearful when we should be courageous, and just going along with the narrative when we know the world needs truth."  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"It's amazing what God can do with our prayers." Praying for a miracle is a complicated pursuit. After all, what constitutes a miracle? Is it a sudden healing, winning the lottery... or the parting of the Red Sea? The reality is, when you're asking for a miracle, for God to intervene and change circumstances for the better, you may not actually know what you're praying for. So says author Anthony DeStefano.  In his new book, "The Miracle Book: A Simple Guide to Asking for the Impossible," Anthony examines the true nature of miracles. Providing insight on both the theological and worldly interpretation of the topic, by offering a word of encouragement to listeners, "at least give God a chance to surprise you." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nearly everyone said the sexual revolution back in the 1960's and 70's would be liberating, that it would free us from Puritan values that confined our libidos into loveless marriages and hopeless relationships. But research has shown that this revolution introduced a culture where more children are estranged from their biological parents, there's more divorce, confusion about gender, fewer marriages... and oh, yes... less sex!  Author Nathanael Blake explains why.    On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Blake, fellow At The Ethics And Public Policy Center, talks about his new book, "Victims Of The Revolution: How Sexual Liberation Hurts Us All." He exposes the misconceptions of the sexual revolution and that Christian marriage is exactly what fits us and benefits a more flourishing society. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Earth Day is in the rearview mirror for 2025, but its beginnings and reason for being are lodged firmly in a secular worldview of how the world began. Not that it's a bad thing to protect the environment. In fact, God calls us to be good stewards of His creation. But today, the majority of public schools and institutions of higher learning teach the theory of evolution as fact.  But is it? Today,  many scientists are finding holes in Darwin's "Origins of the Species". At Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Florida, they've partnered with Creation Studies Institute to quote:  "Make the biblical and scientific case for creation."  It's easy to reject the biblical account of creation. After all, science has proven the speed of light is a constant that has helped them peer deep into space and into ancient history, thus surmising the universe is billions of years old. How does that square with the Bible's account of the world being created in seven days?  Dr. Robert Pacienza,  CEO of Coral Ridge Ministries, who is in charge of this new partnership, talks about how to pair the Bible's account of creation and science.  The bold move is turning around the meaning of Earth Day, saying, "It's an opportunity for people who belong to God to celebrate that God created the heavens and the earth. And as we read in Genesis 1, God looked at what he had created, and He called it good." What's important to understand is that this is not an opportunity to ignore scientific facts. It's the courage to interpret them differently. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s standard fare to say beliefs have consequences. But where do those beliefs come from? Where do they begin? They begin in the mind, in our thought processes. That’s why it’s so important to not only be aware of them but control them, says Pastor Max Lucado.  Pastor Lucado is a popular Christian minister and international best-selling author.. He’s sometimes called the "Ted Lasso of ministry" because of his upbeat nature and positive approach to understanding God’s purposes for us. On this episode of the Lighthouse Faith podcast, Pastor Lucado discusses his newest book, Tame Your Thoughts: Three Tools to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life, and how he's drawing on scripture to help people manage their thoughts in a world that heavily influences their beliefs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ken Ham, the man behind the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter, is also the person media loves to hold up as an example of why people shouldn't believe the Bible. Specifically, what's targeted is his belief in a young earth, one that is a few thousand years old as opposed to more than 4.5 billion years old. Yet Ham never wavers from his belief in what the Bible says about creation, the age of the earth, evolution, and the like.   On this episode of the Lighthouse Faith podcast, Ham doubles down on his conviction in the authority of the Bible in all things, and yes, even science. For instance, Ham says that regardless of what science has discovered about light may not be the complete picture of its inimitable qualities.  The Bible says God created light, "And God said, 'Let there be light.'" But what God didn't tell us in Genesis is of light's wave/particle duality, or that the speed of light is 671 million miles per hour. Ham is a scientist; one who looks at the exact same data as any other trained expert. The difference is that, because of his belief in the authority of the Bible, Ham's conclusions diverge from conventional scientific thought. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You don't have to check your religion at the door at the Science Museum of Tennessee. You also don't have to suspend your scientific knowledge to enter its portals. In fact, both your faith and your intellect will be stimulated by the intense marriage of the two. And not only that, but their meeting will also have a profound effect on both. And you may realize that science and faith come from the same source: God Almighty. David Rives, founder of the Wonders Center & Science Museum in Dickson, Tennessee, explains how science, if understood correctly, can enhance faith, not destroy it. The Bible's Psalm 19 says, "The Heavens declare the glory of God... that day after day they pour forth speech." To Rives, the Psalm simply presents in poetry what his scientific mind has discovered materially. Since God created both our mind and the universe, they communicate with each other, providing us with a complete picture of the wonders of creation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jesus's words in the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of John are so much more powerful when you're the owner of a vineyard; when you witness the grapes growing on the vines and tend to its spiraling branches. For the Savaryn family of Waconia, Minnesota, their vineyard, Sovereign Estate, is an everyday living out of, "I am the vine and you are the branches".  While California produces over 80 percent of the wine output in America, the 30-acre vineyard that sits on the banks of Lake Waconia in the south central part of the North Star state, is a testament to the legacy of the Savaryn clan's core values: Faith, Family, Beauty and Excellence. It's also a dynamic part of what has become a $325 billion dollar industry in the United States: Wine and the making of it. Some of Sovereign's wines have even won international awards and competitions. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Terri Savaryn, the co-founder and owner along with her husband Paul, talks about the faith that built the vineyard; how Paul's father, a doctor and immigrant from Ukraine, started a hospital and bought up farm property on the shores of one of Minnesota's 10,000 lakes. And how it turned out that the elevation was perfect for vine growing. But most of all, how Sovereign is not only how their name is pronounced, but what God's presence means in their lives: He is Sovereign. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City has become the darling of the party. He's young, personable, good looking with an electric smile. He's also a Muslim; and if he wins the general election, he will be the first to lead a major U.S. city. But he's also a socialist, a Marxist that may take the Democratic party even further to the left. But for many watching the political process unfold, there's the question of whether to be more concerned about his religious beliefs or his politics. It has been twenty four years since the 9/11 attacks, when radical Islamists aligned with Al-Qaeda committed the worst terrorist act on U.S. soil. For many New Yorkers, Mamdani, who was 9 years old at the time, is a possible extension of the worst Islam has to offer. But for others, it signals the victory of humanity and the power to forgive, along with the warning of never to paint with the proverbial broad brush of any one race or religion. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, best-selling author and founder of Embrace the Truth, Abdu Murray, takes on the Mamdani question. Murray grew up as a devout Muslim but now is an apologist for Christianity. His foundation answers people's questions about Christianity and religion in the public square.  He explains why Mamdani appears more of a cultural Muslim than someone who embraces the faith. But that may not matter to the three quarters of a million Muslims who live in the Big Apple. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Musician and Pastor Tauren Wells has a passion for teaching people about the joys of knowing and serving Jesus Christ. Once known as part of the praise team for Pastor Joel Osteen at Lakewood Church in Houston, Wells now co-pastors his own church, Church of Whitestone in Austin, Texas, with his wife Lorna. His new book takes a deep dive into the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew, exploring how happiness comes not from external things but from a changed heart, a heart that's growing in closeness to Jesus. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Pastor Wells explains his new book, "Joy Bomb: Unleash Jesus's Explosive Joy for an Extraordinary Life," that true joy is "rooted in God's unchanging character and boundless love for us." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For parishioners and staff of St. Rita's Catholic Church, making sense of tragedy and trauma alongside the belief in a loving God is not a spiritual exercise, but a stark reality in the wake of the devasting flood waters that took the lives of two young parishioners, Blair and Brooke Harber. The sisters, 11 and 13, were found fifteen miles downstream from the cabin they slept in with their grandparents; their bodies still clinging to one another. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Fr. Joshua Whitfield, pastor of St. Rita's, talks about faith in a God who would allow young children with so much passion for their faith to die so suddenly and tragically. Father Whitfield explains how their faith in so many ways has been deepened; how the girls' heartbroken parents have been comforted through the Catholic Mass, knowing that Jesus is not some distant deity, but the God who died on a cross and is with them in their sorrow and pain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Experts warn that Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamani is fighting a long-haul Holy War against Israel and the West. In this kind of campaign, bombs and bullets are bound to have limited success against the Islamic Republic. It's good for securing peace for a few months or years; that resembles more the absence of conflict, rather than the presence of true shalom lasting for countless generations. That's why Christian missionaries Tom and JoAnn Doyle are meeting the challenge, mounting a struggle with an arsenal of biblical proportions; meeting on the battlefield of spiritual warfare, hearts and minds. Their Uncharted Ministries is taking the Word of God into some of the most dangerous zones in the Middle East, Iran being one of them. From smuggling in Bibles — which are illegal to own — to supporting house churches — also illegal — to setting up a ministry for teenage girls to help them avoid being married off to Muslim men who are sometimes many times their age. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, the Doyles unwrap the current conflict, revealing what the people of Iran, Israel, Jordan and beyond are telling them about the Ayatollah's regime, and how most are applauding America for military moves against the Iranian regime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Israel has been strategic in its fight with Iran, targeting its proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, before going after the source itself, the Islamic Republic. But there is a spiritual strategic operation underway in Iran as well. It's moving under the radar and may do more to bring down the terrorist regime than any bomb or military arsenal. It's the movement to convert the people of Iran. The organization "Transform Iran" was founded by ex-pats, Christians who fled the country soon after the 1979 revolution. Their sole mission and purpose is to reach the people of Iran with the message of the Gospel. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith, Lana Silk, CEO of Transform Iran and the daughter of its founders, talks about the politics of what's happening in Iran as it wages a Holy War against Israel and the West, but also how the more effective victory is the message of Jesus Christ being embraced by the people looking to free themselves from under the oppressive government's control. Silk says while Iran is officially 99.4% Muslim, the reality is fewer than half of the people practice the faith. And in a country where it is illegal to convert from Islam or own a Bible or go to a Christian house church, people are accepting Christ by the thousands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Supreme Court's decision to affirm Tennessee's ban on so called "Gender Affirming Care" was a victory for people like activist/attorney Lois McLatchie Miller. On June 6, police in Brussels, Belgium arrested her and child protection advocate Chris Elston (aka "Billboard Chris") for peacefully displaying signs promoting the protection of children against transgender medical treatments. Their signs read “Children are never born in the wrong body” and “Children cannot consent to puberty blockers.” The pair went to the EU capital to engage members of the European Parliament about the dangers of puberty blockers for children. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Miller, an attorney for Alliance Defending Freedom International, reacts to the Justices' decision, and also talks about her experiences being arrested for standing up for her deeply held beliefs that "children are made in the image of God, and they are made as beings that should be loved and cherished."  Miller shares how instead of addressing the mob threatening them, the police arrested the two holding signs. She says it's a blatant example of how deep Western culture has aligned itself with the transgender movement and pushes back aggressively against any who challenge its orthodoxy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The most patriotic day for America is July 4th when we celebrate the country's birthday commemorating the Founding Fathers' signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. But the month of June that precedes it is filled with three commemorative days also steeped in faith and patriotism, made possible because of what happened at the Second Continental Congress as America woke up to its power as a free Republic, and its even greater responsibility to bow down to Divine Providence. Flag Day, Father's Day, and Juneteenth. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, historian, best-selling author and speaker William Federer explains how all three of these special days exist only because of the authority the signers gave to the vital importance of faith in an Almighty God, and the value of the family. Hear how Father's Day began because of the worst coal mining explosion in the nation's history; how the American flag stands as a standard that should unite all Americans; and how Juneteenth celebrates the day the last slaves were told they were free from bondage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Ohio Governor John Kasich believes the power of faith is not just a tool for personal happiness and fulfillment, but a great resource to help build communities and solve some of our most pressing concerns like poverty, health care, and building strong neighborhoods. Not content to leave civic involvement to government agencies, Kasich, who's also a former Fox News Channel contributor and GOP presidential candidate, sees religious institutions as the best hope for trench warfare against the evils of our time. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Kasich discusses his book, "Heaven Help Us," and how faith groups don't need government to strengthen communities; only a person with a great idea whose willing to work, like the man who was inspired by his meeting with Mother Theresa and went home and delivered groceries to a couple of homes, and now is feeding over a half a million daily. Good works are infectious. And it's the kind of virus that brings positive changes all around. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Celebrity marriages come and go... and they do so rather quickly and often. But a true power couple is one where both man and woman, individually, are first devoted to God. So says Grammy Award-winning Christian artist Rebecca St. James and her filmmaker and pop band co-founder Cubbie Fink. Each found success in their careers before they even met, and both held up a godly standard for dating and for potential mates. Now married for 14 years, they have three children and full schedules. In this season of weddings and the hope in a love that lasts forever, St. James and Fink offer advice to couples on what gives a marriage the power to succeed. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith, the couple talks about their new book, "Lasting Ever: Faith, Music, Family & Being Found By True Love." The book's title is the giveaway, because the only true love available to the whole of humanity, is the love that survives into eternity, the love of Jesus Christ. Through ups and downs and sickness and health, marriage is a journey that needs Divine Guidance, to give it the best chance to not just survive, but thrive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Torah is made up of the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Both Christians and Jews revere these books as containing incredible wisdom and a wealth of knowledge of who God is and His purpose for humanity. But theologian and author Mark Gerson actually thinks the Torah should be in the self-help section of bookstores for its wealth of common-sense instructions on how we can have fulfilled lives. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Gerson, entrepreneur and Jewish leader, unpacks his book "God Was Right", explaining how social scientists today prove the Torah true; not just subjectively, but objectively. When it comes to marriage, dating, money management, etc., the Torah (the book Moses penned several millennia ago) is true to its Word. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Attorney Vernadette Broyles knows her biology and science when it comes to gender and sexuality. She has an undergraduate degree in biology from Yale and was headed to medical school before the legal profession became her passion. She now advocates for children and parents, walking alongside them in their legal battles against the powerful lobby and juggernaut of the gender ideological movement that’s pushing transgenderism on children in schools, government, and the culture at large - stripping parents of their rights to determine their children's care. Broyles is the President and General Counsel for Child & Parental Rights Campaign. She and her team have created tools for churches, pastors and parents called The Church Transgender Response Guide. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Broyles explains the deeper evil fueling the transgender movement, its historical roots, and the legal cases she’s now taking on. She’s sounding the alarm, offering churches videos, in person training, and even zoom calls. A full court press to fight back and give parents and churches the ammunition to live out their God given authority. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When the white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney Thursday evening, Fr. Roger Landry, like millions around the world, waited to see who among the 133 cardinals had just become the 267th successor to St. Peter. He knew to listen for the Latin version of the Cardinal's birth name in order to translate to a media outlet. He knew there were only four Cardinals with the first name Robert. But he was listening for "Petrus", thinking that getting white smoke on the fourth ballot of the conclave must mean that the frontrunner, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Secretary of State, had secured the needed two thirds vote. But instead, he heard Robertus... And he was shocked! This is the drama that unfolded in St. Peter's Square as tens of thousands packed into the piazza and the Via della Consilizione, cheered as the Basilicas bells peeled with joy knowing Habemus Papem, "We have a Pope!" On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast coming to you from Rome, Italy, Fr. Landry, the National Director of Pontifical Missions Societies USA, talks about that moment when he realized the first American born pope had just been elected. The former Cardinal Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, surprised the world. Who is he? Why did he impress the electors so thoroughly? Fr. Landry has insights and predictions about this American made pontiff who truly is more citizen of the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices