Lighthouse Faith

Most politicians tend to write books about their accomplishments while in office. But Scott Morrison, a former Prime Minister of Australia, wanted to write about what God has done and continues to do for him. Morrison is candid about how God brought him through some of the most harrowing days of his leadership of Australia, a country not known for its religious fervor. And that's what makes Morrison's faith all the more interesting.  On this encore episode of Lighthouse Faith, Lauren revisits her conversation with former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on his memoir "Plans For Your Good: A Prime Minister’s Testimony Of God’s Faithfulness." It's based on the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah's prescient words to the children of Israel, and to us, "' For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's a hunger in this world for God. You may not know it; you may not feel it. But the insatiable need for a transcendent love that surpasses all understanding is at the root of all our angst and anguish. Just think about the 2024 Grammy Song of the Year, "What Was I Made For?" It may be the Billie Eilish tune for the movie Barbie, but it may as well be the soundtrack of this generation's burning question: What's the purpose of my life? Why am I here? People crave answers and direction, and the path is simple: look to God. On this episode of the Lighthouse Faith podcast, I look back at a conversation with theologian, author, and Christian defender Dr. Alex McFarland to discuss my book "⁠Light For Today⁠: A 365 Day Devotional from the Lighthouse." I've rarely inserted myself as the subject of these podcasts, but I wanted to let listeners know that God is Love. And whatever needs we have, He can meet. It takes a daily walk with Him. Reading His word and listening to His voice. God works in the natural, everyday existence; in the simple, even in the seemingly mundane. God is with us. He is our refuge and strength. Original Air Date: February 24, 2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Born without arms or legs, Christian author and ministry founder Nick Vujicic knows what it means to be brokenhearted. After nearly taking his own life as a child, God’s grace transformed his pain into purpose. Now, 20 years into his global ministry, Vujicic discusses his new book Champions for the Brokenhearted, a call for the Church to recognize the suffering in its own pews and truly become a hospital for the hurting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Unbeknownst at the time, a little-known Supreme Court ruling from more than seventy years ago would ignite a growing movement of teaching the Bible during school hours called Lifewise Academy. The Bible-based education program has now partnered with over 1,000 schools across 35 states nationwide. When the federal government removed Bible education and prayer from public school curriculums, the Supreme Court ruled in 1952 on a compromise: Zorach vs Clauson.  It permits public schools to release students during school hours "for religious instruction or devotional exercises."  For years, the law went unnoticed and unfulfilled as secular forces in the public square banged the drumbeat of 'Separation of Church and State." But when former college football player Joel Penton discovered it, he took it and ran with it, creating Life Wise in 2019. On this episode of the Lighthouse Faith podcast, Penton talks about the new documentary on Life Wise called "Off School Property" and how the program has evolved to restore faith education on school property.  Off School Property will be released in theatres on October 23 in partnership with Fathom Entertainment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

They say the 'devil is in the details', and while famed author C.S. Lewis' book "Screwtape Letters" illustrates that proverbial phrase, today's version is all about the digital; that modern-day technology is seemingly paving the road towards the demonic. It's not that social media or the digital world is morally aberrant at their core, but it's the fast-paced entrance down a rabbit hole of TikTok videos, influencers, and political punditry, giving us quicker access to all that is wrong with us. Actor Max McLean is an expert on C.S. Lewis after studying and portraying him on stage and screen. McLean's newest venture is producing the film version of The Screwtape Letters. Even though the book was written in 1942, its premise still applies today and perhaps was meant for such a time as this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

His high school's officials crossed out the name of Jesus Christ in his valedictorian speech, but eighteen-year-old Justin Aguilar was brave enough to put it back in, standing alone in his decision to face whatever consequences may arise. Justin would not be deterred from praising his Savior. That defiance won him the attention and admiration of President Donald Trump, who invited Aguilar to tell his story alongside the Religious Liberty Commission members at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., this past September. On this episode of the Lighthouse Faith podcast, Justin tells the story of how he knew that this was a defining moment in his life. It is for such a time as this that real faith is strengthened, and weak faith is exposed. Justin Aguilar is part of the Charlie Kirk legacy; defying a woke culture that has cowered under the secular juggernaut of separation of Church and State, but no more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In honor of theologian, educator, and best-selling author, Dr. Voddie Baucham, the Lighthouse Faith podcast is re-posting his episode of May 2021.   Dr. Bauacham died suddenly on Thursday, September 25th, 2025, "after suffering an emergency medical incident," according to The Founders website. Baucham may not have been a household name like a Charlie Kirk or TD Jakes,  but he was quite well-known among conservative evangelicals. As a conservative African American pastor who served as Dean of Theology at African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia, he was a bit of an enigma to many. He didn't fit the mold of a black Baptist preacher because he dared call out the sins of his own race; sins like rampant fatherlessness and out-of-wedlock births, while criticizing the embrace of Critical Race Theory. But he was also not totally touted by white Christians either, perhaps for fear of backlash or being labeled racist. But Baucham, first and foremost, was devoted to Jesus Christ. And that is how he wanted to be remembered.    On this episode of Lighthouse Faith, Baucham talks about his then-new book,  "Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism's Looming Catastrophe".  It's a reminder of the tumult of the 2020 COVID shutdown and the rioting protests in the wake of the George Floyd murder. Baucham's was a voice that defied the prevailing political winds, but one that, like Charlie Kirk, spoke using faith and reason. Listen and see if you agree or not.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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