Spotlight

America was founded on the principles of the Scriptures, which contain the prescription for the family unit. Joining Monte Larrick to discuss the absolute necessity of a strong biblical family (one man, one woman–in covenant till death–with many children) for healthy civilization is Dr. Allan C. Carlson, the founder of the World Congress of Families. Monte and Allan discuss the role th...

This past Saturday, Dave Smith was invited to join the Black & Right radio program on AM 560 The Answer . John Anthony and Rev. Ceasar LeFlore discuss the importance of getting children out of government indoctrination centers and the responsibilities of Christian parents and grandparents. Government schools are not simply failing to educate students, they are corrupting them morally, spiritua...

It’s a fact – all laws discriminate. While discrimination based on ethnicity or skin color is never acceptable, discrimination based on behavior is appropriate. Speaking at IFI’s 2017 Worldview Conference, Dr. Frank Turek highlights the lies and hypocrisy surrounding the establishment of protected classes of individuals, public bathroom policies, and transgenderism. The second half of this podcast...

Legislation has consequences. Good legislation can bring about beneficial improvements and protections, but unwise legislation can have harmful, devastating effects on the people who must abide by it. With that dichotomy in mind, this edition of Spotlight takes an in-depth look at the ramifications of repealing Illinois’ Parental Notice of Abortion Act by considering its impact on the unborn child...

March Madness is in full swing. By this time next week, the NCAA will have crowned the national champion for the 2020-2021 college basketball season. Also, by this time next week, tens of thousands of people will have lost a staggering amount of money due to legalized, online sports betting in our and other states across the nation – and, if Illinois residents had legally been able to bet on colle...

Parents for the Protection of Girls–a grassroots movement to uphold and defend parental notice–recently hosted an online forum in defense of Illinois’s parental notice of abortion act. This spotlight features that especially timely news session with: Mary Hallan FioRito , a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center . She served as a moderator for this forum. John Jones, a wor...

Here’s a topic that appears to have been lost in the shuffle: gambling. But we are surrounded by a culture of gambling. Illinois recently approved a piece of gambling expansion legislation, which IFI and IFA fought against, but has now been encoded. On this episode of spotlight, IFA’s Dave Smith and Monte Larrick take a deep dive into the issues with gambling, and most importantly, wha...

Written by Benjamin Smith Just when Illinoisans thought things couldn’t get any worse, the Illinois State Legislature’s spring session sets out to prove us all wrong. On this week’s podcast, Monte Larrick and David Smith discuss several of the reprehensible, sin-enabling bills that are on the Democratic Party’s agenda for the 102nd General Assembly. Monte and David emphasize the urgent need for pa...

According to Laurie Higgins , public schools in Illinois are too far gone – no Christian parent should subject their children to the indoctrination curricula that is being forced on our state’s K-12 students. Laurie was speaking as a featured guest of Janet Parshall on her radio program, In the Market with Janet Parshall , where they discussed the tsunami of radically liberal, pro-LGBTQ and anti-C...

Recently, I gave the Sunday morning message at my church and since we captured the audio, I thought we could post it as a special addition for those who may be interested. In this sermon, we examine 2 Thessalonians 2  and really dive into verse three in which Paul warns God’s people, “ let no one deceive you by any means .” The ESV translates it as “ let no one deceive you in any way. … Cont...

Successful plans are best built on a foundation of strategic thinking. When it comes to political involvement, Christian apologist Dr. Frank Turek states that Christians ought to focus their efforts on motivating and mobilizing the citizens who share their worldview on the most critical issues of the day. Speaking at the 2017 IFI Worldview Conference, Dr. Turek also poses and answers these key que...

“All we can do is pray.” How many times have you heard someone utter these words, often with a somewhat defeatist attitude? Our Spotlight guests this week want you to know that the first thing, the most important thing, Christians can do is pray ! Speaking at an online event hosted by the Illinois Prayer Caucus Network in celebration of National Religious Freedom Day, Randy Forbes and Peter Breen...

The Illinois State Board of Education has approved the proposed “Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards” amendment, and on February 16 , JCAR (Illinois’ Joint Committee on Administrative Rules) will vote on its ratification. Dr. Eric Wallace joins Monte Larrick to explain why adopting these “standards” will shift the focus from teaching foundational academics and fostering critical t...

Two news stories broke this week about Washington D.C. RINOs, demonstrating again, why RINOs should not lead the GOP. First up, there was the exposé of RINO co-founder of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project , John Weaver , who joined forces with Kellyanne Conway ’s husband George Conway to help Joe Biden and Kamala Harris get elected. read more … Continue Reading

The Democratic Party is firmly in control of both federal and Illinois government – now what do we do? Former Illinois state representative, Jeanne Ives , addresses that question in part two of our Spotlight conversation (listen to part one here ). We discuss an alarming proposal by liberal, secular Democrats to “restore constitutional secularism and patriotic pluralism” and Jeanne details how we...

Where do we go from here? Our state is currently suffocating under the weight of massive debt and failed Democratic policies. Yet, former state representative Jeanne Ives says there is hope for Illinois conservatives. She suggests the Republican Party focus on promoting truth , electing conservatives to local governing bodies and boards, and insisting on competency from candidates and government –...

A hero on the front lines of the abortion war has passed on. Joseph Scheidler , the founder and national director of the Pro-Life Action League , has died at the age of 93. Mr. Scheidler’s impact on the battle for the life of unborn generations is incalculable. Besides his personal influence on pastors and other leaders, Mr. Scheidler was a street warrior, a relentlessly active presence at h...

Just when you thought Leftists couldn’t be more cynical, hypocritical, dishonest, tyrannical, cruel, and nasty, they step up to prove you wrong. If Democrats, by whatever janky standards they’ve made up, think Republicans have gone “low,” Democrats dive headlong into the abyss. read more … Continue Reading

What a time to be alive. Are you ready for it? More specifically, are you prepared to give an answer for the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15)? This podcast might be a good to reinforce your existing apologetic or to begin it. This edition of spotlight features one of the sessions from IFI’s 2017 Worldview Conference with Dr. Frank Turek, the president of Cross Examined . He gives a present...

Yesterday the growing schism in America opened wider when a mob—allegedly Trump supporters—from the mostly peaceful assembly of Americans critical of an election rife with “irregularities,” broke into the U.S. Capitol. As of this writing, some are asking whether the mobsters who broke windows and scaled walls at the Capitol may have been members of Antifa wearing MAGA hats in order to cause the ex...

Dr. Allan Carlson, with the World Congress of Families, joins this first edition of spotlight in the new year. He talked with Monte Larrick about the state of the family in America, and across the globe. He posits, for example, that Russia is a more pro-family nation than America currently is; and that we can turn the perception of the family around and redirect it to God’s design. They also...

Written by David E. Smith Recently, I gave a Sunday morning exhortation at my church and since we captured the audio, I thought we could post it as a special addition for those who may be interested. In this 26 minute exhortation, we examine Acts 19 and Matthew 7. In Acts 19, we find a demon posses man asking some Jewish exorcists, saying “I recognize Jesus, and I know of Paul, but who are you? ”...

Written by Monte Larrick Finally, 2020, the year many have proclaimed the Worst. Year. Ever, nears the finish line. Joining us for the last podcast of this extraordinary year is Ben Smith , the producer of Spotlight. Ben is a 20-year-old college sophomore, part-time employee of IFI and IFA, and the son of Executive Director, David Smith. Follow Ben on Twitter @realbs19 . Our “eclectic conversation...

It is the most wonderful time of the year. Though this year has been unique, remembering the events of the Incarnation of God as a Man is a foundational, mind-blowing truth for all Christians. This edition of spotlight features a 2018 interview with Tom Brejcha ( from the Thomas More Society) about the importance of Christmas, the nativity scene that was displayed in the rotunda of the Illinois ca...

Ann Scheidler has a better grasp on the religious nature of the pro-life movement than most activists and supporters. Currently serving as vice president of Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League , Ann knows that embracing the gospel of Jesus Christ, Him crucified and resurrected, is the only way we will see an end to abortion. On this edition of Spotlight, she and Monte Larrick discuss the future o...