Outstanding

Rick Astley does not appear on this podcast, but it's likely that he plays on repeat in all of the Democratic California state government offices, because they are “never gonna give up infringing on parental rights," and "never gonna let the transgender agenda down.” Host Joseph Backholm is once again joined by Jonathan Keller, president of the California Family Council, to unpack th...

OK Boomer, an episode like this comes along only once in a generation. As the up-and-coming Gen Z begins to enter adulthood, will they be able to carry the mantle of previous generations? Do we even want them to? Joseph Backholm, himself a Gen-Xer, talks with two bona-fide Gen Zers (Washington Stand interns Sarah Holliday and Baylie McClafferty) about the particular issues facing Gen Z Christians....

Stop those eyes from glazing over! Today, we're taking on a topic that's often a dark water in which we don't want to wade. Economics is often complex, but like it or not, we deal with it every day, and our boredom with it may be costing us more than we think. With the Biden administration recently labeling and promoting its own version of "Bidenomics," it's now more impo...

What role, if any, should The United States of America have in world affairs? While America can't be the world's police, there are times when doing the right thing means some kind of involvement. Ambassador Sam Brownback, who most recently served as U.S. Ambassador for Religious Freedom under the Trump administration (and before that served as a congressman, senator, and governor from the...

"If you love your children, leave California." That recent shocking statement by a sitting California state senator underscores just how far leftward California has moved in recent years. Pending legislation that would label parents who refuse to affirm their child's perceived gender identity as abusive is but one of a plethora of moves that have potential for putting families and in...

Throughout America's history, we've never shied away from exporting our ideas. And most of the time that's beneficial for nations on the receiving end. But when our ideals become corrupted, the exporting business seems to kick into a higher gear. Case in point: the Biden administration's LGBT activism around the globe -- all fueled by official public policy and your tax dollars. Fa...

Don't boycott this episode! It seems like corporations are falling all over themselves to "out-pride" one another or make a political statement And increasingly, these statements go beyond simply diverging from a Christian's value system -- they malign the biblical worldview outright.  How should followers of Christ respond to a marketplace that not only has branded itself as fav...

Unless you live underground, you can't escape the flood of rainbows and alphabet soup in the month of June.  Pride month is on display everywhere.  Outstanding host Joseph Backholm takes this episode with you as his only guest to discuss how Christians should approach what's become a government and corporate obsession. Listen for an honest discussion on how to stand and how to say yes to a...

It's basketball, baseball, and all kinds of pride for this episode of Outstanding. Host Joseph Backholm talks with TWS senior reporter and editor Ben Johnson about Brittney Griner's change of heart about standing during the national anthem, now that she's back in action in the WNBA after a stint in a Russian prison. And, with pride month around the corner, the Los Angeles Dodgers throw...

The Cold War may be long gone (or is it?), but socialism has made a comeback in recent years here in America. Bernie Sanders proposes free college, others call for single-payer health care. Why is that, and what's the problem with it? Host Joseph Backholm has a fascinating conversation with exiled Cuban journalist Yoe Suarez and TWS editor-in-chief Jared Bridges as they examine socialism and s...

It’s all the buzz. With the legalization of cannabis popping up all over the country, it’s high time Christians become informed about a nation going to pot.  How should we approach policies that govern the drug from a biblical worldview, and how ? All joking aside, host Joseph Backholm has a sobering discussion with Jaime Zerbe, chief of staff for Smart Approaches to Marijuana, about the truth beh...

Grooming. It's one of the more controversial words in recent discourse, with Twitter banning the term in its pre-Elon Musk days) for a period in 2022. But behind all the social buzz, there's a very real threat to our children who are being prepared -- sometimes in their classrooms -- for a culture that's now steeped in sexualized everything. Host Joseph Backholm talks with Conrad Wooda...

Following the Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health decision at the U.S. Supreme Court, abortion has been thrust even more (it that’s possible) into the national spotlight.  With restrictions on abortion facilities becoming more common around the country, chemical abortion – which was already on the rise – has been an abortion option that is increasingly being used by the abortion industry and governme...

Violence in the world is nothing new, but recent events in the United States involving mass shooters highlight that this is a problem that isn't going away. While politicians often jump to what they see as simple solutions, Joseph Backholm talks with philosophy Professor Mike Austin, author of "God and Guns in America," about ways Christians might approach this biblically. They explo...

There's a tear in our beer for this episode of Outstanding. Strange things are afoot in brands and genres that once appealed to the traditional. With Bud Light and country music both recently ditching blue-collar markets for dress-up actors, host Joseph Backholm joins Joy Stockbauer and Ben Johnson to address this trend. They'll also discuss increasing acts of violence on churches in Ameri...

They're not just parts of speech anymore. No longer can pronouns be relegated to the back of our minds or those grueling exercises in school where we diagrammed sentences. Pronouns are now at the forefront of national conversation, and increasingly in the signature line of every email or social media bio. Joseph Backholm joins Massachusetts Family Institute 's Andrew Beckwith and Family Re...

The senseless murder of three children and three adults at a Christian school in Nashville is jarring, but sadly, it’s yet another manifestation of evil in the world. How do Christians respond to such devastation, and how have they responded in the past? And how do we bring light into the darkness without glibness and with grace? Host Joseph Backholm joins TWS writers Joy Stockbauer and Josh...

There's a growing trend among pro hockey player to ditch participation in now all-too-common "Pride Night." Host Joseph Backholm joins Washington Stand editors Suzanne Bowdey and Jared Bridges as they face off about this movement of courage. They'll also dissect the explosion of artificial intelligence (AI) and look at what it means for humans created in God's image. We can a...

What does a good old fashioned bank run have to do with Christian faith? In this episode of Outstanding, host Joseph Backholm joins Washington Stand writer Joshua Arnold as they do a deep dive into the Silicon Valley Bank collapse.  Not only will they outline the multiple forces that caused the bank's failure and the ensuing financial disruption, but they also iron out what this means for ordi...

When actress Drew Barrymore recently kneeled before a trans activist, it painted a unique picture of our cultural moment. What do actions like this mean for women, and how Christians should approach such cultural upheaval? Host Joseph Backholm joins Washington Stand writers Joy Stockbauer and Ben Johnson to break down this issue. They also discuss President Biden's recent pronouncement that ac...

In the inaugural episode of Outstanding, host Joseph Backholm talks with The Washington Stand's editor-in-chief Jared Bridges about what in the world we're doing, and they look at University of Colorado football coach Deion Sanders' run-in with the religious liberty police.  TWS correspondent Joy Stockbauer then takes us through the rise of chemical abortion drugs in the wake of the Do...