The Good Citizen Podcast

In this episode, I share my thoughts on the ICE shooting last week with a focus on how to respond to the issue of immigration and law enforcement (and the response to ICE) moving forward. More specifically, I look at this event through the lens of tragedy, authority, ideology, and theology. Also, last year, I did a deep dive into what Scripture has to say about immigration, a history of U.S. immig...

In this interview, Katy Faust , founder of Them Before Us , joins me to address one of the most pressing and misunderstood moral issues of our time: the rights of children — beginning with their right to be raised by their own mother and father whenever possible . Katy Faust is Founder and President of Them Before Us , a global movement defending children’s right to their mother and father. She pu...

Every great story has a villain. And, I would argue, every great story has a great villain (in the sense that they are cunning, powerful and evil). The Christmas story is no different. We spend a lot of time talking about Mary and Joseph, the wise men, and the shepherds, but what about the villain–Herod? And did you know there are several Herods in the Bible and not just one? In this sermon, I rev...

2025 has been a somber year with a rise in politically motivated violence–including the public assassination of Charlie Kirk–and heightened tensions and conflict around the world. 2025 has also been an encouraging year with a comeback of creation order (i.e., women’s sports and the Skrmetti case allowing states to take cross-sex hormones and transition surgeries off the medical m...

In this episode, I share seven key lessons I learned while completing a verse-by-verse study of the book of Acts. Also, Professor Sean O’Neill joins me for an interview-style discussion on the reliability of the book of Acts (and the New Testament generally), including the accuracy of official/government titles recounted by Luke; the interplay between Herod and Rome; Paul’s Roman citizenship...

I recently spent a week in Israel on an incredible trip split between visiting Biblical/historical sites and understanding the geopolitical situation in the region post-Oct. 7th. In this episode, I share three key lessons from my time in the Holy Land. The video is linked below if interested in seeing the pictures and places I describe in this episode. A couple more detailed notes: First, a few re...

One of the greatest paradoxes in American life is a Thursday dedicated to quiet gratitude followed by a Friday dedicated to a frenzied pursuit of more. In the midst of a mental health crisis and a quickly changing world, Scripture calls us to an often forgotten, daily practice that demands attention more than one day a year. Here’s why gratitude is the secret ingredient to greatness and how to pra...

I spent several days last week touring Holocaust sites in Poland with a group from Christians United for Israel. Especially since Oct. 7th and the concerning rise of antisemitism in the US, Holocaust sites such as Auschwitz are a somber and moving reminder of hatred and murder on an industrialized scale and the remarkable resilience of the Jewish people. Many are familiar with the scale of the Hol...

Due to the breakdown of the family, tighter government budgets, and positive legal developments, the church currently has a unique if not a once-in-a-generation opportunity to impact their communities and point to Jesus. Will we seize the moment? In this sermon, I draw lessons from the partnership between Pharaoh and Joseph, unpack the  current opportunity before the church, and explain practical...

Here’s why and how churches should step up during the government shutdown. Yesterday, the administration announced that SNAP benefits will be partially funded as the government shutdown continues (though there is some speculation the shutdown could end as early as tomorrow after the election). Many churches have stepped up efforts to supply food pantries and connect with their communities during t...

In Acts 28, Paul survives a snake bite, meets believers already in Rome, and marches into the imperial city in chains–but on mission. Here, the narrative of the book of Acts closes with Paul preaching the kingdom of God boldly in the center of Roman power and authority. What happened to his trial? Where did he go after his release? How did his journey end? In this sermon, I conclude our vers...

Dr. Wayne Grudem is a theologian and prolific writer perhaps best known for his book  Systematic Theology  and his work on Christian ethics. But he also wrote  Politics According to the Bible ,  a more than 600-page comprehensive resource on the application of faith in public life. I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Grudem about Christian citizenship and the future of the American republic in...

Photo: Members of the Hoosier Leadership Series, an effort of Indiana Family Institute, praying in front of the US Capitol after hearing about Kirk’s assassination on September 10, 2025. A little over a month has passed since Charlie Kirk’s public assassination at Utah Valley University, and much has transpired since. Thousands of prayer vigils and memorials have been held, TPUSA has r...

Given the continuing debate on religion’s impact in American public life and especially discussions about Christian nationalism, it is important to review America’s unique approach to church/state relations and its principled commitment to religious liberty. In this interview, Dr. John Wilsey sets out the history of religious freedom as Biblical principle and conservative idea and the...

According to US and UN statistics , an estimated 27.6 million people are victims of human trafficking at any given time. And a majority of human trafficking victims in the United States are US nationals–meaning they are groomed, coerced, and trafficked on US soil. Because this an international and national issue and trafficking is often difficult to identify and stop, many churches and indiv...

After experiencing several trials for his life, the Apostle Paul now heads west on an all-expense-paid trip courtesy of the Roman empire. But this journey, like so many others taken by Paul, will not be without peril and ministry opportunity. In a chapter that evidences remarkable historical detail about Roman-era ship-building and maritime travels, Paul turns from captive to captain as he faces a...

One of the goals of this podcast is to provide practical examples of Christians living out their calling in public life. Peter Gentala has led a remarkable career in law and public policy that spans litigating cases to the U.S. Supreme Court, working to protect kids and those impacted by sexual abuse and exploitation, and now leading a public policy organization in Arizona–all while raising...

As of September 2025, the U.S. gross national debt stands at almost $37.5 trillion with a growth of over $2 trillion in the past year and an average growth of roughly $5.7 billion per day . And earlier this year, Moody’s downgraded the U.S. credit rating to Aa1 (down from Aaa), citing concerns over the rising debt and ambitious fiscal proposals . With these developments in mind, what can and shoul...

What happens when a teacher’s faith collides with a school’s pronoun policy? I recently had the opportunity to join Craig DeRoche on The SoConCon Report to discuss the case of John Kluge. In 2018, Kluge resigned from Brownsburg Community School in Indiana after his religious exemption to a pronoun policy was revoked. His case is now headed to a jury, and the outcome could set a powerful precedent...

In his recent book, Os Guinness explains why the West is facing a “civilizational moment” or a critical inflection point due to our civilization’s loss of connection to its founding principles and inspiration. And he points out that history records only three roads from here: renewal due to rediscovery of founding principles, replacement of those founding ideals, or decline and f...

In his last, powerful sermon in the book of Acts, Paul retells his encounter on the road to Damascus (with a key detail not mentioned in previous accounts of his conversion in Acts 9 and 22), connects the Old Testament prophets to the gospel of Christ, and turns from prisoner to prosecutor as he questions Herod Agrippa II about his belief in Jesus. As one commentator put it, the “king of the...

Over more than a decade, Greg Baker and his team at the Church Ambassador Network in Iowa have built personal relationships with governing officials, ministered to them, and partnered with them for the common good. These efforts have led to a remarkable partnership with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and HHS Secretary Kelly Garcia, including county and statewide tours to build collaboration between ch...

What’s next in the stand for life? In 2022, the Dobbs case overturned Roe v. Wade and sent the issue of abortion back to the states. Now, more than twenty states have abortion bans; but a surprising number of pro-abortion ballot measures have succeeded–even in state such as Ohio, Michigan, Arizona, and Nevada. And this exposed more than just political opinion as exit polling showed tha...

Success in the public square is often measured in years or even decades and can be temporary without continued vigilance and effort. This is why persistence is a critical quality for those engaged in public life, and Paul Smith is an encouraging example of this dedication. In this interview, I talk with Paul Smith, the founder of Citizen Impact , about his efforts in supporting Christian education...

In Acts 25, Paul once again stands trial for his life before a Roman governor. Accused of sedition against Rome and blasphemy against the temple, Paul uses this trial to assert his innocence, witness to the Resurrection, and appeal directly to Caesar so that the gospel will go to Rome. How does Paul deal with pauses or waiting in ministry, and how does he confidently stand and witness to the Resur...