- Let's Define Godliness by the Right Things
What actually makes someone a strong Christian?
A viral post claimed that the strongest Christians watch Disney movies, avoid politics, wear bikinis, drink alcohol, shop at Target, and celebrate Halloween. The argument was that Christians who impose restrictions on these things are essentially modern Pharisees.
There is an important truth here: Christians should not invent laws and impose them on other believers as though those rules came from God. But there is also a problem with defining Christian freedom by a list of cultural behaviors.
In this episode, I examine the distinction between Christian liberty, legalism, conscience, modesty, discernment, and genuine godliness. Scripture does not present godliness primarily as a collection of cultural boxes that we check. It begins with the character of the heart and manifests itself in how we live.
The question is not simply, “Can a Christian do this?” The deeper question is: What actually marks a godly Christian?
The episode also considers the “weaker brother,” the misuse of Christian liberty, alcohol, Halloween, modesty, political involvement, consumer choices, pornography, and the danger of creating our own standards of righteousness.
Christianity is marked by inward virtue that manifests itself outwardly.
00:00 — The Tweet About “Strong Christians”
01:22 — Are These Really Issues of Christian Liberty?
02:58 — The Weak Brother and Christian Conscience
05:16 — When the “Weak Brother” Becomes a Human Shield
06:25 — Alcohol, Communion, and Christian Freedom
08:34 — What Actually Makes Someone Godly?
10:42 — The Biblical Marks of a Godly Man
11:57 — Modesty, Virtue, and Godly Women
13:08 — The Problem With a Pornographic Culture
15:34 — What Strong Christians Are Actually Known For
17:24 — Halloween, Alcohol, and Circumstantial Wisdom
19:04 — How to Avoid Becoming a Pharisee
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy29m - Sep 28, 2026 - Democrats Backing Down From "Trans Sports?" Don't Buy it!
The Democratic Party appears to be changing its tune on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.
Politicians including Gavin Newsom, Pete Buttigieg, and James Talarico have recently used the language of fairness and safety when discussing women’s sports. That represents a significant change from the rhetoric surrounding transgender rights and school sports during the Obama and Biden years.
But is this a genuine change in conviction, or is it a political retreat?
In this episode, I look at the history of the Democratic position on transgender issues, the growing public resistance to males competing in women’s sports, and the political calculations surrounding the issue. I also examine the difference between voters motivated by deeply held convictions and voters who simply do not want political policies to produce consequences in their own families and communities.
The larger question is whether the Democratic retreat represents a change in principle or simply a strategic pause until the political environment changes.
Finally, I discuss why arguments about fairness and public opinion are not enough. If our understanding of men and women is ultimately grounded in God's created order, then political arguments cannot simply rest on whatever happens to be popular at a particular moment.
00:00 Democrats and the Trans Sports Reversal
02:18 Is This a Genuine Change of Heart?
04:26 The Gender Debate and the Nature Argument
07:20 Remembering the Biden and Obama Years
09:24 Why Democrats Are Changing Their Message
10:30 The Polling Problem for Transgender Sports
12:30 Convictional Voters vs. Convenience Voters
15:42 What Democrats Have Learned From the Backlash
18:05 Why “Fairness” Is Their New Argument
23:48 God's Rights, Nature, and the Foundation of Society
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy30m - Sep 25, 2026 - The Battle for the SBC Is Not Over | William Wolfe on What Comes Next
Jon Harris sits down with William Wolfe of the Center for Baptist Leadership to discuss what has happened since Willie Rice became president of the SBC and what comes next.
The conversation covers the Truth and Unity Amendment, the effort to prevent women from serving as pastors in the SBC, appointments to committees and trustee boards, financial transparency, restoring trust in the Cooperative Program, the International Mission Board's vaccine requirements, and the continuing influence of progressive and DEI ideas within SBC entities.
Wolfe also explains why he believes the biggest danger may no longer be an obvious return to the previous "woke" era, but a period of what he calls "managed decline" in which institutions become less willing to take clear and courageous positions.
The discussion also examines Willie Rice's leadership, the upcoming fight over the Truth and Unity Amendment, and what conservatives and ordinary Southern Baptists should understand about the institutional battle ahead.
00:00 Intro
01:00 The Fight After Willie Rice's Election
02:50 Filling SBC Committees and Trustee Boards
03:34 The Truth and Unity Amendment
04:36 What Willie Rice Has Accomplished
06:11 The Future Direction of the SBC
07:40 Is Willie Rice His Own Man?
09:54 The Push to Ratify the Truth and Unity Amendment
10:52 Can Conservative Momentum Continue?
12:23 Restoring Trust in the SBC
13:30 The IMB and Vaccine Mandates
15:00 Are Progressive Forces Still Active in the SBC?
18:00 Opposition to the Truth and Unity Amendment
19:30 From Wokeness to "Managed Decline"
20:45 What Courageous Conservative Leadership Looks Like
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy34m - Sep 23, 2026 - Canada Is a Warning to America
Dr. D. Millard Haskell joins Conversations That Matter to explain what happened to Christianity's influence in Canada and why Americans should pay attention.
Haskell, a sociologist and author of Christ or Collapse: The Case Against Godless Government, argues that the evidence points toward the social benefits of traditional Christianity. His research led him from liberal Christianity toward a conviction that Christian norms produce greater stability and flourishing.
The conversation then turns to Canada as a cautionary tale for the United States. We discuss multiculturalism, the decline of Christian influence, government and media, the controversy surrounding the Ezra Institute, Alberta's political future, and Canada's increasingly difficult environment for Christians who publicly defend traditional Christian beliefs.
Haskell also discusses Bill C-9, freedom of expression, political apathy, institutional capture, the loss of Christian influence in academia and government, and the growing reluctance of Canadian pastors to address controversial cultural issues.
Finally, we look at the different historical foundations of Canada and the United States and why Haskell believes America's Christian heritage must be actively preserved rather than simply assumed to continue.
00:00 — Introduction: Canada as a Warning to America
01:13 — Why Haskell Wrote Christ or Claps
04:19 — The Empirical Case for Christianity
06:25 — Canada as America's Cautionary Tale
09:00 — Multiculturalism, Alberta, and the Canadian Divide
11:00 — The Ezra Institute and the "Christian Nationalist" Controversy
24:40 — Bill C-9 and the Future of Christian Speech
28:00 — How Canada Lost Its Institutions
32:00 — Political Fatigue, Immigration, and the Next Generation
38:55 — Why America Held Onto Christianity Longer
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy45m - Sep 21, 2026 - Why Christians Should Vote Republican in the Midterms
The 2026 midterms are approaching, and there is growing pressure on conservatives to sit out elections, reject Republican candidates, or pursue some kind of political accelerationism because Republicans have not accomplished everything conservatives hoped they would.
In this episode of Conversations That Matter, I make the case for why Christian conservatives should generally vote Republican in the midterms, while also explaining why voting is not a substitute for the much more important work of Christian discipleship and social renewal.
The key distinction is between practical politics and pragmatism. Pragmatism means changing your moral standards to achieve a desired political outcome. Practical judgment means recognizing the political circumstances you actually inhabit and using the tools available to you without changing your moral convictions. As I argue in the episode, morality does not change, but political circumstances and available options do.
I also discuss the temptation to abandon the Republican Party because it is imperfect, the dangers of accelerationism, what the experience of Europe can teach us, my own decision not to vote for Donald Trump in 2016, and why that calculation would be different in a competitive state.
Finally, I look at what the Trump administration and the MAGA movement have actually accomplished on issues including immigration, DEI, abortion, and foreign policy, and argue that conservatives should consider whether to build on those gains rather than simply destroy the political apparatus because it has not delivered everything they wanted.
The question is not whether Republicans are perfect. The question is what political options actually exist, what can be accomplished through them, and how Christians should exercise stewardship in the circumstances God has given us.
00:00 The Midterm Question
01:05 Voting Is Not Social Renewal
03:00 What Political Options Do We Actually Have?
05:45 Practical Politics vs. Pragmatism
09:00 The Problem With Accelerationism
10:25 Why Build on MAGA?
16:00 Stewardship and Imperfect Political Options
25:45 What Has MAGA Actually Accomplished?
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy48m - Sep 18, 2026 - Did Covenant College Put Woke Away?
In this episode of Conversations That Matter, I examine the Presbyterian Church in America, Covenant College, and the broader question of whether Christian institutions are actually moving away from the ideas associated with the social justice movement or simply giving them new names.
I begin with several pieces of evangelical news, including the latest Southern Baptist compensation data for pastors and staff, the PCA's decision concerning Burke Parsons, and a complaint involving the Missouri Presbytery and the ordination of a same-sex-attracted man.
The main discussion concerns Covenant College's revised curriculum. Covenant has defended its approach as Christian, while critics such as Joe Rigney have questioned whether courses emphasizing diversity, cultural perspectives, identity, and critical theory represent genuine reform or continued ideological drift.
I look at the curriculum, faculty, and the ideas being presented to students, while also acknowledging that Covenant has good professors and that not every course or professor should be painted with the same brush. The central question is more basic: What direction is the institution going?
I also explain why Christians should be able to learn from other cultures without adopting the assumption that Western civilization requires a special set of alternative perspectives in order to recognize its own moral deficiencies. The Christian has Scripture, the church, and a long Christian intellectual tradition through which to evaluate his own civilization.
00:00 Why Christian Institutions Matter
04:08 The SBC’s Changing Pastor Compensation
10:16 Burke Parsons and the PCA Judicial Process
12:49 Same-Sex Attraction and Missouri Presbytery
14:15 Are Christian Universities Reversing Mission Drift?
17:49 Covenant College Changes Its Core Curriculum
20:16 Did Covenant College Put Woke Away?
24:30 Why Direction Matters More Than Individual Professors
29:44 The Evidence of Social Justice Thinking
42:15 Personnel Is Policy
50:12 How Social Justice Can Threaten the Gospel
54:58 Western Civilization, Diversity, and Critical Theory
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy1h 2m - Sep 16, 2026 - News Roundup: The Politics of Race, Immigration, and Civilizational Identity
In this news roundup, I look at the controversy surrounding H-1B visas, the viral University of Texas football footage, and the argument over immigration, assimilation, race, culture, and the future of American identity. I also revisit the Lindsay Clancy jury and what the case reveals about the way people increasingly interpret moral questions through racial categories.
Then we get to Tucker Carlson and Abdul El-Sayed. What does it mean when prominent figures on the Right begin backing or defending political positions that would seem completely at odds with the Republican coalition? Is the Right actually beginning to converge with the Left on some of the most important questions facing the country?
I also discuss Christian persecution in China, the question of Islam and Western civilization, surrogacy and the changing meaning of family, and some genuinely encouraging stories about American courage and education.
The goal is not simply to react to the news. It is to step back, understand what is happening, and ask what these stories mean for Christians, conservatives, and the future of America.
00:00 Intro: The Hammer of Reality
03:41 The H-1B Debate Explodes
21:03 The Lindsay Clancy Jury
27:22 Race, Morality, and Civilizational Identity
48:13 Tucker Carlson and Abdul El-Sayed
58:33 El-Sayed, 9/11, and the Michigan Senate Race
1:02:33 A Test for Right-Wing Media
1:06:11 Christian Persecution in China
1:08:04 Islam and the West
1:11:05 Surrogacy, Family, and the Future
1:14:10 American Courage and the Good News
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy1h 22m - Sep 14, 2026 - 25 Years After 9/11: What Happened to America?
Twenty-five years after September 11, 2001, what has happened to the country that came together in the aftermath of the attacks?
In this episode of Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris reflects on his memories of 9/11 as a twelve-year-old living north of New York City, the fear and patriotism that followed, and the way the attacks transformed American politics and culture.
He discusses the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the growth of the surveillance state, declining trust in government and other institutions, immigration and changing demographics, the rise of political cynicism, and the way Americans came to view their own history and institutions differently.
But the episode is ultimately about more than 9/11. Harris argues that recovering a healthy American identity requires more than nostalgia. It requires personal responsibility, strong families, local and national identity, functioning institutions, and a genuine Christian faith.
The country came together after 9/11, but cultural unity based only on emotion could not last. The deeper question is whether Americans can recover the convictions and institutions necessary to hold a nation together.
Chapters:
0:00 Remembering 9/11
1:03 The morning America was attacked
3:47 Realizing we were under attack
5:27 The patriotism after 9/11
8:52 The post-9/11 political narrative
10:56 Iraq, Afghanistan, and the loss of trust
12:51 The surveillance state and changing America
18:42 The rise of political cynicism
23:25 How do we get out of this?
27:09 Christianity, identity, and America
28:48 Remembering the unity after 9/11
29:57 What we should teach our children
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy31m - Sep 11, 2026 - Is the West Dying Out? The Demographic Crisis Explained
Are white people really dying out? Is the West facing demographic collapse? And why are birth rates falling throughout the developed world?
In this episode of Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris is joined by statistician William M. Briggs to examine the numbers behind population decline, fertility rates, demographic change, and the future of Western civilization.
William Briggs discusses his experience in academia, supporting Donald Trump in 2016, and eventually being canceled by Cornell. The conversation then turns to one of the most important questions facing the modern world: Why are people having fewer children?
The discussion covers feminism and equality, housing and economic pressures, immigration, aging populations, technology, religion, pornography, online life, Israel's comparatively high fertility rate, Christianity, and the ways bad science can distort public understanding of environmental and medical threats.
Are falling birth rates primarily the result of environmental factors, or are people simply making different decisions about marriage and children? And will humanity eventually return to higher fertility rates?
Join the conversation.
Follow William M. Briggs and read his work at WMBriggs.com.
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00:00 Introduction and Meet William M. Briggs
01:10 Supporting Trump and Being Canceled by Cornell
05:30 Can Conservatives Still Survive Academia?
09:00 Are White People and Europeans Dying Out?
11:30 Why Are Birth Rates Falling?
14:00 The ICU Theory: Population, Housing, and Economics
17:30 Understanding Fertility Rates and Demographic Data
24:30 Feminism, Sexual Behavior, and Population Decline
29:00 Will Fertility Rates Eventually Recover?
33:00 Technology, Online Life, and the Future of Human Relationships
36:00 Israel, Religion, and Higher Birth Rates
41:00 Environmental Causes and Bad Science
49:00 Christianity, Reality, and the Future of Civilization
52:00 Government Policy, Safety Culture, and Having Children
55:00 Final Thoughts
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy55m - Sep 9, 2026 - News Roundup: Christian Persecution, Online Right Liabilities, & Vance a Socialist?
In this episode of Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris tackles a wide-ranging news roundup touching on Christian persecution, the future of the American right, immigration, Islam, JD Vance, and the growing tensions within conservative politics.
Jon begins with the 2026 Open Doors World Watch List and the persecution of Christians around the world, with particular attention to Nigeria and the question of how Christians in America should think about helping persecuted believers while also maintaining responsible immigration and government policy.
He then turns to the American right and the growing divide between competing factions, including the tensions surrounding JD Vance, Tucker Carlson, Israel, nationalism, and the future direction of the Republican Party.
Jon also examines criticism of JD Vance's proposal to expand federal childcare assistance to married families with a stay-at-home parent. Is the proposal socialism? Jon argues that the more fundamental question is what conservatives should do when government programs already exist.
The episode also explores the online right, evangelical institutions, woke ideology, social justice, American identity, and the importance of recovering a more grounded understanding of virtue, family, and national responsibility.
Topics include:
• Christian persecution and the 2026 World Watch List
• Nigeria and persecuted Christians
• Immigration and refugee policy
• Islam and Western civilization
• JD Vance and the future of the Republican Party
• Tucker Carlson and the online right
• Israel, nationalism, and competing factions on the right
• JD Vance's stay-at-home parent childcare proposal
• Socialism and the role of government
• Woke ideology and evangelical institutions
• American identity and recovering virtue
virtueconference.com
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00:00 — News Roundup: What We Are Talking About Today
02:46 — Restoring Virtue: Why Some Conferences Should Stay Offline
06:22 — Christian Persecution Around the World
09:18 — Nigeria and the Reality of Christian Persecution
12:02 — Should America Help Persecuted Christians?
16:01 — ETP Coffee and Supporting Persecuted Christians
17:10 — Islam, Immigration, and Western Civilization
23:46 — 25 Years After 9/11: How America Thinks About Islam
24:00 — Woke Virginia and the Fight Over American Monuments
28:40 — The Online Right and the Loss of American Identity
01:16:32 — Is JD Vance a Socialist?
01:17:05 — Stay-at-Home Moms and the $12 Billion Childcare Fund
01:21:49 — The Political Future of the Right
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy2h 9m - Sep 8, 2026 - The Lindsay Clancy Case and the Crisis of Empathy
What is happening to American women?
In this episode of Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris sits down with Bethany Miller to discuss the Lindsay Clancy case, toxic empathy, social media, the radicalization of Gen Z, and the growing divide between young men and women.
The conversation begins with the surprising public response to the Lindsay Clancy trial and asks a larger question: Why are so many people responding to serious moral questions through identification, victimhood, and emotional narratives rather than evidence and accountability?
Bethany explains how TikTok, Instagram, entertainment, and online communities can reinforce these narratives by rewarding emotional identification and simplifying complicated questions. The discussion then broadens to the way our culture has learned to humanize villains, tear down heroes, and increasingly interpret reality through ideological and online communities.
But the conversation does not stop with women.
Jon and Bethany also discuss the radicalization of some young men, the manosphere, political resentment, dating expectations, and the difficulty Gen Z faces in forming healthy relationships. Both sides of the political spectrum can fall into the same trap: taking legitimate frustrations and allowing them to become an excuse for bitterness, isolation, or extremism.
The episode ultimately turns toward a more constructive question: How can young men and women actually build healthy marriages and families?
That means having difficult conversations while dating, looking for character and resilience rather than simply checking boxes, staying grounded in reality, and refusing to let the internet define the opposite sex for us. The conversation also considers the importance of fathers, family formation, and God's providence.
This is a conversation about women, men, social media, dating, family, politics, and the cultural forces shaping the next generation.
#GenZ #Dating #Christianity #Culture #ToxicEmpathy
00:00 — What Happened to Gen Z Women?
01:30 — From Theology to Politics and Media
04:00 — The Lindsay Clancy Case
06:00 — How TikTok Created a Narrative
13:00 — Toxic Empathy and Victimhood
17:00 — Why We Humanize Villains
20:30 — The Radicalization of Young Men and Women
28:30 — The Gen Z Dating Crisis
46:30 — Providence, Marriage, and Finding Reality
52:00 — Fathers, Family, and Raising Resilient Children
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy59m - Sep 3, 2026 - The Rise of the Online Right with Scott Greer
Scott Greer joins Conversations That Matter to explain the rise of the online right and how it transformed American conservatism.
Drawing from his new book White Pill: The Online Right and the Making of Trump's America, Greer walks through the history of the alt-right, the rise of Donald Trump, the influence of Tucker Carlson and Charlie Kirk, the political upheavals of 2020, and the growing influence of online-right ideas within mainstream conservatism.
We also discuss why young conservatives became dissatisfied with the old conservative establishment, the importance of immigration and demographic change, the evolution from the alt-right to the dissident right, the relationship between Christianity and the online right, and whether this movement ultimately strengthens or undermines the American right.
Greer argues that the online right has brought new energy to conservatism and made ideas more appealing to young people, while also warning about the disconnect that can develop between online political culture and ordinary Americans.
00:00 — The Rise of the Online Right
03:25 — How Scott Greer Entered Conservative Politics
05:25 — How Tucker Carlson Changed the Right
08:05 — Charlie Kirk and the Griper War
09:50 — Why 2020 Radicalized Conservatives
12:45 — Where the Alt-Right Came From
18:25 — Alt-Right, Dissident Right, and the Trump Movement
30:25 — How the Online Right Transformed Conservatism
40:00 — Christianity and the Online Right
53:40 — The Negative and Positive Sides of the Online Right
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy1h 1m - Sep 2, 2026 - The Curse of Ham: What Does Genesis Actually Say?
The Curse of Ham is a theological idea that has been used throughout history in attempts to explain slavery, racial distinctions, and even racial hierarchy. But what does the biblical text actually say?
In this episode of Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris examines Genesis 9 and the historical interpretations surrounding Ham and Canaan. Was Ham actually cursed? What was Ham's sin? Does the text support the increasingly popular maternal incest theory? Why was Canaan cursed instead of Ham? And when did the idea emerge that the Curse of Ham applied to African peoples?
We examine the biblical text, early Jewish and Christian interpretations, church history, and the later development of racial applications of this passage.
The goal is not to force modern political concerns into Scripture, but to understand Genesis on its own terms and examine the historical record honestly.
00:00 The Curse of Ham Theology Is Back
05:20 What Does Genesis 9 Actually Say?
13:55 The Maternal Incest Theory Examined
19:12 Why Was Canaan Cursed Instead of Ham?
28:30 How Jewish and Christian Writers Interpreted the Curse
35:40 When Did the Curse Become Connected to Black Skin?
39:30 The Curse of Ham and African Slavery
45:00 Modern Race and Biblical Interpretation
52:00 The Prophetic Meaning of Noah's Blessings and Curse
59:00 What Did Calvin and Other Theologians Actually Believe?
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy1h 2m - Aug 31, 2026 - News Roundup: Christian Nationalism, #churchtoo, G3 Collapses, and the Surrogacy Debate
What is happening in the Christian world right now?
In this news roundup, Jon Harris covers a wide range of stories affecting Christians, including the collapse of the G3 Church Network, Phil Johnson's recent comments on Christian nationalism, a controversial surrogacy battle, Skillet's decision to drop its opening act, the Protestant Accountability website, and the death of Dolly Parton.
We also discuss whether Christians should be more politically involved, the relationship between political action and evangelism, the problem of evil and natural disasters, terrorism in New York, declining marriage and dating among young people, the George Floyd case, and recent developments involving Israel.
Throughout the episode, the goal is not simply to react to the news, but to think through these issues from a Christian worldview.
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Plus, Jon discusses the upcoming Restoring Virtue Conference and the new Truthscript review of Mr. Burton.
Subscribe to Conversations That Matter for more Christian commentary, cultural analysis, and news from a biblical perspective.
00:00 — Christian Nationalism and the Christian’s Political Duty
03:15 — Why Virtue Is Necessary for Liberty
06:45 — The Surrogacy Battle: Who Should Get the Baby?
18:55 — Skillet Drops Its Opening Act
21:30 — The Protestant Accountability Website Controversy
25:20 — Dolly Parton, Death, and Can We Know Someone Is in Heaven?
37:20 — G3 Church Network Shuts Down
40:05 — Phil Johnson, Grace Community Church, and Christian Nationalism
53:20 — Terrorism, New York Politics, Dating, and George Floyd
59:30 — Natural Disasters, Israel, and the Problem of Evil
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy1h 7m - Aug 27, 2026 - Why Are People Attacking This Family?
A controversial family photo went viral on X, and the reaction exposed something deeper than an argument over adoption.
Why were some people who consider themselves conservative accusing a Christian family of betraying their own race because they adopted two children? Why did people read sinister motives into an ordinary family photograph? And what does this reveal about the direction of the online Right?
In this episode of Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris examines the controversy surrounding a family with one biological daughter and two adopted sons, and argues that some online conservatives are losing the very principles they claim to defend.
Adoption is not about abandoning your family or your society. It can be an expression of responsibility, paternalism, Christian charity, and a willingness to shoulder burdens for the sake of children and the community. The adopted children in this case were American children who came through the Nevada foster care system, not foreign children imported into the country.
Jon also discusses:
• Why adopted children should be treated as genuine members of the family
• The Christian significance of adoption
• How social media encourages paranoia and impulsive reactions
• Why conservatism requires realism rather than utopian thinking
• The relationship between adoption, family, and social stability
• Why paternalism is not the same thing as cruelty
• The Christian understanding of masculine strength and responsibility
• The Western tradition of paternal responsibility
• Why Christians should think about preserving society while also caring for vulnerable children
The larger question is simple: **What exactly are we trying to conserve?**
Jon also shares an encouraging story from a recent visit to Word of Life in the Adirondacks and reflects on why Christians should not assume that Christianity is disappearing simply because the internet makes everything look like a crisis.
This is a discussion about adoption, conservatism, Christianity, masculinity, paternalism, social media, and the responsibility we have toward the people and communities we will leave to the next generation.
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy27m - Aug 25, 2026 - The Fall of G3 Ministries and the End of an Era
This episode examines the controversy surrounding G3 Ministries, the allegations involving Pastor Tom Buck, the resignation of Ethan Jago, and the broader decline of a once influential institution within Reformed evangelicalism.
The episode begins with audio from Pastor Matt Sykes of Praise Mill Baptist Church, the flagship church associated with G3 Ministries, discussing an impending article from Protestia. From there, we examine the controversy surrounding Tom Buck, including questions about sermon preparation, attribution, anonymous allegations, and the role of G3 leadership.
We also examine Phil Johnson's discussion of the controversy, Protestia's reporting, and Ethan Jago's resignation from G3. The larger question is not simply what happened in this particular dispute, but what the controversy says about Christian leadership, institutional authority, virtue, and the future of parachurch ministries.
G3 once occupied an important place in the Reformed evangelical world, attracting prominent speakers and thousands of people to its conferences. But the transcript argues that a series of controversies, fractures, deaths, and disqualifications have brought that era to an end.
The question, then, is: What comes next?
If Christians want to see a bold Christian vision for America, they need Christian leaders who possess biblical qualifications, virtue, and integrity. The future may not look like the large parachurch institutions of the past. It may instead require new models of Christian fellowship, discipleship, church networking, and theological education.
00:00 — The G3 Ministries Controversy
04:19 — Why G3 Matters for Christian America
09:07 — The Rise and Fall of G3 Ministries
15:20 — Tom Buck, Phil Johnson, and the Plagiarism Controversy
21:49 — Ethan Jago Resigns From G3
30:17 — What Comes Next for Christian Ministry?
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy36m - Aug 21, 2026 - News Roundup: The Internet Is Not Real Life, The Bible Belt Lives, & Alex Jones's New Age Religion
In this News Roundup, Jon Harris examines the Florida gubernatorial Republican primary and what the results reveal about the growing disconnect between online political influence and actual voters.
The conversation then moves beyond Florida to the condition of the Bible Belt, the decline of Southern culture, the rise of socialism within the Democratic Party, and the question of whether the Christian influence of the South is really disappearing.
Jon also discusses evangelical news, AI and Christian publishing, the dangers of lowering standards for political and religious leaders, and the growing problem of ecumenism on the Christian Right.
Finally, Jon takes a close look at the “Christ Is King” conference and the decision to feature Alex Jones, examining Jones's statements about God, salvation, spirituality, and the nature of Christ. The question is not simply whether someone uses Christian language, but whether what they actually believe is consistent with Christianity.
This episode is about politics, Christianity, institutional leadership, the Bible Belt, and the importance of looking beyond rhetoric to character, competence, theology, and reality.
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00:00 — Florida’s Republican Primary
08:45 — The Numbers Do Not Match the Internet
14:00 — When Spoilers Become a Political Strategy
20:50 — Democrats, Socialism, and the New Coalition
37:27 — Is the Bible Belt Gone?
50:00 — Christianity, Politics, and AI
1:04:56 — Is It Ever Too Late for Revival?
1:05:04 — When “Christ Is King” Becomes a Problem
1:17:00 — What Alex Jones Actually Believes
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy1h 36m - Aug 19, 2026 - The Christian Vote Could Decide the Midterms | Troy Miller
This week on Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris sits down with Troy Miller, president and CEO of the National Religious Broadcasters, for a wide-ranging conversation about the upcoming midterms and the role of Christian voters.
Miller discusses the dynamics shaping the 2026 elections, the growing divisions on both the right and left, the changing priorities of Christian conservatives, and why moral issues such as abortion, family, and sexual ethics should not disappear from the political conversation. They also discuss Christian voter turnout, the future of the American coalition, Miller's understanding of a Judeo-Christian foundation, and the changing influence of Christian media.
The conversation ultimately asks a larger question: What kind of country are Christians going to pass on to the next generation? Miller's answer is direct: Christians need to be courageous, engaged, and willing to act rather than merely comment from the sidelines.
00:00 — The Christian Vote and the 2026 Midterms
01:38 — What Is Really at Stake?
03:19 — Why These Midterms Could Be Different
07:42 — Are Christians Forgetting the Moral Issues?
12:17 — What Does the Next Generation Want From Christian Media?
18:25 — Could Christians Decide Every Election?
26:19 — The Changing Influence of Christian Media
41:49 — Christians Have a Responsibility to Vote
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy43m - Aug 18, 2026 - America Is Losing Its Hunters. Here's Why That Matters
America is losing its hunters.
The number of Americans who hunt has been declining for decades, and that trend raises questions that go far beyond hunting itself. What happens to conservation when fewer people hunt? What happens to our relationship with land, animals, food, and the outdoors? And what does the disappearance of hunting tell us about the broader changes taking place in American culture?
In this episode of Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris examines the decline of hunting in America and why the loss of hunters could have consequences that most Americans have not considered.
Hunting is not simply a recreational pastime. It has historically connected generations of Americans to the land, provided food, supported local economies, and played an important role in funding wildlife conservation. The question is whether those traditions can survive when fewer young Americans take them up.
The 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation recorded 14.4 million hunters age 16 and older. At the same time, researchers and wildlife organizations have raised growing concerns about declining participation and the difficulty of replacing older hunters with younger generations.
So why are Americans hunting less? And what are we losing when the American hunter disappears?
Join Jon Harris for another episode of Conversations That Matter.
#Hunting #America #Conservation
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy20m - Aug 17, 2026 - The Candace Owen's Debate
In this episode of Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris examines what happens when truth becomes a team sport. Why are we so quick to defend our political or ideological side, even when the facts may point elsewhere? We look at tribalism, bias, and the growing difficulty of pursuing truth in an increasingly polarized culture.
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy28m - Aug 15, 2026
