Best Refuge Point Church Podcasts (2024)

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Ep. 392: Morningstar Ministries Turmoil, NRB Sues IRS over Johnson Amendment 26:04

2h ago26:04

26:04

On today’s program, Morningstar Ministries is undergoing a leadership shakeup…after its CEO resigned, allegations of sexual misconduct began to arise. We’ll have details. And, many Christian colleges have fallen on hard times. But a Christian university in Georgia has been trying out new ways to grow enrollment…and it appears to be working. We’ll t…

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Ep. 391: Healing Trauma From A Childhood in Missions A conversation with Joy Smalley 32:45

1h ago32:45

32:45

For 2000 years Christians have heeded the call of The Great Commission to “go into all the world.” Christian missionaries have become some of the heroes of the faith, the subject of books, songs, and movies. But we rarely hear about the children of these missionaries. In the past few years, stories of spiritual and sexual abuse of missionary kids h…

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Ep. 390: Ravi Zacharias, Barnabas Aid Leader Resigns 23:50

4d ago23:50

23:50

On today’s program, three years after sexual abuse allegations surfaced against the late apologist Ravi Zacharias, imploding his organization and his legacy, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries appears to remain in operation…with little to no transparency. We dug around for some answers. Plus, a Knoxville-area ministry is restoring dignity and …

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Ep. 389: Texas Megachurch Lists Televangelist’s ‘Parsonage’ for $15 Million Bishop I.V. Hilliard’s 24-acre compound includes multiple houses, luxury amenities 5:53

11h ago5:53

5:53

A luxury 24-acre estate with six houses and 22 garage parking spaces may not meet most people’s definition of a parsonage. But the tax code says otherwise—this one Texas home is turning heads after being listed on realtor.com for $15 million. Located in a Houston suburb, the property is the home of Bishop I.V. Hilliard and his wife, Pastor Bridget …

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Ep. 388: Resisting “The Political Illusion” How should Christians behave in this election season? 12:13

1d ago12:13

12:13

Many of our neighbors have succumbed to what the French philosopher Jacques Ellul called “the political illusion.” What is it, and what can we do to resist it? Here are a couple of resources mentioned on today’s episode: Ellul explained the “political illusion” in his 1965 book L’illusion politique. It was published in English in 1967. To read my i…

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Ep. 387: Gateway Church, Megan Basham, Turning Point USA, and More 26:12

21h ago26:12

26:12

On today’s program, Gateway Church in Dallas, Texas, continues to struggle in the aftermath of sexual abuse allegations against its founder Robert Morris—including NEW sexual abuse allegations, the cancellation of its annual Gateway conference, and more. We’ll look at the latest. And, Megan Basham is under fire from fellow journalists for naming an…

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Ep. 386: With Coffee Tables, and Over Coffee Churches find simple, direct ways to serve refugees 5:32

1d ago5:32

5:32

COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) – It happens with a couch or mattress. It happens with two chairs facing each other across a table. While refugees’ initial days and months in America can be complex and filled with paperwork and immigration meetings, churches have learned there are direct, simple ways to meet needs. Not long after it began six years ago, Living…

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Ep. 385: Al Fadi on the Hijazi Bible Translation Project 21:14

8d ago21:14

21:14

Today I welcome back to the program Al Fadi, with the Strategic Resource Group, an organization that funds projects to reach unreached people groups in the Middle East and North Africa, the so-called MENA region of the world. Al has been on the program before to discuss a bible translation project for Hejazi speaking people. This is an Arabic langu…

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Ep. 384: Dave Ramsey, Andrew Wommack, Gordon College 26:26

5d ago26:26

26:26

On today’s program, new life breathed into a lawsuit against Dave Ramsey’s company. A former employee claims he was fired for not sharing Ramsey’s religious beliefs on how to handle the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ll take a look at the court’s latest ruling in the case. And, a Southern Baptist pastor in Florida faces a minimum sentence of life in prison …

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Ep. 383: Appeals Court Rules Against Dave Ramsey’s Company 9:28

12d ago9:28

9:28

Former video editor claims he was fired for failing to follow Ramsey’s faith-based beliefs on how to deal with COVID-19 pandemic. By Bob Smietana for Religion News Service A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of a former employee who claimed Ramsey Solutions, the company run by Christian personal finance guru Dave Ramsey, discriminated agains…

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Ep. 382: Becoming a More Discerning Consumer of Media Learn four forms of media bias, and how to guard against them 14:16

23d ago14:16

14:16

Here at MinistryWatch, we constantly consume all kinds of media. We are constantly looking for stories, and we are constantly looking at how other media outlets handle the stories we cover. We ask: How can we add value to a story? Is this a story that fits our mission? Should we even cover this story at all?Answering these questions is not always e…

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Ep. 381: Clint Pressley, Pastors and Politics,and Vineyard Anaheim 27:40

29d ago27:40

27:40

On today’s program, after a slew of controversies, Southern Baptists chose a low-key leader. We take a closer look at new SBC President Clint Pressley. And, Pastors and politics—legally, what are churches and other Christian nonprofits allowed to do when it comes to this year’s presidential campaign?We also highlight the results are in from our sum…

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Ep. 380: A Review of “Shepherds For Sale” Thoughts on the new bestseller 12:11

30d ago12:11

12:11

On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, Warren Smith shares a review he wrote for “The Dispatch” of Megan Basham’s new book Shepherds For Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded The Truth for a Leftist Agenda. The fundamental flaw of the book is that it fails to note that the real problem in evangelicalism is that pastors have succumbed to the populis…

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Ep. 379: Liberty University, Steven Furtick, Robert Morris, and More 29:05

28d ago29:05

29:05

On today’s program, Liberty University reaches a settlement with former president Jerry Falwell Jr. after years of back-and-forth lawsuits between the two parties. Now, they say they are putting the past behind them. We’ll have details.A small university in North Carolina is beating the odds…while other Christian colleges face closure, this school …

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Ep. 378: Miles Smith Reads The Ex-Vangelicals 24:18

28d ago24:18

24:18

You may have heard the term ex-vangelical. An ex-vangelical is someone who formerly identified as an evangelical, but no longer does so. The phenomenon has created a sub-genre of books from memoirs – such as those by Josh Harris, Rachel Held Evans, and others -- to more journalistic accounts, such as Sarah McCammon’s “The Ex-Vangelicals.”But is the…

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Ep. 377: Former Olympian Casey Converse On Lessons Learned – and Not Learned — From the 1976 Olympic Doping Scandal 44:43

1M ago44:43

44:43

The 2024 Summer Olympics are about to begin in Paris, and that event should be of interest even to those who don’t much care about sports. For one thing, it’s the 100th anniversary of the 1924 Olympics, also held in Paris, in which Christian missionary Eric Liddell won a gold medal. That story was famously recounted in the Academy Award winning mov…

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Ep. 376: The SBC’s Reversal on Brent Leatherwood, First Baptist Dallas, Life Surge Conferences 23:43

1M ago23:43

23:43

On today’s program, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission—the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention—fired its president Brent Leatherwood this week…then less than 12 hours later reversed course and said he was NOT fired. We’ll have details.Also, Life Surge wealth conferences draw big audiences with its celebrity speaker lineup an…

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Ep. 375: Carlos Campo on Leadership, Christian Higher Ed, and the Museum of the Bible 28:21

28d ago28:21

28:21

Carlos Campo has one of the most interesting biographies I know about. His parents were entertainers who had hit records and a national profile in the 1940s and 50s. Carlos Campo’s mother was Betty Clooney, who with her sister Rosemary rose to the top of the music industry. That also makes Carlos Campo a part of a family that some consider entertai…

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Ep. 374: Matt Chandler, Robert Morris, and Former Christian Billionaire Bill Hwang 25:37

2M ago25:37

25:37

On today’s program, Village Church Pastor Matt Chandler is under fire after his church hired a man who, in the past, was convicted of child sexual abuse. That man was his father. We’ll take a look.Also, Robert Morris—the Gateway Church pastor accused of abusing a young girl starting when she was 12 years old—is having his radio and tv programs canc…

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Ep. 373: Kirk Farney Discusses Radio Pioneers Fulton Sheen and Walter Maier Their influence on Christian radio still shapes the medium today 30:09

1M ago30:09

30:09

For the past 100 years, radio has proven to be a persistent medium. Television, podcasts, and other digital media have taken their slices of the market, but radio has not gone away. In some ways it is as strong today as ever. About eight in 10 Americans over the age of 12 listen to terrestrial radio in a given week.And as long as there has been rad…

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Ep. 372: The Village Church Restructures, Another Christian College Closes, California SBC Lays Off Staff 29:04

1M ago29:04

29:04

On today’s program, a South Carolina church is facing fallout after it became known that its pastor is a registered sex offender for abusing a minor. Leaders knew when they hired him, but didn’t alert members. We’ll have details.And, years ago a handful of Dallas-area churches that started as multi-site campuses of The Village Church transitioned t…

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Ep. 371: John Inazu Wants Us To “Learn To Disagree” 28:14

2M ago28:14

28:14

We live in a polarized time. People with whom we disagree are not just wrong, but evil – or so we (and they) often think.John Inazu thinks that posture towards those with whom we disagree is neither helpful nor biblical. He thinks empathy, curiosity, and love – both loving our neighbors but also loving our enemies – is both a biblical approach, and…

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Ep. 370: “Jesus Calling” Study by PCA is a Gift to the Church 10:50

2M ago10:50

10:50

The book, "Jesus Calling," has sold more than 45 million copies, but it has been the object of criticism from its first publication date in 2004 until now. The Presbyterian Church in America’s decision to do an in-depth study of the book is a gift to the broader Christian church, presenting the opportunity to settle controversies about the book onc…

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Ep. 369: Giving Up, More on Robert Morris, Denominational News from the Christian Reformed Church Robert Morris, Anglicans, and Nazarenes 30:07

2M ago30:07

30:07

On today’s program, the Christian Reformed Church synod have voted to suspend leaders within the denomination who approve of LGBTQ lifestyles…their message: repent or disaffiliate. We’ll have details.Also, ministries continue to distance themselves from megachurch pastor Robert Morris after a woman claimed he abused her starting when she was 12 yea…

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Ep. 368: A Few Thoughts About Christian Higher Education and Cornerstone University 13:06

2M ago13:06

13:06

Christian colleges and universities are in a tough spot. Spiraling costs and shrinking demographics, plus technological and other cultural concerns, are putting unprecedented pressure on them. We’ve reported on the closures of many Christian colleges here at MinistryWatch, and our reporting has barely touched the magnitude of the problem. According…

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Ep. 367: Robert Morris, Paul Pressler, and Appalachian Bible College 26:33

2M ago26:33

26:33

On today’s program, Megachurch Pastor Robert Morris resigns as senior pastor of Gateway Church after a woman claims he abused her decades ago starting when she was 12 years old. We’ll have details.And, Lincoln Christian University closes its doors debt free…with plans to continue its ministry through a new institute. We’ll take a look.And, Southern…

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Ep. 366: Anglicanism Can Save Evangelicalism – But Must First Save Itself Provincial meeting in Latrobe, Pa., next week will be defining moment 25:30

2M ago25:30

25:30

The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) has been one of the success stories in recent American church history. Most denominations in the U.S. are in decline, but ACNA, founded just 15 years ago, has grown to more than 1000 congregations and a membership of 120,000. In today’s commentary, I share my thoughts about what’s needed to keep ACNA on a…

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Ep. 365: SBC News Round-Up, Tony Evans, and K-Love 29:48

3M ago29:48

29:48

On today’s program, almost 11-thousand Southern Baptists gathered in Indianapolis this week, facing a long list of key decisions, including abuse reform, a constitutional amendment about women pastors, and the election of a new president. We’ll take a look .Also, megachurch pastor and bestselling author Tony Evans is stepping away from his pastoral…

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Ep. 364: Bridging The Church/Para-Church Divide A conversation with Scott Harris of Mission Increase 27:51

3M ago27:51

27:51

A couple of months ago I came across an article that I haven’t been able to get out of my mind. It’s called “The End and Future of the Church/”Para-Church” Relationship: A Call for Generous Partnership.”The article was written by two people I have come to respect a great deal in the past few years. One of them is Amy Sherman, who has written a numb…

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Ep. 363: SBC’s Abuse Reform Task Force, The UMC and Same-Sex Weddings, and Kanakuk Kamps 30:03

3M ago30:03

30:03

On today’s program, the Southern Baptist Convention’s Abuse Reform Task Force will be ending next week…without any names on its website of pastors credibly accused of abuse…and with no clear path forward. We’ll take a look.And, Salem Media Group pulls Dinesh D’Souza’s movie ‘2000 Mules’ from all its streaming platforms. We’ll have details.Plus, a T…

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Ep. 362: Karl Vaters Wants To “De-Size” The Church 33:11

3M ago33:11

33:11

Karl Vaters is not against bigness on principle. He is quick to point out that large churches can use their size to do things that smaller churches simply cannot.But he also says that the things that big churches do better are few, and that getting big, pursuing growth, often comes at great financial and spiritual cost.His new book is called De-Siz…

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Ep. 361: Reggie Joiner, Kristen Ivy & Orange; Ed Young Retires, Missionary Couple Murdered 28:53

3M ago28:53

28:53

On today’s program, former CEO of Orange, Kristen Ivy, originally admitted to an “inappropriate relationship” with the ministry’s founder Reggie Joiner. Now, she’s reclassifying that relationship as clergy abuse. We’ll have details.Also, summer is the season of short-term missions—but The Chalmers Center has some warnings before posting about those…

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Ep. 360: Remembering Marshall Allen 11:30

3M ago11:30

11:30

On today’s MinistryWatch podcast we remember Marshall Allen, an investigative journalist who was a friend and supporter of MinistryWatch.To read a transcript of this podcast, click here. You’ll also find there links mentioned in today’s episode.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.Until next time, may God blss you.…

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Ep. 359: SBC Prof, Pastor Indicted, Boy Scouts Fall But Trail Life Rises World Vision Fined 25:50

3M ago25:50

25:50

On today’s program, the U-S Department of Justice has indicted a former professor and interim provost of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for obstructing justice in a sexual misconduct case. We’ll have details.Also, the Boy Scouts of America changes their name in hopes of boosting its dwindling numbers—but instead, a different scouting min…

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Ep. 358: More Thoughts On The PCA/David French Controversy 14:08

3M ago14:08

14:08

On today’s EXTRA Episode, Warren Smith identifies four lessons we can learn from the controversy surrounding David French and the Presbyterian Church in America.To read more about this controversy:https://ministrywatch.com/editors-notebook-the-pca-david-french-debacle/https://ministrywatch.com/pca-cancels-anti-polarization-panel-with-david-french-f…

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Ep. 357: Mica Miller Update, When Helping Hurts Haiti, KP Yohannan, Another Homeless Shelter Shut Down 24:35

4M ago24:35

24:35

On today’s program, a North Carolina Sheriff’s office has called in the FBI to help investigate the death of pastor’s wife, Mica Miller. We’ll have details.And, Haitian workers are concerned Christian donors could be hurting the very people they’re trying to help…and ask donors to redirect their money away from orphanages. We’ll take a look.Also, G…

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Ep. 356: Celebrities For Jesus: A Conversation with Katelyn Beaty 43:56

4M ago43:56

43:56

Katelyn Beaty believes that some Christian leaders use their fame and influence in positive ways. But too often, she says, fame and celebrity are cultivated for their own sake, or for the sake of profits and the building of personal empires. We see this phenomenon most conspicuously with the prosperity Gospel preachers. But, increasingly, these pra…

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Ep. 355 : Eric Metaxes, Gunman in Pennsylvania Church, Investigation on Mica Miller 26:17

4M ago26:17

26:17

On today’s program, an investigation into the death of a South Carolina pastor’s wife, 30-year-old Mica Miller, has captured the attention of people across the nation, raising questions about mental health and abuse. We’ll look at the latest findings.A Pennsylvania pastor faces a gunman in the middle of his Sunday sermon. We’ll have details.A new S…

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Ep. 354: A Conversation with Aaron Renn About Life In The Negative World 36:48

4M ago36:48

36:48

For centuries, Christianity has been seen as a positive force in the world – even by those who are not Christians. But my guest today, Aaron Renn, argues that this perception has changed. In a widely read and discussed article for “First Things” magazine, first published a decade ago, Renn said that the world up until 1964 was a “positive world” fo…

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Ep. 353: United Methodist Church Approves LGBTQ Clergy, Wayne Grudem Retires, Metaxas and Feucht Hit Manhattan 24:39

4M ago24:39

24:39

On today’s program, the top legislative body of the United Methodist Church gathered in Charlotte, N.C., this week for its long-awaited General Conference. There, delegates cast decisive votes on issues of gender and sexuality. We’ll have details.And, an Ohio church is under fire AGAIN for opening its doors to shelter the homeless. We’ll take a loo…

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Ep. 352: A Conversation with Nancy French Cancer, Politics, Ghost-Writing, and Life 46:31

4M ago46:31

46:31

Nancy French was not a household name in American politics -- because she mostly operated behind the scenes. But she was well known in the highest levels of Republican circles. She was the ghost writer for politicians and conservative celebrities, with five books she wrote making it to the New York Times Bestseller List.But she found the Republican…

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Ep. 351: More on Driscoll-Lindell, A Seminary Survives, and Orange’s Reggie Joiner Resigns 24:43

4M ago24:43

24:43

On today’s program, Arkansas pastor Steven Smith steps down after fallout from mishandling abuse allegations against a former children’s minister. We’ll have details.Also, controversial megachurch pastors Mark Driscoll and John Lindell seemed to reconcile on stage at the Stronger Men’s Conference last week…but since then, tensions between the two l…

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Ep. 350: Some Thought About The Mark Driscoll-John Lindell Controversy 11:16

5M ago11:16

11:16

On today’s EXTRA Episode, MinistryWatch President Warren Smith has some additional thoughts about the Mark Driscoll-John Lindell controversy.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Thanks to Casey Sudduth, Stephen duBarry, Kim Roberts, Rod Pitzer, and Christina Darnell for additional support.Until next time, may God bless you.…

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Ep. 349: Mark Driscoll, Calvin University, Chuck Swindoll 29:09

5M ago29:09

29:09

FIRST SEGMENTWarrenHello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha I’m Natasha Cowden in Denver, Colorado. We’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.WarrenOn today’s program, General Episcopal Theological Seminary thought it had found a solution to its financial woes—until 7 bishops intervened, sa…

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Ep. 348: Eric Metaxas’s Letter To The American Church 32:51

5M ago32:51

32:51

Ten years ago, Eric Metaxas was the belle of the evangelical ball. Indeed, his evangelical bona fides were nearly impeccable. Early in his career he wrote for Veggie Tales and worked for Chuck Colson. He wrote humorously but piercingly about Christian apologetics. His biography of Bonhoeffer was named the book of the year by the Evangelical Christi…

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Ep. 347: State Department Proposes Rules that Could Hurt Ministries Salem Media Reports Big Loss 27:24

5M ago27:24

27:24

SHOW NOTES:On today’s program, a proposed State Department rule could impact employment regulations for nonprofits…and some ministry leaders are voicing concern. We’ll take a look.And, the North Carolina pastor who went viral for remarks he made from the pulpit about rape has apologized—but the controversy, which has sparked ongoing protests, caugh…

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Ep. 346: From Half-Time to Full-Time A conversation with David Bahnsen about the dignity of work 29:44

5M ago29:44

29:44

You’ve probably heard that you should achieve balance in your life. Perhaps you’ve heard the old saying that “No one ever said on their death-bed that they wish they had spent more time at the office.” Maybe you’ve read the popular Christian book “Half-Time” by Bob Buford, in which he said you should reach a place in your career in which you pivot …

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Ep. 345: T.D. Jakes, NC’s Pursuit Church, Birmingham Southern College To Close 26:14

5M ago26:14

26:14

On today’s program, North Carolina Pastor Bruce Frank is joining the crowded Southern Baptist Convention presidential race. Frank was a former leader of the SBC’s abuse task force. We’ll have details. And, Bishop TD Jakes is mentioned in a lawsuit against music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs—though the lawsuit does not accuse the bishop of wrongdoing. We…

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Ep. 344: A Conversation with Andrew Peterson He talks music, writing, community, Wingfeather, and becoming a ministry leader 34:22

5M ago34:22

34:22

Andrew Peterson is, as the old saying goes, a “man of many parts.”I first discovered Andrew’s music in the late 1990s, when his song “Nothing to Say” first became a favorite – and it still is. I began following his musical career and quickly discovered that he had more on his mind that music. He was building a community of artists in Nashville that…

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Ep. 343: Zoning Laws Shut Down Church Ministries, How To Navigate Crypto More SBC Drama 28:52

5M ago28:52

28:52

On today’s program, an Arizona church is fighting to continue its food pantry ministry—but city zoning regulations threaten to shut it down. We’ll have details. Also, the rise in crypto currency is forcing nonprofits to consider the pros and cons of taking crypto donations. We’ll take a look. And, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountabilit…

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