Wretched Radio with Todd Friel

It’s Witness Wednesday! In this episode of Wretched Radio, Todd engages in deep, thought-provoking discussions with Georgia Tech students Ryan and Dallas about God’s existence, the Gospel, and the moral implications of their beliefs. Todd employs logic and morality to present the Christian viewpoint, challenging their perspectives and highlighting the importance of reconciling with God through Jesus Christ. Segment 1: • Ryan calls himself “probably agnostic,” leaning toward Big Bang over creation. • Todd uses Ryan’s Chick-fil-A sandwich to argue design proves a Designer. • Ryan admits Todd’s explanation is “prettier” but ultimately doubts a Creator. Segment 2 • Todd probes Ryan’s conscience, confronting him about lying, stealing, and lust. • Ryan insists he’s a “good person” despite acknowledging guilt by biblical standards. • He shrugs off judgment, claiming he’s “no worse than anyone else.” Segment 3 • Dallas believes in a vague “higher power” but rejects organized religion due to historical abuses. • Todd walks Dallas through the Ten Commandments, showing his guilt before God. • Dallas concedes he’d likely be judged guilty: “That’s probably true.” Segment 4 • Todd presents Jesus as Dallas’s only hope for redemption, emphasizing grace, not works. • Dallas hesitates, acknowledging the logic but resisting surrender: “I may just have to accept the deepest circle of hell.” • Todd pleads with him to repent before facing God’s justice. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Segment 1: • Dr. John MacArthur has passed, but his gospel legacy endures. • He was simply a tool in the Carpenter’s hand—Christ deserves the glory. • Mourn not fearfully, but gratefully: “Look what Jesus has done.” Segment 2: • MacArthur preached through the New Testament for 42 years, never wavering from expository preaching. • He carried himself with pastoral dignity, never settling for entertainment over shepherding souls. • When death comes, serious men—not silly ones—are the pastors we long for. Segment 3: • College students today can’t explain basic Christian doctrines. • Emotional reasoning and claims of oppression now trump truth. • New campus events will tackle why young adults are “deconstructing” their faith. Segment 4: • Baylor University returned $630,000 meant for LGBT research—good news! • Disturbing data: professing Christians report record levels of pornography addiction. • If you’re not part of a local church, you’re missing vital gospel growth.

Segment 1: • John MacArthur has contracted pneumonia and may soon meet his Savior. • Why do we mourn when a believer has their best day ahead? • God’s church will endure; Dr. MacArthur’s ministry points us to Christ, not himself. Segment 2: • “Death is a believer’s coronation day”—a reminder from Thomas Brooks. • Church fellowship now is just a glimpse of heavenly fellowship. • We grieve, yet with hope, knowing eternity is coming. Segment 3: • Remembering when you first heard Dr. MacArthur’s teaching. • Local pastors are unsung heroes who guard and grind for their churches. • Encourage your pastor; he’s God’s chosen shepherd for you. Segment 4: • Pastors carry unseen burdens; few know their struggles. • Faithful pastors quietly sacrifice for their flocks, week after week. • If Dr. MacArthur blessed you, remember: your local pastor blesses you even more. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

It’s Mailbag Friday! You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers! Segment 1: • Are pipe organs and bagpipes really the same instrument? • Is it appropriate for a woman to give men a booklet about porn and manhood? • I fell into sin again—do I need to “start over” or keep going? • My husband seems like a false convert—should I confront him or just pray? Segment 2: • Does God expect me to obey the Bible before He’ll show me His will for my life? • How can I help a friend see Jesus in the Old Testament? Segment 3: • What should we make of a church sign that uses Latin to defend wokeness? • How can I shift from reading the Bible transactionally to reading it to know God? Segment 4: • If God is all-powerful, why does He use angels to accomplish His work? • Should abortion be treated as a criminal act under the law? ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Segment 1: • The Methodist church (and now PCUSA) shows what happens when you abandon Sola Scriptura. • Liberation Theology and LGBT compromise start with bad hermeneutics. • “Herman Who?” (soon free) will help you see why hermeneutics matters for staying faithful. Segment 2: • Not all modern worship is shallow—some songs (like Matt Papa/Boswell) get it right. • Most contemporary worship, though, remains me-centered and theologically thin. • Discernment in music shapes your view of God and worship. Segment 3: • Young people are leaving church for reasons deeper than they realize: they think faith is shallow, anti-science, and overprotective. • PLAY THE MAN cards equip young men for real spiritual battle. • Culture says “follow your desires,” but God’s design offers something far better. Segment 4: • God’s laws aren’t restrictive; they’re good for you and guard your joy. • Many reject Jesus without knowing the real Jesus they’re rejecting. • Joe Rogan’s conversations hint at the hunger for truth that only Christ satisfies. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

It’s Witness Wednesday! In this episode of Wretched Radio’s Witness Wednesday, Todd engages in philosophical and theological conversations with several Georgia Tech students about their beliefs and life’s purpose. Todd speaks with Orin, a 22-year-old mechanical engineering student who shares his thoughts on Christianity and his own faith journey. Next, Todd talks with a French aerospace engineering student, who identifies as an atheist, discussing the complexity of belief systems and the concept of truth. Todd then converses with a student reading Malcolm Gladwell’s ‘The Tipping Point’ and delves into how Christianity can be seen as a tipping point in human history. Lastly, Todd encounters a student who is rushing to the library. Throughout the episode, Todd uses analogies and thought experiments to explore the students’ perspectives on God, morality, and the afterlife. Segment 1: • Orin, a 7th-generation namesake and mechanical engineer, admits he’s unsure of his life’s purpose despite claiming Christianity. • Todd challenges Orin’s postmodern thinking, showing that “truth is truth,” not “truth for you.” • Orin claims faith but wrestles with whether Jesus is his greatest priority, revealing the difference between “believing” and being born again. Segment 2: • A French aerospace student admits he might believe in “a creator” but rejects organized religion and says no religion is true. • Todd uses design arguments and conscience to show him that God is both Creator and judge, requiring a payment for sin. • The student listens thoughtfully as Todd explains Christianity as “done for you” vs. “do more religion,” leaving him with the gospel. Segment 3: • A Christian student reading The Tipping Point agrees Jesus is the tipping point of history but struggles to articulate why Jesus alone is the way to God. • Todd presses him on gospel clarity: salvation is by repentance and faith, not works, and clarifies the true cost of following Christ. • The student recognizes the need for obedience flowing from salvation, not causing it, reinforcing gospel precision for listeners. Segment 4: • A student agrees design implies a designer but questions “Who made God?” and struggles with God’s justice vs. man’s morals. • Todd uses the conscience test (lying, lust, blasphemy) to show him his guilt before a holy God. • Despite acknowledging the gospel, the student chooses his “own beliefs” over Christ, illustrating the tragic yet common rejection of grace. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Segment 1: • “Play the Man” cards are now in 200+ locations to equip men for evangelism. • Fortis’ mission: Souls matter more than any cultural win. • Visit fortisinstitute.org/playtheman to grab cards and join the work. Segment 2: • You don’t need a “new you” gimmick if you’re in Christ—you are a new creation. • Real change comes from loving Jesus more than your sins, not self-help hacks. • Lust and greed are conquered when you treasure Christ above all. Segment 3: • Fortis is heading to college campuses this fall to tackle deconstruction head-on. • Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett’s book exposes deconstruction’s root: love of the world. • God’s rules aren’t oppressive; they free you from your real oppressor—sin. Segment 4: • When engaging “exvangelicals,” skip the sarcasm; respond with respect and clarity. • The gospel isn’t just fire insurance—it’s about knowing and treasuring God. • Without God, humans have no objective value; only Christ gives true worth. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Segment 1: • What makes us different from machines? Todd unpacks the doctrine of Imago Dei and how AI is blurring the lines between man and machine. • A Christianity Today issue surprisingly focuses on AI—but how helpful was it really? • Baylor gets a grant to study why Christianity “hurts” LGBT students. Todd explores the deeper problem behind that question. • AI algorithms are shaping addictive social media habits—and possibly shaping your soul. Segment 2: • What is intelligence? And what makes human intelligence unique? • Todd explains how Christians are turning to their theological catalogs to make sense of AI’s rise. • With machines giving life advice and learning faster than ever, the question looms: Should they get human rights? Segment 3: • Could robots someday replace your pastor? A wild idea, but maybe not far off. • Christianity Today’s AI issue wasn’t all bad—Todd shares what was decent and what wasn’t. • Are we made for this speed of life? Internet and urban living may be rewiring our brains in harmful ways. Segment 4: • A moment of honesty: Todd gives credit to a few C.T. articles. • But Christine Caine’s “testimony” in the same issue raises red flags—comparing her sin to Judas’s betrayal. • Was Jesus inviting Judas to repent? Todd tackles the theology—and calls out false narratives with clarity. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

It’s Mailbag Friday! You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers! Segment 1: • Am I sinning if I skip serving at church because I disagree with a guest preacher? • Should women teach deep theology to other women—or is that reserved for elders? • Will I spiritually starve after graduating youth group—and how can I stay fed? • How can you tell a true believer from someone who just looks and acts like one? • Why can’t I stop watching sinful entertainment even when I feel dead to it? Segment 2: • How should I confront false teaching if I feel called to discernment ministry? Segment 3: • What are the biblical “rules of engagement” for discernment ministry? Segment 4: • Who best models godly discernment in your opinion? • Am I not a Christian if I don’t feel sorrow over my sin—even though I repent? • How do you know who to marry if marriage reflects Christ’s love for the church? ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Segment 1: • John MacArthur: There is no such thing as “Christian Nationalism.” • Jesus never tied political power to advancing His kingdom. • Christ came for hearts, not government control—He calls us to live transformed lives, not to seize nations. Segment 2: • Christians should care about politics, but can’t force governments to obey Scripture. • Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world—He didn’t overthrow Rome. • Christian Nationalism often lacks clear biblical support despite quotes from theologians. Segment 3: • Jesus promised His spiritual kingdom would prevail against darkness, not political kingdoms. • We must align with what Scripture says, not postmillennial dreams of a theocracy. • Christians should engage politics wisely, but expect the world to get darker, not Christianized. Segment 4: • Seeking a “muscular Christianity”? Be careful it doesn’t become vigilante Christianity. • When, if ever, should Christians resist or overthrow corrupt governments? • We must obey God over man—but Scripture limits when and how resistance is biblical. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!