The WallBuilders Show

Headlines move fast, and too many churches step back the moment culture slaps “political” on a topic. We lean in. From life and marriage to immigration and gender, we unpack why Scripture still speaks when the room gets loud—and how pastors can guide people through hard news without turning Sunday into a shouting match. The aim isn’t outrage; it’s discipleship that equips believers to love their neighbors with conviction and clarity.We share data on pastors who believe the Bible addresses modern issues yet rarely teach them, and we highlight encouraging shifts since COVID: weekly cultural briefings, sermon-adjacent podcasts, and a renewed focus on formation over fear. Expect practical ideas for weaving timely guidance into planned series, plus a frank look at handling pushback from the vocal few. Courage grows when congregations voice support, and we offer ways to build that culture so truth-telling feels normal, not risky.Then we zoom out to courts and civic life. What judges “see” in the Constitution often reflects how they were taught—original text or living document. We trace how law schools shaped the bench and outline a long game for reform: elect leaders who value original meaning, strengthen civic literacy, and show up in low-turnout races that decide key pipelines. Along the way, a listener question about the Founders’ Greek, Latin, and Hebrew opens a window into early American education and the power of immersion for real understanding.If you want faith that stands firm in a noisy world—and tools to make a difference where you live—this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share the episode with a friend who cares about biblical clarity in public life, and leave a review telling us the next “political” topic you want addressed.Support the show

Hidden networks. Secret signals on a clothesline. A general who didn’t even know every name that kept him alive. We sit down with composer Christy Stutzman to unveil Ring of Spies, a new musical that brings George Washington’s Culper Ring out of the shadows and onto the stage with period-rich music, meticulous research, and a story that stirs the heart.We trace the British occupation of New York and Long Island, follow Haim Solomon’s bold blend of languages, finance, and espionage, and meet Robert Townsend and Anna Strong, whose quiet courage turned ordinary life into a codebook. Christy shares the poignant arc of Liz, an enslaved girl whose flight to British lines led to deeper abuse, and the daring rescue that returned her to freedom—proof that the Revolution’s true stories are diverse, complex, and unforgettable. From thwarting counterfeit plots and exposing Benedict Arnold to safeguarding the French fleet, the Culper Ring shows how intelligence, sacrifice, and faith shaped victory as surely as battlefield tactics.Designed for a two-hour-twenty run with twenty-three original songs, Ring of Spies honors history without lecturing and embraces craft without compromise. With Kennedy Center dates locked for September 14–20 and plans to license nationwide, the production aims to give schools and community theaters a powerful, values-centered show that sells tickets because it’s excellent and earns trust because it’s true. We talk premiere possibilities, research partnerships, and why reclaiming space on the stage matters for the nation’s 250th.Ready to see history sing and courage echo? Listen now, share with a friend who loves theater or the American founding, and subscribe so you don’t miss updates on premiere cities, ticket links, and licensing opportunities. Then tell us: which unsung Revolutionary hero would you spotlight next?Support the show

What if the most important map of power right now runs from Tehran’s streets to Greenland’s ice? We sit down with Rudy Atallah to connect the dots between a weakening Iranian regime, a surprising surge of underground Christianity, and the hard math of deterrence in a hypersonic age.We start with Iran, where protests have flared across dozens of cities and casualty estimates run high. Rudy unpacks credible signals beneath the noise of social media—cyber operations targeting IRGC systems, Starlink‑enabled evidence, and the regime’s brutal crowd suppression. Then comes a deeper current: the growth of a house‑church movement seeded years ago by Chinese underground pastors working in Iranian construction projects. That spiritual shift, combined with an educated youth rejecting theocracy, pressures the regime from below. We weigh how much leverage protesters have, what outside actors are prepared to do, and how an exiled figure like the former Shah’s son could position a post‑clerical Iran, including potential recognition of Israel and entry into the Abraham Accords.From there, we scan regional flashpoints. In Syria, an ISIS prison break rebuilds radical networks along the Turkish border and threatens to reverse hard‑won progress and funding streams. In Lebanon, Israel continues targeted strikes against Hezbollah leadership south of the Litani River, aiming to prevent a two‑front war if Iran escalates. We cut through the noise about who influences whom: Israel is a vital partner that absorbs risk and shares intelligence, while the U.S. often sets operational boundaries—a relationship defined by coordination, not control.Finally, we head north. Greenland’s location between North America, Europe, and Russia makes it a pivotal early‑warning platform. With hypersonic weapons shrinking decision windows, forward sensors and bases can mean the difference between deterrence and disaster. We explore why past American leaders eyed Greenland, how China has quietly sought footholds there, and how energy and minerals strategy from Iran to Venezuela ties into a broader plan to constrain adversaries while strengthening U.S. defense.If this kind of clear‑eyed, faith‑aware geopolitics helps you see the world more clearly, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review with the hotspot you want us to tackle next.Support the show

Start with a simple question: should medals, scholarships, and roster spots meant for girls be decided by biology or identity? We dive straight into a Supreme Court showdown that could reset Title IX and define fairness in women’s sports for more than half the country. With Senator Mayes Middleton at the table, we unpack how states like Idaho and West Virginia crafted sex-based competition laws, why Texas took similar steps, and what the Justices’ questions reveal about where this ruling might land.This conversation moves beyond headlines. We revisit the legal sea change that came when the Court scrapped the Lemon test, opening the door for public expressions of faith—like Fort Worth’s granite Ten Commandments monument—and explore how that shift affects the way courts weigh moral clarity against ideological pressure. Senator Middleton shares hard-won lessons from the legislative trenches, why the Save Women’s Sports movement centers on immutable realities, and how safety, privacy, and opportunity for girls are compromised when categories lose their meaning. We also look at the contradictions exposed in arguments that refuse to define “woman” while seeking to reshape female sports.The stakes are real: 29 states have laws that hinge on the Court’s next move. We spotlight athlete stories, the practical impact on competitions and locker rooms, and the broader principle that durable civil rights require objective standards. This isn’t about partisan talking points—it’s about restoring fairness to competition and coherence to policy. We close by connecting the legal fight to education reforms in Texas and the importance of leaders who defend constitutional order with courage and clarity.If you care about Title IX, women’s sports, or the future of faith and law in public life, this episode brings context, candor, and a roadmap for what comes next. Listen, share with a friend, and leave a review to tell us where you think the Court should draw the line.Support the show

A cascade of good news stretches from Caracas to Tehran, and the common thread is clarity backed by action. We break down how the fall of Maduro exposed the depth of Cuban involvement, cut a vital oil lifeline to Havana, and sent shockwaves through China’s energy and gold ambitions. When a regime relies on foreign soldiers for personal security, the problem isn’t just optics—it’s a sign of collapsing legitimacy, and the aftershocks can reorder a hemisphere.We also zoom in on what smart pressure really does. Cuba’s weakened position, reduced oil flow to China, and a recalibrated regional posture all reflect a simple principle: remove adversaries’ leverage, and stability has room to grow. That same principle surfaces in the Middle East, where a firm warning led Iran’s leadership to signal interest in talks after deadly crackdowns on protesters. Deterrence is not an empty slogan; it’s a set of boundaries that, when enforced, make diplomacy possible.Back at home, norms get tested and reinforced. A Minneapolis hotel that refused service to ICE agents lost its franchise, a rare but important reminder that standards matter beyond politics. And in a twist that defies stereotypes, the UAE cut funding for students to study in the UK over concerns about radicalization, underscoring how even modern, pro-Western states are actively guarding their youth from ideological hardening. Along the way, we tackle the ripple effects on asylum, the meme-fueled campus protests that miss basic facts, and what accountability should look like when lawful operations face organized obstruction.If this kind of clear-eyed, fact-driven analysis helps you make sense of the headlines, follow the show, share this episode with a friend, and leave a quick review. Your support helps more people find thoughtful conversations grounded in history, policy, and results.Support the show

Credit card APR creeping into the high 20s can feel like quicksand, and that’s exactly where we start—by asking whether a president can, or should, cap rates at 10 percent for a year. We sort the legal from the rhetorical, exploring the constitutional limits on executive power, the real-world ripple effects of price controls, and how a bully pulpit can move industries without writing a single rule. Through a biblical lens, we talk about profit versus exploitation, why Scripture warns against practices that deepen debt bondage, and how moral responsibility belongs to lenders and borrowers alike.From there we zoom out to solutions that outlast headlines. We dig into practical reforms that reinforce a healthy market: more transparency, fewer subsidies that distort risk, and serious financial literacy so families recognize the cost of compounding interest before it traps them. That thread carries us into the second half: how to teach America’s founding in a way that forms judgment, not just memory. We make the case for principles over trivia—using primary sources, biographies, and site visits to let students encounter real people, wrestle with real choices, and extract lessons that apply to school boards, budgets, and daily life.We also share resources for parents and teachers who want to start now: story-rich materials, digitized archives, and programs that bring history to life. The goal is a generation confident in reading the past for wisdom, not just facts—citizens who prefer persuasion over force, and character over convenience. If that resonates, hit follow, share this with a friend who’s battling debt or building a curriculum, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway so we can bring more conversations like this to your feed.Support the show

What if the fastest way to shrink the foster care system is to prevent entries in the first place? We unpack Florida’s results-driven approach that invited churches and nonprofits into a formal partnership with state agencies—without crossing constitutional lines—and turned compassion into measurable change. By treating faith communities as essential partners in prevention, crisis care, and reunification, Florida built real-time bridges between caseworkers and congregations and saw foster care numbers drop dramatically.We walk through the simple moves that changed the tone and the outcomes: 40,000 thank-you notes acknowledging existing service, a “red phone” straight into the governor’s office for pastors and ministry leaders, and a tech platform that alerts nearby churches when a caseworker logs a family’s urgent need. Often, the missing piece keeping a child safe at home was as basic as a bed. When churches delivered that bed, they built relationships that stabilized families long after the request was met.The results speak for themselves: 2,200 churches collaborating statewide, a 34–40% reduction in foster care population from roughly 23,332 to under 15,000, and an estimated $248 million in annual taxpayer savings. More important, thousands of children avoided the trauma of removal because support arrived upstream. We also share a step-by-step playbook any state can adapt: map the faith landscape, extend an authentic invitation, centralize communication for faith leaders, deploy a needs-matching tool like CarePortal, and offer multiple on-ramps for congregations to serve within legal and ethical guardrails.If you care about child welfare reform, faith-based community impact, and practical policy that works, this conversation offers both the vision and the toolkit. Subscribe, share with a policymaker or pastor, and leave a review with your state—what’s the first step you’d take to build this bridge where you live?Support the show

What if the surest way to protect every right you love is to start with the front door on its hinges and the deed in your drawer? We dig into the founders’ most overlooked insight: secure property is the spine of liberty. Tim Barton walks through original sources—Adams, Madison, Dickinson, Lee—and shows how they linked private ownership to freedom, moral order, and social trust. Then we test those principles against today’s realities: swelling assessments, layered taxes, and seniors losing fully paid-off homes. The question isn’t whether taxation can exist; it’s how to keep ownership from becoming a revocable privilege.We contrast the founders’ consent-based, purpose-tied approach with modern practice. Daniel Webster’s case for funding education from property was narrow and civic-minded, not a blank check. John Marshall acknowledged the taxing power while pointing to constitutional structure as our only safeguard against abuse. Joseph Story’s warning feels prophetic now: when laws make the enjoyment of property precarious, liberty erodes whether the decree comes from a despot or an eager legislature. That’s more than rhetoric when families watch generational homes slip away for want of taxes their budgets can’t meet.We also ground the conversation in Scripture. Chronicles, Proverbs, and Ezekiel present land and inheritance as gifts to be stewarded and defended from unjust seizure. Those texts don’t write a tax code, but they draw moral lines: rulers must not use power to evict people from their inheritance or frustrate parents and grandparents who provide for the next generations. When policy crosses those lines, patriotism wanes, trust collapses, and communities fracture.Together we sketch a path forward: tighter assessment caps, strong homestead protections, transparent consent, targeted relief for fixed-income owners, and a reset toward simple, restrained, voter-accountable funding. If property truly guards every other right, then safeguarding ownership is not a niche cause—it is the practical defense of liberty itself. If this resonates, share the episode, subscribe for more constitutional deep dives, and leave a review with your best idea for fair, freedom-respecting reform.Support the show

Start with a simple question: what happens to freedom when property fades? We dive into that pressure point with a story that runs from Genesis to Philadelphia, tracing how stewardship, ownership, and consent form the backbone of a free society. Tim Barton walks through the biblical roots of private property—creation, cultivation, and commands that forbid stealing and coveting—then highlights the stark warning of 1 Samuel 8, where centralized power “takes” until liberty shrivels. That ancient caution feels modern when set against ideologies that dream of abolishing ownership and replacing personal responsibility with administrative control.We connect those roots to America’s founding mind. John Locke’s case for government as a trust to preserve property shaped the Revolution and the Constitution. Samuel Adams named life, liberty, and property as natural rights with the authority to defend them “in the best manner” possible. We unpack why Jefferson wrote “pursuit of happiness” instead of “property,” guided by George Mason’s influence and a refusal to sanctify slavery. Happiness here means human flourishing—virtue, family, work—sustained by the right to acquire and keep the fruits of one’s labor. John Dickinson’s crisp test frames our present: if others may by right take what is yours without consent, neither property nor freedom is secure.The conversation lands with practical stakes for legislators and citizens: guard against regulatory takings, tighten eminent domain to true public use with just compensation, and restore transparency so consent is real, not assumed. Teach the next generation why property is not greed but the space where responsibility lives. If you care about religious liberty, family stability, entrepreneurship, and fair elections, start by securing the ground beneath them—private property.If this resonates, share it with a friend who sees it differently and ask them to test the claims. Subscribe for more constitutional, historical, and biblical insights, leave a review to help others find the show, and pass this along to someone in public office who needs clear, principled footing.Support the show

The headlines move fast, but America’s core ideas move the needle. We open with a surprising deep dive into the Monroe Doctrine—penned by John Quincy Adams and issued by President James Monroe—and connect it to modern policy choices around Venezuela and hemispheric security. When you judge action by founding-era principles instead of social media noise, foreign policy looks less like a personality contest and more like constitutional muscle memory at work.From there, we head west to a major shift in the Ninth Circuit. A two-to-one ruling leaned on the Supreme Court’s Bruin decision to strike down California’s open carry restrictions in large counties, arguing that firearm regulations must align with the nation’s historical tradition. The state claimed citizens could apply for licenses, yet admitted none had been issued. That gap between policy on paper and rights in practice is exactly what the new Second Amendment framework is designed to expose, and it marks a notable change in a circuit once nicknamed the “Ninth Circus.”Then we pivot to the First Circuit, where a three-judge panel affirmed Congress’s authority to defund abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, through clear appropriations language. The kicker: all three judges were appointed by President Biden. Beyond the culture-war headlines, the ruling reinforces a fundamental constitutional truth—the power of the purse belongs to the legislature. When Congress speaks plainly, courts should not invent spending mandates.Across these stories, one pattern emerges: history, text, and institutional roles still decide outcomes. Whether it’s the Monroe Doctrine guiding regional boundaries, Bruin reshaping Second Amendment litigation, or Article I controlling federal dollars, the system works best when we remember how it’s built. If you’re tired of hot takes and ready for substance, you’ll find a straightforward playbook here: measure policies against founding principles and let that standard do the sorting.If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves history with teeth, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find us. Your take: which precedent should guide today’s leaders the most?Support the show