The Good Citizen Podcast

The Texas Capitol is 14.64 feet taller than the U.S. Capitol because, well, of course it is. And this is one more piece of evidence that (say it with me) everything is bigger in Texas. I recently attended a Pastors’ Day at the Texas statehouse organized by the Church Ambassador Network of Texas, and I was blessed to see all that God is doing in the Lone Star State. In this episode, Bryan English (Executive Director of CAN in Texas) explains his unique call into ministry, explores the challenges and opportunities in Texas, and gives the highlights and lessons from recent ministry successes that can be applied in your city and state. Bryan English brings a diverse ministry background to his role as Executive Director of the Church Ambassador Network of Texas that includes pastoral ministry, non-profit work, and campaign experience. In addition to serving as a pastor, Bryan was previously on staff with the Iowa Family Policy Center (now the Family Leader,) worked as a Congressional staffer, and has led or worked on local, state, and federal campaigns. Bryan and his wife live in Sugar Land, TX. They are the parents of three adult sons and a daughter-in-law. Key Takeaways/Links: More information about the Church Ambassador Network of Texas. Videos and photos from the recent Pastors’ Day at the Texas statehouse. Link to the team and a graphic showing the sheer scale of covering the entire state. Bio page for Texas Chief Justice Blackrock. Link to Texas Health and Human Services. The post #363 Public Square Ministry in Texas with Bryan English first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Over the last week, I have received a number of questions about the church’s role concerning immigration and how to love and serve our neighbors well while also complying with the law. More specifically, a number of churches have reported that significant numbers of immigrants (even those with legal status such as asylum or refugee status) are not coming to church out of fear or concern about changing standards. And, I have received questions about how to respond if ICE agents show up to a church or Christian school. In this episode, I cover these questions and review Biblical and legal standards. Key points concerning the church and immigration: Scripture speaks clearly but in tension. U.S. immigration laws are complex, inconsistently enforced, and in desperate need of reform. Thoughts on how to follow the law and love and serve your immigrant neighbors well right now. The post #362 The Church, Immigration, Ordered Loves, and ICE Raids first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

There has been much talk lately about a new American Golden Age, and I certainly pray for the peace and prosperity of the United States and hope her best days are ahead of her (Jer. 29). Though a Golden Age is not guaranteed, I am confident that 2025 is a golden opportunity to redouble our efforts to engage government and create meaningful reforms that honor God and our good for our neighbors. Here are four reasons why: Creation Order is creating change. States are driving the change in status quo. Executive Orders and even Congress will not reorder culture. The Church has an open door to speak up and serve well. Key Takeaways and links: Link to Executive Order: “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” Link to Executive Order: “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation.” Link to Executive Order: “Enforcing the Hyde Amendment.” Link to Executive Order: “Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship.” The post #361 A Golden Opportunity: 4 Reasons We Should Redouble our Efforts to Renew America Right Now first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

More than half of teenagers report seeing online pornography before the age of thirteen, and 73% percent of teens report exposure to pornography. The harms of pornography are well documented, and seventeen U.S states have declared pornography a public health crisis. Given the recent oral arguments in FSC v. Paxton, what can Christians do about protecting the innocence of children online? In this episode, I review the state of the law concerning the intersection of pornography and free speech with Joseph Kohm and explore what church leaders and other committed Christians can do to impact this public health crisis. Joseph Kohm III, Esq. is Director of Public Policy at Family Policy Alliance (FPA), where he leads FPA’s policy strategy, provides policy and legislative expertise, and drafts and advocates for pro-family legislation at the state and federal levels to release Biblical citizenship. Joseph is a U.S. Army veteran of the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) and a graduate of Regent University School of Law. He is licensed to practice law in Washington, D.C. and the State of New York. Joseph’s legal experiences are in commander-directed Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) investigations within the armed forces as well as anti-trafficking in persons (human trafficking) legal efforts, both in foreign and domestic jurisdictions and states. He worked as a Regent Law Center for Global Justice intern at the Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH) outside of Jakarta, Indonesia, where he operated alongside Indonesian and other Southeast Asian lawyers and law students to combat the spread of illegal trafficking in persons. Key Takeaways: Recent study about pornography use among teenagers. Information about and the briefing in FSC v. Paxton. Link to Exodus Cry, a ministry combating sexual exploitation. FPA Podcast episodes on God’s design for sex and marriage, the harms of online pornography, and the connections between pornography and sexual assault. A brief review of the legal efforts to protect kids from pornography. Takeaways from the oral arguments in FSC v. Paxton last week and what church leaders and committed Christians can do to promote age verification in their state and at the federal level. FPA’s School Board Academy. FPA’s Tech Ready Family course. States with age verification laws: The post #360 How You Can Help Protect Kids from Porn with Joseph Kohm first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

If Christians parents do not teach and model a Biblical worldview to their children early and often, then culture will disciple them for us. We all recognize that swiftly changing culture is so pervasive and persistent that it finds its way past the protective walls of our homes, schools, and churches. So, how do we proactively raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? In their recent book What Do I Say When, Andrew and Christian Walker draw on their experiences as (respectively) Christian ethicist and teacher and as parents to provide a practical guide for busy parents raising kids in the midst of cultural chaos. Dr. Walker serves as Associate Dean in the School of Theology, and Associate Professor of Christian Ethics and Public Theology. He is also the Director of the Carl F. H. Henry Institute for Evangelical Engagement. Additionally, he is a fellow in Christian Political Thought at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and serves as the Managing Editor of WORLD Opinions. Walker joined the faculty of Southern Seminary in 2019. His previous appointment was Senior Fellow in Christian Ethics at the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. He is married to Christian, and they have three children. He is a member of Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky.  Key Takeaways: A discussion about key cultural issues such as sexuality, political involvement, human dignity, and abortion and how and when to address with children in an age-appropriate way. Dr. Walker’s book on natural law mentioned in the episode: Faithful Reason: Natural Law Ethics for God’s Glory and Our Good. A discussion of the different floors/stage of development and how to address cultural issues in each one. Opportunities and challenges for Christian citizens in the Trump administration. Follow Dr. Walker on X: @andrewtwalk. Link to Bully Pulpit Podcast. The post #359 What Do I Say When …? A Parent’s Guide to Navigating Cultural Chaos for Children and Teens with Andrew Walker first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

I am praying that this year, 2025, is one of renewal for the American experiment. This year is a critical opportunity to push back on unbiblical ideas and government overreach, shore up constitutional protections for parents and ministries, and partner with government officials for the common good. If we are to fully seize this opportunity, though, it is important to understand how the United States arrived at this moral and cultural crisis and how to respond. In this episode focused on his recent book, Stumbling toward Utopia, author Tim Goeglein looks at the philosophies and policies that led to the societal earthquake of the1960s and how those philosophies and policies have led to the cataclysm America faces today. He offers a blueprint for how we can reject those philosophies and policies by returning to the core values upon which America was built: personal responsibility, respect for life, sexual restraint, and patriotism. Tim Goeglein is Vice President of External and Government Relations for Focus on the Family. Formerly, he served as a special assistant to President George W. Bush and as a deputy director of the White House Office of Public Liaison. He was the President’s principal outreach contact for conservative and faith-based groups. Tim’s extensive resumé includes serving as a senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation and as a communications director for U.S. Senator Dan Coats of Indiana and Gary Bauer at the Campaign for Working Families. Tim has authored a memoir, The Man in the Middle: Faith and Politics in the George W. Bush Era, and his latest book is titled American Restoration. He and his wife, Jenny, have two sons.The post #358 Stumbling Toward Utopia: How the 1960s Turned Into a National Nightmare and How We Can Revive the American Dream with Tim Goeglein first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

In Christmas sermons, we often focus on the wise men, Mary, the Shepherds, and the angels. But there is another, silent player in the Christmas story that is often overlooked. Here is the perspective of Joseph and how he, in turn, points to the glory and majesty of Christ’s birth. Outline: The Royal Line A Match Made in Heaven A Baby Refugee A Warrior Prince Key Takeaways: A review of Jewish history during the silent period and what a Jewish teenager in the line of David may have experienced. A review of Jewish marriage customs; and Joseph’s remarkable, immediate obedience. The suggestion from history about the early death of Joseph. Joseph’s often overlooked role in the God’s grand story of redemption. Key lessons on identity, obedience, and significance. To David, God entrusted a kingdom. To Joseph, God entrusted the king. Perhaps Mary fell asleep from the utter exhaustion of childbirth, and Joseph picked up Jesus and held him up to the starlight. David desired to build the temple so the priest’s could stand in God’s presence, but Joseph held God in his hands. This son of David no longer had to look back to the glory of Israel now crumbling and gone–a refugee from the evil empire of Rome, powerless to even protest a forced census, and soon to flee to Egypt with his young family. He now held the King of the nations. Perhaps Jesus reached up with his tiny hand and grabbed one of Joseph’s calloused fingers. And when Joseph looked into his eyes, for just a moment, he saw something not just innocent but awesome, even terrifying. He saw in those eyes the fire of eternity and the wisdom of the ages, he felt in that hand the power that created the universe, in his presence the purity of a holy God, the majesty of a cosmic King that would rule forever. Perhaps he realized that it was not he, as adoptive father, that held his child’s hard; rather, it was Jesus, as everlasting Father, that was holding his. And just for a moment perhaps the noise of the animals faded away, the weight of responsibility fell of, and he did the only thing one could do–he worshipped. This quiet carpenter knew His King and Savior had come. The post #357 God’s Guardian: The Story of Joseph first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

Wherever the Way or the gospel goes, it has kingdom-shaking implications. Pagan practices go bankrupt, power and allegiance are shaken, and riots often break out. This is no tame, keep-it-to-myself movement. In previous chapters, the power of the Jesus has challenged the power of Rome, overcome superstition, and perplexed the philosophers. Now, in Acts 19, it dethrones an ancient diety named Diana and triumphs in a religious center; and Roman rule actually assists and protects Paul as he ministers there for several years. Big Idea: The early church carried the gospel throughout the known world in approximately 30 years and transformed an empire in 3 centuries. Now the church seems intimidated, uncertain amidst swift cultural changes. So, what did the early Christians, commanded by Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, do that we are not doing? Here are their Acts, and may they inspire our own. Outline: Holy Handkerchiefs! Unimpressed Demons Diana Dethroned Key Takeaways: The remarkable story of healing through Paul’s handkerchiefs. A terrifying tale of Jeiwsh exorcists that more than met their match. The magnificence of the temple of Diana/Artemis, and the extent of its reach in the Roman world. The fact that Paul calls the Asiarchs his friend (vs. 31) and the connection to I Timothy 2:1-2. The power of the Word, and the faithful ministry of Paul and other believers. The post #356 Acts 19 first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

The impact of fatherlessness in our society is staggering. For example, according to the Department for Health and Human Services, 85% of youth in prison or some form of incarceration grew up in a fatherless home. This is not meant to disparage the heroic efforts of single moms or downplay the success of many children that are growing up or grew up in a home without a dad. But, if we are to successfully reverse the breakdown of the family and impact a host of societal ills, this issue of fatherlessness stands out as a critical and often overlooked root cause. In this episode, I discuss the fatherless epidemic and how to respond with Sean Teis. He has a powerful personal testimony and leads God is My Dad, a ministry dedicated to serving fatherless families and equipping churches to do the same. Key Takeaways: The heartbreaking and eye-opening statistics related to the effects of fatherlessness. The fact that Scripture often refers to the “fatherless” as (Jer.5:28; James 1:27) A link to the website and tools referenced in the interview. A policy brief setting out stats and trends concerning fatherlessness. How you and your church can help. The post #355 The Fatherless Epidemic and How to Respond with Sean Teis first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.

I have been sounding the alarm for some time about a simple but frightening legal strategy– interpreting the definition of child abuse or neglect to include Christian parents raising a child consistent with that child’s sex as male or female. In other words, if Christian parents do not “affirm” a child’s transgender ideology, the full weight of the juvenile courts and the state child welfare agency can be brought to bear. This can include removal of that child from the parents’ home and even a court order barring those parents from speaking to their own child about sex. For example, consider the Cox case out of Indiana. This legal standard is now codified in states such as California, Washington, and Minnesota (see the briefing in the Cox case), and Minnesota has passed a “Trans Refuge” law that allows the state to take custody of child (against the parents’ wishes) if that child is in the state for “gender-affirming care.” In this episode, I walk through this growing assault on parental rights and how to respond with Laura Bryant Hanford, a contributing editor to the Federalist and a key advocate for parental rights. Key takeaways: The right and responsibility of parents—not the state—to raise their children according to their beliefs is a Biblical, pre-political principle that must be protected in state and federal law. Laura’s important contribution to the International Religious Freedom Act, as detailed in this article. The story behind Sage’s law and another heart-breaking parental rights violation out of Virginia. The sermon by David Platt she mentions in the interview. What Christian parents and churches can do to respond to this growing assault. The latest on the certification process for Child Advocacy Centers and the lack of evidentiary support behind medical treatment that is contrary to a child’s sex. Model state legislation for protecting parental rights – the Defining Abuse Child Protection Act. The post #354 The Growing Assault on Parental Rights with Laura Bryant Hanford first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.