A video that made the rounds on social media last week featured a group of Portland educators in a Zoom meeting. After introductions including the obligatory "preferred pronouns," the moderator said, "I'm gonna say something that's not nice and not sweet, but it's true. If you're not evolving into an anti-racist educator, you're making yourself obsolete." She didn't mean that these educators would fade away. As she went on to explain, anyone who disagreed with the new agenda would no longer find...
Jun 14, 2021•6 min
John and Maria discuss how politics makes a lousy worldview before dissecting stories on deconversion from Christianity and other stories of conversion to faith in Jesus. Maria then shares a recent story of a mother in Tanner Cross' school district to defends the elementary gym teacher with her story from Mao's China. John shares his disappointment that the mother's story isn't given more credence in the eyes of the media. John and Maria also visit on three important movements happening with Chi...
Jun 11, 2021•1 hr
The most common refrain in Genesis about God's creation of the world is that it was good . Down through the centuries, many people both inside and outside the Church have tried to say that the material world is less valuable or important than intangible inner truths. This has been one of the main talking points for the new sexual orthodoxy: telling hurting souls that their bodies are somehow wrong. Kathy Koch has worked for years to undermine this demeaning perception. In her talk at our recent ...
Jun 11, 2021•5 min
Politics makes a terrible substitute for a complete, thoughtful worldview. "God has filled his world full of pleasures," wrote C. S. Lewis in The Screwtape Letters . There are things for humans to do all day long without His minding in the least. Sleeping, walking, eating and drinking. It's only when these things are twisted, Lewis argues, that they become sinful. Now, there used to be many things we could do all day long without other people minding in the least: eating fast food chicken for ex...
Jun 10, 2021•5 min
John and Shane field questions ranging from whose to blame for racism in institutions to rises in suicidal thoughts in teenagers. They also wrestle with a question on how to build a theology of being fired and what soft totalitarianism really is.
Jun 09, 2021•57 min
To paraphrase the author of Ecclesiastes, of the writing of "de-conversion" testimonies, there seems to be no end. In a somewhat recent innovation, many have embraced a different term for deconversion. It's common to hear something like, "I haven't lost or abandoned my lifelong Christian faith," I'm merely "deconstructing it." John Williamson , the host of the "Deconstructionists Podcast," defines this kind of "deconstruction" as "examining your faith from the inside looking for potential weakne...
Jun 09, 2021•5 min
One of the most important effects of embracing a deliberate, self-conscious Christian worldview, and losing the sacred-secular distinction so many Christians have absorbed from the world around us, is seeing the depth, the breadth, and the width of the Lordship of Jesus Christ in every sphere of life. Once we see life this way, our understanding of serving Jesus is radically re-shaped in light of the unassailable, undefeatable, and advancing Kingdom of God. Once Chuck Colson embraced that vision...
Jun 08, 2021•4 min
Increasingly threatened with a future of economic and cultural instability , the Chinese government has worked hard to guarantee public safety and deliver a kind of domestic tranquility that only comes by limiting freedoms. For example, several sources are reporting that yet again, Beijing has increased pressure on religious groups. Beginning this year, all "approved" religions must conform to its new Administrative Measures for Religious Institutions . As Cameron Hilditch put it in National Rev...
Jun 07, 2021•5 min
John and Maria discuss the Tiananmen Square massacre, the Tulsa Race massacre, and Memorial Day. They discuss the challenges associated with remembering difficult times in history. John shares important realities surrounding the Loudon county school district. John shares a story that is developing where a gym teacher was dismissed for his views on gender identity. Maria then introduces the landscape that surrounds the movement to ban Critical Theory from schools. John points out the impact boyco...
Jun 04, 2021•48 min
Though it will be a while before we learn the full impact of this past year on children, The American Academy of Pediatrics recently warned that the mental health of younger Americans is suffering. Suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts are on the rise, as are childhood diagnoses of eating disorders and other obsessive-compulsive behaviors. While everyone was "flying blind" at the beginning of the pandemic, it is becoming more and more clear that, in the noble interest of protecting bodies, man...
Jun 04, 2021•4 min
Though it will be a while before we learn the full impact of this past year on children, The American Academy of Pediatrics recently warned that the mental health of younger Americans is suffering. Suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts are on the rise, as are childhood diagnoses of eating disorders and other obsessive-compulsive behaviors. While everyone was "flying blind" at the beginning of the pandemic, it is becoming more and more clear that, in the noble interest of protecting bodies, man...
Jun 04, 2021•4 min
Jane Goodall, the primatologist famous for living with chimpanzees and revealing their behaviors, has won the 2021 Templeton Prize. The prize honors those who "harness the power of the sciences to explore the deepest questions of the universe and humankind's place and purpose within it." Goodall follows last year's winner, Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, who led the Human Genome Project in mapping DNA. She also joins decades of laureates including Chuck Colson, wh...
Jun 03, 2021•5 min
John and Shane provide encouragement for a listener whose community is hosting a gay pride weekend. A number of local businesses in this area are hosting adults-only fundraisers for the local teen LGBTQ+ organization. How can Christians correctly encourage the community in light of businesses that fail to think well about the LGBTQ+ lifestyle and the consequences of encouraging its ideology to young people? Shane then shares a question seeking clarity on God's design for marriage. The listener i...
Jun 02, 2021•42 min
In his important book, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self , Dr. Carl Trueman argues that the key idea of our current cultural moment is expressive individualism. The only way to be "true to ourselves," we are told, is to define who we really are psychologically and sexually . This means that our identity is only truly known to ourselves, and others are morally responsible to embrace whoever or whatever we claim about ourselves even if, or especially if, what we reveal contradicts any observ...
Jun 02, 2021•7 min
Because everyone is made in the image and likeness of God we have a responsibility to honor them as such. Even those we think are very, very wrong. In this cultural moment where everything from movies to sports to even the church is politicized, it's too easy to let our partisan team spirit shape whether or not we obey God and love our neighbors. But this part of the great commandment isn't optional. and we'll never be able to love others, especially those that are on the other side, those we th...
Jun 01, 2021•8 min
John welcomes the Strong Women team to share a recent episode of the Strong Women podcast where Glenn Stanton dove into the theme of Strong Women. The episode reflects conversations John, Maria, and Shane have had on the BreakPoint Podcast recently.
May 31, 2021•1 hr 5 min
Today on BreakPoint, we hear Chuck Colson's thoughts on Memorial Day and what he called, "The Greatest Love.": "It was February of 1945—three months before the end of World War II in Europe. Eighteen-year-old Sergeant Joseph George of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, was stationed in Lorient, France. It was evening, and George was preparing to go on patrol. The Americans were hoping to locate landmines buried by the Germans. Sergeant George had been on patrol duty the night before. As he told his frien...
May 31, 2021•4 min
John and Maria discuss a perceived rise recently in acts of desperation and feelings of despair. There are growing reports of altercations at sporting events and in public settings pointing to a failing sense of trust in institutions. Maria looks to another trend in media where people are questioning the origin of the Coronavirus. John then highlights the challenge the public is having in trusting those who are in positions of authority. Before these two important topics, Maria and John discuss ...
May 28, 2021•1 hr 22 min
Recently, New York Times opinion writer Elizabeth Bruenig broke the internet for a bombshell confession that, wait for it, she likes being a mom . Her piece, " I Became a Mother at 25, and I'm Not Sorry I Didn't Wait " was a beautifully written essay about how motherhood grew and changed her. Nothing she said was controversial… unless you're on Twitter, of course. Responses on social media were swift and angry , and ranged from strange to cruel to violent. Many missed, given their expressed pro-...
May 28, 2021•4 min
A Gallup poll released earlier this month documented a massive 20-year drop in church attendance in America. So far, there have been two responses to it. One group mourns the decline of organized religion because religion is good for society, whether or not the religion is true. For example, Jewish commentator Matthew Yglesias wrote on Twitter, "[I] think I'm becoming a Straussian/Putnamist who instrumentally wants to get everyone to go to church." (He was referring to two socio-political theori...
May 27, 2021•4 min
John and Shane field questions ranging from how an adult can love her family that is challenging her decision not to vaccinate. The adult's brothers and sisters are saying she doesn't love her parents well because of her decision. John and Shane discuss the ongoing false dichotomies our culture creates. John then responds to concern from parents regarding their adult son who is currently living with his girlfriend. The girlfriend isn't a follower of Jesus and said she wants to "test drive" livin...
May 26, 2021•50 min
Many of us recognize how important religious freedom is in the world, but some think advocating for religious liberty compromises our Christian witness. We're excited to partner with our friends at the Alliance Defending Freedom in a six part series on religious liberty. It's part of our What Would You Say? video project. Here's the audio from the most recent video that was released just this morning. You're in a conversation and someone says, "Standing up for religious liberty is bad for Christ...
May 26, 2021•6 min
TikTok is a social media platform created in China, best known for dance videos. Its parent company, in fact, is called ByteDance. Still, like so much of social media, TikTok has grown far beyond what its creators intended or thought possible. For example, TikTok has become a home for Christian evangelism and discipleship. That's somewhat ironic, given China's intensifying war against Christianity and somewhat unexpected, given the lack of clarity about how much control Beijing asserts over the ...
May 25, 2021•5 min
A Christian worldview offers dignity to women that's not found in any other worldview in human history. Author Rebecca McLaughlin spoke about this at Wilberforce Weekend and shared these thoughts at a special Strong Women podcast episode recorded at the conference. You can listen here . Here is an excerpt from Rebecca's talk: Sometimes marriage and motherhood are celebrated at the expense of all other things God calls women to do. Some say a woman's highest calling is to be a wife and a mother. ...
May 24, 2021•4 min
John and Maria discuss a recent retort by Harvard's Cornell West to Howard University's decision to dissolve their classics department. They also discuss how the federal government's actions to expand unemployment benefits is playing out in the marketplace. To close the first segment, Maria asks John to comment further on a recent action by Sweden to remove puberty blocking medications from the approved treatment of gender dysphoria. John and Maria then discuss the role of women in ministry, an ...
May 21, 2021•1 hr 7 min
In a recent article in Christianity Today , Judd Birdsall of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University analyzed the differences between how the Biden Administration has handled religious liberty concerns so far, and how his predecessor did. The article provides a critical lesson in how religious freedom is so often misunderstood , both in terms of the relationship between church and state and in terms of conscience rights across the board. First, there's ...
May 21, 2021•5 min
The road to hell, paved with good intentions, leads to some unpleasant travelling companions. For the Colson Center, I'm John Stonestreet. This is BreakPoint. According to a recent article in World magazine , several Australian states have initiated or expanded the practice of euthanasia "down under." Similar measures were expanded across the Tasman by New Zealand last year, and across the globe in Spain , but failed in Portugal . Canada 's death laws are being expanded through appeals to allow ...
May 20, 2021•5 min
John and Shane field a question from a listener who is wondering how to not only build a theology of being fired, but how he can evangelize his friends to build a theology of being fired. Shane then reads a question from a listener who responded to a BreakPoint podcast who was disappointed with how John approached dead naming. The piece was about Ellen Page, who now goes by Elliot Page. John provides and understanding for the listener, and shares his appreciation to handle relationships appropri...
May 19, 2021•45 min
John and Shane field a question from a listener who is wondering how to not only build a theology of being fired, but how he can evangelize his friends to build a theology of being fired. Shane then reads a question from a listener who responded to a BreakPoint podcast who was disappointed with how John approached dead naming. The piece was about Ellen Page, who now goes by Elliot Page. John provides and understanding for the listener, and shares his appreciation to handle relationships appropri...
May 19, 2021•45 min
In the book River Out of Eden , Oxford biologist and atheist superstar Richard Dawkins famously wrote: "The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference." Dawkins and other "new atheists" have long insisted that science has excluded the possibility of a creator or has, at least, rendered it unnecessary. Turns out this belief may be scientifically out of date. According to ...
May 19, 2021•5 min
