Freedom of speech is a key right that is fundamental to the American experiment, but is under deep scrutiny and even attack these days. In this episode, I walk through recent wins and trends for free speech, explain the details of the case E.D. v. Noblesville School District that has now been appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court (in the form of a Writ of Certiorari or request for SCOTUS to take the case), and reflect on what free speech costs–and what it will cost us if we intend to preserve this freedom for the next generation.

Outline:

1. Our Silence
2. Our Silos
3. Our Censure

Key Takeaways:

• Link to the case page and court documents in E.D. v. Noblesville School District. In sum, a student, E.D., filed a lawsuit against Noblesville High School in Indiana for derecognizing a Students for Life club because of the pro-life messages on the group’s flyers. The federal district court, unfortunately, ruled against E.D.; and her attorneys filed an appeal with the 7th Circuit. I filed two amicus briefs in support of E.D. on behalf of Students for Life of America (SFLA), Young America’s Foundation (YAF), and Indiana Family Institute, and I explain (in this episode) the free speech violations SFLA and YAF have experienced around the country.
• All of this led me to a
• Link to the freshman survey. While only 1 out of 4 students wanted to ban “extreme” speakers during the 1970s and 1980s, the majority wanted to do so in 2019.
• We have the right to remain silent but the responsibility to speak up.
• The idea of being a surgeon rather than a butcher.
• “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
• We should defer on preferences but defend our principles.

As I have reflected on the Resurrection the last few years, I have been struck by its importance in the here and now as well as the hereafter. In this weeks podcast episode/post, I explain 3 reasons Easter is essential in our secular age:

Link to blog post.

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Is your ministry prepared to minister with confidence in a changing culture? In this episode, we explore recent legal developments and explain proactive steps your ministry can take to build and maintain strong legal protections.

Recent legal developments:

• Define what you intend to defend.
• Exemption from religious education.
• Encouraging developments in sports.
• Developments in employment.
• Persistence pays off on parental rights.
• The rollout of the federal education tax credit.

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William Wilberforce, well known for his work on the abolition of slavery, also championed the protection of children during the Industrial Revolution. Now, it is our turn to guide and protect the next generation in the midst of a developing digital and sexual revolution. In this episode, we will explore five recent cultural developments and provide proven recommendations for responding to them in 2026.

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In Esther 2, Xerxes returns from a disastrous Greek campaign and focuses on replacing his deposed queen. We are also introduced to Mordecai and Esther as well as the ugly reality of the harem system and the contest for the crown that Esther faced. Here, we find deep truths and difficult lessons about identity, purity, and our own resilience in the face of disaster.

Big Idea for the Series: Once upon a time—and I mean in God’s perfect time—a Jewish orphan girl named Esther became a Persian Queen. But, as many of you know, this book is less fairy tale and much more mystery—a book full of lessons about the mysteries of divine calling, evil and justice, finding courage to stand for truth, and understanding God’s eternal purposes in history and in our story. Though her husband claimed the title “king of kings,” Esther’s ultimate allegiance lay elsewhere—to the high King of the universe. In that sense, here’s the story and the lessons we should learn from Esther: the King’s Queen.

Outline:

1. The Disaster
2. The Cousins
3. The Pageant
4. The Plot

Key Takeaways:

• The failure of the Persian invasion of Greece at Thermopylae, Salamis, and Plataea–and the impact of that failure on the story of Esther.
• Questions about Mordecai’s actions in this chapter.
• The ugly reality of the harem system and what Esther faced.
• Key lessons about identity, purity, and trust in the midst of disaster.

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I often ask government officials this question: “What is the worst problem in your district/area of responsibility?” The answer is often the same and even phrased in the same way: “the breakdown of the family.” In this interview, Delano Squires explains this collapse of two-parents homes raising children in the United States; the profound impact of that collapse on education, income, and incarceration; and how we can strengthen this critical institution for America’s future by starting in our own homes, churches, and neighborhoods.

In his upcoming book The Vanishing Black Family: How Welfare and Feminism Made Marriage Optional and Children Vulnerable (and in this discussion), Delano focuses first on family breakdown in the black community leading to almost 70 percent of black children being born to unmarried parents and close to half growing up without a father at home. He then applies the same creation order principles to all families and and critiques the cultural forces pushing away from children being raised in a loving home with a mom and a dad.

Delano Squires is Director of the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Human Flourishing at the Heritage Foundation, where he focuses on policies and social norms that promote marriage, fatherhood, and healthy families. Squires is the author of the forthcoming book The Vanishing Black Family: How Welfare and Feminism Made Marriage Optional and Children Vulnerable. His writings have been published by Newsweek, National Review, The American Conservative, The Federalist, The New York Post, World, The Institute for Family Studies, Black Enterprise, Blaze Media, Black and Married with Kids, The Root, and The Grio. Before joining Heritage, Squires worked for the District of Columbia government for more than a decade. During that time, he ran a citywide technology program for low-income residents and served in the city’s gun violence prevention office. Squires earned his bachelor of science degree in computer engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a graduate degree in public policy from The George Washington University. He resides in Maryland with his wife and four children.

Key Takeaways:

• The role of the church in the breakdown of the family and the resurgence of family values.
• The significance of the Moynihan report and Delano’s new book on the state of the black family in America.
• The impact of the welfare state and feminism in the disintegration of the family.
• The Greater Than Campaign.
• Practical suggestions for strengthening families and marriage in your zip code.
• Follow Delano on X.

Ideas that start in the ivory tower of America’s universities do not stay there; and higher education has fundamentally impacted our families, churches, and communities. And, as goes the American university (with 1 in 3 world leaders attending a U.S. school), so goes the world. In this interview with Dr. Corey Miller based on his new book, he explains the religious foundation of American higher education, the progressive revolution that ideologically captured those institutions, and why we should not give up on them. He explains a developing “third revolution” and practical steps church leaders and other committed Christians can take to impact the American university.

Corey Miller, PhD, is the President/CEO of Ratio Christi (2015-Present). While he grew up in Utah as a seventh generation Mormon, he came to Christ in 1988. He has served on pastoral staff at four churches and has taught nearly 100 college courses in philosophy, theology, rhetoric, and comparative religions at various places (Purdue, Indiana University, Multnomah University and Ecola Bible College). From 2009-15 he served on staff with Cru’s Faculty Commons ministry at Purdue. He taught philosophy and comparative religions at Indiana University for 12 years. He is an accomplished author as well. Dr. Miller holds masters degrees in philosophy, biblical studies, and in philosophy of religion and ethics. His PhD is in philosophical theology from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.

Key takeaways:

• Link to The Progressive Miseducation of America
• A link to Ratio Christi’s library of booklets and other resources on a range of relevant topics.
• An in-depth explanation of how American higher education went from Christian foundation to progressive bulwark.
• The developing “third revolution” on college campuses and how to encourage and participate in it.
• Practical ideas for arguing for Christianity’s goodness on and off campus.

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Once upon a time—and I mean in God’s perfect time—a Jewish orphan girl named Esther became a Persian Queen. But, as many of you know, this book is less fairy tale and much more mystery—a book full of lessons about the mysteries of divine calling, evil and justice, finding courage to stand for truth, and understanding God’s eternal purposes in history and in our story. Though her husband claimed the title “king of kings,” Esther’s ultimate allegiance lay elsewhere—to the high King of the universe. In that sense, here’s the story and the lessons we should learn from Esther: the King’s Queen.

Outline:

1. The Book
2. The King
3. The Queen
4. The Temper

Key Takeaways:

• The size and scope of the Persian Empire.
• A sketch of how Daniel, Esther, Nehemiah, and Ezra fit on a timeline.
• The geopolitics of the time, including the pending Persian invasion of Greece by Xerxes.
• The story of Esther as set in God’s grand plan of redemption.
• Lessons about Providence and God’s rule and reign throughout history.

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