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As of January 20th, Pastor Brian Gibson, a Kentucky mega church founder, was still in hiding and moving multiple times a day under protection from former Special Forces agents because of numerous death threats. It's all because months ago at a Trump rally in Arizona, he had a photo taken with a man in Viking horns who ended up being arrested and becoming 'the face' of those who stormed the Capitol. On January 5th, Gibson prayed with Trump supporters in Washington, DC. The next day he listened to Trump give his speech. Then he returned to his hotel. From there he learned what everyone else saw unfold, as Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. But Gibson was never there. However, social media married the Arizona photo and the Capitol photo of "The Viking," and now, the pastor who fought for religious freedom during the coronavirus shutdown, is fighting to keep his family safe. But beyond that, now some faith leaders worry that the mere association of being a conservative Evangelical will be reason enough to put you on a watch list. Media have called the attack, a Christian uprising. An article in The Dispatch that "a violent Christian insurrection." The Atlantic also called the riots a "Christian Insurrection," while Religion News Service reported that rioters were "Christian Nationalists." Patheos, meanwhile, has claimed riots were the work of "White Christian Nationalists." The Gospel of Jesus Christ belongs to no one race, country or creed. But Gibson sees that the Cancel Culture is like a dog with a bone. It won't let go. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Pastor Gibson talks about what happened to him, and the mood that's growing in the country that has made secular humanism the default religion of the nation.

Freedom of religion and freedom of speech are having a hard time pushing back against the Cancel Culture these days. Aided by social media behemoths like Google and Twitter, the Cancel Culture has become the new way to keep certain voices from being heard in the public square. In all its vagaries and impulses, it is essentially an alternative religion. It stands up as the voice of objective morality and truth but is itself subject to the political winds of group think. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Dr. Jeff Meyers, president of Summit Ministries, talks about how he works with 16-to-25-year old's, teaching them to live out their lives in defense of a biblical world view. The bottom line for him, is that the Cancel Culture is not just differences of opinions in a heated clash, no, this spirit of evil says emphatically, "You don't have a right to think that way if it offends me. Therefore, your voice must be silenced. It must not be heard."  And Meyer says, although the Cancel Culture is known to go after many different positions, religious voices are the most maligned and most attacked.

Around the world, millions of Christians are celebrating the birth of Jesus this Christmas. It's a time of light shining in a darkened world, of a star, of a tiny baby swaddled in a manger, and of a promise of hope that the world will become a better place. In this Fox News Radio Christmas special, Chief Religion Correspondent Lauren Green takes you on a slightly different journey of Christmas in order to look at the origin stories of some of the holiday's most beloved traditions. The Christmas story itself and its beginnings in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, for instance. Also our tradition of Christmas Trees, Santa Claus, The Star of  Bethlehem, carols and singing... What started them? Plus, a look at the faith foundations of Charles Dickens' classic story, 'A Christmas Carol.' It is a special that will captivate and inform, and will help you celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, with Rev. Cheryl Kincaid, theologian Tim Keller, best-selling author William Federer, and director of I.S.M.I.L.E. New York Renae Baker.

"Is suffering the price we pay for loving?" It's a question author Amy Orr-Ewing explored from personal grief, as she tried to understand, "Why, if there's a loving God, would we experience misery and misfortune? Are love and pain forever woven together in an eternal fabric?" Ewing says, that when believers in God go through pain and suffering it causes them to doubt that God really loves them, that God cares. The question is, "How could God let this happen?" Many people are asking that question today in the midst of a pandemic that has taken millions of lives. Ewing is the President of Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, and is the author of, "Where is God in all the suffering?" She wrote the book after a close friend, a young mother of three, died of the coronavirus. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Ewing explains that hardship is not an interruption, but a reality in life; and that we only have two choices in how to react to it; we can either run away from God, or towards God. She contends that only a loving God can make sense of the suffering and the brokenness in this world. She says, "It's only with love as part of our mindset that we actually even really ask the question at all, 'how can this be happening?' The question itself actually points us towards God, not away from him."

It's not about reinventing yourself, because you already have within you all the gifts and talents you need. What you need is faith to develop them, nurture them, and watch them grow. That is the message of Kathie Lee Gifford: talk show host, singer, composer, actress, author, and theologian. She is a one-woman whirlwind of possibilities and accomplishments. But it's her life-long faith in Jesus Christ that stands out as the real fuel igniting her boundless energy. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, the iconic, Kathie Lee talks about her just-released book, "It's Never Too Late," and the next phase of her life: after Regis, after Frank, after NBC and so on. Now living in Nashville, she reflects on the great times in her life and also the moments of darkness, but the light is always with her. And she has advice on how even when life seems over, you can begin again and thrive!  

He used to hustle his way through life. Had his first drink at 8 years of age and it was downhill from there for the next decade and a half. Jim Wahlberg is not nearly as famous as his actor brothers, Mark Wahlberg (Boogie Nights, Deepwater Horizon) and Donnie Wahlberg (Blue Bloods), but he is just as driven. And his zeal has taken him from the very depths of life's darkest moments in jail, to the heights of the light of faith. The Boston native is one of nine children of an Irish Catholic family; but didn't know what real faith in Jesus Christ meant until he met a priest while in prison. Jim thought he could con the priest, turns out the priest conned him. In this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Wahlberg talks about his new book, "The Big Hustle," and his path from drugs and jail to his work now as a filmmaker, writing and producing short films about drug addiction and how faith in God is truly the only way to a drug-free life.

Halloween is one of the most fun childhood events; dressing up and trick-or-treating is a yearly ritual. But lost in the festivities is the possibility of real evil, real ghosts and yes, even real demon possession and infestations. Billy Hallowell takes a modern look at all three in his book, "Playing with Fire." On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Hallowell talks about the real-life demon possession of a teenage boy in 1949 that was the inspiration behind the 1973 movie "The Exorcist," as well as more recent accounts of possessions and exorcisms. While all of it is spine tingling and alarming, what should give us hope and strength is what the Bible has to say about spiritual evil and how it is to be dealt with. Hallowell says modern people may scoff at religion, but still believe in ghosts and the paranormal. And certainly, Hollywood is cashing in on our obsession with the occult. But the Scriptures never take such beliefs lightly and warns about assigning the devil too much power, or too little. In the end, the solution is to "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes."

"Has America reached its expiration date?" That is a question Dr. Alex McFarland asks in his new book, "The Assault on America: How to Defend Our Nation Before It's Too Late." It's an alarm, and it's coming from someone who normally isn't prone to sounding them. McFarland is a genteel Southerner; a theologian, historian, national speaker, Radio host, and founder of Truth for A New Generation. He's traveled the country extensively and sees disturbing trends assaulting America's foundational values, the first of which is belief in God and adherence to God's laws. McFarland is no prude. He came to faith after many years of youthful indulgence in booze and music, culminating in a drunken stupor and waking up in a dumpster. He speaks from whence he knows and lends his experiential knowledge to young people on campuses all over America, understanding the pressures they face and the indoctrination they have been subject to in public institutions. But now those students of liberalism are adults working in the world, voting, becoming elected officials, and America is changing because of it. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, McFarland talks about how life is a privilege, that the family is foundational to a strong America, and fealty to a loving God essential. He also talks about Article VI of the Constitution that says there should be no 'religious test' to hold office. Alex emphatically asserts that, "objective morality is not the same thing as religion." Because, "the founders of the country and the thinkers from which they drew believed in something called natural law." Self-evident truths that he says America has forgotten.

This is the second of two podcasts on the Catholic Vote. The phrase "So goes the Catholic, so goes the election" has been tried and true for the last few decades. Since 1972 Catholics have picked the winner of the presidential election all but one time. The Catholic Vote Part I featured Brian Burch, President of Catholicvote.org, an organization working to re-elect Donald Trump. Part II's featured guest is John Carr, director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University. Even though Carr is pro-life he is supporting the Democratic nominee and former Vice President, Joe Biden for reasons that are much more nuanced than most would expect. He expressed that view on a story I did about the Catholic Vote for Fox News Channel's Special Report that aired October 2nd. As a consequence, he was lambasted with hate mail and phone calls. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, we talk about the reaction to his views and how they are examples of the divisiveness rampant in the country today. You may not agree with Carr's view, but like Arthur Brooks said at this year's National Prayer Breakfast, I will defend his right to say it. The discussion about respectful debate and discourse dovetails nicely into Pope Francis' newest encyclical, Fratelli Tutti (All Brothers). We are all part of the human race; we are all made in the image of God and as such deserve to be treated with dignity. This is a lesson for both sides of the political aisle. It's not a question of whether we're a Republican or Democrat, but whether we see God's hand at work in us all.

The phrase "So goes the Catholic, so goes the election" has been tried and true for the last few decades. Since 1976 Catholics have picked the winner of the presidential election all but one time. But this election has been hard to read. Experts will tell you, Catholics are not a monolithic. They are White, Hispanic, Black and Brown; Poor, wealthy, and middle class; all ages and sizes; and various intensities of beliefs in the faith's core values. Also, Catholics are not prone to voting for a Catholic just because he or she is Catholic. That could be bad news for Joe Biden. But Catholics are also very concerned about racism, care for the poor and the immigrant, and the perceived character of their leaders. That could be bad for Donald Trump. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Brian Burch, founder of CatholicVote.org will explain why he's campaigning to make sure President Trump gets a second term, and why he sees a Biden presidency as an existential threat to all that is dear to people of faith but particularly Catholics. This is Part One of a two-part podcast. Next week Part Two will continue with a pro-Biden Catholic.

The new accord recently signed between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain is a glimmer of light at the end of a long tunnel toward peace in the Middle East. Since the partition in 1948 which created the modern Jewish state, Israel has been in bloody conflict with its Muslim majority neighbors. But the irony of this new relationship between these more moderate Muslim countries, is that it comes at a time when Israel is seeing increased conflict within its borders, between Ultra-Orthodox Jews and secular or non-orthodox Jews. In this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Journalist and author Paul Alster expands on his Op-ed in Foxnews.com, which puts the new "peace deal" in perspective, seeing the odd reality that the country is fragile, not because of the forces from outside but from within. Religious freedom is always a delicate balance between personal autonomy and offensive actions, as the forces of human nature and sin often direct it towards unintended goals. There are those calling for the Jewish State to adopt a U.S. Constitution separating Church and State. But the forces against are gaining in numbers for the sheer mathematical fact that they -Ultra-Orthodox- beget more children, as many as ten children per family is not uncommon. Alster says by 2050 Israel's population is expected to grow by 66 percent. This fact provides the backdrop and the jumping off point for his novel, "Kin and Country," which predicts a possible outcome of the current clash, and how it could culminate in 2048 as Israel celebrates its centenary.

Believing in the power of prayer means believing that America can be saved from the many sins that plague her and divide her; past, present, and future. The Pilgrims who first stepped onto the soil of the New World 400 years ago were faithful that God had brought them safe from England across treacherous waters and their only task was to glorify Him as they journeyed forth seeking the freedom to worship and live out their faith. Such is the spiritual roots of America. But many today, like Times Square Church Pastor Carter Conlon, believe America has drifted far from her original purpose, as well as her fealty to an Almighty that has blessed this land with abundance. So, Pastor Conlon is returning to Plymouth, Massachusetts, to where those pilgrims first prayed for guidance, to offer prayers once again to God, to have mercy on us and heal our wounded and divided land. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast Pastor Conlon talks about the Divine revelation that lead him to call for this Worldwide Prayer Meeting on October 6, 2020, and why he believes the coincidence that brought him first to Plymouth was nothing short of a miracle.

In this nineteenth year since terrorists attacked America, the nation is reeling from another form of evil called the Coronavirus. Christina Stanton is a living, breathing embodiment of surviving both. She survived the yellow dust that engulfed her and her husband while running from the collapsing twin towers, and in the process grew in faith and learned to trust in God. She built a foundation on which she would face yet another evil, COVID-19, and more than two weeks in the ICU. Nearly a generation separates the two catastrophes, but Stanton sees her pain and suffering as a gift. Yes, a gift. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Stanton, an author and speaker, reflects on the faith that came about only because of 9/11, and how it confirms to her that God will make good come out of whatever evil comes our way. Now with lingering health issues from both events, Stanton writes of God in an op-ed saying, "...through these experiences, I discovered that while we can’t escape suffering, there is comfort and hope in his presence in the midst of pain, God can use suffering to accomplish good, and we can trust in our sovereign God."

In 1917 three children from the village of Fatima in Portugal, witnessed what they said was a visitation of the Virgin Mary. The story of nine-year-old Lucia and her two younger cousins, Francisco, 7, and Jacinta, 6, has been the subject of intense investigations by the Catholic Church, faith-driven historians, and curious skeptics. The children were believed to have had the visitation once a month for several months culminating in the Miracle of the Sun witnessed by thousands in October of 1917. But before that, the apparition prophesied to the children about the coming end of World War I, of future wars and events, and even perhaps the attempt on the life of Pope John Paul II. The 1952 movie, The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima, came out just a few years after Pope Pius XII venerated the image enshrined at the chapel of the Apparitions of Fatima. Just last week, a new film version was released. It's called simply, Fatima. Rose Ganguzza, of Rose Pictures, is the film's producer. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Ganguzza, a veteran filmmaker, explains how this film is made for 21st Century audiences; ones who have the perspective of hindsight, unlike the earlier version. The film begins with a scholarly figure played by Harvey Keitel, who goes to the cloistered order where an elderly Sister Lucia lives. He questions her about the actual events to see if she still believes in the veracity of what she saw as a child. The film then is a series of flashbacks to 1917 to Lucia as a child, the challenges to religious believers who face a crossroad between a comfortable faith, and one that demands sacrifice. Listen to Ganguzza talk about the actors who played the parts, why she made the film, and why this new version leaves out documented traumatic events the children encountered.

If there's one thing Phil Robertson isn't shy about, it's telling people about Jesus, and that they need Jesus; that we all do. Robertson's new book, "Jesus Politics: How to Win Back the Soul of America," is a candid and blunt take on where the country has come from and where it's headed. The "Duck Dynasty" star chastises his own generation of some 60 years back, that took prayer out of the schools, took God out of public discourse and relegated Jesus to the corner of 'a nice teacher of love,' instead of Divine, Creator of the universe. We're only a few weeks away from the general election in which both presidential candidates declare they are out to win the soul of America. But to Robertson, that's an evil claim, for there is only One Being that has a right to assert ownership over the human soul. On this episode of "Lighthouse Faith" podcast, listen to Robertson boldly assert, who is "The way, the Truth, and the Life."

The recent deaths of Rep. John Lewis and Herman Cain represents something larger than the loss of two prominent Black politicians, although that is significant. The two men represent diverging paths of the Black vote. Lewis a Democrat, Cain a Republican. Both men are sons of the South and faithful believers in Jesus Christ; benefiting from the political power wielded by the Black Church, which historically favored the Democratic party. But in 2020, African Americans are benefitting from the hard-fought Civil Rights battles of the generations before, that of Lewis's and Cain's. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Dr. Tony Evans, author, radio and TV broadcaster and megachurch pastor, reflects on the roles these two men have played in several years of politics and civil discourse. But looking forward, Evans is also a prominent voice for "Our Church Votes," a movement aimed at Evangelical churches to register members to vote their biblical values; to know the issues and each party's platform. Evans wants Christians to know that, "God created government. So, if you leave God out of government, not only does it demean God's name, it demeans God's policies. And that will always lead to chaos." And that, he says, is what appears to be happening in our world today.

A Father's role in today's culture has been more or less sidelined at worst, or undefined at best. But Author Tyler Rowley says a Father's faith is critical to a child developing his or her own faith. A father's faith that is lived out not just in words but in deeds in everyday life, has a tremendous impact on his children. Even when a mother's faith in Jesus is strong, if the father's faith is weak or non-existent, the child will drift from the faith. In his book "Because of Our Fathers," Rowley has collected the testimonies of 23 devoted Catholics who draw a straight line from their faith to that of their fathers; like St. John Paul II, the first Polish pope, who as a young boy, watched his widowed father on his knees in prayer daily; or John Castillo, whose son lost his life confronting two shooters at his high school. His faith strong because of not only his father's but his grandfather's faith. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith, we shine a light on the power and purpose of father's with strong faith. We also look at what happens when a father has no faith, and the sometimes tragic results that follow for the lives of his children. Father's have a crucial role in rearing children. Rowley wants them to know they must take their stand and be defenders of the faith. Their children's lives depend on it.

Michelle Kim appears to be a normal, twenty-something year old, first generation American, living the American dream in California. But over the last few months the dream is starting to become a nightmare because of her membership in the Shincheonji Church of Jesus. The church has been labeled a cult, accused of brainwashing its members into submission, and claim its founder called himself Jesus. The church, with its 300,000 members, is based in South Korea but has branches in 20 countries including the United States. Kim attends the church in California where she was born. The South Korean church became the focus of the government's blame for the Coronavirus spreading in the country. "Patient number 31," as the 61-year-old woman is called, was a member in the Daegu branch. In mid-February she was diagnosed with COVID-19, a diagnosis made after she attended services. She thought she had a cold, but it turned out to be the deadly virus. It spread to 4,000 members. The government demanded the church hand over its list of members, including those outside of South Korea. According to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, "The government of Seoul locked down Shincheonji churches in the capital, and some mainline Protestant groups have accused the church of deliberately spreading the disease." On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Michelle Kim tells her side of the Shincheonji controversy, and how being a member has made her fear that once people know her church association, she could be ostracized, lose friends, or worse yet, her job.

"God is eternal," and everything else is temporary. That includes the Coronavirus, loss of jobs, relationships, even our homes. None of us want to be tested in losing those vitally important things in our lives. But the Bible assures us that putting our faith in God will help us navigate those stormy waters and come out stronger and better for it. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Dr. David Jeremiah, author and founder of Turning point, an international Christian ministry, talks about his heartfelt thoughts on "Sheltering in God," a book he was compelled to write as the world grapples with the COVID-19 shutdown, and millions of people dealt with (and are still dealing with) the loss of so many routine activities. Dr. Jeremiah says that although he can't explain why God has allowed a pandemic to wreak havoc throughout the globe, he does remind us of what God has done; that the Bible is filled with God's victories over difficult times. And ultimately, that the "Battle belongs to the Lord."

One of the hardest lessons in the Bible we face is the reality that we are all sinners and "fall short of the glory of God." Intellectually we get it; praise it, and preach it. But if we all know it's true, then why is there a Black Lives Matter movement? Why is it necessary? Why is it so hard to see someone of a different race as fellow image bearers? It's because all of us are prone to sins we aren't event aware of or even recognize as sin; it's the "crouching tiger," concealed from even our peripheral vision. And one of the biggest sins that remains hidden to us as bot individuals and as a society is racism. The political phrase today is "systemic racism," but that doesn't begin to explain its origins. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Dr. Jim Denison, author, biblical scholar, pastor and founder of the online platform "The Denison Forum," talks about the Bible and racism, and how Jesus's teachings, if we really take them to heart, would end this scourge that has become a gaping wound in America's soul. Both Dr. Denison and I reveal personal experiences about racial encounters we've both had, and how some have been scarring while others have brought healing. We both agree that the Gospel is the only source of wisdom for a world battling this sin of the heart.