Live Free with Josh Howerton (Lakepointe Church)

Episode: Christian Pastors Debate Bad Bunny Half Time Show!?

Date: February 16, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of "Live Free with Josh Howerton" is a wide-ranging, spirited discussion blending theology, culture, and practical evangelism. The hosts—Pastor Josh Howerton, Carlos Araswan, and Paul Cunningham—tackle nuanced questions around predestination and evangelism, break down the parables from Luke 15, and weigh in on the cultural controversy surrounding Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance. The tone is honest, lighthearted, and sometimes raw, balanced by deep biblical reflection and personal conviction.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. The Parables of Luke 15: God's Heart for the Lost

Starts: 07:11

• Context: Many know the parable of the prodigal son, but few realize Luke 15’s context: Jesus responds to Pharisees judging Him for "eating with sinners" (15:1–2).
• Escalating Parables: Lost Sheep (1 of 99), Lost Coin (1 of 10), Lost Son (1 of 2)—an escalating sense of urgency.
• Reasons People Are Lost:
  • Sheep: Lost through negligence (shepherd’s fault)
  • Coin: Lost through no fault of its own
  • Son: Lost through willful rebellion.
  • Key insight: "It doesn't matter why you're lost; I just want you found." (Josh, 10:48)
• Old Testament Connection: Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, fulfills Ezekiel 34’s prophecy (“I myself will search for my sheep...”), subtly claiming divinity (13:46).
• The Prodigal Son & Jewish Culture:
  • Explains the Kezazah ceremony—cultural background of shaming the wayward son, highlighting the radical mercy of the Father running to intercept and restore his son before villagers could reject him.
  • Symbolism: Robe (righteousness), Ring (family authority), Sandals (son, not a slave), Fattened Calf (Messianic banquet).
  • Memorable moment: “I get emotional…as every Christian reading this remembers when that was you.” (Josh, 16:41)
• Application—The Older Brother:
  • Both sons are lost, either in immorality (younger) or morality (older). Both misunderstand their identity and treat the Father transactionally.
  • Quote: "If you care more about winning arguments than winning souls, you might be the older son." (Carlos, 26:19)

2. How to Reach the Lost: Practical Evangelism

Starts: 27:46

• Team Sport Analogy: Evangelism isn’t about “doing everything”—move people one step closer to Jesus (Steve Stroope’s “10 to 0 steps” analogy, 28:15).
  • Quote: "If you feel like you gotta do everything, you're not going to do anything." (Josh, 28:15; also episode’s opening line)
  • Light-switch (immediate) vs. dimmer-switch (gradual) conversion stories, e.g., Paul vs. Peter.
• Three Practical Steps (Paul):
  • Share your life (genuine relationship/place in their world)
  • Share your story (how God met you in struggles)
  • Share the gospel (when doors open)
  • Use practical tools—alarms to pray for people, targeted invitations.
• Acronym: BLESS (Josh & Jana Ferguson, 40:23):
  • B: Begin with Prayer
  • L: Listen (get three questions deep; focus on wounds)
  • E: Eat (meals + community before faith)
  • S: Serve (tangible care, meeting needs)
  • S: Share (openly communicate about Christ)
  • Quote: "The primary problem [of unbelief] is not intellectual, it's spiritual... assault heaven praying for God to pull the scales off their eyes." (Josh, 40:24)
• Encouragement—Planting Seeds:
  • Mitch Comstock’s story—one gospel tract led to generational faith years later. "That seed he planted was in the ground for 21 years and he never knew." (Josh, 47:20)

3. Predestination, Calvinism, and Evangelism

Starts: 48:44

• Explains the theological debate:
  • Calvinism (unconditional election) vs. Arminianism (conditional election/free will).
  • Not a first-tier doctrine: “You can tell who are the immature Christians by who causes church wars over this.” (Josh, 50:05)
  • Example: R.C. Sproul defers to Billy Graham’s nearness to Christ in heaven despite their disagreement (53:10)
• Clear Biblical Case:
  • Many passages teach predestination—Eph 1:4-5, Rom 8:29-30, Acts 13:48, Romans 9.
  • Key distinction: “Regeneration (God making alive) comes before conversion—not after.” (Paul, 57:00)
• Objections Addressed:
  • How can God want all saved (1 Tim 2:4) and predestine?
    • Distinction between revealed will (what God commands) and hidden will (what He ultimately ordains) (Paul, 62:19)
  • Is it unfair for God to choose?
    • “That’s not a Calvinism issue, that’s a Christian issue.” (Paul, 67:38)
    • Romans 9—Paul’s answer: “Who are you, O man…?” (68:03)
  • Why do evangelism, then?
    • "We do evangelism because we’re commanded to, and because God says when we do it, it’s going to work." (Josh, 69:34)
    • “The more times I share it, the more people are going to get saved.” (69:36)
    • "God ordains the means, not just the ends." (Paul, 71:53)
  • Powerful analogy: The “Whosoever Will May Come” sign at heaven’s gate—and only afterward does one see “chosen from before the foundation of the earth.” (Josh, 70:52)

4. Reacting to the Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Show

Starts: 72:41

Cultural Controversy & Christian Perspective

• Context: Bad Bunny performed in Spanish at the Super Bowl. Megan Kelly and others criticized it as divisive or exclusionary; Bad Bunny’s lyrics and visuals also generated strong reactions.
• Panel’s Take:
  • Josh: “I understand why [Megan Kelly] feels that way…but she’s wrong.”
    • Many conservatives experience “loss of place” as culture shifts, but NFL motivation is business (expand Hispanic audience), not “middle finger” to America.
  • Carlos:
    • Bad Bunny’s Spanish mumbled lyrics were hard for even native speakers to follow
    • U.S.-born Hispanics are the majority; Puerto Ricans are citizens ("We actually had an American citizen play the Super Bowl this year," 83:30)
    • Assimilation and celebration of heritage are not mutually exclusive. “These are people who love America and are grateful for their Latino heritage that comes with a strong emphasis on Christian faith, marriage, family.” (83:05)
  • Josh: “You gotta decide: Am I a Christian conservative or a conservative Christian? ...I’m a Christian before I'm conservative, so my Christianity trumps the conservatism.” (79:03)
  • Paul: (On the idea of the Super Bowl halftime show being “unifying”) “Every year, people argue over the most whether they liked or disliked the halftime show, no matter who was singing.” (80:44)
• Representation Matters, But Not All Culture Is Good:
  • Carlos cautions Hispanic Christians: Not everything in cultural representation is worth celebrating, especially elements that glorify promiscuity, hypersexuality, or “denigration of women.” (96:12)
  • Quote: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love” (stage message) is not fulfilled in promoting sin. “Promiscuity is not love…Anything that contradicts the word of God is not love.” (Carlos, 97:17)
• Identity Above Ethnicity:
  • “My highest allegiance and identity is not the country I was born in. It is the person whom I was born again through.” (Carlos, 98:58)
  • Applied universally: “That last line you said applies to every single Christian in the world.” (Paul, 99:09)

5. Witness, Hope, and Prayer for Culture-Shaping Figures

Starts: 99:41

• Encouragement to Pray for Celebrities:
  • "People condemning [Bad Bunny]... pray for him." (Carlos, 99:44)
  • Story: Daddy Yankee (former reggaeton star) rejects performing his old hit at the Super Bowl because his mission has changed after following Jesus (see clip, 101:05).
  • Quote: “I think the biggest touchdown on his career will be where he has to accept Jesus in his life.” (Daddy Yankee, 102:22)
• Episode Closes with Prayer:
  • Carlos leads a heartfelt prayer for Bad Bunny’s salvation, unity in the Church, and courage for listeners to boldly share the gospel (102:37).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Pastor Josh Howerton (10:48):
  “It doesn't matter why you're lost; I just want you found.”

• Carlos Araswan (26:19):
  “If you care more about winning arguments more than winning souls, you might be the older son.”

• Paul Cunningham (55:19):
  “You can disagree without dividing.”

• Pastor Josh Howerton (70:52):
  “Imagine walking past heaven and you see a door: On the outside—‘Whosoever will may come.’ Once inside, you look back—‘Chosen from before the foundations of the earth.’ Both are true.”

• Carlos Araswan (98:58):
  “My highest allegiance and identity is not the country I was born in. It is the person whom I was born again through.”

• Daddy Yankee (102:22):
  “I think the biggest touchdown on his career will be where he has to accept Jesus in his life.”

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Luke 15 Parables & The Father’s Heart: 07:11–27:46
• Practical Evangelism, Tips & Acronym: 27:46–48:44
• Predestination Debate & Response: 48:44–72:41
• Bad Bunny & Super Bowl Cultural Debate: 72:41–99:41
• Prayer for Bad Bunny, Closing Reflections: 99:41–End

Flow, Tone & Style

The hosts are biblically grounded, honest about tough issues, and maintain a friendly, sometimes cheeky rapport. Difficult theological issues are demystified for a broad audience, while contentious cultural debates are addressed with both empathy and conviction. The episode glides between deep teaching (parables, predestination), accessible evangelism tips, and culturally aware discussion, always rooting identity and mission in Jesus above all.

For Listeners

If you missed the episode, this summary gives you a roadmap for how to navigate conversations about the gospel, today's cultural controversies, and the deeper unity found by rooting your personal and church identity in Christ.