Joni Table Talk – October 19, 2025

Podcast: Real America’s Voice
Host: Joni Lamb (iHeartPodcasts)
Main Guests: Katharine Mullins Robbins, Pastor Creflo Dollar

Episode Overview

This episode of Joni Table Talk centers on two major interviews:

1. Katharine Mullins Robbins discusses the importance of discernment, overcoming criticism, healing church division, and her personal struggle with infertility and faith.
2. Pastor Creflo Dollar shares his journey through illness, recovery, approval addiction, and the transformative power of grace over legalism.

The episode explores themes of unity in the church, responding to trials with faith rather than fear, restoring grace, and rejecting toxic criticism and division—both within the church and personally.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Choosing Discernment Over Criticism (Starts ~01:58)

Main Participants: Joni Lamb, Katharine Mullins Robbins, April Simons, Rachel Lamb Brown, Rebecca Lamb Weiss

• The prevalence of criticism and judgment within Christian communities, particularly on social media.
• Importance of self-examination before criticizing others:
  • “Sometimes we just got to look in the mirror. ... You know, God gives us discernment and ... that discernment is to pray, not to criticize.” (Joni, 02:30)
• Biblical principle: judge not lest you also be judged.
• The division within the church and the call to unity as essential for revival.
• Acting in accordance with God’s will above social expectations.
• The dangers of gossip, slander, and “broadcasting issues for the world to see,” leading to poor witness.

Quote:

“When did gossip, slander, and backbiting become acceptable speech in the body of Christ? ... Are we tearing apart people's character behind the scenes and on social media platforms? ... We've got to learn to tame our tongues again.”
– Katharine Mullins Robbins [12:55]

Notable Segment

• The Peter & Jesus Encounter: (15:04–19:10)
  • Peter’s good intentions toward Jesus (wanting to stop His suffering) actually led him to oppose God’s plan.
  • “Peter thought he was right, but he was entirely wrong.” (Katharine, 17:19)
  • We often act with “good intentions” that, without discernment, can oppose God’s will.

2. Resisting Social Media Division and Misplaced “Justice” (18:25–21:30)

• The cultural shift from “innocent until proven guilty” to “guilty until proven innocent,” both in America and in church culture.
• The perils of jumping to conclusions and joining internet “pile-ons.”

Quote:

“We have to make a decision not based on our trauma and based on our past experience ... we don't know all of the facts.”
– Katharine Mullins Robbins [21:13]

3. Healing Through Disappointment: Katharine’s Infertility Journey (06:12–12:29)

• Katharine details her eight-year struggle with infertility, her miscarriage, and the eventual birth of her son.
• The pain of unanswered prayer, the “Isaac on the altar” moment—letting go of the demand for her own way.
• Reading Job before her miscarriage; responding with “The Lord gives, the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
• A powerful, direct encouragement to listeners not to give up waiting for God’s promises.

Quote:

“To those of you who are contending for the promise, I want to encourage you. Don't give up. God has a plan for your life.”
– Katharine Mullins Robbins [09:10]

Timestamps for this Testimony:

• Infertility struggle: [07:16–08:18]
• Miscarriage & faith: [08:32–11:14]
• Encouragement to listeners: [09:10–10:00]
• Miracle baby born: [11:40–12:03]

4. Heaven’s Perspective vs. Human Perspective (12:29–19:10)

• The church is in intense internal conflict, much of it exacerbated by demonic influence and social media gossip.
• There is need for “heaven’s perspective” over human opinions, illustrated by the story of Peter rebuking Jesus.
• Disagreement, relational tension, and how Peter’s story is a warning but also hopeful—since, despite failure, Jesus restores Peter by grace, not condemnation.

Quote:

“He doesn’t bring a grudge list, he brings a grace list.”
– Katharine Mullins Robbins [23:58]

5. Guarding Your Heart Against Gossip and Slander (25:26–27:03)

• Practical advice: “shut off social media,” guard your peace, protect your heart.
• “The Lord really convicted me ... He said, you don’t even know these people ... shut it off and don’t let them influence you.” (Katharine, 26:25)
• Biblical conviction about controlling the tongue (James 1:26).

6. The Transformative Power of Grace: Creflo Dollar’s Testimony (32:29–60:26)

Main Topics:

• Moving from legalism and striving to a relationship-based, grace-centered faith.
• Sharing openly about life-threatening illness (COVID, blood clots, shingles, cancer return).
• The danger of “approval addiction” and fixing identity in others’ (especially online) approval.
• The temptation to believe hardship is always a result of failure or weak faith.
• Vulnerability and honesty as ministry tools—moving from transactional faith (“if I do this, God will...”) to relational trust.
• Importance of empathy: seeing others’ suffering through grace, not suspicion or criticism.

Notable Quotes & Moments:

• On Grace vs. Rules:

  “I think preachers like to control people, and I think people like to be in control. ... Money is not prosperity. Wholeness is.”
  – Creflo Dollar [35:46]

• On Suffering & Approval Addiction:

  “I’m confronted with a lot of things I didn’t know were there, like approval addiction.”
  – Creflo Dollar [37:58]

• On Vulnerability:

  “Vulnerability could be the most powerful ministry tool for today because we have been so afraid to be vulnerable.”
  – Creflo Dollar [49:35]

• On Resting in God’s Finished Work:

  “Do you actually think that I’m making these declarations just to see results? ... I’m making these declarations because I believe it.”
  – Creflo Dollar [48:44]

• On Questioning vs. Asking God:

  “There’s a difference between asking God a question and questioning. ... He wants us to be intelligent and to use our mind and to think and ask him questions.”
  – Creflo Dollar [55:06]

Practical Wisdom from the Conversation:

• Let go of approval-seeking, especially from the ever-critical internet.
• Don’t attribute every trial to personal failure; suffering can have a divine purpose.
• Harvest “wilderness wisdom” from hardship and bring it with you into future seasons.
• Faith is not denying reality but trusting God in the midst of it.
• Emotional honesty is biblical; God can handle our real questions and pain.

7. Closing & Encouragement

• Both interview segments end with a pastoral invitation to trust Jesus, receive grace, and rest in God’s finished work.
• Viewers struggling with faith, life challenges, or illness are encouraged to call in for prayer.

Notable Quotes (With Timestamps)

• On Discernment Over Criticism:
  “God gives us discernment and I think that's ... to pray, not to criticize.”
  – Joni Lamb [02:30]

• On Restoring Unity:
  “I don't think revival or reconciliation can happen without [unity].”
  – Joni Lamb [03:53]

• On Brokenness and Waiting:
  “If this never happens, am I still going to worship? ...Am I owed a child? … I have to trust the Lord with this.”
  – Katharine Mullins Robbins [10:44–11:14]

• On Good Intentions vs. Heaven’s Perspective:
  “Peter had great intentions ... but his intentions weren’t good enough. ... What spirit in this season am I operating in?”
  – Katharine Mullins Robbins [15:53–17:19]

• On Gossip:
  “Somebody has to say that we've got to learn to tame our tongues again.”
  – Katharine Mullins Robbins [12:55]

• On Approval Addiction:
  “We cannot help God when we are addicted to approval.”
  – Creflo Dollar [45:44]

• On Vulnerability:
  “Vulnerability could be the most powerful ministry tool for today.”
  – Creflo Dollar [49:35]

• On Resting in Christ:
  “Now you’re going to have to choose to live in the realm of the finished … or by circumstances and emotions.”
  – Creflo Dollar [47:47]

• On God’s Grace:
  “The cross is so much bigger. ... The Lord’s wanting to meet with you today ... He’s bringing a grace list.”
  – Katharine Mullins Robbins [23:58]

Memorable Moments

• Katharine’s decree over listeners to not give up on God’s promises [09:10–10:00]
• Discussion of Peter’s restoration by Jesus (“He brings a grace list”) [23:58]
• Creflo Dollar’s confession of weaknesses, illness, wrestling with God, and how faith is not about denial but trust and rest [37:58–55:55]
• The practical advice to “shut off social media” to protect your peace [26:25]
• Powerful musical finish with “Sing Like the Battle is Over” [28:33–29:46]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Description | Start | End | |---------|-------------|-------|-----| | Discernment vs. Criticism | Joni and guests discuss criticism, self-examination, unity | 01:58 | 05:55 | | Katharine’s Infertility Journey | Katharine recounts her faith journey and struggle with infertility | 06:12 | 12:29 | | Division and Social Media | Church division, toxic criticism online, Peter/Jesus story | 12:29 | 21:41 | | Grace Over Legalism (Creflo) | Creflo Dollar on grace, illness, and faith journeys | 32:29 | 60:26 |

Conclusion

This episode of Joni Table Talk weaves together personal testimonies, biblical insights, and practical encouragements for Christians navigating a culture of criticism, church division, personal disappointment, and the pressures of legalism. It calls listeners to live from a place of grace, relational faith, emotional honesty, and discernment—choosing unity, taming the tongue, and trusting in God’s finished work above all.

The episode is uplifting, vulnerable, and practical—equipping listeners to navigate difficult seasons with faith, wisdom, and love.

Resources & Further Info:

• Learn more about Katharine Mullins Robbins: katharinemullins.com
• Dr. Creflo Dollar’s ministry & book: worldchangers.org
• For prayer: Call the prayer line (as offered on the episode)
• The Joni Table Talk Podcast: Available on all major platforms