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Join us now is Travis Johnson. He's the lead pastor of Pathway Church in Mobile, Alabama. He's also CEO of People for Care and Learning, founder of Buy a Tree, Change a Life. He's a strong and faithful member, by the way, of the National Faith Advisory Board. Pastor Travis, welcome back. Thank you for joining me.

Pastor Travis Johnson (6:28)

Thank you so much, Dr. Clinton. Always great to be with you.

Dr. Tim Clinton (6:30)

TRAVERSE we get started, here we are. We're moving into, well, it's Palm Sunday. We're moving into Holy Week. It's a big deal on the calendar for Christians all over the globe. Some 2 billion people are going to be commemorating and celebrating the birth of Christ, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Travis, talk to us about what you do as a family maybe, and as a church family there at Pathway. Church preparation.

Pastor Travis Johnson (6:53)

That's right. Well, you know, Easter is a Super Bowl Sunday for the church. There's so many people. This is such a sacred day that in people's minds, if there's a day that they're going to go to church, it's on Easter. And so we prepare. It's, it's really, it's like as Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, people were preparing to receive him. And so we want to do that. And of course, we raise awareness and we point to the crucifixion, the burial, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Of course, we have Good Friday services and the Easter egg hunts, and I don't even know how many services we have at our campuses. But all I know, it's just the biggest thing of the whole week. And actually all of Christianity hinges on this moment. If there had been no crucifixion, there would be no resurrection. If there had been no resurrection, there'd be no salvation from sin. This isn't just a group of people that get together weekly because we're bored and we need friendship. This is God who became flesh and dwelt among US was born in a manger, grew in wisdom and stature. According to Luke 2:52. He taught the rabbis at age 12, was left behind by his parents. Turned the water into wine, raised it out, open to the blinded eyes. He was beaten, put on trial, crucified, buried, resurrected. This is Easter. It's the good news that Jesus came to save mankind, redeem us by his sacrifice.

Dr. Tim Clinton (8:11)

You know, when I think of Christianity, you go back the life changing power of Jesus. Palm Sunday, they were singing Hosanna. Hosanna areas. King of the Jews, by the way of Israel. And then almost in an instant turned to crucify him. And Travis, when you just look back over history and you think about modern day times, it's almost like modern day biblical times. If you look at everything that's going on in the Middle east and you think about the faith, is that the heart? Probably most. Well, virtually every conflict. It's really light and darkness type stuff. How do you, how do you reflect on all that, Travis, as we again celebrate the goodness and grace of God, his steadfast love, but also see the darkness of our world.

Pastor Travis Johnson (9:01)

It's. Well, the darker the night, the brighter the light shines. And so there is no moment that's greater than God's strength. In fact, think about this. The same Holy Spirit that resurrected Jesus from the dead is the same Holy Spirit that's working in 2026. I've heard some people say, you know, God just isn't moving like he used to, as if the Holy Spirit is less powerful. None of this is bigger than God's good work and his presence here on the earth. There was another advocate. Jesus said, would he that would be sent to work in us. And I'm thankful that the Holy Spirit leads us and guides us. And this is what's really wonderful. As Christians, there's people all around us that are groping in the dark and we have the light of Jesus Christ. In fact, in the Book of Acts, the Bible says that God determines the boundaries of the nation so that men would grope around in darkness and some would find Christ. And the way they find him is through God working in us. And so that's a real privilege to be in this moment, that God would trust us to be in this moment and share God's good news through Jesus Christ.

Dr. Tim Clinton (10:02)

Interestingly enough, Travis, in the middle of all this, you made a trip over to Israel with a thousand and pastors, and God moved in a powerful way. As a result of that, the prime minister met with evangelicals back here on American Soil the top of this year. And that really spurred some efforts. I saw where Liberty University, I was actually in attendance on a celebration of launching a new center for Israel. It's amazing there on campus, which is a powerful statement. But where do you see, where do you see this going? Pastor Travis, this is important because again, there are real attempts, like you said, to divide the faith community at least to maybe erase some confusion and a little bit of craziness, if you will, again trying to minimize that faith vote. I think we're going into midterm elections. I think this is very intentional, you

Pastor Travis Johnson (11:01)

know, one, I think that's why every parent that has children, that loves the Lord and loves family and, you know, stands with conservative values, ought to be looking at Liberty University. That's a faithful partner. You know, that's the kind of place you'd want your kids to get a great education, which you would. It's great academics and, you know, meet friends and, you know, maybe even a spouse. Yeah, so many things happen during that time, but it's such an, such an incredible place. And whenever you see a church or an institution, just be clear. It's an amazing thing. And it's so important right now for churches pastors to be clear. And actually I see some really great pushback, some really great pushback against this anti Semitic wave that's happened on both the left and the right. We see it for what it is. And you know what I feel is actually some momentum happening in that pushback, and I'm really thankful for that. But it comes when people are willing to stand up and speak out against anti Semitism, against racism, against anti freedom movements. You know, a lot of this agenda is not coming from America. It's coming from outside of America. These are highly coordinated, highly funded ops. And so it's a really wonderful thing to see when people stand and are clear.

Dr. Tim Clinton (12:21)

Travis, I want to wrap up this way. You've come out with a new book called Unembarrassed for Jesus. I think it's a very timely book. Strong book. I mean, it's a word to the church for such a time as this. You are no stranger to adversity challenge. You go down into Mobile, Alabama, you guys are throwing down down there in the city and some of the what's happening there in the state. But talk to us about the heart of this message and what you're trying to get people to embrace.

Pastor Travis Johnson (12:50)

Well, absolutely. Unit Unembarrassed of Jesus. We show an arc of Peter's story deconstruction as he follows Jesus from a distance, the Bible says, and sat down to watch and see what would happen. When he needed to stand and be counted, he wasn't. Follow from a distance, lose your faith, follow closely and change the world. That's what Peter did on the day of Pentecost, the Bible said he stood and shouted boldly and the other 11 disciples stood with him. So what we find out, if you want to change the world, make sure that you don't have some kind of uncertain faith. Give God everything you have. What we found is it changed Mobile. We have a majority Democrat city and we became the first city in America to lower our human rights campaign. Mei score, which is really a high score, is an anti family score. We've seen that we've shaped our city. We determined who our mayor was. It was a pro family mayor and we've done the same thing in our state. It's been a pretty amazing thing. I'd love for everybody to get the book. There's a gospel book you could lead. You could read this in small groups with your family. And the cool thing is is we give all the proceeds away. We're building churches and schools in some of the most challenging places in the world. So it's our book, not mine. And when you buy it, then it'll go do that. And let me say this, a donation of any amount will get this book to sent to you. And to do that, just text the word book to 877-85-6044. I'd love to get that copy to you Travis.

Dr. Tim Clinton (14:15)

Give that number one more time. I want to make sure we can get it up on the screen.

Pastor Travis Johnson (14:18)

That's 877. Textbook to 877-856-044 44.

Dr. Tim Clinton (14:25)

Happy Easter to you and your family, Travis. Thank you so much for joining me.

Pastor Travis Johnson (14:28)

God bless you. Dr. Tim Clayton. Take care.

Dr. Tim Clinton (14:32)

Coming up next, she's the best selling author, speaker, podcaster. Heidi St. John is back. Do people ever come to you asking for help? Maybe hope? How about prayer? Do you ever wish you understood the issues better that people are wrestling with? Or how about how to use the Bible more effectively in caring for people? If so, I'd love to get a copy of our Karen Council Bible in Your Hands featuring 116 topics written by some of the world's best mental health and ministry experts. I think you'll love it. Topics like discouragement, abuse, depression, divorce anxiety, abortion and more. So you can learn more about these issues and how to use the Bible more effectively, how to share passages of scripture with others maybe even yourself as you're sitting down over a cup of coffee. You know what I love most about this Bible is that it's so easy to use. You can find right up front an index with subjects, key passages of scripture, personality profiles and so much more to go to so you can use the Bible more effectively in caring for other people. The Caring Council Bible right now is retailing for $85. We're going to make it available to you for just 49.99 plus shipping. I think you're gonna love it. Hey, for more information about how you can get this Bible right now, go to careandcouncil.com that's careandcouncil.com support for the

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Pastor Travis Johnson (17:00)

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Dr. Tim Clinton (17:30)

Joining us now is Heidi St. John. She's the bestselling author, podcaster speaker, mom to seven children, a lot of grandkids, strong and fearless voice for the family and righteousness and culture. Heidi, welcome back. Thank you for joining me.

Heidi St. John (17:42)

Hey, my friends. Great to see you.

Dr. Tim Clinton (17:44)

Heidi. It's Easter week. We're Palm Sunday today going into what most people reflect as Holy Week, time of reflection on the death, burial, resurrection of Jesus. Just wanted to get some thoughts from you. Kind of slowing things down for a moment and being reflective on Christ and faith and culture, especially for such a time as this.

Heidi St. John (18:10)

You know, I am hip deep in writing a book right now on the seven churches of Revelation for my friends at Harvest House. And I have been really praying as I'm writing because I'm starting with the Church of Ephesus, right? And Jesus says, you had everything right. You had your doctrine right. Your orthodoxy was correct. You could smell a false teacher a mile away. But you've lost your first love. He said, I hold this against you. You've lost your first love. And Easter gives us, I think, an opportunity to step back, to reflect and to say, have we lost our first love? Is Jesus preeminent? Have we lost the zeal that we once had for the Lord? Has the noise of the world crowded that out? Are we living our lives in a constant state of worry or fret over what's happening in our world today? If we are, it's a pretty good sign that something has taken the place of the Lord Jesus in our lives because he offers the peace that passes understanding. The victory was won at the cross. When Jesus paid our debt for us and rose again, the victory was won. And so as believers, we don't fight for victory. We fight from victory. And so I think it's important Easter gives us a chance to remember that, to remember that no matter what happens in the world around us, that the Lord is still on his throne, that God is accomplishing everything that he set out to accomplish. And nothing that is happening on the world stage right now is going to affect God's perfect timeline. He is at work. God is not the author of confusion. When the disciples thought, this is the end, right when they were all in chaos and God, Jesus wasn't in the upper room. Love was on his mind. He's getting ready to die. He knows he's about to endure an excruciating crucifixion on the cross. And what did he say? He said, love one another. Love was on his mind. And I think as believers, we can look to his example even when we're suffering, even when we're struggling and say, God has a plan. He's working it out. One of these days, Tim, you and I are going to be in his presence. What a glorious day that will be. In the meantime, we can trust him and rest in his promises because he rose from the dead. Incredible, incredible time.

Dr. Tim Clinton (20:23)

You know, it's exciting. Heidi, is. I think most people sense that faith really is back in America. A lot of great things are happening. May 17, the President has dedicated a special day kind of rededicating America back to God. And in the midst of it, Heidi, there's a lot of energy. But Barna says, yeah, you know, it's kind of that there are fans and then there are followers. That's kind of what you're talking about. How are we going to encourage one another unto good works and. And really to press into what it means to truly be a disciple of Jesus Christ in this kind of an hour?

Heidi St. John (21:00)

Yeah, I think it's true. I was listening to an old interview from Francis Schaeffer this morning. Extraordinary. I should send it to you. You would love it. And he was being asked about the role of Christians in the culture right now. And he said, you know, God's word does not put Christians in watertight compartments. Right. You can exist over here, but not over here. No. The work of the Holy Spirit should. Should permeate every aspect of our lives. And for some people, that's going to mean that you run for office. For some people, it's going to mean I focus on serving in my community. It will look different for each one of us because God has a different plan for each one of us, but he expects us to steward the message of the gospel in every aspect of our lives. We are called to be salt and light in a culture that desperately needs to know about Jesus. That's where our hope lies. That's why we don't have to get all freaked out and stressed out when we hear about things happening in Iran or things that are terrible, that are happening right here at home in the Republican Party, or things that. As nightmarish as the terrible, brutal murder of our friend Charlie Kirk. We rest in knowing that God sees it all. And one day the Bible says every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the Father. We rest in that in these times. And that's where we take our comfort, and that is where we find our security.

Dr. Tim Clinton (22:18)

Heidi, we're fighting the clock a little bit here, but I've got to come back to Joe Kent. You did an amazing Interview last week with Ryan Helfenbein here on, on the broadcast, the road Forward. It was stunning. You know, Joe Kent, this is the guy who was the head of what counterterrorism for President Trump quit over the Iran war, blew up social media. It's even getting worse. It's getting crazier by the minute. How do you take us into the middle of the story, this narrative and what's unfolding? What do we know about this guy and why is it significant? Where's this thing going? I even see now Candace Owens and Charlie Kirk and all kinds of stuff being tied into this thing, Israel, everything. It's like. And what kind of impact is it having on national security and more.

Heidi St. John (23:02)

Well, we probably should have paid better attention in Washington state when I was running against Joe for Congress. I spent two years running against him. I announced a run in February of 2021 for a race that was held in August of 2022. So I know him very well. And we should have paid better attention as Republicans when it was clearly identified that he had ties to Nick Fuentes, that he. If you have ties to Nick Fuentes, you're an anti Semite. Sorry, but you are. And so that meant that what he was saying out on the campaign trail was probably not credible. We heard him say that he was a lifelong Republican. In fact, I've got video of it. I should send it to you, Tim. I think I will. I've got video of me out on the campaign trail standing next to Joe when Joe said, I'm a lifelong Republican, I've always voted Republican. That's not true. Unlike Candace Owens, Heidi St. John has the receipts. I have pictures of Joe Kent's voting record in Washington state or in Oregon rather, which is where he came from. Portland, Oregon. He was a registered Democrat up until 2021 when he registered as a Republican, moved into Washington state and became a chaos agent here in Washington State. He won the primary, lost the general, thank goodness. But he's doing exactly right now to the federal government what he did in Washington State in 2021 and 2022, all the way up through the last election that he lost in 2024. And I'll remember, I think this is really important for people to know. There's so many things I could tell you, but I think it's really important for people to understand that what they're seeing play out on the national stage right now has been playing out politically in this country since 2021, when Joe Kent misrepresented himself to me and to the Republicans and to President Trump. He misrepresented himself to President Trump. Trump gave him his endorsement twice and then gave him a job that he did not earn and did not deserve. And so when Joe was giving a speech, very importantly in Washington years ago, a couple of years ago now, he was talking to the audience there about his military training and bragging about how he had been trained. Remember, he was a CIA agent. People need to remember Joe worked for the CIA. All right? He was a Green Beret. He said he did 11 tours. If you unpack those, even that doesn't really pass the sniff test very well anymore. But he said he was trained to go into communities to find out what their weaknesses were and to turn them against each other. And my husband. And my husband leaned over to me and he said, that's what he's doing. That's what he's doing in Washington State. That's what he's doing to the Republican Party. And, Tim, we have still not recovered here. The Republican Party in Washington state now, in Washington's third Congressional District, under the disaster that was Joe Kent, is so fractured that I don't know if we'll ever recover.

Dr. Tim Clinton (25:51)

Wow.

Heidi St. John (25:51)

Conservatives right now, Republicans, need to circle the wagons. We need to know who are the true conservatives and if it even smells funny. If you're not sure, if you find out that somebody's a brand new baby Christian, you don't then make them the pastor of the church the following year. You say, here's your reflective vest. We would love it if you would volunteer to help in the parking lot. That's what you do. And then you teach them what it means to be a Christian, and they go to Theology 101. They start in the 101 classes. What happened was the Republicans, even though they knew that Joe was a Democrat because his voting record was there, and Joe made an excuse about how it was subterfuge and he was trying to do Rush Limbaugh's Operation Cast. In my opinion, everything he said was a lie. He was doing this from the very beginning, what he did to President Trump. And now, frankly, he is a national security risk and a national security threat because I believe he misrepresented himself and his position on Israel and his position on our involvement in the Middle east and in Iran. We let him in as a wolf into the hen house, and then we're going to have to pay for it, and we can never let this happen again. We've got to do a better job of vetting our candidates, and that's why

Dr. Tim Clinton (27:00)

these conversations are important, too. We've got to stay informed. And we got to, we got to stay out in the front lines. We've got work to do. Heidi St. John, always great to see you. Happy Holy Week. Blessings to you and your family. Thank you for joining me.

Heidi St. John (27:13)

Have a wonderful Easter. Thank you.

Dr. Tim Clinton (27:15)

Coming up next, he's the president of American Values and senior vice president for Public policy for the Dr. James Dobson family Institute. Gary Bauer is back. Hi, everyone. I'm Dr. Tim Clinton. And you know how important this is. It's my phone. It's my lifeline. It connects me with loved ones and business throughout the day, keeps me informed about the world around us. And that's why my cell service and data, they're so important to me. They have to be reliable, safe, secure, and that's why I use Patriot Mobile. Patriot Mobile is leading the way as America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. And you can enjoy nationwide coverage with access to all three major US Networks. That's right. Most importantly, when you switch to Patriot Mobile, you'll be supporting faith, family and freedom. That's right. The folks at Patriot, they've got four core values centered on defending God and country and supporting our military and the sanctity of life. I appreciate that switching. It's easy, easy. Keep your number and phone. Or you can upgrade, make the move and defend your values without sacrificing quality or service. All you have to do is visit patriotmobile.com again. That's patriotmobile.com forward/road forward. Or you can call 972-972-patriot. That's 972-patriot. You get a free month with the promo code Road Forward. Let me repeat that. If you use the code Road Forward, you're gonna receive a free month of service. Hey, everybody can use that. The information is right there on your screen. Visit again patriotmobile.com forward/road forward, or call 972 Patriot to get a free month of cellular service with the promo code Road Forward. Patriot Mobile's prices are very competitive with plans starting as low as $26. That's $26. A terrific offer from a great company that shares our values and standing with us for such a time as this. Joining us now is Gary Bauer. Bauer served in President Ronald Reagan's administration for eight years as under Secretary of Education and Chief Domestic Policy advisor. Today he serves as president of American Values, an educational nonprofit organization right there in Washington, D.C. he also serves as senior vice president of Public policy for the Dr. James Dobson family Institute. Gary, welcome back. Thank you for joining me.

Gary Bauer (29:59)

My pleasure, Tim. Always great to be with you.

Dr. Tim Clinton (30:02)

Good. Gary, I want to open up with this whole Save act issue continues just like cycle, just round and round and round. Gary, it seems like a mess. What's going to happen? Is this thing going to get through the Senate or not? Where's this thing going to land? Yeah.

Gary Bauer (30:18)

You know, Tim, first of all, I hope the American public is noticing that the Democrat Party unanimously does not want to make sure that only American citizens are voting. I mean, I just think that says a lot about the condition of that party. Now let's go to the other party, the party that I've made my life in over the years. What is wrong with Republicans?

Dr. Tim Clinton (30:42)

Why can't they get something done? Gary.

Gary Bauer (30:43)

Oh my gosh. You know, it's that old Saul, right, that everybody's repeated over the years. We live in a two party nation. The stupid party and the evil party. Guess which one the Republicans are. I know it's hard and there's this, you know, 60 vote requirement to cut off a filibuster, but if you have a will, you can deal with those things. There's talk about putting this Save act in a reconciliation bill. And what did Senator Thune do when he heard about this idea? He said, well, we have to ask the, the Senate parliamentarian and, and if he thinks it's not allowed in. Well, we traditionally have always followed his advice that these are the words of somebody that does not understand what time it is. Tim, I know we're hanging here trying to save our country. If we do another election cycle or two more election cy where we've got voter fraud and so forth, Senator Thume and the rest of that party will never get back into power again.

Dr. Tim Clinton (31:53)

I saw where the President Gary went after Thune and just said, get something done. This is ridiculous. You know what I'm saying? At the end of the day. So also this week where Mark Meadows came out and said, hey, listen, if you don't get it done, the Dems are going to take control, period. You're just going to hand the reins back over to the insanity of all this craziness that we're seeing. Go on the smart political game stuff that we constantly are seeing with the Department of Homeland Security, TSA and all that stuff to everything else. Weaponization of systems of government. It just seems like it's all gonna, hey, next thing you know they'll be trying to impeach the president, blah, blah, blah. Gary, midterms are serious. This stuff's coming up. Is The American public, I mean, are they game on, or where are we at?

Gary Bauer (32:42)

Yeah, I, I, look, it's complicated. Obviously, it's a big country. People have a lot of different views, but we're fighting an historical trend that. That's a problem. The party in the White House tends to lose seats in the midterm elections, and we don't have any seats to lose.

Dr. Tim Clinton (33:01)

No.

Gary Bauer (33:02)

Particularly in the House of Representatives. There's also. I. I don't understand it. I must admit. I, I could act like I do, but I don't. There's an enthusiasm gap, the left, which is against every normal thing that most Americans believe in. They're enthusiastic about the upcoming election. And our side, Americans that. Did they already forget what the Biden Harris years were like? Their enthusiasm level is not nearly as high. I just want to remind people, Tim, if. If Kamala Harris and Tim Walls had won, the border would be open, we wouldn't be kicking out any illegal aliens, and Iran would have a nuclear bomb. Do you want to go back to that?

Dr. Tim Clinton (33:45)

Yeah. Yeah. I saw, too, where that transgender ideology thing continues to be almost like a party mantra for the Dems this week. They voted party line, every one of them, straight up. They want boys, men in women's sports, and want men somehow, you know, dancing around in, you know, the locker rooms of our daughters and granddaughters. Gary. I mean, people just like, you're right. What's the matter? I mean, we've been fighting with. 80% of Americans say they don't want that to happen, yet nevertheless, here they go. And it's like, nobody cares.

Gary Bauer (34:25)

Statistically, you know, the Democrat Party continues to do much, much better. I mean, incredibly better among women voters than men voters.

Heidi St. John (34:35)

Hello.

Gary Bauer (34:37)

I mean, why would any American woman. I don't care if you're progressive, conservative, moderate, or whatever. Do you really want men in dresses to walk into your bathroom to your locker room, the place where you shower after you leave the spa or the exercise room or so for. More importantly, do you want your daughters to have to worry about that?

Dr. Tim Clinton (35:00)

We.

Gary Bauer (35:01)

There was just a bill introduced in the Maryland state legislature by 10 members of the legislature requiring that every public restroom in the state of Maryland men's restrooms, have in them tampon dispensaries. Excuse me, I don't. You know, there's no adjectives anymore. The Democrat Party is at war not only with the Constitution of war, with the natural law, of course. They're at war with the Bible. You know, he created us male and female. But this stuff is so insane. I don't know how they pull more than 30% on who people are going to vote for on Election Day.

Dr. Tim Clinton (35:44)

GARY all this is going on in the midst of a transition this weekend into Holy Week. It's Palm Sunday. Pretty meaningful for people of faith. I think what some 2 billion people around the world are going to begin commemorating and celebrating the birth, hey, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. GARY Just some reflections on your thoughts about faith, the importance of really getting reflective this week and pressing into the heart of God. It seems again that faith is back in America in a special way.

Gary Bauer (36:22)

I hope it is. I hope and pray it is. TIM America was built uniquely as a nation that believed that liberty did not come from these jokers in Washington, D.C. but that our liberty came from God, the creator of everything that is the or he is the origin of our liberty. We're made in his image in a way that's metaphysical and we can't really explain in any normal way. But it means that because he created us and that we are who he wanted to create, we have dignity, value and worth and that no bureaucrat, no government can take that away from us. And of course, his son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, paid the ultimate price on the cross. And so this is a time to reflect on that. It's easy and necessary as Christian citizens to pay attention on what's happening in Washington, D.C. but we can't, while we do that, forget the most important thing about who we are and what America needs. And that is we are followers of Christ and America needs to turn back to him. America's not going to be great again unless America is godly again.

Dr. Tim Clinton (37:39)

Gary Bauer, always great to have you. Happy Easter week, my friend. Say hello to Carol for me.

Gary Bauer (37:44)

And the same to you, Tim.

Dr. Tim Clinton (37:46)

Coming up next, he's a licensed professional counselor, family trauma specialist, loneliness and social isolation expert. Dr. Mark Mayfield is with us. Joining us now is Dr. Mark Mayfield. He's a licensed professional counselor and founder and former CEO of Mayfield Counseling Centers, currently serves as director of practice and ministry development for the American association of Christian Counselors, as well as director of national development and Advancement for Light Counseling. He's an expert on at risk children, families, couples facing loneliness and isolation. Mark, welcome back. Thank you for joining me.

Dr. Mark Mayfield (38:20)

Thanks, Tim.

Dr. Tim Clinton (38:21)

Mark I want to stay with the whole issue of the mental health crisis disaster that we have, especially related to our kids, continuing to see all kinds of reports come out. MARK We've got soaring rates of anxiety, depression, even suicidality again amongst our children. In particular, it's beyond sobering. Mark do you see any, any, any relief coming? Do you see any good news on the horizon here?

Dr. Mark Mayfield (38:48)

Well, yes, I do and I think it's in our, our Gen Z and Gen Alpha populations that are kind of bucking the trend of smartphones and social media accounts. We know Barna even shows that this generation is coming back to church in a lot of, a lot of stronger ways than past generations. So there's a desire for truth, there's a desire for healing. And so I think in the next four or five years we're going to see some trends shifting. Hopefully.

Dr. Tim Clinton (39:16)

Marcus saw this week where a jury in New Mexico hit Meta with a big verdict. I mean, brought the hammer down, $375 million, whatever. Obviously there's probably a lot that continues to go on and related to the court case, but nevertheless, things are starting to come kind of unravel when it comes to social media and our kids. Everybody gets the fact that mental health is just blowing up and it's directly tied to that world, that space with especially our girls. Mark, some of your reflections on social media and more and our kids and what parents should be thinking and doing.

Dr. Mark Mayfield (39:54)

Well, it's, we don't have a conversation with our kids and we just say, hey, you know, everybody's doing it, so good luck. Here's a phone, here's access to it. Right. It's, it's creating almost a social contagion of, of just getting lost in it. And I always tell parents when I'm working with them in the counseling realm or doing some trainings, this has to be done relationally. They don't have the brain structure yet that is developed enough to think through consequence and reaction. If I'm spending 12 hours a day on the device and I'm in these algorithms, that's not good for me. They don't think about that, they just get lost in it.

Dr. Tim Clinton (40:36)

And I think people are, maybe they didn't hear what you just said. Up to 12 hours a day. It's insanity. Yeah. Zach and I, my son, often talk about the P's related to kids phones, thinking about again how much time is being spent on the phone or in front of a screen porn because they got access to it. And it's just unbelievable how it's changing and rewiring everything about our identity and more Mark pressure. A lot of this is comparison related stuff, especially for girls. They get up there and they start just getting lost in all of it. And what it does, it just takes away joy. I think it just robs people of connection and Just general joy in life.

Dr. Mark Mayfield (41:19)

Yeah.

Dr. Tim Clinton (41:20)

Yeah.

Dr. Mark Mayfield (41:21)

I want to encourage parents that probably about three or four years ago there was research that came out that said, surveyed kids and they said that the parent, their parents still had a strong voice in and a strong influence over their kids. The kids wanted their parents to speak into these kinds of things. So dads and moms listen, you still have influence and you still have a powerful voice over your kids. And you might think that you've lost that because of what you're seeing. Right. This despair, this getting lost in social media and stuff. They crave that. They crave to hear truth and to hear perspective and to hear love from you. And I think that's one of the biggest things that we can do to combat some of these things is speak the truth in love. And louder than the voice of the world.

Dr. Tim Clinton (42:07)

I know in parenting, the whole world has shifted its dialogue. It's conversation around the importance of relationship, that you've got to have that connection with your kids. And it doesn't come with just, quote, dropping in on your 12 year old and trying to start a conversation that. It takes time and effort, Mark, a lot of it. And maybe we call it floor time. Getting into their space, into their world and enjoying their world with them a little bit because you learn then what they really like, what matters to them. It creates open doors or pathways of communication that you probably aren't having. And Mark, this relationship piece even determines how effective we are in our discipline strategies and things like that. Kids need structure. People don't understand how important structure is to a child. Yes.

Dr. Mark Mayfield (42:58)

Yeah, it's. It's setting up that, that God designed our brains to be holistic, but they're not. They don't come out that way. Right. They have to be developed through intentional relationship and structure. And a lot of these kids are left up to their own devices. They don't get that privilege of creating a holistic brain, the emotional brain and the thinking brain combined to have these safety measures in place so that they can live a thriving and functional life.

Dr. Tim Clinton (43:26)

Mark, every time I talk about relationship and kids, it reminds me of the issue of loneliness, that kids are lonely. I'm talking like really lonely. You would think. No, no, no. They're on their phone constantly, Mark. Intuitive. Doesn't seem like they're lonely, but man, they are so lonely. Talk to us about some of the research and work you've done in that area with kids.

Dr. Mark Mayfield (43:50)

Yeah, so we're noticing that. That loneliness is such a subversive undertone that we need to pay Attention to a lot of families that I've worked with will say, I didn't see this, I didn't, I wasn't paying attention. And I try to bring them back to the attachment literature and research that shows, like you said, the floor time piece, they've got to be in their kids worlds, they've got to be looking at them, getting off their devices. And so I tell parents that that loneliness is going to be a given because of the systems that we've set up. And we can combat that through driving together, going for walks, throwing the ball, being out in playing games, putting puzzles together. And so I always tell them, create a family culture of relational connectedness that allows you the opportunity to step in. Loneliness is going to lead to things that we don't like and that's the anxiety, the depression. But, and I don't do this to scare people, but to be very aware. It's still. Suicide is the number two leading cause of death amongst our kids, 12 to 12 to 22. And a lot of that can be mitigated by just going, hey, you know what? I see you, I see that you're struggling, I see that you're wrestling with some things that don't make sense to you right now. And hey, I'm not going anywhere. I'm here to listen.

Dr. Tim Clinton (45:13)

Mark, I want to close this way. You and I have had many conversations about the importance of family and getting back to the family at the same time. We talk about connectivity not just in the family, but also in our church community, our faith community.

Dr. Mark Mayfield (45:26)

Yeah.

Dr. Tim Clinton (45:26)

You've written a new book about the mental health handbook for ministry. Mark, one or two key points that really help anchor that book and why it's important for everybody to understand the role of the church.

Dr. Mark Mayfield (45:40)

Yeah. You know just as well as I do that there is a lot of bad mental health information out there and our desire. This is a collaborative effort with a bunch of different authors from AACC and Colorado Christian University. And the idea was to create a trusted go to resource for churches where they didn't have to go search Google or WebMD or something like that to get bad advice, to get godly Christ centered biblical advice on mental health and a kind of a go to reference piece so that they could do their ministry. Well, I think the church is, and we know this, you and I talk about this all the time. The church is the catalyst, the point, tip of the spear for the mental health revolution that I think could be just a great way of bringing people to Christ. And this is something we wanted to do. Just make it simple, make it accessible for people.

Dr. Tim Clinton (46:32)

Mark, at the end of the day, we can change this mental health epidemic crisis. Just one, one kid, one family or one church community at a time. We can press in and get rewired, reconnected. Man, it's amazing what God can do. Last thought from you to each of us,

Dr. Mark Mayfield (46:53)

I think don't be afraid to step in the fray. Go against the culture to say, hey, my family needs to be different. My, my, my church needs to be different. We're going to do things differently and be able to stand up for that. Create a mental health culture in your home, a culture around tech in your home. Say no to things. Create space for your kids to be kids. But it's not going to return void. I promise you it's going to produce some amazing benefits for the long term.

Dr. Tim Clinton (47:21)

Dr. Mark Mayfield, always great to have you. Thank you for joining me.

Dr. Mark Mayfield (47:24)

Thank you

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Dr. Tim Clinton (47:42)

Do people ever come to you asking for help? Maybe hope?

Dr. Mark Mayfield (47:46)

How about prayer?

Dr. Tim Clinton (47:48)

Do you ever wish you understood the issues better that people are wrestling with? Or how about how to use the Bible more effectively in caring for people? If so, I'd love to get a copy of our Care and Counsel Bible in Your Hands featuring 116 topics written by some of the world's best mental health and ministry experts. And I think you'll love it. Topics like discouragement, abuse, depression, divorce, anxiety, abortion and more. So you can learn more about these issues and how to use the Bible more effectively, how to share passages of scripture with others, maybe even yourself as you're sitting down over a cup of coffee. You know what I love most about this Bible is that it's so easy to use. You can find right up front an index with with subjects, key passages of scripture, personality profiles, and so much more to go to so you can use the Bible more effectively in caring for other people. The Caring Council Bible right now is retailing for $85. We're going to make it available to you for just 49.99 plus shipping. I think you're gonna love it. Hey, for more information about how you can get this Bible right now, go to caring counsel. That's careandcouncil.com you know, in closing, these are unprecedented times. I always say they're difficult times because they are. But God's in control. I know that. And he's at work. I hope you're pressing close to him in his heart. Know that God loves you and wants to be in your life. Our hope, our strength comes from the Lord. Here's a great verse again from the Bible to hold on to this Palm Sunday as we enter Holy Week. John 12:13. So they took branches from palm trees. They went out to meet him, crying out, hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel. I hope you know that you can look to God for wisdom and direction in your everyday life. Let me say this. I've learned as a professional counselor that it's normal to have concern, maybe some fear or worry, especially when things aren't the way they're supposed to be. But I also have learned too, that if you aren't careful, it can begin to consume you, control you. It's easy to lose perspective, maybe even hope. It can get so dark for some that they feel like life would be better off without them. I say this every week. You don't have to live like that. Simply taking a step, reaching out for hope, for help. It's often the gateway to a new day or a new you. And if you or someone you love is struggling, do that, reach out for help. There are wonderful counselors and pastors who care, who can help you find the hope. Hey, the answers you're looking for. There are also a lot of amazing resources available now. Love to connect you with some of those. You can find out more information on our website@aacc.net that's aacc.net if you're looking for a mental health provider in your area, check out our new website. It's called Christian Care Connect ChristianCareConnect.com if you don't have a personal relationship with God, I want you to know that you can do that right now by asking him to come into your life. What an amazing decision that would be. This Easter week, you can ask him to forgive you of your sin and for him to be your Lord and Savior. Simply praying a prayer from your heart to his. You can do that right now by praying this prayer after me. Lord Jesus, I need you. I know I'm a sinner. I believe you came and that you died for my sins. I want to turn from my ways and invite you to come into my heart and life. I want to trust you and follow you as my Lord and Savior. Thank you for your divine love, for giving your life for me. Thank you for the gift of grace and forgiveness, the gift of eternal life of heaven. I pray all this in Jesus name Amen. Not the Bible says. It says in Romans 10, 9 that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. The Bible says this, you will be saved. The best thing you can do right now if you made that prayer from your heart to God's heart is go tell someone about your decision to follow God and then serve him for the rest of your life. If you're struggling with hopelessness, you'd say, tim, right now it's so dark. I just feel stuck. I don't know what to do. Why don't you pick up the phone and talk with someone? There's a suicide hotline. Simply dial 988, the National Suicide Prevention lifeline. Get a conversation going with someone. Hey, before you go, maybe God's gifted you with a heart to help other people. Hope you'll consider being a part of our mental health coach first responder training program. You can enroll right now and be on your way to becoming a board certified mental health coach. That's right, a board certified mental health coach. Nearly 80,000 people have now enrolled. Everything you need to know about this program is@lightuniversity.com mental health coach lightuniversity.com mental health coach. It's a 42 hour training program features some of the world's leading mental health and ministry experts, all on video. You can study 24 7, 365. The best news this program is about $2400. There might be a scholarship up there for someone just like you. Go to lightuniversity.com forward/mental health coach. I'm Dr. Tim Clinton. As always, thanks for watching. See you next week right here on Sunday, the road forward on Real America's Voice.