Celebrity Faith, Astronaut Tears, And Religious Confusion

Summary

Podcast Summary

Podcast: Wretched Radio with Todd Friel
Episode: Celebrity Faith, Astronaut Tears, And Religious Confusion
Date: April 28, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of Wretched Radio with Todd Friel explores the complexities and pitfalls of popular testimonies of faith among celebrities, the profound spiritual experiences of astronauts, and contemporary confusion in religious practice. Todd and his co-hosts engage in thoughtful critique and humorous banter while analyzing testimonies, discussing effective evangelism, critiquing religious syncretism, and examining cultural religious news from around the globe.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Celebrity Conversions: Donnie Wahlberg's Testimony

• Discussion of New Kids on the Block Concert ([01:48])

  • Todd recounts a recent New Kids on the Block concert where Donnie Wahlberg, one of the band members, made a profession of faith.
  • The team jokes about Donnie’s celebrity status and background (“maybe like middle aged men on the block...”) but turns to a more serious analysis of his faith claims.

• Examining Donnie’s Testimony ([03:52], [04:43], [06:14])

  • Donnie shares his struggles with brokenness, his ongoing Bible study and prayer with his wife, and a desire to “commit my life to Jesus.”
  • Quote: "I'm broken too... I've been doing this practice, Jenny and I Bible study together. We pray together, we do all the things..." — Donnie Wahlberg ([04:43])
  • Todd notes Donnie’s emphasis on emptiness, brokenness, and need for meaning, but points out the lack of explicit confession of sin or understanding of the gospel’s core (atonement, repentance, faith).

• The Importance of Gospel Clarity ([07:51], [09:08])

  • Todd explains that authentic Christian testimonies must go deeper than feelings: they should acknowledge sin, divine wrath, redemption, and personal faith in Christ.
  • Quote: "A conversion testimony must include, I was a sinner, I was under the wrath of God, I would be rightly judged and condemned for eternity. But Jesus Christ... died for me..." — Todd Friel ([10:40])
  • Donnie’s testimony is appreciated for its sincerity, but Todd wishes for greater gospel clarity and connection to the biblical definition of conversion.

2. Astronaut Testimony: Awe, Conviction, and Encountering the Divine

• Astronaut's Emotional Experience ([15:03])

  • An astronaut, self-described as “not really a religious person,” is moved to tears upon seeing a cross after returning from space.
  • Quote: "I saw the cross on his collar and I just, I broke down in tears like that... I don't think humanity has evolved to the point of being able to comprehend what we're looking at..." — Astronaut Guest ([15:03])

• Todd's Analysis: How God’s Grandeur Confronts Us ([15:51])

  • Todd suggests the encounter is an example of Psalm 19: “The heavens declare the glory of God.”

  • He discusses three ways people are convicted of sin:

    1. Through the Law (God’s standard exposing human sinfulness)
    2. Through Proclamation of God’s Goodness (the kindness and work of Christ)
    3. Through the Magnitude of Creation (being directly confronted with God's power and majesty as the astronaut was)

  • Quote: "It elevates God. It shows him as being so good, which should reveal to us we're so not good." — Todd Friel ([19:12])

  • Todd argues effective evangelism should not avoid hellfire or judgment, as these highlight the need for grace, and too many current testimonies are shallow, missing conviction of sin ([25:51]).

3. Religious Discrimination and Syncretism

• Indian Temple Discriminates Against Christians ([31:32])

  • Discussion of an Indian temple requiring visitors—including Christians—to drink cow urine as a ritual to keep non-Hindus out. Todd critiques such practices as “paganism,” emphasizing the differences between Christianity and other religions.

• Cultural and Religious Practices ([33:47]–[36:05])

  • Todd and Jimmy humorously investigate Hindu house-blessing rituals, including parading cows through new homes.
  • Todd underscores that Christianity is superior, even if such claims are culturally controversial today.

• The Pope and Religious Pluralism ([37:09])

  • Instances of the Pope participating in Muslim prayer spaces and the Catholic catechism’s openness to salvation outside explicit Christian faith are discussed.
  • Todd critiques universalist and pluralist tendencies in the Catholic hierarchy as contrary to biblical exclusivity.

4. Biblical Context and Misinterpretation

• Prominent Misuse: 2 Chronicles 7:14 in Politics ([47:02])

  • Todd analyzes the frequent invocation of “if my people, who are called by my name…” as a promise to modern nations, highlighting that it was a specific promise to ancient Israel, not to America or Christians generally.

• Exposition on the Text ([47:02]–[51:48])

  • He offers a contextual reading of 2 Chronicles 7, showing it referred to physical blessings for Israel in response to obedience, not to national prosperity in the modern world.

5. Current Religious/Cultural Events

• Largest LGBT Festival at Sodom and Gomorrah Site ([52:04])

  • The show notes the irony of a large LGBT festival being hosted at the historic site traditionally believed to be Sodom and Gomorrah, with implied biblical commentary.

• NT Wright Critique: Historical Adam ([52:18])

  • Todd critiques theologian N.T. Wright’s evolutionary view of Adam and Eve, affirming a historical Adam as theologically and biblically necessary.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• "They need a transforming encounter with the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is the ultimate priority." — Todd Friel ([01:16])
• "Everything to the outside, to everyone, looks perfect. And I was empty. I was empty without him." — Donnie Wahlberg ([07:10])
• "A conversion testimony must include... I was a sinner, I was under the wrath of God... but Jesus Christ... died for me..." — Todd Friel ([10:40])
• "I saw the cross on his collar and I just, I broke down in tears like that..." — Astronaut Guest ([15:03])
• "Christianity is simply a superior religion. There, I just went ahead and said it." — Todd Friel ([36:05])
• "The law must precede the gospel. It's the MRI that reveals to somebody... hey, you got a malady, would you like a cure?" — Todd Friel ([16:30])
• "If my people... will humble themselves and pray... then I will hear from heaven... This was a promise directly to Israel..." — Todd Friel ([49:12])

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Donnie Wahlberg’s Faith Testimony: [03:52]–[11:47]
• Teaching on Testimonies and the Gospel: [07:51]–[11:47]
• Astronaut’s Testimony & Awe Before God: [15:03]–[25:51]
• Evangelism, The Law & Conviction: [15:51]–[25:51]
• Indian Temple & Syncretism Discussion: [31:32]–[36:05]
• Pope in Algiers & Catholic Universalism: [37:09]–[42:14]
• Biblical Context: 2 Chronicles 7:14: [47:02]–[51:48]
• LGBT Festival at Sodom & Gomorrah: [52:04]–[52:18]
• Critique of NT Wright and Adam/Eve: [52:18]–End

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Tone & Style

Throughout the episode, Todd Friel and his team maintain a sharp, humorous, and sometimes satirical tone, especially when dissecting cultural and religious news. They balance this levity with moments of earnest exhortation, especially concerning gospel clarity, biblical faithfulness, and effective evangelism.

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For Listeners

This episode is valuable for Christians interested in how celebrity culture intersects with faith, the importance of gospel clarity, and current controversies in global religious practice. The show is a mix of theological teaching, cultural critique, and accessible humor, with practical advice and biblical insights for sharing the Christian faith in a confused world.

Transcript

[Todd Friel]

Prepare to go to the moon and a New Kids Blood concert. But before we do, may I interrupt this regularly scheduled podcast to encourage you to participate in our no Retreat Spring Match giving gift campaign. So many of you have. We are so grateful. If you have not yet and you can, would you Please consider visiting fortisinstitute.org donate we're doing lots of stuff. We want to reach lots of people. We want churches to be strengthened. We want to equip and help and support and encourage pastors. We want to keep providing free resources. We want to find people who have never heard the gospel and proclaim great news to them. And we would love it if you would partner with us in that endeavor. If you'd be so kind. It's a matching gift campaign titled no Retreat. You can learn [e-mail] donate now let's go to that concert,

[Wretched Radio Announcer]

Richard. Radio begins in 3, 2, 1.

[Todd Friel]

To convince a child to keep walking,

[Podcast Co-host]

try switching roles with them. Let the child play the role of the parent. They'll immediately do what you want them to do.

[Todd Friel]

You are raising in your home people that the Bible is very clear about their status. They need to be converted. Not just the conformity of their behavior. They need a transforming encounter with the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is the ultimate priority.

[Wretched Radio Announcer]

It's time for Wretched Radio with Todd Friel.

[Todd Friel]

Do not be confused. This is not a church service. Although, frankly, it could be.

[Podcast Co-host]

We wanna see everybody in the building at your seat.

[Todd Friel]

We wanna see you jump.

[Podcast Co-host]

Here we go.

[Todd Friel]

This is Wretched Radio. Come on, Church. That's right. The Right stuff. Sermon series. No, I'm sorry. This. A video of the New Kids on the Block. Okay. A little pitchy, but at least the dude is singing. That's something these days. The place is packed. It's all Goyles standing on their feet, digging the 80s sounds of the New Kids on the Block. Now, I might have this wrong, and if I do, Jimmy will correct me, because you are a big fan of the New Kids, correct?

[Jimmy Hicks]

No, my wife was. She had.

[Todd Friel]

She was eight. She.

[Jimmy Hicks]

She went to school with the lunchbox.

[Todd Friel]

You should see this. It is. It's in Philadelphia. It's a massive stadium. It's gotta be 15, 18,000 people. And they are all absolutely thrilled to see their childhood idols. Heartthrobs, probably. New Kids on the Block. Well, it turns out one of them is making a profession of faith. Which one is it, Jimmy?

[Jimmy Hicks]

I don't know. Oh, it was Donnie. Donnie.

[Podcast Co-host]

Donnie.

[Todd Friel]

Now, see, I get him confused. He's Got a brother, right?

[Jimmy Hicks]

Yes.

[Todd Friel]

He was in the NSync.

[Jimmy Hicks]

No, no, no. His brother's a big, huge movie star. And his brother was Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. He was a rapper. He was. I just said that out loud.

[Todd Friel]

Yeah, you did. I never want to hear it again. Really? Now, the reason I brought up the brother is I thought that the Mark Wahlberg you said was very Roman Catholic. Still is. Yes, yes, very Roman Catholic. So Donnie must have grown up Roman Catholic. But now he's saying that he's saved. Let's give a listen and let's hope so, shall we?

[Donnie Wahlberg]

You know, you say, like, people in the industry and stuff like that are broken. Like I'm realizing in this last year, man, you know, I'm broken too.

[Todd Friel]

You know, that is, again with the transparency. Yesterday, we heard Theo Vaughn saying the exact same thing. Now, we need to be careful with this word broken, because it's not wrong, but it can be defined wrongly. We are broken because we're totally affected by the fall. So everything about us is kafrts. So, yes, we are broken. And we have pasts and we have regrets and we have. Sometimes we just wish we could go back and do things all over again. And things. Relationships are shattered. We are broken people. But we're more than that. We're sinful people. Let's see if that is the profession of one new kid on the block, Donnie Wahlberg.

[Donnie Wahlberg]

I'm broken, too. And I woke up this morning and I've been doing this practice, Jenny and I Bible study together. We pray together, we do all the things and.

[Todd Friel]

Well, that's cool to hear.

[Donnie Wahlberg]

And I tell you, like, this is really should be just the interview about my wife, because I told her, like, over a year ago, I was building this show, the new kids show in Las Vegas. And I, I said, you know, I've been on and off, like, really wanting to commit my life to Jesus and wow. And then I would do it, I'd be like, But I didn't have the resources. Like, I grew up in a Catholic church. Like, I'll just go to church and I'll figure it out. And it was like. And I was like, it's different. I'm missing something. You know, miss a connection. And I didn't.

[Todd Friel]

Wow. You would think. Hold on there, Donnie. That's the. Jimmy, did you put Theo Vaughn's words into Donnie Wahlberg's mouth?

[Jimmy Hicks]

I did not.

[Todd Friel]

It's the. This, this is perhaps instructive. Now, look, two Christians of testimonies of some sort from celebrities does not a trend make. But it's like there's something missing. What's missing? What's the issue? Now? Obviously we'd have to talk to each one of them to kind of sort through it, but what's missing, I wonder, is they just need discipleship. That's what they need, discipleship. There isn't a, oh, well, this is the missing piece right here. They just need discipleship and they need ongoing presence at a Bible teaching local church to help them get this sorted out. I hope he says he's doing that.

[Donnie Wahlberg]

I could have just turned on Instagram and watched you or somebody. All these people that I love so much now and got some insight. But I just kept trying to do it myself because when I got famous at like 19, 20 years old, so the guy putting our family together, it instantly became this thing where I was like, held up on this pedestal to everybody, everybody. People that I used to look up to, grown ups, be like, hey, how do I fix this? I'm like, what do I know? I'm in a boy band. But then I'm also a people pleaser, right? I want to fix everyone's problems inherently. So now I'm like, well, I got to have all the answers. And I literally have walked around for the last 30, something, 37, 38 years thinking I have all the answers.

[Todd Friel]

So he must be 55. I'm just wondering if there have been any meetings about changing the name of the band. Just at some point, maybe like middle aged men on the block, something like that.

[Donnie Wahlberg]

And it's been so difficult in the last year to realize I don't, I don't have them all. I can try and I know God's doing all the work, but I finally got to a point where I was like, I can't do it anymore without him. I'm missing something in my life. And I have a wonderful wife, wonderful kids. I have everything. So as I am testifying right now, I don't have a story of having everything and losing it. I don't have a story of being a drug addict and recovering. And God bless all those people who find their way. Everything to the outside, to everyone, looks perfect. And I was empty. I was empty without him.

[Todd Friel]

Okay, now he's being interviewed on a podcast. It is our genuine hope this man is born again. What I would love to hear is more than emptiness and brokenness, I'd love to hear about sin, because that is the core of the gospel. Does God fill up empty people? Yes, he does. Does he put together broken pieces yes, he does. But that isn't the gospel. The gospel is about coming to terms with my sinfulness, not my inadequacies, not my inabilities, not my deficiencies, my inability to answer questions for other people. It's that I am a totally depraved

[Donnie Wahlberg]

sinner and I was existing without him and trying to, you know, glorify him at times or acknowledge him at times, but not glorify him. And I sat down with my wife one morning and I was in Las Vegas. I had just finished creating the new Kids Las Vegas show and being involved in creating this new spin off TV show that I'm the star of. Congrats and thank you and the whole to the outside world. It's like you are at the top and I felt at the bottom.

[Todd Friel]

Again, don't know his whole testimony. But this is instructive for us when we give a testimony. Yes, it didn't include those details of hey, everybody thought I was this, but I was really that. That's fine. But what a testimony must include if we are going to help people understand what conversion really is. And the reason that we have repented and put our trust in Jesus Christ is because he died for our sins. Now he seems really genuine. I hope he's going to church. I hope we get to hear that. Sounds like he's studying his Bible. Rock on. I think. Was that one of their songs? Rock on. Maybe you got, you got their cd, got their eight track in your car. Rock on with that. But I would love for this testimony to include what the gospel really is. Now, is this not a testimony? It is a testimony. But if you read the Old Testament, you will notice there are a wide variety of testimonies. There's a testimony of God's covenantal faithfulness. There's a testimony of God being a military warrior. So you've got the songs of Moses, you've got the songs of David. All of the psalms are testimonies about God. When they are praising him and describing his character and nature. Those are all testimonies. But a testimony, a conversion testimony must include, I was a sinner, I was under the wrath of God, I would be rightly judged and condemned for eternity. But Jesus Christ, the God man, died for me while I was yet a sinning, I repented, put my trust in Jesus Christ, my sins are forgiven, and I get to live forever. That sounded kind of Rick Warreny. The point is we've got to make sure if we're going to give a conversion test. He's testifying sweetly about God. Cool. Confessing his lostness when it comes to just being an individual who's not what everybody perceives him to be. But a conversion testimony has to include sin, condemnation, redemption in Jesus.

[Donnie Wahlberg]

And I talked to my wife and I said, I have to connect with Jesus. I have to give my life to him now. And she was like, of course. And I was like, waiting for her to be like, you getting weird on me? And like, as I said, we both grew up Catholic and we talk about God and stuff, but we also looked at to other people. We looked to all these gurus and experts and stuff, and a lot of mentors. A lot of mentors. And we've now discovered through the Word that a lot of them are just rearranging the Word, right?

[Todd Friel]

Really hope that fellow is saved. That would. That would be awesome. But let's let this be instructive for us. We can testify about God, and that is giving a testimony when we speak of his goodness, what he is doing in our lives, what he's done in the lives of others. But if we're going to give a conversion testimony, it must include the judicial nature of the gospel. And if it doesn't, then.

[Astronaut Guest]

Oh.

[Todd Friel]

Oh,

[Donnie Wahlberg]

No.

[Todd Friel]

This is wrecks it. Radio

[Podcast Co-host]

no Retreat. That's the name of Fortis Institute's Spring Match campaign. And we chose that name for a reason. The church has been quietly backing up for years. A doctrine gets a little uncomfortable. A truth sounds a little too exclusive. So we set it aside, and before long, the gospel sounds more like an apology than an announcement. Fortis Institute is determined to push the other direction to a encourage churches to hold fast to hard truth and to proclaim the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, rightly and loudly. That's why we're inviting you to join us on the no Retreat Spring Match campaign. Right now, through the end of May, every dollar you give is matched dollar for dollar, and your gift will help launch two new podcasts, publish Todd Frill's new book, Go Serve youe King through HarperCollins, and fund gospel proclamation on college campuses. The gospel doesn't move backward, and neither should we. You can find out more right [e-mail] donate.

[Todd Friel]

Is it possible a Christian university can actually be ranked high when it comes to preparing students for the real world? The hat tip to Masters University. You want to send your kids someplace where they actually still teach the Bible, not just based on a document that they may be having a file cabinet someplace, but they actually use the Bible there. The education at the Master's University. Not only biblical, but oh so practical Courses, diplomas, degrees, they can be achieved online or of course, on their beautiful campus in Southern California. Would you like to learn more about the Master's university To prepare you or your child for the future, I encourage you to visit masters. Edu Wretched masters. Edu Wretched.

[Wretched Radio Announcer]

Books of the Bible

[Todd Friel]

the book of

[Wretched Radio Announcer]

Revelation describes visions given to the apostle John by Jesus Christ concerning the consummation of history. Its symbolic style makes revelation a mystery to many. But you can understand much by asking, what are the setting and action and who are the characters when you wonder how it's all going to end? God has given Revelation just for you. This is Wretched Radio with Todd Friel.

[Todd Friel]

Conundrum. Can you explain why this areligious astronaut had this response when he returned from outer space and saw across?

[Astronaut Guest]

I'm not really a religious person, but there was just no other avenue for me to. To explain anything or to experience anything. So I asked for the chaplain on the Navy ship to just come visit us for a minute. And when that man walked in, I'd never met him before in my life, but I saw the cross on his, on his collar and I just, I broke down in tears like that. It's very hard to fully grasp what we just went through. And in these short, you just said it's been a week since we've been him back, but it's been a week of medical testing, physical testing, doctors, science objectives. I like. We have not had that decompression. We have not had that reflection time. So I'm basing this on what we saw. And when the, when the sun eclipsed behind the moon, I think all four of us, I turned to Victor and I said, I don't think humanity has evolved to the point of being able to comprehend what we're looking at right now. Because it was otherworldly. It was amazing.

[Todd Friel]

Indeed it is. This is Wretched Radio. Why do you explain that this fellow who does not believe in Jesus Christ, or at least he didn't before he went to outer space, why did he react that way? Why did he break down and cry in seeing a cross? Well, we can only speculate to a degree, but I think we can explain it biblically. The heavens declare the glory of God. You and I don't often see it. Perhaps we take it for granted. A mountain isn't that big of a deal to us. They're pretty regular, at least here in Georgia. But this fellow goes, how many thousands of miles away? He looks down and he sees the big blue dot and he sees the enormity of the sun and an eclipse. What was he seeing and hearing? Because creation speaks the glory of God. I think that's why he experienced what it is that he experienced. Furthermore, I might suggest to you it is possible, I don't know the man's heart but it is possible to that he was actually feeling conviction of sin. Now let me explain that in order for somebody to become a Christian they must understand their depravity. What is the biblical modus operandi to help somebody understand their sin? Do I see a hand anywhere? Do I see a hand anywhere? It's the law. The use of the law brings about the knowledge of sin evermore. The law must precede the gospel. It's the MRI that reveals to somebody hey, you got a malady, Would you like a cure? And then we get to present the Gospel. All of the Reformers understood the use of the law as a necessity preceding the Gospel. The Puritans affirm that Martyn Lloyd Jones the Gospel can only be understood when the bad news is revealed. And the standard practice of the Bible is to use the law as a mirror, as a schoolmaster, to bring people to Christ. They had not known sin but by the law. And so typically the very effective use of the law is to serve its purpose. Because the law is good if used lawfully, is to bring about the knowledge of sin. But I would suggest to you there are two other ways that that can be accomplished. I hope Ray Comfort isn't listening to this. What does the law do? What does the law do? It brings you low. It elevates God. You see his loftiness, you see his holiness. You understand the standard by which you will be judged and it should drop you down. That's what the law does. But I do believe there are two other ways that that can be accomplished. I'll save the astronauts way for the third way, the second way. I think that preaching about Jesus Christ and it doesn't even need to necessarily be about sin, but preaching specifically I think about the goodness of Jesus Christ, what he did for sinners. Sure preaching about sin can bring about conviction, but that's using the law. I'm talking about proclaiming the goodness that the Holy Spirit is already working on the heart of a dead man or woman to convict of sin, righteousness and judgment by hearing about the goodness of God in Christ Jesus, that can bring you low. I know it did for me. I think I know when I got saved like that minute. No, that isn't necessary. That doesn't need to be your story. I'm just telling you. And it was because I understood how kind and patient and good God was. And what did it do? It convicted me. He's been that good and I have been that horrible. And so I think preaching about the goodness of God can bring about the knowledge of sin. Of course, it requires the work of the Holy Spirit to convict of sin, righteousness and judgment. But I do believe that that can be an effective way to evangelize somebody. But there's a challenge to it. As a rule, if you're doing one on one, it's a little bit harder to preach a sermon than somebody. I think using the law is quite efficient. It's quite effective. But I would also say that we must present the goodness of God. Remember, it is the kindness of God that leads to repentance. And so, yes, we should open up the. But then we've got to show how magnificent Jesus is in fulfilling the law, dying for those of us who are law breakers. We've got to include that in our evangelism. And that should make it. I'm going to use the word fun. Seriously fun. You love telling people about stuff that you've discovered that you delight in. You come back from a trip. What do you. Well, I don't want to let people know how good it was. No, you can't help it. You're effusive about it. Oh, and then we did this and we saw that and the food. Oh, you really have to go. That should be our attitude toward evangelism, because we get to tell about something better than a trip, as wonderful as it might have been. We get to tell about Jesus. We get to tell about the goodness of God in Christ Jesus. I think it's best to use the law first. But to my point that I do believe preaching about the goodness of God still can bring about the knowledge of sin. I'm going to stick with that because it elevates God. It shows him his being so good, which should reveal to us we're so not good. So if you are going to be an effective evangelizer, that doesn't mean going out in the streets or to the campuses. I think using the law, excellent. But proclaiming the goodness of God, excellent. But there's a third way. And I think that might have been what that astronaut experienced. They saw God in his bigness. You get a glimpse of the magnitude of God and what is that going to do to you? It makes you feel like a pipsqueak. That might have happened to this fellow. And that is another way to bring about the knowledge of sin. Show the bigness of God. Now here's the challenge to that particular method of evangelism. Most likely, if you're witnessing to somebody, you can't take them up in a spaceship and show them a lunar eclipse. It's a little tough. You don't have that advantage. Could you show them a mountain? Sure, that might do it. I'll bet there are actual genuine testimonies of people saying, I went to the Grand Canyon and there was something about it that revealed to me the bigness of God. And they could have been the very thing that God used to convert them by convicting them by displaying his grandeur. This is based on Psalm 19. The heavens declare the glory of God. Day after day they speak without saying a word. And if you get a glimpse of God the way this astronaut did in the revealing of his handiwork and that he measures the universe by the span of his hands, there is a gazillion stars. He knows them all by name. Not one of them is lost. Gulp. They could have brought about conviction of sin. I don't know. I hope that that was the case, that that is what God did in the display of his glory to these select few who went to outer space. It is imperative that when we are sharing the gospel. I know this part. It is hard, but I'm kind of bone weary of hearing testimonies. And I'm not thinking about anybody in particular at the moment. I'm just tired of hearing testimonies of people that don't include the understanding of their own sinfulness and who God is that He's a consuming fire. Why are we so afraid to present Jesus that way? He came to take the bullet for us. But if we don't explain that there's a God with a loaded gun who is going to do with you on the day of judgment what should be done. Because of his righteous standard, then Jesus work ain't all that great. We need a revival of law. Gospel preaching. We need a revival. I know this as baggage, but let me at least explain it to a degree of hellfire preaching. That's not where preaching ends. That's where so much hellfire preaching goes wrong. You're a sinner. You're going to hell. Believe in Jesus. Is there anything missing from a presentation like that? Yeah, there is. How's about that? God sent his beloved Son to die on a cross for us horrible hellbound sinners. So that type of preaching, it is rightly got a bad reputation because it is rarely complete preaching. But to remove any sort of I'll use it in air quotes, hellfire preaching from our gospel proclamations is not doing anything anybody a favor. In fact, I would suggest to you that it has done more to create more false converts than anything else. You remove the guts of the gospel and what have you got? You got a brokenness gospel, so come to Jesus, he'll fix you up. You got a loneliness gospel, come to Jesus. You won't be sad. You need prosperity. Jesus will give you money. We must return to the type of evangelism that brings about conviction of sin, whether that is through the law, proclaiming the goodness of God or taking them on a spaceship to outer space. This is Wretched Radio.

[Podcast Co-host]

And it's now time for your daily Fortis News Breaker production of Fortas Institute. Saturday night at the White house Correspondents Dinner, 831 year old Californian named Cole Thomas Allen tried to rush the ballroom before being arrested and within hours the Sarasota County Democratic Party posted to Facebook, well, that stinks. They didn't use the word stinks and it wasn't necessarily a vulgar word that they used, but I'm not gonna say it. They also used a laughing emoji and the status of feeling disappointed. They scrubbed the post by Sunday morning, but screenshots don't disappear when you hit delete. In better Trump news, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced more than $2 billion in federal investment for America's railways. The department also pulled $73 million in highway funds from New York for refusing to comply with commercial driver's license rules. You build for the ones who follow the law and defund the ones who don't. A federal judge has ruled that Washington state's mandate forcing Christian and foster parents to use transgender pronouns plausibly violates the First Amendment. Shane and Jennifer DeGrose, fostered for nearly a decade before the state demanded they affirm gender ideology or lose their license. The state's compromise was a restricted license letting them foster only kids ages 2 to 5 on the theory those children were too young to be transitioned anyway. Even a Biden appointed judge couldn't miss that one. And in case in Canada, the press is hard at work normalizing polyamory, CTV ran a piece scolding the legal system for failing to keep up with throuples. Last year in Quebec, a judge ruled multi parent families deserve the same rights as actual families and a three year old girl was placed with three men calling themselves fathers. And in Madison, Wisconsin, schools are canceling classes this Friday because 70% of the staff plan to skip work for a day without immigrants. Protest against ICE Working parents are on their own for childcare. A watchdog group called Consumers Research is launching a campaign against two of America's largest nonprofit hospital systems, New York Presbyterian and Common Spirit Health, accusing them of putting woke politics ahead of patient care. New York Presbyterian runs a health justice center and a program steering trans identifying kids toward gender identity affirming care, while Common Spirit has its own office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and belonging. The question they're putting to Congress does that really qualify as a tax exempt charity? And finally, the United Kingdom has passed a generational smoking ban. Anyone born on or after January 1, 2009 will never be legally allowed to buy a cigarette. Not at 18, not at 50, not ever. And that wraps up today's Fortis News Break. I'm Jimmy Hicks. If you want more, you can download Fortis or sign up to become a Fortis Insider for exclusive daily content, both of which can be [e-mail] and don't forget, you can subscribe to Fortis News on your favorite podcast app in order to get these updates daily. And until tomorrow, go serve your king.

[Todd Friel]

Hi, this is Todd Friel, executive Director of Fortis Institute. Might I encourage you to please join us in not retreating? Perhaps you've noticed in your news feed a lot of pressure on Christians to ret. Whether it is in the form of legislation, in persecution, or just outright bias, we are determined to stand firm, not water down the truth and continue to make resources that encourage and equip the saints to defend and share their faith. We also love to support and undergird local churches, and we are determined to do so. And right now we have a matching gift campaign, which means if you join us now as a godly partner, your gift will double. Would you please consider joining us on our mission as we are determined to not retreat? Fortisinstitute.org donate.

[Wretched Radio Announcer]

Important Dates in Christian history 270 AD a world a wealthy young man named Anthony gives away his possessions and begins life as a hermit. Disciples follow his example and the first monastic movement began. This is Wretched Radio with Todd Friel.

[Todd Friel]

Church, Some of it a bit of a stretch. Okay, a lot of a stretch. This is Rain. Let's tackle some church news and stuff. Okay, granted, this is a stretch, but hey, hey, hey, hey. As if you could resist the temptation. If you had a stack of church news stories and this story, which one would you want to share first, huh? So, so don't judge me for not being exactly church news, but I'll do my best to make it a church news story. Jimmy, it looks like some Christians are being discriminated against.

[Podcast Co-host]

Really?

[Todd Friel]

That's just my effort to make this sound like a church news story. Headline. An Indian temple. This is from the Independent. The Gangatri temple in Uttarakhand, India. They now require visitors. That includes Christians. Yeah. To drink cow urine. To keep unbelievers out. Unbelievers being non Hindu people. That's right. To India we go. A new entry for the rules for the temple make it compulsory for every visitor to consume punch. Gavya. A ritual concoction made from five cow derived products. Milk, curd, ghee. I don't know what. What is ghee? You're from Tennessee. You know about dairy products, don't you? I. Yeah. Ghee, milk, curd, ghee. Honey. Wait a second. Honey's not a cow derived product. I think they're maybe confused about the animal kingdom there. And cow urine. The idea, according to the committee overseeing the shrine, is to keep out non believers. Well, that seems discriminatory. They say anybody who's not a Hindu isn't going to want to consume it. But a Hindu will. That is a world religion right there. That is a world religion. Did you know when somebody purchases a new home, when somebody who is a Hindu purchases a new home, there's a ritual. I'm sorry, I don't know the name of it. And even if I did, I'm sure I wouldn't pronounce it correctly. Wherein they have a cow walk through the front door, all the way through the house, out the back door. And I know what you're thinking. Do they put a diaper on the cow? The answer is no, they don't. Intentionally. Because if the cow does relieve him herself. Jimmy, you're from Tennessee. Are all cows girls? Oh, boy.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Maybe.

[Todd Friel]

I think so.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Because the bulls are bulls. Yeah.

[Todd Friel]

So the cow. So the cow walks through. So grandma. Potentially grandma walks through the house. And if grandma does what grandmas do when they're cows walking through a home, that's not a bad thing. That's a double blessing. Thought you'd like to know.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Well, I did want to know because

[Todd Friel]

you didn't believe me.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Well, I've just never heard of that before.

[Todd Friel]

Todd, you know I know things.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Well, I checked behind you with the AI machine because it knows things.

[Todd Friel]

It knows everything.

[Jimmy Hicks]

It did say that.

[Todd Friel]

Okay, I got. You know what, Jimmy, just a word on the AI business. Be careful how heavily you Lean on the AI Business. Because I'm telling you, I'm more aware of how it will answer a question the way it perceives. You want it answered.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Oh, yeah.

[Todd Friel]

If you don't answer it in the most neutral way possible, it's gonna tip the scale toward you. It's amazing. You can change a word, and it's like, oh, now it's a completely different answer. Okay, so what did the AI machine call this? Blessing of the house ceremony with the cows.

[Jimmy Hicks]

So I'm gonna attempt this, but it calls it.

[Todd Friel]

Don't. Don't. Just don't. You'll offend everybody for trying.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Gao Pooja. G, A, U, P, U, J, A.

[Todd Friel]

You speak Hindi. Do I? Well, you speak Tennessean and you speak Hindi.

[Jimmy Hicks]

I do speak Tennessee.

[Todd Friel]

You're multilingual. All right, so what, you walk the cow through the house because it does what? It blesses it somehow.

[Jimmy Hicks]

It's a housewarming ceremony. So A.

[Podcast Co-host]

Sure.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Is A house entry ceremony is what they call it.

[Todd Friel]

Okay. A house entry ceremony ceremony.

[Jimmy Hicks]

It's veneration of the cow or cow

[Todd Friel]

worship, and that somehow blesses the house. And I'm telling you. Does it say anything about the double blessing if the cow.

[Jimmy Hicks]

No, it doesn't mention that.

[Todd Friel]

I'm telling you it's a double blessing. I believe you. I'm just telling you.

[Podcast Co-host]

Who am I to argue with that?

[Todd Friel]

You know what? I know that it is not politically correct these days to talk about other religions in any sort of disparaging tone. That's their belief. That is their religion. That is their practice that we're describing here. There was a day when Christians would look at that and say, that's paganism. Has it changed? No, we have. And our politically correct sensitivities have. Christianity is simply a superior religion there. I just went ahead and said it. Let's go to Algiers, shall we? The Pope took a big trip to Africa, and he visited the Grand Mosque of Algiers. And he said this quote. I thank you for these reflections and for these important words during this visit. From a place. This is a Muslim mosque. Islamic mosque. From a place that represents the space that belongs to God.

[Astronaut Guest]

Huh?

[Todd Friel]

A divine and sacred space where many people come to pray and to seek the presence of the most high in their lives. You know, he may have crossed the line of Catholic dogma. If you're not aware, the Roman Catholic catechism, I think, really, Vatican II started speaking very favorably about world religions. But this is from the Catholic catechism. This is 847 quoting Lumen gentium 16. Those, through no fault of their own, those who do not know the gospel of Christ or His church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart and move by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience. Those, too, who may achieve eternal salvation. That's called universalism. Now, they will defend it by saying, well, no, because they still come through the Church. They still come through Christ. Nevertheless, they've got a caveat for those who don't profess the name of Jesus Christ, which is clearly not biblical. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, you will be saved. And if you don't, you won't. Islam is clearly not anywhere near Christianity. In fact, it has warred against Christianity for centuries. Pope Leo was greeted by a crowd of 120,000 in Cameroon. And get ready for. Jimmy. Yeah.

[Jimmy Hicks]

You okay?

[Todd Friel]

Did you open the vents? What in the world? The smell in here. All right, sorry. Back to the news. Pope Leo greeted by a crowd of 120,000 in Cameroon as he attacks uneven distribution of wealth. Oh, that's the smell of irony is what that is. In the presence of the President, Paul biy a b y who has been in power for more than 40 years, quote, in order for peace and justice to prevail, the chains of corruption which disfigure authority and strip it of its credibility must be broken. We must be set free from the idolatry of self and money. Well, that ain't actually going to do it. What they need is to be born again. But that little quibble aside, who's the wealthiest person in Italy? That's right. The Pope. Here's a question, Jimmy. Do a kind of see if you can get the AI Machine to do a wealth ranking. If there's a way to see where the Roman Catholic Church stands compared to all of the billionaires in the world. Who has more money? I bet the Pope is way like. Who's, like, the richest entity in the world? I'll bet the Vatican is way up on that list. Hey, did you see that The President read the Bible in Washington, D.C. it was the America reads the Bible. And he was given 2 Chronicles 7. 11. How predictable. He read 11 verses. It includes, if my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. That is a promise that is often used, not, in my opinion, correctly for America. That if a nation will repent, then God will heal their land. There's a number of problems with that. First of all, this promise was given directly to Israel in that time. It was a covenantal relationship. This was the quid pro quo contract with Moses, the Mosaic covenant that says, if you obey, blessings, if you don't, you won't. And so this verse, which was absolutely for them, gets used for us. And I'm afraid it just doesn't work that way. Furthermore, if you really want to dig into the verse, if my people. So in other words, if Jewish people in the Old Testament, that's my people, which are called by my name. So they've got to be believing in Yahweh shall humble themselves. So we need humility and pray and seek my face and repent, turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land. This is a promise of crop restoration. This is not a promise that suddenly the economy will be roaring and that everybody will behave wonderfully in America. Why? Because this promise was not given to any other nation but Israel in that covenant at that time. This is Wretched Radio.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Thanks for listening to Wretched Radio today. Look, here's something that I've noticed, and

[Podcast Co-host]

maybe you have, too, but it's really

[Jimmy Hicks]

easy for us to treat our faith sometimes like a category.

[Podcast Co-host]

Sunday is Sunday, work is work, parenting

[Jimmy Hicks]

is parenting, and somewhere in there you try to be a Christian, but it doesn't always feel like it's all connected. That's why Dr. Jon Kratz and his podcast Integrated is so incredibly important. Dr. Krantz is a pastor, he's an author, he's a biblical counselor, and he's a Fortis Institute fellow and the host of Integrated. And he is helping people see how scripture speaks to every part of their life. Not just the spiritual stuff, but the practical, everyday how do I actually live

[Podcast Co-host]

this stuff out Stuff.

[Jimmy Hicks]

And if what we're doing at Fortis Institute has been a source of encouragement for you, I want to ask you to consider joining us as an ongoing monthly gospel partner. Help us continue producing content just like Integrated that connects the dots. Go to fortisinstitute.org right now and find out how to join us. Wretched Amazing Grace, Amazing Gospel Most of us haven't really thought about persecution. Not the real kind, not the kind where following Jesus actually costs you something. But Christians throughout history have indeed faced it. And depending on where things are headed, we might, too. So what does the Bible say you're supposed to do when the pressure mounts? That's exactly what our resource Plan Persecution is all about. It's teaching built on the Book of First Peter with historical context. From the Fox's Book of Martyrs, you'll get a biblical framework for faithfulness when things aren't easy anymore. Fix your hope on heaven, grow in holiness and submit to authority unless they tell you to sin and keep proclaiming the gospel anyway. This is honest teaching, and it's one more timely than any of us may want to admit persecution. Available now on Fortis. Download the app for free on your smartphone, on your smart TV, or just simply go to fortisplus.org no retreat that's

[Podcast Co-host]

the name of Fortis Institute's Spring Match Campaign, and here's why. The culture we live in right now has made it pretty clear it has very little interest in the true Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We're being told to keep our faith quiet in public or to soften what we believe so it goes down easier. Fortis Institute has no intention of doing either one. We exist to advance the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and this spring we're doing it as loudly and as boldly as we know how. Your gift will help launched two new podcasts. It puts Todd Frill's new book, Go Serve youe King into print through HarperCollins, and it puts the gospel back onto college campuses where it's least welcome and most needed. Our goal is $250,000, and we're asking if you would prayerfully consider helping us get there. You can find out more right [e-mail]

[Jimmy Hicks]

Development Donate youe've tried everything. You've sent articles.

[Podcast Co-host]

You've had the conversations.

[Jimmy Hicks]

You've probably argued more than you wanted to. But you have a loved one who is still neck deep in the Prosperity Gospel or the new Apostolic Reformation, and nothing you seem to say gets through. It's exhausting, I know, and it's also heartbreaking. Snatch Them from the Flames was made for exactly this reason. Todd Friel and Justin Peters sit down and they tackle why your loved one is attracted to these movements in the first place. Because until you actually understand that, you're just going to be swinging in the dark. Then they walk through the things that you can actually say and do to help pull them toward Christianity. This isn't about winning an argument. It's about understanding someone you love and pointing them to something real. If you've got a family member or friend caught up in a false gospel and you don't know what else to try, snatch them from the flames is for you. It's streaming for free right now on Fortis. Download the app on your smartphone, your smart TV, or simply go to fortisplus.org.

[Wretched Radio Announcer]

Names of God Is Jesus God? One name given to God in scripture is El Gibor, the mighty God. One occurrence of this name stands out in Isaiah, chapter nine. El Gabor is the name given to the promised Messiah. Jesus is that promised Messiah. He is God incarnate. This is Wretched Radio with Todd Friel.

[Todd Friel]

Context, context, context. But before we get to that, this is Wretched Radio. Jimmy, what's the wealth status of the Roman Catholic Church?

[Jimmy Hicks]

I really don't know.

[Todd Friel]

Well, that was really helpful.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Well, AI just couldn't figure it out. It says that the Vatican and the Roman Catholic Church owns a lot of art and a lot of land and a lot of things that it can't

[Todd Friel]

put a value monetized. But how much cash do they have?

[Jimmy Hicks]

About 7.4 billion.

[Todd Friel]

Okay, so that's cash in the bank. 7.4 billion. Right. You take a. Take a trip. If you've never been to the Vatican, it is shocking. It is an art museum. It goes on for days. And it's at least two levels. It might even be three levels. And I'm not just talking about the Sistine Chapel. I'm not talking just about the Pieta, the gorgeous glorious statues and the arts and the frescoes and the tapestries. That's the Vatican alone. What about all of the land on all of the Roman Catholic churches? All of the buildings just stay in Italy if you want to. All of those massive churches, those glorious cathedrals that are there, they are worth a. You can't even put a price tag it. You can't replace it. They are one of the wealthiest organizations in the world. They could give all of that away instead of telling people that they need to get rid of their wealth. Hello, physician, heal thyself. Now, let's get to context, context, context, shall we? A Bible verse that gets used regularly by people that claim that if America would just. If we would just return back to God, everything would be fine. Let me read to you the actual account in 2 Chronicles. As always, context will color everything about the verse. And so this particular section is Solomon dedicating the temple. Now, there's a context, isn't there? And the president read from verse 11. Thus, Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king's house. And Solomon successfully accomplished all that came into his heart to make in the house for the Lord and in his own house. Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night and said, I've heard your prayer and you've chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land or send pestilence among my people. All right, there's, if you will, three plagues on the people because they had not been obedient. He's going to shut up heaven. And what does that mean? No rain, locusts and pestilence. If my people, however, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sins and heal their land of what I will hear their land of drought, locusts and pestilence. That is the limit that the Bible gives for that promise. It is not a promise for all nations that you will have all kinds of prosperity or a roaring economy. It was specifically regarding not having any rain, pestilence and locusts. God will stop that. He'll provide rain for you. If you will repent, I'll forgive you and I will provide those physical, we'll call them even natural nature, like blessings to you. It's simply not a verse for all people, for all times. If a group of people will gather in Washington and say some prayers, that Bible verse simply does not apply to them. Sorry, but context is kind of important. Speaking of President Trump, 5% of evangelicals see the president as being very religious. 70% of U.S. adults see President Trump as not too or not at all religious. Another 24% say he is somewhat religious, while 5% say that he is very religious. And speaking of not being very religious, not exactly a church story either. Todd, to Israel we go. The government is having a big old gay pride festival with children's activities. Jimmy, would you like to guess where that little festival is going to be held, ironically?

[Jimmy Hicks]

Where?

[Todd Friel]

Come on, you can guess. I just gave you the hint. It's the Middle East. Largest ever LGBT festival at the Dead Sea. It's going to take place June 2026.

[Jimmy Hicks]

He said it's in the Middle East.

[Todd Friel]

It's in the middle of the Judean Desert, which is where we think that two towns used to exist, Sodom and Gomorrah.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Really?

[Todd Friel]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Seriously?

[Todd Friel]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Wow.

[Todd Friel]

Yeah. Yeah. I don't know that I would want to be a thousand miles near that festival, quite honestly. I mean, really. N.T. wright, he says Adam and Eve were proto hominids. They were human like creatures. No, Mr. Right. I'm afraid that they were actual human beings. Otherwise, Romans 5 falls completely up heart. This is, this is nt Wright, a theologian who simply cannot be trusted. The way that I'm. Somebody asked what about Adam? Is there a historical Adam? Do we need a historical Adam? Yeah, yeah and yeah otherwise we don't have a historical Christ because that is the comparison in Romans chapter five we have got ourselves a sin problem because of an actual human who sinned. Adam. We've got a sin solution because of an actual human, the God man, Jesus who lived and died for sinners. Here's what NT Wright said the way that I'm inclined to see the original human pair. Oh, problems already. Let's put it like that is to say that undoubtedly from all the historical evidence we've got there were what we might call hominids, human like creatures and we might even call them proto humans for many generations, perhaps for many thousands of years before the time we're now talking about. There's just one problem with that. How do you account for death before sin entered the world? Through our federal head. If he wasn't a human then we humans wouldn't have fallen because our ancestor wouldn't have sinned. But he did. This is just so bad from NT Wright but frankly we've come to expect that from him. By the way, did you see the news story? We got the headline from the Guardian. Wild chimpanzees recorded waging civil war with coordinated attacks between others. Between others chimpanzees. And you know what they did with that, don't you? Because the chimpanzees are fighting. That's what humans do. See, See we've evolved from monkeys because we fight and they fight. We go to war and they go to war. I'll tell you what, as soon as they, when those chimpanzees, when they invent a Scud missile, give me a call and maybe we'll have a fair comparison. In the meantime, they're still monkeys and until tomorrow, go serve your king.