Paul Washer Asked MacArthur WHAT On His Deathbed?

Summary

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Wretched Radio with Todd Friel

Episode: Paul Washer Asked MacArthur WHAT On His Deathbed?
Date: March 17, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on a widely discussed moment from The Shepherd's Conference 2026: Paul Washer's startling question to John MacArthur on his deathbed. The discussion delves into how Christians should minister to those at the end of life, especially spiritual giants, and explores broader themes of accountability, genuine faith, legacy, and what it means to live (and finish) the Christian life well. Todd Friel and guests also comment on legacy, living for the "big" and "small" things, and address cultural, theological, and societal issues affecting Christianity today.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Paul Washer’s Question to John MacArthur

[03:36 - 05:23]

• Context: Paul Washer visited John MacArthur during a time of severe illness (described humorously as “on his deathbed”). Instead of engaging in sentimental farewells, Washer asked MacArthur pointed spiritual questions.
• Washer’s Approach:
  • "Dr. MacArthur, is it well with your soul?"
  • "Are you reading the Word? Talk to me about your prayer life. How is your communion with Christ?"
  • Washer notes MacArthur was initially surprised, then thankful for the inquiry.
• Significance:
  • Friel and co-hosts commend Washer’s boldness and suggest that even spiritual leaders need this kind of accountability.
  • "Nobody is above that level of accountability. That’s what we’re here for." ([03:53], Unknown Male Host)
  • The move sparked controversy online: Was it appropriate to question MacArthur’s spiritual health so directly?

2. How Should Christians Minister to the Dying?

[05:23 - 07:42]

• Debate:
  • Some critics argue it’s better to comfort and remind the dying of Gospel hope, not interrogate their faith.
  • Others applaud Washer’s example, saying such moments call for genuine checking-in on one’s relationship with God, regardless of status.
• Friel’s View:
  • Both approaches have merit: “I think that this is an instructive and helpful exercise because almost certainly you’re going to visit somebody on their deathbed... How do you do it?” ([07:42], Unknown Male Host)
  • Read Scripture, pray, discuss the Gospel, and fix the mind of the dying on Christ.
  • Key principle: Help others “die well”—focused on Christ, ready for glory.

3. Living for the ‘Big Things’ vs. ‘Small Things’

[14:41 - 16:40]

• Legacy Moments:
  • Friel describes emotional viral videos of family milestones (naming children, marriage) and stresses their eternal weight compared to worldly achievements.
  • “The big things are the sweet moments between human beings that have some profound depth to them… Set your sights on those things now.” ([16:40], Todd Friel)
• Advice:
  • Young listeners are encouraged to invest in relationships, create memories, and choose selfless actions that build legacy.

4. Integrating Faith Into Daily Life and Hobbies

[18:34 - 23:55]

• Listener Question:
  • How do believers honor God in ordinary hobbies and daily activities?
• Friel’s Response:
  • “Everything you do is connected to your faith. Everything. No, you’re probably not mindful of it most of the time, but the reality is everything you do, the good way or the bad way, glorifies the Lord.” ([21:01], Todd Friel)
  • Christian living is not compartmentalized—living, working, or enjoying hobbies should reflect a life centered on Christ, even when the activity isn’t overtly “spiritual.”

5. Cultural and Social Updates (Fortis News Break & Commentary)

[26:01 - 29:03; 29:31 - 40:25]

• News Topics Highlighted:
  • U.S. immigration policies and criminal cases.
  • DEI contracting fraud in government.
  • Media bias regarding Christianity vs. Islam (notable Joy Reid quote: “American women under Christianity aren’t doing much better than Iranian women under the Islamic regime.” [27:40])
  • Canadian euthanasia statistics: Over 75,000 deaths via MAID (Medical Assistance In Dying) since inception.
    • “No, they just passed 75,000 murders. That’s what they just did.” ([30:57], Todd Friel)
  • The left’s tactic of redefining terms (e.g., “reproductive health” for abortion, new definitions of racism).
  • Union Theological Seminary controversy: scheduling then canceling a “decolonial” Hamas-sympathetic speaker.
• Theological Response:
  • Salvation and regeneration as the only solution to broken cultural thinking: “You can’t fix that type of thinking… The only fix for it is divine intervention.” ([33:49], Todd Friel)

6. Christian Charity vs. Secular Critiques

[43:59 - 45:14]

• Friel and Jimmy Hicks discuss statistics debunking the narrative that Christians are not charitable:
  • Christian Americans donate more than twice as much yearly as others.
  • Christian charitable organizations contribute up to $1 trillion annually in social and economic value.
  • “[Critics’] accusations, they are lies. They are just simply not accurate.” ([45:14], Unknown Male Host)
• Contrast with political rhetoric (James Talarico, Joy Reid, etc.) and current challenges in Christian engagement with wider society.

7. Joe Rogan’s Fascination With Christianity

[49:42 - 54:01]

• Memorable Conversation:
  • Joe Rogan: “If you follow Jesus’s teachings, you’ll live a better life… There’s none of that [violence] in Christianity, it’s all forgiveness. It’s a beautiful way to live life.”
  • Rogan admits to going to church regularly, but hesitates to profess faith in supernatural claims (“Does that mean I believe Moses parted the Red Sea? Not really…”).
  • Friel’s Commentary:
    • Approves that Christian behavior is drawing Rogan in but clarifies faith is not mere moralism or good advice: “That’s not what Christianity is about. It’s a bonus, it’s a benefit.” ([52:33], Unknown Male Host)
    • Stresses heart transformation and personal faith, not just embracing Christ’s teachings as a life philosophy.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Paul Washer:

  • "Dr. MacArthur, is it well with your soul?" ([03:47])
  • “Are you reading the Word? Talk to me about your prayer life. How is your communion with Christ?” ([04:28])

• Unknown Male Host:

  • “Nobody is above that level of accountability. That’s what we’re here for.” ([03:53])
  • “The big things are the sweet moments between human beings that have some profound depth to them. Go for those things if you’re young.” ([16:40])

• Todd Friel:

  • “Everything you do is connected to your faith. Everything.” ([21:01])
  • “You can’t fix that type of thinking… The only fix for it is divine intervention.” ([33:49])

• Joe Rogan:

  • “If you follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, you will live a better life.” ([52:23])
  • “The people I go to church with are the most polite people I’ve ever met in my life.” ([53:01])

• Memorable Analysis:

  • “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald’s makes you a hamburger.” ([52:10], Unknown Male Host)
  • “Set your sights on those things now. This is what it’ll look like.” ([16:40], Todd Friel)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:36] – Paul Washer’s deathbed conversation with MacArthur.
• [05:23] – Debate: How should Christians speak to the dying?
• [14:41] – Reflections on legacy (“the big things of life”).
• [18:34] – Listener asks about faith and hobbies.
• [26:01] – Fortis News Break: Cultural & political headlines.
• [29:31] – Canadian euthanasia stats & commentary.
• [33:49] – The only solution: Regeneration, not politics.
• [43:59] – Christian charity statistics vs. media portrayals.
• [49:42] – Joe Rogan on the value and nature of Christianity.

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Takeaways

• Ministering to the Dying: Even the most faithful need accountability. It’s right to lovingly and directly ask about the state of one’s soul.
• Living Well: Prioritize relationships, spiritual health, and the “big things” over worldly success.
• Living Faith: All life, not just “spiritual activities,” should be lived as a Christian; secular and sacred are not separate.
• Charity & Witness: Christian action does immense good, often contrary to mainstream portrayal. The world is watching; authentic Christlike behavior is compelling.
• Regeneration over Reform: True change in individuals and societies comes not through debate or policy but through spiritual rebirth and the preaching of the Gospel.

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In summary:
This episode is a rich tapestry of deep theological reflection, cultural critique, and practical Christian advice. It demonstrates the power of accountability, the value of authentic faith, how legacy is built, and how even famous skeptics like Joe Rogan are drawn to the lived witness of genuine believers.

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Transcript

[Todd Friel]

Wretched radio begins in 3, 2, 1.

[Joe Rogan]

Word association with John MacArthur.

[Jimmy Hicks]

I used the Complete Idiot's Guide to the Bible. Unqualified.

[Unknown Male Host]

Why can't my kids come into the service?

[Jimmy Hicks]

Because we have PG13 services.

[Unknown Male Host]

Unqualified.

[Jimmy Hicks]

That has a nice ring to it.

[Unknown Male Host]

Unqualified.

[Joe Rogan]

It wasn't a compliment.

[Unknown Male Host]

Junior Church has taken over. It's designed for elementary kids or junior higher who doesn't feel unqualified. It's.

[Todd Friel]

It's time for Wretched Radio with Todd Friel.

[Joe Rogan]

Well, thank you for coming. And I've talked to enough guys this morning to know that some of you came hoping that we would take up where we left off in 2019.

[Unknown Male Host]

Yeah, I'll bet there were. This is Wretched Radio. If you don't get the joke, it's because you can't see the video I'm staring at from The Shepherd's Conference 2026. Phil Johnson hosting a Q&A panel featuring Dr. John Piper, Dr. Al Mohler, Dr. Ligon Duncan and. And Mark Dever. And he lightened the mood and then launched into a tonally perfect conversation about the legacy of Dr. John MacArthur. It didn't get all soppy. It didn't treat him as if he were some sort of, and I mean this in the Roman Catholic way, saint. Because you're called as a saint. You don't need to go through that bibbidi bobbidi boo process to be labeled a saint. No, you are a saint because you are in Christ. That is why we are actually all saints. Phil Johnson, he treated Dr. John MacArthur and his legacy respectfully. So did the other men. And they kind of geeked out. I don't mind telling you. They kind of. They kind of went into the A preaching zone, which you would expect from five guys who are excellent preachers. They talked about application, they talked about illustration, they talked about exposition, making the plain things as plain as possible. It was for preachers. It was like, yeah, baby. And I was so impressed with Phil Johnson. But having said that, where is it, Johnson? Where is it? He did a breakout session and he talked about the eternality of hell. Hey, that's current. And it is supposed to be posted online and it isn't. So cough it up. Grace to you. Cough it up. Shepherd's Conference. Some of us would like to hear that breakout session. He also did a plenary session in the big room, which is actually known as the church, which was packed, by the way. It was really full. The worship as excellent as always. And the lineup of speakers was spectacular. Not the least of which was Paul Washer, who. My understanding is because I. I heard whispers of this, which typically means it was gossip, but it's. It's not because somebody. I. I can't remember. I just. I read some sort of blurb because I don't do the X thing and the Twitter business. So a lot of this stuff just flies by me. But apparently not everybody was happy with something that Paul Washer said. Let's give it a hearing. And you listen for something that you might say was wrong with this because he was criticized for this. Let's give the man a hearing and then we'll discuss.

[Paul Washer]

And I did something that men do not often do to men like him.

[Unknown Male Host]

He visited Dr. John MacArthur on his

[Joe Rogan]

deathbed, but should do all the time.

[Paul Washer]

I walked in And I said, Dr. MacArthur, is it well with your soul?

[Unknown Male Host]

That's. Sorry, I'm not supposed to be stopping at. Am I? That's a great question to ask everybody and anybody. Is it well with your soul? Nobody is above that level of accountability. That's what we're here for. For the one anothering to make sure that even somebody who has exhibited faithfulness for decades has everything settled and sorted with their Lord. In other words, that they're born again, they're walking with the Lord and they're going to soon see his face.

[Paul Washer]

Are you reading the Word? Talk to me about your prayer life. How is your communion with Christ? And he had almost a shocked look on his face. And then he smiled as though. I am so glad you asked.

[Unknown Male Host]

Probably because it was coming from Paul Washer. You totally expect to ask questions like that.

[Paul Washer]

I'm reading here, I'm praying here, I'm trusting here. Yeah, but how's your heart? Do you feel as though you're encouraged in the Holy Spirit? Yes, I do. Do you see a relationship between men, one far greater than the other, but nonetheless a relationship between brothers?

[Unknown Male Host]

Question, did Paul Washer do that? Right. This was his opportunity to see a dear friend. Decades they've known each other, labored together. I think there's more of a relationship between. Grace to you. Let me say no, not grace to you, because that's a separate ministry from Grace Community Church. But there was a closer working relationship, I think, with Heart Cry Ministries. That's Paul Washer's ministry, and we'll just call it John MacArthur stuff. These men knew each other well, and Paul Washer chose to make sure that his brother was actually still walking with the Lord before he rather soon would meet his Savior. Question, would you do it? That Way. Now, again, I've heard that there were some critiques about it, that, hey, that's not the appropriate thing, especially with a guy who's exhibited so much faithfulness. Instead, you could just talk about the joy of the Lord and the glory of what it's going to be like to see Jesus Christ face to face. Question, Is that the right way to minister to somebody who is on their deathbed? I could probably come up with a third and fourth option, but I think two will suffice. So the question is, did Paul Washer do it right? Did other people get it right when they said, ooh, don't need to interrogate a fellow, you need to just share the gospel with the individual because they are firmly fixed in Christ. Jimmy, congratulations. You be the judge. You want answers? I think I'm entitled. You want answers? I want the truth. You can't handle the truth. Order in the court. What say you, Jimmy Hicks?

[Jimmy Hicks]

Ask me again. Ask me the question you want me to specifically answer.

[Unknown Male Host]

Oh, I see, you don't like walking into traps anymore.

[Jimmy Hicks]

I do not.

[Unknown Male Host]

Is that what this has become? Okay. Paul Washer basically wanted to make sure that. That John MacArthur on his deathbed was walking with the Lord.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Yeah.

[Unknown Male Host]

Others have said, no, you should just be sharing how wonderful it's going to be to see Jesus. Which method, which style, which approach was correct.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Which approach is correct?

[Unknown Male Host]

Yes, exactly my point. Exactly my point. I think both of those have merit. Honestly, they do. And the reason I think that this is an instructive and helpful exercise is because almost certainly you're going to visit somebody on their deathbed. Not easy, not fun, because it's sad. But simultaneously, even though it's sad, you still have an opportunity to witness, or rather to minister to somebody who will soon meet their maker. How do you do it? And the answer I think that Jimmy gave is correct. Yes. I think it is wise to ask, hey, how are you doing? How's your faith? How are you feeling about going to meet Jesus Christ? And to ask, have they continued to press on in the disciplines in the means of grace that are given to us, Bible reading, prayer, fellowship, listening to sermons, etc. I think that that is perfectly within the realm of correct. Simultaneously, I also think that it would be right to talk so much about the Gospel and how wonderful Jesus Christ is and what they have to look forward to and how delightful it is going to be to be in his presence and spend time with the most glorious being in the universe and with all of the saints that have gone before you. How wonderful that I think you can do that. I think you can read the Bible. I think you can pray together. I think if the individual obviously can't make their way to church doing communion together, I don't think it should be the rule. But I think that there are appropriate exceptions. Taking communion together so that we can be helping to fix their mind on Christ, to set their eyes toward him and gaze upon him, so that they can die well, which is another subject, dying well. Being in the bed, that's one thing. Ministering to somebody in that bed, that's another thing. So my question for you is, are you prepared to do that? If not, take a cue from Paul Washer, take a cue from those who said online, hey, I think that I would do this a little bit differently and study those who have done it. You would do well to talk to pastors, ask them how they do it, because they have experience in these things. Almost certainly they're going to bring in a Bible. They might bring in a hymn to sing. They would perhaps have a little some thoughts collected and gathered. They've almost certainly got certain verses in their Bible marked up that they are. These are the go to verses. When somebody is sick or when somebody is on their deathbed, these are the verses that they go to. If you are not prepared for that, might encourage you to do so because you will, yeah, have the heavy task someday of doing that. But also you'll have the privilege of watching somebody march off into glory. Question, are you ready to bid them adieu? Well, this is wretched radio.

[Jimmy Hicks]

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[Unknown Male Host]

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[Jimmy Hicks]

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[Todd Friel]

Important dates in Christian history. 800 AD Charlemagne, the grandson of Charles Martel, is crowned emperor by the Pope on Christmas. He ushered in the Carolingian Renaissance, which advanced the church, education and culture in the Holy Roman Empire. This is Wretched Radio with Todd Friel.

[Unknown Male Host]

Let's talk about the big things and let's talk about the little things. This is Wretched Radio. Don't know how, don't know why, I don't understand the algorithm business, but I was looking at some shorts on the thing where you swipe it and wow, is that a potential black hole. I'm telling it's like I could watch dog rescue videos and dog adoption videos to the cows come home and you can just dive. Just Alice in Wonderland. You just go down that hole and you find it hard to get back out of it somehow. There were videos that I thought, ah, this is it. These are the big things of life. They were videos of, of, of. Of women that were basically sharing the test results from a pregnancy test and seeing the dad's reaction. And I went, that's sweet. And then of course, because you know, you watch one of them, then it starts to populate with the stuff that they think that you want to watch because you're like a fish. That's you and I, we're fishes. And they just. The hook with the bait on it, and they just get us right by the lip, and they just tug us in, and we can't stop watching this stuff. The next one were individuals, these couples, typically, that were revealing to the mom and dad, in other words, the grandparents, that they were naming their newborn child after one of them. Oh. Oh, man. Cilla. That was just. And, you know, these, especially the guys, the grandpas that were told, your grandson is going to be named after you, they just lost it. And I stopped and I thought, okay, why? And there's a number of reasons. Obviously, it's an honor. I think for some men, that they have a sense. It's nice to know that the effort that they put into their family, that this is some form of a legacy for that. I think for some men, it's a thought that, hey, in some small way, they'll be remembered, and maybe, just maybe, somebody will name my grandchild, will name their child after me, too. And it made these men just verklempt. And I thought, how delightful is that? Because there are some things that I think precede the decision to name a child after a grandparent. Well, after their parents, really. And that is the family is intact. It's somewhat functional. There's a warm relationship there. The kids haven't ghosted the parents, and the parents haven't run off to Florida to just abandon their kids because it's now me time. Which just both sides of that equation are like, you're missing out on the big stuff. And then I don't know how this happens. There was another set of videos that popped up in my feed, and it was the guys that are standing at the altar waiting for their brides to come in, and she shows up resplendent in white, and the dudes just lose it. And I. I don't know if it's because of the Celine Dion music that they seem to play with each and every one of these videos. I can't. We pick different songs. Okay, here's the other one. It's a John. That dreadful John Lennon song. It's like, really, there's no other songs that we could play besides this to, like, tug on people's emotions. I was able to listen through that to see what was happening in these instances. And I thought to myself, these are the unheralded, unsung big things. Hollywood has very little interest, not no interest, but very little interest in. They don't put their emphasis on these moments that are so profound and rich. And I thought, how do we convey this to a new generation? That's what you're gunning for right there. That's what you're after right there. Those moments, because the world is telling them. Perpetual buzz. It's all about you. Live your life, make sure you're happy. Just 24 7. And with that comes a degree of. I'm trying to think of a better word than selfishness, where you don't invest in those types of moments. We need to let younger generations know somehow to model. That's what you're after. You're after moments that are. That are sweet. You're after deathbed moments that are profound, that are so rich that you are so stirred internally because you've been doing something with another human being for decades. Those are the big things. Career advancement, nice. Gaining some bank, that's cool. Being able to purchase a house, all that very, very fine stuff. But those aren't the big things. The big things are the sweet moments between human beings that have some profound depth to them. Go for those things if you're young. Set your sights on those things now, this is what it'll look like. You have an opportunity. Now, I'm not saying every single decision needs to be made this way, but you have an opportunity to take paths every single day. You can choose to do stuff for yourself. Go running around, never be, be, never be with the parents, never be involved with them. Or you can sometimes at least say, sorry, guys, you go play. I'm going to go be with my parents. They need help with something. I'm just going to drop by now. I'm just going to honor them and, and let them know that I care about them. I'm going to eulogize them by visiting them. Gun for those things. Because I'm telling you, someday, if you don't appreciate it now, you will. Let's talk about the small things. Received an email sent to ideaetched.org Todd I enjoy playing chess, photography, cooking, but above all, I do enjoy reading my Bible. So how does someone who enjoys chess or photography or car building, etc. Keep God at the front of those hobbies? I'm fearful to study chess out of fear of neglecting the word or prayer or his will. I know there are Christian chefs, chef players or artists, but how do I worship God in those hobbies I enjoy? Those are the small things. How do you do those things? In profound ways. How do Those things have significance. Should we be doing those little things at all? That's the question that is being forwarded via this email. It's so important to me, he writes, to understand this, because if it's not, then I'll forsake all those things because God is far more important than anything. That has to be a heart that pleases the Lord, isn't it? Is there any way to make God the focal point in all we do? Hobbies, woodworking, car, rebuilding, chess, art, etc. How does one do this? In all that I do, I want God to be the point I do it that I worship him in, whatever hobby, job, all that I do. That's a question I think a lot of people ask. And I think that if I could reframe all of everything that he was articulating, it is how do I connect my faith to everything. Now this would be an opportunity. Typically a lesser talk show host would plug and promote his new book coming out this fall. Actually it's going to be, I think Pre sale starts September 1st. It's called Go serve your king. And that's really probably the essence of the book, how you connect everything to everything. When it comes to your faith and reality, how are those linked together? And I think that when it comes to the little things, we need to be careful because I do believe that everything should be done to the glory of God. And yet simultaneously, there's no way that you can sit and play chess while pondering the state of first century slavery because you're considering the book of Philemon. You can't do both. And what I hear being reflected in this email is that if I'm not doing Bible reading, I'm not doing something that is connected to my faith. That's wrong. Everything you do is connected to your faith. Everything. No, you're probably not mindful of it most of the time, but the reality is everything you do, the good way or the bad way, it glorifies the Lord. So how do you go about the business of having fun, doing hobbies, taking naps and enjoying cold watermelon on a summer day? How do you do that? And the answer is you live as a Christian. That's it. You're a Christian. Live. Talk to your Lord as often as you want to, which should increasingly be more and more because it's the best conversation you can have. Study his word, be with his people. Now those are specific things that we can be confused with our dualistic minds to say, well, that's the religious stuff. Now what about the other stuff, and I'm telling you, there's no distinction. There's no difference. It doesn't mean that you have to be thinking about the Lord all the time. You should think about him as much as you can because it's the best thought that you can have. But just because you're not doesn't mean that you're not being a believer any more than a parent who goes off to work, who isn't at the moment thinking about their kid who's being homeschooled or doing playing tennis makes them a bad parent. You do your responsibilities, but your life revolves around your family as a parent, ditto with God. And that means if the center of your life is Jesus Christ and everything you do is for his glory, should you pray before you play chess? You can does that mean you have to be thinking about Jesus when you're considering RTA? Bishop 7 I have no idea what I'm talking about. The point is, live your life as a Christian. Don't feel terrible if you're not perpetually thinking about the Lord while simultaneously recognizing the best thought you can have all day is thinking about your Lord. And that is how you live your life as a Christian and glorify him and enjoy him, even in the little things. This is Wretched Radio.

[Jimmy Hicks]

And it's now time for your daily Fortis newsbreak production of Fortis Institute. The Fairfax County, Virginia sheriff is refusing to hand over an illegal alien accused of groping 12 teenage girls to federal immigration authorities, and the local prosecutor thought bail was perfectly reasonable. ICE and the Trump administration are pleading with local officials to hold him, but the Democrat sheriff, Stacey Kincaid, who stopped cooperating with ICE back in 2018, isn't interested. And the Democratic governor has helpfully ended the entire state's cooperation with federal immigration authorities because protecting accused sexual predators from deportation is apparently a governing priority now. And speaking of priorities, here's how DEI Contracting works in a real ASRC federal A multi billion dollar defense contractor wins no bid government contracts by claiming to represent a last Alaska's indigenous people, then funnels millions into subcontracts to the non native companies run by the CEO's husband. The small Business Administration has already moved to ban 624 similar firms, and Pete Hegseth says the Pentagon is cracking down. Joy Reid has offered what may be the boldest media take of the year. She says that American women under Christianity aren't doing much better than Iranian women under the Islamic regime. Reid acknowledged Iran also oppresses women, but called America only marginally better. The Daily Wire's Isabel Brown responded by simply asking, when was the last time a woman was beaten to death by the morality police for a sliver of her hair showing in the Christian culture? New York City Socialist Mayor Zoran Mamdani has launched a dedicated Mayor's Office of LGBTQIA affairs, appointing a transgender gender identifying attorney with backgrounds at Lambda Legal and the ACLU as its inaugural director. Mom Donnie, who has been running Spanish language ads telling illegal immigrants that they qualify for taxpayer funded daycare, is nothing if not consistent. In Canada, an explicit pornographic art exhibit featuring graphic gay sex acts and full transgender nudity just won the 2025 Governor General's Award, the nation's top arts honor, and is now on public display in Saskatchewan. The artist has openly described alternating between government funded film projects and pornography. The exhibit came with a $25,000 prize and $300,000 in annual city funding for the gallery hosting it. Back here at home, a middle school teacher bragged on Instagram that she deliberately designed her book cover. She's also an author. She deliberately designed her book cover targeted at kids ages 10 to 14 to read as a friendship story to parents while quietly advertising its LGBT content to children. She thanked librarians who help kids find subtle, queer books without the parents knowing. 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 you can [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. Tomorrow go serve your king.

[Todd Friel]

Titles of Christ in the Bible, Jesus is given many titles that teach us about who he is and what he has done. Jesus is called the Physician. Jesus healed many physical ailments during his ministry on earth. When he comes again, he will put an end to death and disease and give us spiritual bodies to last for eternity. This is Wretched Radio with Todd Friel.

[Unknown Male Host]

The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Now, now I got me thinking spanning the globe cuz I got a bunch of stuff here, but I'm thinking just. Jimmy, we need a new theme song.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Do we?

[Unknown Male Host]

Well, this one might be a little dated, no? Well, it hasn't been played anywhere except here since like 1974 when Jim McKay died. On the other hand, we're keeping it alive. This is Wretched Radio. Let's span the globe, shall we? Oh Canada and When I say oh, Canada, I mean oh, Canada. Did you see the statistics about euthanasia? That's right. The MAID program, which was originally intended to be so rare that individuals who were suffering so severely it was imminently terminal and they wanted to be in control of their own exit plan. We will on occasion let a doctor assist somebody with taking their own life. It's called the MAID program. Medical Assistance in dying. A generation, 50 years ago would have said, you got to be kidding me right there. You're really. You're giving it that late. You're killing them is what you're doing. No, we're actually medically assisting them and dying. You're killing them. We just love to put fancy names on things and then say that it's somehow just. It's reproductive health. It's. It's not the dismembering of a human being in utero. No, it's reproductive health. You're killing them. Would have been a generation's outcry not all that long ago. I'm telling you, that is a part of the liberal battle plan that has really successfully helped them gain so much ground. You just relabel stuff. You just redefine things. Racism, it can only happen if you have power. And who has power? Only white people have power, which I don't think is actually true. Nevertheless, if you add a component to racism, being that you have the ability to oppress, that is the only way that you can be racist. Well, what does it do? It lets everybody else off the hook when it comes to racism. And that is a sin of which that everybody is guilty of in some way, shape or form. It's the human condition. It is a part of our fallenness. And so when liberals go about the business of saying, we can't be racist because we don't have the power, it's like, well, who came up with that definition? And the answer is they did. And it's effective. And it actually. Well, it works. So does the MAID program up in Canada. They just passed 75,000 deaths. No, they just passed 75,000 murders. That's what they just did. It has skyrocketed. Over 75,000 people. It started in 20. It's just not that long. And the numbers have been going up every single year. In Ontario alone, more than 200 people were euthanized. Get ready for this. Within 24 hours of being approved in 2023. Sorry, that wasn't a haha funny laugh. That was a you. You're. This is tragic. This was supposed to be the thoughtful program. We'll give people time. They'll have to meet with a number of different experts to make sure that their decision is rational. We'll let them lead. Meet with their faith leaders. No, we'll off them within 24 hours of their request. Of the 219 deaths recorded in the review, roughly 30% occurred the same day approval was granted. They're well on the way to hitting 100,000 by June. Headline from not the Be Canada is now euthanizing Twice as many people as it did Dogs. Worldviews have consequences, don't they? And that is why I. The. The. I continue to see, and I know you observe it too, that the mindset, the manifestations of busted thinking is so. Just mystifying, so profoundly off. Okay, so for instance, another story. The individuals who see Muslims attacking a building, and we blame it somehow on conservatives for labeling them as being terroristic, but they're actually being terroristic right there. Nope, you're the problem. Nope, you're the God. No, what they're doing is justified. What? What in the world? How does thinking like this get corrected? And the answer is it doesn't. By anything but one act. And that is the act of regeneration. You just can't fix this type of thinking. And we see it over and over and over again. Okay, here's an example. Headline Union now we know right away it's the UNI rule. It's liberal. In fact, it's not even Christian. Union Theological Seminary cancels talk from a Hamas supporter. This was supposed to happen last week. A talk from Mohammed Abdu about decolonial Organizing Lessons from Gaza's Warrior Mujahideen. What? They. They actually approved that? Now the Washington Free Beacon did an expose on it and they put the pressure on them and so they canceled it. But how does it get booked in the first place? The talk was part of an event titled this is at a Seminary. Death to the Academy. Akademy how to Be a Thorn in Their Throat amid Snakes in the Grass. You. You're gonna fix that Thinking somebody actually thinks like that has taken the time to put a lecture together. And a seminary said, yeah, let's do that. Wait a second. It just keeps getting better. It was organized by queer Muslims of New York City. Nope, I'm. I'm not writing satire here. It describes itself as an anti racist abolitionist grassroots collective rooted in Islamic liberation theology, committed to gender justice, queer justice, anti capitalism and decolonization. You're going to fix what therapy we're going to send these people through. Is there Going to be some 12 step program to help thinking improve. You can't. This is busted Worldview. Back to the article. What? Dr. Muhammad Abdu. During the spring of 2024 he was a visiting professor at Columbia University. Hello, paging Columbia University. Anybody sane there? Apparently not taught a class titled Decolonial Queerness and Abolition in Southwest Asia North Africa just to give it some credibility. We're gonna just this particular region because you see we've done a lot of scientific studies to determine this is what's going on in Southwest Asia and North Africa regarding decolonial queerness and abolition. A bunch of junk. He prompted scrutiny for a social media post that he made shortly after 10-07-2023, the attack against Israel. He expressed support for Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad, but only up to a point. Oh, okay. All right, all right, that's fine. UTS spokesperson. Now this is, this is the representative from Union Theological Seminary. Afshin Shamzi told the Christian Post that UT this is why they canceled it. They weren't aware of the violent nature of the event. So we withdraw our support. That's not who we are. But you invited him. So if he weren't a violent dude, you'd be okay with what he's teaching. You're gonna. You can't fix that. You get it demands something greater than reason and logic. Why? Because their reason and logic machines are broken. It demands it. The only fix for it is divine intervention. Same thing in Canada. Same thing in Canada. How are you going to reclaim Canada? Government can't fix that. The swell of foolishness is far too great. Evangelism, that's the need. Here's another demonstration of just here darkened thinking. And it's from an individual who claims to be a Presbyterian, James Talarico. Apparently he's on the, he's on the war path against Christians because we're not giving, we're not kind, we're, we're not, we're not loving. So we've got to let the government do it. There's just a problem with that statement and that is facts not the BE did a pretty nice job of collecting all of the studies that show Christian Americans donate more than twice as much annually to charity than the rest of the general population. We also volunteer twice as often. Furthermore, we adopt, we foster, we feed. More than 50amillion Americans receive food from charitable food programs. Two thirds of those programs are run by Christian organizations. Nearly half of all Christian congregations operate or support a food distribution ministry. Just lies. Just, just straight out bald faced lies coming from an individual who's going to what they call a Presbyterian seminary? How are we going to reclaim that? How are we going to make America think better? There's only one biblical answer. Salvation that necessitates evangelization. This is Wretched Radio.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Hey, thanks for listening to Wretched Radio today. Let me ask you a question. Have you experienced any type of real change in the areas of your life that really need it the most? Or do you find yourself just getting by, just figuring out a way to manage to the next day? Look, a lot of people have gotten really good at managing their anger, managing their anxiety, managing the habits that they've formed. But management, it's not the same as transformation. That's why one of the world's leading podcasts today is transformed with Dr. Greg Gifford. Greg is a professor at the Master's University and a fellow here at Fortis Institute as well, and his whole focus is helping people experience the kind of change that only comes through the sufficient Word of God. And this kind of content is only possible because of our Gospel Partners. If you've been blessed by our ministry, I would love to ask you to pray prayerfully. Consider joining us as an ongoing monthly gospel partner. I know you have questions about that and we have [e-mail] Ratched Amazing Grace Amazing Gospel Ever had a question that you weren't sure your small group could handle? Like what does the Bible actually say about mental health? How do you comfort someone who just lost a spouse? Or what does biblical manhood look like for a 20 something who's never seen it modeled? These aren't easy topics, but they're the exact topics our Fortis forums tackle. We've got Dr. Greg Gifford on psychology versus scripture. Dr. Adam Tyson walks guys through what it means to be a man after God's own heart. Libby Glossin and Martha Peace on what joy filled marriage actually looks like, and Dr. John Kratz on moving theology from your head to your heart. And all of these Fortis forums are available right now on Fortis for free. Free on your phone, your tablet, and even your tv. These are real conversations on real issues with people who actually know their Bibles. So you can go and download the Fortis app right now or wherever you download apps on your smartphone, your smart TV or just simply go to fortisplus.org okay, so if you admit it, you're like the rest of us. You've got 47 streaming services and you're paying for at least six of them. But somehow every night you sit down on the couch, and you say there's nothing to watch. Meanwhile, Fortis plus is sitting right there for free on your Roku, your Fire tv, Apple tv, Android, hundreds, maybe even thousands of hours of content on theology, marriage, parenting, manhood, cultural issues, stuff that actually matters. And you know what? We keep adding more, of course. You could scroll through Netflix for 45 minutes looking for something that won't rot your brain. Or you could pull up Fortis and learn something that'll actually help you be a better husband, dad, or Christian by the time the credits roll. Download the Fortis app right now. It is absolutely free and it's on your tv. And unlike that true crime documentary that you've watched three times, at least, it might actually do you some good.

[Todd Friel]

Names of God. We learn a lot about God from the names given to him in scripture. One name is Jehovah Sitkinu, the Lord of our righteousness. Second Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 21 tells us that God made Jesus, who knew no sin to be sin, so that in him was we might become the righteousness of God. This is Wretched Radio with Todd Friel.

[Unknown Male Host]

This is Wretched Radio. You're thinking, wow, don't you sound confident? Well, I can't be confident enough because this is one instance where Jimmy can't wreck it for me. Jimmy, I'm going to ask you to guess something, okay? And I know you're not going to be able to go too high on this one.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Okay?

[Unknown Male Host]

This is some of the statistics that were compiled about Christian charity. Studies show that Christian Americans donate more than twice as much to charity than the rest of the global population. All right, so that's the statistical odds of individuals giving to charities. Okay. It goes on to cite that the Salvation army alone serves more than 32 million people. How's about Samaritan's Purse? $1.1 billion in humanitarian aid. That's pretty big. One major economic study found that Christian institutions contribute roughly blank in social and economic value to American society each year through health care, education, charitable work, and community services. What's the blank? What's the dollar amount?

[Jimmy Hicks]

So this is a collective of all Christian institutions?

[Unknown Male Host]

That's correct. Okay.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Okay. 10 billion.

[Unknown Male Host]

Not even warm.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Wow.

[Unknown Male Host]

A trillion. Wow. Wow. A trillion. And you got a guy like James Talarico going around the country appearing on the Colbert show saying, you know, Christians, all they do is criticize. They just. They just want to oppress people and keep women from practicing reproductive health care. We need the government to be bloated even more to provide for them. Now, we can talk about government programs till the cows come home. But those accusations, they are lies. They are just simply not accurate. And I hope somebody at some point tags him on this. Hey, as long as we're talking politics, on the other end of the spectrum, you got Mike Johnson. I like Mike. I'd actually like to talk to Mike again. It's been a number of years since I've talked to Mike Johnson. If you met him, you'd go, he's a brother. He's a believer. You can just tell. Maybe don't agree with everything that he does. I don't track him enough to know to have a scorecard on the guy's political decisions. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes for a million bucks. Nevertheless, he's a guy who does love the Lord. Stating Sharia law and the imposition of Sharia law is contrary to the U.S. constitution. Thank you. Thank you very much. When you seek to come to a country and not assimilate, but to impose Sharia law, it is in conflict with the Constitution. That is the conflict that people are talking about. Because apparently a number of people now online are going, excuse me, you come to this country, we've already got a ruling document. It's called the Constitution. With Islam, Sharia law supersedes any man made law, which Sharia law is. But the point is they believe that they should be ordered under Sharia law, not the Constitution. Mike Johnson. It's not about people as Muslims. It is about those who seek to impose a different belief system that is in direct conflict with the Constitution. And to him I say salute. Let's go to Great Britain. Turns out this is an interesting. Jimmy, you geek out on this conversation. Conservative Anglicans won't have a first among equals leader. Pretty much every organization, every denomination, including the Anglican Communion, they will have their highest individual who leads the organization. Now, the conservative Anglicans, that is growing like a nobody's business and I'm grateful for it. By the way, the Global Anglican Futures Conference, they launched in 2008, they just held their annual meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, and they said, we're not going to have a first among equals. I wonder if they can get away with that. And I don't mean that pejoratively sincerely. Every organization needs a head. It just does. I think that's why you see that you've got jurisdictions that the Lord has put in place. There needs to be order. There needs to be leadership. Even for instance, in 1. Peter, what do you know? In talking about the submission of the government. It actually gives the order. Your text probably says king. It's really meaning emperor. And then the governing officials, the ones that are closer, and then all governing officials. So even now doesn't mean that it is an affirmation necessarily. But Peter is identifying that there are levels of authority inside of the government, that there's degrees of power inside of the government, and that there is an emperor. Because every organization needs a head. Now this is. You want to geek out on this conversation, bring that into the context of your local church and talk about the issue of senior pastor and talk about the issue of who gets how many votes and what, who has the authority, I wonder. Because every organization somehow needs somebody to say this way, boys, this is the direction that we're headed. It needs that. Otherwise you've got nothing but vying opinions and you don't have any direction. I wonder if the conservative Anglicans will be able to get away with that. Time will tell. Let's go visit Joe Rogan, shall we?

[Joe Rogan]

I'm absolutely fascinated by the story of Jesus Christ because if you wanted to come up with a way that people would live, that would absolutely be far more beneficial than just going on natural instincts and tribal behavior and you would follow Jesus's teachings.

[Unknown Male Host]

I agree with that. What I find intriguing about that, and I can't affirm or reject the thinking of Joe Rogan because I don't know what is motivating that thought. But that ultimately isn't why somebody should be persuaded to become a Christian. Are the teachings of Jesus superior? Yes. Is that why you should become a Christian? Not really. You should become a. Become a Christian because of Jesus. The teachings merely affirm and support that decision, if you will. But. But it's. It's this. If I. If I just decide I'm going to become a Christian because I think the rules are better than anybody else's. Problem number one, if somebody comes along, presumably you think with better rules, you're out of here. Second of all, that's not what God is seeking. Does God want us to keep his rules? Of course, because they are what is best for us. But God wants those who worship from the heart.

[Joe Rogan]

Like there's. I can't find a flaw in the way he tells you to live life. There's a lot of religions that involve, you know, torturing non believers and then raping infidels and being able to do terrible things to the people that don't believe. Believe your religion.

[Unknown Male Host]

H. I wonder who he's talking about.

[Joe Rogan]

There's none of that In Christianity, it's all forgiveness. It's all treating your brother as. And your, your, your, your, your neighbor as if they're you like is. It's a beautiful way to live life.

[Unknown Male Host]

Amen. Amen to that. And hasn't Joe Rogan changed his whole tenor about Christianity? Apparently he's been going to church now for a number of years. His guest, Mike Shellenberger, journalist, wanted to know. So you're telling us you're a Christian, Joe?

[Jimmy Hicks]

You Christian?

[Joe Rogan]

Well, I go to church. I have been for quite a while. Okay, so I've been doing it for the last three or four years.

[Jimmy Hicks]

But that's not really an answer to the question.

[Unknown Male Host]

That's awesome. And it doesn't take a journalist to ask that. You kind of dodged that one. Going to church doesn't going to church. Can you guess what I'm going to say, Jimmy? Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger. Thank you.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Not really an answer to the question.

[Joe Rogan]

Well, because, I don't know, I think it's very interesting. And I do believe that if you follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, you will live a better life.

[Unknown Male Host]

Okay, agreed. That's not what Christianity is about. It's a bonus, it's a benefit. In fact, it even works for pagans. You live as best you're able to as a fallen human being under the precepts of Jesus Christ, and things will go better for you. Why? Because you'll be living in alignment with reality and things are bound to go at least somewhat better. But that's not what Christianity is about.

[Joe Rogan]

I really do believe that. And one of the things I talk about is like, the people that I go to church with are the most polite people I've ever met in my life. They're so kind and so nice and everybody lets you out of the parking lot. Everybody's like, hugo, Hugo.

[Unknown Male Host]

It's like, it's like, it's like First Peter. This is exactly what First Peter's about. Behave differently. The world is watching. Act like a holy set apart. Chosen people. Put your former way of living behind you. Why? Because people like Joe Rogan are watching you.

[Joe Rogan]

One point it works. You know what I'm saying? Like, if people are trying to find an ideology, does that mean I believe people came back from the dead? Does that mean I believe Moses part of the Red Sea? Not really, no. It seems like that's most likely a story where people are telling it generation after generation after generation. But there was probably something happening. There's probably some truth to it.

[Unknown Male Host]

Let's hope that Joe gets that sorted, because he's been captured by the Bible itself. And he's been captured, interestingly, by the behavior of those who have put their trust in the one the Bible speaks of. And that is, of course, Jesus Christ. And that is exactly why First Peter dedicates all of the entire book is about be different, respond differently, love differently, make decisions differently. Why? So that you can silence the mouth of unbelievers. And so that on the day of visitation, God will be glorified so that people will see your behavior, they'll believe your testimony, and they will get saved. Thanks, Joe, for the sermon illustration this Sunday, as we make our way through First Peter Del Verde Bible Church and until tomorrow, go serve your King.