Bible Diet Trends, Southern Baptists, Marriage Pain

Summary

Wretched Radio with Todd Friel: "Bible Diet Trends, Southern Baptists, Marriage Pain"

Episode Date: May 14, 2026
Host: Todd Friel
Podcast: Wretched Radio (with Fortis Institute)

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Episode Overview

This episode of Wretched Radio, hosted by Todd Friel, dives into three main topics affecting Christian life and culture: the rise of "Bible diet" trends, current developments and statistics in the Southern Baptist Convention, and the realities of pain and perseverance in Christian marriage. Todd and his team bring their signature wit and biblical conviction, challenging popular fads and encouraging listeners to seek genuine biblical truth in all areas of life, with detours into humor (and a satirical take on turning Bible stories into diet plans).

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

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1. “Bible Diets” and Biblical Eating Trends

[02:58 – 11:25]

Main Points:

• Satirical Take on “Biblical Lifestyles”

  • The episode opens with a tongue-in-cheek segment on trying to emulate biblical fashion, hairstyles, and diets, poking fun at attempts to follow the Bible as a literal lifestyle manual.
  • “I can't wear pants anymore. Tunics. Nothing but tunics is what I'm gonna be wearing. Because that's what they wore in the Bible, don't you know?" – Mike [02:39]

• Critique of "Biblical Eating" Fads

  • Todd reviews a NYT article about the growing trend of eating only foods mentioned in the Bible (e.g., honey, manna, quail).
  • He highlights the lack of nutritional credentials among influencers and the commercialization of these diets (e.g., $28 diet guides, $700/mo coaching).
  • “Sin didn’t enter the world through food. Sin entered the world through disobedience, you know, the way the Bible actually says.” – Todd Friel [07:42]
  • The team references diet fads like the Daniel Diet, the Eden Diet, the Maker’s Diet, and more.

• Biblical Teaching on Food

  • The Bible gives principles for stewardship of the body (God's temple), but isn’t prescriptive or detailed regarding diet.
  • “The Bible isn’t a cookbook. The Bible is about Jesus Christ. The Bible is loaded with nothing but Jesus Christ." – Mike [03:28]

• Satirical AI-Generated “Dip Diet”

  • The hosts have some fun, using AI to generate a fake "Dip Diet" based on the practice of dipping bread at the Last Supper, poking fun at the absurdity of so-called Bible diets.
  • “Do you have to eat it with somebody who’s going to betray you?” – Mike [16:11]
  • AI’s suggestions include whole grain bread, dips like hummus or broth, and “accountability with 12 men.”

Notable Quotes:

• “If you want to hear God speak to you, read your Bible. If you want to hear God speak to you audibly, read it out loud.” – Mike [00:27]
• “There was dipping going on… So everything needs to be the dip diet based on John, chapter 20.” – Mike [10:29]
• “We’re going to be selling the dip diet like nobody’s business… We can get AI to write it.” – Jimmy [10:45]

Memorable Segment Timestamps:

• [03:28] – Critique of the Daniel Diet and Bible as “recipe book”
• [09:27] – Jokes about gluten in Bible times
• [15:23] – Launching the “John 13:26 Dip Diet” via AI for Southern Baptists

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2. Southern Baptist Convention: Trends & Health

[17:48 – 25:55]

Main Points:

• Upcoming SBC Annual Meeting

  • 20,000 attendees registered for the upcoming Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando, FL—largest since 2021.

• Trends in Attendance, Baptisms, and Giving

  • Despite headlines about “alarming membership decline", several positive statistics:
    • Baptisms and attendance are up.
    • Baptisms have grown five years in a row (+5% this year).
    • 4.5 million attend SBC churches weekly, 2.6 million in small groups.
    • Giving up by 1%, with a total of $9.6 billion.
  • “It is a very important denomination in our country. And let’s hope that this year in Orlando they just set the record straight… Do what is right, do what is biblical.” – Mike [23:03]

• Cleaning Church Rolls

  • Membership decline attributed partly to churches purging rolls of inactive members—highlighted as a positive, healthy practice.

• Encouragement for Doctrinal Clarity

  • Specific hope for biblical clarity regarding women serving as elders.
  • “If they go down in attendance or they go down in membership because of it, I say, well done, Southern Baptist Convention. Do what is right. Do what is biblical.” – Mike [23:25]

Notable Quotes:

• “If you’ve got 12 million members, but only 4.5 million showing up on Sunday morning, those are members that need more regular attendance encouragement.” – Mike [21:03]
• “Don’t let your church attendees dictate what is going to be preached and what will be codified as agreed upon theology in your church.” – Mike [24:33]

Memorable Segment Timestamps:

• [19:03] – Reviewing SBC growth statistics
• [21:03] – Comparison of attendance vs membership
• [23:25] – Commentary on doctrinal issues and numerical decline

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3. Marriage Pain: Persevering When Love Isn’t Reciprocated

[29:32 – 40:31]

Main Points:

• Listener Email: Husband’s Perspective

  • Responding to a listener concerned about a one-sided marriage—obedient, loving husband receives little reciprocation from a distant or bitter wife.

• Encouragement to Persevere

  • Biblical perspective: Even if love isn’t reciprocated, Christ-like endurance and patient love is our calling.
  • “God didn’t make you marry the wrong woman… No, he wants you to be married to her because he has called you to this. That should encourage you.” – Mike [30:18]
  • Husbands (and wives) are exhorted to model Christ, who suffered without retaliation (1 Peter 2:21–3:12).
  • Call to “elevate, not dominate”: “Don’t dominate. Elevate.” [32:57]

• Realism About Pain, Hope for Thaw

  • It may take years for a cold heart to thaw—if at all—but perseverance reveals one’s own salvation and glorifies Christ.
  • “An iceberg doesn’t thaw in a day… But my encouragement to you would be to persevere and let the years just keep warming her as you continue to be like Jesus Christ, loving her, living with her in an understanding way, honoring her.” – Mike [31:44]

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4. Addressing Wobbly Assurance in Christian Life

[40:31 – 50:00+]

Main Points:

• Heart-Level Analysis of Assurance

  • Lack of assurance isn’t the root but the fruit—true causes lie beneath: perfectionism, pride, legalism, chronic introspection, shame, hidden sin, confusion about the gospel, etc.
  • Long list of heart issues that may feed assurance struggles (see detailed list around [35:00–39:00]).

• Encouragement to Self-Examination

  • Christians are called to “drill down” and ask heart-probing questions: Is your identity rooted more in your failure than in Christ? Do you trust the promises or your own feelings?
  • “You've got to get to the heart level because lack of assurance isn’t the root… You’re lacking assurance because there’s something going on at the heart level.” – Mike [36:12]

• Not All Christian Experience is Emotional High

  • Warns against idolizing spiritual experiences or ecstasy; encourages a mature, deeper love and assurance rooted in Christ’s work, not our feelings.
  • “Your relationship with Jesus… is going to morph, change, grow, and deepen over the years. That initial ecstasy is going to evaporate…” – Todd Friel [44:34]

• Practical Self-Reflections

  • Specific questions to help listeners identify the root of their doubt or assurance struggles (e.g., do you view God as more judge than Father? Is your sense of acceptance tied to performance?).

Notable Quotes:

• “You just can’t have that same feeling you had at the altar all the time… Instead, what happens? Your love changes and it grows deeper and deeper and deeper and more profound.” – Todd Friel [45:30]
• “If you blew up at Jimmy… you’ve got to figure out why. What is it that's causing me to be short-tempered? …If you can’t find the root, all you’re going to be doing is hacking off the fruit.” – Mike [50:10]

Memorable Segment Timestamps:

• [35:00–39:00] – Comprehensive list of heart-issues behind a lack of assurance
• [44:34] – Explanation on emotional "highs" and true Christian maturity
• [50:10+] – Illustrative example of anger and self-examination process

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Notable Quotes (with Speakers & Timestamps)

• Mike: “If you want to hear God speak to you, read your Bible. If you want to hear God speak to you audibly, read it out loud.” [00:27]
• Todd Friel: “Sin didn’t enter the world through food. Sin entered the world through disobedience, you know, the way the Bible actually says.” [07:42]
• Mike: “Don’t dominate. Elevate. You go low. Don't drive her to your knees. You get to your knees and you serve and you honor her.” [32:57]
• Todd Friel: “Your relationship with Jesus… is going to morph, change, grow, and deepen over the years. That initial ecstasy…it has to evaporate.” [44:34]
• Mike: “If you can’t find the root, all you’re going to be doing is hacking off the fruit.” [50:10]

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Episode Structure & Useful Timestamps

| Segment | Main Focus | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|----------------| | Satire on “Biblical” Lifestyles/Diets | Bible diets, Bible as cookbook critique | [02:58–11:25] | | The Dip Diet, AI Satire | Making fun of Bible diet fads | [14:54–18:54] | | Southern Baptist Convention | Attendance, membership, giving, doctrine | [17:48–25:55] | | Marriage: Loving Through Pain | Listener Q about unreciprocated love | [29:32–40:31] | | Assurance & Heart Issues | Self-examination, root causes | [40:31–end] |

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Tone and Language

• The hosts employ a blend of humor and seriousness—often using satire (especially regarding diet trends) to make strong theological points.
• Biblical fidelity and practical wisdom are consistently prioritized over cultural or commercial Christian fads.
• The conversational, sometimes tongue-in-cheek back-and-forth is balanced by compassionate, direct encouragement to listeners facing struggles.

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Summary Conclusion

This Wretched Radio episode is a whirlwind through current Christian trends, church life, and personal heart issues—unmasking superficial solutions and pointing repeatedly to Christ and biblical principles. From mocking viral Bible diet plans to encouraging faithfulness in marriage and the pursuit of assurance through heart-level honesty, the episode is both entertaining and edifying, packed with practical scriptural insight and a call to maturity.

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If you missed this episode, expect laughs, lots to think and pray about, and compelling reminders to seek Christ above gimmicks, endure in love, and search your heart under the light of scripture.

Transcript

[Todd Friel]

Wretched radio begins in 3, 2, 1.

[Mike]

God told me to tell you this.

[Jimmy]

That's paganism.

[Mike]

Do you really expect and anticipate that

[Greg Gifford]

the divine voice of God can be heard by you?

[Jimmy]

That's horoscope reading.

[Mike]

Standing in the office of the prophet of God.

[Jimmy]

That's reading.

[Mike]

Tea leaves can't have a relationship to God if you can't hear God.

[Jimmy]

That is not biblical Christianity.

[Mike]

You want to hear God speak to you, read your Bible. If you want to hear God speak to you audibly, read it out loud. I promise you, 100% guaranteed you will hear him speak.

[Todd Friel]

It's time for Wretched Radio with Todd Friel.

[Mike]

A new version of the church is one foundation. Why? Because we're always cutting edge here at Wretched. That's a church. With an actual orchestra. And best of all, of course, a pipe organ. This is Wretched Radio Grace Community Church. That orchestra must have about 30 musicians, about 70 people in the choir, not to mention 3,000 folks belting out the church's One foundation, which leads us into church news. But before we do, Jimmy, how long is this gonna last today? Do we have to stay after and record stuff? I got shopping to do, buddy. Yeah, I got it. I gotta get some new footwear. Specifically sandals. Sandals on my feet.

[Greg Gifford]

Sandals.

[Mike]

Absolutely. I'm gonna. Nothing and nothing but sandals. It's gonna be better for me. I just know it. It's gonna be better for me. I'm certain it's gonna help arch support and probably my lower back. So I'm wearing nothing but sandals, and I won't be getting a haircut ever again.

[Greg Gifford]

Oh, why not?

[Mike]

Well, because Samson didn't get a haircut. And because it's in the Bible, I'm not gonna get a haircut either. But I do need to do some shopping for some clothes. I can't wear pants anymore.

[Greg Gifford]

Tunics.

[Mike]

Nothing but tunics is what I'm gonna be wearing. Because that's what they wore in the Bible, don't you know? Cause that's what the Bible was written for. Fashion tips and hairstyles and appropriate footwear that's healthier for your lower back.

[Jimmy]

Did you start working from home then?

[Mike]

Probably should, frankly. New York Times headline, eating healthy. No, they're eating biblically. This is a lengthy article in the New York Times describing the hot trend where people are eating biblically. Hey, Jimmy, if you were going to eat biblically, what chapter and verse would you go looking for to figure out your diet?

[Greg Gifford]

Rick Warren.

[Mike]

He's not in the Bible.

[Jimmy]

No, no.

[Greg Gifford]

The Daniel Plant.

[Mike]

Yeah, and he doesn't use it much, frankly. But the Daniel diet was. Was like one of the single most ridiculous things ever. The Daniel diet plan to lose weight. If you read the Daniel diet, the boys gained weight, and yet somehow it was turned into a diet. It was the same principle. Hey, take a look and see what they ate, and then we'll eat that because it's in the Bible. Well, I could be wrong about this, but I'm pretty certain the Bible isn't a cookbook. The Bible is about Jesus Christ. The Bible is loaded with nothing but Jesus Christ. Pointing, pointing, pointing to him, that we might know him and glorify him and love him more. Does it have details about some eating? Well, they're scant, but they're there. But they're not detailed and they are not prescriptive. And yet there are people that are turning it again into a cottage industry. This was a lengthy article in the New York Times. They focused on one woman. She has 500,000 followers on TikTok. She's a biblical eater now for the last eight years. You say, what's a biblical eater? I know what you're thinking. Well, you consumed the word of God. Well, aren't you spiritual? This person is literal. A biblical eater is someone who consumes mostly foods mentioned in the Bible. So I guess a lot of honey would be in the program. A lot of men and quail. I wonder if they eat a lot of quail, because that's in the Bible, don't you know? She's part of a dedicated online community trying to tie religious values to dietary needs. Now, does the Bible instruct us about our diet? Well, in that it instructs us about everything with principles that can be applied to eating, certainly. So, for instance, we recognize that our bodies were made by God. They are to be considered precious because they are the temple of the Holy Spirit. And so without turning it into the focus of my life, I want to do my best. And that's different for different people to take care of the temple. I think that I want to make sure that when it comes to diet, I'm obeying the commands to not be gluttonous. Beyond that, the Bible doesn't give instructions for what we're supposed to be eating. This woman was interviewed and said, quote, I had never really thought to look to the Bible for a recipe book. For good reason, it isn't. Unless, of course, it's Ezekiel 18 bread. Or is it 19? Whatever the. I think they've got English muffins now, too. I think it's 1919. Yeah, yeah. Ezekiel 19. The poor bread. It was a bread of judgment. It wasn't a tasty bread. It was. It was imposed on the people because they'd been very sinful. And they must have eaten that bread like gak, choking it down. And yet there it is in your grocer's freezer. She started studying scripture from the lens of noticing what they are eating. Mmm. Sin. Sin entered into the world through food. And Satan doesn't stop there. Food for me. There's your keyword for me is really like a weapon of how I can fight back. 500,000 followers. And by the way, sin didn't enter the world through food. Sin entered the world through disobedience. You know, the way the Bible actually says. Okay, if I'm going to use the Bible this way, then we should never eat anything, because that's how sin enters in. So I guess we're all just going to starve to death. She's open about not having nutritional nutrition credentials, but she sells a $28 digital guide to biblical superfoods. Huh. Wonder what verse that is. As well as coaching sessions that start around $700 for a month.

[Jimmy]

Oh, but she's not qualified.

[Mike]

But she's not qualified. But she reads her bible. Sort of. 2008, there was the Eden Diet, Nutrition tips rooted in biblical teachings. And then there's the Maker's Diet. That was a bestseller. There's the Biblio diet, and of course, the famous Daniel Diet to help you gain weight. And I'll tell you, it looks like it actually worked. They also quote somebody who's a Christian dietitian who lives in Nashville, said much of her work looked at, like, nutrients. At first, it just looked like standard nutrition guidance. But she often starts with clients by talking about the importance of breakfast. She'll reference Bible verses pointing to a scene in the Book of John in which Jesus eats a balanced breakfast of bread and fish with his disciples. He's got carbs and protein, end quote. Yeah. That's what John intended to. To convey to his audience. This is what you need to eat for breakfast. Now, of course, it does raise some questions. Do I need to eat that every single morning? Because Jesus ate that every single morning. Do we know that that's what he always ate? And by the way, how do you know that fish and bread is good for you? I thought bread was high in carbs, and that's not actually good for you, so you got to cut down on the carbs and just eat a high Protein diet. So what could they. The all quail diet. Just for all the people. Just all protein. Nothing but protein.

[Greg Gifford]

Did they even consider gluten in the Bible times?

[Mike]

I don't think they had gluten.

[Jimmy]

That's what I'm saying.

[Mike]

In Bible times. Zoinks, Scoop. What people do to the Bible and then people actually buy it. They. They go for it because they're trying to be spiritual. To be clear, God does speak into every realm of our existence. Every single realm. He has something to say. Why? Because he's running every single realm. He's in control of every realm, and he knows what is best for every single realm. But that is a far cry from reading the Bible and saying, this is how we're supposed to eat. They ate that way because that was the food of the day. They ate that way because. Are we supposed to always just. We have to dip every. Everything needs to be dipped, Jimmy. Okay, yeah. Just like. Like at the Lord's. At the institution of the Lord's table, right? Yeah. There was dipping going on.

[Greg Gifford]

There was.

[Mike]

So everything needs to be the dip diet based on John, chapter 20. Yeah. Yeah. We're in the money, baby. This gig is soon over. Jimmy. We're going to be selling the dip diet like nobody's business.

[Jimmy]

We can get AI to write it.

[Mike]

I can. They probably. Ooh, that's tempting. And I can see it. The D is overlapping with the other D. Or should we do a capital

[Greg Gifford]

D, small D. We'll hire some people

[Jimmy]

to figure that out.

[Mike]

The Daniel dip diet for Southern Baptists because of the illiterate. Hey, by the way, the Southern Baptist Convention is coming up. They've already got 20,000 people registered. That's going to be a big deal. It's like one of the biggest ones they've had since, I think, 2021. That's actually a good sign. It shows. People are actually a little bit excited about the upcoming Southern Baptist Convention, which we'll discuss next on Wretched Radio.

[Greg Gifford]

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. 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 Masters 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 prayerfully consider joining us as an ongoing monthly Gospel partner. I know you, you have questions about that and we have [e-mail] wretched amazing

[Mike]

grace amazing Gospel Would you like the University Experience without the, you know, University experience? The Master's University invites you to visit their campus or you can visit them online at masters. Edu wretched to discover a Christian college that is biblical, that offers all of the academic excellence you desire, sports, athletics, arts, communication, all of the activities of, you know, a secular university without the, you know, secular parts. Please consider the Master's University online or of course, on campus learning undergrad, master's and doctoral programs. It's Master's University, the University with the University Experience without the University experience. Masters. Edu Wretched no Retreat that's the name

[Greg Gifford]

of Fortis Institute's Spring Match campaign, and we chose that name for a reason the church has been quietly backing up for years. The 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. Fortas Institute is determined to push the other direction to 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 can give is matched dollar for dollar and your gift will help launch two new podcasts, publish Todd

[Jimmy]

Friel's new book Go Serve youe King

[Greg Gifford]

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]

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 Propitiation for our sins. Propitiation means a wrath removing sacrifice. Jesus bore God's wrath on our behalf and in return we receive his righteous standing before God the Father. This is Wretched Radio with Todd Friel

[Mike]

the John 13:26 diet this is Wretched Radio. This is going to be atrocious and you're saying Friel too late for that Jimmy, you're putting into the AI machine and letting it do its wizardry to create. We could be rich. I'm just telling you, we might be. We get the right marketing company, we brand this bad boy, right? And we are going to be in every Kroger and Publix and we get Costco. Goodbye, Fortis Institute.

[Jimmy]

We're going to be.

[Mike]

We're the John 3:20. What did I say? John 13:26 diet.

[Greg Gifford]

We're just going to travel around giving out samples of dipped bread.

[Mike]

Now you're putting it into the AI machine.

[Greg Gifford]

I did.

[Mike]

All right. And tell me what you said to the AI machine to create a diet based on John 13:26 where Jesus with Judas.

[Jimmy]

Right.

[Mike]

Got to work that in there somehow.

[Greg Gifford]

I said create a detailed diet and explanation based on biblical dipping as practiced at the institution of the Lord's Supper.

[Mike]

Oh, this is going to be dreadful. Now we've got some details to work out. If you're going to do the dip diet, I think that's the perfect name. Honestly, the dip diet. Do you have to eat it with somebody who's going to betray you? For it to be effective, you got to have. Because that's in the Bible, too.

[Greg Gifford]

All diets need accountability.

[Mike]

You need to make sure you're eating with 12 men. Otherwise the diet doesn't work because that's what happened in the Bible. Let me know when the AI machine is done grinding that bad boy out.

[Jimmy]

It's ready.

[Mike]

Oh, no. I was hoping we'd forget about it. Go.

[Jimmy]

What does it say at the meal

[Greg Gifford]

where Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper? The Gospels mentioned dipping into a shared dish. John 13:26. That matters for this plan because the meal pattern was simple. Bread, shared dish, deliberate eating, table fellowship and spiritual seriousness. The Lord Supper itself is the bread and the cup. The dipping part of the meal is the meal setting around it. So the diet borrows the table wisdom, not the sacrament. Every meal is built around this structure. The bread, which is whole grain, pita, sourdough, or one small piece of flatbread. The dip, hummus, Greek yogurt.

[Mike]

How do they know it's hummus with Greek yogurt?

[Jimmy]

I don't know.

[Greg Gifford]

Olive oil with herbs, lentil dip, bean spread or broth.

[Mike]

Okay. It's making stuff up now.

[Greg Gifford]

It's exactly what it's doing. The body of the meal is a lean protein.

[Mike]

Okay, hold on. I just want to get. What do they call. I wanted to. What do we name this? Give me 20 names for the John 3:16 dip diet. Okay. 20 names, and I'll bet it'll give us something that's pure gold. In the meantime, Southern Baptist, they'll be meeting in Flora. Where are they meeting anyway? I think Orlando, Florida. Is that where Disney is?

[Greg Gifford]

Yes.

[Mike]

So they're going into Satan's Den in Orlando, Florida. Actually, I know somebody who's actually at Orlando right now at Disney, and they are determined to track the place. They're just gonna leave them every place, so. Hey, Ray, if you're listening, I think we need a Disney track. Just something especially for Disney. So when people do and go to Satan's lair, they can do gospel tracts all over the place. So that's for you, Ray. That's a freebie, along with the dip diet. Has it got 20 days yet?

[Greg Gifford]

I know that that's ours. Yes.

[Mike]

Okay. What do they come up with?

[Greg Gifford]

The Table and dip Diet. The Lord's Table Eating Plan. The Shared Dish Diet, The Upper Room Diet.

[Mike]

Oh, there you go.

[Greg Gifford]

The Common Dish Diet. The Supper Table Diet.

[Jimmy]

The Covenant Table Plan.

[Greg Gifford]

The Simple Supper Diet.

[Mike]

All right, we get the point. On and on it. I think the Upper Room Diet. That could work just as well as the Daniel Diet.

[Jimmy]

That's exactly.

[Mike]

And speaking of Southern Baptist, actually, he's not a Southern Baptist anymore, I guess something like that. That's right, the Southern Baptist meeting. And apparently there's some excitement, despite the headline that I [e-mail] Listen to this headline and you tell me if you think things are there's trouble in paradise in the Southern Baptist Convention or if the 20,000 attendees, the 20,000 messengers to Orlando are a better indication of the health of that. I was going to call it denomination, but I know Southern Baptists just shake when you call it that convention. Southern Baptists see attendance alarming. Membership decline. Okay, it's got the word alarming, so that makes it sound like they're in trouble, aren't they? But I'm reading the article because it was a poll that was done by Lifeway and it turns out actually baptisms are up and attendance is up. Now church membership is down. I do think that that's a bad thing, but it could be attributed to just cleaning the rolls. When a church decides, hey, we've got people who have not showed up for years, we're going to clean the rolls so the membership rolls drop. That is a possibility. I don't know without getting into the details of it all, but even though membership fell by 3% over the course of 24 to 2519 or 2024, to 2025 more people are attending worship services and small groups and are being baptized. I'm especially glad to hear about the baptism part because it's my experience and it's totally anecdotal. I just recall decades ago that baptism was a big deal in evangelicalism. Have you been baptized? It was a regular shout from the pulpit. Have you been obedient to the Lord's first command? You need to get baptized. But I don't hear that as much anymore. And so I thought maybe there was some slippage there. But it looks like, at least in the Southern Baptist Convention, that baptisms are up pretty substantially. So is attendance. 4.5 million people attend a Southern Baptist church each week. Now, that's a nice number, but simultaneously, I don't think that that's as healthy as it should be because there are 12,331,000 members and there should actually be more people attending than members. That used to be the pattern in the United States. Now, this goes back decades and decades ago. If you had 100 members that were a member of your church on Sunday, you'd have 120 people attending. Now, if you've got 100 members, you've got like 40 people attending, and some of them are members and some of them are just visitors, etc. But we've flipped the statistic in an unhealthy way, I think. So if you've got 12 million members, but only four. So 30% of them are showing up on a Sunday morning. Those are members that need more regular attendance, encouragement. But these statistics, nevertheless, they do appear to be encouraging. 2.6 million participate in a small group Bible study or Sunday school class, which is up 3%. Baptism's up 5%, which is five years in a row of consecutive growth when it comes to baptism giving. That's always a tell, isn't it? Grew by almost 1%. Do you know how much giving takes place in the Southern Baptist Convention? Jimmy, you want to take a guess at the gross number for the Southern Baptist Convention?

[Greg Gifford]

I don't.

[Mike]

Just give it a go. Don't make me too late. You're the one who did the upper room diet. You owe us.

[Jimmy]

Oh, I don't know.

[Greg Gifford]

I don't know.

[Mike]

Did you say 9.6 billion? Wow.

[Greg Gifford]

No, I would not have said that.

[Mike]

That's massive. Yeah, that is massive. That is. I'm telling you, it's another indicator. It's a reminder. You don't have to be Southern Baptist to be cheering for the Southern Baptist Convention. It is a very important denomination in our country. And let's hope that this year in Orlando they are able to just set the record straight. And to put the debate behind the Southern Baptists about women being elders in the church, that would be the healthiest sign of all. And I'll tell you what, if they go down in attendance or they go down in membership because of it, I say, well done, Southern Baptist Convention. Do what is right, do what is biblical. And if the Lord determines, well, we're just going to see attendance shrink, so be it. So be it. Be a healthy church. If you're a healthy church, a biblical church that goes down the tubes, you went down the tubes rightly. Don't let the world. Don't let your church attendees dictate what is going to be preached and what will be codified as agreed upon theology in your church. So go get them Southern Baptists. By the way, they did have some church closures. They did have some church rolls being cleaned up. It says here churches with more than four times as many members as their average attendance are either unhealthy or need to clean up their membership records. Said the executive director. I agree. If you've got a ton of people on the books and they're not actually participating, it's better to take them off. I know it hurts because numbers seem to be important to us. I get it, they have some value. But if they're actually not participating in the church and if your church has four times as many members as people attending on a Sunday morning, something ain't healthy. Hey, Jimmy, you blew an opportunity.

[Greg Gifford]

How so?

[Mike]

Yeah, with the Southern Baptist, with the giving being 9 billion.

[Greg Gifford]

Yes.

[Mike]

We're getting close to that with our matching gift campaign.

[Greg Gifford]

Close to 9 billion.

[Mike]

Well, it's all relative, slightly. What is? Math. Just numbers. That's all it is. If you would like to consider participating in our matching gift campaign. Okay, we ain't at 9 billion. Okay, we ain't at 9 million. But it is a large matching gift campaign. We'd be super grateful. We just want to reach more and more people with the gospel and encourage and help and support. Support and undergird more and more churches. It's our no Retreat matching gift campaign. You can learn [e-mail] Donate. I'm hungry. Jimmy, what we having for dinner tonight?

[Jimmy]

Lentils.

[Mike]

This is Wretched Radio

[Jimmy]

and it's now time for your daily Fortis news break, the production of Fortis Institute. Thousands of Canadians are gathering in Ottawa for the 29th annual National March for Life. Since abortion was legalized. In Canada, an estimated 5 million lives have been lost. Campaign Life Coalition has organized the rally. Marchers are also pushing back on Canada's expanding assisted suicide regime, which Campaign for Life describes as a ticking time bomb. Meanwhile, in Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk apologized to homosexuals recently and promised his government will start recognizing same sex marriages, perhaps performed in other European Union countries. One small problem. Poland's own constitution defines marriage as a union of one man and one woman. Tusk says he's complying with a European Court ruling that ordered Poland to register foreign same sex marriages anyway. So a foreign court overturns the Polish constitution, and the prime minister calls that human dignity. Closer to home, the IRS just admitted it handed out $213 million in earned income tax credits to people who aren't even legally allowed to work in the United States. About 67,000 filers used what are called non work Social Security numbers. Those are issued to foreign nationals who need them for government services but can't legally hold a job. The earned income credit is supposed to go to the working poor. The treasury inspector general says the IRS has no system in place to catch these claims. And the bigger picture is even worse. A third of all earned income credit payouts in 2025 were erroneous, totaling $21 billion. And the fraud doesn't stop there. Vice President J.D. vance announced recently that the federal government is withholding $1.3 billion in Medicaid reimbursements from the state of California, citing widespread abuse in the state's hospice system. Vance is warning all 50 states they need to prove their fraud. Units are actually doing their jobs. And in Brussels, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen. Hope I said that right. Posted a glossy promotional video celebrating the EU's brand new gay Pride Week. Yes, an entire week of pride to warm up for Pride Month. The video featured the latest progress flag fluttering in front of a giant banner that read, quote, democracy. The reply section was, shall we say, unkind. And finally, California taxpayers spent $189 million to hand every state prisoner an iPad, including death row inmates. Governor Gavin Newsom's administration called it digital equity for justice. Justice impacted individuals. How's that working out? Well, one inmate already convicted of sex crimes against a 12 year old girl allegedly used his state issue tablet to contact that same victim, made thousands of calls and solicited explicit images. Nearly $200 million of taxpayer money handing sexual predators a direct line back to the public. Oh, I'm sorry. Justice impacted individuals. And that wraps up today's Forbes News Break I Jimmy Hicks if you want more, you can download Fortis plus or sign up to become a Fortis Insider for exclusive daily content. Both 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]

Books of the Bible the Book of Isaiah is a collection of prophecies given to Isaiah. It can be divided in two parts. Isaiah delivered bad news to Israel and the surrounding nations concerning God's judgment, and he delivered good news of salvation for those who repent. Isaiah also offers detailed prophecies concerning the coming Messiah who offers eternal salvation this is Wretched Radio with Todd Friel Part

[Mike]

2 and Part 2 this is wretched Radio. You may recall early, you probably don't, but earlier this week we had two conversations about the heart getting to the heart to determine why am I doing this? Why am I thinking this, saying this, believing this? What's going on at the heart level? We had two different conversations. One was specifically about men knowing their wives. Why? Because we're supposed to live with our wives in an understanding way. And I listed a number of questions that a husband was challenged to answer to determine how well you know your wife. What grade would you get on knowing your wife's heart? Not just her patterns and habits, but knowing why she does what she does. And I received an email that I think is worthy of our consideration in response to that conversation. Appreciate the episode about knowing your wife. This is an area where I'm striving to grow and be more obedient to the Lord. Good on you sir. I never hear much talk though about the husband who is striving to do these things and to obey these commands given by God in First Peter and yet gets little if any reciprocation from his wife. That is not an uncommon tension inside of a home. That dynamic exists. And it's by the way, this is a two way street. It can be men or women where the woman is trying really hard and the dude is just shut down and he's cold and he doesn't reciprocate and in this instance vice versa. So of course the question from this person is, well, what's a husband to do when he's striving to be obedient in the areas of husbandry and his wife is bitter, distant, cold and will not communicate? Now he concedes this obviously we do these things regardless of whether we receive anything in return. That's Correct. Well done, sir. But what would be an encouragement to the husband who loves, cherishes and adores his wife, and there's no effort for growth of the marriage on her part? Dude, sorry to hear that. That's hard. But here is what we can know. God has called you to this. He's called you to this. Your number one ministry is her. She is the one that God has put you with for his purposes. So number one, be encouraged. God didn't make you didn't marry the wrong woman. God didn't do a little hiccup and there you are with this woman who's chilly. No, he wants you to be married to her because he has called you to this. That should encourage you. Second, you are being like Jesus Christ, who was reviled, who was bitterly abused. That's 1 Peter 2, 21, 25. He suffered, and yet he didn't retaliate because he was on a mission of salvation. And that's number three. So number one is you're called to this. Number two, you're acting like Jesus when you continue to love and you don't retaliate. That's being like Jesus Christ for the purpose of winning your wife. That is the entire context of first Peter. It's the end of chapter two into chapter three. It goes all the way to 3:12. So it's about 2:13 to 3:12, give or take, that we act in a certain way, that the world will be one. So you are on a salvation mission, and that should encourage you. Now, I'm not saying that this ain't hard. It is. But I am saying that if you ponder these truths that you are called to this, you're acting like Jesus when you suffer without retaliation because you too are in a salvation mission. That that should empower you to a degree. As you look at Jesus, who suffered silently for the sake of sinners, like, well, you know us. That should encourage you to persevere and keep on keeping on. An iceberg doesn't thaw in a day. Unless, of course, you're Al Gore, and then he would say that it does. But an iceberg, it takes some time. And it might be true that she never really thaws. It is true that she is. But my encouragement to you would be to persevere and let the years just keep warming her as you continue to be like Jesus Christ, loving her, living with her in an understanding way, honoring her. Was thinking about that actually this morning, that word honor. Why did Peter choose that word? So you're supposed to live with your wife in an understanding way and honor her. We must need that. We must need those three commands. There must be a propensity about men in particular that we're not inclined to live with, doing a real covenantal life with our spouses. We must have a propensity to want to remain cowboys, just living with her like we're in a dude ranch with the other cowboys, but not living with her. There must be a propensity for us to not desire to understand her, and there must be a propensity for us to not honor her. And I suspect it might be tied to what Peter then said in 1 Peter 3:7, she's the weaker vessel, and there can be a propensity of the stronger to dominate. And Peter says, no honor. Elevate. Don't dominate. Elevate. That's a tweet right there, Jimmy. You can send that out in a meme if you'd like to. Don't dominate. Elevate. You go low. Don't drive her too. Your knees. You get to your knees and you serve and you honor her. We need that admonition. Otherwise Peter wouldn't have put it there. He wouldn't tell us to do something that we're already doing. So, sir, keep going. Be encouraged knowing that this is exactly where the Lord has you. Keep loving her. Don't grow weary of that, because this is your current assignment. Because it is the Lord's desire to save sinners, and you are called for that purpose. I could add to it, I guess, if we went into first Peter 3, 8:12, that you're. You're called to. To be reviled. You're called to be treated poorly for a blessing. And the blessing is eternal life. Not that being abused or being poorly treated earns you eternal life, but as you persevere, you will be blessed for eternity. Because by persevering and by not retaliating, you're revealing that you actually are a Christian and you will be blessed. In other words, the consummation of your salvation will take place when you die, and you will receive a blessing for that, and the Lord will be well pleased with your service to the woman that he gave you. Part two of the other conversation we had about the heart level, and that is going deeper into your heart to know why it is you wobble when it comes to assurance. You've got to go down deeper. I mentioned that I had more questions that you could ask yourself to determine why it is that you just will not be persuaded fully that you are saved and that you are Kept. And then I've also got prepared. There must be. I'll bet there's 40, easily 40 issues of the heart that could be the reason why you are lacking assurance. Would you like to hear them? I'm glad you said yes. Here they are. I'm going to do these really quick and you're going to go, that was too fast. Because I wanted to hear those. Well, you can jot them down if you hear something where it's like, yeah, that could be the reason that I'm struggling with assurance. These are at the heart level issues. I'm just making a point. You've got to get to the heart level because lack of assurance isn't the root lack of assurance, it is the fruit. You're lacking assurance because there's something going on at the heart level. Here are the Perfectionism, Pride disguised as humility. Self righteousness, Shame, Control. Perfectionism. I said that one. Legalism. Confusion about justification versus sanctification. Believing assurance must be constantly felt emotionally. Fear of self deception. Fear of disappointing God. Fear of presumption. You suffer from chronic introspection. You're just always looking at the. What's going on? What's going on? Just checking myself out. What's going on? Just a morbid self examination. You could have obsessive compulsive tendencies. There could be anxiety, there could be depression or melancholy that needs to be addressed. And that would require going even deeper into your heart. It could be that you were abused spiritually from somebody and that has affected you. Performance based upbringing, Conditional love in childhood. Shame based parenting. You are on the receiving end of that. Unresolved guilt, ongoing hidden sin, habitual sin, sexual sin, pornography, double mindedness, worldliness. It's like, I kind of like the world. That must mean that I'm not. Is that what's going on down there? Lack of understanding of grace, A weak understanding of your union with Christ, A lack of appreciation for what adoption means to you. Misunderstanding. Repentance. Believing repentance means you've got to be perfectly sorrowful in every single way. All right, I'm halfway through the list. You get the point. If you're lacking assurance, you've got to get down to the heart level to discern what is the root, which we will endeavor to do next on Wretched Radio.

[Greg Gifford]

You 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 and 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 Grotz on moving theology from your head to your heart. And all of these Fortis forums are available right now on Fortis plus for 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 on wherever you download apps on your smartphone, your smart TV. Or just simply go to fortisplus.org be honest. When's the last time you shared the gospel with a stranger? Not posted something online, not liked a Christian meme, but actually opened your mouth and told someone about Jesus? If your stomach tightens just a little bit, you're not alone. Most Christians would rather do almost anything than evangelize. It's terrifying. What if they get mad? What if I say something wrong? What if they ask me a question I can't answer? Our resource Terrified too. It exists because Jesus gave us the Great Commission, not the Great Suggestion, and he actually gave us the tools to obey it. This resource will walk you through how to share the gospel with strangers, even family members without need, even Pepto Bismol to get through it. You'll still be nervous. That's normal. But you'll also be equipped. And equipped beats terrified every single time. Terrified2 it is streaming right now for free on Fortis. Download the app right now on your smartphone, on your smart TV, or head to fortisplus.org Most men don't make one big decision that takes them off course. No, it happens be to gradually and eventually you look up and you realize I've been coasting for years. Well, Dr. Adam Tyson has created Walk Like a Man. It's available now on Fortis Plus. Dr. Tyson knows that's the story for way too many guys right now. And so he gets into God's word and he lays out what it actually looks like to walk with wisdom and live with real conviction. And the way he teaches it, you'll walk away from every episode knowing exactly what to do and why it matters. This is biblical teaching that puts solid ground under your feet and gives you a clear path forward. It's streaming right now, with new episodes dropping every Monday on Fortis for free. Download the Fortis app right now. Wherever you download apps on your smartphone, your smart TV, or just go to fortisplus.org and walk like a man.

[Todd Friel]

Revelation. Is the Bible really God's word, or is it just a collection of human ideas? Here are a few words the Bible uses to describe perfect God breathed, authoritative, without error. The word of the living God. The Bible is God's inspired and trustworthy word to humanity through which he makes himself known and continues to draw us to himself. This is Wretched Radio with Todd Friel, Take two.

[Mike]

Why your knees are wobbly. You got a heart issue. This is Wretched Radio. It's the heart. It's the heart. It's always in the inner man. The stuff that you do out there, the feelings that you have, they can be traced down to the heart level. Remember the distinction between root and fruit when it comes to assurances. Oh, it's stuff going on in the heart. The list that I was reading to you, which is exceedingly long, it just indicates how important it is to go down to figure out why. Why, why, why? Why are you feeling this way? You can't just go, well, I feel that way because I'm angry. No, that's describing how you're feeling. Why are you angry? Go down and sort out why. Because if you can't find the root, all you're going to be doing is hacking off the fruit. And you know what happens when you do that? The fruit grows back. And it'll be an endless cycle of a battle with sin where you have a little bit of victory and then it comes back and you have a little bit of victory and it comes back. And you want to put an end to that by getting to the root of it. Now, just a few more, because I think that these are so helpful. These could be some of the reasons why you lack assurance. Idolization of spiritual experiences. If I'm not buzzing all the time, if I'm not high on Jesus, something's wrong. No, it's not. We've talked about this a hundred times. Your relationship with Jesus, it is going to morph, change, grow and deepen over the years. It will not stay the same. That initial ecstasy, it is going to evaporate. It has to. This is why all of the Christian music and the bethel and the hillsong, this is why they're a cottage industry. They're more than a cottage industry. They're a massive industry. Why? Because people are always looking for, I gotta get buzzed, I gotta get buzzed. I gotta get high again on Jesus music. Cue the music, dim the lights, put on the synthesizer, get me that loving feeling again. That is not normative. That is not the way that the Christian life goes. Yep, you get saved and there is usually ecstasy. But just like in a marriage, that changes. It has to change. You just can't have that same feeling that you had at the altar all the time. And I'm talking about the marriage altar. You just can't have that. You can't sustain that. Besides that, you get bored with it. You need to wind it up higher and higher and higher and higher. Well, that's just. No human being can do that. Instead, what happens? Your love changes and it grows deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and more profound. And you move from simply loving your spouse to cherishing your spouse. Vast difference. Back to the list. You seek certainty beyond what Scripture gives. You need some sort of affirmation, maybe a feeling, a sign to let you know that you're saved. Nope, you need scripture. A dependence on feelings rather than promises. Maybe you have difficulty receiving forgiveness. Maybe you think that you have to punish yourself as a form of penance. Do you view God primarily as judge rather than father? He's both. Do you have any unresolved doubts about the reliability of Scripture? Are you maybe, maybe in the back of your noggin harboring some skepticism about Christianity or the Bible? Do you maybe have some secret anger toward God? Do you have unrealistic expectations of the Christian life? Do you fear that if I enjoy being saved, I'm going to get lazy and I'm going to slip back into those sins? I'm going to become complacent? Is that what's going on? That somehow by simply having the joy of the Lord, it's going to lead to laziness? Maybe you have a tendency toward despair or pessimism. I remember we read that about the Puritans saying that, didn't they? I think it was John Owen, one of those fellows who said that there are just some people, they're just kind of bent that way. Is that why you may be are wobbling so regularly? Do you have an identity rooted more in failure than in Christ? You've determined that you're a loser and that's who you are. You're the unlovable loser and that is your identity. But it's not an identity in Jesus Christ. Do you trust in the quality of your faith instead of the object of your faith? Those are all areas that need to be examined to determine what's going on in there. Is this why I'm wobbling all the time. There's more. Introspective questions. What do you believe God thinks about you when you fail? When your conscience accuses you? What is it saying specifically? What does it say? Articulate it. Are there sins from your past you think are too serious to be fully forgiven? Do you secretly believe you must suffer emotionally in order to prove your repentance? When you confess your sins, do you believe God actually has forgiven and cleansed you? Or do you think you need to continue to pay for it somehow? That's common stuff, I'm afraid. Do you tend to rehearse past failures repeatedly in your mind? Why are you doing that? Why do you do that? And you've got to take the time to sort it. Okay, let's just use anger for a moment. If I blew up at Jimmy, that never happens, does it? Jimmy? Say it. It never happens.

[Jimmy]

It never happens.

[Mike]

Who's the one with anger here? If I get angry at Jimmy, I've got to figure out why. What is it that's causing me to be short tempered? It could be pride. It could be envy. It could be that I'm not trusting God's promises. No. Could it ever be that Jimmy has done something that was wrong? Or agitating? Hasn't happened yet, but if it did, it could be that. But that doesn't account for my anger, my explosion of feelings. Why? And it's not easy to figure out. When something bugs you, spend a moment to go, why? What's bugging me about this? What is going on that is causing me to be so annoyed here? You might need some help from somebody because it isn't easy to sort that out. Some more questions to help you strengthen your wobbly knees. Is your conscience driven more by scripture or by perfectionism or personality or family background? Growing up, was love or approval connected to performance, obedience or failure? Not to get all Freudian, but it could be that that's just how you were trained. If I'm going to get affirmation, I have to work for it. I don't get a cookie. I have to be the dog that shakes my paw. Otherwise I don't get a cookie. And you've been trained like that. And that's how you approach God. So if God is going to approve of me, I've got to do a trick. Do you feel uncomfortable receiving grace without earning it? That might tag you. It's like you just. You don't know why you can't rest in Christ. That could be it. You have a problem with receiving something so amazing. Why dig? Ask yourself questions. Find out what is going on there. Because he wants you to rest in him fully. What, are you just not trusting the promises? Do you feel like. No. Rightly so, you'd say, but I'm unworthy of receiving it. Perfect. That's exactly where you're supposed to be. Now you simply need to persuade yourself that he's actually given it to you anyway, despite you. He's given that to you. If somebody benevolently gave you a check for a million dollars, do you deserve it? No. But that shouldn't keep you from receiving it. And in fact, it should increase and enhance your gratitude toward the One who gave it to you, because you don't deserve it. Now, if you went to work, you invented something, you had a patent, you came up with a cure to a disease, and you got a check for a million bucks, you'd go, yeah, that's right. Yep, I earned it. But you didn't. That's the whole point of Christianity. You didn't earn it and you get it anyway. You can receive that check. You can receive God's grace. And you say it's overwhelming. Yeah, it sure is, isn't it? That's exactly what it's supposed to be. Hence, amazing grace. How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. It is amazing. And that's where God wants you to stand, being amazed at his grace. Are there unresolved consequences of past sin that continue to feed guilt or shame? What do you fear would happen if you finally rested confidently in God's acceptance? That's a great question, isn't it? What would happen to you? You're resistant. It's like, well, okay, I'm in the club, but. But with the total cleansing and total forgiveness and God's favor, I just can't. Okay, what if he did? What if he did? Would it maybe compromise what you think is your solidified identity? That you're the sad person? No, I can't be the happy person. I'm the sad person. You can be the happy person. Why can't you rest in his grace? Figure out why do you believe humility means continually doubting yourself before God? Have you confused temptation with condemnation or spiritual warfare with a loss of salvation? Those are questions that I hope you will ask yourself and spend time answering. Because the Lord doesn't want you to have wobbly knees. He wants you to have joy. And he wants you to have it. How? In abundance. And until tomorrow, go serve your King.