CrossPolitic (Christ over politics) mixes the taboo formula of faith, culture, and politics to bring the clarity of the gospel into muddle America. We are a community of Christians who desire to see the Lordship of Christ in every corner of our culture, reigning over every politician, and changing every individual for our good and His glory. Our hosts are pastors, deacons, and filmmakers, who long to see our fallen and broken nation recognize Jesus as our redeemer. Our hosts have interviewed notable presidential candidates (such as Senator Ted Cruz and Dr. Ben Carson), written books, preach the Gospel, make films, and utilize every avenue possible to declare the gospel of our Lord to the whole world.
Episodes
1,296- · 46 minWhy Texas Turned Blue w/ Brent Money
For 30 years Republicans owned Texas. On November 3rd it all flipped. 🤠 On CrossPolitic One-on-One, the Waterboy lays the Texas collapse at the feet of Governor Abbott, not Donald Trump: soft leadership shrinks the base, courageous leadership grows it. Then Texas State Rep. Brent Money (R, House District 2) joins to break down what really happened: a fourth-term governor, Paxton's baggage, Dan Patrick's priorities, Argentinian beef, property taxes, a growing state budget, and a "Texas Miracle" that didn't help the people who already lived there. Plus: can Texas be red again, and what does the church have to do with it? In this episode: 00:00 Texas flips on November 3rd: governor, U.S. Senate, lt. governor, AG and the Texas House 01:07 Gabe's thesis: it wasn't the Trump effect, it was Governor Abbott 01:29 Abbott vs. DeSantis: soft leadership vs. courageous leadership (and the property tax promise) 03:15 Democrats are liars, Republicans are cowards: why can't a GOP Congress pass the SAVE Act? 04:31 Lead by pulling, not pushing: what Charlie Kirk got right 06:01 Heavenly minded, no earthly good, and the flip side 07:03 Joseph Backholm's Seattle stat: the church is checked out 09:00 Guest: Texas State Rep. Brent Money 11:16 The Trump effect plus a fourth-term governor, and term limits 12:50 Ken Paxton, character, and why it still matters 14:42 Dan Patrick's session: movie subsidies, a state-level NIH, and THC 16:04 Beef prices and Argentinian imports vs. Texas ranchers 16:45 Stopping the left's worst ideas vs. delivering affordability 19:32 The Florida model: Texas budget growth vs. Florida's 22:03 The old guard, property taxes, and "country club" Republicans 23:27 25,000 churches in Texas: what if they lived it out? 26:34 13 years of the Governor's Cup: did Texans actually get better off? 30:02 Abbott's vote held flat while Democrats gained about 2 million; election integrity 32:46 Will Texas ever be red again? Bonds, exit polls, and "it's the economy, stupid" 34:17 Two to four years of gridlock, and offering a positive alternative 38:10 How to make Texas red again: better candidates, better messaging, boots on the ground, year-round discipleship 40:34 2028: the Republican bench 43:00 Closing: some trust in chariots, but we trust in the Lord our God About Brent Money: Brent Money is the Republican state representative for Texas House District 2 (Hunt, Hopkins and Van Zandt counties). A Greenville native and sixth-generation Texan, he is an attorney and title-company owner who served two terms on the Greenville City Council. He was re-elected on November 3, 2026. Website: https://brentmoney.com X: https://x.com/BrentMoneyTX Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brentmoneytx Subscribe and support CrossPolitic: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1LNAL9P0bqodNbw987S3Jp Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crosspolitic-show/id1523382406 CrossPolitic: https://crosspolitic.com Fight Laugh Feast: https://fightlaughfeast.com #CrossPolitic, #FightLaughFeast, #OneOnOne, #Texas, #TexasPolitics, #GregAbbott, #BrentMoney, #Election2026, #Conservative, #ChristianPolitics, #PropertyTaxes, #ChristianNews, #Politics, #Culture
- · 50 minThe Holy War in Antioch: How to Fight With Brothers - Micheal Foster
How do you fight with a brother without burning the whole thing down? ⚔️ Live from Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars, Pastor Michael Foster of East River Church takes up the sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15:36-41 and draws six principles for fighting well in the church. Peace is not the same as quiet, ordinary correction keeps small things small, our loyalties and fears shape how we see a fight, good things have to be rightly ordered, some resolutions stay messy until heaven, and not every quarrel is yours to settle. Along the way: why he doesn't want fans, why the church needs more no's, and why you should never take a pound of flesh when an ounce will do. In this episode: 00:00 Acts 15:36-41: Paul and Barnabas part ways over John Mark 01:30 Why Michael is back at a CREC-adjacent event (and a Norm Macdonald story) 06:14 Six principles from Acts 15 on how to fight with brothers 06:28 1. Conflict is a normal, necessary part of the Christian life: peace vs. quiet 12:08 Some conflicts need more than one conversation: rules of engagement in the church 18:56 3. Family, friendships, money and fear intensify our fights (Barnabas and Mark) 24:19 Cool-kids-table Christianity: "I don't want fans. I want to be your brother." 26:18 4. Good things in the wrong order: why the church needs more no's 34:36 5. Messy resolutions: never take a pound of flesh when an ounce will do 40:18 6. Not every conflict deserves your attention (Proverbs 26:17) 46:35 Encouragement for the weary: stand and fight where you must About Michael Foster: Michael Foster is the senior pastor of East River Church in Batavia, Ohio, just outside Cincinnati, and the co-author with Bnonn Tennant of It's Good to Be a Man: A Handbook for Godly Masculinity (Canon Press). He is a graduate of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. East River Church: https://eastriverchurch.org It's Good to Be a Man: https://www.itsgoodtobeaman.com Michael on X: https://x.com/thisisfoster Subscribe and support CrossPolitic: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1LNAL9P0bqodNbw987S3Jp Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crosspolitic-show/id1523382406 CrossPolitic: https://crosspolitic.com Fight Laugh Feast: https://fightlaughfeast.com #CrossPolitic, #FightLaughFeast, #FLF2026, #HolyWars, #MichaelFoster, #Acts15, #ChristianConflict, #Church, #ChurchDiscipline, #Peacemaking, #Reformed, #ChristianLiving, #Pastor
- · 59 minFight Laugh Feast Holy Wars Panel w/ Doug Wilson
How did America go from a church on every corner to a culture in free fall? Live at Fight Laugh Feast's Holy Wars conference, Gabe "Waterboy" Rench sits down with Pastor Doug Wilson for a panel and audience Q&A. They cover a church that is Christian enough to dislike what's happening but not repentant enough to say "Christ over all," where America really turned, Boomers and Zoomers, raising children who aren't "breeders for the secularists," and why AI may be the next great idol. In this episode: 00:00 Gabe's on-stage "intervention" and why CrossPolitic started in 2016 04:31 30,000 churches in Texas. So how did we get here? 07:22 Christian enough to complain, not repentant enough to repent: Christ over all of life 08:27 A culture going bankrupt one department at a time 13:38 Where America turned: WWII, the courts, and Machen's Christianity and Liberalism 21:00 Was the Civil War the real hinge? 24:47 Boomers and younger generations: pride and bitterness 32:33 Reformation and revival: Moscow's kids, and Finney vs. Whitefield and Edwards 36:31 Audience Q&A: is there a third-generation curse? 39:16 Faithfulness vs. inaction: "Geronimo, Amen" 42:37 Trusting God for your children's salvation, and the $3.75 memory 45:53 Boomers vs. Zoomers: forgiveness and the fifth commandment 50:15 Influencer vs. influential 51:21 Is AI the next false religion in the West? 55:00 What loosened America's hold on Christianity: the "wall of separation" 56:46 Can the mainline denominations be retaken? About Doug Wilson: Doug Wilson is pastor of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, a prolific author (including Standing on the Promises, mentioned in this episode), and a regular voice at Fight Laugh Feast. Blog: https://dougwils.com Books: https://canonpress.com Watch, listen and support CrossPolitic: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1LNAL9P0bqodNbw987S3Jp Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crosspolitic-show/id1523382406 Website: https://crosspolitic.com and https://fightlaughfeast.com #CrossPolitic, #FightLaughFeast, #DougWilson, #HolyWars, #ChristianNews, #Politics, #Culture, #Church, #Reformation, #ChurchAndState, #ArtificialIntelligence, #Parenting, #GenZ, #Boomers
- · 39 minEither the Church Goes or the State Dies w/ Adam James
Washington State isn't a lost cause. Christians have just never taken the field. 🔥 On CrossPolitic 101 with the Waterboy, Gabe Rench sits down with Pastor Adam James, executive pastor of Grace City Church in Wenatchee, who recently ran for State Representative in Washington's 12th Legislative District and leads the Washington chapter of For Liberty and Justice. In 10 Washington legislative districts, conservatives lost their last competitive races by less than 4%, while more than a million self-identified Christians in the state didn't vote. Adam and Gabe talk about the church's responsibility for the decline of the culture, men's ministry and Stronger Man Nation, what For Liberty and Justice is doing to raise up godly candidates, and the big ballot issues this November: Idaho's Proposition 1, Washington's three citizen initiatives, and five Washington Supreme Court seats. In this episode 00:00 Fight Laugh Feast Canada and the Businessmakers Conference 02:03 Welcome, Adam James 03:49 Why Adam ran for office 07:03 41,000 votes from a majority in Washington 10:31 The three problems: progressive policy, the GOP establishment, and the church 14:57 Stronger Man Nation and raising up godly men 20:47 What is For Liberty and Justice? 27:59 "Success is obedience, not victory": record-breaking fundraising 28:46 Idaho's Proposition 1 and binding the conscience 32:12 Washington's initiatives and its 1970 abortion vote 33:41 Five Washington Supreme Court seats on the ballot 35:29 How to get involved, plus the Olympia rally About our guest Pastor Adam James is a co-founder and executive pastor of Grace City Church in Wenatchee, Washington, and the Washington State director of For Liberty and Justice. A North Central Washington native, he and his wife, Erin, have raised four children. In 2026 he ran for State Representative in Legislative District 12, Position 2, and his campaign set state records for contributions raised in 24 hours. For Liberty and Justice: https://forlibertyandjustice.us | https://fljwashington.com Campaign: https://www.james4wa.com Events Rally at the Washington State Capitol, Olympia: Saturday, October 24, 1-3 PM. Worship and prayer in the Rotunda, then speakers on the Capitol steps. Fight Laugh Feast Canada, April 29-May 1, London, Ontario: https://fightlaughfeast.com Businessmakers Conference, late May, Nashville, TN: https://businessmakers.network Idaho voter guide: https://patriotsforidaho.com Election Day is November 3. Know your ballot and vote. Watch, listen and support YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1LNAL9P0bqodNbw987S3Jp Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crosspolitic-show/id1523382406 CrossPolitic: https://crosspolitic.com Fight Laugh Feast: https://fightlaughfeast.com #CrossPolitic, #FightLaughFeast, #ChristianNews, #Politics, #WashingtonState, #ForLibertyAndJustice, #Election2026, #VoteNoOnProp1, #Idaho, #ChristianVoters, #ChurchMilitant, #WASupremeCourt, #ProLife
- · 25 minHow to Reform a Church Without Losing the Parishioners w/ Pastor Scott Pettus
How do you take a dying church with women elders and lead it into a confessional, Reformed denomination without losing the people? 🔥 On CrossPolitic One-on-One with the Waterboy, Gabe Rench sits down with Pastor Scott Pettus, head pastor of First Church Artesia in Artesia, New Mexico. Scott grew up in Artesia, served 25 years in the Marine Corps, came into the Reformed faith in 2017, and took the pulpit of a small Presbyterian church in 2021. The church was down to three families and eight people, with two women elders who hired him knowing where he stood. Four years later it is seated as a church in the CREC, and nobody left. Scott shares how patience, teaching and love got them there, what ministry looks like in a small town full of nominal Christianity, and his advice for anyone in a less-than-ideal church. In this episode 00:00 Fight Laugh Feast recap and the new Fight Laugh Feast Canada conference in London, Ontario 02:28 Meet Pastor Scott Pettus: First Church Artesia, founded 1903 as First Presbyterian 03:52 Growing up in Artesia, 25 years in the Marines, and coming home 05:23 Baptized Southern Baptist, then into the Reformed faith in 2017 07:01 Seminary at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary while still in uniform 08:25 Back in Artesia: ministering to federal law enforcement trainees, then called to First Church 10:12 Hired by a church with women elders, knowing his biblical stance 11:52 From women elders to the CREC in four years without shutting the church down 14:36 Ministering in a small town: everybody has a church, nobody goes 18:47 Getting out into the town: talk radio, the county fair and living out Christ 20:05 Advice for reforming a church: patience, a battle plan, and don't leave the platoon behind 22:57 Where to find Pastor Scott and First Church Artesia About our guest Pastor Scott Pettus is head pastor of First Church Artesia in Artesia, New Mexico, a Westminster Confession church that grew out of First Presbyterian Church, chartered in 1903. A retired U.S. Marine, he returned to his hometown with his wife, Marty, and has been the church's pastor since June 2021. He holds a master's degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, hosts a local talk radio show, and blogs as a "church militant" man at Militant Ministry. Church: https://artesiareformed.com Blog: https://militantministry.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FirstChurchArtesia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstchurchartesia Fight Laugh Feast Canada is coming in May. Tell your Canadian friends and sign up at https://fightlaughfeast.com Watch, listen and support YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1LNAL9P0bqodNbw987S3Jp Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crosspolitic-show/id1523382406 CrossPolitic: https://crosspolitic.com Fight Laugh Feast: https://fightlaughfeast.com #CrossPolitic, #FightLaughFeast, #CREC, #ReformedChurch, #Presbyterian, #ChurchReformation, #WomenElders, #ChurchMilitant, #NewMexico, #Pastor, #ChristianPodcast, #Reformed
- · 1h 28mPropaganda and The War For Your Mind
Propaganda isn't coming for your mind someday. It's already at the door. 🔥 Live from the Fight Laugh Feast Conference 2026 in Nashville, Gabe "Waterboy" Rench sits down with Pastor Toby Sumpter, Choc Knox, Bubu Jarmulak and Doug TenNapel to talk about the holy war over what you believe. Where the word "propaganda" came from and why Christians shouldn't surrender the tool, what COVID revealed about the church, why real church beats online content, and why the real fight has always been over your children. Plus live audience Q&A on revivalism, multitasking, discernment for kids and whether Christians should be creating content. In this episode: 18:54 Where "propaganda" came from and why Christians should take it back 27:20 COVID: the Christians who refused to fold 29:06 "Caesar is Lord," 1984 and the faithful who stand 40:17 Confront people, not just content: why the church gathered matters 43:32 Movie theaters, church and the most uninterrupted hour in America 52:52 When singing praise became "dangerous" 57:43 The fight is over your children (and it always has been) 62:01 Audience Q&A: the anxious bench, multitasking, discernment for kids and creating content Panel: Gabe "Waterboy" Rench, host of CrossPolitic Pastor Toby Sumpter Choc Knox Bubu Jarmulak Doug TenNapel Subscribe and support: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1LNAL9P0bqodNbw987S3Jp Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crosspolitic-show/id1523382406 Website: https://crosspolitic.com Fight Laugh Feast: https://fightlaughfeast.com #CrossPolitic, #FightLaughFeast, #FLF2026, #Propaganda, #ChristianWorldview, #Church, #COVID, #Family, #Parenting, #Christendom, #Culture, #Politics
- · 59 minLindsay Clancy: The Case, The Culture, and The Church
CrossPolitic — Show Notes: The Lindsay Clancy Case, the Culture, and the Church Gabe, Pastor Toby, and Knox take up the Lindsay Clancy trial — the Massachusetts mother who killed her three children while on a cocktail of psychiatric medications — and work through the case, the culture, and the church's responsibility. They address toxic empathy from women at the courthouse, the pharmakeia connection to CrossPolitic's latest documentary, what Genesis 9 says about moral agency regardless of mental state, why biblical justice demands the death penalty Massachusetts removed in 1947, and what it means for men — fathers, pastors, husbands — to take responsibility for a culture they helped disciple into this. Timestamps 00:00 — Intro & Fight Laugh Feast conference update — October 1–3, Franklin, TN 00:00 — Sponsors — Patriot Mobile Connect and Red Balloon Recruiter 00:00 — Background on the Lindsay Clancy case — who she is, what happened, and the trial 00:00 — Toxic empathy at the courthouse — women blaming Patrick, astrology charts, and the "not guilty" crowd 00:00 — Candace Owens clip — where she's right about Big Pharma and where she's wrong about guilt 00:00 — Pharmakeia — how the case connects to CrossPolitic's documentary on pharmaceutical gods 00:00 — Genesis 9 and moral agency — even animals are held responsible; insanity is not a biblical category 00:00 — She was a labor and delivery nurse for nine years — the premeditation nobody's discussing 00:00 — Massachusetts, the death penalty, and the logic of a culture of death 00:00 — Romans 1 — every sin is a kind of temporary insanity; being deceived doesn't give you a pass 00:00 — The church's failure — no concept of God's holiness, coddling feminine sin, and the feminization of Christianity 00:00 — WNBA clip — Enes Kanter and the soccer flop as justice; whoever cries loudest wins 00:00 — Will Spencer's testimony — 20 years of new age ceremonies, and what finally changed him was guilt 00:00 — The fathers of women in that crowd — they deserve to be flogged for what they gave society 00:00 — Men taking responsibility — Christ's headship, Adam in the garden, and loving a whore bride Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee at The Factory in Franklin. This year's theme is Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, Michael Foster, and the CrossPolitic crew. Pre-business conference Thursday 1–5 PM. Church leadership luncheon Friday. Business luncheon Saturday. Beer & Psalms to kick things off. Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference This Episode's Sponsors Patriot Mobile Connect Portable Wi-Fi hotspot devices and flexible data — no long-term contracts. Intelligently switches between the strongest available nationwide networks. America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. Website: patriotmobile.com/crosspolitic Phone: 972-PATRIOT Red Balloon Recruiter The right employee can grow your business by 5, 10, or even 25%. Red Balloon's personalized source-and-screen process connects you with top talent — revenue up, costs down. Website: redballoon.work About CrossPolitic CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America. Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation. Become a CrossPolitic Club Member Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series. https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout Subscribe & Share! Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs. Follow CrossPolitic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic Join our Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found.
- · 46 minThe Rise of The Pharmaceutical gods
Pharmakeia — Show Notes: Fight Laugh Feast Documentary In this Fight Laugh Feast documentary, CrossPolitic traces a single Greek word — pharmakeia — from Homer's Odyssey through the book of Revelation to argue that the ancient world never separated medicine from sorcery, and that the modern West's attempt to draw that line may be its most consequential mistake. The film follows materialism's promise from the Big Bang to the therapy couch, tracks the ladder from prescription pharmaceuticals to ayahuasca retreats in Peru, and asks why the men who most loudly deny the existence of demons are increasingly found in dark rooms communing with named spirit entities. Along the way it draws on C.S. Lewis, Aldous Huxley, Peter Hitchens, and the testimony of a man who sat in fifteen ayahuasca ceremonies — and what finally set him free. The answer is not another ceremony. It is guilt, repentance, and the One who drank the cup fully awake so we wouldn't have to. Timestamps 0:24 — What is a woman? What is a human being? — and why getting the answer wrong collapses everything 1:04 — The materialist answer: evolved apes, accidental universe, cosmic soup — and why it can't hold 2:06 — Materialism as a religion — no God, no soul, just chemicals and atoms colliding 2:39 — The swept house: materialism cleared out demons and filled the room with diagnoses and serotonin levels 3:36 — Ayahuasca retreats, psilocybin therapy, and $7,000–$20,000 luxury ceremonies in Jamaica and Peru 4:00 — Pharmakeia — one Greek word from Homer to Revelation meaning both medicine and sorcery 4:40 — The ladder: prescription → marijuana → ecstasy → mushrooms → the dark room in Peru 7:52 — Huxley's 1962 Berkeley lecture: the controlling oligarchy will get people to love their servitude 8:43 — Peter Hitchens and the Uvalde shooter — the marijuana detail that disappeared from the New York Times 11:12 — Attacker Smoked Cannabis — the man with a laptop building the file the national press unpublished 12:08 — Orwell's jack boots vs. Huxley's chains — drugs and sex as the state's soft bribe 13:20 — Dominion Wealth Strategies — sponsor read 14:41 — CS Lewis: the materialist magician — science and magic as twins, one that worked better 16:39 — Lewis's nightmare: magic returning in a lab coat, using the language of forces and energies 17:31 — The swept house revisited — Jesus's words and the seven demons worse than the first 18:06 — Henry's Demons — marijuana at 11, madness at 14, and the father who named it correctly 20:26 — Pharmakeia in Homer, Exodus, Galatians, and Revelation — nations deceived by one word 22:38 — The seam we drew — medicine on one side, sorcery on the other, and the line beginning to blur 24:00 — PhDs communing with Mama Ayahuasca — named entities, published journals, and credit cards accepted 25:57 — Demons allowed in as aliens — keeping God out while keeping the master narrative intact 27:29 — Lewis in Screwtape: the greatest evil is conceived in carpeted offices by quiet men with smooth cheeks 28:51 — Deuteronomy 18 — the law against consulters with familiar spirits, and the modern retreat that crosses every line 29:38 — King Saul, the demonized boy, and Legion — the man in the tombs clothed and in his right mind 31:04 — 2020: churches closed, pot shops open, abortion clinics essential — and how few said no 33:03 — Nepho — morally alert: Peter's word before warning that the devil prowls looking for someone to devour 34:29 — Red Balloon Recruiter — sponsor read 35:09 — Thomas Szasz and therapy culture — the inversion of personal responsibility 36:13 — Trauma culture in the church — the failure of biblical counseling and the endless loop of buried pain 37:47 — The man who sat in fifteen ceremonies: what finally changed him was guilt 38:25 — You are not evolved slime — made in the image of God, body and soul, homesick and lost 39:34 — Circe's cup and Odysseus's men — forgetting home, waiting to be turned into pigs 40:09 — The trade runs backwards: when Jesus showed up, the demons went into the swine 40:32 — One more cup — Christ at Golgotha refusing the narcotic, drinking the wrath fully awake 42:02 — The cure: a renewed mind, a household, a book, the discovery that responsibility is the greatest pleasure 43:39 — The real hero's journey — available for free, already paid for by another Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee at The Factory in Franklin for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme is Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, and the CrossPolitic crew. Early Bird pricing ends July 1st — nearly halfway sold out. Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference This Episode's Sponsors Dominion Wealth Strategies How you handle your money is not a neutral act — it is not separate from your walk with Christ. Dominion Wealth Strategies helps families think biblically and act wisely about what God has entrusted to them: budgeting, saving, debt management, life insurance, estate planning, and multigenerational financial vision. Not about chasing wealth. About faithfulness. Schedule a complimentary consultation today. Website: reform.money Red Balloon Recruiter An engaged, aware employee can grow your company's performance by 5, 10, or even 25%. Red Balloon's personalized source-and-screen process connects you with top talent — people who show up sober, think in straight lines, and take responsibility before anyone asks. Revenue up, costs down. Website: redballoon.work About CrossPolitic CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America. Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation. Become a CrossPolitic Club Member Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series. https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout Subscribe & Share! Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs. Follow CrossPolitic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic Join our Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found. #CrossPolitic #Pharmakeia #FightLaughFeast #Drugs #Ayahuasca #CSLewis #ChristianMedia #Materialism
- · 31 minChina Update:Christian Pastor Released From Prison
CrossPolitic One-on-One — Show Notes: China Update with Missionary Ben On this episode of CrossPolitic One-on-One, the Waterboy sits down with Missionary Ben — host of China Compass on the Fight Laugh Feast Network and himself a deportee from China — for an update on the underground church. The conversation covers Pastor Ezra Jin's miraculous July 4th release from prison (and the eight still behind bars), the latest crackdown on Pastor Wang Yi's church network, how Christians should think about doing business with China, and what the American church can learn from brothers and sisters who are forced to make hard decisions for their faith every single day. Timestamps 03:35 — Intro — Fight Laugh Feast conference update and Business Makers Network 07:06 — Meet Missionary Ben — deported from China, host of China Compass 08:11 — Pastor Ezra Jin: from Tiananmen Square to Zion Church — and his July 4th release 10:32 — How Zion Church grew and why it became a target — the 2008 Sichuan earthquake and Xi Jinping's crackdown 12:22 — October 2024: Jin's arrest, the simultaneous network raid, and the eight still in prison 13:04 — Did Trump broker the release? The May meeting with Xi and why this one worked when others haven't 14:45 — Jin's Wall Street Journal op-ed: "I'm Free Now. Pray for China." — Hebrews 13:3 16:19 — Zion Church splits into house churches — and may now be larger than before the arrest 17:22 — Why not just join the state-sanctioned church? — a stopgap, not a home 18:16 — How should Christians think about doing business with China? 21:05 — What can ordinary believers do? — going to China, sharing the gospel, meeting the church 23:32 — How should Trump engage Xi? — befriending, influencing those around him, holding cards close 26:46 — What the American church can learn from the underground church in China 28:43 — Pastor Wang Yi update — seven and a half years in, sentence nearing end, no word from him directly 30:01 — Recent crackdown: 50 SWAT officers at a Wang Yi church plant, 20–30 arrested 32:22 — Missionary Ben's book Unbeaten, Mission Catalyst, and the Malaysia conference for Chinese house church leaders Connect with Missionary Ben Podcast: China Compass (weekends) & Prison Pulpit Series (midweek) Network: Fight Laugh Feast Network — available in the FLF app Book: Unbeaten — $4 on Amazon Ministry: Mission Catalyst International — training indigenous pastors and missionaries Give: mci3.org Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee at The Factory in Franklin for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme is Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, Pastor Toby, Ben Merkel, Jared Longshore, and more. Pre-business makers conference Thursday 1–5 PM. Pastor/church leadership luncheon Friday. Business luncheon Saturday. Booths are nearly full — sponsorship opportunities still available. Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference Sponsorship inquiries: waterboy@crosspolitic.com Also Mentioned Business Makers Network A network for courageous Christian business leaders — building a Christian economy for the good of businesses, churches, and America. Over 100 members, quarterly CEO calls, and a national conference each May. Website: businessmakers.network Contact: waterboy@crosspolitic.com About CrossPolitic CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America. Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation. Become a CrossPolitic Club Member Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series. https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout Subscribe & Share! Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs. Follow CrossPolitic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic Join our Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found. #CrossPolitic #ChinaChurch #UndergroundChurch #PastorEzraJin #WangYi #MissionaryBen #ChristianPersecution #ChristianMedia