For my first episode of 2026, I consider what it means to "make all things new." podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

My writing in 2025 emphasized how we build and protect our brands over loving our neighbors. While most of my writing focuses on conservatives due to how they use theology to do this, the majority of my most read analysis pieces for BNG this year were about progressives doing the same thing.

For my final analysis piece of 2025, I discuss how Charlie Kirk cared more about protecting his brand than about loving his neighbor. baptistnews.com/article/when...

I ended up with the #2, #8, and #12 analysis pieces for BNG this year with my articles about John MacArthur, Tim Whitaker, and Laura Anderson. baptistnews.com/article/top-...

My apology letter to white evangelicals was Baptist News Global’s most read opinion piece of 2025. Also, my piece about Voddie Baucham was #7. baptistnews.com/article/most...

For tonight's episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I look back at what we covered in the three podcasts published by Baptist News Global this year. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

For today's episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I talk about how a theology of incarnation can shape our conversations about salvation and sexuality in a way that is rooted in reality rather than in the non-reality that dominates so much of conservative Christian theology.

It's been a dark year to cover the news. Here's my latest piece. baptistnews.com/article/when...

On tonight's episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I look at JD Vance's claim that we're a Christian nation and then ask why that translates into being willfully ignorant and violent. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

My Book Title: "Weapons of Worship: How the Songs of Evangelicalism Form the Soundtrack of Extremism." Case in point: Worship Leader Matthew West

The Trump administration's disregard for science makes sense when you remember that white evangelicals have been shaped for many years by men like John MacArthur using the Bible to make up nonsense about genetics while claiming to be inerrant authorities on the topic. baptistnews.com/article/john...

On tonight's episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I analyze Trump and Hegseth's speeches from the last two days to demonstrate how they each attempt to blame others and solve problems that aren't real, while ignoring the problems they're causing. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

Pete Hegseth thinks promoting self-awareness and healing for soldiers is secular humanism. So he wants to make military chaplains great again while promoting Franklin Graham’s theology of God being a God of hate and war. Here’s my latest. baptistnews.com/article/hegs...

Which is why I completely reject any gospel where justice is defined as retribution. You can't spin retribution as good news because an eye for an eye doesn't heal anything. That has implications for atonement theology.

CURRENT HEADLINES CNN: House GOP passes narrow health care package, letting key Obamacare subsidies expire MSNOW: House GOP passes health care bill going nowhere while real deal takes shape
 FOXNEWS: Speaker Johnson ekes out healthcare bill victory after House GOP Obamacare rebellion

Even conservatives are starting to recognize that there's a connection between evangelism, missions, and sexual abuse in their denominations. But do they have the courage to name the connection and reconsider their theology? Check out my latest podcast episode. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

For tonight’s episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I discuss how theologies of hell produce the fruit of sexual abuse in conservative evangelical ministries. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

If one of the reasons Christians exist is to do justice and justice is retributive, then Christians exist to spread retribution in the world. That makes a lot of sense of the harm we're seeing today. 1/2

I have a new piece out tonight about Kirk Cameron's rejection of eternal conscious torment. baptistnews.com/article/head...

For Monday's episode, I begin by reading the reflection pastor Marc Schelske created for his church’s second week of Advent. Then I reflect on Pete Hegseth’s bombing of Venezuelan boats in light of what we read. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

I have a new piece out today about the new "President's Bible" series of children's books where an AI Trump reads Bible stories to kids. baptistnews.com/article/now-...

For tonight's episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I analyze the U.S. government's bombing of defenseless people in light of the Advent Candle of Peace. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

How can Advent be an act of resistance in this moment of division and rising authoritarianism, when so many of us feel cynical and numb? @rickpidcock.bsky.social has me on his show, Highest Power. A great 30 minutes that I think is worth your time. highestpower.podbean.com/e/ep80-how-a...

Katie Miller does "cute couple interviews" with members of the Trump admin. This week her guests were the Hegseths. So... "Katie asks the TheoBro who is accused of war crimes & mass murder how he likes his wings." Such are the dark, absurdist times in which we live. None of it is normal. ⬇️

On tonight’s episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I interview Marc Schelske about how Advent helps us process the darkness in the news today. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

The right is always warning that any depiction of LGBTQ people might normalize same sex marriage. But what view of marriage are conservatives normalizing? For this week's piece, I discuss Katie Miller's interview with the Johnsons. baptistnews.com/article/thes...

CURRENT HEADLINES CNN: "Trump says he and Hegseth didn’t know about second strike" MSNOW: "Trump backs Hegseth as strike fallout grows" FOXNEWS: "White House hits back hard after Sabrina Carpenter slams ICE for using her song"

For tonight's episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I look at the Miller, Trump, and Leavitt families to discuss immigration hypocrisy, demonic puppetry, and how we respond to family members who are okay with violence against us. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

How does thankfulness get redefined in systems of hierarchy? Check out Ep. 78 of "Highest Power: Church + State"! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

I know a lot of people aren't in podcast mode right now. So the episode that normally would've come out yesterday is up today. It's a shorter episode than usual where I discuss how hierarchy affects thankfulness. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

The top song on the Christian charts right now is from a fake AI artist created by a MAGA rapper who promotes violence. Here’s my latest piece! baptistnews.com/article/do-y...

On tonight's episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I talk about how our allegiance to political teams leads us to excuse sexual abuse. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

I have a new piece out tonight where I defend Erika Kirk, of all people, from attacks by ... conservatives who are claiming she's transgender. baptistnews.com/article/meet...

"The excuse-making & the blame-shifting & the changing of terms that they do within their churches & denominations are now being played out in our nation's politics." @rickpidcock.bsky.social talks about the #EpstienFiles & includes my letter to #MegynKelly. ⬇️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...

On tonight's episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I discuss the Epstein coverup and how rightwing pundits are minimizing sexual abuse. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

Since the U.S. Government is now chasing Christians into the woods during church events, I'll share this one again. It's my apology to white evangelicals. They were right. I was wrong. baptistnews.com/article/dear...

Last night on "Highest Power: Church + State," I talked about how the internal battles our two parties have within themselves reveal their values. Then after I submitted the episode to my producer, I heard what Megyn Kelly said about Epstein, pedophiles, and 15 year olds. So ... as I was saying. 1/2

There is no wholeness in hierarchy because there is no wholeness in putting people in their place by telling them they must remain perpetually beneath you.

It's funny how conservative Christian men ignore climate change because they say God is going to keep the human race going until the rapture, but then they panic about falling birth rates and less sex.

On tonight's episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I discuss the government reopening, the Epstein files, and how the internal battles our political parties are currently having reveal something about their values. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

If conservative evangelicals are correct, then God originally came up with quantum physics and then followed it up with the sequel of male headship. That's a worse letdown than The Return of Jafar.

You can't be a Christian nationalist and embody the fruit of the Spirit.

I have a new piece out tonight about how a church is attempting to brand themselves as kind, when their pastor is behaving with cruelty toward immigrants as a result of being formed by their church's cruel beliefs. baptistnews.com/article/all-...

"Thanks to the rise of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, the fringe movement of Doug Wilson is now in power at the Pentagon." baptistnews.com/article/sex-...

Republicans are responding to last week's election by spreading Islamophobia. So tonight, I look at SC candidate for Gov. Nancy Mace's lies about the Democrats supposedly electing Jihadists. Then I take an honest look at the war between authoritarian Christianity and authoritarian Islam.

Watching MAGA try to explain away every ICE video is like watching inerrantists try to explain away every "apparent contradiction" in the Bible. Eventually, issues add up until anyone being honest with the facts has to accept there's more going on here than the defenders of perfection will admit.

I’d suggest much of the blame for white evangelical cruelty and indifference toward the suffering of their neighbors comes directly from their gospel. Penal substitutionary atonement fuels cruelty. And imputed righteousness fuels indifference.

The nice thing about being a religion writer is that Christians say worship is the main point of everything. So that means you can write about everything.

Halloween is a night when your kids come home with loads of candy ... and a gospel tract telling them that God keeps track of everything they say and do and needs to punish someone over it through crucifixion.