The Christian Worldview

GUEST: NATHAN BUSENITZ, co-author, God vs. GovernmentAs the Covid-19 virus spread across the world, governing authorities mandated shutdowns on businesses, schools, and churches. We were promised that it would be just “two weeks to stop the spread” or “a month to flatten the curve.”Well, two weeks turned into 24 months of shutdowns, mask mandates, gathering and movement restrictions, and “get-vaccinated-or-else”. And while the virus has retreated for now, just wait for the next variant to arrive and the vise will be tightened again.One perspective became abundantly clear during the mandated lockdowns—the government views in-person church gathering as “non-essential”. Meanwhile, liquor stores and big box stores like Wal-Mart were allowed to stay open as “essential”. The duplicity and ineffectiveness of the measures was obvious to any discerning observer.In the midst of all this, a large church with a well-known pastor in Los Angeles (Grace Community Church, John MacArthur) and a small church with a little-known pastor in Edmonton (GraceLife Church, James Coates) came to the same conclusion: they “must obey God rather than men” and reopen their churches in obedience to what Scripture declares, particularly in Hebrews 10:“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:23-25).Both churches (and some others) opened in defiance of government edicts. National media covered the story, certain Christians sniped how these churches were “not loving their neighbor” or were “disobedient to Romans 13”. The government levied threats and fines, even arresting and jailing Pastor Coates for 35 days.The dust has settled for now, but perhaps the most important result has been the church having to arrive at a deeper understanding of its duty to God vs. government.Nathan Busenitz, elder at Grace Community Church and co-author of the new book, God vs. Government—Taking a Biblical Stand When Christ and Compliance Collide, joins us on The Christian Worldview to discuss this increasing relevant issue.---------Related Resource:God vs. Government  by Nathan Busenitz and James Coateshttps://store.thechristianworldview.org/products/godvsgovt

GUEST: PASTOR JAMES COATES, co-author, God vs. GovernmentPersecution, imprisonment, and murder of Christians is nothing new. The gospels recount the crucifixion of Christ and the book of Acts chronicles the threats, beatings, jailings, and stonings of first century Christians.Today is no different for believers in Communist China or North Korea, where Christians defy government edicts and gather secretly. In some Islamic countries, Christians are jailed and martyred for refusing to keep silent about the gospel.In countries like the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand that were founded on Christian values with guaranteed individual liberties, the state has generally allowed citizens to pursue their faith.That changed about a decade ago when the homosexual movement began prosecuting Christians for refusing to participate in“same-sex” so-called weddings. It was a shock when Christians lost their baking or photography business or were fined for following their biblical beliefs.But the God-haters wouldn’t stop there. With Covid came a new opportunity to silence and persecute Christians, as government-mandated restrictions and closures of churches in the name of “community health and safety”.Most pastors and churches “compiled”, but some, like GraceLife Church in Edmonton, Alberta where James Coates pastors, understood the Biblical command for churches to “not forsake our own assembling together” (Hebrews 10:25).Alberta’s governing authorities couldn’t allow GraceLife to defy their order and so Pastor James was arrested and imprisoned. For what? For continuing to gather as a church in obedience to God’s Word.Pastor James Coates joins us on The Christian Worldview to explain what happened and to exhort Christians to obey God when government tries to usurp the authority that God gave to the church.Related Resource:God vs. Government: Taking a Biblical Stand When Christ and Compliance Collidehttps://store.thechristianworldview.org/products/godvsgovt

GUEST: PASTOR JAMES COATES, co-author, God vs. GovernmentPersecution, imprisonment, and murder of Christians is nothing new. The gospels recount the crucifixion of Christ and the book of Acts chronicles the threats, beatings, jailings, and stonings of first century Christians.Today is no different for believers in Communist China or North Korea, where Christians defy government edicts and gather secretly. In some Islamic countries, Christians are jailed and martyred for refusing to keep silent about the gospel.In countries like the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand that were founded on Christian values with guaranteed individual liberties, the state has generally allowed citizens to pursue their faith.That changed about a decade ago when the homosexual movement began prosecuting Christians for refusing to participate in“same-sex” so-called weddings. It was a shock when Christians lost their baking or photography business or were fined for following their biblical beliefs.But the God-haters wouldn’t stop there. With Covid came a new opportunity to silence and persecute Christians, as government-mandated restrictions and closures of churches in the name of “community health and safety”.Most pastors and churches “compiled”, but some, like GraceLife Church in Edmonton, Alberta where James Coates pastors, understood the Biblical command for churches to “not forsake our own assembling together” (Hebrews 10:25).Alberta’s governing authorities couldn’t allow GraceLife to defy their order and so Pastor James was arrested and imprisoned. For what? For continuing to gather as a church in obedience to God’s Word.Pastor James Coates joins us on The Christian Worldview to explain what happened and to exhort Christians to obey God when government tries to usurp the authority that God gave to the church.Related Resource:God vs. Government: Taking a Biblical Stand When Christ and Compliance Collidehttps://store.thechristianworldview.org/products/godvsgovt

GUEST: SOEREN KERN, geopolitical analyst, Gatestone InstituteApparently Russian president Vladimir Putin didn’t get the memo about the “New World Order” where mankind lives in “peace and security”. Instead, as the world watched in disbelief, Putin ordered a massive military assault against Ukraine, a large sovereign nation in eastern Europe bordering Russia.The invasion started slowly but has increased in ferocity, causing widespread death and destruction. The United States and European countries have expressed outrage at Putin and are sending armaments to Ukraine, who is outgunned and outmanned but led by a charismatic president named Volodymyr Zelensky who is inspiring his people to fight back.So why has Putin invaded Ukraine? What should western nations do in response? What are the ramifications of a major war on the European continent?Soeren Kern, a Christian geopolitical analyst with the Gatestone Institute, joins us from Europe to answer these questions and more, including how the prophecy in Ezekiel 38-39 applies to Russia, the “army from the north”.

GUEST: MEGAN BASHAM, reporter, Daily WireYou’ve probably heard of Dr. Francis Collins. Until recently, he was the long-time leader of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a government agency which, along with the Centers of Disease Control (CDC), leads our nation’s response to Covid, including mandates with regard to vaccines, masks, shutdowns, and social separation.Collins is venerated as the “head of the human genome project”. He also claims to be an Evangelical Christian. He wrote a book titled “The Language of God” and is the founder of BioLogos, an organization which heretically attempts to merge God and evolution.Recently, Daily Wire reporter Megan Basham dug deeper on Francis Collins, bringing to light several ungodly policies he has directed and supported over the years and questioning why the biggest names in Evangelicalism such as Ed Stetzer, Rick Warren, NT Wright, Tim Keller, Russell Moore, Christianity Today, and The Gospel Coalition all invited Collins on their platforms to persuade Christians to toe the government line on Covid.Megan Basham joins us this weekend on The Christian Worldview for a most illuminating conversation.Related Article: How The Federal Government Used Evangelical Leaders To Spread Covid Propaganda To Churches (https://bit.ly/3JXXZyF)

GUEST: ANDREW DeBARTOLO, pastor and project manager, Liberty Coalition Canada The world is watching Canada in the midst of a tense standoff. Truckers and others protesting the government’s Covid injection mandates and other restrictions have literally parked in the capital city of Ottawa (and other cities) demanding that individual liberties be restored. They are up against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a far-left globalist who views Covid “as an opportunity for a reset” and who once eulogized Cuban communist tyrant Fidel Castro. Which side gains victory in Canada will have major ramifications in America and beyond. For if demands for liberty in Canada are ignored and squashed, that will embolden the increasing authoritarian power being exerted in other western democracies under the auspices of “public health, safety, security, and a clean planet”. Andrew DeBartolo, a Canadian pastor and project manager for Liberty Coalition Canada, joins us on The Christian Worldview to give us a first-hand perspective on the situation and to discuss Christians being involved in civil protest. ** NOTE: Due to changing events in Canada, we decided to push back the interview with Megan Basham on evangelical leaders propagating the government’s Covid narrative.

GUESTS: James Macpherson, columnist, The Spectator AustraliaMegan Basham, reporter, The Daily Wire Over the last year, reports have been coming out of Australia that the country formerly known for its happy-go-lucky “G’day, mate!” disposition has slid into authoritarian beast mode in its response to Covid. The government’s heavy-handed mask and vaccine mandates, quarantine centers, travel strictures, and protest suppression, cheered on by the media, left many to question, “What’s up Down Under?” So when the No. 1 tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic, arrived in Australia last month to compete in the Australian Open, an inevitable showdown occurred…but not on a tennis court. The issue was that Djokovic was unvaccinated but had received an exemption from the Victoria state government to enter the country, at least in part because he had recently overcome the virus. Djokovic was detained upon arrival and quarantined for days while a legal battle ensued. The media spotlight from around the world was white-hot. Would one man who posed little-to-no health threat to anyone be allowed to stay? Sure to form, the federal government said no, deporting him “on health and good order grounds”. The draconian repression of individual liberties taking place in Australia, Canada, Europe, and yes, America, should be concerning to Christians. While the faith will never be extinguished through government oppression—in fact, it often grows through it—every believer has the God-given desire to speak and live God’s truth in freedom. James Macpherson, a columnist for The Spectator Australia, will join us from Sydney, Australia to discuss what is taking place in Australia. Then Megan Basham, reporter for The Daily Wire, will join us to discuss how the most notable Christian leaders in America are willingly using their platforms to advance debunked Covid propaganda from government officials like Francis Collins, the former director of the National Institutes of Health and a professing Evangelical.

GUESTS:James Macpherson, columnist, The Spectator AustraliaMegan Basham, reporter, The Daily WireOver the last year, reports have been coming out of Australia that the country formerly known for its happy-go-lucky “G’day, mate!” disposition has slid into authoritarian beast mode in its response to Covid. The government’s heavy-handed mask and vaccine mandates, quarantine centers, travel strictures, and protest suppression, cheered on by the media, left many to question, “What’s up Down Under?”So when the No. 1 tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic, arrived in Australia last month to compete in the Australian Open, an inevitable showdown occurred…but not on a tennis court. The issue was that Djokovic was unvaccinated but had received an exemption from the Victoria state government to enter the country, at least in part because he had recently overcome the virus.Djokovic was detained upon arrival and quarantined for days while a legal battle ensued. The media spotlight from around the world was white-hot. Would one man who posed little-to-no health threat to anyone be allowed to stay? Sure to form, the federal government said no, deporting him “on health and good order grounds”.The draconian repression of individual liberties taking place in Australia, Canada, Europe, and yes, America, should be concerning to Christians. While the faith will never be extinguished through government oppression—in fact, it often grows through it—every believer has the God-given desire to speak and live God’s truth in freedom.James Macpherson, a columnist for The Spectator Australia, will join us from Sydney, Australia to discuss what is taking place in Australia.Then Megan Basham, reporter for The Daily Wire, will join us to discuss how the most notable Christian leaders in America are willingly using their platforms to advance debunked Covid propaganda from government officials like Francis Collins, the former director of the National Institutes of Health and a professing Evangelical.Related Articles:Welcome to Australia, mate! Jab or jail?Bread and games everybody, bread and games!How The Federal Government Used Evangelical Leaders To Spread Covid Propaganda To Churches

GUEST: JON HARRIS, author, Social Justice Goes to Church In the previous two programs, we have been examining the pervasive and pernicious nature of the social justice movement into Evangelicalism. Once-trusted pastors, churches, denominations, para-organizations, colleges, and seminaries have been taken captive by what Paul described in Galatians 1:6-7, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel, which is not just another account; but there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.” So how does the social justice movement distort the gospel and sound doctrine? That really is the key question, for God’s Word is the standard by which we must judge all things. Is social justice—rectifying alleged societal and ecclesiastical injustices against black, women, and homosexuals—really a “gospel issue”, especially when the means of achieving “equity” requires one group to be favored over another? Jon Harris, author of Christianity and Social Justice and Social Justice Goes To Church and the host of Conversations that Matter podcast, joins us to examine the errors of social justice advocates. Jon is featured in Enemies Within The Church, a two-hour documentary film on how social justice ideology has infiltrated Evangelicalism.

GUEST: JON HARRIS, author, Social Justice Goes to ChurchIn the previous two programs, we have been examining the pervasive and pernicious nature of the social justice movement into Evangelicalism. Once-trusted pastors, churches, denominations, para-organizations, colleges, and seminaries have been taken captive by what Paul described in Galatians 1:6-7 [Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)] , “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel, which is not just another account; but there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.”So how does the social justice movement distort the gospel and sound doctrine? That really is the key question, for God’s Word is the standard by which we must judge all things.Is social justice—rectifying alleged societal and ecclesiastical injustices against black, women, and homosexuals—really a “gospel issue”, especially when the means of achieving “equity” requires one group to be favored over another?Jon Harris, author of Christianity and Social Justice and Social Justice Goes To Church and the host of Conversations that Matter podcast, joins us to examine the errors of social justice advocates. Jon is featured in Enemies Within The Church, a two-hour documentary film on how social justice ideology has infiltrated Evangelicalism.