Tim, Wesley and Fred talk with Chris on top news headlines of the day including a discussion on Graham Platner suspending his campaign. Also, Dr. Alex McFarland joins the program to discuss his summer camps.
Only 10% of evangelical churches have a truly biblical worldview, study finds
>> Ed Vitagliano: Mainline Protestant churches have softened and even rejected the Bible, the gospel of salvation,
>> Tim Wildmon: and biblical sexual morality.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Even in evangelical churches, only about 10% of members have a truly biblical worldview. Satan desires to do to the Bible
>> Tim Wildmon: believing evangelical churches what he did to
>> Ed Vitagliano: the mainline churches, and he's made progress.
>> Alex McFarland: Your financial support now is critical to
>> Ed Vitagliano: AFA's efforts to defend and strengthen the church. Go online at afa.net equippedchurches welcome to
>> Tim Wildmon: today's Issues, offering a Christian response to the issues of the day. Here's your host, Tim Wildmon, president of
>> Chris Woodward: the American Family Association.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, good morning, everybody, and welcome to Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. Today's Thursday, July 9, 2026. And in studio today is Wesley, Wyoming. Good morning, Wesley.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Good, morning. Good morning.
>> Tim Wildmon: Fred Jackson. Howdy to you and Krish Woodburn.
>> Chris Woodward: Good morning.
>> Tim Wildmon: Lack of enthusiasm there, Krish. You're usually chipper.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah, I was just seeing if anybody noticed.
>> Tim Wildmon: No, you're usually high energy.
>> Chris Woodward: I know. I was literally in the car and I was like, one day I'm just gonna go, hey, just see if anybody picks up on it.
>> Tim Wildmon: A subdued Krish Woodward.
>> Wesley Wildmon: not for long. I can see his sheet of papers over there. He's. He's ready.
>> Chris Woodward: I've had my two pots of coffee. I'm ready. I'm ready to go.
>> Tim Wildmon: Those who don't know, Krish is our newsman. You should know if you listen. And Steve Jordahl is our newsman next hour.
>> Wesley Wildmon: And they, come well prepared.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes. So they have the list of stories we're going to discuss on the program, today. Trying to keep you up to speed on current events.
American Family Radio has a new news service from a Christian perspective
Fred, we have a new service that you head up, that, people need to be aware of, if they're not already. Tell us about it.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, you know, I was at a conference recently, and, it was at the COVID a bunch of Christian folks, and they said, you know, we'd really like to get our news from a Christian perspective. I said you would. let me tell you about a, news service from a Christian perspective. And we got talking about American, family news and afn.net, afn.net, online. You hear our newscasts here on the radio. But afn.net, the stories that you hear on radio, we publish. We have a team that publishes it for the website. Keep it up to date. Actually, seven days a week. We have an editor that keeps it up to date on the weekend. So you can go there 24 hours a day by the Way. we have a daily email Monday through Friday. You can go to the website, go up to the right hand side, just put your email address in there. We will send you one email a day Monday through Friday with the summary of the big stories of the day done by our team of reporters. Christian perspective of what's going on in our world right now.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay, so go to what website?
>> Fred Jackson: Afn.net afn.net and I would like to
>> Wesley Wildmon: add now I'm always behind on technology. Okay. But some people, some of our listeners are going to go, well duh. But there is a podcast thing out there.
>> Tim Wildmon: Podcast thing out there? What kind of podcast thing is there?
>> Wesley Wildmon: So there's this thing where you can upload audio on your phone. By the way, I'm fairly new, not new to that as in like, like in the last couple, maybe the last two years, I've gotten into it pretty good. Long story short, this has been going on for a while and AFN has a 4 and a half minute news summary of the day. So the, the news that you hear at the top of the hour, the four four and a half minute is now summarizing or has been summarized in the podcast. I have it on my phone. So what happens is when I get on my phone, when I get on my phone, when I get in my vehicle, my carplay goes straight to my phone, goes straight to my carplay and it, and pulls up AFN and I get the four and a half minute summary. Driving into work at my convenience. And they update that four times a day.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah, we did. Yeah, we actually we, we've started another podcast in addition to that one. Parish offered and I, near the end of a work week we get together and record what we're calling the Week in Review podcast. Where for about 20 to 30 minutes we discuss the big stories we've had in the past week. And we actually, we took a little bit of a break due to vacation scheduling or whatnot. But Lord willing, we will have one of those starting tomorrow.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Will that be at the same location?
>> Chris Woodward: I'm talking about afn.net yes.
>> Wesley Wildmon: So if there's, you got one, you got one hour radio programs, you got one hour podcast. But if you're looking for a four and a half minute summary of the day news, that's where you want to go.
>> Tim Wildmon: Get it in audio form.
>> Wesley Wildmon: In audio form. Wow.
>> Tim Wildmon: Don't even have to read. Yeah, just dumb it down.
>> Chris Woodward: That is the great thing about AFN though. We do news for radio and print so if you'd like to be told what's going down, radio is your friend. If you still like to read the news, we can do that for you.
>> Tim Wildmon: That would be a good motto for our news service, American Family Radio.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Dumb it down.
>> Tim Wildmon: What's going down?
>> Wesley Wildmon: Oh, what's going down?
>> Tim Wildmon: Going down.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Okay.
>> Tim Wildmon: All right. So, Okay, Krish. What? By the way, Dr. Alex McFarland M will be with us at the bottom of the hour. So we look forward to what Alex has to say and share. What's your first story, Rick?
Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner suspended his campaign after sexual assault accusation
>> Chris Woodward: All right, this is a story we, broke last night and, updated our radio and printed coverage on Democrat, Senate candidate Graham Platner in Maine suspended his campaign last night, after the Politico story claiming that he sexually assaulted a former girlfriend. That Politico story, of course, was one several, articles in recent weeks that claimed he was mean or abusive to, women and former lovers, girlfriends, what have you. and last night he, in a video message that lasted about 11 minutes, he finally announced that he was suspending his campaign. But he did stress that his suspension is not an admission of guilt. He's long claimed that none of these reports about him are true and he's actually blaming some sort of establishment for the reason why he's having to, suspend his campaign. Clip 1.
>> Tim Wildmon: We live in a political system that is not built for normal people. It is a system that is built structurally to make sure that movements like ours cannot flourish. We believe that for the movement to continue, it can't be made. And for that reason, we are suspending campaign operations. he's playing the, they're out to get me card.
>> Fred Jackson: I'm a victim.
>> Tim Wildmon: I'm a victim. The problem with that is that he was in a neck and neck race, okay? He might have been able to win there. We're talking about the Senate race in Maine. Susan Collins is the longtime Republican, Senator from Maine, and that's who he was going up against. but the reason I say I don't buy the, you know, establishment is taking me down part is because these far lefties have been winning in races in NewSong York and Colorado and Seattle and other places. So I don't think that, that hurts him, if that's what he's going to claim. What did he say?
>> Wesley Wildmon: He said the system is not set up to have someone like him flourish.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.
>> Wesley Wildmon: But he also signed up to run.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, he signed up to. What happened? For those who don't know, I know most of you are Intimately. Following the Maine Senate race.
>> Wesley Wildmon: That's right.
>> Tim Wildmon: that's, you know, probably one of your top two.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Hey, that's why they're listening to us today.
>> Tim Wildmon: People are. Our listeners are neck deep into the main Senate race. what happened there? This fella here, his name is Graham Platner, he just, sort of came out of nowhere to challenge Collins, as I said, a Republican. And of course, Maine is a liberal state. It's a blue state, but Collins, is a Republican, so she's been able to. Maine hasn't always been blue. It's been purple. you know, some Democrats, some Republicans. Anyway, so this fella here, what happened was a story broke in the last three or four days, or maybe longer, where he was accused by a former girlfriend who herself is a Democrat, liberal, but she accused him basically of sexual assault. Right. In years gone by, I don't know how far back this goes. And he's saying that the timing of this and the accusation, which he says is not true, is, designed to take him out of the race. And, I don't know, he blamed the establishment. I think he's talking about the Democrat establishment.
>> Fred Jackson: Right, Talking about the Democrat establishment. But even before that accusation, it goes back several weeks, there was another woman who claimed that she was sexually abused, a former girlfriend. So you had two of them, NewSong York Times wrote.
>> Wesley Wildmon: First one was a Republican.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, yeah, NewSong York Times did that story. but that was dismissed because she had Republican Party background and. But there's also been other things. It was the Nazi tattoo. It was him, attacking veterans, m. Military veterans, even though he, himself is one. Et cetera, et cetera. I think there was a problem with vetting. Yes, I think there was a problem with vetting. The two people who vetted this guy for the Democratic Party were interviewed in recent days as to what questions they asked about him before they recommended him. We're going to play a little bit of that interview with these two folks.
>> Wesley Wildmon: I'm looking forward to that.
This controversy in Maine could change the balance of power in the Senate
>> Fred Jackson: Cut number 12.
>> Donald Trump: How did you go about vetting him? Why did you.
>> Chris Woodward: We paid, Yeah, we paid. We paid a nice firm a whole chunk of money and got some stuff back. Some of what you've seen on the news, we got back. Other stuff we didn't,
>> Tim Wildmon: Did the vetting process turn up the tattoo that became so controversial? No, the Reddit posts. Did that turn up in the vetting process? The firm sent us, a thing,
>> Chris Woodward: and it had some of the posts, but it didn't have all of them. I said, none of this will or should stop him from becoming a U.S. senator.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, the guy got something going on in his throat there. Something. That fellow there. Then, who was that? We don't know who that was. He was a guy who was responsible for betting.
>> Fred Jackson: Sounds kind of goofy.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah. And she left.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.
>> Chris Woodward: At the beginning of the park.
>> Tim Wildmon: I guess they already got paid. anyway, so he's gone, he's out. So what does this mean for the Senate race there?
>> Fred Jackson: Well, they're now going to have a convention. The Democratic Party, they're going to have a convention in a few weeks. About 600 people will be invited to
>> Tim Wildmon: pick another option because they've still got time.
>> Fred Jackson: Oh, yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Because we're, talking about a November Election Day.
>> Fred Jackson: Yep. By the end of this month, they're going to have a convention.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Well, there's a date in this, in this discussion. July 13th. Was that the date?
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah. He had to make his decision.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay, gotcha.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah. And he did that.
>> Tim Wildmon: And why this matters to the rest of America, it really is because it could change the balance of power in the United States Senate. Should Collins, the Republican, lose to a Democrat in Maine, you know, that would be one more that the Democrats pick up. It's 53 Republicans, 47 Democrats right now. Right. I guess technically, Bernie Sanders is an independent, but he caucuses with the Democrats, as they say. So for all practical purposes, it's 57, 40. excuse me, 53 to 47. So, of course, there are other Senate campaigns going all across America. You've got Georgia, you've got, ah, I think Alaska, Texas. These are some that come to mind. Texas, I think a third of the Senate is up every two years. A third of the Senate. Because a United States Senator, once, elected, serves a six year term. So even more than a president who serves four years. So this matters to the country who's elected, in Senate races. And so that's why the national attention has been on this controversy in Maine. But the fella who was, tied with Collins is out. Graham Platner is out.
>> Chris Woodward: I can play some more audio from him.
>> Tim Wildmon: I don't care to hear it.
>> Chris Woodward: Would you like to hear Jon Fetterman's opinion on this issue?
>> Wesley Wildmon: No, but I've got a question.
>> Chris Woodward: Okay.
>> Donald Trump: Okay.
>> Wesley Wildmon: has someone not told Platner that his mustache is uneven? Have you seen this?
>> Tim Wildmon: well, if mine is. Is mine.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Okay.
>> Tim Wildmon: Sometimes I. I check on mine every once. I'm not ocd, but I noticed that. So it's uneven.
>> Wesley Wildmon: It's got a slight tilt to the left and.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, that explains it.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Exactly. And then. And then I go like this to see if it's me or him. Anyways, it's distracting.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, that didn't come up in the vetting process, so. Even his mustache tilt.
>> Chris Woodward: I knew it.
>> Wesley Wildmon: And listen, if that's something we could show on radio, we would. Because other than that, I think I'm, with Dad. I think we've got all the audio we want from Platinum. Yeah.
>> Chris Woodward: Okay.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, let's have a good life.
>> Chris Woodward: Let's definitely play this piece, of audio from Jon Fetterman.
>> Tim Wildmon: He's the senator from Pennsylvania.
>> Chris Woodward: Senator, yeah. He would be somebody that, theoretically, Graham Platner would have to deal with in Washington, D.C. and, let's just say Fetterman is not sad to see platner go. Clip 4.
>> Tim Wildmon: I'd say that the trash took itself out.
This may very well be the most important midterm election of any president
Finally, people, in Maine have a chance to really vote on someone that's not a total piece of trash.
>> Fred Jackson: Tell us how you really feel.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's Jon. Jon Fetterman, the Democrat, Senator from Pennsylvania, otherwise known as Hoodie Jon.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.
>> Donald Trump: Yes.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: he's the one that likes, to wear the hoodie to work and,
>> Chris Woodward: like, the big basketball shorts.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
>> Chris Woodward: He's a big guy. He's probably, like, three feet taller than me.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, he's. He's a big fellow. But anyway, so he's glad that. That Platner's, gone, up there in Maine.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah. And, yeah, this, This may very well be the most important. I know people always say this is the most important election of our lifetime. but for a president, this may be the most important midterm election of any president. Because it looks like, if you go with the polls, Democrats are going to win the House, which means Republicans really want to keep the Senate, because that's going to obviously, impact judicial nominees. But if Democrats were to get controlled of, let's say, the House and the Senate, they will have no problem, impeaching President Trump.
>> Tim Wildmon: You don't think they'll have problems?
>> Chris Woodward: Well, if that's. If it's a divided Congress.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, yeah, yeah. If it's a divided Congress, I could be wrong here. I think that the Democrats would not be. Will not waste their time going after an impeachment of President Trump, given the fact that he would only have two years left and be considered a lame duck president.
>> Wesley Wildmon: And backfire, possibly get the Republicans back involved.
>> Tim Wildmon: Because I think part of the reason President Trump won Two years ago was because the, the attacks on him. The attacks on him that a lot of Americans viewed him as unfair and including the impeachment. And so I just don't. I could be wrong. You know, the tds, you know, that's pretty strong.
>> Wesley Wildmon: The impeachment, they, rated, yeah, all the Prosecution. Prosecution, yeah, that.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
President Trump said yesterday that the ceasefire with Iran is over
All right, you're listening to today's issues on American Family Radio. What's your next story, Chris?
>> Chris Woodward: Well, from political attacks to military attack, the US has responded to Iran's, attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz with more U. S. Led attacks on Iranian infrastructure, near the Strait and in other parts of Iran. President Trump and members of the administration said yesterday that the ceasefire is over. but the president is also on record as saying things like this doesn't mean we're back to war. He still wants some sort of deal worked out. Clip 5 It's sort of crazy, to
>> Donald Trump: be honest with you. They're sort of gracing. They're a little bit out of control, but they want to make a deal badly.
>> Wesley Wildmon: I'm not, I'm not hearing that.
>> Chris Woodward: It was a little incoherent.
>> Tim Wildmon: He needs to take a few days.
>> Wesley Wildmon: No, when I say I'm not hearing that, I'm la, la, la, la.
>> Tim Wildmon: You mean you've heard that before?
>> Wesley Wildmon: Well, I just said yesterday. Yeah, if he says this tomorrow, I mean, I know, I'd rather play the clip from yesterday. It was better.
>> Chris Woodward: I do not have that yesterday.
>> Tim Wildmon: The. Yesterday's clip was I with them. They're scum and they're liars and they're liars and can't, trust them.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Yep.
>> Tim Wildmon: And they, they agree to one thing, then they come out publicly. They agree to one thing with us
>> Wesley Wildmon: Iranians, and as far as he's concerned, he's done with them.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, that's what he said yesterday. So, okay, okay, this again. This is yesterday. Okay, this is just President Trump yesterday, what we just heard report after that.
>> Fred Jackson: Go ahead.
>> Tim Wildmon: Is the ceasefire over?
>> Chris Woodward: Is the ceasefire done?
>> Tim Wildmon: Is the MOU dead?
>> Donald Trump: It's a very interesting question to me. I think it's over. I don't want to deal with them anymore. They're scum. you know what scum is? They're scum. They're sick people. They're led by sick people and they're vicious, violent people. And if they had a nuclear weapon, they'd use it. As far as I'm concerned, it's over. I'll, Speak to our negotiators. They want to negotiate. They're good people. Steve Woodkoff, Jared Kushner. But they have to come back to me. As far as I'm concerned, it's just a waste of time dealing with them. They're liars. We make a deal, and if I make a deal with him, we have a deal, and he goes out, he talks, we make a deal. Everyone's agreed, no nuclear weapons. We make a deal. They go outside, talk to the press, they say, we never even talked about it. There's something wrong with them. They're cuckoo. As far as I'm concerned, it's over.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. Yay. That was Trump yesterday saying, what the. I think a majority of Americans have been knowing for about a month or longer. Okay. And then he comes back today. I don't know if he just woke up, whatever, and says this five.
>> Donald Trump: It's sort of crazy, to be honest with that. Sort of. Gracie. They're a little bit out of control, but they want to make a deal badly.
>> Chris Woodward: That sounds like the Big Mac and Diet Coke from the McDonald's and Ankara, Turkey, didn't keep him awake. And he didn't.
>> Tim Wildmon: He sounds tired. He probably should have skipped that press conference right there. But that was a short, brief statement. But. But that contradicts, at least in my mind, what he said yesterday. Waste of time. And then he comes back and says, they want to make a deal desperately, badly or whatever. Anyway, they don't want to make a deal.
>> Fred Jackson: They don't want to make a deal.
>> Tim Wildmon: What do you think about all this, Fred?
>> Fred Jackson: They do not want to make a deal.
>> Tim Wildmon: They being. The Iranians.
>> Fred Jackson: The Iranians. They do not want to make a deal.
>> Wesley Wildmon: The regime.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Why do you think President Trump said that after he said they're cuckoo and I don't trust them and waste of time and all that?
>> Fred Jackson: Well, I think he's still trying to come up with an excellent plan.
>> Wesley Wildmon: There you go. That's fair.
>> Fred Jackson: They can celebrate something. What I'm hearing down the road a week or so from now, because I think the Republicans have to wrap this up, the White House has to wrap this up very soon, is that they do not have a nuclear weapon. That was our big goal. They don't have a nuclear weapon. We're going to go home now. But the problem, I think he's going to run into.
The Iranians found something out. They control the Strait of Hormuz
The Iranians found something out. They found out if they, control the Strait of Hormuz, they can basically crow about it and say, we won. Because if they control that strait they control 20% of the oil resources in the world and they still have that power right now. And the only way to stop them would be for the United States to keep a fairly large contingent in that area of the world. And I don't think the President wants to do that.
>> Tim Wildmon: Mm, Well, we, the United States did as you said, Chris, attack Iran militarily for the second or third night in a row.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: So I don't know what all we took out. I don't know if that's been. Has that been, has a briefing been held on that?
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, for the first time. We took out some bridges last night.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.
>> Fred Jackson: Including apparently a, ah, bridge that was going to be used today to carry the body of Khomeini to his final resting.
>> Chris Woodward: And that delivers on a threat that he A, promise he's made in day for weeks really that he's going to start doing this kind of stuff if they don't play ball.
>> Tim Wildmon: How long has that guy been dead?
>> Fred Jackson: well, he March. They took him out right off the bat.
>> Donald Trump: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Is this normal to go March, April, May, June, four months before you have
>> Fred Jackson: a. I'm m not sure of the practice, but probably it had something to do with the war going on.
>> Donald Trump: Yeah.
>> Chris Woodward: Because Operation epic Fury began February 28th and like Fred said, he was killed early on.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. All right, well, we'll see what happens today and tomorrow. But, do you think people are paying attention to this, Wesley anymore? Oh, kind of, maybe a little bit. Very, very little about the Iranian conflict.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Very little.
>> Tim Wildmon: What would,
>> Wesley Wildmon: I would say very little.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay, so you. Do you think. All right, one other question on this. Do you think, Fred, that the attacks that we're carrying out militarily are meant to force Iran to do what?
>> Fred Jackson: Well, that's the thing. I think the Iranians feel they're in the driver's seat here. They know we have an election coming. They know that Trump has to wrap this up for the sake of the election if nothing else.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. So the longer they can draw it out. But I mean if you start taking out bridges and infrastructure and roads and you know, oil refineries, I don't know what all they have in mind the United States, but it could be that could be severely punishing to, Iran and the people of Iran. So of course the people of Iran, I put that in quotations. I'm talking about the average person over there who have nothing to do with the regime. Regime. They're going to be caught in the crossfires here. Crosshairs so to speak, because they are going to suffer economically, and other ways.
>> Wesley Wildmon: But. Yeah, I agree. Well, let me ask you this.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, but that's just how that is. Yeah.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Yes. But would, could you make a case though, that they are already suffering in
>> Tim Wildmon: the same way you could. And, and the Iranian regime has already killed some reports, 30 to 40,000 of these average Iranian people who they viewed as, you know, trying to revolt against the regime.
>> Fred Jackson: So.
>> Tim Wildmon: All right. You're listening to today's issues on American Family Radio. We shall return momentarily with more of with Alex McFarland coming up. Just a minute.
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>> Tim Wildmon: Hello everyone. Tim Wildmon, president of American Family association and American Family Radio. We are going to Italy in March of 2027. We're also going to Greece in March of 2027. And we're doing those tours back to back. If you want to do both of them in Italy, we'll be going to Venice by the gondola and see all the sights there. And we'll go to Pisa and walk on the leaning tower of if you fall off, we're not responsible. Also, we're going to Rome and see the Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum and all the catacombs. We'll see all the sites of Rome. And in Greece, it's the Footsteps of Paul trip. So the places where Paul went in the Bible mentioned in Greece. If you want information on any of these tours, go to tours.afa.net tours.afa.net tours.aca.net the Lord isn't really being slow about his promise as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 2 Peter 3:9. This is today's issues. Email your comments to commentsfr.net Past broadcasts
>> Chris Woodward: of today's Issues are available for listening
>> Tim Wildmon: and viewing in the [email protected] now back to more of, Today's Issues.
Today's Issues is hosted by Wesley, Fred and Chris
Hey, welcome back everybody to Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. Thanks for listening to afr. I'm Tim with Wesley, Fred and Krish. Krish and now Alex McFarland joins us. Dr. Alex McFarland M. Good morning Alex.
>> Alex McFarland: Good, morning everybody.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, so are you through with your youth summer camps across the country yet?
>> Alex McFarland: No, we still got a few more to go. getting ready to head up to the COVID next week though. The Billy Graham Center.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right.
>> Alex McFarland: And so that's maybe summer camp for the grown ups.
>> Tim Wildmon: It's a little bit more luxurious even though it's still rustic. But they feed you right at the COVID I'll tell you that. It's a beautiful setting and, and you're not roughing it. Okay. Even though it's in.
Alex has Christian patriotic summer camps that he hosts for middle and high school students
Alright, so how many Just real quickly want to get an update? Because for those who don't know, Alex has ah, Christian patriotic summer camps that around the country that he hosts for middle, middle school and high school students. And he's been doing this for how many years now?
>> Alex McFarland: Since 1998.
>> Tim Wildmon: 1998. How many do you host? How many did you host this year?
>> Alex McFarland: this year we had a total of eight camps.
>> Tim Wildmon: Are they all ah, ah, the ones you have coming up, the ones you have left, where are they and are they full?
>> Alex McFarland: Okay, they actually are full. And Tim, thank you so much for helping promote this but 7-20-25, we're in Panama City Beach, Florida, Laguna Beach Christian Retreat. August two seven, we're in Brevard, North Carolina. That's the western part of North Carolina. Ridge Haven Conference center. And then August 16 through 21 we're in Stevens, Pennsylvania. refreshing mountain Retreat Center. but we've been in Montana, Iowa, Georgia, Colorado. We were two weeks ago in eastern North Carolina at a place called the Refuge. We've had several hundred kids pray to accept Christ already this summer. And you know, so many of the youth that come to our camps, have come two and three and four summers and I mean we give the gospel, it's you know, come to Christ but then we do biblical worldview. And Tim, I was just in Abilene, Texas, Monday night at a big rally and I met a young man named Tyler, now in his late 20s, married, and he's a full time youth pastor. And he came up, he said, you don't remember me, but when I was a teenager I was in your camp. And at your camp I came to the Lord. And then at another camp I surrendered to the ministry. And, I just, I give God the glory. We've been at this long enough to see not only thousands of young people make a decision for Christ, but many called into ministry. And, we just encourage the kids. Number one, get saved, but then find a Christian spouse, build a Christian family.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, the, Panama City beach camp, is that on the beach?
>> Alex McFarland: I have to tell you, I've not been there yet. This is the first year we've rented this facility.
>> Tim Wildmon: So you didn't go check it out? I don't know who checked it out for you.
>> Alex McFarland: we got people.
>> Tim Wildmon: I knew Alex has people. It's called the Biblical Worldview Mafia. That's what they're known as, the Christian Taliban. I just wondered about that because I think if you had it on the beach, it would be too distracting. Unless you had the students turn away from the beach as they listen to the instructor. That's what I'm saying. I would not advise the beach to be behind the, speaker, in view.
Alex Dobson: Parents and grandparents looking at colleges for their kids
>> Chris Woodward: All right.
>> Tim Wildmon: You're listening to today's issues on American Family Radio. Alex, one question I have for you that I know you get often. there are a lot of people listening right now who have kids or grandkids and they're getting ready for college. Okay. They're in their junior year in high school or senior year coming up, and they're looking forward. You know, college is not for everybody, in today's world. you know, there's a lot of opportunity in different trades that you go to trade school. For example, you don't have to go to get a four year degree like used, to be. you know, people used to say, do you have your college degree? And you had a better chance of getting a good job is what I'm saying. That's no longer necessarily true. But I do want to ask you this. We hear the horror stories of Christian, families who send their young people off to college and then they are subject to, this, secular, you know, anti Christian indoctrination. Now that's not everywhere. All day at, public universities but at the same time, it is out there, especially in different disciplines, you know, more prevalent in different disciplines, that people would study or different, you know. But what do you advise when, parents and grandparents, if they're involved, are looking at colleges for their young person in terms of where to go, that kind of thing? Do you answer those kind of questions?
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, we do. because it's been kind of a debacle for so many years that American education, even in professed Christian colleges or historically Christian colleges, there's just, you know, anti God, anti American, anti biblical teaching, certainly in the denominational schools.
>> Tim Wildmon: So just because the school has a Christian name on it doesn't mean that it's a Christian school anymore.
>> Alex McFarland: Exactly, exactly. And, so I wrote this book called Stand Strong in College. It's based on, in fact, when I. In the late 90s, I was youth pastor, and I began to do a lot of apologetics, worldview conferences in Greensboro, North Carolina. And it ultimately would branch out across the country. But I, was doing this seminar called what you'll hear your freshman year, Preparing for the ways that college will challenge your faith. And, Tyndale Publishers. What was really that book, and that seminar that got me in the, awareness of James Dobson. And, we had, done a lot of events with people like Josh McDowell. And Dr. Dobson called me on the phone one day and he said, hey, I want you to come to Colorado. Here's exactly what James Dobson said. He said, I want you to bring your circus under my tent. And that was really, even to this day, my, you know, working for American family. I would say what God did in our life 25 years ago that brought me into the world of James Dobson was what prepared me for my work with AFR really. But, here's the thing. I was really concerned. So many young people raised in church, Christian families, but they'd go away to the university and become an agnostic, you know. So I wrote that.
>> Tim Wildmon: Heartbreaking, it is. Think about it. I heard a similar story. I've heard other stories, but a couple, I knew sent their Christian young person off to college. And this person was a leader in their church youth group, strong, and then went off to college. And like, within a year, he's been subjected to these, professors that are attacking his faith. And he comes home questioning. And their parents are going, whoa, hold on just a minute. What happened here?
>> Wesley Wildmon: Go ahead.
>> Alex McFarland: I'll never forget, I was in the lobby of a church in a city called High Point, North Carolina. And, this couple had come to hear me speak, and this dad, you know, had tears in his eyes. And he said, I paid NC State University $100,000 to disconvert my son, meaning his son. True story. I mean, his son had been a Christian, but became an agnostic. And now. So there's a couple of things I think we need to say. Number one, in our presentation of the Gospel, I think we have to be clear with people of all ages. When you become a Christian, you are committing to be a, disciple. It's not just recite a prayer and then go on my merry way, and decades from now, I'll die and go to heaven. If you accept Jesus, you are becoming a disciple. And that means a lifelong follower, regardless of the circumstances. And so I really think, and Bert and I talk about this a lot on exploring the Word that in, ah, American soteriology or the presentation of the Gospel. I think we need to be really clear with people that it's not, Jesus does not accessorize our life. He's not one more detail in our busy life. No, he is the Lord of our life. And that means that we're to always be growing and following and we're a disciple. The other thing moms and dads need to know is, that alma mater where you went to college 30 years ago in the 21st century, it is probably a vastly different environment than you remember. And, I think from elementary up, we have to teach young people to be able to defend their faith. Tim, I love education. I live to learn, I really do. But you gotta understand, so much that's out there, even in traditionally religious schools is not truth and fact, but it's ideology.
>> Tim Wildmon: Wesley.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Hey, Alex, this is Wesley here. What's the number one attack for college students on their Christian faith?
>> Tim Wildmon: probably Budweiser.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah,
>> Tim Wildmon: that's different. That's different from the classroom partying. Well, when you get away from mom and dad.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah, that's. That's for sure. I know that's a joke, but I'm more so if you're sitting. So if you're at the cafeteria. You're talking about the classroom cafeteria on campus, right? Yeah. What's the. What's the biggest attack or challenge, I guess apologetically to the Christian faith?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, the, the golden calf of our times is diversity, equity, multiculturalism. And so. So it's going to be the LGBTQ trans ideology is just enforced on people.
>> Tim Wildmon: Also, the Black Lives Matter type
>> Alex McFarland: thinking critical theory that America is structurally Flawed that America is bad. So it's going to be lgbt, it's going to be anti Americanism and just unending messaging against anything traditional values.
If Christian young person is grounded in their faith, there's nothing wrong
>> Tim Wildmon: Let me ask you this question. So the question is, and Fred and Krish, you guys feel free to jump in. what do you say to the argument? Well listen, if a Christian young person is grounded in their faith, there's nothing wrong with going off to a college where they may be challenged, or ask questions or have to defend their faith. You can't shelter people forever from the real world. How would you respond to that?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, yeah, when a person is equipped like in the spirit of 1 Peter 3:15, you know, set apart Christ as Lord in your heart, be ready to give an answer. Jude, verse 3. Earnestly contend for the faith. When a person of any age has been discipled and they, they have invested in their worldview, I don't worry about them sitting under atheist PhDs. and you know, I myself have been to 150 colleges to speak or debate. I mean I wouldn't mind a young person going to Berkeley, Berserkley if they're well equipped. The thing is though that and I'm not trying to be overly critical of the church, I love the church. But many a Sunday school youth group discipleship program has been, ah, you know, pizza, paintball and Pepsi.
>> Alex McFarland: And not so much equipping. And then I mean just to give a child a copy of my book on graduation Sunday, that's not enough equipping I think. And my friend Ken Ham says this from childhood up, we need to win hearts and equip minds so that even though if a kid is sitting under pagan professors, they're not going to be deconstructed.
>> Tim Wildmon: Alex.
>> Fred Jackson: Ah, Proverbs 22:6 comes to mind.
>> Fred Jackson: Train up a child in the way they should go. And you kind of hit on it a few moments ago. The kids aren't prepared if they're going to go to a secular university. And as you say, even some colleges that have Christianity on the banner, they're not ready for it because they haven't been trained starting at a very early age. And that's where I think many times church youth groups, they should be there doing that, but they're not doing that well.
>> Alex McFarland: And here's the thing, and there's a myriad of content that will supplement what I'm about to say. But we have to ever, ever remind the church of the authority of God's Word. on Any issue. I know where I stand because I know where the Bible stands. Now I've got a 32 hour semester long course I teach on why we know that the Bible is the infallible word of God. But from toddlerhood up, we need to tell people that if you're a Christian, the Bible is our authority on all things about life and eternity. And I would say, Tim, you know, churches that, And again, I love the church, I'm not bashing the church. But look on homosexuality, gender, marriage, morals, Islam, economics, citizenship, patriotism. If the Bible were the authority that it should be in all of our lives, it would be a vastly different America.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, Krish, go ahead.
>> Chris Woodward: Yes. So, it's very timely that we're having this, discussion because I have two children, both girls. one is going into 11th grade, the other is, going into eighth grade. my 11th grader is, planning on going to college. She's, got her mind settled on one, and things like this, they scare me to death. I know as Christians we shouldn't be fearful.
>> Tim Wildmon: What scares you to death?
>> Chris Woodward: the fact that, they're going to be out into the world away from mom and dad.
>> Tim Wildmon: I got you.
>> Chris Woodward: And, so I think you've already answered this question, Alex. But, to help, people like me and others out there, just hear it in plain, simple terms. What should we parents be doing with a child just about to go to college? Like, hearing your discussion today, your thoughts, your plans, what should we be doing after this interview is over?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Great.
>> Alex McFarland: question.
Charles Darwin says parents need to role model before their children
Well, I think mom and dad need to role model before their children. And I know you have, and many others have as well. But I want to call on the men, the husbands and fathers, to be the priest of the home. And your children need to see that you pray with your wife and that you have, you know, read, open windows or our daily bread, or you have daily devotions and then that you're in church because, like Exodus 13, this is so beautiful. It says when it comes to pass that your son will ask you, why do we do these things? Then you will say, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, God with a strong hand delivered us. And the implication of Exodus 13 is that your child ultimately comes to this moment where they say, dad, how do I have what you've got? I can see your relationship with the Lord is preeminent. How do I have that too? So, we role model it, before our kids, but then we always invest. Martin Luther said this that you're investing in your children to learn, to be a disciple. And apologetics camp is part of that. Go into a good church is part of that. And so I've got to say this. Everything about our parenting has to be whether it's how we live in the home, where we are on Sunday morning, where we go to church, you know, going on vacation, but purposeful spiritual heritage tour, things like that. Everything about life for the disciple and the family is pointed towards our walk and our growth in Jesus.
>> Tim Wildmon: One other thing, just a personal experience. And this is. This would have been the mid-80s, at Mississippi State University, which is where I went to school. And I had to go to class called A and P, that's anatomy and physiology. You heard of this?
>> Alex McFarland: Sure.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, I didn't know what it was at the time.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: you mean at the time I didn't fare well? I just didn't. It's the study of every bone and every muscle in the body. And I don't know how I got in. I think my counselor just said, there's
>> Wesley Wildmon: a lot of that going on.
>> Tim Wildmon: I'm gonna put this guy in here and tell him he needs this class. And then he laughed as I walked out down the hall. I think that's what happened. Anyway, some reason I was in that class and the professor, the professor, like early on began to make fun of people who believed in biblical creation openly in the class. And it was like, that was the first time I'd been subjected to, Now I didn't get. She didn't have a chance to punish me for my grades because I did that by myself. I didn't need. Yeah, I didn't need her. She didn't need to punish me. I punished myself. But, but the point was, it was an eye opening moment when I was going, wait a minute, you're making fun of God? M. You're making fun of the Bible
>> Chris Woodward: and a school in the Bible belt
>> Tim Wildmon: and a school in the Bible. This would have been, Now this wasn't common, but it was in a class where you had to talk about where did humans come from. So it was quote science class, you know what I'm saying? But that was. I just remember that even to today, that was the first time I experienced it. somebody who was hostile to the biblical beliefs that I'd been taught.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah, I got a funny, quick, funny story. The opposite of that. So I was in middle school in science class. We got the book out. first page is this. Second, third page, it's got the monkeys. And my science teacher in public schools said, yeah, we're not going to cover that.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, we're going to skip this.
>> Chris Woodward: I had a similar situation in 9th grade belt.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes.
>> Chris Woodward: So in my 9th grade biology class, my teacher was a football, coach, and he coached other things. but one day he said, I have to tell you something. And he got up and he shut the door, and he sat back down and said, the state of Mississippi requires me to tell you that some people think we came from monkeys. That's the end of today's discussion. And he got up and opened the door. And then like, we had study hall for the rest of the period.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know what? this brings the question what I always wondered about evolution, Darwinian evolution, as it's called. That's based Charles Darwin. So, Alex, this is a whole other topic, but still, it's a question I've always had. These people argue that animals evolved. Right, Right. And that humans evolved. And I always thought, well, how did it all start? Because if you have, let's say alligators, for example, you have male and female. Without male and female, you can't procreate. You can't have baby alligators. Okay, so are you telling me that the male and the female, wherever they came from, evolved at the same time at the same place on planet Earth and have it.
>> Alex McFarland: And wasn't it fortunate that they happened to find each other?
>> Tim Wildmon: They happened to find each other and all these species did this. M. All over the globe. that is, That's unbelievable. Okay. You can't even. So when they make fun, these people who promote Darwinian or monkeys became people.
>> Alex McFarland: It's a fairy tale for grownups.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. I grant you that the biblical story of creation is something that sometimes hard to comprehend itself or explain. But I would say this for people who question that. We are talking about God here. So if God is supernatural and all powerful and omnipotent and all those things, he can do anything he wants, whether you believe in God or not. Your decision. But I'm just telling you, if you do believe in God, nothing is impossible. Okay.
Alex Bennett: Thank you for your time today. Appreciate it
Thank you, Alex. Appreciate it.
>> Alex McFarland: God bless you all.
>> Tim Wildmon: Bye bye. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
