Code Red with Zach Terry

A Pastor’s Journey from Brokenness to Influence | Bishop Vaughn McLaughlin

Bishop Vaughn McLaughlin joins Pastor Zach Terry for one of the most powerful conversations we’ve had on Code Red.

From growing up without Christ, to a radical conversion at 26 years old, to building one of the most influential ministries in Jacksonville, Bishop McLaughlin shares the incredible story of how God transformed his life and used him to impact an entire city.

This episode dives deep into ministry, leadership, theology, mentorship, church culture, perseverance, and what it truly means to build something for the glory of God.

Whether you’re in ministry, business, leadership, or simply searching for purpose, this conversation will challenge and encourage you.

WATCH NOW and share this episode with someone who needs hope.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction & Meeting at Hobby Lobby Headquarters

01:45 – “I Was 26 Before I Ever Held a Bible”

03:05 – Saved Alone at Home with Jack Daniels & Weed

05:35 – Reading the Bible Before Ever Going to Church

09:20 – Learning to Preach Without Formal Training

14:05 – Transforming Jacksonville Through Community Ministry

20:10 – Preaching His First Sermon in Front of His Father

27:45 – Growing a Church Without a Mentor

39:30 – The Vision That Built a City

46:00 – 38 Years of Ministry, Marriage, and Staying Scandal-Free

54:40 – Surviving Success, Spiritual Warfare & Trusting God

1:00:45 – Building Church Culture & Reaching the Next Generation

#CodeRed #BishopVaughnMcLaughlin #PastorZachTerry #Jacksonville #ChristianPodcast #Faith #Leadership #ChurchLeadership #Testimony #Gospel #Ministry #Christianity #JesusChrist #Pastor #Revival

UFOs are landing on the front page. Iran is on its knees. The conservative media world is having a public nervous breakdown. And in the middle of it all, Christians are being told to worry less and have more babies.

Jeff Childers (Coffee & Covid Substack) is back in the studio for one of the most wide-ranging Code Red Talks we've ever recorded. We connect the dots between the Department of War's UFO disclosure, the Book of Enoch, the Strait of Hormuz, the global AI energy race, the Epstein files, the Tucker–Candace–Fuentes shakeup, and the spiritual undercurrent driving every bit of it.

Buckle up. This one is a ride.

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⏱ TIMESTAMPS / CHAPTERS

(Click any timestamp to jump straight to that segment)

0:00  —  Cold open — Welcome to Code Red Talk

0:22  —  Maximum Life+ App: $3.99 for everything we make

1:09  —  Jeff Childers in the studio — UFO disclosure breaks on X

3:12  —  Will full disclosure even satisfy us? Lessons from the JFK files

6:08  —  Perry Stone, the "secret pastors meeting," and the disclosure narrative

8:07  —  A biblical framework for UFOs — Ezekiel's wheels & angelic categories

11:06  —  Why the Book of Enoch is suddenly everywhere

12:13  —  Genesis 6, the fallen angels, and "forbidden" technology

14:47  —  The Nephilim — the missing biblical category

16:19  —  Could AI itself be "angelic" technology?

22:00  —  Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, and who really gets hurt

24:28  —  What if the 45-day war was about closing the strait?

25:00  —  Trump's hidden strategy: keep it closed without saying so

27:13  —  The global AI energy race — why this matters for 100 years

27:59  —  California governor debates & the $7 gas problem

31:42  —  Could Trump legally serve a third term? Two paths explained

33:37  —  Rubio vs. Vance — who's being groomed?

34:15  —  The Mayday protests: 600 nonprofits, $2B in revenue, "totally organic"

35:26  —  Democrats in Klan hoods? Nashville's bizarre new tactic

35:57  —  The SPLC indictment — manufacturing the enemy

37:52  —  Where we really are on the Epstein files

39:33  —  How modern espionage & blackmail actually work today

41:20  —  Anthropic, Claude AI, and the Department of War clash

44:28  —  Are AI chatbots politically biased? Jeff's IQ-and-race test

46:11  —  Daily Wire layoffs & the great conservative media shakeup

46:43  —  Tucker Carlson, the New York Times, and the Antichrist question

48:12  —  Nick Fuentes goes Democrat — Loomer rises — Candace unravels

49:08  —  The "spiritual jet fuel" that's destroying podcasters

50:44  —  X dynamics, self-censoring, and the temptation to chase outrage

53:01  —  Reagan's 11th Commandment: "Don't punch right"

55:06  —  Why megachurch pastors suddenly drift left at the plateau

55:47  —  "It's crack" — the addictive nature of audience attention

57:23  —  Is Candace Owens having a real-time meltdown?

58:54  —  Ben Shapiro's tanking numbers & the train-wreck economy of media

1:00:03  —  Rush Limbaugh vs. Alex Jones — lessons we keep ignoring

1:01:50  —  Hunter Thompson, burnout, and a warning to today's commentator

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Jeff Childers is the writer behind Coffee & Covid, one of the most-read political and cultural Substacks in America. He's an attorney, a Christian, and one of the sharpest commentators tracking the intersection of faith, politics, technology, and the American experiment.

Subscribe to Coffee & Covid: https://www.coffeeandcovid.com/

Healing Eating Disorders Through Faith Based Care with Amie Shields and Ashlee Benson

In this deeply moving episode, we sit down with Amy and Ashley to talk about something many people don’t fully understand but countless people silently struggle with: eating disorders.

Amy shares her powerful story of trauma, shame, and survival, and how God redeemed her pain into a mission that is now helping women find healing every day. Today, she leads a nonprofit residential treatment center in North Florida, offering both clinical excellence and deep spiritual care to women battling life-threatening eating disorders.

This conversation goes beyond surface-level understanding. It explores the emotional, physical, and spiritual realities of eating disorders and how true healing requires all three.

Whether you’re personally struggling, love someone who is, or simply want to understand how to help, this episode matters.

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If you or someone you love is struggling with an eating disorder, help is available.

Charis Eating Disorder Care provides Christ-centered, residential treatment for women, combining clinical excellence with deep spiritual care.

Learn more or reach out: www.chariscare.com

In this episode of Code Red, retired federal judge Tim Batten shares a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the justice system—from the weight of sentencing decisions to the reality that every person who stands before the bench has a story.

With decades on the federal bench, he opens up about law, mercy, and faith—and what it really means to pursue justice in a broken world.

He shares:
What it’s like to sentence someone to decades in prison
Why every defendant deserves dignity and respect
The emotional weight judges carry (and rarely talk about)
How faith shaped his approach to justice
His role in the 2020 election case—and why he ruled the way he did
Why Christians are needed in the legal system now more than ever

This conversation is thoughtful, sobering, and deeply insightful.

In this episode of Code Red, Pastor Zach Terry sits down with Pastor Tim Anderson for a deeply personal conversation about ministry, faithfulness, revival, and the hand of God through decades of service.

Pastor Tim shares his story of coming to Christ as a boy, working for years in a secular job, being called into ministry later in life, and eventually pastoring Clements Baptist Church for more than three decades. He reflects on the value of bi-vocational ministry, the importance of strong deacons, the power of faithful mentors, and what it means to finish well.

They also talk about revival ministry, spiritual warfare, the influence of men like Fred Lackey, Johnny Hunt, and Dr. Bill Stafford, and the mission of ICR: International Congress on Revival.

He shares:

How he came to know Christ at 10 years old

What shaped him in his early years of faith

How working a regular job prepared him for ministry

The story of being called into pastoral ministry later in life

What it was like to plant and build Clements Baptist Church

Why faithful leadership and strong deacons matter

The impact of mentors like Fred Lackey and Bill Stafford

Stories of spiritual warfare, answered prayer, and God’s power

What ICR is and how it encourages pastors around the world

This conversation is rich, honest, encouraging, and full of wisdom for pastors, church leaders, and anyone who wants to see what long-term faithfulness looks like.

In this episode of Code Red, Jenna Griffith opens up about her journey—from being a young military spouse navigating loss, addiction, and emotional isolation… to becoming an author, speaker, and advocate for military and first responder families.

She shares:

The hidden struggles military spouses face

How trauma impacts marriage and family life

Her battle with anxiety and New Age practices

The moment she returned to a true relationship with Christ

How God used her pain to launch a mission: Service & Soul

This conversation is honest, powerful, and deeply needed.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Introduction & background

02:00 – Life as a military spouse

05:00 – The emotional toll on families

07:30 – Early marriage, motherhood, and hardship

11:00 – Trauma, loss, and leaning on faith

16:00 – Addiction, brokenness, and divorce

19:00 – Searching for healing in New Age practices

21:30 – Spiritual attack & anxiety

24:00 – Finding true healing in Christ

29:00 – Aerial Recovery & humanitarian missions

38:00 – Marriage struggles during deployment seasons

42:00 – Writing her book & discovering her calling

46:00 – Why she shifted her message to military spouses

50:00 – New Age vs. Biblical truth

54:00 – The vision for Service & Soul

57:00 – Why this mission matters now more than ever

Southern Baptists Are Facing A Defining Moment | Code Red with Willy Rice

In this episode of Code Red, Pastor Zach Terry sits down with Willy Rice to discuss a defining moment in the life of the Southern Baptist Convention.

As conversations around leadership, doctrine, transparency, and cultural engagement continue to intensify, this episode explores what’s at stake—and what the future of the SBC could look like.

They cover:

This is an important and timely conversation for anyone who cares about the future of the Church, the direction of evangelicalism, and the mission ahead.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction

1:12 – What is the Southern Baptist Convention?

3:00 – Why this moment matters for the SBC

6:30 – The role of the SBC president

10:30 – The current state of the convention

14:00 – Conviction, clarity, and doctrinal alignment

20:00 – Where churches have liberty vs. where clarity is needed

24:00 – Cultural issues and the need for a clear voice

27:00 – Decline in giving & future concerns

31:00 – Transparency and trust within SBC leadership

38:45 – Church growth vs. church health

42:00 – Speaking into culture & leadership responsibility

46:45 – Why this election matters

50:00 – Why Orlando is a critical moment

55:00 – Past controversies & lessons learned

1:00:30 – Moving forward with wisdom and clarity

1:05:00 – Final thoughts & how to get involved

DESCRIPTION

What is really happening behind the headlines?

In this episode of Code Red Talk, Zach Terry sits down with Jeff Childers to break down the fast-moving global situation—from Trump’s war strategy with Iran to the surprising drop in gold prices, market volatility, and even the future of space exploration with Artemis 2.

This isn’t surface-level commentary. It’s a deep dive into how war, economics, and political strategy are unfolding in real time.

If you want to understand what others are missing, this episode is for you.

IN THIS EPISODE

Why Trump’s “major announcement” said nothing—and why that matters

The two-track strategy: war vs. negotiation

How propaganda actually works in modern warfare

Why gold is falling during conflict (and what it signals)

The real reason global markets are unstable right now

What’s happening with the Strait of Hormuz

Fuel shortages in Europe and flight cancellations

The strategic importance of the moon (Artemis 2)

What could happen before the midterms

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Why subscribing matters (help us grow)

00:56 – Jeff Childers joins the show

02:00 – Audience growth & Substack engagement

03:00 – Pam Bondi transition & DOJ strategy

06:00 – Media speculation vs. reality

08:30 – Blackmail theory & political timing

10:00 – Artemis 2 and the return to the moon

13:00 – Space Force & military implications

15:30 – Trump’s “big speech” breakdown

17:00 – The two-track strategy (war vs negotiation)

19:00 – Propaganda in modern warfare

21:00 – Why the markets reacted negatively

23:00 – Why gold is dropping during war

25:00 – Where should you invest right now?

26:30 – Strategic ambiguity explained

27:30 – Midterm strategy & economic timing

29:00 – Global fuel shortages & UK flight cancellations

30:30 – China vs. U.S. economic strategy

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COMMENT BELOW

What do YOU think is really happening behind the scenes?

Is this strategy… or chaos?

⚠️ DISCLAIMER

This episode is for informational and commentary purposes only and does not constitute financial or legal advice.

Download the Maximum Life+ app today and get instant access to hundreds of hours of sermons, Bible studies, books, and exclusive content from Dr. Zach Terry — all in one place. Simply search "Maximum Life+" in the App Store or Google Play, download the app, and subscribe to unlock everything, including a free copy of A Commentary on the Minor Prophets. Join a growing community of believers who are going deeper in God's Word every day.

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Intern Takeover

What happens when the interns take over the mic?

In this special episode of Code Red, Pastor Zach Terry hands the conversation to two young men stepping into ministry asking real, unfiltered questions about faith, culture, calling, and the challenges facing their generation.

From the cyclical nature of history to the rise of New Age spirituality, from preaching with authenticity to navigating truth in a confused culture. This conversation is honest, thoughtful, and deeply relevant.

You’ll hear discussions on:

This episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at discipleship in action and a glimpse into the next generation of church leadership.

Whether you’re in ministry, considering your calling, or simply asking deeper questions about faith and culture, this conversation will challenge and encourage you.

Watch now and join the conversation.

In this episode of Code Red, Julie Terry sits down with Jessie Fox, a missionary with Signs of Love, to discuss her calling to share the Gospel with deaf communities around the world.

Jessie shares her journey from growing up in Colorado to serving overseas in Honduras and Argentina, where she works to bring the message of Christ to people who often have no access to Scripture, churches, or even formal language.

They explore:

This powerful conversation highlights how God is working in places many people never see—and how the Gospel is reaching communities that have been overlooked for generations.

00:00 – Introduction and welcome to Jessie Fox

00:38 – Jessie’s faith journey and coming to Christ

02:30 – Discovering sign language and a calling to the deaf community

04:30 – Realizing the global need for missions to unreached people groups

06:20 – Why the deaf are one of the largest unreached people groups

08:00 – How Jessie and her husband were called to overseas missions

09:45 – Moving to Honduras and beginning ministry with Signs of Love

12:00 – Finding deaf individuals through “treasure hunting”

13:50 – A powerful story of faith from a deaf woman in Argentina

18:40 – Training deaf believers to disciple other deaf people

21:00 – Creating Bible story resources in sign language

24:30 – The challenges of translating Scripture for the deaf

27:00 – Raising up local deaf leaders for long-term ministry

31:00 – Reaching the one: why individual discipleship matters

35:20 – A children’s book about the deaf community and final thoughts