Educate For Life with Kevin Conover

It’s not easy to keep a marriage healthy and vibrant for the long term, as anyone who has tried it can attest.  There are so many things that can come between two spouses, like careers, overbooked schedules, family obligations… and pornography.  Porn is a multi-billion dollar industry (more profitable than all the major league sports in the US), and it affects countless individuals, couples and families.  There is a lot of misinformation about pornography: that it can be consumed without a negative impact, that it is not a real addiction, and that it does not harm marriages (and can even help them).  But in reality, porn usage by either partner in a marriage causes them to find sexual fulfillment somewhere other than their spouse, and this has grave consequences.  It drives a wedge between the two people, dissolving intimacy, communication, and trust.  Often this damage is never undone: porn is a major factor in over half of divorces.

Kevin’s guests are Tony and Alisa DiLorenzo, creators of One Extraordinary Marriage (the number one marriage podcast on iTunes).  Over 9 years ago, Tony admitted to Alisa that he had been addicted to pornography for 18 years.  Rather than ending their marriage, this admission started them on a journey of restoring intimacy and trust, by removing all the things that had been getting in the way (including porn).  Though the road was hard, their marriage became much stronger after than it was before.  Now Tony and Alisa use their podcast and website (OneExtraordinaryMarriage.com) to help other couples work through struggles and restore/strengthen their intimacy.  Tony and Alisa have resolved not to shy away from addressing the more personal or unpleasant struggles that come with marriage, including those relating to sex and pornography.  Their hope is that the work they do can help millions of couples overcome hurdles like they did — one marriage at a time.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” — Matthew 5:27-28

This episode first aired on December 20th, 2015.

We make video lessons to raise up confident Christians: https://educateforlife.org/

America knows that freedom doesn’t come cheap.  There is always a high price to pay for liberty — and those who serve in the military bear the brunt of the expense.  Putting your life on the line for your country takes a heavy toll physically, psychologically, and spiritually.  That is why, in addition to the many other services provided for military personnel, our government funds a chaplain corps to meet their spiritual needs.  Military chaplains help service men and women to live out their constitutional right to the free exercise of religion, even while deployed.

This week Kevin talks with Bob and John Freiberg, a father and son who both serve as Navy chaplains.  Bob and John explain the duties of a chaplain, and why they provide a service that other types of counselors simply cannot.  As a military corps, chaplains are deployed with soldiers wherever they go.  They understand firsthand what servicemen go through, unlike professional counselors with no military experience.  And even more importantly, chaplains recognize and address the underlying spiritual causes of struggles faced by service men and women returning from active duty.  All too commonly they are afflicted by grief, fear, guilt, and other emotional burdens that feel inescapable.  More than psychological techniques or medication, people with these struggles need to know that there is a God who loves them, that right and wrong truly exist, and that God never abandons you no matter what you’ve done or what situation you’re in.  Bob and John share some incredible stories of how they have seen God transform the lives of veterans when nothing else could help them.  They also provide insight into the difficult life of a soldier, giving us even more reason to appreciate both the defenders of our nation, and the chaplains who minister to them.

“If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” — Romans 8:31b-32

This episode first aired on December 13th, 2015.

We make video lessons to raise up confident Christians: https://educateforlife.org/

Islam is utterly opposed to Christianity at its core, denying the message of Jesus’ deity, his death for our sins, and his resurrection to give us new life.  Yet across the world, Muslims are converting to Christianity in record numbers.  How is it that people who have been taught from a young age to reject the gospel wind up being transformed by it?

In this episode Kevin talks to a formerly Muslim, now Christian woman who goes by the name Tach (to protect her privacy, some of her personal information will not be disclosed).  Tach is a motivational speaker and television program director who brings the good news of Jesus Christ to women around the world.  She was raised by a Muslim family in a Soviet-ruled country, at a time when the government had made the practice of religion illegal.  Tach’s mother (her only family member who was serious about their religion) instilled a spiritual awareness in her from a young age, and she began to search for a deeper meaning in life.  However, even after the Soviet Union fell and the practice of Islam increased in her community, Tach did not find the answer to her spiritual emptiness.

It wasn’t until she left her family for college and met two Christian missionaries that Tach found out what could fill the void: a relationship with Jesus.  However, the change in her heart did not occur quickly.  It took over four years of repeated evangelism and deep searching for Tach to accept that Jesus is the Truth!

Tach and Kevin use her remarkable testimony to discuss how Christians can reach out to Muslims.  The most important thing is to build genuine, loving relationships that model Jesus Christ, and be patient!  Even if an evangelistic effort does not produce immediate, obvious fruit, God can work through it to make a change in someone’s heart.

Learn more about Tach and her ministry at Tach-SetFree.com.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” — John 14:27

This episode first aired on December 6th, 2015.

We make video lessons to raise up confident Christians: https://educateforlife.org/

From God’s first acknowledgement that it is not good for man to be alone, the Bible affirms the importance of marriage through and through.  If Christians look to God’s word to understand His plan for marriage, they will be able to experience the true joy of having a God-honoring relationship with their spouse.  This week Kevin’s guest is Hobby Howard, who has been on staff with Family Life for 20 years.  Hobby is a ministry representative for Family Life’s Weekend to Remember marriage conference.  Weekend to Remember can equip any couple, whether their marriage is going strong or falling apart, with knowledge and tools to strengthen their bond.  It has brought many struggling couples back from the brink of divorce, and in some remarkable cases (as Hobby explains) even brought already divorced couples back into a strong marriage bond!

What is so special about this conference?  Even though marriage is the cornerstone of society, we spend little time throughout our lives learning what it takes to make a marriage succeed.  And even though we invest time, money and effort into upkeep for all sorts of other things (like cars, houses and jobs), we often fail to invest in maintaining a strong marital relationship.  Weekend to Remember shows couples the often overlooked biblical blueprint for marriage, which puts God at the center and replaces human conditional acceptance with divine unconditional love.  With this foundation, it also provides all kinds of practical knowledge on critical topics, such as methods to improve communication, different roles filled by each spouse, how to “fight” the right way, and so many other areas.

Statistics show that fewer and fewer young people are interested in marriage.  There are a variety of reasons for this, but one is certainly that they have never had a good role model of marriage in their lives.  It is up to the married couples of today to prevent the decay of marriage by doing the hard work of maintaining a strong, healthy relationship, and refusing to split up even when things get tough.

You can find great resources, as well as information about future Weekend to Remember conferences across the nation, at FamilyLife.com.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” — Colossians 3:12-14

This episode first aired on November 29th, 2015.

We make video lessons to raise up confident Christians: https://educateforlife.org/

In the previous episode Kevin talked with Dr. Gary Cass about the doctrine of the lesser magistrate, and how it is the duty of lesser authorities to stand up to higher authorities when they become tyrannical.  This principle applies to all kinds of bodies, including families, businesses, churches, and nations.  Those who hold power do not have absolute and unquestionable authority, but are constantly kept in check by the ones who gave it to them.

This time Kevin and Gary continue the conversation by looking at other relevant principles of government, exploring how our understanding of federal authority has been corrupted, and discussing how we can respond proactively to the alarming trend of the Supreme Court vastly overstepping its authority.  They talk about the Supremacy Clause, which states that federal law is the supreme law of the land if the federal government is acting within its legitimate powers.  They also discuss the actions being taken to finally counteract the unconstitutional Johnson Amendment, a 1954 law which prevents tax-exempt organizations (including churches) from speaking about political candidates and issues.

Governments are meant to act as representatives of God and His laws, and it is up to the church to make sure that they are doing so.  It may be tempting to withdraw from the world and focus only on God’s spiritual kingdom, but history has taught us that when the church silently allows the government to run rampant, terrible tragedies can occur—just ask Germany’s Lutheran church in the 1930s and 40s.  To learn more about how to fulfill your civic duty as an American Christian, visit DefendChristians.org.

“For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.” — Romans 13:4

This episode first aired on November 22nd, 2015.

We make video lessons to raise up confident Christians: https://educateforlife.org/

You’ve probably heard of Kim Davis, a Kentucky county clerk who made national news when she was sent to jail for a unique crime.  Davis was the first notable case of a person facing criminal charges for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses.  Davis argues that it is not herself but the Federal Government who has violated the law, by infringing upon her religious freedom.  Her case revives a question that Americans have faced since before we were even an independent nation: when does it become appropriate (and necessary) for citizens to disobey their government?

Kevin’s guest this week is Dr. Gary Cass, founder of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission.  Dr. Cass has ministered behind the Iron Curtain of the Soviet Union, acted as the Director of the Center for Reclaiming America for Christ, appeared on various national television networks, and written multiple books (including Gag Order).  In 2004 he was awarded the Salt and Light award by Dr. D. James Kennedy, with whom he worked closely.  He appears on the CADC’s daily national radio program called Freedom Alert.

Kevin talks with Dr. Cass about an essential civil principle of which many modern Americans are unaware: the doctrine of the lesser magistrate.  Rooted in Protestant Christianity, this concept states that when a high authority (or government) becomes tyrannical or immoral, it is the duty of its citizens to rebel, in order to overthrow it or restore it to its proper state.  This sentiment should be familiar to all US citizens, since it is how our nation was founded!  As free people, Americans have a responsibility to push back against any law that would threaten liberty.  Disobedience of unjust laws does not cause anarchy, but guards against it — by preventing tyranny!

“Saul said, ‘May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you do not die, Jonathan.’ But the men said to Saul, ‘Should Jonathan die—he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.’ So the men rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.” — 1 Samuel 14:44-45

This episode first aired on November 15th, 2015.

We make video lessons to raise up confident Christians: https://educateforlife.org/

Can a biologically male transgender student be denied access to facilities intended only for girls? Can a public high school football coach pray on the field after games?  Can a Christian photographer or baker decline to provide services for a homosexual wedding?  Questions like these now arise with increasing frequency, and underlying all of them is the issue of separation of church and state.

This week Kevin talks with Frank Kacer, an expert on the relationship between politics and religion.  Frank is a pastor and elder at Grace Bible Church in Escondido, a long-time Christian activist, the author of over 150 columns and op-eds on Biblical politics, and also a trained physicist!  He is the founder of the Christian Statesman Internship Program, which he designed to transform believers into biblically based, politically conscious leaders of society.

Kevin and Frank talk in depth about the ubiquitous concept of separation of church and state.  If these two bodies must remain totally separate, then how should Christians participate in politics?  Is it really wrong to legislate morality?  Frank explains that government is a morally neutral tool of society that can be used for good or evil.  Because the government is so active in our lives, there is no hope of completely avoiding political issues.  Instead we must know how to engage them faithfully, intelligently, and effectively.

Our government asks its citizens, who should be in charge and what laws should be enforced?  If the Christians of America do not respond, others certainly will; and we might not like their answer.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? … You are the light of the world… let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” — Matthew 5:13-16.

This episode first aired on November 8th, 2015.

We make video lessons to raise up confident Christians: https://educateforlife.org/

In this episode, Kevin talks with Ananthapadmanabhan  Kandhadai (who goes by Ananth) and Johnny John, two friends who have a lot in common. Both were born and raised in India, both have lived in San Diego for over 20 years, and both work as engineers for Qualcomm. But there is one notable difference between them: Ananth was born into the ~80% of India’s Hindu population, and he is a practicing Hindu. Johnny, however, was born into the ~2% of India’s Christian population, and he is a practicing Christian.

As they grew up in differing worldviews, Ananth and Johnny gained distinct perspectives on life, religion, salvation, and God. They discuss (not debate) their philosophies on these and other topics, in addition to explaining some key components of Hindu beliefs and culture (such as reincarnation, cow reverence and vegetarianism). This episode provides an excellent firsthand perspective on the differences between Hinduism and Christianity, not only in terms of specific beliefs, but also with regards to general outlook and mindset.  Though Ananth and Johnny both stuck with the religion of their parents, it was not for the same reasons.  Their discussion shows that it not only matters what you believe, but why you believe it.

“…test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22.

This episode first aired on October 25th, 2015.

We make video lessons to raise up confident Christians: https://educateforlife.org/

This week Kevin talks with Jerry Huson of 7 Day Hero, an organization that takes American Christians to overseas mission fields.  Jerry has found many ways to occupy himself throughout his life, from coaching high school and college sports, to earning a PhD, to driving floats at Disneyland.  But there is one pursuit he will never be able to give up: ministering to the needy in far-off places.  Jerry has been to over 40 countries, and has seen countless transformed lives among both the impoverished people in need of aid, and the volunteers who come along to help them.

Jerry’s organization, 7 Day Hero, is all about teaching people how to be a hero seven days a week.  What is a hero?  Someone who gives himself away, helping those who can’t help themselves, without expecting anything in return.  This is something that can (and should) be done around the world, but it can also be done in one’s own neighborhood, street, and household.  Those who go on Jerry’s trips experience what it’s like to be a hero by helping people with no resources to help themselves, including blind people who can’t afford simple eye surgeries and lepers who have no access to treatment.  But instead of simply leaving the trip behind them, they are encouraged to think about how they can still be a hero once they return home.  The simplest acts, like performing a chore for a loved one to conversing with a stranger, can have an unforgettable impact on another person’s life.

Two millennia ago Jesus Christ walked the earth, cleansing lepers, giving sight to the blind, and most importantly, showing love to the outcasts.  He told his followers, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12) To this day, followers of Jesus are called to participate in his works.  We have the ability to provide treatment for lepers and surgery that can restore sight to blind eyes; will we take action and put our resources to work for the Kingdom of God?

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” —Luke 14:26

Learn more about 7 Day Hero and their mission to restore sight to 20,000 eyes by visiting 7DayHero.org.

This episode first aired on October 18th, 2015.

We make video lessons to raise up confident Christians: https://educateforlife.org/

Would you choose to follow Jesus even if it meant being rejected by your culture, disowned by your family, and cut off from all financial support?  Kevin’s guest this week, Onesmus Ngoboka, had to make that choice—when he was only 14 years old.  In this episode Onesmus shares his incredible testimony, and discusses what his ministry is doing to spread the gospel to the fringes of society in Uganda.

Onesmus was technically brought up in the church, but in his village even churchgoers looked to the local witch doctor rather than God to solve their problems.  At age 12 he had a troubling dream in which God showed him that despite his nominal Christian faith, he was headed for hell.  Onesmus realized that he needed a personal relationship with Jesus, something his church had never emphasized.  He decided to obey the call of God, but soon this choice cost him everything he had, including his family.  With no one else to rely on, he fully placed his trust in God, and in turn God provided for him over and over again.

Thanks to God’s providence, Onesmus was given the opportunity to attend graduate school in the United States.  Now he is returning to Uganda with a Masters in Divinity and an MA in Christian Ministry to train pastors and equip the church.  He works with Uganda Ministries (a non-profit organization he cofounded) to support rural churches, provide Christian schooling for children, give aid to orphans, and even broadcast a Christian radio program that reaches millions of listeners.  You can learn more about what his ministry is doing at UgandaMinistries.org.  Whether through prayer or pledges, please consider offering your support to this worthy effort!

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” —Luke 14:26

Even atheists acknowledge the need for the gospel of Jesus Christ in Africa: check out this article from Creation.com.

This episode first aired on October 11th, 2015.

We make video lessons to raise up confident Christians: https://educateforlife.org/