The Good Citizen Podcast

After two years of research and writing and just in time for America’s 250th, my latest book – Created Equal – is now live!

The United States was founded on a profound and Biblical idea: all people are created by a Creator and are, therefore, equal.

Though the phrases “created equal” and “made in the image of God” are often used in American public life, do we fully understand them? And how did this remarkable principle rooted in Genesis 1 end up in the Declaration of Independence? Most importantly, how can Americans recapture this ideal as a compelling and unifying vision for the United States in the 21st century? In this book, I explore America’s founding principle, review how she has faltered and triumphed in implementing it, and set out a vision for America’s future as example and champion of the truth that we are all created equal.

This is my most historically-focused work, with 575 references (and many of them original sources in the National Archives). And I trace America’s story from thirteen small colonies to a world power that discovered flight and sent astronauts to the stars. I also tell the story of freedom and equality unfurling–like a flag in a stiff and relentless breeze–to every American and explain why our founding principle–though faded with time and inattention–is the best hope of a new birth of freedom in our time.

*Note that we will be taking a summer break, and our next episode will release the first week of August!

Link to the Kindle and Print versions.

As we prepare to celebrate America’s 250th birthday or semiquincentennial, here are 4 facts about the 4th of July and some reflections on America’s present and future.

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After an inspirational family trip to Washington, D.C. in 2022, John and Faith Gelsthorpe launched Lost History Tours to create app-based, self-guided history tours that make David Barton’s rich historical knowledge accessible to everyone, anywhere. Just in time for America’s 250th (and summer road trips), here’s the story of this homeschool family’s kingdom entrepreneurship, some remarkable forgotten moments and individuals in American history, and how to use this tool to ensure America’s true history is never LOST.

Key Takeaways:

Click Here to Watch on YouTube

In this chapter, the fate of Esther and her people hangs in the balance as she approaches the Persian king without invitation. This episode/sermon explores this dramatic moment, including the courage required to stand before an unpredictable ruler, the wisdom behind Esther’s surprising strategy, and the deadly pride and bitterness that consumed Haman. Along the way, we consider God’s providence working behind the scenes and the importance of using the position and influence God has entrusted to us.

Series overview: Once upon a time—and I mean in God’s perfect time—a Jewish orphan girl named Esther became a Persian Queen. But, as many of you know, this book is less fairy tale and much more mystery—a book full of lessons about the mysteries of divine calling, evil and justice, finding courage to stand for truth, and understanding God’s eternal purposes in history and in our story. Though her husband claimed the title “king of kings,” Esther’s ultimate allegiance lay elsewhere—to the high King of the universe. In that sense, here’s the story and the lessons we should learn from Esther: the King’s Queen.

Outline:

Key Takeaways:

Click Here to Watch on YouTube

As we count down toward America’s 250th anniversary, here’s a brief review and lessons from six of the most remarkable moments in our brief history as a nation: the signing of the Declaration of Independence against seemingly impossible odds, George Washington’s voluntary resignation of military power, the spark of the Second Great Awakening and spiritual and social renewal, Abraham Lincoln’s reflections on God’s judgment and call for reconciliation in his Second Inaugural Address, America’s perseverance through the darkest days of World War II and its restraint after gaining unprecedented power, and our bold venture into the stars (including the dramatic final moments before Apollo 11 touched down on the moon). Along the way, I explore why America’s greatest achievements have never been merely military, political, or technological; rather, they were moments when principle, character, and purpose shaped the nation’s destiny. And we should find courage and inspiration from these moments to face the challenges and seize the opportunities of our day.

Click Here to Watch on YouTube

Many Christians know where to find religious freedom in the U.S. Constitution, but do we know where to find it in the Bible? In this interview, theologian and ethicist Andrew Walker discusses the Biblical roots of this “first freedom,” the current state of religious freedom in the United States and explains why Christians should defend and promote it in the coming years.

Dr. Walker serves as Associate Dean in the School of Theology, and Associate Professor of Christian Ethics and Public Theology. He is also the Director of the Carl F. H. Henry Institute for Evangelical Engagement. Additionally, he is a fellow in Christian Political Thought at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and serves as the Managing Editor of WORLD Opinions. Walker joined the faculty of Southern Seminary in 2019. His previous appointment was Senior Fellow in Christian Ethics at the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. He is married to Christian, and they have three children. He is a member of Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. 

He writes regularly for such outlets as National Review, First Things, Newsweek, WORLD Opinions, The Gospel Coalition, American Reformer, and Public Discourse. He’s done additional study through the Witherspoon Institute and the James Madison Program at Princeton University. In 2023, he was one of the winners of the inaugural “Freedom and Opportunity” academic awards from the Heritage Foundation for his contributions to conservative thought.

Key Takeaways:

Follow Andrew on X: @andrewtwalk

World Opinions

Ethics and Public Policy Center

God and the Transgender Debate

The future of our churches, communities, and country is tied to the strength of the family, and that institution is in free fall. Here’s how to respond. In this episode, I sit down with J. P. De Gance, founder of Communio, to discuss why marriage ministry is essential to the mission of the church and the future of the nation. Together, we explore the connection among strong marriages, thriving kids, discipleship, and long-term cultural renewal. Drawing from research and ministry experience, De Gance encourages pastors and other committed Christians to see marriage not as a side ministry, but as a central strategy for evangelism, stability, and human flourishing. Here is Communio’s hopeful vision and proven strategy for rebuilding communities by strengthening the family.

J.P. De Gance is the founder and president of Communio and the co-author of the book, Endgame: The Church’s Strategic Move to Save Faith and Family in America. JP is also the author of the Nationwide Study on Faith and Relationships. Communio is a ministry originally incubated as the Culture of Freedom Initiative at The Philanthropy Roundtable where he served as the organization’s executive vice president. The Initiative raised and spent $20 million over three years in three different states seeking to identify the most effective strategies to boost marital health, family stability, and church engagement. From 2016 to 2018, the experimental initiative worked with an ecumenical network of churches and drove down the divorce rate by 24 percent in Jacksonville, FL. Today, Communio serves churches across the United States helping them evangelize by applying the learnings from their successful intervention in Jacksonville. A husband and father, JP lives in Virginia with his wife and eight children.

Against the backdrop of the massive Persian empire and a decree of destruction, Mordecai grapples with grief and how to encourage and challenge Esther to action without exposing her to Haman. Esther, a young queen, is then confronted with a terrifying reality: approach the king uninvited and risk death, or remain silent while her people perish. In this compelling passage, we find lessons about dealing with disaster, God’s sovereignty, the necessity of prayer, and the courage to take a stand no matter the cost.

Series overview: Once upon a time—and I mean in God’s perfect time—a Jewish orphan girl named Esther became a Persian Queen. But, as many of you know, this book is less fairy tale and much more mystery—a book full of lessons about the mysteries of divine calling, evil and justice, finding courage to stand for truth, and understanding God’s eternal purposes in history and in our story. Though her husband claimed the title “king of kings,” Esther’s ultimate allegiance lay elsewhere—to the high King of the universe. In that sense, here’s the story and the lessons we should learn from Esther: the King’s Queen.

Outline:

Key Takeaways:

Click Here to Watch on YouTube

In this week’s episode, I welcome Answers in Genesis founder Ken Ham to the podcast for a conversation on why America’s renewal must begin—not with politics, economics, or education alone—but with a return to God’s created order revealed in Genesis 1.

Ken shares his personal spiritual formation in Australia, his early ministry, and the remarkable story behind his move to America and the founding of Answers in Genesis. He also explores how abandoning Genesis as literal history has weakened the foundations of truth, identity, marriage, family, morality, and human dignity (that about covers it) throughout Western culture.

This conversation examines why the battle for America is ultimately theological before it is political and why lasting renewal cannot come merely through elections, policy reforms, or cultural activism disconnected from Biblical authority. Ken explains how Genesis establishes the framework for understanding home, church, and state—and why recovering a Biblical worldview begins with restoring confidence in God’s Word from the very first verse.

Key takeaways and links:

Click Here to Watch on YouTube

Given the resurgence in armed conflict around the globe, what does it mean for Christians to think Biblically about war? In this episode, I review the striking exchange between President Trump and Pope Leo XIV, explain the Christian just war tradition, and explore how that tradition applies in the current conflict with Iran. If you have ever wrestled with the intersection of foreign policy, national defense, and real-world conflict, this episode will help with an historical and Biblical overview.

Key Takeaways:

Click Here to Watch on YouTube