This week on The Narrative, CCV Policy Director Mike Andrews and Communications Director Mike Andrews sit down with Pavel Unguryan and Diyana Gabyak to hear firsthand what's happening inside Ukraine and why Christians there are facing some of the fiercest persecution in recent history.

From churches being shut down to believers being targeted for their faith, Ukraine's war is not only a battle for territory, it's a battle for the soul of a nation.

Before the conversation, the guys share about the recent launch of the Christian Education Network and the leaders who came to Ohio this week to learn more about launching their own state networks. They also talk about the recent Supreme Court rumblings of overturning the Obergefell decision that legalized same-sex "marriage." 

MORE ABOUT PAVEL UNGURYAN

Pavel Unguryan is a distinguished politician, public servant, and long-time leader within the Ukrainian Baptist Union.

Since 2019, he has served as the Executive Secretary of the Ukrainian Conservative Movement, a nationwide organization headquartered in Kyiv with branches across all 24 regions of Ukraine.

The movement unites hundreds of thousands of citizens and fosters partnerships among more than 20 national religious associations, including Protestant organizations, Greek Catholics, Roman Catholics, and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

MORE ABOUT DIYANA GABYAK

Diyana Gabyak is an entrepreneur, faith-driven leader, and unwavering advocate for strong families, conservative values, and transformative leadership.

With 25 years of experience as a worship leader, she has dedicated her life to faith, service, and uplifting others. She serves as a board member in multiple worldwide ministries, working tirelessly to support orphaned and foster children, rebuild lives, and create a future filled with hope and opportunity.

Diyana and her husband, Vladimir, live in northern Ohio with their five children.

We have reached a "civilizational moment" in the battle for truth. And it's past time for Christians to stand up and speak out. 

In this week's episode of The Narrative, CCV Policy Director David Mahan and Communications Director Mike Andrews sit down with John Stonestreet, president of the Colson Center, to talk about the upcoming documentary, Truth Rising.

This powerful project confronts the crisis of truth in today's culture and calls believers to live courageously, rooted in the unchanging Word of God.

Before diving into the conversation with John, the guys break down some of the biggest stories making headlines this week:

📉 Trump announces plans to cut federal funding to PBS, NPR, and other woke media outlets — finally putting an end to taxpayer-funded propaganda.

📺 NBC4’s “Out in Ohio” segment — a blatant push to normalize radical gender ideology in Ohio’s heartland. The guys unpack why local news outlets are no longer neutral and what Christians need to know.

Gather friends and family and watch the release of Truth Rising on Friday, September 5!

MORE ABOUT JOHN STONESTREET

John Stonestreet serves as president of the Colson Center. He’s a sought-after speaker and author on areas of faith and culture, theology, worldview, education, and apologetics.

John is the daily voice of Breakpoint, the nationally syndicated commentary on the culture founded by the late Chuck Colson. He has co-authored five books including, A Practical Guide to Culture and Restoring All Things.

Before joining the Colson Center in 2010, John served in various leadership capacities with Summit Ministries and was on the biblical studies faculty at Bryan College in Tennessee.

John is an ordained deacon in the Anglican Diocese of All Nations (Anglican Church of North America). He and his wife, Sarah, have four children and live in Colorado Springs, CO.

The future of the family depends on fathers who lead with conviction and faith. 

Kent Evans joins CCV Policy Director David Mahan and Communications Director Mike Andrews on this week's episode of The Narrative to talk about the joys and challenges of fatherhood—and how men can lead their homes with purpose, faith, and strength. 

Before they sit down with Kent, David and Mike touch on some news of the week, sharing about the surprising pro-life themes in Marvel's new Fantastic Four movie, and how a recent Cleveland Guardians sports betting incident poses the question: is betting more important than the game itself?

Whether you're a dad, mentor, pastor, or just care about the next generation, you won’t want to miss this episode!

MORE ABOUT KENT EVANS

Kent Evans is the Co-founder and Executive Director of Manhood Journey. He helps dads become disciple-makers by equipping them with biblical tools, practical wisdom, and a clear mission for leading their families with purpose. 

Kent is the author of several impactful books, including Don’t Bench Yourself: How to Stay in the Game Even When You Want to Quit; Wise Guys: Unlocking Hidden Wisdom from the Men Around You; Bring Your Hammer: 28 Tools Dads Can Grab From the Book of Nehemiah; and The Manhood Journey: Setting a Course for Godly Fatherhood.

Kent and his wife, April, have five sons and live in Louisville, Kentucky—where family and faith are at the center of it all.

What happens when one person refuses to stay silent in a culture obsessed with canceling the truth?

Ryan Bomberger joins CCV Policy Director David Mahan and Communications Director Mike Andrews on this week's episode of The Narrative for a powerful conversation on race, abortion, adoption, and identity in today’s upside-down world.

His personal story is nothing short of miraculous. Conceived in rape and adopted into a multi-racial family of 15, he’s become one of the most compelling pro-life voices in America.

Before the guys sit down with Ryan, CCV President Aaron Baer joins David and Mike to run through this week's news, including:

⚖️ Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost appeals the Franklin County EdChoice ruling.

 📺 Stephen Colbert's talk show is canceled, setting the tone for a cultural "vibe shift."

⛳ Golf professional Scottie Scheffler is highlighted in a new pro-fatherhood Nike ad.

✨ CCV's upcoming fall Gala in Cleveland, featuring Charlie Kirk

🔥 The Essential Summit is back, followed by the annual March for Life rally.

MORE ABOUT RYAN BOMBERGER

Ryan Bomberger is an Emmy® Award-winning creative professional, international public speaker, and columnist. He is the author of the powerful books, Not Equal: Civil Rights Gone Wrong, and ground-breaking illustrated children’s books, She Is She and He is He. Ryan is the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of RadianceFoundation.org, a life-affirming organization that illuminates that every human life has purpose. 

As an adoptive father, Ryan has a rather unique perspective of the innate nature of purpose. He is one of ten children who were adopted in a diverse family of fifteen.

Ryan loves creating content that is fearless, factual and freeing. His work addresses abortion, adoption, fatherlessness, racism, sexuality, free speech, religious liberty and the war on common sense. His work has been extensively featured in the The New York Times, Fox News, MSNBC, The Washington Times, and many more news outlets. From keynotes at renown locations like Harvard, Princeton, Columbia Law School, Ireland’s Trinity College, March for Life DC, March for Life UK, Capitol Hill briefings, and hundreds more events local and abroad.

Ryan is dedicated, along with his amazing wife and four children, to building a culture that values Life in all of its stages.

With conviction rooted in faith and common sense, Senator Bernie Moreno joins The Narrative for a conversation on protecting life, strengthening families, and stewarding taxpayer dollars wisely.

On this week's episode, Senator Moreno sits down with CCV President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, and Communications Director Mike Andrews for a bold conversation that cuts through the noise and gets specific about the issues that matter most.

From fighting for life to fixing broken systems, Senator Moreno outlines a clear vision for American renewal:

✅ Plans to defund Planned Parenthood—once and for all.
✅ A smarter approach to the Child Tax Credit.
✅ Medicaid reform that actually serves families, not bureaucracy.

More About Senator Bernie Moreno

Bernie Moreno is the senior United States Senator of Ohio. He was born in Bogota, Colombia, and moved to the US with his family at age five and became an American citizen at age 18.

Senator Moreno purchased his first car dealership in 2005 and grew that one dealership into one of the largest dealership groups in America, eventually employing over 1,000 Ohioans.

More recently, in 2016, Bernie recognized the value and transformational potential of blockchain technology, before it received mainstream attention, and moved much of his volunteer time and investment dollars into the space.

Senator Moreno and his wife, Bridget, are parents to four children and reside in Westlake, Ohio.

In the rubble of war, Israel is rebuilding—and Christians need to pay attention.

This week on The Narrative, CCV President Aaron Baer, his wife Maria, and CCV Communications Director Mike Andrews sit down with Daniel Gordis—a leading voice on Israeli affairs—to unpack what life looks in the country today.

From the aftermath of October 7 to the spiritual and societal resilience of the Jewish people, this is a timely and powerful conversation every Christian should hear.

Before they speak with Daniel, CCV Policy Director David Mahan joins Aaron and Mike to run through this week's most pressing news, including:

💍 A potential constitutional amendment in 2026 that would create and enshrine rights permitting boys to play in girls' sports, pediatric sterilization and mutilation through sex-change procedures and wrong-sex hormones, and men in women's private spaces

⛪ Breaking news from the IRS allowing churches to endorse political candidates

⚖️ Upcoming state budget veto overrides on property tax provisions

More About Daniel Gordis

Daniel Gordis is one of the founders of Shalem College in Jerusalem, Israel's first and only liberal arts college. The author of twelve books, two of which have won the National Jewish Book Award, he writes about Zionism and contemporary Israel, exploring the souls of the people who are the Jewish state.

He is widely cited on matters pertaining to Israel. During the 2014 Gaza War, Bloomberg View asked him to become a columnist, explaining Israelis' views of the conflict to the world at large. The Forward has called Gordis "one of the most respected Israel analysts around." 

Since moving to Israel in 1998, Daniel has written and lectured throughout the world on Israeli society and the challenges facing the Jewish state. His writing has appeared in magazines and newspapers, including the New York Times, the New Republic, the New York Times Magazine, Moment, and more.

His book on the history of Israel, Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn, has been translated into six languages. His latest book is We Stand Divided: The Rift Between American Jews and Israel. Daniel also runs a successful Substack page: Israel from the Inside.

He and his wife, Elisheva, live in Jerusalem. They are the parents of three married children and are proud grandparents.

Governor DeWine signed Ohio’s $60 billion state budget, and the impact on families, schools, and values is massive.

In this week's episode of The Narrative, CCV President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, and Communications Director Mike Andrews break down what was included in the budget, what was vetoed, and how it all affects the fight for faith, freedom, and parental rights in Ohio.

We celebrate major victories, including:

✅ No iGaming expansion—protecting families from the dangers of online gambling addiction and the insertion of VLTs in public spaces.

✅ The Innocence Act—protecting children from online porn and "deepfakes."

✅ Cell phone-free schools—supporting focus and healthy learning environments for Ohio's children.

✅ Medicaid accountability—ensuring taxpayer dollars won’t fund radical DEI agendas or harmful gender surgeries on minors.

And we push back against the governor's vetoes on:

🚫 Removing obscene literature from the children's section in public libraries.

🚫 Stripping access to Educational Savings Accounts.

Listen as we unpack what these wins and vetoes mean for Ohio’s future.

Resources

Read more about the budget victories: https://www.ccv.org/news/governor-dewine-signed-the-60-billion-state-budget

Learn more about the Innocence Act (HB84): https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb84 

Learn more about the Success Sequence (SB156): https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/SB156 

Read the Ohio Christian Education Network's phone-free school covenant: https://ohiocen.org/phonefree/ 

Fnd a full list of vetoes: https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/OHIOGOVERNOR/2025/07/01/file_attachments/3310799/Veto%20Messages.pdf 

Sexual liberation promised freedom, but it delivered heartbreak.

In this week's episode of The Narrative, we're joined by Nathanael Blake, author of Victims of the Revolution: How Sexual Liberation Hurts Us All, to candidly talk about the consequences of a culture that has abandoned God's intended design for sex, marriage, and family.

CCV President Aaron Baer and Policy Director David Mahan sit down with Nathanael to walk through the damage left in the wake of the sexual revolution—how women, children, and even men have suffered under the lie that we can separate sex from commitment, family, and faithfulness.

Before their conversation with Nathanael, Aaron and David break down the latest Franklin County court ruling, which claims EDChoice in Ohio is unconstitutional. They also share an update on the state budget and what's ahead for Ohio, pending Governor DeWine's signature.

More about Nathanael Blake

Nathanael Blake, Ph.D., is a Life and Family Initiative Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. His research interests include American political theory, Christian political thought, and the intersection of natural law and philosophical hermeneutics. His published scholarship has included work on Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Alasdair MacIntyre, Russell Kirk, and J.R.R. Tolkien.

He received an undergraduate degree in microbiology with a chemistry minor from Oregon State University. After working as a writer and editor in the pro-life movement, he enrolled in graduate studies at the Catholic University of America, earning a doctorate in political theory.

As a cultural commentator, Dr. Blake has published hundreds of articles at outlets including Public Discourse, World Opinions, The Federalist, The Catholic World Report, and National Review. His first book, Victims of the Revolution: How Sexual Liberation Hurts Us All was published in the Spring of 2025.

He lives in Virginia with his wife and children.

Why aren’t Americans having babies, and can anything really change that?

Economist and author Catherine Pakaluk joins CCV Policy Director David Mahan and Communications Director Mike Andrews to talk about her book Hannah’s Children, the roots of the birth dearth, and why baby bonuses and pro-natalist policies often fall short.

Listen in for Catherine's take on how the state can become more pro-family through fixing housing, rethinking education, and restructuring welfare.

Before the conversation, CCV President Aaron Baer joins David to break down a huge win at the US Supreme Court—the first major legal loss for the LGBT movement—and share highlights from the Fatherhood Commission press conference at the Ohio Statehouse, featuring leaders like former Florida Speaker Chris Sprowls, former NFL Viking Jack Brewer, and former Ohio State Buckeye Team Captain Kamryn Babb. Learn more about the Hope and a Future report at CCV.org/Hope.

More about Catherine Pakaluk

Catherine Ruth Pakaluk is an American economist and social philosopher at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.

Catherine is author of the acclaimed ethnography Hannah’s Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth. Her work has been featured in The New Yorker, Slate, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, and more.

She holds a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University. The mother of eight children, she is married to American philosopher Michael Pakaluk. They split their time between suburban Maryland and New Hampshire’s White Mountains. 

On this week's episode of The Narrative—recorded live at Center for Christian Virtue's (CCV) 2025 Columbus Gala—US Senators Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted join CCV President Aaron Baer on stage for a candid conversation about the future of Ohio, the importance of faith and family, and what it means to lead with conviction in challenging times.

Before the Senators take the stage, Aaron is joined by CCV Policy Director David Mahan and Communications Director Mike Andrews to dive into this week's latest news:

⚖️ The Ohio Senate passed the state budget with the notable exclusion of iGaming. The budget includes legislation that strengthens families, protects children, and restores common sense to public policy in Ohio.

🚺 Riley Gaines and Simone Biles had a cultural clash on X last week over fairness in women's sports, in response to a male playing on a high school softball team.

🚨 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) riots in Los Angeles and what they reveal about our culture's state of law, order, and truth. 

More about US Senator Bernie Moreno

Senator Bernie Moreno was born in Bogota, Colombia. He moved to the United States with his family at age five and became an American citizen at age 18. Bernie purchased his first car dealership in 2005 and grew that one dealership into one of the largest dealership groups in America, eventually employing over 1,000 Ohioans.

In 2016, Senator Moreno recognized the value and transformational potential of blockchain technology before it received mainstream attention and invested much of his volunteer time and investment dollars in the space.

Senator Moreno lives in Westlake, Ohio, with his wife, Bridget, and their four adult children.

More about US Senator Jon Husted

Senator Jon Husted started his life in a foster home before his loving parents, Jim and Judy, adopted him. He is the oldest of three children and was raised in northwest Ohio’s Williams County. He graduated from Montpelier High School and earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Dayton.

In 2000, Husted won election to the Ohio House of Representatives. He was later elected to lead the chamber as Speaker of the House from 2005 to 2009. Senator Husted served in the Ohio State Senate until becoming the secretary of state in 2011. Senator Husted's two successful terms in that role led Ohioans to elect him lieutenant governor in 2019, before being appointed to US Senator, next to Senator Moreno, in 2025.

Of all his responsibilities, Senator Husted considers being a loving husband, father, and grandfather the most important. He and his wife, Tina, raised their three children, Alex, Kylie, and Katie, in Ohio and make their home in Columbus.