The Narrative with Aaron Baer

Virgil Walker joins this week's episode of The Narrative to discuss his newest book, A Biblical Theology of Climate Change. Virgil joins Communications Director Mike Andrews and Policy Director David Mahan to provide a biblical framework for caring for the environment and how the media has created a fear-driven approach to climate change. 

Before their conversation with Virgil, President Aaron Baer joins David and Mike to catch up on this week's news, covering the release of CCV's Hope and a Future report, President Trump's Executive Order expanding in vitro fertilization, and Ohio Governor DeWine's child tax credit.

Rachel O'Brien joins this week's episode of The Narrative! As concerns about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are on the rise across Ohio, Rachel sits down with the guys to take a hard look at the ever-expanding DEI budgets at colleges and universities and how these institutions are diverting funds away from students' core educational needs.

Before their discussion with Rachel, CCV Communications Director Mike Andrews and Policy Director David Mahan catch up on the excitement growing around Senate Bill 1 (SB1)–which would ban DEI programs at Ohio's state colleges–and its passage through the Senate and on to the House of Representatives.

Add to the momentum of SB1 and catch up on the latest news by following our social channels or visiting our website, CCV.org!

🔊 Talk to Us

We want to hear from you! As a valued listener, your feedback is critical for us to keep The Narrative insightful, relevant, and helpful. If you have a particular guest, topic, or question you'd like us to cover, let us know! We’ll answer your questions on an “Ask Us Anything” episode later, so send in your questions now.

👉  Leave us a voicemail or text at 614-769-7077.

👉  Email us at [email protected].

To learn more about Center for Christian Virtue and to get involved, visit CCV.org.

⭐️ How are we doing?

If you've found any episode of The Narrative insightful, let us know by leaving a review or rating! It helps us to know what you're enjoying and brings the podcast to other listeners, meaning you're helping equip your neighbors to understand today's hottest cultural and political topics. So, thank you!

🔎 About The Narrative

The Narrative breaks away from the script to cut through the typical media narratives and helps you understand the root causes of today’s culture and political controversies.

Join Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, Communications Director Mike Andrews, and world-renowned experts as they dissect current issues and events from multiple angles and viewpoints, equipping you to be a critical thinker on some of the hottest topics today.

Support the show: https://www.ccv.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After only 18 days in office, President Trump has gotten to work signing Executive Orders—over 75 and counting!

On this special episode of The Narrative, CCV President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, and Communications Director Mike Andrews run through their lists of notable Executive Orders the President has introduced and signed.

Listen to today's episode to get a primer on Executive Orders and the impact they have on the country and the American people.

🔊 Talk to Us

We want to hear from you! As a valued listener, your feedback is critical for us to keep The Narrative insightful, relevant, and helpful. If you have a particular guest, topic, or question you'd like us to cover, let us know! We’ll answer your questions on an “Ask Us Anything” episode later, so send in your questions now.

👉  Leave us a voicemail or text at 614-769-7077.

👉  Email us at [email protected].

To learn more about Center for Christian Virtue and to get involved, visit CCV.org.

⭐️ How are we doing?

If you've found any episode of The Narrative insightful, let us know by leaving a review or rating! It helps us to know what you're enjoying and brings the podcast to other listeners, meaning you're helping equip your neighbors to understand today's hottest cultural and political topics. So, thank you!

🔎 About The Narrative

The Narrative breaks away from the script to cut through the typical media narratives and helps you understand the root causes of today’s culture and political controversies.

Join Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, Communications Director Mike Andrews, and world-renowned experts as they dissect current issues and events from multiple angles and viewpoints, equipping you to be a critical thinker on some of the hottest topics today.

Support the show: https://www.ccv.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The choice is clear: Secular schools in a secular society aren't cutting it for the Church.

So in honor of National School Choice Week, we're bringing you a special edition of The Narrative with Pastor Jimmy Scroggins, Church Ambassador Network Executive Director Chris Lightfoot, Ohio Christian Education Network Executive Director Troy McIntosh, and podcast co-host Mike Andrews. Listen in to learn why it's crucial for your church to start a school!

Before the guys chat with Pastor Scroggins, CCV President Aaron Baer caught up with Mike on the latest news on Senate Bill 1 to ban DEI on college campuses, Aaron's trip to D.C. for the national March for Life and his interview with EWTN, and his National Review op-ed in response to the New Yorker hit piece on CCV and school choice in Ohio.

For a deeper dive into the benefits of Christian Schools, check out Pastor Scroggins' book, The Education Reformation: Why Your Church Should Start a Christian School.

More about Pastor Jimmy Scroggins

Pastor Jimmy Scroggins serves as the Professor of Christian Ministry at Southern Seminary. Pastor Scroggins is the lead pastor of Family Church in South Florida where he has served since July 2008. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees at Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Before joining staff at Family Church, Pastor Scroggins served as the teaching pastor at Highview Baptist Church in Kentucky, and the Dean of Boyce College from 2004–2008.

He is married to Kristin, and they have eight children and two grandchildren.

We last heard from him in October of 2023 just after the war in Israel started, and now Michael Mistretta is back on The Narrative to give an update live from Jerusalem! Michael, founder and CEO of FIRM Israel, caught up with CCV Policy Director David Mahan and Communications Director Mike Andrews on the latest happenings in Israel since news of ceasefire deals with Hamas made headlines. Listen in to hear the plans for releasing the remaining hostages, the effect Trump's election has on the situation, and how Israelis are being pointed toward Christ.

Before their conversation with Michael, David and Mike react to President Trump's inauguration and swift action upon returning to office, how the Lord has been moving in and through OSU's football team, and how Ohio's new General Assembly has hit the ground running with committee assignments and bill introductions.

More about Michael Mistretta

Michael is the co-founder and CEO of FIRM Israel: Fellowship of Israel Related Ministries. Born in Toronto, Canada, Michael was raised in the church and later received a call to Israel where he met Pastor Wayne Hilsden and helped to start FIRM.

From starting his own company as a teenager to his 10 years of ministry experience, Michael is an entrepreneur and innovator who is passionate about seeing ministries in Israel thrive and people coming to know Jesus as Messiah.

Michael and his wife, Vanessa, have a passion for Israel that takes them around the world as they strive to build unique connections between the Church and the body of believers in Israel and share about how God is moving in Israel today. Michael and Vanessa live in the heart of Jerusalem with their two young sons.

Jim Geraghty, Senior Correspondent for the National Review, joins CCV President Aaron Baer and Communications Director Mike Andrews on this week's episode of The Narrative to discuss Justin Trudeau's resignation as Canada's Prime Minister. 

Jim shares how Trudeau's resignation is actually related to the leftist initiatives that have consistently failed US citizens, including the current disastrous mismanagement of LA's wildfires.

Before the discussion with Jim, Aaron and Mike respond to yet another CCV hit piece by The New Yorker. Co-published with ProPublica, their latest effort was to "uncover" our strategy to expand Ohio's school voucher program so that more students can attend Christian schools.

Click here to read an article by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, combatting the myths in The New Yorker article.

You won't want to miss this week's episode!

More about Jim Geraghty

Jim is the senior political correspondent of National Review. He is a conservative blogger and is the author of National Review’s The Campaign Spot blog and The Morning Jolt newsletter.

Jim spent two years in Ankara, Turkey, working as a foreign correspondent and studying anti-Americanism, democratization, Islam, Middle East politics, and U.S. diplomacy efforts. His work appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the New York Sun, the Washington Times, and the Washington Examiner. 

In 2008, Best Life Magazine called Jim one of “the 10 most important voices to listen to this election cycle,” and the London Times praised his “killer insight” in that election cycle.

Jim lives with his wife and children in Fairfax County, Virginia.

The Narrative is back! Welcome to a new year, filled with promise, hope, and the Lord's blessing upon our nation.

This week CCV President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, and Communications Director Mike Andrews sit down to chat about the stories and topics they're keeping an eye on this year, including:

• The political climate in Ohio and across the nation;
• How Trump's election, administration, and cabinet will have a positive affect on Americans; and
• Their hope in the expansion of school choice, the growth of strong marriages, and the dismantling of harmful gender ideology.

Be sure to listen to this week's episode to get a primer on what is already shaping up to be a big year!

🔊 Talk to Us

We want to hear from you! As a valued listener, your feedback is critical for us to keep The Narrative insightful, relevant, and helpful. If you have a particular guest, topic, or question you'd like us to cover, let us know! We’ll answer your questions on an “Ask Us Anything” episode later, so send in your questions now.

👉  Leave us a voicemail or text at 614-769-7077.

👉  Email us at [email protected].

To learn more about Center for Christian Virtue and to get involved, visit CCV.org.

⭐️ How are we doing?

If you've found any episode of The Narrative insightful, let us know by leaving a review or rating! It helps us to know what you're enjoying and brings the podcast to other listeners, meaning you're helping equip your neighbors to understand today's hottest cultural and political topics. So, thank you!

🔎 About The Narrative

The Narrative breaks away from the script to cut through the typical media narratives and helps you understand the root causes of today’s culture and political controversies.

Join Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, Communications Director Mike Andrews, and world-renowned experts as they dissect current issues and events from multiple angles and viewpoints, equipping you to be a critical thinker on some of the hottest topics today.

Support the show: https://www.ccv.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With 2024 coming to an end, the guys sit down for one final episode of The Narrative!

Join CCV President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, and Communications Director Mike Andrews as they recap and reminisce on the 135th General Assembly, including the dramatic speaker race; a whiplash-inducing week at the Statehouse; and the victories we experienced with the SAFE Act, Save Women's Sports Act, and Parents' Bill of Rights.

We thank you for all the support and listens throughout 2024 and are excited for what the Lord will bring in 2025. 

🔊 Talk to Us

We want to hear from you! As a valued listener, your feedback is critical for us to keep The Narrative insightful, relevant, and helpful. If you have a particular guest, topic, or question you'd like us to cover, let us know! We’ll answer your questions on an “Ask Us Anything” episode later, so send in your questions now.

👉  Leave us a voicemail or text at 614-769-7077.

👉  Email us at [email protected].

To learn more about Center for Christian Virtue and to get involved, visit CCV.org.

⭐️ How are we doing?

If you've found any episode of The Narrative insightful, let us know by leaving a review or rating! It helps us to know what you're enjoying and brings the podcast to other listeners, meaning you're helping equip your neighbors to understand today's hottest cultural and political topics. So, thank you!

🔎 About The Narrative

The Narrative breaks away from the script to cut through the typical media narratives and helps you understand the root causes of today’s culture and political controversies.

Join Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, Communications Director Mike Andrews, and world-renowned experts as they dissect current issues and events from multiple angles and viewpoints, equipping you to be a critical thinker on some of the hottest topics today.

Support the show: https://www.ccv.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tyler O'Neil sits down with CCV Communications Director Mike Andrews and Fellow for Strategic Initiatives Peter Range on The Narrative to discuss his research into the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and how the organization is targeting the right through false narratives. Tyler's book, Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center, shares how corruption within the SPLC has undermined their original mission and has now contributed to a climate of fear in America

Before the conversation with Tyler, CCV President Aaron Baer and Policy Director David Mahan join Mike to discuss the latest happenings at the Ohio Statehouse, including the House Bill 8 and LifeWise Academy situation, as well as potential prospects for Ohio's Senate seat.

You don't want to miss this week's episode!

More about Tyler O'Neil

Tyler is a husband, father, and Eagle Scout. He graduated from Hillsdale College in 2012 and has written and edited articles for numerous conservative outlets, including the Christian Post, PJ Media, Fox News, and the Daily Signal. His first book, Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center, exposed how a civil rights organization became a threat to America’s free speech culture.

He enjoys board games, Indian food, and talking ceaselessly about politics, religion, and culture. He has appeared on Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight. Follow him on Twitter at @Tyler2ONeil

and be sure to pre-order his latest work, The Woketopus: The Dark Money Cabal Manipulating the Federal Government, which will release on January 21, 2025.

Matt Sharp, senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, joins The Narrative to discuss the US vs. Skrmetti case, which will decide whether Tennessee's SAFE Act can be upheld to protect children from dangerous, experimental gender surgeries and wrong-sex hormones. Listen in to get the scoop on this week's oral arguments at the US Supreme Court and the effects the case will have across the nation, regardless of the court's final decision. 

CCV Communications Director Mike Andrews and Policy Director David Mahan tee up the conversation with updates on how the Lame Duck session at the Statehouse is unfolding and how Ohio's newest cash program for single mothers does more to promote political fundraising than parenthood.

Want your questions answered?

If you have any questions about past episodes, news in the media, or general inquiries, submit them to [email protected] by Wednesday, December 11, for a chance to be featured in an upcoming episode!

More about Matt Sharp

Matt Sharp is senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and directs ADF's Center for Legislative Advocacy. He works to advance religious freedom for students who desire to share their faith, and those who fight for privacy against schools requiring students to share bathrooms and locker rooms with students of the opposite sex. He has testified before state legislatures on religious liberty and physical privacy issues.

Sharp authored the amicus brief in Gloucester County School Board v. G.G. on behalf of students, parents and community members. He has won cases allowing students to invite a classmate to church, preform religious songs at a school talent show and form religious clubs.

Sharp earned his J.D. in 2006 from the Vanderbilt University School of Law. A member of the bar in Georgia and Tennessee, he is also admitted to practice in several federal courts. To follow more of his work, check him out on X, @MattSharpADF.