Pastor Erwin Lutzer takes us to the Johann Sebastian Bach Statue in Leipzig, Germany. "Two hundred years after the Reformation, Johann Sebastian Bach was at this church. All of us not only know him by name, but we've enjoyed his music. I think, for example, of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." You have to understand that because of the Reformation, there was this belief that music can be sacred and can be God-honoring. Bach actually believed that when he wrote music, he was, in a sense, mirroring the Trinity, because the Trinity was unified. It was in harmony."

In today's internet and media focused world, the news cycle can come at us like a flood. This is why it's important that we sift through it all from a Christian perspective. Jim does that each week on these News Round-Up broadcasts. Here are several examples featured from the first quarter hour: --Jim began with a number of audio clips. The first dealt with an individual openly admitting that Muslims must destroy empires such as the U.S. Next, an Islamic scholar spoke on why he believes that no sane person can love the U.S. A third came from a Muslim civil rights attorney and former director for the Florida chapter of the Council on American/Islamic Relations who discussed the role of Muslims in America on the issue of dawah. This involves converting people to Islam. --Top Trump administrative officials are drafting plans to restrict both temporary visit and legal immigration by Muslims affiliated with the revolutionary Muslim Brotherhood and other extremist groups. --President Trump said that Ukraine would have to continue attacking targets inside Russia if it hoped to win the war, even as Moscow unleashed a massive, new bombardment on Ukrainian cities. --Russia disavows every advance anyone thought was made in Alaska and the D.C. meetings. Russia has vetoed the idea that European troops could be used as peacekeepers. Beyond that, Russia demands that they be given a role in guaranteeing Ukraine's security and deciding how violations are dealt with. --North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un today appeared to acknowledge for the first time that the troops he sent to fight Ukraine for Russian President Putin have suffered losses en masse.

Controversial author, drug addict, broken marriages, and a Presidential Medal of Honor recipient. Yet at the end of his life - he found Jesus! The highlight reflects on the life and late-life spiritual transformation of a prominent media figure, highlighting the profound realization that eternal significance outweighs worldly achievements. Drawing from the figure's own testimony, it emphasizes the importance of embracing each day with gratitude and trusting in God's timing, particularly in the face of mortality. The message underscores the universal truth that all individuals confront the certainty of death and the crucial decision regarding their eternal destiny, ultimately finding solace and strength through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It serves as a poignant reminder to prioritize faith and focus on what truly matters in the grand scheme of life.

Karen England is the Executive Director of the Capitol Resource Institute. They educate and strengthen families and engage in public policy. There have been numerous attempts to usurp parental authority here in the U.S. through the years and Crosstalk has kept listeners informed regarding such efforts. This Crosstalk looked at another such threat that's coming from the state of California. The concern deals with an act proposed by the California Assembly. It's AB495, the so-called Family Preparedness Plan Act. Karen describes it as the "Pedophile Protection Act," something that redefines the family by, for example, expanding the definition of what a relative is. This legislation is being sold as a way to help immigrant children. However, Karen described how it would allow anyone to print off a caregiver's authorization (including the child's name), sign it, check a box indicating you weren't able to get a hold of the child's parents and that you assert all medical, mental and schooling authority over that child. According to the legislation, no parental signature is needed. Although this is California legislation, this would also affect children traveling to California as well. This legislation is thought to be dangerous by some individuals and organizations. For example, the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) says this puts parental rights at risk. California Families says this will bypass and sidestep parents. Save California indicates that this strips parents of their parental rights and allows for kids to be stolen from their parents. The Center for Arizona Policy warns that this would produce legalized child trafficking.

Frank Gaffney is president of the Institute for the American Future, President & CEO of Save the Persecuted Christians and Vice Chairman for Committee on the Present Danger: China. He's the speaker on the Secure Freedom Minute. Frank acted as an Assistant Secretary of Defense in the Reagan Pentagon. He is author of The Indictment: Prosecuting the Chinese Communist Party & Friends for Crimes Against America, China, and the World, Sharia: The Threat to America Abridged, Guilty Knowledge: What the US Government Knows about the Vulnerability of the Electric Grid, But Refuses to Fix and additional other titles. In just a few days we'll be at the three and one-half year mark since Russia invaded Ukraine. Last Friday, President Trump met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss ending this war. Then on Monday, Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with a delegation of leaders from Europe, in an attempt to bring about bilateral meetings between Putin and Zelenskyy in order to restore peace. Have you noticed who was absent in these meetings? It's a key individual that Frank believes green-lit this conflict: Chinese leader, Xi Jinping. As Frank noted, due to this war, the Chinese have received large quantities of cut-rate fuel, arms sales, and they've also created chaos that has distracted America while at the same time depleting our financial and military arsenal. All of this has allowed them to act aggressively in their own area of the globe as they seek to pursue their own dominance on the world's stage. Can we assuredly say that China is the source that's keeping this war going? What would a world reordered by China look like?

Our Christian Heritage goes "On Location" with Tim Schmig in Boston, MA. What happened at Holton's Shoe Store? How did a Sunday School teacher change the life of D.L. Moody? Tim Schmig explains!

Travel the museums of the world from America to London to Paris to Berlin to Israel as we search for evidence for the Bible in secular museums! Highlights include the British Museum, the Louvre, the University of Chicago, and even the Cleveland Public Library!

Pastor Artur Pawlowski is pastor of Street Church in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He is a Canadian who was born in Poland and grew up under a Communist regime seeing soldiers with machine guns and tanks on the streets. People rose up in 1981 to fight for their freedoms. Soon after, he watched the end of communism. In 1995 he immigrated to Canada and went through depression, suicidal moods and heavy drinking. He lost all his money from his escapades in traveling through Europe. As he was married in 1997 his wife introduced him to Christianity. He later became known as a street advocate and started "Street Church Ministries" which took the Gospel into the middle of the worst places for drugs and prostitution in the city of Calgary. He became the recipient of many threats in his advocacy of getting people to leave the lifestyle of drugs and various individuals have sought to shut him down. He stood up during the time of the COVID lockdowns and has faced many trials for his stand for the Gospel and for human rights. He's the author of Lions Do Not Bow: The Unbreakable Courage of Canada's Pastor. Having lived under communism, an existence that is so foreign to most of us, Pastor Pawlowski described what it's like to live in an environment where every aspect of your life is under government control. A key point from his comments is where he notes 2 Corinthians 3:17: "...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." Is it possible the reason we're seeing an erosion of liberties in America (and other Western nations) is because in many respects God is not welcome here? You decide how to answer this question after hearing this warning from Pastor Pawlowski.

Shahram Hadian is the Founder of Truth in Love Ministry. He is a Christian pastor and a former Muslim. Shahram was born in Iran and came to America in 1978 to escape an oppressive Islamic regime. He committed his life to Jesus Christ in 1999. He has an extensive background not only as a pastor, but also as a former police officer, teacher, coach and servant leader in his community. This past Saturday pro-Islamic and anti-Israel protesters flooded Manhattan calling for "a global intifada." New York City is nearing an election in which an Islamist Zohran Mamdani, a self-proclaimed Democratic socialist, is perhaps on the verge of being the mayor of the largest city in the United States. Further just recently exposed are Islamic city councilmen out of Hamtramck, Michigan being accused of election fraud. Minneapolis may be electing a Muslim mayor. In Illinois there is body camera footage of an arrest of a Muslim woman for reportedly assaulting a man she claimed was "Islamophobic." She also indicated the police should "bow down to her and listen to her orders." In Tennessee a man by the name of Mohamed Mohamed is being charged for allegedly raping an unconscious woman in front of a church. In Boston a member of a Palestinian group was arrested for vandalism and possession of a hoax device. His mother was also arrested for assaulting a police officer. Meanwhile there are significant endeavors underway to bring peace with a number of Islamic nations. What is going on? It's important for us to understand Islam's advancement.

Vickie Beller speaks on the story of her late husband's book America in Crimson Red. The program explores the life of James Beller, a Christian historian whose work, *America in Crimson Red*, highlights lesser-known figures who sacrificed for religious freedom. Through his personal story, the narrative traces a journey of faith sparked by a recurring pamphlet, leading to a lifelong pursuit of understanding Baptist history and a commitment to sharing it with others. The program emphasizes the importance of preserving Christian heritage, recognizing the sacrifices made to secure religious liberty, and the enduring power of faith in the face of adversity, culminating in a celebration of the legacy of those who championed freedom of conscience.