369. | Jesus Warned Us About Stumbling Blocks | “Watch Yourselves” – Luke 17

The church doesn't need more spectators. Every believer has a part to play. After the first public screening of Principalities: Doctrines of Demons in Green Bay, Wisconsin, one question kept coming up: "What do I do now?" This is something we can't afford to ignore. People are hungry for honest conversations about spiritual warfare, biblical truth, and the challenges facing the church and our culture. Recognizing the battle is only the beginning. What does faithful obedience actually look like in everyday life? In this episode of Fearless with Mark & Amber, we're back behind the microphones after completing our fifth documentary in eight years! We're sharing what happened at the Green Bay premiere, the conversations that followed, and why we believe the most important response to spiritual warfare doesn't begin with politics, activism, or another program. It begins with your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We talk about the importance of prayer, studying Scripture, examining where we've allowed cultural compromise into our own lives, and faithfully discipling the people God has placed in front of us. We'll also share what's next for Principalities, including plans to bring the film to churches across the country, develop additional discipleship resources, and continue equipping believers to stand firm in biblical truth. And before we wrap up, Mark shares an unexpected antique-store discovery involving Goethe's Faust, Karl Marx, and a fascinating connection to the research behind Principalities. You don't have to do everything. But you are called to be faithful with what God has entrusted to you. We are disciples making disciples. For the Glory and Story of Christ. 00:00 – The First Public Screening in Green Bay 05:26 – Five Documentaries in Eight Years: How God Led Us Here 07:23 – Why the Church Must Talk About Spiritual Warfare 12:32 – Political Narratives vs. a Biblical Worldview 14:28 – Feeling Overwhelmed? Find Where God Has Called You 16:10 – One Body, Many Parts: Created for Good Works 17:02 – Imitating Christ and Learning from God's Character 19:18 – Stop Chasing Personalities and Return to Scripture 20:54 – A Practical Challenge: Spend 30 Minutes in God's Word 23:50 – Examine Your Life: Who Are You Discipling? 25:37 – Why a Biblically Grounded Local Church Matters 27:27 – The Church Doesn't Need More Spectators 29:16 – Bring Principalities to Your Church: Screening Tour Updates 31:16 – Goethe's Faust, Karl Marx, and an Unexpected Discovery 36:21 – Final Thoughts: March On, Saints! Scripture Referenced Ephesians 2:8–10 — Saved by grace and created for good works Ephesians 4–5:2 — Imitating God and walking in love 2 Timothy 1:7 — God has not given us a spirit of fear Romans 10:17 — Faith comes by hearing the Word of God 1 Corinthians 12 — One body with many members Isaiah 6:8 — "Here am I. Send me!" Judges 7 — Gideon and his army Links & Resources Fearless Features Ministry
 https://fearlessfeatures.org Learn More About Principalities: Doctrines of Demons
 https://fearlessfeatures.org/principalities Request a Principalities Screening
Visit the Principalities page above to inquire about bringing the documentary to your church or community. Worldview Matters Conference 2027
 April 30–May 1, 2027 | Green Bay, Wisconsin Registration link: https://davidfiorazo.com/worldview-matters-conference/ Partner with Fearless Features
https://donorbox.org/fearless_features Help us continue telling stories that point people to Christ and equip believers to faithfully disciple the next generation. Subscribe to Fearless with Mark & Amber, share this episode with a friend, and join us as we continue having conversations that matter. For the Glory and Story of Christ. Fearless with Mark & Amber is a podcast of Fearless Features, a donor-supported Christian discipleship and documentary ministry.

How do you pray for a prodigal—and what do you do when they finally come home? In this deeply personal episode of Fearless with Mark & Amber, Mark shares his message “Praying for the Prodigal,”using Jesus’ parable in Luke 15 alongside his own story of rebellion, addiction, failure, repentance, and restoration. Mark grew up in a Christian home, came to Christ as a child, and was surrounded by biblical teaching. But as a young filmmaker, he began running from the Lord. His career took him from church television production to independent filmmaking, the Sundance Film Festival, Hollywood success—and eventually into alcoholism, pornography, broken relationships, bitterness, and a life he barely recognized. Then God brought the prodigal home. Mark shares how the Lord used repentance, humility, Amber, and circumstances he never could have planned to begin rebuilding what he had destroyed. The filmmaking career he eventually surrendered completely to God would later become part of the very ministry the Lord called Mark and Amber to together. But this episode isn't only Mark's testimony. It's about your prodigal. Looking closely at Luke 15, we examine the striking difference between the father and the older brother. The father watches. He has compassion. He runs toward his returning son. He restores his dignity and celebrates his repentance. The older brother responds very differently. So when someone we love has rebelled against God, how should we pray? We walk through three specific prayers: 1. Pray for repentance.
 2. Pray for their return.
 3. Pray for restoration. And there's another person who needs prayer: you. We need wisdom, discernment, patience, compassion, and strength to receive a genuinely repentant prodigal without continually reminding them who they used to be. Whether you're praying for a wandering child, spouse, family member or friend—or you are the prodigal wondering whether you can come home—remember the picture Jesus gave us: The Father is watching. Come home. Scripture discussed:
 Luke 15:11–32 
Ephesians 5:1
 Galatians
 Romans 12
 Luke 22:31–32 Partner with Fearless Features and help us continue creating films and resources that equip families with a biblical worldview: 
https://fearlessfeatures.org 00:00 — Welcome to Fearless with Mark & Amber 
01:27 — Recovering from the Walking in Freedom event 
01:53 — Introducing “Praying for the Prodigal”
 03:04 — Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15
 29:14 — Restoring the prodigal's dignity
 41:37 — A message to the prodigal: Come back
 43:05 — The answer to your past: “But God.”

What does it really mean to walk in the freedom Christ has given us—and how should Christians respond when the culture increasingly loses sight of the value of human life? This week on Fearless with Mark & Amber, we’re back from our Walking in Freedom event in Jacksonville, Florida, reflecting on an incredible weekend of ministry, fellowship, testimonies, and conversations with men and women carrying very real wounds from their past. One theme kept surfacing: assumptions. What happens when someone walks into a church looking for help but encounters judgment before anyone has taken the time to hear their story? We talk about welcoming the prodigal, confessing our struggles to one another, breaking free from addiction, and refusing to keep “fishing” for sins that God has already forgiven. Mark also shares some of what came out of his men’s breakout session on biblical manhood, pornography, addiction, temptation, and why prayer—and sometimes radical changes in our lives—are necessary when we truly want freedom. Then the conversation turns to the value of human life. We revisit the Lindsey Clancy case before discussing a troubling report from the Netherlands involving the euthanasia of a two-year-old child suffering from severe medical conditions. How should Christians think about suffering, compassion, justice, euthanasia, and the sanctity of life? Ultimately, the question is not whether a human life is easy, productive, healthy, or free from suffering. Human beings are made in the image of God. The Lord is the Author of life. We are not. Scripture discussed:
 James 5:16
 Genesis 1
 The Prodigal Son
 Biblical warnings concerning temptation
 The image of God and the sanctity of human life Fearless Features:
https://fearlessfeatures.org 00:00 — Welcome to Fearless with Mark & Amber 
01:27 — Back from the Walking in Freedom event
 08:01 — The danger of making assumptions about people
 13:11 — Why prayer is essential in breaking addiction 
13:37 — Stop fishing for sins God has already forgiven
 14:43 — James 5:16: confession, prayer and healing
 15:08 — Sometimes freedom requires radical changes 
16:09 — Principalities: Doctrine of Demons update
 17:13 — Revisiting the Lindsey Clancy case
 21:07 — Netherlands euthanasia case involving a two-year-old child 
25:41 — What Scripture teaches about the value of human life
 26:17 — “The Lord is the Author of life”
 27:12 — Why Christians must stay grounded in the Word

Jesus warned His disciples that stumbling blocks are inevitable—but He also gave a sobering warning about becoming the person who puts them in someone else’s path. In Episode 369 of Fearless with Mark & Amber, we dig into Luke 17:1–3 and Jesus’ command to “watch yourselves.”What does it mean to cause someone to stumble? What are the stumbling blocks Christians face today? And how do self-control, repentance, reverence for God, and personal responsibility help us walk faithfully in a fallen world? We also discuss the difficult line between exposing darkness and unnecessarily putting sinful things before others, why Christians need to study Scripture for themselves, and how easily our thinking can begin to mirror the culture when we lose our foundation in biblical truth. “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come.” — Luke 17:1 In this episode:
00:00 – Welcome 05:57 – Luke 17 and Jesus’ warning about stumbling blocks
 08:49 – Stumbling blocks are inevitable
 09:39 – What does “stumbling block” actually mean?
 10:06 – Examples of spiritual stumbling blocks
 11:06 – Romans 14: Don’t put a stumbling block before others
 12:11 – Why you need to study Scripture for yourself
13:33 – Exposing darkness without causing others to stumble
 32:31 – Get in the Word and let it change your life The culture will give us plenty of opportunities to stumble. The question is: Are we watching our own steps—and are we helping others walk toward Christ rather than away from Him? WATCH OUR FILMS & LEARN MORE
Fearless Features: https://fearlessfeatures.org The Mind Polluters – available to stream through Fearless Features and Amazon.
Dysphoria – available through Fearless Features. PARTNER WITH FEARLESS FEATURES
Help us use media to help people know Christ, stand firm in truth, and faithfully lead the people God has entrusted to them:
https://fearlessfeatures.org If this conversation encouraged or challenged you, LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE it with someone who needs to hear it.

What does it really mean to redeem the time—and why does your biblical worldview matter in the world we're living in? In this episode of Fearless with Mark & Amber, we sit down with our friend David Fiorazo, host of Worldview Matters, to talk about the importance of equipping Christians to understand the times through the truth of Scripture—and then actually doing something with what we know. David also gives us a preview of the 2027 Worldview Matters Conference, happening April 30–May 1 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. With 14 speakers gathering to equip and encourage the Body of Christ, the conference is centered around a timely theme: Redeem the Time. But this conversation goes much deeper than a conference. Are we simply consuming Christian content—or are we allowing what we learn to change how we live? Are we prepared to share the Gospel, disciple others, and recognize the opportunities God places in front of us? And do we really understand how our worldview shapes the way we see everything—from morality and culture to politics, identity, and the purpose of human life? As David reminds us, everybody has a worldview. The question is whether ours is firmly rooted in Christ and the truth of God's Word. 📖 “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.” — Colossians 4:5 IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 – Welcome to Fearless
02:00 – Why in-person conferences still matter
06:13 – David Fiorazo joins the conversation
12:54 – Equipping the Body of Christ
18:11 – Christians can't just be consumers
26:12 – You can't live with one foot in the world
30:49 – Worldview Matters Conference details
32:18 – Closing thoughts and prayer 🔗 LINKS MENTIONED Worldview Matters Conference 2027
April 30–May 1, 2027
Tundra Lodge Resort Waterpark & Conference Center
Green Bay, Wisconsin
https://worldviewmattersconference.com Worldview Matters with David Fiorazo
https://worldviewmatters.tv Fearless Features
Learn more about our films, resources, and ministry:
https://fearlessfeatures.org Partner With Fearless Features
Help us use media to reach families with the hope of Christ:
https://fearlessfeatures.org If this conversation encouraged or challenged you, subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs it, and join us as we seek to know Christ, stand firm in truth, and faithfully lead the people God has entrusted to us.

In Romans 12:2, Paul gives Christians a command that feels more urgent than ever: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” But what does that actually look like in everyday life? In this episode of Fearless with Mark & Amber, we begin with something very practical—our year-and-a-half health journey and the transformation that came through changing our habits, nutrition, exercise, and discipline. That physical transformation led us to an even bigger question: What does spiritual transformation require? The world is constantly discipling us. Culture, entertainment, education, social media, our habits, and the voices we listen to are all shaping the way we think. The question isn't simply Are you being discipled? The question is who is discipling you—the world or the Word? We talk about what it means to renew your mind, why lasting transformation requires more than motivation, how daily time in God's Word changes us, and why going to church once a week cannot replace a daily walk with Christ. Just as physical transformation doesn't happen through one workout, spiritual transformation doesn't happen through one hour on Sunday. Transformation is a daily process of allowing God's Word to renovate the way we think and make us more like Christ. If you've been struggling with old habits, strongholds, compromise, or simply feel like you've stopped growing, we hope this conversation encourages you: change is possible. Keep walking with Christ, one faithful day at a time. 📖 Scripture: Romans 12:2 Links Mentioned Fearless Features
https://www.fearlessfeatures.org Bible Hub — Free Bible Study Resource
https://biblehub.com Logos Bible Study
https://www.logos.com MacroFactor
https://macrofactorapp.com

Every story carries a worldview—and every day, those stories are shaping what we believe, what we love, and ultimately how we live. In Episode 366 of Fearless with Mark & Amber, we're sharing our “Lights, Camera, Worldview” presentation from the Worldview Matters conference in Green Bay. We unpack what God has taught us through nearly eight years of filmmaking and ministry: media doesn't simply inform us—it forms us. The question isn't whether we're being discipled, but who or what is discipling our hearts? We share the story behind Fearless Features and the journey that took us from Inwood Drive to The Mind Polluters, Dysphoria, Title IX: Demoralizing America, and now Principalities: Doctrine of Demons. Along the way, we've learned that the cultural battles surrounding life, sexuality, identity, education, and truth cannot ultimately be understood as merely political battles. There is a spiritual reality beneath what we're seeing. You'll also hear some of our own redemption story and why we're convinced that exposing darkness can never be the destination. Jesus Christ is. Our hope isn't found in winning a culture war. It's found in Christ—the One who rescues, redeems, renews the mind, and equips His people to walk courageously in truth. As we close, we give you a little homework for next week's episode: read Romans 12:2 in context. We're going to dig into what it really means to refuse conformity to the patterns of this world and instead be transformed by the renewing of our minds. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” — Romans 12:2 🌐 Fearless Features: 
https://fearlessfeatures.org ❤️ Partner with Fearless Features:
 https://donorbox.org/fearless_features 🎟️ Worldview Matters Conference – 2027 Registration:
 https://davidfiorazo.com/worldview-matters-conference/ 📖 Compromised by Mark Archer:
 https://a.co/d/0561uYpl 00:00 – Welcome to Fearless with Mark & Amber 
02:29 – Introducing “Lights, Camera, Worldview”
 1:00:31 – Where is our hope? Jesus Christ.
 1:01:13 – Fix your worldview on Jesus
 1:02:25 – Next week: What does Romans 12:2 really mean?
 Scripture Referenced Proverbs 4:23 • Deuteronomy 6 • Psalm 78:3 • Proverbs 22:6 • Ephesians 5:11 • Jeremiah 1:5 • Psalm 139 • Romans 1:18, 24–28 • Isaiah 5:20 • John 14:6 • 1 Peter 5:8 • 2 Timothy 4:3 • Matthew 18:6 • Romans 12:2 • Psalm 11:3 • Psalm 40 • Colossians 1:13 • Jude 1:23 • John 8:32 • Ephesians 6:12 • Ecclesiastes 1:18 Subscribe, share this episode with your family and church, and join us as we seek to know Christ more deeply, lead our families faithfully, and discern the culture through a biblical worldview. March on, saints—and be filled with the Spirit!

What can God do with a life that feels too broken, too messy, or too far gone? In this special episode of Fearless with Mark & Amber, we share Amber Archer’s keynote message, “Her Story, His Glory,” recorded at a Hope Lives event in Kentucky. Amber shares the story of a life once marked by addiction, alcohol, strip clubs, arrests, jail cells, and a devastating car accident that nearly took her life. But the accident wasn’t the end of her story—and it wasn’t what saved her. Only Jesus could do that. From a 22-year-old woman staring at a face she no longer recognized in a hospital mirror, to a young woman quietly slipping into the back row of a church hoping no one would discover her past, Amber shares how God patiently pursued her—and how one believer’s simple invitation to lunch helped change the trajectory of her life. This is a story about shame, consequences, surrender, discipleship, marriage, motherhood, ministry, and ultimately the redeeming power of Jesus Christ. God didn’t erase Amber’s story. He redeemed it for His glory. And He didn’t simply rescue her from something. He rescued her for something. The episode also explores why Christians must be willing to see the person behind the brokenness, how an encounter with abortionist George Klopfer reinforced the truth that every soul desperately needs a Savior, and why ministries like Hope Lives must offer more than physical resources—they must offer the eternal hope found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:00 Welcome to Fearless with Mark & Amber
 03:14 Her Story, His Glory Keynote
 35:50 One body, many parts—working together for Christ 
36:16 Why monthly ministry partners matter
 39:37 Closing encouragement ▶️ Learn more about Fearless Features:
 https://fearlessfeatures.org 🤝 Partner with Fearless Features:
 https://donorbox.org/fearless_features ❤️ Learn more about Hope Lives:
 https://www.hopelivespregnancycenter.com/ 🎬 Watch Fearless Features documentaries:
 https://www.fearlessfeatures.org/films 📱 Follow Mark & Amber:
 https://www.instagram.com/fearlessfeatures ABOUT FEARLESS We’re missionaries using media to help people shepherd souls in a world competing for them. Our mission is to help people know Christ, stand firm in truth, and faithfully lead the people God has entrusted to them. If this testimony encouraged you, subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs to hear it, and prayerfully consider partnering with us as we continue using films, podcasts, speaking, and other media to point people to the hope found in Jesus Christ. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” — Romans 8:1

What if many of the cultural and political shifts we're watching today didn't begin yesterday—but have been developing for decades? In this episode of Fearless with Mark & Amber, we sit down with author and researcher Gary Kah, whose firsthand experiences inside organizations pursuing global governance led him to spend decades documenting the globalist movement and its political, educational, and spiritual implications. Gary's story begins with his parents' experiences in Europe during World War II. As a young Christian learning what his family had endured under Hitler and communism, Gary made a promise to God: if anything like that ever began happening in America, he would take a stand. Years later, while serving as the Europe and Middle East trade specialist for the State of Indiana, Gary says he encountered government officials who were remarkably open about their support for global government.That journey eventually brought him into the World Constitution and Parliament Association and another organization within government emergency-management circles, where he says he gained firsthand insight into the people, organizations, and ideology working toward a global system of governance. We discuss the connection Gary sees between globalism, Marxism, public education, the New Age movement, Alice Bailey, Lucius Trust, and the weakening of America's Judeo-Christian foundations. We also examine why ideas once discussed behind closed doors increasingly appear openly in our institutions and culture. Gary reminds believers that even when the cultural battle appears overwhelming, Christians are still called to stand for righteousness, speak truth, stand in the gap, and remain faithful to Christ. Our hope isn't found in a political system or human institution. Our hope is Jesus Christ. As Gary reminds us from 2 Timothy 1:7, “God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind.” This is a conversation about understanding the times without becoming consumed by them—and being found faithful until Christ returns. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs to hear it, and keep standing firm in truth. LINKS & RESOURCES Gary Kah / Hope for the World https://garykah.org/ Hope for the World UpdateQuarterly research journal discussed in this episode. https://store.garykah.com/nl20.html Gary Kah's Books:En Route to Global Occupation https://store.garykah.com/bk1.html The New World Religion https://store.garykah.com/bk90.html Fearless Features https://fearlessfeatures.org Partner with Fearless Features https://donorbox.org/fearless_features 00:00 – Introducing Gary Kah 02:47 – Gary's family escapes Hitler and communism 07:45 – Invited inside organizations pursuing global government 09:04 – The World Constitution and Parliament Association 10:55 – The globalist “long game” and critical mass 17:45 – How globalist ideas entered public education 20:38 – Socialism, young Americans and America's cities 22:45 – Where is the hope? The Christian response 26:05 – Hope for the World Update 31:09 – “The Lord should find us fighting” 36:29 – Five reasons to be concerned about global government

What happens after you’ve been saved? How do you stop allowing your past to define you and begin truly walking in the freedom Christ has given you? In this episode of Fearless with Mark & Amber, we’re joined by Sarina Tarantino from San Jose Church of Christ in Jacksonville, Florida, for a conversation about testimony, discipleship, biblical truth, parenting, the Church, and what it means to live out our identity in Christ. Sarina shares how hearing our testimony challenged her to reconsider the way she viewed her own past—and the importance of allowing our children to see not a picture of perfection, but a picture of what Jesus Christ can do in a surrendered life. We also talk about something the Church desperately needs to recover: following Christ is not a spectator sport. Pastors are called to equip the saints, but we are the saints. Every believer has a role in sharing the Gospel, discipling others, serving the Body of Christ, and faithfully stewarding the people God has placed in their lives. And none of us can outsource our relationship with God. Good preaching, Christian podcasts, conferences, and biblical teachers can encourage us, but they cannot replace personally opening the Word of God and allowing the Holy Spirit to renew our minds. Later in the conversation, we discuss why confronting difficult cultural realities matters, what Sarina learned after watching the Fearless Features documentaries, and why knowing the truth equips Christians to stand rather than live in fear. Finally, we share more about our upcoming September 12 event in Jacksonville, Florida, where Mark and Amber will share their personal testimonies and talk about marriage, family, discipleship, identity in Christ, prodigals, and finding freedom from the things that once held us captive. Because your past may be part of your story—but Jesus gets the final word. LINKS & RESOURCES September 12 Jacksonville, FL Event / Registration:
 https://bit.ly/4zfvFCC Watch Fearless Features films: 
https://www.fearlessfeatures.org/films Partner with Fearless Features:
 https://donorbox.org/fearless_features Compromised by Mark Archer:
 https://a.co/d/0d0ZvARg 00:00 – Welcome to Fearless with Mark & Amber 
06:07 – Should parents tell their children about their past?
 10:21 – Once you know, what responsibility do you have? 
14:40 – Christ sets us free to help others find freedom
 19:11 – From rescued to sent: getting back into the mission
 23:37 – One Body, many parts
24:29 – Childcare & important event information
 27:17 – Helping hurting people see that Jesus really is the answer
 29:44 – Your past doesn't have to keep you captive
 30:11 – Final encouragement SUBSCRIBE and share this episode with someone who needs to be reminded that their past does not disqualify them from being used by God. Until next time, march on, saints—and be filled with the Spirit.