A Call to Cultivate - Interview with Owen Strachan

In the 1600s, the best of the Reformation converged on America…covenanted together under God…and took His law as the basis for their government. By 1880, America had the largest GDP in the world. Today, Americans contribute 90% of global charity. God's blessing has rested on us for 250 years, and to this day, we are the most God-blessed nation. Kevin and Danny discuss what happened to bring such blessing…and whether it could happen again.

Kevin talks with Owen Strachan about how Christ restores relationships as well as truth — and the surprising elements of the gospel which attract gen Z. They look at the natural life through supernatural lenses, discussing the revolutionary act of building healthy, joyful lives…the appeal of structure, stability, and order…and whether we are pilgrims on the way to the celestial city, or dominion-takers doing something of eternal consequence in this world.

What can you do if you have children from toddlers to teenagers, and you feel like you're not making headway with family discipleship? What are the top issues to focus on, and strategies to follow? The panel talks about going beyond family worship…ways to find one-on-one time with lots of kids…big mistakes…the role of the church…and the best things their own parents did.

Movies are the most powerful teaching tool in our culture. In the 60s and 70s, a small group of studios led the West by the nose into moral revolution — and the Academy Awards continue to reward films romanticizing evil. But Americans' embrace of moral relativism has flatlined in the past 10–15 years. Hollywood has lost its grip on the American mind — and now there is a great opportunity for independent Christian filmmakers. Will we seize it?

Should we fast — and does fasting somehow make God pay more attention to our prayers? Is it a way for God to test the sincerity of our petitions…and if so, are there wrong ways to pray and fast? But then, why even pray at all when God is sovereign? How can our petitions change His eternal decree about what will come to pass?

Kevin speaks to Sam Rust about whether patriotism is a good thing for Christians — and if so, what a patriot should think about MAGA, trade protectionism, nationalism, and America First. They discuss the positives, and negatives, of the USA…whether any central identity still remains to love…the gospel hope upon which America was founded…and whether it is possible to revive that heritage.

Plato's totalitarian paternalistic state has finally been actualized — and today every secular government believes it must control the education of children. Yet there are signs that this cannot continue. In 1985 America, no one was homeschooled — today, 7% are. Support for public schools has plummeted to just 29%. Kevin talks to Bradley Pierce of Heritage Defense about whether it's possible to overturn compulsory school attendance laws…whether there are any downsides…and what homeschooling parents can do.

Scripture commands that we nurture our children in the admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4)—but sometimes it just doesn't seem to work. The panel discusses the place of spanking in the training of children, asking: is it not working, or is it just taking longer than you'd like? They talk about teaching vs atonement…rebellion vs immaturity…changing behavior vs changing the heart…and alternatives to spanking that often render it unnecessary.

For the past 40 years the enemy has been tearing apart family and church through an aggressive attack on fatherhood, motherhood, and sexuality. It is beyond anything seen by any prior civilization — so how can we rebuild and repair what has been destroyed? Kevin talks to Scott Brown from Church & Family Life about what they'll be teaching at the upcoming conference, "Manhood and Womanhood: The Glory of God in the Creation Order."

Many kingdoms come and go…but only one Kingdom remains forever. Yet many Christians seem confused. Does Jesus presently reign — or will He only start when he returns to Jerusalem? If He is reigning, is His kingdom on earth? And if so, where exactly do we see the government upon His shoulder, and is it increasing without end? What is the gospel actually doing…what will it achieve…and how important is it to get this right?