Mailbag Friday: Old Testament Salvation, AI Sermons, And Baptism Truths

It’s Witness Wednesday! Are you prepared to see the insanity of radical subjectivity put to the test? What about our own consciences? Join Todd for real, on-the-street conversations about faith, truth, and Christ’s gospel. SEGMENT 1 • Taj claims truth is subjective—until Todd exposes the contradiction. • Being raised in a Christian environment does not make one a Christian. • If you’re clearly guilty before a just God… how can we have real hope? SEGMENT 2 • Peyton rejects design in the universe—Todd highlights the error with a simple analogy. • Think you’re a “good person”? A quick test exposes lying, lust, theft—and a verdict you probably won’t like. • If God already knew you’d sin, are you still accountable when judgment comes? SEGMENT 3 • Tiernan was told by a Catholic teacher to leave Christianity and explore other beliefs. • If God can erase your guilt, remove your shame, and give you purpose—what’s the reason that you’re rejecting Him? • Is your conscience just psychology… or evidence that you’re accountable to a Creator you can’t ignore? SEGMENT 4 • Tiernan rebuts Todd with the classic objection: the problem of evil. Can Christianity survive this? • Todd reframes the gospel: not just escape from hell, but a complete rewiring of how you think, feel, and see reality. • If Christianity answers guilt, suffering, purpose, and truth—what’s actually stopping you from surrendering today? ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Segment 1 • Todd sits down with Dr. Ted Tripp, author of “Shepherding a Child’s Heart”. • Are parents confusing a child’s ability to use tech with actual readiness to handle it? • Porn, smartphones, and distraction—there is a veritable minefield out there for the next generation. Segment 2 • Why are Christian kids walking away—and is disengaged parenting the real root issue? • Influence and intentionality in our children’s lives doesn’t just happen—it takes real effort. • Identity crises, online affirmation, and peer pressure—are your kids being discipled more by screens than you? Segment 3 • That our kids should own and use a cellphone shouldn’t be taken as a given. • Influence vs. authority: which one actually keeps your teenager from rebelling? • It may not be the case that every child has to go through a rebellious phase. Segment 4 • It’s never too late for parents to reach their children—even those parents who feel like they’ve failed. • Are you giving your kids behavior control… or actually shepherding their hearts? • When everything feels lost, your hope must be not in your own parenting power—but in the power of the gospel. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Segment 1 • Guest hosts: Justin Peters, Jim Osman & Gabe Hughes • The church must not copy business models or government structures. • Churches chasing worldliness to attract the world lose their distinctiveness. Segment 2 • Baptism and communion aren’t rituals—they’re visible reminders of the gospel • Worship that entertains people often stops honoring God • Some churches draw crowds—but they’re feeding goats, not sheep Segment 3 • Most churches avoid church discipline—even though Jesus commands it • Matthew 18 isn’t optional—it’s how the church deals with sin • When discipline is ignored, sin spreads—but when it’s practiced, the church is purified Segment 4 • Church discipline: loving restoration or something most churches are too afraid to practice? • What happens when someone refuses to repent—and why that changes everything • If your church never confronts sin, is it protecting people… or failing them? ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried! .

It’s Mailbag Friday! You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. Segment 1 • Can Christians participate in sports like boxing, football, and paintball, or does this mean they are thinking evil thoughts about punching, tackling, and shooting? - Andrew • Is it wrong for someone to be uncouth? For example, if someone says hello to me and I don't say anything back, is that a sin? My hyper-conscience condemns me for acts like this, but I don't want to disregard the guilt if it is from the Lord. - Phillip • I've been saved for almost 4 years now. I struggle with cussing... but in my mind only. How can I stop this? - Pearl Segment 2 • What is the difference between a Christian having a strong conscience vs a seared conscience? - Ryder Segment 3 • What is your favorite book of the Bible? - Marie Segment 4 • My wife and I go to a small church of about 30 people. Over the last few years, there have been several weddings in the church, and now almost all the church is family, including my wife and I. Is this a problem? - Anonymous • How does a Christian let shame and guilt go? When I fall into sin, I get very angry with myself because I failed. I know I'm looking at myself and my efforts, not at what Jesus has done for me, and that's the wrong way to look at it. How can I let my pride and anger go, stop focusing on my own efforts, and focus on what Jesus has done? - Ray • Since my brother got married to his pagan wife, I have no desire to speak to him. I feel as if he has spat in our faces and, more importantly, that he's spat in God's face. I am angry and hurt, but don't want to be. What do I do about my relationship with my brother? - Anonymous ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Segment 1 • 100 students, professing to be Christians, asked one simple question. Can they answer it? • Some share the benefits of a relationship with Christ, but miss the thrust of the gospel. • If an unbeliever heard your testimony, would it actually lead them to Christ? Segment 2 • “Jesus changed my life,” “I have purpose,” “I feel fulfilled”—are these reasons or results? • Why emotional experiences and life improvement fall short of explaining true salvation. • The uncomfortable question: have we replaced the gospel with clichés? Segment 3 • We can see what vague answers vs. crystal-clear gospel articulation actually looks like. • What must be included in a real gospel explanation—God, sin, wrath, Christ, response • Truth - not subjective results—is the true foundation of our faith. Segment 4 • There are far too many “church kids” who are unable to explain the gospel. • Are we entertaining and assimilating students instead of calling for conversion? • The deeper concern: is weak articulation connected to why so many walk away? ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

It’s Witness Wednesday! Todd Friel is on campus at The University of Georgia where he meets two students who are willing to talk about their religious beliefs. What will happen when their own conscience says “you’re guilty”? The tension builds to a sobering question you can’t dodge: if God judged you today, would you really be ready? Segment 1 • Todd meets Reese, a religion student, and asks: what’s really the difference between atheism and agnosticism? • Can all religions be true at once - or are they mutually exclusive? • The conversation pivots from intellect to conscience as Reese admits moral guilt—what happens when your own standards condemn you? Segment 2 • Todd walks Reese through the Ten Commandments, forcing a personal verdict: guilty. • Jesus is the Lamb who takes your punishment… but does Reese actually want Him? • Reese’s verdict is honest but devastating. Segment 3 • Todd meets Tyler, who admits he doesn’t know the meaning of Easter, which leads Todd to ask: How? • The gospel is explained from creation to resurrection—but Tyler resists one key issue. • Eyewitness evidence for the resurrection is introduced—would 500 witnesses willing to die change your standard for truth? Segment 4 • Tyler challenges biblical reliability with the “telephone game” critique. • What carries more weight: intellectual arguments or moral critiques of our conscience? • Todd presses the law—liar, thief, adulterer at heart—if God judges you today, would you really be ready? ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Segment 1 • James Talarico preaches his version of Easter. • Confusion over gender, truth, and identity - it’s not compassion, it’s rebellion. • A “Christian” argument for progressive ideology—what happens when Scripture gets reinterpreted? Segment 2 • “Jesus lost?”—a shocking claim that reframes the cross entirely • Competing atonement theories, and why it matters what we believe here • When politics hijacks the pulpit—can you spot theological drift before it spreads? Segment 3 • Love, unity, and power—is this biblical Christianity or political messaging? • Selective Scripture and cultural talking points—how subtle error reshapes truth • When Jesus becomes a “model” instead of a Savior, everything changes. Segment 4 • “Love wins” - it sounds nice, but it sneakily misses the truth of the gospel. • If our salvation is based on our good works, we’re lost. • The real issue exposed: what happens when penal substitution disappears? ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Segment 1 • A viral near-death story claims 18 days in heaven… • If someone “comes back” with a message, is it new revelation—or a subtle attack on biblical authority? • The real question is why so many are drawn to these stories of heavenly tourism. Segment 2 • The key difference between biblical visions (Isaiah, Paul, John) and modern “heaven tourism” claims • If it’s already in the Bible, why do we need the story? If it’s new… what does that imply? • A closer look at emotional, poetic testimonies that sound spiritual—but raise serious theological red flags Segment 3 • The shocking true story of a bestselling “trip to heaven” that was later admitted to be fabricated • Why these books keep selling—even after being exposed—and what that says about the audience • The deeper issue: is this curiosity… or dissatisfaction with what God has already revealed? Segment 4 • How the same appetite for “more than Scripture” leads to serious spiritual foolishness • A pastor uses Scripture to justify buying a private jet—does that argument actually hold up? • Why people keep buying in—and the sobering claim: this may not just be error… but a serious lack of spiritual fruit ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

It’s Mailbag Friday! You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. Segment 1 • Received an email from James, who asked the question last week concerning the difference in the Quran and the Old Testament, where God directs His people to kill those of other nations. He says he accepts your answer as a Christian, but how would you respond to an unbeliever asking the same question—someone who doesn’t believe the God of the Bible is real? — James • I’m 42 and own a pretty successful business. My wife is in real estate, and we’ve been married for over 20 years with two kids. Her income is significantly higher than mine. Am I living in sin, as the head of the household, for not being the main financial supporter? — Anonymous • My name is Mike, and I’m 10 years old. I want to do magic tricks—would that be considered sorcery or lying? — Mike • As Christians, we should be angry at sin. Should we ever be angry at sinners? — Jonathan Segment 2 • My mom is grieving my siblings’ resentment toward her. They were raised in a Bible-teaching home but now show little fruit. How can I best encourage her in her hurt? — Anonymous • I know God should be my source of rest, but how do I actually live that out day to day? What does it look like to rest in Him? — Hope Segment 3 • I feel constantly busy—ministry, work, relationships, planning ahead. How do I slow down, rest, and not just default to distractions like my phone? — Hope Segment 4 • I am from India. Can a Christian have health or term insurance, or does that show a lack of trust in God’s sovereignty? — Athul • My boss keeps calling a work report “our bible,” and it bothers me. What’s the best way to respond? — Anonymous ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Today on Wretched Radio, we listen in to a recent breakout session from the Shepherds Conference, where Phil Johnson addresses the growing push to redefine hell. Annihilationism may sound more reasonable—even more compassionate—but does it actually align with Scripture? As Phil works through the issue, it becomes clear this isn’t just about hell—it touches sin, justice, and the gospel itself. Segment 1 • Phil Johnson explains why the fight over hell is really a fight over biblical authority. • A “nicer” version of hell is gaining traction—and it sounds appealing for a reason. • The question starts to surface: if this changes, what else starts to unravel? Segment 2 • Phil warns how social media is shaping what Christians—even you—believe about God. • “Crowdsourcing your doctrine” sounds harmless… until it leads somewhere dangerous. • A real example of how one influential voice triggered widespread theological confusion. Segment 3 • The emotional objection rises: “this doesn’t feel just”. • The discussion turns to justice—who defines it, and by what standard? • A familiar pattern emerges when hard doctrines start getting softened Segment 4 • The focus shifts to what’s at stake when hell is minimized. • One doctrinal change starts affecting everything—Scripture, justice, even the cross. • The question lingers: if punishment isn’t eternal… what exactly are you being saved from? ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!