Biblical Truth

Fifty-four-year-old former Nebraska senator, husband, and father of three, Ben Sasse, was tragically diagnosed only six months ago with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and told he had three to four months to live. While the clinical trial that his doctors put him on has given him more time on earth than doctors predicted, the cancer has sadly continued to spread to his liver, lymph nodes, lung, and vascular system.

Each day that he lives is a miracle. Knowing this has caused Sasse to focus on what is truly important, and he has graciously shared his wisdom in several interviews recently. The following are five insights that we would all be wise to listen to and reflect upon.

1. Spend More Time with Family, Including Extended Family

In a recent extended interview on “60 Minutes,” Scott Pelley asked Sasse, “If you had another 30 years, what would your priority be?”

Sasse reflected, “I wish we’d had more babies. We have three great kids. I wish we had four or five. If I had 30 years left from now, I’d be working hard to take my zealous achiever daughters and try to figure out how you build something that’s a little bit like a family compound. How do you build something where you can have different generations come and go from it and have a thickness and a support system? How could you spend more time around your cousins or build the opportunity for your kids and your grandkids to spend more time around their cousins?”

He went on to share his regret of having a period where he spent too much time working and not enough time with his family: “I would travel a little bit less for work. … I spent way too many nights in hotel rooms. And I don’t know if my family even knows this, but I never really threw away any of my hotel keys. I’d come back from every trip, and I threw them in a box in a closet in my office, and there are thousands and thousands of hotel room keys, and sometimes I just look at it and feel a heaviness of regret. I would make better decisions about that.”

Later in the interview, Sasse expressed how tragic it is that people around the world have stopped having babies. He explained, “Having a baby is a bet on the future. And almost everywhere in the world — and the world is richer and richer and richer statistically than it’s ever been — people have decided, ‘Ah, actually babies are kind of an inconvenience.’ Babies have always been an inconvenience and the most glorious thing you can do to enrich your family and to make a bet on the future. … We’ve stopped making babies. We’ve decided that being distracted by a dopamine hit around a Candy Crush might be a good way to spend your time. Not if you’re fully human.”

2. Observe the Sabbath: Instead of Trying to Be Self-Sufficient, Rest in Almighty God

Similar to fellow Christian Charlie Kirk, Sasse sees the importance of following God’s Fourth Commandment to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. In an interview with Focus on the Family President Jim Daly, he shared:

“I have repented to my family. It started before this diagnosis, but we’ve talked about it a lot more intentionally since then. I have repented to my family about not having been a good leader about the Lord’s day. We never missed Sunday morning worship, but often by [2:00 or 3:00] in the afternoon, our hearts and affections and attentions were getting on to all the achievements we had to do, starting Monday morning and all the work we needed to do. And a lot of that work is important and meaningful, but man, the feast day of the soul is more important than I gave it attention to. And I now want my kids to view the glory of not needing to strive from Saturday night to Sunday night as an unbelievable blessing that we get to rest.

“Martin Luther’s great ‘A Mighty Fortress’ is based on Psalm 46, and if you read Psalm 46, there’s pretty obviously three movements. There’s you don’t have to fear anything. You’re going to be fine. God’s got this. And then this command: ‘Be still.’ It means stop trying to be self-sufficient. You get to be a child of the eternal king. And every Sunday, we can live that. I didn’t do that enough.”

Similarly, when Daly asked Sasse what advice he would give dads, he reiterated the importance of family worship time on the Sabbath:

“Let’s be humble with our kids and say … it’s glorious to get to reflect on the things of the Lord. What can we read together as a family this Sunday? How can we lock up our phones? How can we set aside time on the Lord’s Day to just linger and reflect back on the sermon, not have to get out of church the second it’s over, but go find the folks who are in need there or the visitors there. But I’d say two of the most practical operationalizable ones for us: we lock up our phones most of Sunday and we read aloud together a lot.”

3. Help Government Restrain Evil and Protect Freedoms

During CBS News’s “Things That Matter” townhall, a member of the audience asked Sasse how a Christian’s faith should impact his politics. He responded by emphasizing that Christians should seek to maintain order through government, not try to force religion on citizens. He explained:

“The secular sphere is still God’s space and God’s sphere, but it’s a question of whether or not explicit revealed theology is guiding our government. And I think that the purposes of government are to maintain order. It’s not to be theologically precise or accurate about what anybody should believe. The First Amendment is the most glorious inheritance anybody’s ever gotten in the history of government. Government is not the most important thing in the world, but it is glorious that our First Amendment has freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, protest or redress of grievances. But that means that what I want government to do is create a space that is free from violence.

“So people can worship as they see fit, whether I agree with them or disagree with them. As a neighbor, I might want to wrestle with theology with somebody, but I don’t want to use the state to accomplish theological ends. I want to maintain order for a secular sphere that is free from violence.

“So I don’t subscribe to views of geopolitics as God is accomplishing a precise thing in those places. I think our servant leaders are responsible for using their time in office to try to minimize violence, maximize order [and] human liberty. In my view, the future of geopolitics 10 or 40 years from now is going to be more U.S.-led or more Chinese Communist Party-led, and I would rather have open navigation of the seaways, freedom of religion, human rights, commerce, trade, transparent contracts. And so, I would rather have there be more U.S.-led freedoms for the world — but not because the U.S. is an eternal entity. The U.S. is just the best experiment in government we’ve ever known. But governments are going to pass away ultimately. At the end of days, when we all wrestle through and with the questions around our own mortality, there will be no more tears, there will be no more cancer, there will also be no more government. Government is a tool. It’s a really important tool, but it’s a time-limited tool.”

In his interview with Daly, he explained, “Government is about restraining evil. It’s not about the glory of what happens at worship. It’s not about the warmth around your dinner table where you’re telling your kids how much you love them and asking them about their day. Government is just about a framework for ordered liberty. And so our passions [have to] hold moderately to certain institutions like government because they’re important, but they’re passing away.”

4. Community Is Essential: Escape Social Media Echo Chambers and Learn from Others

Sasse believes that how society handles the current communication revolution (especially social media and AI) is crucial, telling Daly, “I think a hundred years from now, if the Lord hasn’t returned yet, when we look back on this moment, we’re not going to talk very much about public policy. We’re going to talk about the fact that social media created a completely different kind of information ecosystem. And there [are] these grand temptations to steal our attention all the time. We know that only about 12% of Americans will read a book this year.”

Sasse told Pelley, “We’re living through a technological revolution which is creating an economic revolution. Let’s be clear, we’re the rich middle-class median. Americans are the richest people any time and place in all of human history. And yet, the economic revolutions that we’re living through are unsettling culture and place,” he pointed out. “And so people are incredibly rich at a material level statistically. And yet we’re pretty impoverished spiritually and communally in that we don’t have fit community. We don’t know our cousins. We don’t know the people who live two doors away from us. And we don’t feel like we’re in a common cause with people right now. And politics wants to trivialize that by screaming there’s some bad political actor somewhere. And if only that person were ripped out of the public square, politicians could fix all this. No, neighbors are going to have to fix this.”

He went on to say, “I do think social media is one of the fundamental problems that we’re dealing with right now. Right now, almost all politicians’ impulses and incentives … is to go narrow but deep and to do a lot of fan service. It doesn’t encourage a lot of self-scrutiny. It doesn’t encourage a lot of humility. It doesn’t encourage someone saying, ‘You know what, I used to believe this, but I listened to somebody else, and I realized I was wrong, and I’ve learned this new thing. There’s no audience for that. You want to just say more of, ‘We’re definitely right, and they’re definitely wrong.’ And that tribalism makes us pretty stupid.”

He continued, “One of the glorious things about the American experiment is believing in souls that can do deferred gratification. We can do deliberation that says, ‘Maybe I don’t have all the answers right now at my fingertips, and maybe the glories of a big and diverse creation is I can learn a lot from my neighbors.’”

5. Put Your Trust in Sovereign God, the Source of Peace

In the “60 Minutes” interview, Pelley observed, “You are completely devoted to your faith: what’s known as Reformed Christianity or Calvinism. And one of the tenets of that faith is that God ordains everything. And I wonder why you think God has put you to this test?”

Sasse answered, “Death is wicked. Death is evil. Death is not how it’s supposed to be. And me getting a cancer diagnosis again is pretty small on the grand scheme of things, but it’s a touch of grace because it forces me to tell the truth. And the lie I want to tell myself is that I’m the center of everything, and I’m going to be around forever, and I can work harder and store up enough that I can atone for my own brokenness. I can’t. And so, I hate cancer, but I’m also grateful for it. I tell a lot more truth to myself than I used to … when I thought I was super omnipotent and interesting.”

The most emotional and inspirational part of these interviews came at the end of this conversation. Everyone should listen and learn from this man of deep Christian faith.

Pelley, on the verge of tears, managed to say, “I make no comparison to what you’re going through, but there was a moment on 9/11 at the World Trade Center that I knew I was dead. And in that lightning flash of an instant, the only thing that crossed my mind was leaving my family behind. And I wonder how you reconcile that.”

Sasse responded, “Yeah … I’m incredibly blessed. My wife Melissa … we’ve been married 31 years. …We’re going to be apart for a time. But she’s tough and gritty and theologically rooted, and she’s going to be fine. My daughters are 24 and 22, and they’re extraordinary. I want to walk them down the aisle when they get married,” he paused, getting emotional. “That’s not likely to be. That’s not the math of my timecard. My son, we have a providential surprise. He’s a decade younger than big sisters. He’s … going to be fine, and he’ll have other wise men and women to put a hand on his shoulder. But I’m super bummed to not be there at 16 and 18 and 20 years old in his life. I want to give him more advice than he wants, and I want to put my arm on his shoulder, and I want his shoulders to get taller. But it’s not a surprise to God.”

Pelley noted, “And God, you believe, has a plan.”

Sasse, without hesitation, answered, “Absolutely. There are no maverick molecules in the universe.”

‍

This article was written by Kathy Athearn and originally published at The Washington Stand. For more content like this, visit Real Life Network.

On April 26, I spoke at Hickory Hammock Baptist Church in Milton, Florida, about AI’s impact on children and families. After the service, parents and grandparents lingered with questions — not about geopolitics or corporate boardrooms, but about what was already happening inside their own households. They wanted practical steps to protect their children. Their concern is well-founded.

Picture the moment: a child sits at the kitchen table, struggling with homework. He doesn’t ask a parent — he opens an AI app and types the question. Within seconds, a clear, confident answer appears. No friction. No conversation. No one who loves him is involved at all. Across the room, his mother consults her own parenting app for guidance on how to handle his behavior. The moment looks utterly ordinary, and that is the problem.

The question those parents in Milton were asking is the right one: who is raising our children — the parent or the algorithm?

A Pew Research Center survey of 1,458 U.S. teenagers found that 64% now use AI chatbots — including 12% who have sought emotional support from these tools and more than half who turn to them regularly for schoolwork. A companion Pew report found that only 51% of parents believe their teenager uses AI regularly, while 30% have no idea. What parents don’t see, they cannot shape.

The Brookings Institution, drawing on input from more than 500 participants across 50 countries, concluded in January 2026 that the risks of AI in children’s education “overshadow its benefits” — because those risks strike directly at foundational development: attention, reasoning, social relationships, and independent judgment. Children often cannot recognize, question, or even see the technologies quietly shaping their earliest experiences. This is not simply a technology problem. It is an authority problem.

For generations, parents controlled which outside voices entered the home. A television could be turned off. A book could be closed. A teacher could be called. AI operates differently. It is embedded in the devices children already carry, available at any hour, and patient in ways no human being can sustain. It does not raise its voice or express disappointment. It does not ask what the child thinks before delivering an answer. Those qualities feel reassuring to a child — which is precisely what makes them quietly formative.

A RAND Corporation study found student use of AI for schoolwork jumped from 48 to 62% in just seven months during 2025, with 67% of students acknowledging the practice weakens their critical thinking. In one conversation I had recently, a college student told me she has watched her Christian peers consult AI the way they would a pastor. That is not a metaphor any parent or pastor should let pass without reflection.

There is a relational cost embedded in all of this that rarely gets named. Real formation — the kind that produces character, judgment, and wisdom — happens through friction. When a child shares a tough question with a parent, they gain more than any AI can offer: the parent’s wisdom, a strong relationship, and an appreciation for patience. AI systems are engineered to be responsive, affirming, and conflict-free — optimized for engagement, not formation. Engagement sustained over years becomes its own kind of formation, only one running in a vastly different direction.

Scripture understood this before algorithms existed. “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). That charge was given to parents — not to AI platforms. The Hebrew verb for “train” — chanak — carries the sense of dedication, of establishing a direction through habitual influence. Formation is cumulative. Every time a child turns to an algorithm instead of a parent — and every time a parent turns to AI for guidance on how to respond — that cumulative process is quietly redirected.

Artificial intelligence has no conscience. It is not accountable to God. It cannot love your child, discern his heart, or distinguish between what he wants to hear and what he needs to know. As I examine at length in “AI for Mankind’s Future,” unchecked reliance on algorithmic systems erodes the very human judgment those systems were meant to supplement. The voice is confident, the answer is instant, and children are not equipped to evaluate what they are being handed. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). A child trained by habit of leaning on an algorithm rather than a parent is being pointed in a fundamentally wrong direction — not by malice, but by the steady drift of convenience.

Parents who think they are managing this problem by monitoring screen time are already behind it. Treating AI like a hazard to be filtered addresses the symptom while missing the cause. A more effective response means being present in the conversation — asking the question before the AI app gets to it, discussing what the app provided, modeling the slower and more honest work of thinking through a problem. It means teaching children that truth is different from a confident answer delivered in two seconds by a machine. Moses understood the principle: “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way” (Deuteronomy 6:7). The home was always the first classroom. Parents have always been the first teachers. AI has not changed that assignment — it has only made it more urgent.

Pastors need to address this with the same directness they bring to any other threat to spiritual formation. AI is shaping how young people think, relate to authority, and understand where truth comes from — and that is not a secondary concern. Policymakers need to move beyond phone bans — a political band-aid on a deeper wound — and confront the design incentives that make these systems so compelling, because removing a phone from a classroom does not fix a platform engineered to capture students’ attention the moment school ends.

In “The New AI Cold War,” I argue that the future security of this nation depends as much on the character and discipline of its people as on its technology. That argument starts in the home. A generation shaped more by algorithms than by parents will not have the judgment, resilience, or relational depth to defend what they have inherited.

The AI is already in your home. It is neither neutral nor passive, and it is not going away. The parents who understand that clearly will still have a chance to answer the question those families in Milton were asking. The ones who are still waiting to take it seriously may find the answer has already been made for them.

This article was originally posted on The Washington Stand. For more content like this, visit Real Life Network.

On January 20, 2026, historian Yuval Noah Harari stood before the World Economic Forum at Davos and issued a direct challenge to Christians worldwide. “If religion is built from words, then AI will take over religion,” he said, then named Christianity by name: “This is particularly true of religions based on books, like Islam, Christianity, or Judaism.” And he left this question in the air: “What happens to the religion of a book when the greatest expert on the holy book is an AI?”

The clip accumulated 1.2 million views within days. The room at Davos did not object.

A Documented Shift, not a Conspiracy

Harari’s 2026 remarks are the current edge of a worldview shift building for years — visible in the public statements of the most powerful technologists of our time, spanning five distinct domains of the human person.

It was Harari himself who told the same World Economic Forum in 2020 that we are “no longer mysterious souls — we are now hackable animals.” Six years later, he has moved from contesting human identity to contesting the authority of Scripture. The trajectory is not random.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wrote in 2017 that “the merge has already started” — that phones and algorithms already “control us” and “decide what we think.” By 2025, he had enlarged that frame: an essay titled “The Gentle Singularity” described AI as “building a brain for the world,” projected brain-computer interfaces, and suggested “some people will probably decide to ‘plug in.’” Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen has called AI development a “moral obligation” and envisions every person equipped with an AI “assistant, coach, mentor, tutor… therapist” — roles Scripture reserves for God, parents, pastors, and community.

Billionaire, AI investor, and co-founder of Palantir Technologies Peter Thiel has said, “I’ve always had this really strong sense that death was a terrible, terrible thing… I prefer to fight it,” investing millions to turn mortality into an engineering problem. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, writing in more restrained terms, envisions AI-enabled biology offering “control and freedom over our own biological processes” addressing conditions “we currently think of as immutable parts of the human condition” — potentially including a doubling of the human lifespan.

These statements come from different people with different assumptions. What they share is a common direction: the human being as improvable hardware, death as a bug to be patched, and — in Harari’s own words before world leaders — the Bible as a database awaiting a more capable administrator.

The Contest That Matters More than the One We’re Watching

In “The New AI Cold War,” I document how China, Russia, and Iran are weaponizing artificial intelligence to surveil populations and export digital tyranny worldwide. That geopolitical contest is real and urgent. But the deeper one is being fought inside Western civilization itself — on the terrain of human identity and, as Harari’s Davos appearance confirmed, on the terrain of Christian faith. The architects of AI understand this better than most Christians do.

What Scripture Actually Says

No technological development alters what Scripture says about human beings. “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness’” (Genesis 1:26). That declaration is the load-bearing wall of Christian anthropology — the reason human dignity is inherent and not a function of what AI can do with our genome or our sacred texts.

In “AI for Mankind’s Future,” I examine what it means to bear the imago Dei when machines imitate human intelligence. Harari’s question has a Christian answer no algorithm can produce: the Holy Spirit, not processing power, illuminates Scripture. The soul is real and not reducible to data. The body is not hardware — it will be raised imperishable. Death is an enemy, but the resurrection of Jesus Christ has already answered that claim. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5) is not a devotional sentiment — it is the posture Scripture commands for this moment.

The Jurisdiction That Is Quietly Changing Hands

The most consequential shift in AI is not technological. It is jurisdictional. AI is migrating from tool to authority — not by coercion, but through the frictionless convenience of daily use. Algorithms already shape what millions of people read and believe, mediate education, and form moral character. Andreessen’s vision of AI as universal tutor, therapist, and life guide is not a distant scenario. It is the operational goal of every major platform already in your household.

When a digital system begins answering the questions of identity, purpose, and meaning that once belonged to God, to parents, and to community, it does not remain a tool. Romans 1:25 describes the exchange in which Paul warns against trading the truth of God for the created thing. Harari is more candid than most about where that exchange leads — and at Davos, he named your Bible specifically.

The Response Christians Cannot Afford to Delay

AI produces genuine benefits — in medicine, national security, and communication — and “AI for Mankind’s Future” acknowledges them. The argument here is against surrender: surrendering judgment to the algorithm, and the formation of the next generation to systems whose designers have already decided the human being is improvable hardware and the Bible is a word-processing problem.

Christians must engage AI with discernment — using the technology without adopting its embedded anthropology. That means defending what the technologists are actively contesting: that human dignity is a gift of the Creator, not a product of code, and that the authority of Scripture cannot be transferred to any machine. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12).

Harari posed the right question at Davos, and the answer has not changed since Moses received it at Mount Sinai. What remains is whether the church will say it loudly enough, and soon enough, for the world to hear.

This article was orginally published on The Washington Stand. For more content like this, visit Real Life Network.

Faith is strengthened through consistent exposure to God’s Word, thoughtful study, and intentional choices about what shapes our thinking. For many believers, that process once revolved solely around weekly church attendance and personal Bible study. Today, however, digital media plays a significant role in how people learn, reflect, and grow.

That reality raises an important question: How does streaming faith-based content actually strengthen faith? When used intentionally, Christian streaming can become a meaningful support for spiritual growth, reinforcing biblical truth, encouraging perseverance, and helping believers stay anchored in Scripture throughout the week.

Faith Grows Through Consistency, Not Occasional Moments

Spiritual growth rarely happens through isolated experiences. It is shaped over time through repeated engagement with truth. Faith-based streaming helps support that consistency by making biblical teaching readily available.

Instead of relying only on a single sermon each week, believers can:

• Revisit messages that stood out
• Watch teaching throughout the week
• Listen to podcasts during everyday routines
• Explore Scripture-centered content at their own pace

This steady rhythm matters. When God’s Word becomes part of daily life—rather than something accessed only occasionally—faith deepens naturally.

Faith-Based Streaming Reinforces Biblical Perspective

The messages people consume daily shape how they interpret the world. News, entertainment, and social media often present values that conflict with Scripture. Faith-based streaming provides an alternative voice rooted in biblical truth rather than cultural pressure.

Christian platforms offer content that:

• Interprets current events through Scripture
• Encourages discernment rather than fear
• Affirms God’s sovereignty in uncertain times
• Helps believers think clearly about culture, identity, and purpose

Programs such as The Jack Hibbs Podcast, The Prophecy Pros, and worldview-focused documentaries on Real Life Network help viewers process complex issues without losing their biblical grounding.

Learning Deepens Confidence in What You Believe

Faith grows stronger when understanding grows deeper. Many believers struggle not because they lack sincerity, but because they feel unsure how to answer hard questions—whether their own or those raised by others.

Faith-based streaming addresses this need by offering apologetics and teaching that strengthen confidence in Scripture. On Real Life Network, programs like Cross-Examined with Frank Turek, The Creation Today Show, and In Depth Apologetics for Kids help viewers think clearly about faith, science, history, and truth.

When believers understand why they believe what they believe, their faith becomes steadier and more resilient.

Stories of Faith Encourage Perseverance

One of the most powerful ways faith is strengthened is through testimony. Seeing how God works in the lives of others encourages perseverance during personal trials.

Faith-based documentaries and testimonies remind viewers that:

• God works through ordinary people
• Faithfulness often involves hardship
• Redemption is possible even after deep struggle
• God’s purposes extend beyond present circumstances

Documentaries such as Louis Zamperini, Billy Graham: A Life Remembered, The Listening Road, and The Call provide real-life examples of faith lived out under pressure. These stories encourage viewers to remain faithful even when growth feels slow or unseen.

Faith Is Strengthened Through Shared Experience

Faith is not meant to grow in isolation. While streaming is often viewed as an individual activity, it can become a shared experience that strengthens relationships and spiritual growth.

Families might:

• Watch faith-based films together
• Discuss documentaries during dinner
• Let kids engage with Bible-based cartoons
• Talk about sermons throughout the week

Small groups often use streaming content as a discussion starter, breaking longer programs into manageable segments. When faith-based content leads to conversation, it moves from passive viewing to active discipleship.

Real Life Network’s wide range of kids’ programming, sermons, podcasts, and documentaries makes it easier for families and groups to engage together across age levels.

Faith-Based Streaming Reduces Spiritual Noise

Modern life is filled with competing voices. Many believers find that constant exposure to negative or distracting media weakens focus, peace, and clarity. Choosing faith-based streaming helps create a healthier media environment.

By intentionally replacing some entertainment with Christian content, viewers often experience:

• Greater peace of mind
• Reduced anxiety
• Renewed focus on Scripture
• Stronger spiritual discipline

This isn’t about withdrawing from the world, but about choosing what shapes the heart and mind most consistently.

Faith Is Strengthened When Truth Is Accessible

One reason streaming strengthens faith is accessibility. Sermons, teaching series, and devotionals are no longer tied to a specific place or time. This removes barriers that often interrupt spiritual growth.

Streaming allows believers to:

• Continue learning during travel
• Revisit teaching when questions arise
• Stay connected during difficult seasons
• Maintain spiritual habits during busy schedules

Platforms like Real Life Network make this access simple, offering biblically grounded content across devices so faith remains part of everyday life.

How Real Life Network Supports Spiritual Growth

Real Life Network exists to provide content that encourages believers and strengthens faith without unnecessary distractions. Its curated library includes:

• Sermons and teaching
• Apologetics and worldview programs
• Podcasts and short-form content
• Faith-based documentaries
• Kids’ programming that builds biblical foundations

RLN focuses on content designed to support growth, understanding, and encouragement.

Faith is strengthened when believers remain rooted in God’s Word, encouraged by truth, and supported by wise teaching. Faith-based streaming, when used thoughtfully, helps reinforce those foundations, making biblical content accessible, consistent, and relevant to everyday life.

It is not a replacement for Scripture, prayer, or community. But it is a valuable tool that helps faith grow steadily in a world full of competing voices.

Explore faith-strengthening content anytime on Real Life Network.

‍

Related Articles

• Best Faith-Based Documentaries to Watch for Free by Real Life Network
• Where Can I Find Clean Cartoons for My Kids? by Real Life Network‍
• Disney+, Hulu, and Choosing a Better Streaming Option for Christian Families by Real Life Network

On April 6, 1990, I wrote in my Bible the following words: “It’s nice to be back. I’ve been gone too long — only through the power and love of Jesus I have come back,” and I signed it “Walt,” a remarkable occurrence after falsely identifying as a woman for eight years.

My experience offers living proof of the power of the gospel to transform a life seemingly lost in an alternate “trans” identity, and the important role the church plays in restoration.

The Bible says the body is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 3:16, Paul writes: “Do you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” The good news is that no matter what your past looks like, or what you may have done to your body, redemption awaits you in the arms of Jesus, and God’s Spirit who dwells in you will restore you.

When I was identifying as a “transgender woman,” I was mentally unstable and unable to comprehend the lifelong consequences of using cross-sex hormones and surgery to change my appearance to that of a woman. Even worse, I was drinking to excess. At my initial appointment with “gender” therapist, Dr. Paul Walker, I was intoxicated, yet he quickly diagnosed me with gender dysphoria, a diagnosis that never should have happened. Following his advice, I underwent gender surgery in 1983 at the age of 42 and began my pretense of presenting in life as a woman.

Sobriety, Church, and Prayer

I had been living what I see now was a life of sin but, to my amazement, my messy life was not too big for Jesus. Jesus did not turn His back on me.

Jesus preserved me through despair and attempted suicide, led me to a church and sobriety, and provided a home and a strong support team. The relationships with leaders at church cemented my foundation in Christ and, in time, gave me the courage to seek counseling to confront the childhood traumas that had caused me to seek an alternate identity.

The turning point occurred during a prayer with a counselor several years into my sobriety in a personal encounter with Jesus I will never forget. My lord and savior Jesus appeared to me, held me in His arms, and said, “You are now safe with me forever.” That day, I was born again in Christ and trusted He would put me on the path to full restoration as Walt. That’s when I wrote it in my Bible and signed “Walt.”

The Church’s Role

The church’s basic approach to reaching anyone, no matter what the issue, starts with welcoming love and standing for truth and is deeply rooted in compassion and concern for both the needs of the person and the congregation.

Reaching out to help an adult in your congregation who is presenting as the opposite gender requires building a relationship with that person. It may require a pastor or elder to have a one-on-one conversation first to determine if the individual is willing to receive spiritual guidance. You can learn a great deal in that conversation, and it will help in knowing if and how to provide support and boundaries.

In my case, my needs were great on many levels — financial, spiritual, emotional, legal, psychological — for an extended period. My pastor suggested I chronicle them in a regular note to the leadership so they could pray and provide. This “note” over time became a weekly prayer letter keeping the leadership in tune with my journey, at times celebrating the triumphs and at other times, carrying my burdens. The pastor gathered a strong support team of two or three mentors to encourage me with consistent Bible study and contact on the phone, over meals or coffee. These spiritually mature people were the very hands and feet of Jesus, showing me care and providing accountability.

In my life, the restoration process was messy for me and the church, and it can be messy for the church today. But, oh, it is so worth the effort to see God work. Redemption through Jesus has given me peace, healing, freedom, and victory. This year I celebrate 40 years of sobriety and 35 years in my right identity.

The Chloe Cole Act

You can see why I strongly oppose cross-sex hormones and surgery as “treatment” for identity distress. I came to Jesus and learned hormones and surgical procedures are not, and never have been, medically effective in changing a man into a woman or a woman into a man, a boy into a girl or a girl into a boy. Medical practitioners who promote this “treatment” are imposing great harm, especially on children, and lawmakers are stepping up.

The proposed Chloe Cole Act will prevent doctors and hospitals from introducing wrong-sex hormones into bloodstreams of children and removing healthy body parts in pursuit of a false identity.

The life-long harmful effects of hormone therapies and radical surgeries don’t stop at the age of 19; sadly, I can attest to that. Our lawmakers should start now to consider laws that will protect adults as well.

Resources for the Church

The church played an enormous role in my restoration even though resources about alternate identities were non-existent so many years ago. To support people in the congregation who are struggling with their biological sex, it’s important for the church, especially the leadership, to be equipped with accurate information.

To combat non-biblical misinformation and to teach Christians how to apply God’s word to helping trans-identifying people, Dr. Jennifer Bauwens and I applied our expertise and experiences in trauma and gender distress to write the book, “Embracing God’s Design.”

Written for the church, it presents an easy-to-read understanding of the topic from the Christian and psychological perspectives, reveals what drives adults or children to identify this way, chronicles the harms inflicted by “gender” clinics, and shares how Christians can minister to them and their families.

Redemption

I give all the glory to Jesus for my new redeemed life “only through the power and love of Jesus.” I had no idea on that day of April 6, 1990, what redemption would look like, but 35 years later I do understand redemption is about the Lord fulfilling His promises. For believers, Christ’s redemptive work fulfills every divine promise made for our salvation and restoration. What is so beautiful is it’s yours for the asking.

So come to Jesus. Get your redemption started on Easter Sunday 2026.

For more information on how the church can respond, see the FRC resource, “Embracing God’s Design.”

You can support the Chloe Cole Act by contacting your members of Congress here.

This article was originally published on The Washington Stand. For more content like this, visit the Real Life Network.

‍

Related Article

2 ‘Gender Transition’ Regretters Find Common Ground in Protecting Kids by Walt Heyer

In today’s world of online news, politics, and Christian streaming, the fight for biblical truth is more urgent than ever. From the Daniel Cohen Show on the Real Life Network, viewers are turning to bold, unfiltered reporting that cuts through media bias and exposes what’s really happening in Israel, Iran, and the West. From Hamas tactics to cultural deception and moral confusion, this conversation reveals how a dangerous ideology known as suicidal empathy is reshaping our world.

This is not just about headlines. This is about a civilization wrestling with truth itself.

The Rise of Suicidal Empathy in a Confused Culture

There is a growing belief in modern culture that compassion means affirming anything and everything, even when it leads to destruction. That helping someone means agreeing with their choices, regardless of the consequences. That resisting evil is somehow unloving.

That is not compassion. That is surrender. This is what can only be described as suicidal empathy.

In Iran, the regime has reportedly lowered its recruitment age to just twelve years old. Children are being armed and placed at checkpoints. Boys who should be playing sports are instead being trained for war. This is not strength. It is desperation.

At the same time, groups like Hamas and Hezbollah continue to operate from within civilian populations. They store weapons in schools and hospitals. They disguise operatives as journalists. They manipulate the optics, knowing the Western media will amplify their narrative.

The enemy hides behind innocence while exploiting the compassion of the West.

This distortion creates confusion. It paralyzes moral clarity. And it leaves many unable to distinguish between good and evil.

For those seeking clear, biblically grounded reporting, you can watch full episodes on the Real Life Network, where truth is not filtered through political agendas.

When Narratives Replace Reality

One of the most consistent themes today is that things are not what they appear to be.

A man presented as a journalist is revealed to be a terrorist operative. A school becomes a weapons depot. A protest described as grassroots turns out to be highly organized and well funded.

Even culturally, the same pattern exists.

A viral moment shows a beauty pageant contestant whose polished image falls apart when her veneers slip during a live broadcast. It is an uncomfortable scene, but it serves as a powerful picture of something deeper.

What looks convincing on the surface often collapses under the weight of reality. This is true of many modern narratives, especially those tied to politics and identity. They are emotionally compelling but historically and factually disconnected.

When examined through the lens of biblical truth and objective reality, they cannot stand.

When truth collides with reality, the manufactured narrative cannot stand.

This is why discernment matters. Without it, people are swept into movements and ideas that sound compassionate but are rooted in deception.

Stay anchored in truth by engaging content that prioritizes a biblical worldview on the Real Life Network.

A Culture That Offers Death Instead of Hope

Perhaps the most heartbreaking example of suicidal empathy comes from a tragic story in Spain.

A young woman, just 25 years old, endured severe trauma after being assaulted. In the aftermath, she suffered physically and emotionally, eventually becoming paralyzed after a failed suicide attempt. Instead of receiving sustained care, restoration, and hope, she was ultimately granted euthanasia. Her life ended not because hope was impossible, but because hope was never fully pursued.

This is the devastating outcome of a culture that prioritizes ending suffering over redeeming lives. It sends a message that some lives are no longer worth fighting for.

But the biblical worldview tells a different story. Every human being is created in the image of God. Every life has value. Suffering is real, but it is not the end. Redemption is possible, even in the darkest moments.

A life in pain is still a life with purpose, and redemption is always possible through Christ.

There are countless testimonies of people who stood at the edge of despair and found new life, new purpose, and lasting hope through Jesus Christ. That is the message the world desperately needs. Not surrender. Not silence. Not death. Hope.

In a time when truth is blurred and compassion is redefined, it is more important than ever to stand firm in a biblical worldview. The issues facing Israel, the rise of cultural confusion, and the spread of suicidal empathy all point to a deeper spiritual battle.

The question is not just what is happening in the world. The question is whether we are willing to see it clearly.

For more bold, biblically grounded content that speaks truth into today’s most pressing issues, visit the Real Life Network.

‍

Related Articles

• Israel’s Laser Defense, Iran’s Axis, and the War Shaping the Future of the Middle East by Daniel Cohen
• Trump’s Ultimatum, Iran’s Threat, and the Fight for Truth in a Time of War by Daniel Cohen
• War with Iran: What’s Really Happening Behind the Headlines by Daniel Cohen‍

If you want clarity on the Israel Iran conflict, biblical truth, The Daniel Cohen Show, Real Life Network, and what is really happening in the Middle East, you need to look beyond the headlines. On the Real Life Network, we cut through media bias, expose false narratives, and bring you truth grounded in a biblical worldview. The question is not whether something is happening. The question is whether you are seeing it clearly.

The Reality: The Iranian Regime Is Weakening

Step back for a moment and look at the big picture.

The Iranian regime is not strong. It is not advancing. It is on the defensive. According to reports, leadership within Iran’s military structure is being eliminated so rapidly that the regime is now appointing multiple backups for key positions. That is not stability. That is survival mode.

This is what victory looks like.

When leadership is replaced faster than it can function, when command structures are scrambling to maintain continuity, and when fear begins to spread within the ranks, the reality becomes undeniable.

This is not a close fight. This is a decisive shift in power.

Even more revealing is the response from within Iran itself. Reports describe Iranian officials acknowledging that they are already defeated. When a system begins to admit collapse internally, the outcome is no longer theoretical.

At the same time, the United States and Israel continue to dismantle the infrastructure that has fueled global terrorism for decades. This includes networks tied to Hamas, Hezbollah, and other proxy groups supported by the Iranian regime.

You can follow continued updates and analysis on the Real Life Network.

The Narrative Battle: Truth Versus Media Spin

While events on the ground tell one story, the media often tells another.

There is a persistent narrative that the war is failing or losing momentum. Yet polling data shows overwhelming support among key voter groups for military action against Iran, with approval numbers approaching 90 percent in some segments.

That kind of support does not grow in failure. It grows when results are visible.

When results are clear, narratives begin to crumble.

This brings us to one of the most controversial developments: the resignation of Joe Kent.

Kent, a decorated veteran with significant service, stepped down and claimed that Iran did not pose an imminent threat. His statement has been widely circulated and amplified by groups that have historically opposed Israel.

But there is a problem.

Previous statements from Kent himself acknowledged repeated attacks on U.S. troops by Iranian proxies, numbering well over 100 incidents.

That is not speculation. That is documented reality.

So what changed?

This is where discernment becomes critical. A single statement, even from a credible individual, does not override a pattern of evidence. Intelligence, history, and ongoing attacks all point in one direction.

Iran has been engaged in hostile action against the United States and its allies for decades.

To deny that reality is to ignore the facts.

For more truth-driven reporting and biblical analysis, visit the Real Life Network.

The Deeper Issue: A Spiritual Battle

This conflict is not just political. It is not just military. It is spiritual.

From a biblical worldview, what we are witnessing aligns with a larger pattern. Nations rise and fall, but behind them are deeper forces shaping events.

Scripture reminds us that truth matters. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” That means our loyalty must be to truth above all else.

And truth requires clarity.

The targeting of civilians, the use of indiscriminate weapons, and the spread of propaganda are not just strategic decisions. They reflect a worldview that opposes life, freedom, and truth itself.

Meanwhile, there is a growing silence from many institutions that claim to defend human rights. When outrage is selective, it ceases to be justice.

Selective outrage is not morality. It is deception.

This is why discernment is essential. Not every voice that claims authority speaks truth. Not every narrative reflects reality.

As believers, we are called to test what we hear, measure it against truth, and stand firm.

The stakes are high. This is about more than geopolitics. It is about understanding the times and responding with wisdom.

As this situation continues to unfold, one thing remains clear. Truth will prevail. What is hidden will be revealed.

For ongoing updates, biblical insight, and trusted analysis, stay connected with the Real Life Network.

Because in a world filled with noise, truth is not optional. It is essential.

‍

Related Articles

• Iran’s New Supreme Leader and the High Stakes of a Changing Middle East by Daniel Cohen
• Sameera Munshi’s Resignation and the Real Religious Liberty Crisis in America by Daniel Cohen‍
• Gavin Newsom’s Record Under Scrutiny as 2026 Ambitions Take Shape by Daniel Cohen

America was founded on a simple but revolutionary idea: our rights come from God, not government. That truth shaped our founding documents, our institutions, and our understanding of liberty for nearly 250 years. But today we are watching a growing movement challenge that foundation.

Recently, protests erupted across the country under the slogan “No Kings.” Demonstrators claimed they were standing against tyranny. But the irony is hard to miss. In a country where citizens freely protest their government, often in the harshest terms imaginable, the very existence of those protests proves something important: America does not have kings.

On Pirate Money Radio, I sat down with my good friends Rod Martin and Mike Carter to unpack what’s really happening beneath the surface of today’s cultural and political conflicts. When you look past the slogans and headlines, you begin to see a much deeper ideological struggle, one that involves culture, faith, and even the way our money works.

Stream Pirate Money Radio on the Real Life Network.

The Ideological Roots Behind Today’s Protests

Many Americans see events like the “No Kings” demonstrations and assume they’re spontaneous reactions to political developments. But the truth is that the ideas behind many modern protest movements have been building for decades. Rod Martin explained that the roots of today’s activism trace back to Karl Marx and the failure of his original revolutionary prediction.

Marx believed the industrialized world would erupt in class warfare between workers and the owners of capital. He expected revolutions in countries like the United States, Germany, and Britain. But that never happened. Instead, revolutions took place in places like Russia and China, countries that were far less industrialized.

Because Marx’s predictions failed, later intellectuals had to rethink their strategy.

From Marxism to Critical Theory

That rethink produced what we now call critical theory.

Rather than focusing only on economic class, critical theory reframed society as a struggle between various identity groups, oppressors and oppressed defined by race, gender, sexuality, and other categories. Over time this framework produced ideas Americans now hear about regularly:

• Critical Race Theory
• Intersectionality
• Gender theory
• Postcolonial theory

These frameworks encourage people to view themselves primarily through group identity rather than individual character. Rod pointed out that this approach also explains some of the strange coalitions we see today. For example, activists in the West sometimes rally behind movements or regimes that openly reject the very values those activists claim to support. The coalition isn’t built on shared principles, it’s built on a shared opposition to existing institutions.

The goal is to assemble a large alliance of grievance groups capable of reshaping political power.

The Real Question: Where Do Rights Come From?

Behind the slogans and protests lies a deeper question that has shaped Western civilization for centuries: where do our rights come from? America’s founders gave a clear answer in the Declaration of Independence. Our rights come from God.

That belief shaped the American Revolution and the constitutional system that followed. Government exists to protect rights that already belong to individuals. But the ideological framework behind critical theory assumes something very different. If rights come from the state, then the state can redefine them, expand them, or remove them. That’s a completely different vision of society.

You can see this clash of worldviews playing out in today’s cultural debates, from free speech battles on college campuses to conflicts over religious liberty and the role of government in everyday life.

Why History Is Being Rewritten

One of the most visible signs of this ideological struggle is the battle over history itself. In recent years we’ve seen statues torn down, historical figures reinterpreted, and America’s founding narrative repeatedly challenged.

These efforts are often framed as attempts to correct historical injustice. But they also serve another purpose: weakening the cultural foundations that support the American system of government. Radical revolutions throughout history have pursued something called “year zero”—a moment when the past is erased so a completely new society can be built.

When a culture forgets its history, it becomes much easier to reshape its future.

Despite the tension in our culture, I believe there are real reasons for hope. Across the country we are seeing signs of spiritual renewal. Bible sales are increasing. Young people are returning to church. Many members of Generation Z are searching for meaning in ways that surprise cultural commentators.

During our discussion I mentioned something Glenn Beck once explained to me. There’s a difference between revival and awakening. Revival changes individual hearts. Awakening changes entire societies.

America experienced such an awakening during the First Great Awakening in the 1700s. That spiritual movement reshaped the colonies and helped create the moral framework that made the American Revolution possible. When people rediscover the belief that their rights come from God, it transforms how they think about government, culture, and even economics.

Honest Money and the Moral Economy

That brings us to an issue most people wouldn’t immediately connect to these cultural debates: money. Scripture speaks clearly about honest weights and measures. Throughout history, societies have used gold and silver as money because they function as stable stores of value.

Modern fiat currency works very differently.

Because it is not tied to a physical standard like gold, governments can expand the money supply indefinitely. When that happens, inflation reduces the purchasing power of the currency already in circulation. Inflation might sound like an abstract economic concept, but its effects are very real. Prices rise. Savings lose value. Families struggle to keep up.

And the people hurt most are often those with the least ability to protect themselves financially.

Stream Pirate Money Radio on the Real Life Network.

Why Gold Is Returning in the Digital Age

The wealthy often have ways to hedge against inflation through investments. Working families rarely do. That’s one reason Mike Carter and I have spent years promoting what we call Pirate Money, restoring the ability for people to use gold as money again.

Thanks to modern financial technology, this idea is far more practical than it once was. Today, digital platforms allow individuals to hold physical gold in secure vaults while using debit cards or mobile apps to spend it.

When you make a purchase, a small amount of gold is sold in real time to cover the transaction.

This approach combines the stability of precious metals with the convenience of modern payments. States like Arkansas, Florida, and Texas have already taken steps to recognize gold as legal tender and support systems that allow citizens to use it. The goal isn’t to replace the dollar overnight. It’s simply to give Americans access to an honest store of value.

The Real Battle Behind the Headlines

At the end of the day, movements like the “No Kings” protests reveal something deeper than political disagreement. They reflect a fundamental battle over worldview.

If our rights come from God, government must remain limited. If our rights come from government, power will inevitably expand. The same principle applies to money. Honest systems protect the people who use them. Dishonest systems quietly transfer wealth and power to those who control the system.

America’s future will depend on which ideas ultimately prevail.

My prayer is that we will see not only revival in individual hearts, but a true awakening across our nation—one that restores faith, strengthens liberty, and renews the principles that made this country extraordinary in the first place.

Stream Pirate Money Radio on the Real Life Network.

Related Articles

• Homeschooling for Liberty and Future-Proof Education by Kevin Freeman
• Pirate Money Radio: Biblical Economics with Bob McEwen by Kevin Freeman
• Economic Justice, Real Money, and America’s Future by Kevin Freeman

In a moment when biblical truth, Christian news, and the future of the next generation of believers are under intense pressure, a troubling revelation has emerged inside institutions that claim the name of Christ. The Daniel Cohen Show on the Real Life Network recently examined a shocking new report showing that 1 in 7 Christian colleges and universities in America now maintain ties to the abortion industry, including Planned Parenthood.

This is not simply a cultural debate. It is a theological crisis unfolding inside the very institutions that claim to train the next generation of Christian leaders. Schools that place “Christian” in their mission statements, charge families tens of thousands of dollars in tuition, and then quietly partner with organizations that profit from ending unborn life must answer a serious question. What exactly are they professing?

If a university claims Christ but partners with the abortion industry, something has gone terribly wrong.

The issue is not political. It is spiritual. And the stakes could not be higher for the church, the pro life movement, and the moral clarity of the next generation.

A Troubling Report on Christian Colleges

The findings come from the Demetree Institute for Pro Life Advancement, the research arm of Students for Life of America. During the 2024 and 2025 academic year, researchers investigated 725 Christian colleges and universities across the United States that claim historical Christian roots.

The results were alarming.

Researchers documented 114 schools with active connections to the abortion industry. These connections included promoting internships with abortion providers, listing Planned Parenthood as a health resource, hosting abortion related events, or using abortion industry materials in coursework.

In total, investigators recorded 533 infractions, the highest number since the study began four years ago. Even more striking is the timing. Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, one might expect Christian institutions to become more firmly pro life. Instead, the opposite has happened.

Abortion related activity inside these schools has increased nearly 20 percent since 2022 and almost 39 percent since last year alone. That trend reveals something deeper than policy drift. It reveals a cultural and spiritual strategy.

The abortion movement did not retreat after Roe fell. It turned its attention directly toward the church.

You can follow continued reporting on cultural and spiritual battles like this through the Daniel Cohen Show on the Real Life Network, where news is examined through a biblical worldview.

The Battle for the Theology of the Next Generation

Why would abortion activists focus on Christian universities?

Because shaping the beliefs of young Christians shapes the future of the church.

Scripture warns about this dynamic clearly. In Galatians 5:9, the apostle Paul writes, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” In other words, corruption rarely begins with open rebellion. It begins quietly.

One internship listing.
One “health resource” link.
One campus event.

Then the normalization begins. The abortion industry understands this strategy well. If a Christian student can be persuaded that abortion is merely healthcare, then the theological framework that once protected unborn life collapses. Over time those beliefs move beyond the classroom.

They move into pulpits.
They move into church leadership.
They move into families and future generations.

That is why the issue cannot be dismissed as a minor campus controversy.

This is not merely a policy disagreement. It is a theological war over the definition of human life.

Many young people now speak about abortion with the language they have been taught by institutions and media culture. When a medical student argues that abortion should remain available even late in pregnancy, the deeper problem is not simply ignorance. It is indoctrination. And the church must recognize the seriousness of that moment.

More cultural and worldview analysis addressing these issues can be found on the Real Life Network, where faith and current events intersect.

Hope, Accountability, and the Path Forward

The situation is serious, but it is not hopeless.

The same report that revealed troubling ties also documented encouraging victories. During the last academic year alone, 50 connections between Christian schools and Planned Parenthood were severed.

Those changes did not happen by accident.

They happened because students spoke up.
Parents asked questions.
Donors demanded accountability.

Several universities removed Planned Parenthood as a resource or internship opportunity after public pressure and advocacy. In addition, 66 schools received an A+ grade for actively supporting pregnancy resource centers and promoting pro life values on campus.

Those institutions demonstrate that Christian conviction can withstand cultural pressure when leaders remain committed to biblical truth.

Psalm 139 reminds believers of the foundation behind the pro life movement: “You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” That statement is not a poetic metaphor. It is a declaration about the Creator’s authority over human life. The church must remember that the battle for life is not merely fought in legislatures or courtrooms. It is fought in classrooms, churches, families, and hearts.

Parents should research the schools they support. Churches should ask questions about partnerships and internships. Christian donors should ensure their financial support strengthens institutions that remain faithful to their mission.

Most importantly, believers must pray with conviction and act with courage. The next generation of the church is not lost. But it will not be won by silence.

For continued reporting on faith, culture, Israel, and the defense of biblical truth, watch the Daniel Cohen Show on the Real Life Network, where the news is always connected to the greater story of the Gospel.

Related Articles

• America First: Defending America From Iran’s Threats, Open Borders, and Failed Blue-State Leadership by Daniel Cohen
• Iran’s New Supreme Leader and the High Stakes of a Changing Middle East by Daniel Cohen‍
• A Special Report on Iran, Israel, and the Middle East Moment We’re Living In by Daniel Cohen

When someone hears “Christian documentary,” they may picture a narrow niche or a low-budget production. In reality, faith-based documentaries span a wide range of topics and styles: Bible history, creation and science, cultural commentary, evangelism, testimony, missions, and biographies of notable Christian leaders.

They also meet different needs. Some help answer hard questions. Some provide historical context for Scripture. Some explore the spiritual challenges of the modern world. Others put a human face on suffering, perseverance, and redemption.

Below are several faith-based documentaries available on Real Life Network (RLN), along with a few ways to choose the right one for your family, your small group, or your own viewing. If you are searching for free Christian documentaries, this list is a strong place to start.

What makes a documentary “faith-based”?

A faith-based documentary is usually marked by at least one of these qualities:

• A biblical worldview that shapes the interpretation of history, culture, or current events
• A gospel-centered aim, either explicitly or through testimony and themes
• A discipleship purpose, meant to build conviction and strengthen faith
• A focus on Christian people or movements, often through biography or church history

Not every film will fit every viewer. Some are best for adults. Some are ideal for families. Some work best as a multi-week small group series, especially when the documentary is divided into sessions or naturally breaks into chapters.

Bible and Holy Land documentaries

7 Days in the Holy Land

This short documentary-style devotional tour follows Franklin Graham and his daughter Cissie through key locations in Israel, connecting places with biblical stories. It’s filmed on location and designed to help Scripture feel more tangible.

Great for: families, new believers, small groups wanting a lighter week
Try this discussion prompt: What Bible story felt “more real” after seeing the location?

The Eye of the Storm

Jerusalem is often portrayed solely as a place of conflict, but The Eye of the Storm invites viewers to see a fuller picture. Hosted by Isabel Brown, this documentary introduces audiences to the people of Jerusalem—men and women from diverse backgrounds who have learned to live with resilience, cooperation, and hope amid a complex history.

By looking beyond headlines, the film offers a thoughtful perspective on why Jerusalem remains central not only to global conversation, but to biblical history and faith.

Great for: adults, students, worldview discussions, and Holy Land interest groups
Try this discussion prompt: How does understanding the people behind the headlines reshape the way we think about Jerusalem’s role in history and faith?

Creation and science documentaries

Is Genesis History?

This film presents a young-earth creation perspective and features interviews with a number of creationist speakers while arguing that Genesis describes real history. It has drawn criticism for presenting views that conflict with mainstream scientific consensus, so it’s great material for thoughtful discussion.

Great for: apologetics-minded viewers, older teens with guidance, small groups that enjoy discussion
Try this discussion prompt: What claims were most convincing, and what questions still remain?

Scarred Earth (The Grand Canyon)

This documentary examines the Grand Canyon and argues that the evidence aligns with a global Flood framework. It is structured in two halves, with the second portion moving into a direct gospel presentation.

Great for: viewers interested in creation topics, groups wanting both science discussion and evangelistic emphasis
Try this discussion prompt: How should Christians think about creation discussions without turning them into personal attacks?

Culture, worldview, and current-moment documentaries

Truth Rising

Truth Rising frames the present era as a pivotal cultural moment, using interviews and stories to examine faith, identity, morality, and the consequences of abandoning Scripture as a foundation.

A helpful companion is Truth Rising: The Study, which the official site (TruthRising.com) presents as a free small-group resource built around key themes (such as hope, truth, identity, and calling). If a group wants structure, this provides it.

Great for: small groups, parents of teens, worldview-focused discussions
Try this discussion prompt: What pressures shape the way truth is defined in everyday life?

The Great Global Reset

The Great Global Reset examines global economic and political shifts through a biblical and historical lens, drawing attention to conversations taking place among world leaders and institutions such as the World Economic Forum.

Produced in partnership with Turning Point USA and hosted by Jack Posobiec, the documentary invites viewers to think critically about power, policy, and the future of society while encouraging discernment rooted in Scripture.

Great for: adults, groups that can discuss carefully and charitably
Try this discussion prompt: What does Scripture call believers to do when they feel anxious about world events?

The Call

The Call is a compelling documentary from Evangelism Explosion that explores what happens when the Great Commission becomes more than a program—it becomes the culture of the church. Rather than focusing on new strategies or methods, the film calls believers back to the heart of Jesus’ original mission.

Featuring Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, The Call highlights how everyday faithfulness and obedience can spark genuine spiritual renewal, reminding viewers that revival often begins quietly, one life at a time.

Great for: churches, leadership teams, small groups, and anyone passionate about evangelism
Try this discussion prompt: How does treating the Great Commission as an identity—not an activity—change the way we live out our faith?

Biography and Christian history documentaries

Billy Graham: A Life Remembered

This documentary traces Billy Graham’s life and ministry, from his early years to global influence. It is produced by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and has a 28-minute runtime.

Great for: all ages, church history nights, family viewing
Try this discussion prompt: What made Billy Graham’s message resonate across generations?

Louis Zamperini: Captured by Grace

Produced by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, this documentary focuses especially on Zamperini’s life after WWII, including trauma, alcoholism, and the turning point connected to Billy Graham’s 1949 Los Angeles Crusade.

Great for: adults and older teens, testimony-focused nights
Try this discussion prompt: What does forgiveness look like when the wound is deep?

Billy Sunday

A documentary produced by the Christian History Institute presents the life of Billy Sunday, the former baseball player who became a major American evangelist in the early 20th century.

Great for: history lovers, leadership discussions, groups studying revival movements
Try this discussion prompt: What strengths and weaknesses often show up in celebrity-style ministry?

Personal story and “on the road” documentaries

The Listening Road

This docuseries follows Pastor Neil Tomba’s 33-day, 3,000-mile bicycle trip across the U.S., built around conversations with people from many backgrounds about faith and the questions of life. It’s an eight-part series.

Great for: groups that want bite-sized episodes, outreach-minded viewers
Try this discussion prompt: What question do you wish Christians asked non-believers more often?

How to turn a documentary into a family night or small group series

A documentary becomes far more useful when it leads to conversation. Two easy approaches:

Option 1: One-night watch party

1. Watch together
2. Pause once or twice for quick reactions
3. End with 10 minutes of discussion and prayer

Option 2: Multi-week series

‍Choose a longer film or a docuseries and break it into 20–30 minute segments. Each week, cover:

• One key idea
• One Scripture connection
• One application step

A simple guiding verse for discussion nights is 1 Peter 3:15, which calls believers to be ready to give an answer with a right posture.

Faith-based documentaries can do more than fill time. They can help families choose better media, help groups talk about hard issues without panic, and help believers anchor their thinking in Scripture.

Explore documentary titles on Real Life Network and build a watchlist for your next family night or small group series.

Related Articles

• Where Can I Find Clean Cartoons for My Kids? by Real Life Network‍
• Disney+, Hulu, and Choosing a Better Streaming Option for Christian Families by Real Life Network
• Is There a Mobile App for Christian Streaming? by Real Life Network

“Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” Joshua 4:7

There is something within the human spirit that draws us to link our lives now to memories past—significant places and events that were altogether life-changing. We see this in makeshift memorials along the roadside and statues in the park, each in its own way, evidence of something profound. Perhaps there is a degree or a photograph on your office wall, and you see locked within its frame a testament to the sacrifice, effort, and discipline you once invested.

You may be able to return to a specific spot and share the joy of an unexpected beginning with others. My family got a taste of that years ago. We were standing on the sand in Newport Beach, CA, right where Orange Street and the beach volleyball nets intersect. I gathered the grandkids together and marked the spot, telling them, “Little did I know that right here, during a break in a game, I would meet your grandma, Mimi.” It was a precious moment.

Milestones and memorials provoke a retelling of a story to each generation. Is that not true of our Christian experience as well? Where were you first introduced to Christ? When did He become your Savior? Are there scriptures that fundamentally altered your thinking? Has He led you through manifold trials? Mark each spot in your memory. Commemorate them as a testament to God’s greatness and power.

God tells us to remember for a reason. Like Joshua, we need stones of remembrance so that, in retelling our stories to our children and children’s children, God might be glorified.

For more content from Jack Hibbs, visit Real Life Network.

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” - John 4:23-24

The place where we worship, be it the privacy of our home, a hiking trail, or a crowded church service, matters little to God. He can never be limited to one place or confined to a building. What does matter is how we worship.

God desires to meet us in the very depths of our innermost being. He is not interested in the externals of singing and raised hands, nor is He concerned with how well we can harmonize. Our worship services may sound beautiful, but if we focus on the external while leaving the internal untouched, God is not pleased.

The prophet Isaiah said, “…these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips but have removed their hearts far from Me” (Isaiah 29:13). Whenever we draw near to worship, yet fail to acknowledge the scope and reality of our sinfulness, the magnitude of God’s holiness is veiled, and our worship is diminished.

True worship requires honesty regarding our spiritual condition—one that aligns with biblical truth—or else it becomes lackluster and, eventually, meaningless. However, when we allow the Spirit of truth to use the Word of truth to influence our worship, a rich communion takes place.

Today, the Lord is seeking worship that encompasses an internal bending of the knee and rending of the heart, and shows itself not only in song, but also in fervent prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving. That is the spiritual worship in which God delights, and in which we glorify Him.

‍‍

For more content to enrich your walk with Christ, sign up at the Real Life Network.

‍

Related Articles‍

• Faithfulness: Walking With God When No One Is Watching by Jack Hibbs
• When Discouragement Hits: How to Anchor Your Heart in the Promises of God by Jack Hibbs
• Eyes Fixed on Heaven: Living with an Eternal Focus by Jack Hibbs