Advertise on podcast: Wretched Radio with Todd Friel

Spiritual trends come and go. How do you spot the ones your church should avoid? Todd examines claims of hearing from God, mindfulness, Christian nationalism, and the debate over capital punishment. Segment 1 • John Mark Comer’s 21-day retreat nearly broke him. • Do you need silence to hear from God? • Does Scripture need a supplement? Segment 2 • Someone brings you a “word from the Lord.” Now what? • A meditation researcher finds more than she expected. • Is mindfulness as harmless as it sounds? Segment 3 • What should you say when a false teacher dies? • Does being polite mean softening the truth? • Is Christian nationalism dividing your church? Segment 4 • Is Christian nationalism distracting from the Great Commission? • Would you lose every election to see one soul saved? • Can you be pro-life and support the death penalty? ___ 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 • How can I find comfort knowing there won’t be marriage in heaven? — Anonymous • My boyfriend and I attend different churches. How do we choose one before marrying? — Eunoia Segment 2 • Should Christians shun people over disagreements? — John • How do we love people without approving of their sin? — Noah • Is depicting the Holy Spirit as a dove idolatrous? — Sebastian Segment 3 • What does Jairus reveal about your parents’ love? • How do you repair a strained relationship with your parents? Segment 4 • Can I listen to hymns sung by non-Christians? — Caleb, age 12 • How do I turn everyday conversations toward the Gospel? — Hunter • Is having a pet peeve sinful? — Anonymous • My conscience isn’t as tender anymore. What should I do? — Jeff ___ 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!

Todd sits down with Dr. Jerry Wragg to tackle a troubling question: Why do pastors keep falling into scandal, and what can your church do before it’s too late? Segment 1 • Why are more pastors falling into moral failure? • Is social media creating celebrity pastors who aren’t qualified to shepherd? • What warning signs might your church be overlooking? Segment 2 • How do you confront a pastor without making reckless accusations? • Can a great preacher actually be a terrible shepherd? • What should genuine pastoral humility look like? Segment 3 • Does your pastor actually care about you—or just his sermons? • Should churches investigate a pastoral candidate’s phone, marriage, and private life? • What if a gifted preacher simply isn’t qualified to pastor? Segment 4 • How much accountability is too much for a pastor? • Why do pastors fall into sexual sin after decades of faithful ministry? • Could small character flaws be warning signs of a much bigger problem? ___ 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 is at Georgia State University, talking with students about guilt, judgment, and the real reason people reject God. Segment 1 • Deshaun accuses Todd of trying to manipulate the conversation. • If a guilty person repents, why can’t a just judge simply forgive him? • Deshaun believes all religions are basically saying the same thing. Segment 2 • Juan admits he might not want to know God even if He could answer his deepest questions. • He sees religion as a system of fear and control. • Is rejecting God really about evidence, or something deeper? Segment 3 • Lisette describes the Bible as a guide for moral living. • Asked to explain the Gospel in one sentence, she struggles. • Todd gives her a life-or-death scenario every Christian should be ready for. Segment 4 • Chris asks what makes Christianity different from other religions. • The conversation turns to why people resist surrendering to God. • Chris challenges Todd to prove Christianity is true. ___ 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!

Todd and Jimmy have a stack of stories guaranteed to raise your blood pressure. Which one deserves the title of “most agitating”? Segment 1 • Can James Talarico’s liberal policies really be defended as “biblical”? • A pastor questions the resurrection and compares communion to goddess worship. Segment 2 • A transgender priest claims Jesus is trans and God is non-binary. • Adults are bringing Toys R Us back. Is that a problem? • Parents wouldn’t call their daughter a boy—so the state took her. • More Canadians are dying by assisted suicide than Americans by gun homicide. • More than 500 million Christians face restrictions on Bible access. • Could Democrats override state pro-life laws? Segment 3 • Why are we so obsessed with superheroes? • Meryl Streep is playing Aslan—and C.S. Lewis’s family isn’t happy. • Michigan removes more than 20,000 people from its sex-offender registry. • Can the death penalty actually affirm the value of human life? Segment 4 • Could a firing squad actually be more humane? • LGBTQ identification among young people is plummeting. Why? • Is TikTok making you dumber? • What was being preached inside a London mosque? • Are there really more witches than Presbyterians? • How extreme are Democrats becoming? ___ 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!

Did they really find Noah’s Ark—or are Christians getting ahead of the evidence? Todd looks at the latest claims, what they actually prove, and why your confidence in Scripture should never depend on the next archaeological headline. Segment 1 • Ken Ham has another talent Todd finds deeply annoying. • What made Todd come away from the Ark Encounter with a new appreciation for its impact? • How can a false teacher know Scripture—and even preach a clear Gospel? Segment 2 • “We hit something hard” is not the same thing as “we found Noah’s Ark.” • Why sensational Christian claims can do more damage than good. • If Noah’s Ark were actually discovered, would unbelievers suddenly believe? Segment 3 • Does the Bible need archaeology, miracles, or outside evidence to prove it is true? • What makes Scripture a “more sure word” than even spectacular experiences? • Prophecy, history, unity, and more—what happens when you put the Bible’s evidence on the scale? Segment 4 • Want an encounter with the Holy Spirit? You may already be overlooking the most obvious place to find one. • Do you need a special feeling, sign, or voice to know God is speaking? • Why even an ordinary sermon can be part of something genuinely supernatural. ___ 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!

Church can be messy. Todd tackles what happens when you feel invisible at church, disagree with your spouse on a major theological issue, or face a moral dilemma where someone else’s life is on the line. Segment 1 • Feeling ignored or left out at church? Should you stay or start looking elsewhere? • Could church cliques be driving young people away? • If persecution comes, will you be equipped to stand firm? Segment 2 • Should men serve in the nursery? • How much should your parents’ example shape the way you live now? • When does biblical wisdom go beyond finding an explicit verse? Segment 3 • Who should actually have the final say in a church—the elders or the congregation? • Should Christians say “namaste”? • Should Christians support rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem? Segment 4 • What if you discover after marriage that you disagree about female pastors? • Someone threatens to kill a loved one unless you deny Christ. What do you do? • Do you need to understand an atheist’s worldview before you can effectively share 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!

Greg Gifford fills in for Todd to tackle a problem that can quietly divide a church: treating every disagreement like it carries the same biblical weight. Which truths demand a fight—and which ones might require you to simply let it go? Segment 1 • Is your church preference becoming more important than it should be? • When should you speak up—and when should you keep your opinion to yourself? • Not every theological hill is worth dying on. Segment 2 • Which doctrines actually define Christianity? • Can someone be confused about an essential doctrine without denying it? • What happens when fog machines get treated like the Trinity? Segment 3 • Are female pastors, baptism, and homeschooling all the same kind of disagreement? • Some “secondary” doctrines reveal something much bigger underneath. • Why does questioning Scripture so often become the first step toward unraveling everything else? Segment 4 • How strongly should you hold an opinion when Scripture isn’t equally clear? • Sermon length, music, dress, parking—are you willing to divide over any of them? • Greg gives you a framework for deciding which hills are actually worth fighting over. ___ 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 and Greg Gifford take questions from college students who aren’t afraid to ask about the issues Christians actually wrestle with—from therapy and anxiety to spiritual dryness and suffering. Segment 1 • Does a Christian need Jesus and therapy? • What’s the real difference between Christian counseling and biblical counseling? • Can the Bible really address trauma, addiction, and pornography? Segment 2 • If Jesus changed your anxiety or depression, how do you talk about that without confusing it with the Gospel? • What do you do when trusting God feels harder than it sounds? • Can suffering actually expose what you’re depending on? Segment 3 • How do you help a struggling friend without trying to become their counselor? • What does it actually look like to surrender anxiety to God? • Could believing your own thoughts be part of the problem? Segment 4 • Is there a better way to read your Bible than just checking off chapters? • What do you do when the cross starts to feel familiar instead of amazing? • Is your media diet killing your appetite for God? ___ 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!

Greg Gifford fills in for Todd to rethink some common assumptions about missions. Who should go, how should they prepare, and could Christians be making the whole thing more complicated than it needs to be? Segment 1 • Are parents unintentionally talking their kids out of missions? • Does serving overseas really require giving up your career? • What if the traditional missionary model isn’t your only option? Segment 2 • What does biblical counseling have to do with the Great Commission? • Missionaries aren’t the only people overseas who need discipleship. • Could a skill you already have meet a major need on the mission field? Segment 3 • Can you meaningfully serve people across the world without moving there? • What does “teaching them to observe” actually require after someone is converted? • Your 9-to-5 may be more useful to missions than you realize. Segment 4 • Do missionaries need formal training before they go? • Think you’re called to missions? Your pastor may see something you don’t. • Who takes care of missionaries when they’re the ones who need help? ___ 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!

Greg Gifford fills in for Todd to challenge the way we think about missions—and show how your job, skills, and even your season of life could open doors you haven’t considered. Segment 1 • Why are fewer young Christians heading to the mission field? • Could parents be unintentionally discouraging their kids from missions? • What if you could serve overseas without quitting your career? Segment 2 • Could biblical counseling be one of the most overlooked opportunities in missions? • You may already have skills desperately needed around the world. • What if your job could become part of your missions strategy? Segment 3 • What if you could serve people across the world without leaving your home? • Your language skills, career, or discipleship experience may be more useful than you think. • Before quitting your job for missions, Greg has a very different suggestion. Segment 4 • Think God may be leading you toward missions? Where do you start? • Why your pastor should be one of the first people you talk to. • Don’t know exactly how it would work? That may not be a reason to stop pursuing it. ___ 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 • How does a single mom handle a 17-year-old son who continually lies, resists her authority, and seems headed in a bad direction? — Melissa Segment 2 • After leaving a church because of failed church discipline and spiritual abuse, how do we keep from becoming bitter and hypercritical of our next church? — Caitlin Segment 3 • If Christians should help immature believers grow, how does that fit with Paul becoming “all things to all people” in 1 Corinthians 9? — Edwin Segment 4 • My professing-Christian husband regularly uses foul language, often with anger, and says the Bible doesn’t forbid it. Does it? — Beth ___ 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!

Todd sits down with Brad Bigney to tackle some of the marriage advice that sounds completely backward to our culture—and maybe even to you. What if the things you’re holding onto are the very things keeping your marriage from thriving? Segment 1 • What if your expectations of your spouse are actually hurting your marriage? • The surprisingly ordinary things that can make—or break—a marriage. • Some popular Christian marriage advice may be reinforcing the problem. Segment 2 • What are you afraid will happen if you really give yourself to your spouse? • Brad reveals the seemingly good thing that nearly wrecked his own marriage. • There’s a line struggling couples have to cross. Have you crossed it? Segment 3 • You moved out years ago—but have you actually left Mom and Dad? • When does honoring your parents start interfering with your marriage? • Your kids can become too important. Here’s how to know if they have. Segment 4 • Why do some couples divorce after 30 years together? • Staying married and building a marriage aren’t necessarily the same thing. • What do you do when you keep giving—and your spouse doesn’t give back? ___ 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 is at Georgia Tech showing how simple it can be to start a Gospel conversation—and how to respond when someone thinks they’re a good person or that all religions might ultimately be true. Segment 1 • Want to share the Gospel but never know how to start the conversation? • Todd tries something remarkably simple: skip the segue and just ask. • What do you say when someone doesn’t believe in hell—or doesn’t even know what the Gospel is? Segment 2 • Can someone be “born a Christian” simply because his parents are Christians? • What if religion is useful to someone—but he isn’t convinced it’s actually true? • Todd shows how to move from “I’m a good person” to the real problem every sinner faces. Segment 3 • Paul thinks the answers to life’s biggest questions are somewhere inside himself. How would you respond? • What matters more: your standard of goodness or God’s? • Todd takes Paul from “make yourself better” to the heart of the Gospel. Segment 4 • Todd approaches Daniel with no segue whatsoever. Does it work? • Daniel thinks different religions may be saying basically the same thing. How would you respond? • If two religions contradict each other, can they somehow both be true? ___ 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!

You can be completely convinced you’re right—and still be wrong. Todd and Dr. Adam Tyson tackle what happens when personal convictions become biblical mandates, Christian liberty starts dividing the church, and obeying the government conflicts with obeying God. Segment 1 • Being completely convinced about something doesn’t make it a biblical conviction. • How do you know when Scripture gives a command—and when you’re turning a preference into one? • Could your “convictions” actually be hurting unity in your church? Segment 2 • Vaccines, masks, homeschooling, vacations—what happens when your thing becomes everyone else’s thing? • If the Bible doesn’t make a law, are you allowed to? • You’ll never find the perfect church if everyone has to make the same decisions you do. Segment 3 • When should Christians submit to the government—and when should they refuse? • What if obeying the government means disobeying something Scripture commands? • Where does the government’s authority end and the church’s authority begin? Segment 4 • Should Christians try to influence government—or try to Christianize it? • What happens when political priorities begin competing with the church’s actual mission? • Your view of the end times may shape your politics more than you realize. ___ 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!