Advertise on podcast: Hill Country Institute Live: Exploring Christ and Culture

Send us Fan Mail Judd Messer, an advocate for wind and solar energy, as well as battery storage systems, on the Texas Electricity Grid, discusses how these assets contribute to reliability and affordability of electricity in Texas.

Send us Fan Mail Zack Cooper is a Senior Fellow with the American Enterprise Institute and the author of Tides of Fortune: The Rise and Decline of Great Militaries. In this conversation, Larry and Zack explore how economic growth has historically been closely linked to the development of powerful militaries. They discuss examples from the late 19th century, when robust economies of the U.S. and Germany contributed to significant military advancements. At the same time, Great Britain faced a relative decline in military capacity. They consider what lessons these historical patterns offer regarding China’s current rise and emphasize the importance of understanding and preparing for China’s expanding military capabilities.

Send us Fan Mail Sarah is the CEO of Texas Water Foundation. She and Jeremy Mazur were on Hill Country Institute Live in 2023. In this interview, Sarah and Larry discuss water policy for Texas, including water supply, aging infrastructure, and flood control.

Send us Fan Mail Jeremy Mazur is the Director of Infrastructure and Natural Resources for Texas 2036. He was on Hill Country Institute Live in 2023 (podcast for that interview is available in our podcast library). In today's interview, Larry and Jeremy discuss water policy for Texas, including water supply, aging infrastructure, and flood control.

Send us Fan Mail Senator Perry is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs. He was also Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding during the recent special session of the Legislature. He is a visionary and a leader in addressing the severe water issues facing Texas.  Larry and Senator Perry discuss how his faith informs his work as a CPA and a legislator, the flooding in Texas during July 2025, particularly the tragic deaths of the Camp Mystic "Heaven's 27," and Proposition 4, which Texans voted on November 4th, 2025. Proposition 4 provides additional funding for water supply, infrastructure repair, wastewater management, and flood control in Texas.

Send us Fan Mail Veronica, a native Argentinian, is the Central Texas Conservation Project Director for A Rocha, the international creation care ministry. She is passionate about connecting people with God's creation, caring for His creation, and growing awareness of creation care in the church. In this interview, you'll hear about A Rocha's work on 6 continents, Veronica's projects in the Central Texas area, and how we can be involved personally in caring for God's good creation.

Send us Fan Mail John Davis, Wildlife Biologist, worked for Texas Parks and Wildlife for 30 years and currently serves as the new Conservation Program Manager with the Kyle Parks and Rec Department, working to improve the native wildlife and plant conservation efforts in Kyle. Larry and John discuss environmental stewardship, creation care, and the spectrum of things individual residents can do to improve the health and sustainability of their local environment.

Send us Fan Mail See inside the day-to-day realities of this couple  faithfully serving the least of these in the Ukraine. Chris & Christy Hill of Program for Humanitarian Aid talk with Larry about the orphans and other individuals they are caring for in Ukraine.

Send us Fan Mail The Hill Country Institute is non-partisan; however, we like to talk to Christians who are in the political arena about how their faith impacts their approach to governance, how we develop and live as good citizens, and how we initiate and sustain gracious, respectful dialogue in our pluralistic culture. Josh Graham is an independent candidate for U.S. Congress in the 37th District. He has a fascinating background including working for the CIA, assisting companies in developing international markets, and now serving as a teacher and men’s basketball coach at Veritas Academy in Austin, Texas.

Send us Fan Mail In this fascinating interview, Larry talks with General Robert Neller about  Just War Theory; the increasing security risks our country faces from the alliance of China, Russia, and Iran; the importance of Allies to the United States; and our commitment to Ukraine from the time they gave up nuclear weapons. General Neller served in the U.S. Marine Corps for forty-four years. He was the 37th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps and served as member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. Military.  General Neller also served as Deputy Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (05-07); Assistant Division Commander for 1st and 2d Marine Divisions; and President of Marine Corps University. His Joint assignments include service in the Policy Division of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Belgium, and as the Director of Operations (J-3) of the Joint Staff in Washington, D.C. General Neller’s many honors include having The Marine Corps Wargaming and Analysis Center named after him. It will be called the “General Robert B. Neller Center for Wargaming and Analysis” when it is completed in 2025. Neller Center will be a world-class facility for Marines to wargame in a secure, centralized location and will provide next-generation technologies to facilitate wargaming and analysis across multiple levels of classification, with a host of coalition and joint partners.  General Neller is a Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Strauss Center for International Security and Law and a Distinguished National Security Fellow at the Clements Center. Both centers are located at the University of Texas.  He is a Board Member of Bridge to Mobility, which provides access to wheelchair accessible vehicles.

Send us Fan Mail In this interview with Dr. Vlasta Zekulic, Head of Strategic Issues and Engagements of the Supreme Allied Command Transformation of NATO, we discuss Dr. Zekulic's calling to military service and the challenging and rewarding career it can be for women, the role of her faith in her career, Just War Theory applied, the complexity of warfare today, and the need for alliances to share expenses and technology to meet the increased risks the United States faces. Dr. Zekulic earned her undergraduate degree at The Citadel in South Carolina, and her Master’s and Doctorate in International Relations and Security Studies at the University of Zagreb in Croatia, her home country. She directs, coordinates, and manages the development of strategic issues and engagement, including coordinating and managing the efforts of senior civilian and military policy makers so they are informed on strategic issues relevant to NATO and Allied Command Transformation’s role.

Send us Fan Mail In this interview, Larry and Father Captain Herb Bailey, a motorcycle-riding, Anglican priest and artist, discuss the amazing way God has worked in Father Herb's life, how we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, and how to be an evangelist where God has called us. You'll hear an amazing personal story of God’s moving in this man's life and calling him to ministry. Before he recently moved to Austin, Father Herb was leading a ministry center, a Christian coffee shop, in the Pittsburgh area, as part of his work in the Church Army USA. He is now on staff as Evangelist in Residence at Christ Church Austin. He continues as Executive Ministry Director with national ministry coordination responsibilities with Church Army USA.  He is here in Austin to assist in growing disciples and to teach, and lead, evangelism in Texas. Father Herb is available to teach evangelism in churches or with other groups.

Send us Fan Mail In this interview, Larry talks with Bob O’Dell, tech entrepreneur, author, screenwriter, and movie producer, about the little-known history of the impact that the Tonkawa Tribe had on the city of Austin, Texas. Bob and others are working on bringing friendship and recognition to the Tonkawa Tribe, and Bob is in the process of producing a documentary on the Tribe’s history. They also discuss how the guidance of the Holy Spirit in making life decisions and how listening to the Holy Spirit's leading shaped Bob's career. With the recent passing of Dan Davis, founding pastor of Hope Chapel, where Larry and Bob first met, they knew they needed to start their interview by giving recognition to Dan and the impact he had on both of their lives.

Send us Fan Mail Presenting at Concordia University in Austin, Texas, Larry presents three perspectives from which we should consider creation care: 1) God's Word, the Bible; 2) God's World - what we observe as we study God's good creation; and 3) God's Work - what we do to take care of His amazing and bountiful creation. Areas of concern which he addresses are loss of biodiversity, the growing accumulation of waste and trash, pollution in various forms, and a warming planet.

Send us Fan Mail Water is an issue for Texans. We face droughts, floods, aging infrastructure, and increasing population. What is a Christian response to the problems we're experiencing, and how do we plan for the future? Larry discusses these and other issues with Chairman Tracy King, Representative for Texas House District 80, Chairman of the powerful House Natural Resources Committee, and member of the Energy Resources Committee.