On this episode of CrossPolitic 101, the Waterboy sits down with Andrew Crapuchette, CEO of Red Balloon, to talk about what happens when merit replaces DEI in hiring — inside corporations, inside the military, and now inside the U.S. Department of State. Andrew breaks down Red Balloon's acquisition of MilitaryHire.com, their new contract as the official recruiting arm for Foreign Service Officers, and why getting 500 to 1,000 cleared patriots into the State Department could have a generational impact on America and the world. Plus: why you should consider taking the Foreign Service Officer Test — and how classical education might be exactly the preparation you need.

Timestamps

00:00 — Intro & sponsors — Classical Conversations and Red Balloon Recruiter

02:22 — Red Balloon acquires MilitaryHire.com — why veterans keep getting rejected by AI gatekeepers

04:01 — Humans are made in the image of God — why AI shouldn't make hiring decisions

05:16 — New contracts: ICE, Border Patrol, and now the U.S. Department of State

06:53 — Rubio's State Department: less than 10% voted for Trump, DEI recruiting, and the house cleaning

09:37 — What a Foreign Service Officer actually does — and why it's one of the most influential jobs in government

11:41 — Why Christians should be applying: language intensives, global assignments, family-friendly benefits

13:31 — The FSO Test: 1–3% pass rate, how it works, and how to practice without burning your shot

15:40 — 17 specialist tracks for those who don't pass the general test

17:32 — What's next for Red Balloon — VA contract, new DC projects, and moving into the CrossPolitic building

Connect with Andrew Capshew

Company: Red Balloon

Website: redballoon.work

Military Hiring: militaryhire.com

FSO Recruiting: Department of State via MilitaryHire — link in show description

Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars

Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee at The Factory in Franklin for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme is Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, and the CrossPolitic crew. Early Bird pricing ends July 1st — nearly halfway sold out.

Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference

This Episode's Sponsors

Classical Conversations

Homeschooling with a classical Christian model that teaches students how to learn and think — not just what to memorize. Join over 50,000 families in 60 countries who have chosen Classical Conversations.

Website: classicalconversations.com/flf

Red Balloon Recruiter

The right employee can grow your business by 5, 10, or even 25%. Red Balloon's personalized source-and-screen process connects business owners with top talent — increasing revenue and reducing cost.

Website: redballoon.work

About CrossPolitic

CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America.

Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation.

Become a CrossPolitic Club Member

Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series.

https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout

Subscribe & Share!

Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs.

Follow CrossPolitic

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC

X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic

Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic

Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic

Join our Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found.

#CrossPolitic #RedBalloon #MilitaryHire #ForeignServiceOfficer #ChristianBusiness #Hiring #Meritocracy

In this episode:

The famous "time of Domitian" statement

The disputed Greek grammar behind the passage

Why this quotation became so influential

The implications for the dating of Revelation

How the debate affects the identity of the Beast and the fall of Jerusalem

Could the strongest argument for the late date actually be weaker than many assume?

THEN: The Peaches learned a new term, and it will either help you become a better comedian or drive you crazy.  Proceed with caution. 

LATER: John shares a story about when he realized his bi-polar father was losing touch with reality.  But, on the plus side, he almost became the heir of an Aloe Vera Farm!

Contact the Comedian's family at nextdoor@johnbranyan.com and let us know if you tend to be a bit of a conspiracy theorist. 

Order Tolkien and the Inklings: Men of the West by Bradley J. Birzer  at https://a.co/d/03q0MxZ4

Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8

Learn more about First Pres. Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/

Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/

I’m in a bit of a hurry today, but wanted to touch on a few different things. First, I wanted to mention the tragic earthquake that happened in Venezuela the other day and what I know. Second, every time the World Cup rolls around I remember my first World Cup viewing experience, which took place 20 years ago in a little dodgy hotel in the Tibetan Outback (2006). I also remember the second most unique viewing experience, which was 8 years later, and also in the foothills of Tibet. (I also remember playing in our little Tibetan World Cup at 13,000 ft!)

After the World Cup recollections, we look at a new article published by an old American friend who has decades of experience in China….

The Church in China: Learning to Fly in a Birdcage

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-church-in-china

Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post new China city prayer profiles every day. Email me anytime with notes, questions, or comments: chinacompass at privacyport dot com. Learn more about our ministry, including my missionary biographies, at PrayGiveGo.us!

The China Compass Podcast is brought to you by Pray for China (PrayforChina.us):

If you want to join us all this week, here are all the Chinese cities to pray for... 

Pray for China (6/29-7/5): https://chinacall.substack.com/p/pray-for-china-june-29-july-5-2026

To Give towards our future outreach in Venezuela and China, visit: MCI3.org

Subscribe to China Compass and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.

Luke 10, vs. 2, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Talk again soon!

On this episode of CrossPolitic 101, the Waterboy brings in a panel of guests fresh off the 53rd PCA General Assembly to break down what happened in Louisville the week of June 22nd. Pastor Josh Howard (New Covenant Church, Pittsburgh), Pastor Corey Wang (Sheer Presbyterian Church, Morrisville, NC), and Josiah Stowe (co-founder, Dominion Wealth Strategists) join Gabe to walk through the major outcomes — from the roundhouse defeat of Overture 37 on female deacons, to the cheeseburger patriotism moment, to the partial Christian nationalism study committee report and what it means for the denomination going forward.

Timestamps

00:00 — Intro & sponsors — Patriot Mobile and Dominion Wealth Strategists

03:07 — Meet the panel: Pastor Josh Howard, Pastor Corey Wang, and Josiah Stowe

06:45 — Overview of the 53rd PCA GA — Louisville, June 22nd; Mel Duncan moderator, Fred Greco clerk

08:29 — Why denomination meetings matter — Acts 15 and God working through the church

09:15 — General assessment: was this a good GA? Corey's take from the conservative 20%

11:05 — Overture 37 — female deacons: what it proposed and how it was defeated

14:07 — Can the overtures committee screen clearly unbiblical overtures before the floor?

15:13 — Why the PCA lets these come to a vote: gauging denominational health, not just screening error

17:49 — The 14 who voted for it — what happens next? Matthew 18 and the presbyteries

22:03 — Josiah's outside perspective: comparing Overture 37 to the SBC's Muller amendment

24:53 — Were conservatives also frustrated? The related overtures that didn't get floor debate

26:13 — Performative masculinity vs. functional female officers — a rhetorical imbalance?

30:18 — What the PCA needs: courageous young men, not crass ones — Pastor Josh

31:57 — Cheeseburger patriotism — Overture 66 and giving thanks to God for 250 years of America

36:04 — The Christian nationalism study committee report — overture vs. report, what's the difference?

38:13 — Dr. David Strain, the partial report, and why the committee asked for one more year

40:00 — Is the CN report fair? The problem of defining terms in a big-tent denomination

44:01 — Gabe's backstory — PCA roots, CrossPolitic's origin, and the deficiency in political theology

48:34 — Was the CN report too little too late? Pastors weigh in on the church's political theology gap

51:38 — Progressive sanctification and the PCA — Corey's framework for denominational growth

56:22 — Josiah's closing take: bounding the tent, defining good Presbyterian Christian nationalism

Connect with This Episode's Guests

Pastor Josh Howard

Church: New Covenant Church — Monroville (Pittsburgh), PA

Seminary: Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (adjunct professor)

Pastor Corey Wang

Church: Sheer Presbyterian Church — Morrisville, NC

Podcast: Civically Minded

Josiah Stowe

Role: Co-founder, Dominion Wealth Strategists

Website: reform.money

Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars

Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme is Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, and the CrossPolitic crew. Early Bird pricing ends July 1st — nearly halfway sold out.

Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference

This Episode's Sponsors

Patriot Mobile

America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. Exceptional nationwide coverage utilizing all three major networks, with 100% U.S.-based customer support. Dollars go toward religious freedom, constitutional rights, the sanctity of life, and veterans and first responders. Switch today and tell them CrossPolitic sent you.

Website: patriotmobile.com/crosspolitic

Dominion Wealth Strategists

Financial strategies aligned with biblical principles — budgeting, saving, debt management, insurance, legacy planning, and more. Dominion exists to equip Christians to take the dominion mandate seriously: build wealth, protect it, and use it to further the kingdom. Book your free consultation today.

Website: reform.money

About CrossPolitic

CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America.

Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation.

Become a CrossPolitic Club Member

Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series.

https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout

Subscribe & Share!

Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs.

Follow CrossPolitic

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC

X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic

Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic

Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic

Join our Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found.

#CrossPolitic #PCA #GeneralAssembly #ChristianNationalism #Presbyterian #ChristianMedia #ReformedTheology

More Resources:

More resources at beachheadmedia.ca

Beachhead Media YouTube

We're writing a song completely on the spot. No plan, no polished lyrics, just improvising our way into something that hopefully sounds intentional by the end.

We're also playing around with AI music tools. Which is exciting... and a little unsettling. We spent years learning chords, and now a laptop is like, "I made four albums while you were tuning your guitar."

All of this leads us to writing a song about Charlie Bunny. Sometimes inspiration strikes. Sometimes it hands you a rabbit named Charlie and says, "Figure it out."

So today is part songwriting, part musical experiment, part AI exploration, and part failure.

*Ray Comfort, the founder of Living Waters Publications, has been faithfully equipping Christians in biblical evangelism for decades, and his message, Hell’s Best Kept Secret, had a huge impact on me as a teenager way back in 1999.

Welcome to China Compass on the Fight Laugh Feast Network! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. Follow and/or message me on Twitter/X (@chinaadventures) where I post daily reminders to pray for China.You can also email me @ bfwesten at gmail dot com. 

Living Waters exists to inspire and equip Christians to fulfill the Great Commission by training believers in the principles of biblical evangelism and providing practical tools to proclaim the gospel.

The Living Waters Podcast: The Roots of Communism and Why It’s Unbiblical

Follow or subscribe to China Compass and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Don’t forget: Follow @chinaadventures on X, and find everything else @ PrayGiveGo.us. Luke 10, verse 2, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few!

What do these stories reveal about the state of the church, the nation, and the mission of Christianity? Alex argues that Christians must recover moral clarity, doctrinal courage, and missionary conviction in an age marked by confusion, compromise, and civilizational decline.

The nations do not need more cowardice or ideological confusion—they need the Lordship of Christ proclaimed with boldness.

We cover:

Why secularism may have peaked

The cultural cracks driving people back to faith

How the internet is reshaping belief

What this means for the future of the West

This isn’t random. It’s directional. Is this the start of something bigger?

Gabbard, who is leaving the office of national intelligence due to her husband's cancer diagnosis, is releasing Fauci's communications, essentially providing the receipts for a massive scandal. But will prosecutions come? In this episode of The Sentinel Report with Alex Newman, we dive into this can't-miss story, plus the resignation of the U.K.'s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Major League Baseball's persecution of Christian athletes, and so much more.

Guests joining to analyze the news:

The legendary G. Edward Griffin, the author of The Creature from Jekyll Island, breaks down the death of former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan and why the Fed is unconstitutional and, frankly, horrible.

Next, Phil Linderman, the co-founder and chairman of the Ben Franklin Fellowship and board member at the Center for Immigration Studies, reviews the Trump administration's immigration policies and articulates why the phrase "isolationism" is a pejorative made by internationalists to undermine Americanism.

Finally, Titus Blair, the author of Tiny Church, talks all things AI and how Christians should prepare.

In this episode of Take Heart, Cory Wing explores God's design for sexuality from Genesis to Revelation. He explains why Scripture presents sex as a good gift within marriage, how sin distorts God's design, and why the gospel offers hope, forgiveness, and transformation for every believer.

Topics include marriage, purity, lust, pornography, adultery, homosexuality, temptation, repentance, and the hope found in Christ.

Whether you are struggling personally or seeking biblical clarity in a confused culture, this episode offers practical wisdom and gospel-centered encouragement.

In Episode 10 of the Revelation Series, Jay Rogers brings together the major events of the first century—Nero's persecution, the ministries and deaths of Peter and Paul, the writing of Revelation, and the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Rather than treating these events as unrelated pieces of history, this episode examines how they may fit together as part of the prophetic framework Jesus described decades earlier.

In this episode:

Nero's persecution of the early church

The martyrdom of Peter and Paul

The dating and purpose of Revelation

The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple

The significance of AD 70 in biblical prophecy

How the apostles understood the "last days"

What if the apostles were not warning about events thousands of years in the future, but about a crisis rapidly approaching their own generation? This episode explores how prophecy, history, and the mission of the early church converged in the first century.

LATER:  How do we feel about Hollywood influencers making "documentaries" as publicity stunts?...  Well, they're funny. So, there's that.

Contact the Comedian's family at nextdoor@johnbranyan.com

Order Shepherds for Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded the Truth for a Leftist Agenda:

https://a.co/d/01fe7qOI

Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8

Learn more about First Pres. Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/

Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/

Why did God command Moses to strike the rock? Why does Paul say in 1 Corinthians 10 that “the rock was Christ”?

From C.S. Lewis’s phrase “God in the Dock” to the cross of Christ, this episode reveals how judgment that belonged to sinners fell instead upon Christ—the true Rock. What happened in the wilderness was not random history. It was a shadow pointing to the Gospel.

Discover how judgment, grace, living water, and redemption all converge in Jesus Christ.

I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post daily reminders to pray for China. X is also the best way to contact me. Just follow and send a DM. You can also email me @ bfwesten at gmail dot com

The China Compass Podcast is brought to you by Pray for China (PrayforChina.us):

Sat, June 20 - Pray for Mangshi City in western Yunnan’s picturesque and peak-filled Dehong Prefecture, along the Myanmar border: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangshi

Home to myriad mountains and minorities, Yunnan is paired with Arkansas and Louisiana for prayer. For more info: https://prayforchina.us/index.php/yunnan/

*Remember that today in China, thousands of pastors will be detained/harassed/persecuted for faithfully leading their flocks. (Heb. 13:3)*

Sun, June 21 - Pray for Changxing County in northern Zhejiang’s Huzhou Prefecture, on the south shore of Lake Tai: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changxing_County

Zhejiang Province is aptly paired with North Carolina for prayer. Learn more about both Zhejiang and Hudson Taylor here: https://prayforchina.us/index.php/zhejiang/

Mon, June 22 - Pray for Tingri County in Tibet’s most populous prefecture, Shigatse, in central Tibet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tingri_County

Tibet is paired for prayer with the mountain states of MT, ID, WY, (northern) UT & (northern) CO. Visits by Westerners are mostly forbidden and the vast majority have never heard the Gospel: https://prayforchina.us/index.php/tibet/

If you want to join us all this week, here are all the Chinese cities to pray for from now til June 28... 

https://open.substack.com/pub/chinacall/p/pray-for-china-june-22-28-2026

Who is Missionary Ben?

I haven’t done this in a long time, but every now and then I am reminded I should probably give a little bit more of my background (and my China bonafides). Now I can’t divulge very much, for security reasons, but here are the basics: moved to China at the age of 19, in the early 2000s, taught myself to speak (and read) Chinese. Lived there w/ my family til I was deported in 2018. 

Unbeaten: The Story of My Arrest, Interrogation, and Deportation from China (Unbeaten.vip)

Over those nearly 15 years, I set foot in every province, and visited hundreds of cities, towns, and villages. Alongside our evangelistic work, I helped manage a leather factory in a Muslim town, opened a yak burger/pizza restaurant on the Tibetan Plateau, served as a guide and Tibetan taxi driver, and taught English to elementary kids, high schoolers, and young adults. 

How I Taught Myself Mandarin (And How You Can Learn Too, But Won’t) https://chinacall.substack.com/p/how-i-taught-myself-mandarin 

Follow or subscribe to China Compass and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Don’t forget: Follow @chinaadventures on X, and find everything else @ PrayGiveGo.us. Luke 10, verse 2, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few!

In this Fight Laugh Feast documentary, CrossPolitic traces the inescapable question of holiness from Moses at the burning bush through the Great Awakenings, the Crusades, and into the present culture war — arguing that holiness is not private sentiment but public, world-transforming fire. Featuring historical and theological commentary from Joe Boot and others, the documentary confronts counterfeit holiness in both secular activism and charismatic revivalism, and calls Christians to fight a holy war with the weapons God has actually given them: his Word, his Spirit, and his people.

Timestamps

0:00 — Intro — Moses, the burning bush, and the holy ground that launched a nation

0:43 — How we've privatized holiness — and who filled the public square when we did

1:53 — Holiness is inescapable: not whether, but which

3:06 — The First Great Awakening — Edwards, justification by faith, and national cohesion

4:14 — From holy ground to holy war: how the Great Awakening built the War for Independence

5:46 — The Second Great Awakening — emotionalism, manipulation, cults, and cultural chaos

9:25 — Activism fills the vacuum — and the turn toward natural law and raw political power

11:03 — Sponsor: Patriot Mobile

12:22 — What holiness actually is: the fiery presence of the triune God

14:36 — Creation, the Fall, sacrifice, and the way back into God's presence

18:44 — Golgotha — the curtain torn, the fire unleashed, we are holy ground

21:38 — Is actual war holy? Just war theory: Augustine, Aquinas, and the Reformers

23:24 — The Black-Robed Regiment, the lesser magistrate, and the War for Independence

27:43 — The Crusades — were they just wars? Separating the first, fourth, seventh, and eighth

31:20 — Counterfeit holiness: BLM as pilgrimage, anti-racism as penance, revivalism as emotional currency

34:20 — The question before this generation: Christ's finished holiness or substitutes that leave ash

34:45 — Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars — speakers, theme, and why we're gathering

36:18 — We are that bush — holy war in family, church, and state until the earth is full of his glory

43:46 — Deus vult — God wills it. He always has. He is doing it.

Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars

Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme mirrors the documentary: Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, and the CrossPolitic crew. Early Bird pricing ends July 1st — we're nearly halfway sold out.

Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference

This Episode's Sponsors

Patriot Mobile

America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. Same nationwide 4G and 5G coverage as the major carriers — with U.S.-based customer support and dollars that fund religious freedom, constitutional rights, the sanctity of life, and veterans and first responders. Switch today and get a free activation with code CROSSPOLITIC.

Website: patriotmobile.com/crosspolitic

About CrossPolitic

CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America.

Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation.

Become a CrossPolitic Club Member

Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series.

https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout

Subscribe & Share!

Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs.

Follow CrossPolitic

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC

X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic

Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic

Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic

Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found.

#CrossPolitic #HolyWars #FightLaughFeast #JustWar #Crusades #ChristianMedia #Holiness

That discussion led naturally to sports culture, which in America occasionally transforms victory into an elaborate public works project involving overturned objects and insurance claims. We traded stories about celebrations that escalated into city-wide chaos, highlighting the peculiar civic tradition of expressing affection for a team by setting fire to things the team had never asked anyone to ignite. Along the way, we examined regional rivalries and the enduring belief that residents of other cities are fundamentally misguided people whose sports preferences reveal deep character flaws.

The focus widened to the curious presence of protestors outside Christian rock concerts, a niche activity requiring both logistical commitment and a sophisticated understanding of where Christian rock concerts are being held. We considered how these groups operate and the strange optics of objecting to music performed by people who are, on paper, already in broad ideological agreement with them. 

We considered how analogies work and whether they can be trained the same way people train themselves to catch flying Frisbees or remember where they parked. Through improv exercises and whatever everyday objects happened to be nearby, we discovered that the human brain is apparently eager to connect unrelated things, which is both the foundation of creativity and the reason someone eventually compares municipal budgeting to a crockpot. 

We also explored the paradox of songwriting, where jokes sometimes become hits and carefully engineered masterpieces occasionally disappear without a trace. Creating under pressure requires a willingness to chase ideas that initially sound ridiculous, while popularity itself remains stubbornly indifferent to effort, expertise, or anyone's carefully developed five-year plan. The same unpredictability surfaced in conversations about celebrity opinions, social media bans, and the mysterious mechanics by which certain people become influential while others post into the digital equivalent of an abandoned mall food court.

By the end, we had connected improv exercises, traumatic movie endings, championship riots, concert protestors, songwriting deadlines, curmudgeonly tendencies, and the fragile economics of internet fame. 

I'm your China travel guide in exile, Missionary Ben. Follow me on Twitter/X (@chinaadventures) where I share a new Chinese city to pray for every single day. Feel free to email anytime: chinacompass @ privacyport.com. Check out PrayGiveGo.us for everything else, incl. Patreon, Substack & books…

Unbeaten: My Arrest, Interrogation + Deportation from China (Unbeaten.vip)

Orthodox Christians killed and historic church destroyed in Ethiopia

https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/latest-news/ethiopia-attack-orthodox-christians-killed/

Boko Haram Hostages Released

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce8j0jn4xjgo

China detains two leaders of Early Rain, an influential underground church

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce9582vlm83o

Follow China Compass

Thank you for listening! Subscribe & leave a review on your preferred podcast platform! And don’t forget to visit PrayGiveGo.us for books + Heb. 13:3: Remember those who are in prison, “as bound with them”!

In this episode of The World View, Alex Kocman sits down with Gabriel “The Waterboy” Rench of the FLF Network for an informal but direct debate over the church, the culture, national repentance, Christian responsibility, and the reign of Christ over every area of life. They discuss America’s Christian heritage, the role of the family, church, and civil government, whether the church has failed in its prophetic responsibility, and how Christians should think about cultural collapse without losing confidence in the victorious kingdom of Christ. This is a debate Christians need to have.

Topics include:

Church and culture

America’s moral decline

Christian nationalism

National repentance

The role of the civil magistrate

The responsibility of the church

The reign of Christ

Postmillennial hope

Family, church, and state

The future of Christian America

Featuring: Alex Kocman and Gabriel Rench

From: Eschatology Matters / The World View

This week Greg sat down with our dear friend of the podcast, Pastor Claude Ramsey. Claude is the Pastor of Reformata Baptist Church, Host of Here I Stand Theology Podcast, and Author of his latest book: A Pastoral Commentary on Revelations. They discussed how to read through the Book of Revelation, the four different views of Eschotology, as well as some of the misconceptions and traditions overlayed in Revelation. Enjoy! 

Here Pastor Claude Ramsey speak at the Abiding in Christ Conference HERE

Dominion Wealth Strategists are the only Kingdom minded company that you need to use. Set up a free consultation here today! 

You need to protect your sword! Beautiful, classic, and one of a kind! Design your bible rebind from Deus Vult today! 10% for all Dead Men listeners with the code "DEADMANWALKING"

Covenant Real Estate: "Confidence from Contract to Close"

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Support the show

Check out out the Dead Men Walking snarky merch HERE!

Build something for God's glory through Covenant Real Estate! Greg Moore Jr. can help you buy, sell, and invest! Call him at (734) 731-GREG or visit www.covenant.realestate

10% off a rebound bible from Deus Vult Rebinding with the code DEADMANWALKING

This week Greg sat down with our dear friend of the podcast, Pastor Claude Ramsey. Claude is the Pastor of Reformata Baptist Church, Host of Here I Stand Theology Podcast, and Author of his latest book: A Pastoral Commentary on Revelations. They discussed how to read through the Book of Revelation, the four different views of Eschatology, as well as some of the misconceptions and traditions overlayed in Revelation. Enjoy! 

Here Pastor Claude Ramsey speak at the Abiding in Christ Conference HERE

Dominion Wealth Strategists are the only Kingdom minded company that you need to use. Set up a free consultation here today! 

You need to protect your sword! Beautiful, classic, and one of a kind! Design your bible rebind from Deus Vult today! 10% for all Dead Men listeners with the code "DEADMANWALKING"

Covenant Real Estate: "Confidence from Contract to Close"

Facebook: Dead Men Walking Podcast
Youtube: Dead Men Walking Podcast
Instagram: @DeadMenWalkingPodcast
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All the while, Tulsi Gabbard at ODNI is saying the U.S. has been funding biolabs across the world, proving yet another "conspiracy theory” to be correct.

In the U.K. digital IDs are ramping up, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer bans social media for all children under the age of 16. We hate to say "we told you so."

Joining the show to shed light on the news are Christian pro-life powerhouse and White Rose Resistance founder Seth Gruber to discuss “Pride Month" and abortion, plus Renegade Retirement founder Andrew Winnett to discuss the little-known truth behind SpaceX’s IPO and the looming Social Security collapse.

Finally, journalist and Liberty Sentinel COO Andrew Muller joins Newman to break down Florida’s hot governor race and reviews the show’s interviews with the top candidates.

On this episode of CrossPolitic 101, the Waterboy sits down with Andrew Capshew, CEO of Red Balloon, to talk about what happens when merit replaces DEI in hiring — inside corporations, inside the military, and now inside the U.S. Department of State. Andrew breaks down Red Balloon's acquisition of MilitaryHire.com, their new contract as the official recruiting arm for Foreign Service Officers, and why getting 500 to 1,000 cleared patriots into the State Department could have a generational impact on America and the world. Plus: why you should consider taking the Foreign Service Officer Test — and how classical education might be exactly the preparation you need.

Timestamps

00:00 — Intro & sponsors — Classical Conversations and Red Balloon Recruiter

02:22 — Red Balloon acquires MilitaryHire.com — why veterans keep getting rejected by AI gatekeepers

04:01 — Humans are made in the image of God — why AI shouldn't make hiring decisions

05:16 — New contracts: ICE, Border Patrol, and now the U.S. Department of State

06:53 — Rubio's State Department: less than 10% voted for Trump, DEI recruiting, and the house cleaning

09:37 — What a Foreign Service Officer actually does — and why it's one of the most influential jobs in government

11:41 — Why Christians should be applying: language intensives, global assignments, family-friendly benefits

13:31 — The FSO Test: 1–3% pass rate, how it works, and how to practice without burning your shot

15:40 — 17 specialist tracks for those who don't pass the general test

17:32 — What's next for Red Balloon — VA contract, new DC projects, and moving into the CrossPolitic building

Connect with Andrew Capshew

Company: Red Balloon

Website: redballoon.work

Military Hiring: militaryhire.com

FSO Recruiting: Department of State via MilitaryHire — link in show description

Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars

Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee at The Factory in Franklin for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme is Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, and the CrossPolitic crew. Early Bird pricing ends July 1st — nearly halfway sold out.

Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference

This Episode's Sponsors

Classical Conversations

Homeschooling with a classical Christian model that teaches students how to learn and think — not just what to memorize. Join over 50,000 families in 60 countries who have chosen Classical Conversations.

Website: classicalconversations.com/flf

Red Balloon Recruiter

The right employee can grow your business by 5, 10, or even 25%. Red Balloon's personalized source-and-screen process connects business owners with top talent — increasing revenue and reducing cost.

Website: redballoon.work

About CrossPolitic

CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America.

Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation.

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Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs.

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC

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Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found.

#CrossPolitic #RedBalloon #MilitaryHire #ForeignServiceOfficer #ChristianBusiness #Hiring #Meritocracy

THEN: John thought he had a thing he wanted to mention...    Should we listen to people who "just want someone to listen"?

LATER: Certain Christians genuinely feel BAD when we start spreading the Gospel and winning converts successfully.  Why?  Because, when we grow the invisible Kingdom of God, it starts to have an impact on the visible nations here on earth.   And we have been told it's BAD to have political power.

Contact the Comedian's Family by emailing nextdoor@johnbranyan.com 

Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html

Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8

Learn more about First Pres. Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/

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Pray for China Weekly (6/15-21): https://chinacall.substack.com/p/pray-for-china-june-15-21-2026

Subscribe to China Compass and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.

Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post new China city prayer profiles every day.

Email me anytime with notes, questions, or comments: chinacompass at privacyport dot com.

Learn more about our ministry, including my missionary biographies, at PrayGiveGo.us!

 In John 3:14–15, Jesus connects His crucifixion to one of the most unusual events in the Old Testament—Moses lifting up the bronze serpent in the wilderness.

In this episode of Shadows to Substance, George Sayour explores how Numbers 21 points directly to Christ, revealing a powerful picture of sin, judgment, faith, and salvation.

Discover how the curse of Eden, the wilderness rebellion, and the cross all come together in one remarkable biblical pattern—and why Jesus said that just as Moses lifted up the serpent, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.

Those who looked in faith lived then. Those who look to Christ in faith live now.