Faith Under Fire - Family Life News

Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch sits down with National Day of Prayer Vice President Dion Elmore to discuss the congressional observance of the National Day of Prayer 2025, the number of people involved, and the 8pm simulcast co-hosted by Tim Tebow. 

There is a new regime in Syria. They are promising democracy, but slaughtering Alowite Muslims. Soldiers are telling Christian pastors in Syria they are next. Family Life's Sarah Harnisch interviewed Voice of the Martyrs Vice President Todd Nettleton to tell the story of the Syrian Christians.

Learn more about the work of Voice of the Martyrs here:

Living Lent (Beyond the Sunday Morning Liturgy)

"Faith Under Fire", a Family Life News weekly podcast 

Some Christians have a very strong emphasis on the 40 days of Lent, with specialized worship experiences, individual and group Bible study, personal reflection and repentence, and other spiritual practices. (For example, you've likely heard of people who "give up something" for Lent -- which explains why Fish specials are very common at restaurants in the early spring.)

Others from other traditions don't emphasize the Lenten Season as much, but also use particular methods to deepen and expand their faith and discipleship. 

Our guest on this Family Life News Feature is Dr. Brian Black, a faculty member at Penn View Bible Institute in central Pennsylvania. He gives his insights on how this time of year -- when taken intentionally -- can be bring new perspectives and purpose to a life. Lent (like any other segment of a year) can become an occasion for personal and community revival.

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While we had Dr. Black on the phone for this interview, it also gives the opportunity to get his take on the spiritual lives of young people. As an educator at a Christian school, he sees strong evidence of faith, Christian commitment, and discipleship among this generation.

A "Love Letter" to Evangelicals

Family Life News talks with Warren Smith of MinistryWatch.com

Christian journalist Warren Smith has a "lover's quarrel" with the evangelical church.
He says many congregations and denominations are inwardly-focused on their problems, and fail to live up to a biblical mandate to be "salt and light" into their surrounding culture:

Smith writes a response to others who point to how, for some people, the Christian faith has been "deconstructed" during the current era. His call is for individual Christians, congregations, denominations and faith networks to reclaim the identity which Jesus Christ gave to it. He encourages a reflection on how people of faith measure success. He is concerned that many pockets of the church "measure the wrong things", saying that the size of membership and budgets and programs has replaced the measurement of faithfulness, community, love, long-suffering, joy and other Fruit of the Spirit.

This can be an important conversation for you and your household, and might be a discussion starter for leadership groups in your church.

Fighting the City Council to Protect Prolife Sidewalk Counselors' Rights

the Faith Under Fire podcast

"Women are being denied true choice as they are bullied into the only option that is offered by the abortion advocates" -- Brian Westbrook

This week (February 24) the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear a case based on a Carbondale, Illinois, ordinance which forbid displays and conversations led by prolife advocates within 100 feet of a clinic which provides or counsels for abortion.

The Coalition Life organizaton brought a federal lawsuit, alleging that the ordinance unconstitutionally restrict the First Amendment rights of those who wanted to offer information about alternatives to abortion to potential clients entering the three facilities there.

Executive Director Brian Westbrook gives us the story of the development of the ordinance, the lawsuit, and how the council rescinded the ordinance after public pressure. Not only that, Westbrook also talks about the lessons learned which can apply for prolifers everywhere, who want to save babies and support women facing unexpected pregnancies.

The VA suspends one of it PA chaplains from preaching

Faith Under Fire from Family Life News

A Pennsylvania chaplain at the Veterans Administration was restricted from religious leadership for the summer and fall. Chaplain Rusty Trubey's supervisor reassigned him for multiple months at the Coatesville VA.

Values-based Victories in the Culture

Faith Under Fire, from Family Life News

Traditionalists are winning the culture wars.

So says a leading Christian communications and entertainment executive.

Matthew Faraci points to changes not only in politics and social dialogue, but also how corporate America has pivoted back toward the middle.

Traditionalists are winning the culture wars.

So says a leading Christian communications and entertainment executive.

Matthew Faraci points to changes not only in politics and social dialogue, but also how corporate America has pivoted back toward the middle.

War & Peace, Jews & Christians

What's likely ahead for the Middle East in 2025?

A Family Life News newsmaker interview on "Faith Under Fire"

The founder of a Jewish Advocacy Organization predicts the wars and tensions in the Middle East will see remarkable improvement, as Donald Trump returns to the American presidency.

Beth Serio - "Do No Harm" Medicine

Faith Under Fire from Family Life News

There were 813 children and underaged teens in Pennsylvania who received surgical or hormonal treatments to alter their gender. Another 1100 New York minors were also treated with what advocates refer to as "gender-affirming care". Opponents have described such medical interventions as dangerous or unnecessary and as "mutilation of children".

An advocacy group called "Do No Harm" Medicine has reviewed four years of insurance payments and funds from government sources which paid for the chemical and surgical treatments of minors. Family Life News interviewed Beth Serio as they were announces results of this nationwide research in November. 

Now, in this follow-up interview, Serio talks more about the social, financial and emotional issues which surround gender disphoria and the signficant growth in gender-related treatments in for-profit and non-profit medical entities.

The database is searchable by state and by community. It highlights how often each children's hospital -- and every other facility -- carried out the removal of body parts or the introduction of cross-gender hormones. It is available at the links below:

Rewinding to some of 2024's big issues in the faith-vs-culture battles

The Faith Under Fire podcast from Family Life News

As we approach the end of the year, "Faith Under Fire" host Greg Gillispie samples some of the interviews we've aired in the past 12 months. These are some of the voices from the religious and values-based battlefields in our culture.

A Christian organization is encouraging men to unplug from the workplace to nourish their faith and their family life this Christmas season.

Joe Beckler says it can be easy for all people to get caught up in the everyday grind all year, but the schedules, tasks and responsibilities are particularly pronounced at this time of the year. In addition to all the school concerts, church programs, shopping, parties and festivities, the business marketplace often adds year-end reports and obligations.

In this Family Life News interview, Beckler offers three specific goals which can help men (and others) to prioritize, focus, and be present for their family, friends and workplace partners.

Ten states decided proposed amendments to their constitutions in the October and November voting, a little more than two years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the national Constitution does not include rights to abortions, leaving the decision on any limits (and taxpayer funding) to each individual state.

Seven of those state approved pro-abortion ballot measures, but three did not. Family Life News asked Kelsey Pritchard of Susan B. Anthony Prolife America to offer a pro-life perspective on the election results. Pritchard is the public affairs director for SBA Prolife is South Dakota, one of the three states that turned aside constitutional protections for this practice of ending pregnancies.