Finding Your Spine

Herzog Foundation
  • 4.3 (12)
  • Self-Improvement

In a time when courage feels increasingly rare, Finding Your Spine challenges the status quo. Hosted by Dr. Chase Spears, this weekly podcast explores how Christians—and even secular conservatives—can stand firm in their values amid the pressures of cancel culture. With insightful commentary and bold conversations, Dr. Spears examines the tradeoff many make between conscience and comfort, reminding listeners that true freedom requires the spine to defend it. Tune in each week for thought-provoking discussions that inspire moral courage in an age of compromise.

  1. 5d ago

    Questioning Islam Almost Cost Him His Life

    Dr. Mark Christian shares his remarkable journey from a devout Muslim upbringing in Cairo, Egypt, to surviving a horrific assassination attempt. He describes the early seeds of doubt that took root during a period of intense personal study, the painful confrontation with his father after seeking answers to deep inconsistencies in the faith, and the decade of family estrangement that followed. The conversation centers on the events of March 29, 2003, when Dr. Christian walked into what he believed would be a reconciliation meeting, only to face a firebomb that nearly ended his life. He recounts the miracle of his survival after tripping on a rug at the entrance, an event he credits to divine protection, and the long physical and emotional recovery that followed. Beyond his personal story, Dr. Christian explains why he came to see Islam as both a religion and a political movement that cannot be separated. He discusses the strategy of civilization jihad, the challenges of assimilation in Western societies, and the urgent need for citizens to understand and defend the foundational principles of freedom and national identity. This episode explores the high personal cost of standing for truth and the broader implications for Western culture today. 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:01:37 – Survived Assassination 00:02:48 – The 2003 Incident 00:03:10 – Childhood in Egypt 00:05:21 – Movie Theater Incident 00:06:49 – Questioning Islam 00:08:33 – Seeking Father's Help 00:12:27 – Firebomb Ambush 00:15:03 – Zeal to Spread Islam 00:18:42 – Muhammad's Missing Proof 00:36:12 – Melting Pot America You can find out more about Dr. Mark Christian's work at Global Faith Institute's website: https://globalfaith.org/ You can find Dr. Mark Christian's book, The Apostate here: https://www.amazon.com/Apostate-My-Search-Truth/dp/1737176300 You can follow Chase Spears on X @DrChaseSpears. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your favorite episodes to keep the conversation going. To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates. #Faith #ChristianLiving #Military #Discipline #Morality #Politics #BiblicalMasculinity #Masculinity #ChristianPodcast #American #America #Army #Navy #AirForce #Marines #CoastGuard #SpaceForce #NationalGuard #ChristianMen

  2. Jul 13

    Higher Ed's Culture of Conformity

    Dr. Chase Spears sits down with Dr. Herbert Riedel, former community college president and author of Silenced, to discuss the pressures of maintaining moral and intellectual integrity in today’s higher education environment. Riedel shares his experience leading institutions, confronting institutional conformity, and the personal and professional costs of resisting woke ideology. They explore how cultural Marxism influences campuses, accreditors, regulators, and professional associations, and why even red states are not immune. The conversation covers critical race theory compliance failures, gender ideology enforcement, and the challenges of reforming entrenched bureaucracies. Riedel also outlines his vision for Clymer College, a new institution grounded in classical education, true academic freedom, and whole-person development rooted in American founding principles. A candid look at institutional rot in education and paths toward renewal. 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:01:15 – Career Path and Challenges 00:03:08 – Silenced Book Overview 00:05:59 – Vision for Clymer College 00:10:15 – Location and Timeline 00:14:11 – Classical Liberal Arts 00:18:21 – Community Colleges Role 00:22:49 – Northeast Iowa Experience 00:28:55 – Administrative Pushback 00:34:18 – Doing the Right Thing 00:41:22 – Advice for Educators You can find out more about Clymer College at https://www.clymercollege.org/ You can follow Chase Spears on X @DrChaseSpears. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your favorite episodes to keep the conversation going. To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates. #Faith #ChristianLiving #Military #Discipline #Morality #Politics #BiblicalMasculinity #Masculinity #ChristianPodcast #American #America #Army #Navy #AirForce #Marines #CoastGuard #SpaceForce #NationalGuard #ChristianMen

  3. Jul 6

    Rethinking Race Through Christ

    Dr. Chase Spears welcomes Ron Freeman — former NFL player for the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, All-American at Pittsburg State University, Chaplain for the Royals and Chiefs, and current football coach at Maranatha Christian Academy. Ron shares his powerful journey from a non-church background to a transforming encounter with Christ at age 25, including the moment God spoke to him about being adopted as a son. The conversation explores Ron’s book Rethinking Race, the spiritual roots of racial division, and why secular solutions fail where the gospel succeeds. They discuss fatherlessness in the black community, the impact of the Great Society programs, victimhood narratives, law enforcement encounters, and the call to unity in Christ that transcends ethnicity. Ron emphasizes loving God and neighbor as the true path to healing. This episode challenges listeners to view identity, justice, and culture through a biblical lens rather than worldly categories. A bold, hopeful discussion on faith, manhood, and national unity. 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:01:12 – Faith Journey 00:05:00 – Rethinking Race Book 00:06:51 – Spiritual Problem 00:08:22 – Early Experiences 00:11:01 – Gospel Over Politics 00:15:12 – Law Enforcement Stories 00:24:41 – The Story of Crispus Attucks 00:30:57 – Black Leadership Critique 00:40:20 – Next Book Vision You can find Ron’s book "Rethinking Race" on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Rethinking-Race-Better-Than-Believe/dp/B0DN88MKFT You can follow Chase Spears on X @DrChaseSpears. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your favorite episodes to keep the conversation going. To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates. #Faith #ChristianLiving #Military #Discipline #Morality #Politics #BiblicalMasculinity #Masculinity #ChristianPodcast #American #America #Army #Navy #AirForce #Marines #CoastGuard #SpaceForce #NationalGuard #ChristianMen

  4. Jun 29

    Operating Under the Consent of the Governed

    Dr. Chase Spears welcomes Josiah Lippincott back to Finding Your Spine for a candid follow-up discussion on how the two first connected. Lippincott recounts his viral 2021 Twitter exchange with a general over COVID policies and rising military suicides, which thrust him into the national spotlight. The conversation dives deep into institutional decay within the military — from “Mil Twitter” activism and ideological capture to senior leaders disconnected from the public they serve. They examine the founders’ skepticism of large standing armies, the bloat of endless briefings, and whether today’s institutions can be reformed or must be reset from core principles. Topics include accountability, the consent of the governed, parallel institutions, and what real national defense should look like in a republic. This episode offers sharp analysis on reclaiming military purpose, restoring constitutional focus, and why speaking truth remains essential even when facing institutional pushback. 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:01:05 – The Viral Twitter Clash 00:03:37 – Going Viral and Fox News 00:06:50 – Mil Twitter and Institutional Rot 00:11:06 – Regime as a Choir 00:12:23 – What Happened to the Critics 00:15:20 – Burn It Down or Reform 00:19:06 – Founders and Standing Armies 00:23:46 – Resetting Institutions 00:26:11 – Pentagon as a Sovereign City 00:30:33 – Consent of the Governed You can follow Chase Spears on X @DrChaseSpears. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your favorite episodes to keep the conversation going. To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates. #Faith #ChristianLiving #Military #Discipline #Morality #Politics #BiblicalMasculinity #Masculinity #ChristianPodcast #American #America #Army #Navy #AirForce #Marines #CoastGuard #SpaceForce #NationalGuard #ChristianMen

  5. Jun 22

    Questioning Wars of Choice

    Dr. Chase Spears welcomes Marine veteran and scholar Josiah Lippincott to discuss courage, intellectual independence, and the need to challenge institutional orthodoxies. Lippincott shares his journey from questioning U.S. presence in Okinawa to pursuing a PhD at Hillsdale College while openly critiquing leftist dominance in academia and moralistic foreign policy. The conversation explores the progressive shift in American warfare from defensive necessity to crusading interventions, the true costs of endless conflicts, and why the last genuine existential foreign threat was the War of 1812. They examine trade-offs in foreign policy, the domestic price of overseas engagements, the failures in Afghanistan, and the importance of prioritizing threats at home over nation-building abroad. Lippincott emphasizes connecting scholarship to real life, the value of popular writing, and maintaining principled consistency over partisan loyalty. This episode offers thoughtful reflections on military service, legitimate authority in war, and reorienting national focus toward American prosperity and security. 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:00:39 – Standing Against the Tide 00:01:58 – Courage in Academia 00:05:06 – Okinawa Questions 00:06:47 – Popular Writing Discipline 00:12:03 – Folly in the Pacific 00:16:49 – Existential Threats 00:18:30 – Costs of Crusading Wars 00:24:58 – Afghanistan Reflections 00:31:14 – Domestic Priorities First 00:38:23 – Reclaiming Sovereignty You can follow Chase Spears on X @DrChaseSpears. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your favorite episodes to keep the conversation going. To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates. #Faith #ChristianLiving #Military #Discipline #Morality #Politics #BiblicalMasculinity #Masculinity #ChristianPodcast #American #America #Army #Navy #AirForce #Marines #CoastGuard #SpaceForce #NationalGuard #ChristianMen

  6. Jun 15

    Navy Chaplain Forced into Homelessness?

    Dr. Chase Spears sits down with Navy Chaplain Jonathan Shour to discuss his courageous stand against the military’s COVID vaccine mandate. Shour shares the intense pressure he faced during chaplain training, the personal toll on his family—including months of technical homelessness while his wife was pregnant—and the moral challenges within the Chaplain Corps. They explore the film Duty to Disobey, in which Shour appears, and what it reveals about institutional failures, unlawful orders, and the duty to resist when conscience and constitutional rights are at stake. The conversation covers religious accommodations, the role of chaplains under pressure, the balance between faith and military duty, and the lasting impact on trust in institutions. Shour also discusses the Alvarado v. Austin lawsuit filed by dozens of chaplains and reflects on legitimate versus illegitimate authority. This episode highlights stories of moral courage, the importance of medical freedom in the military, and why chaplains must prioritize their calling to support service members’ constitutional rights. Viewers will gain insight into a pivotal chapter in recent military history and the personal costs of standing firm. 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:00:33 – Standing Against the Mandate 00:02:03 – Duty to Disobey Trailer 00:03:12 – Seeing Himself in the Film 00:04:19 – Jonathan’s Military Background 00:05:37 – Children’s Health Defense Role 00:07:46 – Moral Failure in the Military 00:13:53 – Pressure on Chaplains 00:18:07 – Religious Accommodation Concerns 00:24:35 – Family Homelessness Experience 00:35:34 – Alvarado v Austin Lawsuit 00:39:53 – Legitimate vs Illegitimate Authority You can follow Chase Spears on X @DrChaseSpears. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your favorite episodes to keep the conversation going. To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates. #Faith #ChristianLiving #Military #Discipline #Morality #Politics #BiblicalMasculinity #Masculinity #ChristianPodcast #American #America #Army #Navy #AirForce #Marines #CoastGuard #SpaceForce #NationalGuard #ChristianMen

  7. Jun 8

    Teacher Stands for Virtue

    In this episode of Finding Your Spine, Dr. Chase Spears welcomes public school teacher William Loggans, author of Quiet Courage in the Classroom. William shares how he placed an inspirational poster featuring Charlie Kirk in his classroom — only to face swift backlash from administrators who demanded its removal. What followed was a battle over First Amendment rights, district investigations, union inaction, and attempts to intimidate a teacher simply for encouraging students to think independently and reject groupthink.  William details the emotional rollercoaster of national media attention, behind-the-scenes district tactics, and the contrast between what schools celebrate versus what they punish. He also discusses modeling Christian character in the classroom, the failures of teachers’ unions, and his new nonprofit, the Freedom to Think Project, which equips parents, supports teachers, and runs scholarship contests on the First Amendment. A powerful story of quiet courage, parental awareness, and standing firm when institutions push back.  00:02:33 – The Poster Incident 00:04:38 – Student Complaint 00:05:36 – Grievance and Attorney 00:06:23 – Media Attention Begins 00:07:50 – Investigation for Teaching Communism 00:13:48 – Unions and District Tactics 00:24:59 – Modeling Faith in Class 00:30:47 – Student Reactions and Atmosphere Shift 00:45:33 – Freedom to Think Project You can find William Loggans's work at https://freedomtothinkproject.com/ or by following him on X @LibertyGrad1982 You can follow Chase Spears on X @DrChaseSpears. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your favorite episodes to keep the conversation going. To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates. #Faith #ChristianLiving #Military #Discipline #Morality #Politics #BiblicalMasculinity #Masculinity #ChristianPodcast #American #America #Army #Navy #AirForce #Marines #CoastGuard #SpaceForce #NationalGuard #ChristianMen

  8. Jun 1

    Christian Witness in Politics and Rebuilding America

    In this episode of Finding Your Spine, Dr. Chase Spears is joined by Eric Teetsel, Fellow at the Center for Renewing America and Chronicles magazine. They discuss the vital role of Christians in public life and how faith should inform policy without becoming partisan idolatry.  Eric shares his journey from a military family background to nearly two decades at the intersection of faith, policy, and politics — including work on life, marriage, religious liberty, and his willingness to take unpopular stands. The conversation explores the church’s calling to proactively advance the Kingdom, the dangers of cultural Marxism and disordered loves, and why public policy must reflect God’s created order to help people flourish.  They address courage under pressure, the long-term impact of seemingly small acts of obedience, parenting and formation of the next generation, and the hope of stewarding institutions during turbulent times. A compelling call to bold, faithful engagement in culture and politics. 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:00:37 – Rebuilding from Ruins 00:01:25 – Teetsel's Background 00:04:05 – Faith and Public Policy 00:12:19 – Church as Proactive Force 00:19:04 – Public Policy and Created Order 00:26:13 – Forming the Next Generation 00:32:29 – Long-Term Impact 00:36:14 – Military Upbringing You can follow Eric's work at https://americarenewing.com/ or on X at @EricTeetsel. You can follow Chase Spears on X @DrChaseSpears. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your favorite episodes to keep the conversation going. To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates. #Faith #ChristianLiving #Military #Discipline #Morality #Politics #BiblicalMasculinity #Masculinity #ChristianPodcast #American #America #Army #Navy #AirForce #Marines #CoastGuard #SpaceForce #NationalGuard #ChristianMen

See All (62)

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

4.3
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

In a time when courage feels increasingly rare, Finding Your Spine challenges the status quo. Hosted by Dr. Chase Spears, this weekly podcast explores how Christians—and even secular conservatives—can stand firm in their values amid the pressures of cancel culture. With insightful commentary and bold conversations, Dr. Spears examines the tradeoff many make between conscience and comfort, reminding listeners that true freedom requires the spine to defend it. Tune in each week for thought-provoking discussions that inspire moral courage in an age of compromise.

Information

  • Creator
    Herzog Foundation
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    62
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Herzog Foundation
  • Show Website
    Finding Your Spine

You Might Also Like