Coffee With Hales

haleyabarker

Welcome to Coffee with Hales! Here, we explore mini-homesteading, backyard chickens, conspiracies, technocracy, politics, and culture — all through a lens of curiosity and discernment, examining how a biblical worldview can shape practical living in everyday life. If you want to slow down, think clearly, and see the world from a different perspective, you’re in the right place — by asking thoughtful questions, considering alternative perspectives, and taking steps toward a more intentional way of living. If you would like to see more of my mini-homestead, check out my YouTube:  https://youtube.com/@coffeewithhales?si=sYTzrTjxoEAuCOD0

  1. May 12

    Question Israel… Get Labeled... The Growing Divide in Christianity.

    In this episode of Coffee with Hales, I continue my series on how institutional Christianity has been pulled into left-right political control, and I respond to a clip from Understanding the Times with Jan Markell about “Laodicean” churches and Israel. I argue they frame churches as apostate for not addressing October 7, equate non–pro-Israel positions with antisemitism or even Nazi Germany, and dismiss alternate eschatology (replacement/fulfillment theology) as coming from figures like Tucker Carlson or Candace Owens. I push back on the idea that Israel is the “true north” for determining someone’s theology or even whether they’re a real Christian, and I say believers should be allowed to ask questions. I cite various articles and examples about Gaza, ceasefires, civilian harm, foreign policy, and intelligence allegations to explain why questions arise, and I encourage viewers to study Scripture and check out Pastor David Curtis for a non-dispensational biblical perspective. 00:00 Welcome and Series Setup 01:19 Laodicea and October 7 04:39 Nazi Comparison Critique 06:09 Tucker Candace Strawman 10:42 Israel as Theological Litmus 13:19 Fact Checking Gaza Claims 20:39 Blood Libel and Foreign Wars 29:21 Replacement Theology Labels 31:57 Final Encouragement and Resources SOURCES: Brean Bible Church | Who Is Israel? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6by-UR_TBEY Other Sermons on Israel: https://www.youtube.com/@BereanBibleChurch/search?query=Who%20Is%20Israel%20 More information on Epsiten: James Corbett: https://corbettreport.com/epstein-israel-and-secret-societies-on-the-ripple-effect/ Articles from the video: https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jewish-members-of-the-118th-congress https://www.cfr.org/articles/us-aid-israel-four-charts https://costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/paper/HumanTollGaza https://www.trackaipac.com/trump https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/31/the-mathematics-of-starvation-how-israel-caused-a-famine-in-gaza https://truthout.org/articles/despite-ceasefire-israel-continues-to-expand-occupation-of-southern-lebanon/ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67241290 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpw004xqxnjo https://www.democracynow.org/2024/7/12/israel https://www.facebook.com/MiddleEastEye/videos/us-secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-has-contradicted-himself-and-scrambled-to-clar/1403110011011834/ https://x.com/kennardmatt/status/1742943360304771513 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2004/12/8/israeli-soldiers-shoot-boy-for-fun https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/02/gaza-palestinian-children-killed-idf-israel-war IDF Soldier Interviewed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35xqZnyPM7w https://www.lemonde.fr/en/les-decodeurs/article/2024/04/03/40-beheaded-babies-the-itinerary-of-a-rumor-at-the-heart-of-the-information-battle-between-israel-and-hamas_6667274_8.html

    33 min
  2. May 6

    How Politicians Are Using the Church to Keep You Divided

    Has Government Hijacked Evangelicalism? Politics, Propaganda, and the Church   In this Coffee with Hales commentary, I argue that large Protestant evangelical movements have been hijacked to keep Christians invested in a right-left political illusion and pressured to see voting—often for a specific party—as biblically mandated. I use Sheridan Church in Oklahoma and Pastor Jackson Lahmeyer’s “Pastors for Trump” involvement as an example, including his defense of the White House Office of Faith and Paula White, the church’s ties to Trump-world figures, and messaging around Islam, Sharia law, and persecution. I also critique how end-times Zionist/dispensational frameworks and accusations around replacement theology are being used to police who counts as a “real” Christian, contributing to people leaving evangelicalism. My goal is to zoom out, recognize propaganda entering churches, and encourage personal responsibility and deeper engagement with scripture.   00:00 Welcome and Series Setup 00:22 Politics Hijacking Churches 02:07 Pastors for Trump Origins 04:40 Clip Reaction Faith Office 07:28 Sheridan Church Case Study 09:13 End Times and Israel Tests 11:56 Islam and Butler Talking Points 13:16 Trump Meme and Pastor Defense 14:45 Zooming Out Final Takeaways 16:43 Closing and Call to Comment   SOURCES: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-...    • Pastors LAY HANDS on TRUMP in the OVAL OFF...      • Trump deletes social media post with AI im...   https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv... https://sheridan.church/ https://timetofreeamerica.com/ https://sheridan.church/sermons-previ...    • My TERRIBLE White House Faith Office Exper...      • Did you know that 1 out every 7 Christians...   https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/... https://x.com/JacksonLahmeyer/status/...

    18 min
  3. Apr 28

    The Church Has Been Hijacked By Politicians | Is Voting a Biblical Mandate?

    Is Voting a Biblical Mandate? Why I’m Opting Out of the Left/Right Illusion. In this laid-back Coffee with Hales episode, I build on my last video about institutional Christianity being captured by government power and the left/right narrative. I respond to common Protestant and evangelical talking points that claim Christians are biblically mandated to vote, using clips from Pastor Billy Crone, another pastor arguing voting isn’t a sacrament, and Allie Beth Stuckey’s case for loving our neighbor through politics. I push back on blending “anti-American” with “anti-Christ,” argue both parties operate as a corrupt uniparty, and explain why voting feels like consenting to someone ruling over my God-given sovereignty. I also challenge the idea that politics is the main way to love neighbors, calling it the laziest substitute for real responsibility, community, and relationships. I urge Christians to zoom out, stop fighting over hot-button issues, and pursue biblical freedom rooted in personal accountability. 00:00 Breaking the Left Right Spell 00:30 Why This Episode Matters 01:30 Pastor Says Voting Is Mandate 03:00 Anti American vs Anti Christ 03:59 Uniparty and Lesser Evil 05:17 Voting as Consent to Rule 07:17 Opting Out and Complaints 08:08 Convenience Is Not Freedom 10:14 Voting Is Not a Sacrament 12:35 Government as New Theology 14:41 Rebuilding Family and Community 16:16 Loving Neighbor Beyond Politics 18:43 Church Captured by Power 19:36 Call to Biblical Freedom 22:01 Final Thoughts and Outro

    23 min

About

Welcome to Coffee with Hales! Here, we explore mini-homesteading, backyard chickens, conspiracies, technocracy, politics, and culture — all through a lens of curiosity and discernment, examining how a biblical worldview can shape practical living in everyday life. If you want to slow down, think clearly, and see the world from a different perspective, you’re in the right place — by asking thoughtful questions, considering alternative perspectives, and taking steps toward a more intentional way of living. If you would like to see more of my mini-homestead, check out my YouTube:  https://youtube.com/@coffeewithhales?si=sYTzrTjxoEAuCOD0