Ideas Have Consequences

Disciple Nations Alliance

Worldviews shape communities, influence politics, steer economics, set social norms, and ultimately affect the well-being of both your life and your nation. Obedience to the Great Commission involves replacing false ideas with biblical truth. Together with the help of friends, our mission is to demonstrate that only biblical truth leads to flourishing lives, families, societies, and nations. This show explores the intersection of faith and culture, aiming to address pressing societal issues through a biblical lens. Ideas Have Consequences is the podcast of the Disciple Nations Alliance.

  1. 14H AGO

    The Sin of Empathy: Compassion and Its Counterfeits | Dr. Joe Rigney

    Episode Summary:  Everyone loves empathy these days. But beware! Empathy seems to be a virtue perfect for hijacking and using for evil under the banner of good.  In this provocative episode, we sit down with theologian Joe Rigney to expose the dangerous confusion between biblical compassion and what he calls “the sin of empathy.” When compassion is untethered from truth, it can manipulate hearts, distort justice, and harm the very people it claims to help. From gender identity and immigration to poverty, criminal justice, modern therapy culture, and almost every other social issue, we explore how empathy is often used to silence truth, reward dysfunction, and pressure Christians into moral compromise. This conversation challenges today’s “compassion narratives” and calls believers back to a deeper, stronger, and more truthful love that’s anchored in Scripture. This is a call to true Christian compassion: the kind that tells the truth, seeks genuine healing, and refuses emotional manipulation. Who is Disciple Nations Alliance (DNA)? Since 1997, DNA’s mission has been to equip followers of Jesus around the globe with a biblical worldview, empowering them to build flourishing families, communities, and nations. 👉 https://disciplenations.org/ 🎙️Featured Speaker:  Dr. Rigney serves as Fellow of Theology at New Saint Andrews College. He is the author of seven books: Live Like a Narnian: Christian Discipleship in Lewis’s Chronicles (Eyes & Pen, 2013); The Things of Earth: Treasuring God by Enjoying His Gifts (Crossway, 2015); Lewis on the Christian Life: Becoming Truly Human in the Presence of God (Crossway, 2018); Strangely Bright: Can You Love God and Enjoy This World? (Crossway, 2020); More Than a Battle: Experiencing Victory, Freedom, and Healing from Lust (B\&H, 2021), Courage: How the Gospel Creates Christian Fortitude (Crossway, 2023), and Leadership and Emotional Sabotage (Canon Press, 2024). Previously, Dr. Rigney served as a professor and president of Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis, a pastor at Cities Church in St. Paul, and a teacher at Desiring God. 📌 Recommended Links      👉 Joe’s Book: Leadership and the Sin of Empathy: Compassion and Its Counterfeits – Canon Press      👉 Scott’s Book: Why Social Justice is Not Biblical Justice - Disciple Nations Alliance      👉 Recommended by C.S. Lewis: The Humanitarian Theory of Punishment      👉 University: Home | New Saint Andrews College | Classical Christian College in Idaho 💻 Follow Us:      📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disciplenations     📽️YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/DiscipleNationsAlliance/ 📩 Ask us anything: info@disciplenations.org  Episode Webpage

    57 min
  2. APR 1

    Made to Live: The Good News of the Kingdom of God | Dwight Vogt

    Episode Summary:  Jesus talked about the Kingdom of God continually. In contrast to “church,” which is only mentioned twice, “kingdom” is mentioned over 120 times in the gospels. So why do we treat the Kingdom like it barely matters? In this episode, we sit down with our former co-host, Dwight Vogt, to discuss his newest book, Made to Live: The Good News of the Kingdom of God. Starting in Genesis 1, Dwight shows how the Kingdom is the unifying thread of Scripture and the key to understanding both the gospel and human purpose. We explore a simple framework for a kingdom which includes a king, realm, subjects, and the king’s will, and wrestle with big questions: If Jesus has all authority, why does evil still persist? What does “my kingdom is not of this world” really mean? And what does it look like to live under Christ’s reign today? From work and leadership to family and justice, this conversation shows how God’s Kingdom touches every part of life. If your faith has ever felt disconnected from the real world, this episode will equip you with clarity and a passion for life. Who is Disciple Nations Alliance (DNA)? Since 1997, DNA’s mission has been to equip followers of Jesus around the globe with a biblical worldview, empowering them to build flourishing families, communities, and nations. 👉 https://disciplenations.org/ 🎙️Featured Speaker:  Dwight Vogt is a lifelong student of the Bible and of the biblical worldview. His writing is driven by a desire to make accessible and relevant profound biblical truths about our place and purpose in God's world.   In addition to Made to Live, Dwight has written Made to Flourish: God’s Design for All Individuals, Communities, and Nations, and Footings for Children: Imparting a Biblical Worldview So They Can Thrive. His writing is characterized by clarity, wisdom, and a passion to see others grow in practical understanding. Dwight served for 30 years in international relief and development work and 14 years with Disciple Nations Alliance. He and his wife, Deborah, live in Phoenix, Arizona. 📌 Recommended Links      👉 MADETOLIVEBOOK.COM Get your copy of the book TODAY (available in print and audiobook)       👉 Course: Living the Kingdom Life by Arturo Cuba      👉 Video on the two kingdoms: God’s Plan to Transform the World and How You Fit In 💻 Follow Us:      📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disciplenations      📽️YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DiscipleNationsAlliance/      📲Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/disciplenations 📩 Ask us anything: info@disciplenations.org  Episode Webpage

    1h 4m
  3. MAR 25

    When Feelings Become Truth: Critical Thinking in a Post-Truth Age | Juan Valdes

    Episode Summary:  We’ve entered a world where seeing is no longer believing. In a culture shaped by deepfakes, viral outrage, and endless information, a deeper question emerges: how do you know what’s real? When feelings become truth, reality doesn’t disappear; it just gets ignored. And increasingly, that confusion isn’t just out there; it’s showing up inside the Church. In this episode, we sit down with pastor and apologist Juan Valdes, author of How to Think: A Crash Course in Critical Thinking, to confront the rise of post-truth thinking and its impact on apologetics, everyday discipleship, and your personal life. Why do arguments fall flat when emotions become the referee? And how is the authority of Scripture quietly being replaced by modern ideas of authenticity? Juan helps us chart a better path forward. We explore how to test ideas against reality, ask better questions, and rebuild a biblical worldview that connects every area of life. This is a conversation about recovering clarity, confidence, and compassion in an age of confusion. If you’re tired of the fog and want to think clearly again, this episode is for you. Who is Disciple Nations Alliance (DNA)? Since 1997, DNA’s mission has been to equip followers of Jesus around the globe with a biblical worldview, empowering them to build flourishing families, communities, and nations. 👉 https://disciplenations.org/ 🎙️Featured Speaker:  Juan Valdes is a pastor, apologist, and speaker with a passion for answering life’s hardest questions with biblical truth. He is dedicated to equipping young people, parents, and church leaders to stand firm in an increasingly challenging culture, helping remove intellectual obstacles to faith in Christ. He serves as pastor of a bilingual congregation in Miami, Florida, and holds advanced degrees from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and Logos Graduate School, along with a Doctor of Ministry in Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary. 📌 Recommended Links      👉 Book: How to Think–A Crash Course In Critical Thinking      👉 Recommended Videos: Debunked Videos — DeBunked      👉 Website: Reasons for Hope - Home      👉 Recommended Book: Tactics by Gregory Koukl      👉 Recommended Book: Fake ID by Abdu Murray 💻 Follow Us:      📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disciplenations      📽️YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DiscipleNationsAlliance/      📲Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/disciplenations 📩 Ask us anything: info@disciplenations.org  Episode Webpage

    1h 6m
  4. MAR 18

    Why Christians Disengaged from Culture: Last 100-Years of History | Krista Bontrager

    Episode Summary:  Why do so many churches struggle to respond to today’s cultural challenges? The answer lies in a forgotten chapter of church history. What’s happening in the church today did not appear overnight. The roots go back more than a century. This week we are joined by Theology Mom, Krista Bontrager, co-founder of the Center for Biblical Unity. She traces how the modernist fundamentalist controversy that started in the late 1800s ultimately set the stage for current postmodern pressures in evangelical churches and institutions. Historically speaking, this is one of the few times in history when Christians have disregarded its clear mandate to seek to transform our cultures with God’s truth, goodness, and beauty.  This conversation will help you understand: The roots of progressive ChristianityThe history of evangelicalismWhy many Christians are culturally disengagedWhat it will take to renew Christian institutions in our cultural momentPractical next stepsIt is long past time for our churches and Christian universities to rise up in obedience to our calling to be salt and light in the cultures and nations around us. Who is Disciple Nations Alliance (DNA)? Since 1997, DNA’s mission has been to equip followers of Jesus around the globe with a biblical worldview, empowering them to build flourishing families, communities, and nations. 👉 https://disciplenations.org/ 🎙️Featured Speaker:  Krista Bontrager is a fourth-generation Bible teacher. She is an author, podcaster and former university professor. Krista’s teaching reverberates with Christians from all walks of life. She has a unique ability to communicate the truth of Scripture in an accessible and practical way. She has dedicated her life to helping others discover how to love God in Spirit and truth. Krista has a BA in Communications from Biola University, and a MA in Theology, and MA in Bible Exposition from Talbot School of Theology. She has worked for almost three decades in various capacities in theology and apologetics, and is the VP of Educational Programs and Biblical Integrity at the Center for Biblical Unity.  She is a Doctor of Ministry candidate in Public Theology at Birmingham Theological Seminary. Krista has appeared on shows such as the Alisa Childers podcast and Focus on the Family. 📌 Recommended Links      👉 Recommended Podcast: Biola’s Founders Fought Modernism. Will Today’s Leaders Fight Postmodernism?      👉 Center for Biblical Unity: Home | The Center for Biblical Unity      👉 Theology Mom: Home | Theology Mom      👉 Center for Biblical Unity App: Mobile App | CFBU 💻 Follow Us:      📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disciplenations      📽️YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DiscipleNationsAlliance/      📲Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/disciplenations 📩 Ask us anything: info@disciplenations.org  Episode Webpage

    1h 17m
  5. MAR 11

    Faith Deconstruction: How Postmodernism Is Reshaping Christian Faith | Tim Barnett

    Episode Summary:  What if deconstruction isn’t a crisis of faith, but a crisis of authority? This week, we sit down with apologist Tim Barnett from Stand to Reason, Red Pen Logic, and co-author of The Deconstruction of Christianity to unpack the ideas behind the faith deconstruction movement and learn how it's affected every one of us in more ways than we realize.  We explore how postmodern thinking shifted authority from Scripture to the self, why that change reshapes conversations about truth, justice, and identity, and how social media is actively discipling millions. Make sure to listen to the whole conversation, as Tim also shares incredibly practical ways for Christians to respond with clarity, compassion, and confidence when friends or family begin questioning their faith. If you’ve watched someone you love drift or are wrestling with these questions yourself, this conversation offers helpful categories, practical tools, and real hope. Who is Disciple Nations Alliance (DNA)? Since 1997, DNA’s mission has been to equip followers of Jesus around the globe with a biblical worldview, empowering them to build flourishing families, communities, and nations. 👉 https://disciplenations.org/ 🎙️Featured Speaker:  Tim Barnett is an apologist and speaker with Stand to Reason (STR), an apologetics ministry dedicated to training Christians to think more clearly about their faith. Tim travels across the US and Canada, speaking to thousands of people each year. He’s also a frequent guest on podcasts and YouTube channels. Before starting STR in 2015, Tim worked as a professional teacher, employed in both the private and public sector. He has earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics from York University, a Bachelor of Education from Ontario Tech University, and a Master of Arts in Philosophy from Southern Evangelical Seminary. Between 2014 and 2022, Tim served on the pastoral staff at Cedarview Community Church. In 2020, Tim began Red Pen Logic with Mr. B, an online ministry that assesses bad thinking on social media by using good thinking. Across all social media platforms, Red Pen Logic (RPL) reaches millions of people every month. Tim resides in the Greater Toronto Area with his wife, Stacey. They have three daughters and a Morkipoo named Polly. Tim enjoys working in the garden and spending time with his family. 📌 Recommended Links      👉 Tim Barnett and Alisa Childers' book: The Deconstruction of Christianity       👉 Red Pen Logic on Youtube, Instagram, Facebook      👉 Stand to Reason website      👉 Learn more about our Tim 💻 Follow Us:      📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disciplenations      📽️YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DiscipleNationsAlliance/      📲Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/disciplenations 📩 Ask us anything: info@disciplenations.org  Episode Webpage

    58 min
  6. MAR 4

    The Church has the Answerers: Poverty, UBI, Homelessness, and AI jobs | Ena Richards

    Episode Summary:  What if poverty isn’t mainly an economic crisis, but a discipleship crisis? This week, we sit down with a true expert, Ena Richards, founder of Work for a Living, to challenge the dominant narrative about poverty. Ena argues that poverty persists where destructive worldviews persist. It thrives in soils of blame, envy, entitlement, unforgiveness, addiction, fatherlessness, and victim identity. The solution clearly isn’t more handouts, but hearts transformed. Not performative empathy, but practical love. Not Sunday-only faith, but Monday formation that produces real economic impact. We discuss:  • Poverty as a discipleship problem  • Homelessness in the US and root-cause restoration  • Job creation and dignity through work  • Why universal basic income misses human design  • How AI can be leveraged — not feared  • Equipping churches to move people from dependency to contribution The gospel is good news to the poor because it changes identity, and identity changes work. If the Church took Monday seriously, what might change? Who is Disciple Nations Alliance (DNA)? Since 1997, DNA’s mission has been to equip followers of Jesus around the globe with a biblical worldview, empowering them to build flourishing families, communities, and nations. 👉 https://disciplenations.org/ 🎙️Featured Speaker:  Ena Richards is the founder and international director of Work 4 A Living International, a global movement equipping unemployed youth and adults with the skills, character, and vision needed to thrive in the workplace. Originally launched in South Africa in 2007, the initiative has since expanded across multiple continents. Now based in the United States, Ena partners with churches, nonprofits, businesses, and schools around the world to address poverty through job readiness training, entrepreneurial development, and a biblical understanding of work. Her passion is simple but transformative: restoring dignity through meaningful work and helping communities break cycles of dependency with excellence, purpose, and hope. 📌 Recommended Links      👉 Website: Work 4 A Living - WORK 4 A LIVING      👉 WORK 4 A LIVING | THE WORKING CHURCH      👉 Connect with Work 4 A Living: info@work4aliving.org 💻 Follow Us:      📲Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/disciplenations      📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disciplenations      📽️YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DiscipleNationsAlliance/ 📩 Ask us anything: info@disciplenations.org  Episode Webpage

    1h 8m
  7. FEB 25

    The Same Idea Fueled the Holocaust and the Sexual Revolution | Seth Gruber

    Episode Summary:  The sexual revolution isn’t progress. It’s a regression into outright paganism. This is not an overstatement. Today, we trace a direct line from Malthus and Darwin to Galton, Havelock Ellis, and Margaret Sanger, exposing how eugenic ideas shaped the birth control movement and continue to influence law, medicine, education, and even the Church today. Seth Gruber joins us to unpack his documentary The 1916 Project, laying out the historical evidence and connecting the dots from American academic elites to the Holocaust in Nazi Germany and then back again as those same ideas fueled the sexual revolution in the United States! Hear us wrestle with a modern paradox of how current anti-racist rhetoric comfortably coexists with praise for Sanger and her evil movement that explicitly sought the “cultivation of the better racial elements in our society, and the gradual suppression, elimination and eventual extirpation of defective stocks.”  Few realize the impact that the normalization of birth control and contraception laws had in reshaping sexual ethics, eventually requiring abortion as a backstop, and why the Church’s silence helped clear the path.   We close with hope, through the story of the White Rose resistance during WWII and a call to form believers to stand up and resist cultural capture with truth, courage, and love. Who is Disciple Nations Alliance (DNA)? Since 1997, DNA’s mission has been to equip followers of Jesus around the globe with a biblical worldview, empowering them to build flourishing families, communities, and nations. 👉 https://disciplenations.org/ 🎙️Featured Speaker:  The son of a pregnancy resource center director, Seth Gruber, was helping save unborn children from abortion while still in his mother’s womb. He has been a voice and defender for preborn babies ever since. As a leading voice in the pro-life movement, Seth has spoken more than 300 times to over half a million people. He is the host of The Seth Gruber Show (FKA, UnAborted with Seth Gruber) and travels as a speaker to educate the public, discredit the opposition, and inspire the Church to end the great evil of our time. Seth founded The White Rose Resistance in 2022, a national voice for life, awakening the Church and continuing to rise in influence. In 2024, Seth launched “The 1916 Project” – an eye-opening book and vital documentary to further awaken The American Church to her pivotal role in today’s culture war. At thirty-three, Seth’s passionate work for the preborn, The Church, and America is just getting started. 📌 Recommended Links      👉 Home - The 1916 Project      👉 Our Newest Book:  Home - Occupy 'Till I Come      👉 The White Rose Resistance - Life Is Our Revolution      👉 Home - The Last Stand      👉 Killer Angel – Canon Press 💻 Follow Us:      📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disciplenations      📽️YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DiscipleNationsAlliance/ 📩 Ask us anything: info@disciplenations.org  Episode Webpage

    1h 10m
  8. FEB 18

    Book Release "Occupy Till I Come" | Darrow Miller

    Episode Summary:  Christians make up more than half of the American population, but culture is unraveling. The future of the West will not be decided by elections, but by whether the Church rises or retreats. In this episode, we’re launching Occupy Till I Come with its author Darrow Miller and argue that the Great Commission includes discipling nations at the ground level of culture. The real crisis, Darrow contends, is the sacred/secular divide that has confined faith to Sundays and surrendered public life to rival worldviews. Let’s recover the biblical and historical vision that once gave the West life and order. From the image of God as the foundation of dignity,  justice, and human rights to the Reformation’s role in shaping our current cultures. Then we get practical: unpacking vocation as worship, hospitality as discipleship, Scripture applied to public life, and courage under pressure. This is the hour to build. To occupy. To stand with clarity and courage. History is calling. The Church must answer. Key Endorsements: “The ideas in this book built our country, and they can restore it as well.”  Dr. Josh Mulvihill “This book is Darrow Miller’s magnum opus. It captures the urgency of our current civilizational moment, calling for decisive choices that lead either to renewal or decline.”  Nancy Pearcey Who is Disciple Nations Alliance (DNA)? Since 1997, DNA’s mission has been to equip followers of Jesus around the globe with a biblical worldview, empowering them to build flourishing families, communities, and nations. 👉 https://disciplenations.org/ 🎙️Featured Speaker:  Darrow Miller brings over four decades of global experience teaching the church that ideas have consequences. A former student of the late Francis Schaeffer, Darrow began his worldview training at L’Abri Fellowship in Switzerland, where he first caught a vision for how belief shapes culture. His passion for understanding worldview deepened while serving the poor with Food for the Hungry, where he saw firsthand how lies enslave and truth sets people free. Darrow is the author of influential works such as Discipling the Nations, Nurturing the Nations, LifeWork, and others that confront the cultural falsehoods that keep people and societies in bondage, offering instead the liberating biblical truths that lead to flourishing. He is a co-founder of the Disciple Nations Alliance (DNA), a movement dedicated to educating and equipping the Body of Christ to fully engage in discipling nations. 📌 Recommended Links      👉 Find the Book:  Home - Occupy 'Till I Come      👉 Become a Kingdomizer: Get Involved - Disciple Nations Alliance      👉 Our Civilizational Moment: The Waning of the West and the War of the Worlds: Guinness, Os:  💻 Follow Us:      📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disciplenations 📩 Ask us anything: info@disciplenations.org  Episode Webpage

    1h 6m
4.9
out of 5
34 Ratings

About

Worldviews shape communities, influence politics, steer economics, set social norms, and ultimately affect the well-being of both your life and your nation. Obedience to the Great Commission involves replacing false ideas with biblical truth. Together with the help of friends, our mission is to demonstrate that only biblical truth leads to flourishing lives, families, societies, and nations. This show explores the intersection of faith and culture, aiming to address pressing societal issues through a biblical lens. Ideas Have Consequences is the podcast of the Disciple Nations Alliance.

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