Technology, Faith, & Human Shortcomings | Billy Graham’s 1998 TED Talk
As I was surrounded by all things Christmas this week (as I’m sure many of us are!), I was reminded of a letter my grandfather, Daddy Bill, wrote to me in February of 1998. In the letter he wished me a Happy Valentine’s Day, and then mentioned that he was going to be speaking at the TED Conference in California, addressing that day’s leaders in technology, design, and entertainment. He was the first religious leader to ever be invited to give a TED Talk. Technology looks vastly different today than it did in 1998, but the questions my grandfather asked and answered during that conference are still relevant for us as Christ followers. Where does evil come from? Why does suffering exist? Where do we go when we die? We’re still grappling with these as a society today, but no advances in AI, social media, or the latest tech trend will change this essential truth: technology can’t save us, only Jesus can. So take 25 minutes in the midst of the Christmas craziness to listen and be encouraged—there is nothing new under the sun here, God is still in control, and only He can satisfy that longing for eternity we all carry in our hearts.
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Returning to the Heart of Evangelism
Are we losing the heart of evangelism from behind the pulpit? On this week’s special episode of Fearless, I’m bringing you my talk from the Family Research Council’s Watchmen on the Wall Pastors Briefing recently held in Washington D.C. As I told that group, I’m an evangelist’s kid, not a pastor’s kid, but I’ve seen the Gospel proclaimed my entire life, and believe with all my heart that evangelism must be a priority for pastors and the church as a whole. Sadly, the church has lost sight of the urgency for evangelism in recent years. Should we make altar calls great again? Yes, we absolutely should. If we continue to only practice lifestyle evangelism, instead of directly asking people to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, the church has essentially aborted its main mission. We’ve given up on the power of the cross, our greatest strength. Even if you’re not a pastor, this is a message I believe applies to any of us who proclaim Jesus as Lord. We’re all called to evangelize, and in this talk I outline exactly how to do so in the simple and effective way my father does and my grandfather did before him. Let’s be faithful to our calling as Christians, and do everything we can to return to the heart of true evangelism.
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Teaching our Kids to Face the World without Fear
Our kids are undoubtedly growing up in a turbulent time. From the war in Israel to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, they’re seeing and hearing about death, chaos, and violence everywhere they turn. It’s tempting as parents to try to shield them, to protect them from the evils of the world, but is that actually biblical? Today on Fearless we’re talking about the importance of teaching our children to face the world without fear—equipping them to walk in confidence and courage in the times God has placed them. Our kids see what’s going on in the world, even if we do our best to limit screen time or not talk about current events at the dinner table. So instead of shielding them, let’s equip them with Scriptural truth and the God-given courage to combat the lies of the enemy and confront whatever is thrown their way. I hope this episode leaves you with practical takeaways for walking with your kids into the hard stuff—I promise you they can handle it, they were made for such a time as this.
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Elephant in the Room: Generational Sin
On this week’s episode of Fearless we’re returning to our “Elephant in the Room” series, this time tackling a topic almost no one talks about: generational sin. I didn’t want to talk about this today either, but after a season where both public and private sins seemed to be everywhere we looked, I felt led to address it here. We talk about how all sin starts out small, but if we’re not careful to guard our hearts it will inevitably grow into something we maybe didn’t plan, but definitely can no longer control. Sin is also not just a private issue—remember the Coldplay concert couple we all saw cheating on their spouses this summer?—sin affects every area of our lives, including our most important relationships. If left unconfessed and unchecked, sin has the power to be passed down to our kids, our kids’ kids, and all the way down the line. Generational sin is a real thing, and it’s something we as the church need to be addressing. But even though this topic is on the heavier side, we’re not without hope when it comes to combatting the sin in our lives. We have the power, through Christ living within us, to stop sin in its tracks and prevent it from affecting the generations to come. If you’re needing a healthy dose of conviction today, you’ll find it here, but we’ll also leave you with the encouragement, next steps, and practical tools needed to stop sin from becoming a generational problem before it starts.
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Courage in the Face of Cultural Chaos, with John Stonestreet
A little over a month since Charlie Kirk’s assassination, believers are living in a chaotic culture still reeling from the fallout. How are we, as the Church, called to respond when everyone around us is looking for answers, and we know truth can only be found in the Gospel? John Stonestreet joins me on today’s episode of Fearless, discussing how we’re called to respond with clarity, courage, and conviction in these moments of upheaval. John serves as the president of the Colson Center, and recently worked on the documentary Truth Rising—an honest look at how the cultural confusion we’re now experiencing stems from an abandonment of the Christian ideals that shaped the West. Together we talk about the growing hunger for truth among the younger generation, how to lead with clarity in a world that preaches acceptance above all else, and why knowing that God placed us in this specific moment in history should fill us with unshakeable confidence. The Church is being called to rise up at this inflection point in history. Will we quietly compromise, or boldly stand for the Gospel, no matter what it costs us? Learn more about the Colson Fellowship program John talked about here: https://www.colsonfellows.org/. Watch Truth Rising here: https://www.truthrising.com/.
Through the Fearless podcast, Cissie Graham Lynch―daughter of Franklin Graham and granddaughter of Billy Graham―shares personal experiences of how God has worked through her life. Each episode will take a look at different subjects and explore what the Bible teaches about those topics―encouraging listeners to explore God’s Word for themselves so that they know what they believe and why they believe it; challenging them to stand boldly for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in an ever-compromising world.
Listen to Fearless with Cissie Graham Lynch, The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames) and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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