Wretched Radio with Todd Friel

It’s Witness Wednesday! Join Todd as he goes back to his home-state of Minnesota to conduct real-life, on-the-street interviews and have gospel conversations with a number of people coming from different backgrounds and worldviews. From important theological realities like sin, judgment, and the gospel to the real-world implications of our beliefs, like human rights, abortion, and evangelism, God’s truth is brought to bear.

Segment 1

• A chemistry grad student claims he lives to glorify God, but Todd’s clarifying question reveals confusion.

• Todd’s parachute analogy exposes a massive divide: are you following Jesus to improve your life—or to escape judgment? • The student affirms grace is essential but struggles to articulate how someone is actually saved.

Segment 2

• Julie, a self-identified Catholic, confidently says she’s good enough to go to heaven, but an examination by way of the ten commandments says otherwise.

• When Todd compares God to a courtroom judge, Julie faces a devastating dilemma: if God is just, how can guilty people escape punishment?

• Julie knows Jesus died for sins—but can’t explain how to receive forgiveness.

Segment 3

• A group of graduate students overwhelmingly choose to save a stranger over their own dog—but struggle to explain why human life has greater value.

• Several students admit they “hope” they’re good people, while others openly say morality is relative or self-defined, exposing the instability of subjective ethics.

• One student invents his own religion, another rejects absolutes, and others admit uncertainty about the afterlife.

Segment 4

• A thoughtful student chooses to save school children over 500 strangers—raising uncomfortable implications for abortion, aging, and human worth.

• When confronted with death, she can only suggest making peace with “whoever or whatever you believe in”.

• Todd challenges listeners directly: if someone had seconds to live, could you clearly explain how to be saved—or would you struggle like most?

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Thanks for listening!

Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners.

If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/

If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Segment 1

• What would your approach be if you were invited into a secular philosophy class?

• A real-world evangelism encounter reveals the unexpected “prerequisite” for understanding truth.

• Focusing on cultural debates might feel productive—but actually misses the only message that transforms minds.

Segment 2

• Why modern cultural confusion isn’t just social decline—but rooted in something deeper than behavior.

• The hidden philosophical shift that convinced millions to “create their own truth.”

• One 18th-century thinker’s ideas now shape everything from identity to morality.

Segment 3

• Christianity has more academic depth than critics realize—and most skeptics haven’t even scratched the surface.

• The shocking scale of scholarly research behind just a single biblical word—and what that reveals about your faith.

• Why intellectual arguments alone never convert anyone—and what actually breaks through spiritual blindness.

Segment 4

• A massive study reveals a surprising alternative to antidepressants—and almost nobody talks about it.

• Modern mental health solutions may overlook a simpler, more effective path.

• The overlooked biblical pattern that improves mental, emotional, and spiritual strength simultaneously.

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Thanks for listening!

Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners.

If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/

If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Segment 1

• How Oprah has contributed to the disintegration of the family.

• A bestselling self-help movement is convincing millions to cut off their parents in the name of “freedom”—and it’s reshaping families everywhere.

• The explosive rise of “ghosting your parents” isn’t random, but a consequence of a predominant worldview.

Segment 2

• A shocking study reveals 67 million Americans are estranged from family, with many saying it’s for the sake of their mental health.

• Social media and therapeutic language are redefining normal disagreements as “toxic abuse”.

• The Bible offers a radically different framework: the people who frustrate you the most may be God’s primary tool to sanctify you.

Segment 3

• The painful question every ghosted parent asks: should you fight for the relationship—or let them walk away?

• The hidden parenting mistake that unintentionally pushes adult children further away.

• Gen Z’s disturbing reinterpretation of Jesus reveals how cultural programming is reshaping how the next generation sees Christ.

Segment 4

• A governor’s executive order banning “conversion therapy” could criminalize basic biblical counseling and gospel conversations.

• Legal definitions are expanding so broadly that simply calling sin “sin” could be labeled harmful or illegal.

• The American Medical Association quietly reverses course on gender procedures for minors—raising urgent questions about truth, authority, and agenda.

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Thanks for listening!

Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners.

If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/

If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

It’s Mailbag Friday! You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.

SEGMENT 1

• How can I grow in my affections and feelings toward God, and not just head-knowledge? - Lauren

SEGMENT 2

• Can true forgiveness only occur when the at-fault person apologizes? - Josh

SEGMENT 3

• If you don’t support the sinner’s prayer, how should we advise non-believers who are seeking like the rich man was in Matthew 19:16? - Anonymous

• What’re your thoughts on the prevalence in some areas of the church of men drinking whiskey and smoking cigars? - Anonymous

SEGMENT 4

• Are we at risk of taking scripture out of context when we see parallels between two different texts? - Anonymous

• What are the biblical grounds for remarriage after divorce? - Anonymous

• Are Christians obligated to undergo medical procedures that, while injurious, could prolong one’s life? - Ryan

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Thanks for listening!

Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners.

If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/

If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Segment 1

• You’ve been told the Crusades were greedy Christian land-grabs—but what if the real history completely flips that narrative?

• Discover the uncomfortable facts most textbooks skip—including who actually controlled the Middle East before Islam’s expansion.

• Your ability to defend Christianity today may hinge on the truth about the Crusades.

Segment 2

• Were Crusaders motivated by money—or were they bankrupting themselves for a cause they believed in?

• The shocking financial and casualty realities that dismantle the “get rich quick crusader” stereotype.

• What this historical myth reveals about how modern culture reshapes Christianity’s reputation—and why it matters for your faith.

Segment 3

• Assurance, anxiety, loneliness, and pornography—are these the silent struggles undermining believers today?

• Why even faithful Christians secretly wrestle with doubt—and what makes doubt dangerous if left unaddressed.

• Some pastors and churches may unintentionally deepen isolation—and what that means for your spiritual stability.

Segment 4

• When someone confesses doubt, your response can either strengthen their faith, or push them further away.

• Misunderstanding the difference between doubt and disbelief can seriously mislead believers.

• Practical, biblical strategies you can use immediately to help hurting believers regain confidence and spiritual clarity.

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Thanks for listening!

Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners.

If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/

If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!