Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey - Ep 1249 | He Shared the Gospel with Joe Rogan. Here’s What Else He’d Say | Chadd Wright

Starting point is 00:00:01 Chad Wright shared the gospel in an amazing way on Joe Rogan's podcast. He is an incredible theologian. He is the owner of the 3 of 7 project. And he's here with me today to talk about the gospel. To talk about salvation, we weighed into Calvinism versus Armenianism. We also talk about his stance that he needs to retreat from politics altogether. And you guys probably know what I think about that. We had such a fun, edifying, biblically rich conversation that you guys are going to love so much.

Starting point is 00:00:37 This episode is brought to you by our friends at Good Ranchers. Go to Good Ranchers.com. Use code Alley at checkout. That's good ranchers.com code Alley. Chad Wright, thanks so much for taking the time to join me. For those who may not know, can you tell us who you are and what you do? Yes, ma'am. My name is Chad Wright.

Starting point is 00:01:03 I'm a backwoods Navy Seal wizard hermit from the... mountains of, I mean, that's what my buddies tell me anyway. She's from the mountains of northwest Georgia. We're going to have to break that down. I want to know what do you mean by wizard? Oh, I mean, it's just a joke, you know, but yeah, I like to run. Obviously, I've been saved by grace through faith. I'm very passionate about the faith that I've been given. And I own a company called Three of Seven Project where really the foundation of what we do is train people. I learned that I had a real passion to teach and to train during the latter part of my career in the U.S. Navy where I was serving as a seal instructor for a few years and I was kind of

Starting point is 00:01:53 developed and taught how to teach. And so really that's the main bread and butter of our business now. And I've just designed a few really unique mission. or training experiences where we help people grow physically, mentally, and also spiritually through everything that we do. So I guess that's the professional answer. Yeah. I was trying to be funny there for a minute, but I'm just not a very funny guy, so. No, I liked your description of Backwoods. I don't know if I can remember Backwoods, Navy SEAL. Wizard hermit.

Starting point is 00:02:25 Wizard hermit. And yet, you've come all this way. I have. It's interesting how people call me a hermit. I mean, I do live on 700 acres in the mountains of northwest Georgia. Yes, and there's no one around me. And I can literally, the Lord has given me this place to live where I don't have to leave. I mean, I'm retired from the military.

Starting point is 00:02:49 I don't have to do any of anything. So the pull to become a true hermit is there. It's like people ask me all. the time. You know, I hear other people talking about how tempting it is to quit something in their life, whatever it may be. And they look at me and they assume, well, Chad never thinks about quitting. And I'm like, do you know how often I think about quitting, like everything that I've been called to do? Almost daily. Yeah. But man, I get to come here, talk to a sister in Christ. I tell you what drew me here, one, the invitation from you and your team was the first.

Starting point is 00:03:37 But again, I'm pretty selective about leaving that 700 acres. So I said, I got to go check Ali out. And I listened to one of your shows where you were interviewing a lady, I forget her name, but she was a Catholic. And you guys started the conversation talking about children and having children, which is all relatable to me because my wife and I are for the first time in our lives thinking about having. or trying to have children. And, but then the conversation really shifted into more doctrinal topics, theological topics. And you were so fiercely defending the literal interpretation of the scriptures. And I said, whoa, I like this woman.

Starting point is 00:04:30 Like, I really loved your, just your passion, your fierceness. Of course, I know the father's given you all of that. But I loved that. Well, thank you. I was raised by strong women, you know. When I see a strong woman, I don't know, it just, it hits me. You know, in all the training that we do at 3 of 7 Project, I've never had a female student quit. I've had hundreds of males quit. Never had a female student quit. You know, the reason I became a Navy SEAL, I watched my mother running marathons and triathlons and she was the first person to ever get me out on the trails and show me what it meant to like push past mental barriers. And so I'm really thankful for the opportunity to sit down with a sister, especially a strong sister in Christ.

Starting point is 00:05:27 Well, thank you for saying that. Well, I listened to you on Joe Rogan's podcast, and I said, I like this guy. Oh, thank you. Because you were so persistent in sharing the gospel and so clear. I was just so drawn into the whole conversation. I think it maybe even started out with squirrel hunting, which I don't know very much about. But even that was interesting because I just loved how y'all went back and forth. But then how you interwoved the gospel was so good.

Starting point is 00:05:55 So I want to talk about that before we. even get into your testimony of how you became a Christian. What was it like sharing the gospel on such a huge stage? Yeah, well, I mean, I was definitely scared as a cat going in there. Couldn't tell. Well, you know, I've done a lot of crazy stuff in my life, both through being a seal and through ultra-endurance sports. But that's just like a different type of challenge that, you know, is hard for me. And, you know, when we, when we're talking, on this platform, on that platform, and we know that thousands or millions of people are going to hear the words that we say. There's a weight that should come along with that. There's a

Starting point is 00:06:38 responsibility there. And so I was scared going in there, but Joe was very welcoming. He made me feel like I belonged there. Had no idea what I was going to talk to Joe about. I mean, we communicated on Instagram and he says yeah come out to the show I've never met him in my life I don't I don't really listen to his show have no idea what we're going to talk about so then you're just sitting in this seat and you know you're going to be there for three hours and you know same here I don't know what you want to talk about today you know and so there's always nerves going in those conversations but um you know he's the one that led into that conversation around around faith and why I believe the way I believe. I didn't have to force that. He led, he led us into that. And then,

Starting point is 00:07:31 and really, Holy Spirit really took over. I'm not an intellectual type. And the Holy Spirit took over and allowed me to say the things that I said truly. I mean, people think, people will watch that episode or anything else I say and they say, oh man, you did so good, Chad. And you can tell people to you're blue in the face. I swear, I didn't. have an agenda to say that thing. I didn't have any of that pre-prepared. Any time I ever go and do this. It's like I submit myself to Holy Spirit in prayer. I've been praying and reading scripture in the green room before I come in here because it's so important for me to get myself out of the way. And I don't think people really believe that. They think, oh yeah, Chad, you know, you're being a

Starting point is 00:08:14 humble guy. I'm not a humble guy. I am not a humble guy. Like you catch me at an ultra-marathon or something. I want to crush you. So I'm thankful. Holy Spirit led me through that conversation in the way that it went. I haven't went back and watched it. I don't even remember. No, I can't stand to listen to myself talk. And I don't even remember what all I said, but I know there has been quite a bit of pushback against the things that we talked about on that episode because we have been taught a man-centered gospel or evangelical, the evangelical message in America has been so man-centered for so long. And anytime you come in with the true message of Scripture, as it pertains to the sovereignty of God, especially over matters pertaining to salvation, man's ability,

Starting point is 00:09:15 man's choice, you come in with something like that, and half the Christian community comes at you like you're a heretic. Yeah. And so that's been an interesting journey for me on the backside of that because it's, it is so important for us to understand that, to understand that the order of salvation, that those whom the Father foreknew, he predestined, and those whom he predestined, he called. And those whom he called, he justified. And those whom he justified, he glorified. Not he might glorify.

Starting point is 00:10:01 Not those he calls, he might justify, depending on what decision they make. No, it will be done according to his will. And I can show you scriptures over and over and over again in the Holy Bible. And every scripture that we look at that speaks to, specifically to man's ability, what he can or cannot do, it is always in the negative sense. Always. We have forgotten the state that we are in, the fallen state that we are in, and the severity of our condition. we have lost that perspective on ourselves. And, you know, I want people to see this.

Starting point is 00:10:53 Why do I want people to see this? Because half the church is walking around out here, and they are not sure whether they're saved or not. Well, guess what? If you think your salvation is based off of a choice that you made one day to invite Jesus into your heart, well you better be uh you better be wondering whether you're saved or not or whether you're going to stay saved or not because you know what people do they change their minds and a christian a a man or woman who has been pronounced justified

Starting point is 00:11:29 by a sovereign god the king of kings you know one of the names for the father in the scriptures is the sovereign one one who's been pronounced justified by him ought to walk through this life in confidence and in assurance of their salvation. But we, so many of us, walk through this life thinking that it was all hinged upon a choice that we made. And we're hoping we don't change our minds one day. And you know what that renders the Christian? It renders them ineffective for the entire duration of their life. People say, why is this important? Why is God's sovereignty important?

Starting point is 00:12:06 Well, one, it's in the scripture. Well, two, it is the very thing that is going to allow you to experience rest in the assurance of your salvation that the work has been done by God in you. You experience rest. You experience confidence. You no longer have to be an intellectual. I don't have to come on here and share the gospel in any specific way that I think is going to convince your audience to believe that. I'm going to share the gospel.

Starting point is 00:12:37 you know, I'm going to share it. But what I have to say to the unbeliever is very short. It's repent. It's repent and believe in the gospel. That's all I have to say to unbelievers. Yeah. I can explain to you what the gospel is. Like I can expound on that, and we should expound on that. Repent. Believe. That's all I have. The end of conversation. So, you know, people who say, well, you know, you didn't really preach the gospel to the world. Because you, look, you think Joe Rogan hadn't heard the gospel a thousand times? He knows what the gospel is. Repent, believe. Well, that would have been a real short podcast. Yeah. So let's talk about why you just can't seem to figure it out.

Starting point is 00:13:25 Yeah. Let's just talk about why you can't seem to get it. Yeah. Well, here's the reason, buddy. Yeah. All right, y'all. Share the arrows is almost here. It's just a week away.

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Starting point is 00:14:22 Go to ShareTheeroes.com. Use code Allie 20 when you press unlock on Ticketmaster. Share the arrows.com. Also, before we get back into that conversation, let me tell you about WeHeart Nutrition. Of course, our friends, Jacob and Kristen, of WeHeart Nutrition, will be at Share the Arrows. I love all of their products. I take their multivitamin. I take their omega-3s.

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Starting point is 00:15:23 They donate a percentage of every sale to pro-life pregnancy centers. It's a win all around. Go to weheartnutrition.com. Use code Allie. You'll get 20% off your order. Weheartnutrition.com code Alley. Let's break this down a little bit because I'm in the same camp as you and you're right. When you talk about Calvinism or predestination or God's sovereignty or an emphasis on God's sovereignty,

Starting point is 00:15:50 you get a lot of people who get very angry and they'll say that's heresy. And I've got people in my audience who will certainly say that. And I've been talking about that position for a long time too. Makes people angry. But the truth of the matter is that if God is all power, and if God is all knowing and he's not suspended by linear time the way that we are, then how would it be possible for him to not also be in charge of our salvation? It does it, the non-sovereignty position that God is in control of everything except for

Starting point is 00:16:27 this one thing, like except for your salvation, that that thing is what depends on you and that depends on your will and something mustering up in your heart to accept him, that position doesn't make sense to me. And yet, as you said, people get very frustrated by the fact that, you know, Ephesians 2 says that we're dead and are sin apart from Christ. Well, what can a dead person do for themselves? Can they clean themselves up? Can they ask to be saved?

Starting point is 00:16:57 Can they rescue themselves? Can they ask for a lifeline? They can't. But God, being rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved through faith. And that faith not of your own, but a gift so that no man should boast. So like, why do you think, though? Because to me, I'm like, well, it's just there. I understand why it's hard to unpack maybe, but it's just there. Why do you think people, even who are Christians,

Starting point is 00:17:21 get so frustrated by that? I think there's two main reasons. I think because the first reason, it is the final nail in the coffin of your pride. I mean, it leaves you with nothing. it leaves you with nothing to cling to other than the sovereign grace of God. And people don't like that. And I think the second reason is intellectually, when we present the sovereignty of God, especially as it pertains to salvation, when we present that on the surface level, as we are doing right now, because we would have to do a 20-part series to view all the scriptures that pertain to this, when you present it on a surface level, it poses all of these problems

Starting point is 00:18:06 in people's mind from an intellectual standpoint in terms of, well, then God is the author of evil. Well, then humans are robots and all, and it's like, it's because you are stopping your search for the answer to this doctrine at a surface level. You're saying, well, Chad and Ali are saying that this and that, well, it causes all these problems. Yeah, search those problems out. You'll find the answers to humans are indeed not robots. The scriptures tell us that humans have will, but it is a limited will. We see evidence of human freedom in the very beginning of the Bible. You may eat from anything in this garden. That's freedom of will, right?

Starting point is 00:19:01 except for that one tree. That is limited will. Humans aren't robots. Scripture doesn't tell us humans are robots. Bad people are making bad decisions every day, and they do indeed mean those decisions for evil. They have a will. The problem is your will is in bondage to sin. The problem is you won't make the right decision because of exactly what you just said, you're dead, spiritually. But nobody preaches this. Nobody teaches this. I mean, when Martin Luther during the Reformation starts to bring all these scriptures to light, all the popes and the Catholic people and all they even come to Martin Luther and they say, well, you know, we see where you're coming from. but we can't, we can't preach this.

Starting point is 00:20:01 Like, we can't teach this, right? We just, we, we got to just, it's there, but we just can't talk about it. No. Like, this is, this to me, for me, has been the most glorious doctrine of the scripture, apart from the crucifixion of the, the Lord of Glory, God and flesh Jesus Christ, and what that meant, right? This doctrine has been the most glorious doctrine for me in terms of it has just set me free. It has made me realize the greatness and the majesty and the power of this almighty God.

Starting point is 00:20:46 And it has also made me appreciate his grace at a whole other level. We throw this word grace around. Well, if what, how do you appreciate grace if you think your decision is why you are saved? That's not grace. That's a me moment. You know, when we go to prayer, when we go to the Lord in prayer and we say, Lord, I want to take a minute to thank you for my salvation. But before I go any further, I want to have a me moment.

Starting point is 00:21:23 Yeah, that was a really good choice. I made. Yeah. All right. Now, Lord, thank you for your son that died on the cross. So what do you say when people say, okay, well, we've got whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. We've got John 316, which says, whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life. And just a devil's advocate. There will be people who say, okay, well, obviously, it is dependent upon our choice, our choice to believe. And that is, I'm not sure exactly how they explained the grace aspect of it. But from our Armenian friends, those who say, well, no, that initial step towards God is what is required of us. And then that's when he comes in to rescue us.

Starting point is 00:22:08 I mean, it's basically the easiest question you could possibly ask me. You know, what, people who are looking at those verses John 316 being probably the main one that people bring up, the reason that's so confusing to you is because, you know, of you've been taught the wrong meaning of the verse. I mean, just flat out. Let me ask you, any of those verses that you just quoted or any other verses that anybody can come up with in scripture that they think would militate against this doctrine of election that we're speaking of. I want you to show me a verse that affirms the ability of man in his natural state, show me a verse that speaks specifically to his ability and affirms his ability in the positive sense.

Starting point is 00:23:02 You won't find one. You won't find one. Every verse that you're going to find that speaks specifically to what man can and cannot do is always cannot every single time. And we look at words like whomesoever. Look, when we read scripture, what we are doing when we interpret the scriptures is, we have to ascertain the meaning of words. That's what we're doing. I've come to the conclusion. The only way to preach is expository preaching. Pastors like to preach and speak on their experience. I don't care what your experience is. That's why I don't care about talking about my story on here.

Starting point is 00:23:47 My story is insignificant. You don't preach from your experience. I don't care what you believe. I don't care what you feel. I don't care about an emotion that you might be having as it pertains to something that is part of your testimony. I don't care about any of that. And so when we look at these scriptures, when we see the word, whomesoever, okay? Whomsoever will believe, well, what does that mean? Well, that doesn't militate against what we're saying here. That just means that whomesoever, black, white, Jew, Greek, poor, rich, it doesn't matter. There's no one who cannot be saved by the blood that was shed by the Godman, Jesus Christ, on the cross of Calvary. There's no one that cannot be saved by that. Any human on earth, regardless of your social standing, your race, creed, or color, you can indeed. The blood will and, can save you if you are one of the Almighty's elect. That's all those verses mean.

Starting point is 00:25:01 We see verses all the time that are exhorting us to do something that we know we can't do. Well, what's wrong with that? How does that militate against what we're saying here? versus that exhort us to do what we ought to do, have no bearing on our perspective of fallen man's ability to incline himself toward righteousness. It's so easy. It's like, yeah, I don't know, you get me fired up, Alie.

Starting point is 00:25:42 Next amazing sponsor is Adele Natural Cosmetics. They will also be at Share the Arrows. We go way back. They've been supporting the show for so long. I'm so thankful for them. I love having sponsors that are totally unapologetic about their faith. They are strong defenders of the dignity of life inside the womb. I love that they put Bible verses on all of their products.

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Starting point is 00:26:30 single way using Adele Natural Cosmetics. Go to adele Natural Cosmetics.com. Use code Alley for 25% off your first time purchase. Adel Natural Cosmetics.com code Alley. Okay, I know that you just said that, you know, your story doesn't matter, but people really are removed by testimonies. And I love hearing people's testimony. So can you indulge us for a little bit on how you became a Christian? And I'm guessing you probably weren't steeped in, you know, election theology right away. So I'm just curious about your journey of faith. Yeah. So I grew up, obviously, in the South, so I'd heard the gospel many, many times. I had been to church. Yeah, if we can even use that language. There's so much screwed up with our language.

Starting point is 00:27:23 I had been to a church meeting many, many times, and heard the gospel, been around Christian people. Didn't ever mean much to me. I would say at best I was agnostic for most of my adult life. I became a Navy SEAL. I figured, well, I'm doing good stuff. I'm, you know, training to go kill bad people. So if I do die, well, surely whatever being created all this will send me to a good place. You know, it's the same story when we look back.

Starting point is 00:27:57 We all have the same story, at least if we live some life prior to receiving of the gift of salvation. You don't see your sin. Like, you think that you're generally a good person. You think that most humans are generally good, minus a few crazy ones, and whatever's in them isn't in you. Well, that's the way I thought, too. I'm generally good, so I'm good. it's one of the things that happens when you receive Holy Spirit and you are made spiritually alive along this process of sanctification is an increasing awareness of your sin to the point that

Starting point is 00:28:32 the Apostle Paul literally referenced himself as the chief of sinners as a wretched man okay that doesn't happen naturally all right well I'm just going along in life oh you know I'm indulging in some pretty significant wickedness, sexual sin. Obviously, my language was terrible. I didn't really love anyone, I mean, to be honest, will you? I mean, really, we talk about love. People say, well, you didn't love your mother or your father or, you know, your wife or all this stuff. Look, man, you don't know what love is until you've received the gift of salvation, because love comes from the father. And when the father is not in you, you're just essentially loving for selfish reasons. Even the good things that I did do prior to salvation, those good things were not motivated

Starting point is 00:29:33 out of a love for God and a desire to please him. Therefore, none of the good things that I even did when I was living that life were accounted to me, accounted as righteousness. But I was was pretty deep. I was pretty deep. A real bad person. I mean, I would have killed you. I didn't care. You know, I mean, I wasn't a murderer, but like, you know, that's kind of my job was violence. And I went on a deployment up to North Africa to do some work up there during the Arab Spring when the, you know, the terrorist or whatever were sacking all the embassies up there. and we came back down, left there and came back down into Germany to just rejock our gear, and then we were headed out to Nigeria, which, by the way, if you're listening to this, please pray for our brothers and sisters in Nigeria who are suffering legitimate persecution,

Starting point is 00:30:33 not the persecution you're used to around here, where somebody says, oh, you're a fool or a dummy if you believe in Jesus, no, they're being killed. Pray for them. I was in Nigeria. Well, before I went to Nigeria, I was in Germany. and I was staying in a barracks that somehow, some way, still don't understand it. Don't even think about it very often. Had some sort of demon or evil spirit in it. And that thing after about a week had me so afraid that I couldn't even lay down and sleep at night. What was it? How did you

Starting point is 00:31:06 know? The first thing that happened is I was laying in my bed and something hit my door and jolted me out of sleep and then I'm laying there in my sleep and I could hear echoing voices up and down the hallway but I couldn't make out any words it was just like sound kind of an eerie sound echoing up and down the hallway and there was I was immediately fearful which is strange being the type of man that I am wouldn't usually experience fear as an emotion related to an to an occurrence like that but I felt this fear and I believe that fear was because this was this this this entity, whatever it is, was causing that fear in me and in the guys that I was with. So I got up, checked my buddy, he was asleep. There were two guys in the room right across. They were asleep.

Starting point is 00:31:59 Nobody else is in the building. Nothing's going on. It freaked me out. Like, it really freaked me out. And progressively, this thing manifests itself in different ways, but the, really the most powerful manifestation of this thing in that place was this sense of fear that was in this place to the point that I didn't even want to walk in there but it was where I was living so I ended up calling my brother who I knew was a Christian he had his pastor call me I told the pastor what was going on the dude's like oh yeah yeah, no big deal. I'm like, you don't understand. This is a big deal. Like, I don't know what this is, and we don't know how to combat it. He says, put me on speakerphone, walk around the hallways,

Starting point is 00:32:53 and he's praying in the name of Jesus over speakerphone from thousands of miles away. Wow. While I walk up and down these hallways, he tells me to take a little dab of olive oil, anoint the door of the room that I'm staying in, and to make a long story short, whatever that thing was left. by the authority through this man, this believer's prayer, wielding this name, Jesus Christ, whatever this thing was, obeyed and left, and just peace returned to this place. And no more strange bumps in the nights, no more fear I could rest again and sleep again. And so I got my hands on a Bible and I began reading the scriptures because why would you not? I've seen evidence that there is some power being wielded here and the Holy Spirit.

Starting point is 00:33:49 By the grace of God, open my eyes to the truth of the gospel. And that is all encompassing the realization of my own sin. Who is Jesus? Why did Jesus go to the cross? What does that mean to me? Why was he resurrected? What does that mean to me? What purpose is this Jesus and does he have in my life, you know?

Starting point is 00:34:19 And that was just all revealed to me. And it's like once my eyes were open, I changed in a lot of ways overnight. in terms of my language and the way I viewed other people and the husband that I was going to be when I got back home off of that deployment and the things that I watched and it all just changed. I mean, that's the miracle, right? Like, that's the, that's the miracle. That something happens in you that can completely change your desire. that's the thing that man can't do like you can't you cannot change your desires nor can you force yourself to believe in something that you that you can't see touch feel you can't force yourself one day to believe in this crazy insane message of the gospel like uh but i was given this gift of faith

Starting point is 00:35:28 that changed me. And I've been following Christ ever since. And it's been a long process of sanctification being made more Christ-like. That's ongoing and intense to this very day. Intense. Next sponsor is Constitution wealth. Colossians 317 says, in whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. That includes how we spend our money, how we invest our money, how we invest our money. We want to make sure that we are stewarding the treasure that God has graciously given us in a way that glorifies him because as Christians, we know that this is all his. And we are just vessels. We are just stewards. And Constitution wealth is in alignment with those Christian values.

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Starting point is 00:36:49 It's a really important key to people who might be new to this kind of theological discussion or maybe they're new Christians or seeking when you said the gift of faith that was given to you. We know that without faith, it's impossible to please God. We know that faith is a requirement of salvation. But your point is, and of course I agree with this, is that even that faith that is required for salvation is not ours. We didn't come up with it. We didn't muster it.

Starting point is 00:37:15 That faith was a gift given to us by grace. That faith that is required for salvation, even that is not credited to us. That's credited to God's total grace in deciding to save us and make us alive, right? And that's not just Ali's opinion. that's not just what Ali thinks that is actually what the scripture says yes that is what the scripture says about this faith that we have i've been thinking a lot about too you know the verse i quoted a little earlier on romans chapter eight that calling it's another thing that confuses people well aren't all men called well yeah i mean the gospel should go out to all the world many people

Starting point is 00:38:00 hear the message of the gospel and and they hear that general call But there is this calling that comes to those of us who do indeed receive this unbelievable grace and gift of faith. There is this calling that awakens you. And there's a question that you ask. You ask, who are you, Lord? That's the question. That's where it all begins. That's where it all began for me when I got my hands on the Bible and saw the truth of the gospel.

Starting point is 00:38:42 Well, then the journey begins when I said, who are you, Lord? Where did I get this from? I didn't get this from my own experience. I look and I see how close my experience was to an experience that was captured by Scripture. Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? How does he respond? Who are you, Lord? It begins.

Starting point is 00:39:13 That's regeneration. You know? And it's not like Saul woke up one day and was like, you know what? I'm kind of feeling convicted about murdering these Christians. He felt fine. As far as we know, he felt totally great about it. We read that he approved of the martyrdom of Stephen. He looked on and he liked it.

Starting point is 00:39:35 He thought that that murder was. good. It literally took Jesus interrupting his life, making him blind in order for him to be able to truly see. And that's what you're saying is that that's not just his testimony. That's all of our testimonies. Yes. And a lot of people will hear that and even Christians and they'll say, well, I don't remember that call. Well, that call could happen when you're four years old. That call could happen when you're six years old. That call we see in scripture, that call, falling could happen in the mother's womb when we see John the Baptist leap for joy in his mother's womb. So if you don't remember that, that doesn't militate against what we're saying here.

Starting point is 00:40:23 Yeah. What do you say to people who say, well, that actually causes me anxiety because you'll have people say, well, what if I'm not chosen? Or what if my kids aren't chosen? Should I even pray? Should I even evangelize. Should I even care about this? If God is just going to choose, then some people will say that that really makes them fearful. Yeah, well, now we're getting into the kind of the meat and getting kind of going down from the surface level of this conversation when we want to talk about questions like that. I mean, on the kid thing, I mean, if and when the Almighty blesses me with a child, Am I going to feel some anxiety until that child does receive this gift of faith? I mean, I'm going to pray.

Starting point is 00:41:12 I'm going to beg the father with all my might on behalf of this person. Not that I think I can sway his will, but I'm going to. But a prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. I mean, if he gives me one, like until, I mean, that moment that your child does indeed, repent and believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I mean, I cannot imagine the weight that is lifted off of a parent in that moment. I mean, I haven't experienced that, but I have to imagine that is a way that you carry as a parent for your children. That's okay.

Starting point is 00:41:56 In my mind, like, that's okay in my mind. Like, my kid isn't special. My kid's born with a fallen nature just like I was born. Of course, I have to trust in the Almighty that he is going to call this child for his own purposes, and according to his own will and grace, you know. And in terms of evangelizing, preaching the gospel, sending that general call out, again, it's amazing to me how many people are confused about this. When we read the scripture, we see that according to the almighty sovereign will,

Starting point is 00:42:41 he has chosen to use his elect in order to carry out his plans and his will here in this natural world. Like, what a gift it is. Because every one of you that are thinking, well, why do I even pray? why do I even tell the gospel? Well, I get why you're thinking that. I get why you're thinking that. Well, what a gift it is that he's chosen to use us to do something for him that he doesn't need us for. Like, yeah, partaking that. Yeah, we're commanded to do that. We're command, and that's why we do it, because we're exhorted and commanded to do it. And we see that is the way that. that the Father brings about his will is through his people, not because he has to, but because

Starting point is 00:43:34 that is a blessing upon us, that we've been made useful for something. I mean, why would you not partake in that? You've been made useful. Go do it. I've been thinking a lot about evangelism as a whole and our American perspective on what that is, and I think when we look at it in scripture, it's the scattering of the seed, right? And sometimes it falls here and sometimes it falls there, you know, and only God makes the seed grow. Oh, well, that again confirms what we've been talking about the whole time. But I think also in terms of evangelism, I think our American view of evangelism has become so rooted in simply making converts. I wonder about that.

Starting point is 00:44:30 I think we, I'm telling, we in this country have so much, we are, we are clueless about so many things. We are doing so many things wrong. We're so concerned with making converts. What is the great commission we've been given? Make disciples. Make disciples teaching them all the things that I've taught you. Okay? That means everything in script.

Starting point is 00:44:58 Why does that mean everything in scripture and not just your red letters? I've never understood why anybody puts red letters in a Bible, as if those words are of more importance, and maybe those words are the only words that we are called to teach other people. You know, if we believe that the scripture, no, if the scripture says that it is God breathed, then that means everything in that scripture. is the word of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It is the word, every jot and tittle of it. But, you know, we want to go out and hand somebody a track or tell them something,

Starting point is 00:45:44 and, you know, they say a prayer of faith, of accepting Christ, which you won't find that prayer anywhere in the Bible. They say that prayer, and then we, you know, we tally those up in our congregations, right? that's all pastors want to talk about oh we had 300 people saved over here last year you know or these men's groups that pop up everywhere oh we had 20 men saved and they never talked to them again like what is what is this type of evangelism that we call that we what no we're not just called to make converts and then go along and count them up as numbers so that we can you know talk about how good of a job we're doing no we are called to make disciples yeah we're

Starting point is 00:46:27 to be teachers, teaching them all the things that we've been given from the Word of God, calling people to repentance and baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I don't know. That's just been on my mind lately. Next sponsor is Patriot Mobile. Patriot Mobile is America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. There's only one wireless provider that boldly stands in the gap for every American that believes that freedom is worth fighting for, and that is Patriot Mobile. For more than 12 years, Patriot Mobile has been on the front lines, fighting for our God-given freedoms, while also providing exceptional nationwide cell phone service with access to all three major

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Starting point is 00:47:33 Go to PatriotMobile.com slash Alley. Use Code Alley for a free month of service. Patriotmobile.com slash Alley code Alley. You know, I think it's such an important conversation to have as people are talking about revival. Obviously, we do want people to convert to Christianity from whatever belief system they had. But I am so, I feel so much angst over the people who are. are curious about church and curious about Christianity because I just want to make sure that those of us who are in the church are going to disciple those people, that we're going to take them under our wing and that we're not just saying, wow, my pews are full. I'm so happy about that. But to that young girl who doesn't know about Christianity, like, is my responsibility to meet her face to face and to

Starting point is 00:48:25 disciple her. And I think that's a really important component of revival, whether or not we're in one, I think is yet to be seen. It depends upon the fruit of it. But if we want, like, true change, and if we want true additions to the body of Christ, like, I do think that discipleship component is really, really important. And we're pretty, and we're, we as the American church are pretty much too lazy to do that for the most part. And too busy. Like, we think we're too busy. We're too busy.

Starting point is 00:48:54 That's right. We're too lazy in a spiritual sense to do that. Yeah. I mean, yeah, that's a revival, man. And by the way, revivals, revival, if there is true revival, it's wrought by God. And I think, like you said, how do we assess it? Well, we assess it by the fruits. But I think another component of revival, actually a very key component is repentance.

Starting point is 00:49:20 Like revival will come through repentance. And what is repentance? It is turning away from all the crap that you're allowing. to exist in your life. Now, I'm partly speaking to the body of Christ right now. I mean, I'm exhorting unbelievers to do this, but I'm also speaking to the body of Christ. Literally hating the sin that exists inwardly and outwardly, turning away from it and not then trying to be a better person, but turning away from it and turning to. the resurrected Christ, our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Lamb without spot, turning to him,

Starting point is 00:50:13 wanting him more than anything else. Like, that's revival, right? I mean, imagine if we had hundreds of thousands or millions of people here in this country who had awareness of their sin and began to hate it. Hate it so much that their every desire was to mortify their flesh, crucify their flesh, and to take up their cross daily and follow this king, Jesus Christ. Well, you want to talk about revival? stuff changes overnight

Starting point is 00:51:05 you know but I don't know I don't know I'm a bit of a pessimist I've abandoned politics you would disuse I'll you know what we've agreed on a lot of stuff

Starting point is 00:51:19 and I actually came to close us out I came to this podcast I came to this podcast and I thought I hope I do not make her mad because or I hope I do not have a big disagreement I don't think of all the thousands of guests that I've had, I don't know, I can only think of a couple who have made me mad. But those are tough.

Starting point is 00:51:38 You are tough and you're smart. Thanks. But yeah, I'm not that tough and I'm not that smart either. I would love to disagree on this. Tell me why you've abandoned politics. I think this could be a long discussion. I think we should start with looking at the life of Christ in Scripture and his involvement in the.

Starting point is 00:52:09 secular political structure during his life. I just, it's a hard conversation. I just, for me, I'll tell you, during COVID and stuff, I mean, I was all in. I mean, politics was. Like, I have a platform. Like, I was genuinely considering campaigning for governor of my state. I mean, I was all in. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:52:52 And I just realized how much it was distracting me. And maybe I'm not mature enough to handle it from my passion and love for my father in heaven. Like maybe I'm not mature enough to handle it. I'm admitting that, right? I just don't know. I just don't see the way that our Lord achieved brought about victory was totally outside the realm of our human mind. And I've found that's the way he generally works,

Starting point is 00:53:54 that if we, whatever we think, however we think, however we think we can achieve victory, be it through politics or be it through some other avenue, however we think we can do it, generally the Almighty says, nah, it really ain't going to happen that way. It's going to happen exactly the opposite of the way that you thought it was going to happen.

Starting point is 00:54:20 But I couldn't wield it, Ali. It was so distracting me. It was so filling my heart. Yeah. With sometimes rage. Yeah. It's probably not the best answer. But I have.

Starting point is 00:54:37 I have had to step away from it. Okay, you want to know what I think? I really do. Yeah. Well, actually, I want some good advice from you. Last sponsor for the day is Concerned Women for America. This is the nation's largest public policy Christian women's organization. For 45 years, they have been leading the charge as your voice in all levels of public policy.

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Starting point is 00:55:51 Here's how I see things. So we've been saying this alliteration on my show since probably 2019, maybe 18. Politics matter because policy matters because people matter. Politics affects policy. Policy affects people and people matter. they're made in the image of God. So they matter to God and they matter to us. And politics is not the primary or the only way to love your neighbor, but it's a way to love your neighbor. When the policy that is put in place by the people in power means that my unborn neighbor can be legally

Starting point is 00:56:23 butchered or my neighbor who says that he's confused about his gender means he's chemically castrated when it means that my neighbor who is a young girl who is on a run, but then she got brutally murdered and raped by someone who shouldn't have been here in the first place because he was an illegal alien, I say, oh, I have something to say about that. And there's always going to be someone in power. There's always going to be someone who is affecting policy. Nothing is neutral. No law is neutral. Every policy goes back to a worldview. And if Jesus is king, if God is the creator and authority over all of it and his ways are better, don't I want his ways to to infuse policy in a way that affects my neighbor

Starting point is 00:57:09 in a good, beneficial way. And Romans 13 reminds us that the government was instituted by God to restrain evil, to punish wrong, and to reward good. Well, what happens when we have a government who defines good and evil the exact opposite of how God does? They punish those who do good, and they reward those who do evil. And no political party is perfect, but one political party gets it right more often than the other one does. And there will be no perfect person on the ballot

Starting point is 00:57:41 ever since the very beginning. There have always been imperfect people on the ballot. And so that's how I see things. I see if Christians all did what you did, we would be in a really, really bad spot. Because... But would that be potentially good? I don't think it's good for the child who is legally murdered. I don't think it's good for the 12-year-old who gets a double mastectomy, I don't think it's good for the parents who lose custody of their child because they won't affirm their gender. Like I think about this woman, her name is Jessica Bates, she's an organ, she's a widow, she was fostering these kids, she wanted to adopt them. The state said, well, you have to sign here on the dotted line that you will approve of their gender transition

Starting point is 00:58:23 if they ever want to do that. She's a Christian. She said, no. They said, okay, you can't adopt. Well, we've got this amazing organization called Alliance Defending Freedom, mostly Christian attorneys who said that violates her constitutional right. If we did not have Christians like that, who are willing to involve themselves in culture and politics, stand up for constitutional rights. Not only would the rights of someone like Jessica Bates not be protected, but also these kids would be languishing in foster care. And who knows, sent to someone who might castrate them.

Starting point is 00:58:53 And so it really, when we're talking about like how policy tangibly affects the bodies and the lives of people, it's hard for me to see the case for the salt and light to get out of that arena and do what? Retreat? Yeah, yeah. Well, you know what, Allie? You're right. And you know what my answer should have been about why I've abandoned politics? Because the Lord hasn't brought me to a place in my faith that I can wield it. That's totally fair. That's totally fair. That really, that should be my answer because you are right. You are indeed right. And I can only pray that the Almighty does continue to mature me and sanctify me to the point that he can, and that maybe he will put me in a position one day of influence that has the potential to make an impact for

Starting point is 00:59:52 his sons and daughters, but humans in general. humans do matter we don't we've lost that too when we talk about humans we have been made in the likeness and image of god that humans are so special in all of creation that we're so special that we're so special that what happened with us affected all of the creation. Yeah. That when all of the creation looks at us, they see the image of God in us, like all other creation. It's unbelievable how special every single,

Starting point is 01:00:53 human is believer or non-believer. Yeah, totally. And no, you're right. You're very articulate in your point. You're a very mature sister. You've thought through this stuff. But maybe all of us should be, should have the humility to assess like you did. Is my heart in the right place? And am I in a place spiritually where I can do this in a way that glorifies God? And maybe we should all do better at doing exactly what you've done in assessing our hearts because sometimes we can get so fixated on winning and we got to win the next election and thinking while you know america lives and dies by you know this next election that i still think that there's validity to what you're saying that we really need to guard our hearts against that kind of idolatry yeah yeah man that's so good

Starting point is 01:01:44 well thank you so much yeah thank you for sharing today this is a whole sermon people are going to be super edified by it. Can you tell everyone where they can learn more if they want to about the company that you have and how they can support and follow you if they want to? Yeah, 3of7project.com. Everything's there. And I know that you have a large female audience. And I really, really want to encourage my sisters in Christ to get out, train, whether it's with me or whether it's with somebody else go train man because what i saw my mother do change the trajectory of my life and i want you to understand that as a mother you have this opportunity to make an impact on your family that is completely unique to you. So I just wanted to encourage the female audience to do that.

Starting point is 01:02:51 3of7.com. Yeah, 3of7project.com. 3of7project.com. Thank you. Well, thank you so much, Chad. I really appreciate you. Thank you, Allie.

Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey - Ep 1249 | He Shared the Gospel with Joe Rogan. Here’s What Else He’d Say | Chadd Wright

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