The WallBuilders Show

Flag Day isn’t a modern, made-up observance. It reaches back to a wartime decision on June 14, 1777, when the Second Continental Congress chose a national flag in the middle of the American Revolution. We walk through that origin story, why Francis Hopkinson belongs in the center of it, and how the familiar Betsy Ross claim shows what happens when legend outruns documentation. If you care about American history, the founding era, and civic literacy, this timeline changes how you see the symbol flying outside your home, school, or church.

Our friend Bill Federer joins us to lay out the surprisingly clear chain from the flag to the Pledge of Allegiance: early drafts in the late 1800s, public school adoption, and Woodrow Wilson’s 1916 declaration of National Flag Day. We also dig into presidential language around faith and freedom, including how leaders framed liberty of conscience and religious liberty as core American principles rather than optional extras.

Then we tackle the Cold War turning point: the 1954 addition of “one nation under God,” the role of the Knights of Columbus, and the story of a pastor who challenged President Eisenhower with a simple question, what truly makes America different from regimes that can mouth the same words about “liberty and justice.” We connect that to a bigger conversation about where rights come from, what happens when a nation forgets its past, and why education shapes culture. If this helped you, subscribe, share it for Flag Day, and leave a review so more people can find the show.
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Something is shifting as America heads toward the 250th anniversary, and it is not just more history content online. We feel a real opening for renewal when faith and culture meet in everyday places: churches, city councils, youth groups, family conversations, and local celebrations. From David Barton’s story of speaking on the deck of the USS Midway to Tim Barton’s reminder to unplug from endless social media drama, we keep coming back to one point: there is a lot of reason to celebrate, and a lot we can do right now. 

Constitution coach Craig Seibert joins us with brand-new 250th resources designed to help pastors and citizens reclaim the spiritual and civic ideas that shaped the founding. We dig into “Courageous Pastors,” a collection of seven Revolutionary era sermons that helped ignite and sustain the American Revolution, including Jonathan Mayhew’s famous teaching on Romans 13. We also talk about divine providence, what the Declaration of Independence meant by that phrase, and why remembering God’s providential care in American history can strengthen courage and gratitude today. 

Then we get practical with clear action steps: simple 30 day devotionals on the faith of the signers, the faith of the framers, and the faith of the presidents, plus a strategy for bringing local proclamations to mayors and city councils. Craig also shares “Documents of Freedom,” a curated collection of founding texts like the Constitution, the Mayflower Compact, and George Washington’s Farewell Address, with historical context that helps families and churches teach American history and religious liberty with clarity. 

If you care about biblical citizenship, the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and a hopeful path toward America 250, hit play, share this with a friend, and then subscribe and leave a review so more people can find the show.
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Decline is not inevitable, and neither is renewal. We bring you a rapid-fire Good News Friday with stories that cut across health, culture, courts, and American history, all through a biblical, historical, and constitutional perspective that stays practical and grounded in real headlines. 

First up, we react to new data showing smoking among adults has fallen to an all-time low, with youth smoking also down, and we connect that to the simple idea of stewardship: when people choose healthier habits, families and communities feel the ripple effects. We also swap notes on World War II history, including a standout D-Day film recommendation and why honest storytelling about leadership and sacrifice still shapes how we see the nation’s 250th anniversary. 

Then we dig into a major cultural flashpoint: a member of Congress introduces a resolution to replace Pride Month with June as Family Month. We talk through what’s actually in the public statements around it, the history of which presidents issued Pride Month proclamations, and why local action matters just as much as federal action. If you serve on a city council, work in your county, or simply know your mayor, we lay out how these proclamations can shift at the community level. 

Finally, we cover two big legal developments: Florida’s case calling out Planned Parenthood for allegedly false advertising about the abortion pill mifepristone, and the NRB appeal challenging the Johnson Amendment and its chilling effect on church speech. We wrap with a surprisingly hopeful DC update as long-neglected fountains and memorials come back to life and new heroes are set to be honored. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people find Good News Friday.
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Washington State rarely dominates the headlines, but Pastor Josh McPherson says that silence is part of the problem. Tim Barton sits down with Josh for the conclusion of their conversation about faith and culture, Christian civic engagement, and why a constitutional republic only survives when people of conviction refuse to opt out. Josh makes the case that inalienable rights come from our Creator, yet still have to be politically protected if we want to actually enjoy them in real life, in our families, schools, and communities. 

From there, we get specific. Josh describes Washington as a testing ground for policies that later spread nationwide, and he challenges the church to face hard numbers about voter disengagement and its consequences. That urgency feeds a bold plan for Father’s Day weekend: the American Congress of Christian Men at the Gorge Amphitheatre, starting June 19, with a goal of gathering 15,000 men to worship, rally, and leave with concrete action steps. The story gets even wilder when the date lines up with George Washington signing his commission on June 19, and the venue sits in a town named George Washington. 

We close with a needed heart check. Josh’s central encouragement is simple and disruptive: submission to spiritual authority unleashes spiritual authority. We connect it to the call to commit to a local church and to the Roman centurion in Matthew 8, where real faith is tied to understanding authority. If you care about religious liberty, biblical leadership, and practical ways to engage culture without becoming lawless or arrogant, this conversation will sharpen you. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it.
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A lot of men feel the pull to be strong, but they’re not sure what strength is for or who it’s meant to serve. We talk with Josh McPherson about a definition of biblical manhood that cuts through the noise: strength that dies to comfort, refuses cowardice, and shows up as protection, provision, leadership, and love. Along the way, we unpack a simple but demanding pledge and why power isn’t the enemy, misuse and abdication are.

We also get practical about Christian fatherhood and leadership training. Josh explains why your family is your “resume,” why ministry success means being respected by the people who know you best, and how to raise boys with a clear path into manhood. That leads to gospel-centered rites of passage, the Project Man Card framework, and the idea that manhood isn’t a destination you arrive at once, but a daily starting line with real tests and real responsibility.

Then the lens widens to what’s happening in Washington state through Gray City Church: extended gatherings, a sense of revival aimed at reformation, bold moves in Christian education, and a big vision for building leaders. We also hear about doors opening through the White House Faith Office and why religious liberty and public policy matter to pastors and churches. If you care about biblical masculinity, men’s discipleship, Christian leadership, and rebuilding strong families, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it.
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