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The episode takes listeners into the heart of national discourse—from religious freedom at the U.S. Supreme Court to a contentious bill in Colorado that threatens parental rights and free speech. Representative Rose Puglisi delves into the ramifications of this bill and its impacts on family dynamics. As tomorrow is the National Day of Prayer, Dr. Ronnie Floyd emphasizes the national call to turn to God in prayer, addressing spiritual needs along with societal issues. The dialogue ends with an insightful conversation about religious influence and judicial decisions shaping education today, providing a multifaceted look at faith, law, and society.
SPEAKER 17 :
from the heart of our nation’s capital in Washington, D.C., bringing compelling interviews, insightful analysis, taking you beyond the headlines and soundbites into conversations with our nation’s leaders and newsmakers, all from a biblical worldview. Sitting in for Tony is today’s host, Jody Heiss.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, good afternoon. Happy Wednesday to you. Welcome to Washington Watch. I am Jody Heiss sitting in today for Tony, who is in Israel. He’s leading a delegation of U.S. Christian leaders, and I am honored to be sitting in for him today and deeply honored as well. to have you on board with us today. Thank you for entrusting this next hour of your time to us. All right, let me give you some of the highlights that we’ll be covering today. Of course, Republicans continue to celebrate the first hundred days of President Trump’s return to the White House, all the while Democrats continue to decry them, making all sorts of claims, including this one.
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Republicans howled at the moon for years about weaponizing government, but no president in American history has weaponized the government like Donald Trump has in 100 days. The Department of Justice has become his personal henchman. His deportation force is expelling American citizens with no due process. Let me repeat that. Donald Trump is deporting American citizens with no due process.
SPEAKER 09 :
That was Senate Democrat leader Chuck Schumer earlier today. Okay, can we really take Democrats seriously about all of this, considering what we all saw during the Biden administration? Well, I’ll discuss this in just a few moments when I’m joined by Congressman Tom Tiffany. He’s a member of the House Judiciary Committee. But as divisive as the atmosphere may be these days, there are indeed moments, moments, where both sides of the aisle can come together. We saw this, in fact, earlier today when the House Oversight Committee opened its meeting with a word of prayer from Republican Congressman Tim Burchett. Who is he praying for? Democrat Congressman Jerry Conley, who announced earlier this week that he is again fighting a battle against cancer.
SPEAKER 07 :
Dear Lord, we ask for blessings on our dear brother Jerry. We ask that your healing hand is upon him and his family. And we ask that you give wisdom to his physicians. And we just ask for his healing. And thank you, Lord, for bringing him into our lives. We don’t agree on anything, but I love him like a brother. And I do, Lord. You know that. You know my heart. And I ask all these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.
SPEAKER 09 :
Wow. So encouraging to see that. I likewise served with Jerry Conley. He’s from Virginia. We served closely together. In fact, I’ve been in contact with him as well since his news came out. But how encouraging it is to see prayer go out like this today. And speaking of prayer, tomorrow. Tomorrow is the National Day of Prayer, and I’ll be discussing this year’s annual event with Dr. Ronnie Floyd. He’s the former president of the National Day of Prayer and a current member of its Faith Advisory Board. And in more domestic news, the Colorado Senate is moving on a contentious bill that is a huge threat to parental rights and free speech. I’ll be discussing this later when I’m joined by the Republican minority leader in Colorado’s General Assembly, that’s Representative Rose Pugliese. And there was big education news, a case that is being argued at the U.S. Supreme Court earlier today. It involves the Oklahoma Charter School Board’s decision to allow a Catholic school to participate in the state’s charter school program. Well, the Oklahoma Supreme Court had ruled that the board must exclude the school from the program solely because it’s religious.
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Oklahoma’s charter school program relies on private organizations to create more educational options. But state law categorically bars religious groups and programs, deeming religion to be the wrong kind of diversity. That religious exclusion violates the free exercise clause.
SPEAKER 09 :
That was Jim Campbell at Alliance Defending Freedom defending the Oklahoma Charter School Board before the Supreme Court. FRC’s Meg Kilgannon will join me a little bit later in the program to talk about today’s oral arguments. So as always, a lot coming your way today and you don’t want to miss any of it. If by chance you do, TonyPerkins.com is our website. You can go there and find not only this episode, but many, many more, as well as a host of resources there. So keep that website handy, TonyPerkins.com. All right, let’s jump into our first segment. segment and guest for the day, the Republicans are celebrating President Trump’s first 100 days in office. The other side of the coin, Democrat leaders have made it their focus to decry the so-called 100 days of chaos, as they describe it. They’re labeling President Trump and his administration as disasters. And as they frequently do, Democrats are also projecting Yep, they’re accusing the Trump administration of lawlessness, of weaponization, which frankly is what we saw during the Biden administration. But isn’t what we’re now seeing actually a crackdown on lawlessness and weaponization? Well, here to discuss it now with me is Congressman Tom Tiffany. He serves on the Judiciary Committee. He also represents the 7th Congressional District of Wisconsin. Congressman Tiffany, welcome back to Washington Watch. Always good to see you, my friend.
SPEAKER 06 :
It’s been a long time, Jody. Really good to hear your voice.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, likewise, and great to see you. All right, let’s talk about Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries hosted in a unified Democrat speech from the steps of the Capitol today, doing nothing other than just bashing the Trump administration. But what was your reaction to what the Democrats have been saying about the president’s first 100 days?
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, don’t be fooled by the so-called unified front because Democrats are anything but unified at this point. And about all they can do at this point, Jody, is they can just scream that what Republicans are doing is wrong, dictator, you know, and all the various things like that. President Trump is following through on what he said he would do last fall and what people voted for on November 5th. Look at a secure border. It is incredible how the border has been secured. And once he can start removing these illegal aliens, oftentimes criminal illegal aliens, we will have success there also. I want to point something out to you though, Jody, that you don’t hear very often. I am hearing from my in-district personnel that the agencies of the executive branch are really doing their job now. We all get complaints. You know about it, Jody, whether it’s the Veterans Administration, IRS, whatever the case may be, we get constituent complaints. Well, those things rarely got resolved during the Biden administration. Now, with President Trump in office just for 100 days, my staff is telling me it is amazing the speed that the agency people are working at. And that is good news, saying that the agency heads are getting to the agency personnel and saying, you’re going to act on the concerns that are being brought to you by the American people.
SPEAKER 09 :
Absolutely. Great news, and I think a strong point that needs an exclamation behind it. You know, and I look to Representative Tiffany at the Democrats right now. They’re laying out what they are saying is a blueprint for a better America. Frankly, it doesn’t sound like they have anything right now other than just to complain and bash the Trump administration. different is just attack the president. Did they not learn anything from the last election that that strategy doesn’t work?
SPEAKER 06 :
I think a good example of that, Jody, would be Governor Pritzker, who just gave from Illinois, who just gave that speech out in one of the northeastern states where he just basically doubled down. We’re going to have boys and girls sports. We legalized marijuana in Illinois. That’s a great success. We legalized abortion. All these things like that, they’re pointing as a success. That’s the reason they were defeated on November 5th. So they’re just doubling down on failure. And it’s unfortunate for people who live in those blue states that have to live with a rule, with political leaders like a Governor Pritzker, who are taking their states down the toilet. And it’s not hard to find the states that are failing. Wisconsin, we have neighbors like Illinois and Minnesota with failed governors. And it’s unfortunate to see what’s happening. But what is happening then is people are fleeing. They’re making a decision with their feet. And that’s why they’re headed to the successful states that are largely run by red state governors.
SPEAKER 09 :
And many of them are fleeing parties as well. We’re watching that in huge numbers. What do you think? I don’t know if you were able to see it a few moments ago before you came on. I played a clip of Senator Schumer accusing Trump of weaponizing the government and that type of thing. What do you make of this statement coming from the senator, particularly in light of what we saw in the last administration?
SPEAKER 06 :
I mean, think about Senator Schumer, what he said in regards to, what did he say? Kavanaugh and Gorsuch, be careful, you’re going to reap the whirlwind. I mean, he basically put a target on the back of two Supreme Court justices. Senator Schumer is being dismissed by the American people because they know it’s just rhetoric. He’s not providing results for the American people like they voted for on November 5th and like they’re getting now. When we get through the whole tariffs thing and we get this reconciliation bill done, I think you’re going to see greater certainty for the American people I can’t wait to see what’s ahead for America a year from now as we get some of these things put in place by Congress and the executive branch. I do believe that America’s best days are ahead of us.
SPEAKER 09 :
Wow, great to hear. And you know, I look at this first 100 days compared to the accusations from Schumer and other Democrats. Really what the president’s doing is cracking down on lawlessness, not committing lawlessness. He’s trying to deal with it. But let’s go on, if we can, on this topic, I guess, of lawlessness. Right there in your own state of Wisconsin, a judge accused of trying to aid an illegal immigrant in evading arrest has been now suspended from the bench. What’s your reaction to that news?
SPEAKER 06 :
Well, first of all, I was surprised that our liberal state Supreme Court did it, but pleasantly surprised. And it was an appropriate action by them. And it is important that what the Department of Justice did, the federal Department of Justice saying, we’re not going to accept judges who are truly saying they are above the law. I mean, this judge went after the ICE agents that were there and was screaming at them and then led this illegal alien out a side door and tried to set them free while you had the people who were harmed by the illegal alien sitting in the court looking out for the perpetrator rather than for victims. And I think that says everything about the Democrat Party at this point. They would rather look out for the perpetrators rather than the victims. And I would, to your point in regards to President Trump and the rule of law, I believe it’s amazing the restraint that he’s shown in the face of judges like this one in Milwaukee. But hopefully by holding her to account. This will send a strong message that judges, you need to make sure you stay in your lane and do your job and not try to be the executive branch.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, and that suspension to me is as good as impeachment. It sends a strong message to other judges. We’ve got about 30 seconds for your answer here. You’ve got a bill dealing with how the U.S. involvement with the World Trade Center should be handled. Real quickly, give us a bird’s eye view of that.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, simply to remove the United States of America from the World Trade Organization, globalist enterprise. There’s not been a vote in 20 years. We can vote in Congress every five years. That’s up this year. We should have a vote. Should we be in this organization that puts China’s interests ahead of America? I can’t wait to see if we can get a vote. I’m so pleased to be able to introduce that bill.
SPEAKER 09 :
Congressman Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin, thank you for your leadership. Thank you, as always, for coming back on Washington Watch. Great to see you. All right, friends, coming up next, we’ve got an extremely important and controversial bill dealing with religious freedom and parental rights. We’ll give you the lowdown right after this break.
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At Family Research Council, we believe religious freedom is a fundamental human right that all governments must protect. That’s why FRC President Tony Perkins went to Capitol Hill to testify on behalf of persecuted Christians in Nigeria. Islamist terror groups target Christians and other religious minorities in Nigeria with brutal violence. Representative Chris Smith, who chaired the hearing, said 55,000 people have been killed and 21,000 abducted in the last five years alone. The congressman also stressed that 89% of Christians in the world who are martyred are from Nigeria.
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Yet the government of Nigeria has failed to make progress against religiously motivated persecution of Christians despite religious freedom being enshrined as an essential human right in their constitution.
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Tony Perkins called for the United States to send an unmistakable message.
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This is systematic religious violence. Nigeria must be redesignated a country of particular concern. The Biden administration’s removal of this designation was a reckless mistake that emboldened the very terrorists who are slaughtering Christians.
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Redesignating Nigeria will enable the U.S. government to pressure Nigerian leaders to protect vulnerable Christians.
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These are not just numbers. These are fathers, their mothers, their children, their families.
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Bishop Wilfred Anagabe risked his life to speak out, sharing firsthand accounts of the danger faced in his church district in central Nigeria.
SPEAKER 01 :
We live in fear because at any point it can be our turn to be killed. But to remain silent is to die twice. So I have chosen to speak.
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FRC is calling on President Trump to act now to promote religious freedom around the globe and speak up on behalf of Christians in Nigeria.
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Looking for a trusted source of news that shares your Christian values? Turn to The Washington Stand, your ultimate destination for informed, faith-centered reporting. Our dedicated team goes beyond the headlines, delivering stories that matter most to believers. From breaking events to cultural insights, we provide clear, compassionate coverage through a biblical lens. Discover news you can trust at The Washington Stand, where faith and facts meet every day.
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Download the new Stand Firm app for Apple and Android phones today and join a wonderful community of fellow believers. We’ve created a special place for you to access news from a biblical perspective, read and listen to daily devotionals, pray for current events, and more. Share the Stand Firm app with your friends, family, and church members, and stand firm everywhere you go.
SPEAKER 09 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thank you so much for joining us today. I am your guest host today, sitting in for Tony. My name is Jody Heiss, and we’re so glad to have you on board with us today. All right, the Colorado, state of Colorado, their Senate is moving forward on a very contentious bill that threatens parental rights as well as free speech. The bill is known as HB 25-1312. And it would require, among other things, custody decisions to consider how a parent treats gender-confused children. It would also treat, catch this, misgendering and deadnaming as child abuse. child abuse. The bill literally passed the House earlier this month and was before the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this afternoon. So what’s likely to happen with this bill? And if it passes, what in the world would the ramifications be? Well, here to discuss this is Representative Rose Buglisi, the Republican minority leader in Colorado’s General Assembly. Representative Buglisi, thank you for joining us today. It’s good to have you.
SPEAKER 11 :
Thank you, Jody, for having me.
SPEAKER 09 :
All right, so the hearings for the bill in the Senate have already started today. Representative Pugliese, what can you tell us about it so far?
SPEAKER 11 :
You know, what’s been really amazing is the outreach and grassroots support for parental rights in Colorado. This has become an issue that has transcended party lines. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican, Democrat, unaffiliated, or what party you are. Parents don’t want to be told how to raise their kids, and they definitely don’t want to be at risk of losing their children if they don’t subscribe to an ideology that doesn’t align with their values. And so what we have seen are hundreds of people crowding the Capitol stairs in different rooms, all waiting to testify today on this very egregious bill.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, very egregious. And to the extent that you have termed this, as I understand, as a huge violation of parental rights, go a little bit further down that path, if you will, the violation specifically on parental rights that this presents.
SPEAKER 11 :
And so basically, you know, if you have a child that… is, as you call it, gender confused. Basically, it could be used against a parent in a child custody battle. And I work with a lot of domestic violence survivors who have seen the system being used against them. And they find this to be very egregious and scary. It is scary for parents across Colorado to know if you don’t subscribe to a certain ideology, if you You want to raise your children with your God-given right to raise them in the way that conforms to your values, that literally your children can be taken away. It is a bridge too far for all Coloradans. I think it’s a bridge too far for all Americans. And so I think that’s why we’re seeing the outpouring of support, a lot of national attention like yours. So thank you so much for helping us to elevate this issue in Colorado, but also out.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, you are so right. I mean, what starts in one place rarely stays there. There’s always this rippling effect that goes far beyond. And this is something that needs to be highlighted and dealt with. And it’s the parental rights, yes. It’s the free speech rights, yes. But also something that I’m not hearing a lot of mention about is the religious freedom expressions involved in all of this, the First Amendment rights. Would you have a comment to make on that end of things?
SPEAKER 11 :
No, absolutely. I’m a devout Catholic. I’m a single mom. I raise two children on my own. And again, it is my God-given right to raise them in accordance with my values and not have government subscribe an ideology to me and then threaten to take away my children. I mean, again, a bridge too far for every American.
SPEAKER 09 :
All right, I want you to explain this for me. The bill says that it would consider parental behavior antithetical to the affirmation of gender confusion as, and this is what I want to get your comment on, as types of coercive control. What does that mean? And how would it influence custody cases?
SPEAKER 11 :
You know, obviously we get to name our children when they are born. And, you know, if a child wants to go by a different name and you don’t call them by that name, it could be used against you in a child custody battle as coercive control. You know, they talk about dead naming your child, your child that you named. And so, again, I think that we have the God-given right to raise our children. We have the God-given right to call them by their given name, and government should not be interfering with that. No one should tell us that we have to agree with this ideology in order to raise our children and then be at risk of losing them in a child custody battle. And we know the system’s not perfect. It can always be used against parents, but again, Being able to use this ideology against parents who are just trying to raise their children in accordance with their values, it’s just too much for Coloradans. And that’s why we’re seeing hundreds of people, hundreds, lining up in the Capitol today to make their voices heard. So I am really very grateful and very blessed that we are able to get the message out so that parents’ voices can be heard in Colorado.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, hats off to you and your colleagues who are standing with you in the hundreds and hundreds that you’re talking about who are showing up to let their voices be heard. But I wonder with all of this, and I know probably you can’t speak to this, but perhaps from a… just observation perspective. What is the motive behind it? Is it what you said? Is it an attempt to control parents and force them into this ideology? Is that what’s really seemingly behind this?
SPEAKER 11 :
You know, we have seen in Colorado over the years just this attempt at continuing to take away parental rights on different issues. I mean, in Colorado, my 13 year old can make medical decisions for herself. And she has a rare genetic disorder that she doesn’t understand. And so what we’ve seen is this continuing erosion. I think this bill particularly goes very far in interfering with a parent’s God-given right to raise their children and enforcing an ideology that you know, some of us don’t subscribe to in the way that we raise our children. And so I think we have seen the incremental violation of parental rights. And this is just that next step in continuing to put government in charge of children.
SPEAKER 09 :
All right, just a very short period of time left. Where’s this bill going? Do you think it’s going to cross the finish line? Is it going to be stopped? What are your thoughts?
SPEAKER 11 :
It’s too early to tell. You know, in Colorado, the governor is a Democrat. Both houses have majorities Democrat. So right now it is going through the Senate process. We hear that amendments will be coming forward. Whether those amendments will be enough to get support of the bill, obviously not by Republicans, but enough support to get it through and to the governor’s desk, and then whether or not he actually vetoes it, it will be up to him.
SPEAKER 09 :
Thank you, Colorado House Minority Leader Rose Puglisi. Great job. Thank you for standing firm. Thank you for coming on Washington Watch and helping get this story out. We appreciate it. All right, coming up next, we’re going to preview tomorrow’s National Day of Prayer with our next guest, Dr. Ronnie Floyd, the former president of that event. Stay tuned. We’ll be back.
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Everything we do begins as an idea. Before there can be acts of courage, there must be the belief that some things are worth sacrificing for. Before there can be marriage, there is the idea that man should not be alone. Before there was freedom, there was the idea that individuals are created equal. It’s true that all ideas have consequences, but we’re less aware that all consequences are the fruit of ideas. Before there was murder, there was hate. Before there was a Holocaust, there was the belief by some people that other people are undesirable. Our beliefs determine our behavior, and our beliefs about life’s biggest questions determine our worldview. Where did I come from? Who decides what is right and wrong? What happens when I die? Our answers to these questions explain why people see the world so differently. Debates about abortion are really disagreements about where life gets its value. Debates over sexuality and gender and marriage are really disagreements about whether the rules are made by us or for us. What we think of as political debates are often much more than that. They’re disagreements about the purpose of our lives and the source of truth. As Christians, our goal must be to think biblically about everything. Our goal is to help you see beyond red and blue, left and right, to see the battle of ideas at the root of it all. Our goal is to equip Christians with a biblical worldview and help them advance and defend the faith in their families, communities, and the public square. Cultural renewal doesn’t begin with campaigns and elections. It begins with individuals turning from lies to truth. But that won’t happen if people can’t recognize a lie and don’t believe truth exists. We want to help you see the spiritual war behind the political war, the truth claims behind the press release and the forest and the trees.
SPEAKER 09 :
Hope you’re having a fantastic Wednesday. Thank you so much for joining us today on Washington Watch. I’m Jody Heiss, an honor to be filling in today for Tony. Okay, tomorrow, as you probably are aware, the United States will observe the National Day of Prayer. This is a time that is designated to be held annually on the first Thursday of May. It’s a time to remind Americans and all believers, really everyone, to turn their hearts and their minds towards God and to seek His guidance. And everyone who participates, which we hope everyone will, are encouraged to turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in various groups, as individuals, wherever you can to be a part of praying for our country and seeking God. So what is the guidance that we should seek this year? Well, I’m honored to introduce my next guest, Dr. Ronnie Floyd. He is the former president of the National Day of Prayer. He’s also a current member of its faith advisory board. He’s also author of the book, The Supernatural Power of Prayer and Fasting, 12 Ways God Will Change Your Life. And I am myself reading that book right now. Dr. Floyd, welcome back to Washington Watch. My brother, it’s always good to see you.
SPEAKER 03 :
Thank you, Jody, for the privilege to be a part of today.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, listen, we’re excited about this. We’re excited about tomorrow. There’s no greater need we have in this country than to turn to God. This year’s theme is pour out to the God of hope and be filled. Elaborate on that theme, if you will. Why is it so important?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I believe it’s important that we pour out our hearts to God for our country and that we point people to hope. And I think that’s what the National Day of Prayer intends to do tomorrow in its gatherings around the country. There will be thousands of gatherings all over the country in all kind of settings. from steps of the Capitol building and where many people will live. And then, of course, courthouses and mayor breakfast and small gatherings in the workplace. And then, of course, gatherings really literally everywhere, as you know, Jody. And we’re just thankful that people want to pray for America.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, and the key verse this year is Romans 15, 13. What is the significance of that as it relates to this whole National Day of Prayer this year?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I think the whole thing is wrapped up in the whole element of God is our hope. And as we talk to God about whatever our needs are, Jody, as a country, we need to know that God is the one who can give the hope. He is our hope. We know that. And we need to point ourselves to that hope. And we need to point other people to the God of hope.
SPEAKER 09 :
How would you say, and you’ve been in this, involved with this for a long time, actually serving as the president of the National Day of Prayer. How does this year’s event differ from years before? Would you say that it does? And if so, how?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I’m not sure it really does. It’s just going to depend on the individuals around the country, for example, who lead those events. And usually those events, while people do what they want to do, you know, they can follow a model if they would want about praying nationally and statewide and locally. the National Day of Prayer event in Washington that will happen. You know, it will be designed and where people will be coming in, including some of the members of Congress to, I’m sure, give a testimony or to call folks to prayer. So it all depends on, you know, what the leader, Kathy Brunzel, does and how she’s going to do that in that specific setting.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, I know it’s such a powerful event. I was personally able to be with you when you were serving, leading in that capacity several years ago with the event that was held in Statuary Hall. As it comes tomorrow, what’s in store for this year’s National Day of Prayer? Who are some of the speakers for the broadcast tomorrow and so forth?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I think that Tim Tebow will be one of those speakers. And from Tim, I mean, you’re going to have a great number of speakers beyond that. And so, you know, all of that, obviously, Kathy has lined up as the leader of the National Day of Prayer now. She and her team and many of them will come in from all walks of life. Some pastors will be sharing. And depending on the members of Congress that perhaps Mike can attend for a brief period of time, perhaps they will be sharing as well.
SPEAKER 09 :
It is a powerful, powerful event in every way, something that is one of those things that is a marked memory on my life, something that I will never forget. Of course, it’s something to participate in every year, but it just seems, Dr. Floyd, every year this becomes more and more a need. and more and more important, significant in our country. Before we take a quick break, what would you say to the American people? What do they need to be praying about this year specifically?
SPEAKER 03 :
I believe that we need to be praying specifically for the leaders of our nation. I don’t think we need to apologize for that. I think it would be remiss not to call upon God about the leaders of our country, the leaders of each one of our states, the leaders at the local level. I believe we also need to call upon the church to be the church and the church to be the salt and the light in America and that they would be very diligent in that effort. And then we need to call upon the various, to the Lord about the various segments of society, the pillars of our country. whether it’s the media and the arts, whether it has to do with government, whether it has to do with education and other matters that will be prayed about. I mean, we need to pray about what we’re concerned about, Jody, and we can go to God anytime, anywhere, about anything. And relating to various communities across America, they need to take that.
SPEAKER 09 :
Let’s hold on to that thought right there. If you will hang on, I want to come back after the break. We’ll pick up right where you are right now. I’m talking with Dr. Ronnie Floyd, past president of the National Day of Prayer. We’ll continue our conversation right after this quick break, so stay tuned.
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How should Christians think about the thorny issues shaping our culture? How should Christians address deceitful ideas like transgenderism, critical theory, or assisted suicide? How can Christians navigate raising children in a broken culture, the war on gender roles, or rebuilding our once great nation? Outstanding is a podcast from The Washington Stand dedicated to these critical conversations. Outstanding seeks to tear down what our corrupt culture lifts up with an aim to take every thought and every idea captive to the obedience of Christ. Whether policies or partisan politics, whether conflict in America or conflict abroad, join us and our guests as we examine the headlines through the lens of Scripture. and explore how Christians can faithfully exalt Christ in all of life. Follow Outstanding on your favorite podcast app and look for new episodes each week.
SPEAKER 09 :
Thank you for joining us today. I’m Jody Heiss filling in for Tony. Welcome back to Washington Watch. All right, before I continue with Dr. Ronnie Florida, I just want to make a quick announcement that Family Research Council is providing a summary of the second Trump administration’s work in the area specifically of life, family, religious liberty, and some other select issues. Now, we did this in terms of a Trump tracker, in terms of the campaign trail, promises made, promises kept kind of things, but now that that first 100 days is over, we’re going to continue following this administration on some specific issues like I just mentioned. And all this, what I’ve mentioned, is certainly not an exhaustive list, but it does highlight what FRC believes are some of the most significant and relevant actions that can be taken by our administration. So if you’d like more about this, you can access the resource. You can simply go to frc.org slash Trump actions, frc.org slash Trump actions. We encourage you to go there and keep a pulse on things. All right, I want to now continue, resume our conversation that we were having in the last segment with Dr. Ronnie Floyd. He’s the former president of the National Day of Prayer and a current member of its Faith Advisory Board. Dr. Floyd, thank you for sticking around and continuing our discussion. I appreciate it. Oh, it’s a privilege. Thank you very much. All right, throughout this week, we’ve been talking and discussing quite a bit about the first 100 days of the Trump administration from an economic standpoint, security standpoint, and all those other things. But what is your assessment of America’s spiritual status right now?
SPEAKER 03 :
I believe there’s some great things happening, Jody, around the country. And I think we are seeing some showers of what God is able to do, whether it be on many of our collegiate campuses, throughout many, many churches in the country. We also see that sprinkling through various professions and they’re becoming open about their faith. We’ve seen athletes begin to stand up and many others as well. And I think all that’s very refreshing and should be, obviously, an encouragement. But I really believe that we need to also really talk to God about the need for the church to experience revival, for the need for the nation to experience the next great awakening, Jody. I mean, this is the greatest need in the country today. We are seeing a political awakening to a degree. But listen, you and I both know that is important, and we don’t need to by any means minimize it, but we know what God can do will stick around, and we need to be sure that we experience the next great awakening in our generation when God pours out His Spirit upon our country. And all of a sudden, we see that he does that in such a way that it transcends all denominations, all generations, all cultures, all races, and all ethnic lines. That’s what I want to see God do in America.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, and I just say thank you, Dr. Ronnie Floyd, for that passion and that being specific. Because I totally agree. We cannot fix the issues in this country. And I’ve said it a thousand times. I know you have to. We can’t fix this politically with another piece of legislation or throwing another trillion dollars at issues. We need the good hand of God to navigate us through these days and to transform hearts. And that’s really where the church and spiritual leaders come in. What would you say to the church in America right now in terms of the role that they have to play in changing the heart of our country?
SPEAKER 03 :
I say the first of all, more than anything, is churches need to pray for America. And you and I both know, Jody, there is a sense of that’s not good. That’s political. I have one word for that. That’s hogwash. We need to obey what God says. We need to do what God says. We need to pray for the leaders of our country and for our country itself. and then also we need to be involved we need to do everything we can to be the salt and the light in the towns we live in in the states we live in and in the nation that we live in and we need to stand on what the bible says what the bible says is more important than what any politician says god is faithful and god fulfills every one of his promises in his word And he is true and faithful, and we can always count on him. And he is the one that the church needs to rely upon. And I would really call upon the church not only to pray for your nation. Churches need to prioritize prayer in worship. You know, prayer has become more like a one-minute transition in a worship service than the church pouring out its heart to God, that we need God. We need the Lord to meet with us today and do something powerful in our lives and powerful in our country.
SPEAKER 09 :
Great point. Last question before I let you go. First of all, I want to thank you. You actually sent me a copy of your latest book, The Supernatural Power of Prayer and Fasting, 12 Ways God Will Change Your Life. And I have been using it devotionally. It’s sitting on my desk in Washington, and I just use it as a part of devotion. It’s fantastic things. What moved you to write this, and what do you hope will come out of this book?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, you know, I’ve written on the subject before, but it’s been about 14 years since my last book published by that. The publisher approached me about doing it and wanted me to share new insights, new things that God has taught me. And also, obviously, many of those are principles that go forward even from the past. But the real heartbeat is to really raise the flag on the awareness of prayer with fasting. We know there’s power in it. The scripture references it 69 times in 57 verses, Jody, and it’s rare you ever hear it talked about in the church. And the church needs to go after the Lord passionately, seeking him to do something supernatural in our lives. And he moves every time his people pray and fast, individually as well as collectively as the church. And that’s what we need to do. And one of those things we need to pray for in the depth of that is our nation to believe God for the future of America.
SPEAKER 09 :
Absolutely. Thank you so much, Dr. Ronnie Floyd. You’ve been a leader spiritually for a long time, and we are deeply grateful. Former president of the National Day of Prayer, current member of the Faith Advisory Board. Thank you so much. God bless you. Look forward to seeing you again soon. All right. Okay, earlier today there was a big, big education case that was argued at the U.S. Supreme Court. And while the case originates out of Oklahoma and it deals with their statewide charter school board and its policies, it certainly potentially has some major implications for charter schools and religious schools nationwide. And so we want to talk about this as we wind up the program today. What are some of the potential implications? We’re here now to share more about all this is Meg Kilgannon. She’s a Senior Fellow for Education Studies here at the Family Research Council. Meg, thank you so much for joining us.
SPEAKER 10 :
Thanks for having me, Jody.
SPEAKER 09 :
Okay, a big, big, big case. The argument is underway at the Supreme Court. What is this case all about?
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, there is a charter school called St. Isidore in Oklahoma, and it is an online charter school. And it is a charter school is a kind of a school that receives public money. It’s a privately run school, but it is supported by public dollars. And so essentially the school is saying to Oklahoma, We’re a charter school. We’d like to be a part of your program, and we hope you won’t discriminate against us because we’re a religious school. And so Oklahoma has said no. In our Constitution, it says that we cannot have an establishment of religion in our public, over the use of our public money and in our schools. And so, no, we cannot allow you to participate in this program. So now this has risen to the level of the Supreme Court. So here we are arguing before the court.
SPEAKER 09 :
So what are some of the competing views in all of this? I know everybody’s looking at this from a little different perspective. What are some of the different perspectives?
SPEAKER 10 :
This is a very, very controversial issue. I can tell you that here in Washington, D.C., I have been invited to and attended many events talking about and debating the merits of this case and the implications of this case. One of the groups of people who are concerned about this and the ramifications of this decision are charter schools in blue states like New York and California. They’re very concerned that their charter programs will be discontinued or somehow impacted negatively if if this decision goes in favor of this Catholic school. So there’s concern about that. There’s always concern about strings attached to public money, right? And so that is an overwhelming concern for a lot of people. There are a lot of charter schools across the country and there are charter schools that are specifically designed for LGBTQ students. There are charter schools that are designed for students who want to study music, for students who want to do STEM, science technology kinds of schools. There are lots of very specific kinds of charter schools all across the country and so the question has become, why can’t we have a religious charter school? And so this is a, there’s a tension here between free exercise and establishment, speaking constitutionally. I’m not a lawyer. I don’t understand all of those arguments, to be perfectly honest with you. But as a mom, and as somebody who wants to have a great school system, this particular situation is interesting because Parents are not going to wake up and discover that their children have become Catholic because they attended the local public school. And now they’ve been proselytized, right? This is a school that is an online school, and parents would have to absolutely opt into it. And so there’s no question that the parents are asking for this instruction for their children. And so when I think about parents in public schools now who can find that their children have been indoctrinated with gender identity behind their backs, This idea that parents wouldn’t have a right to choose this kind of education for their children seems pretty reasonable to me that this would be allowed.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, and it’s interesting that you mentioned there are so many different types of charter schools across the country, so why not a religious one if that’s what the people in that area want? Right. That’s a great question. Let me ask you this, because I found this to be very, very interesting. The final decision in this case is not going to involve all nine of our Supreme Court justices. Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett has recused herself from this case. Right. And I’m not sure why. Do you know why?
SPEAKER 10 :
I do know why. Her background is at Notre Dame Law School, and the legal clinic at Notre Dame Law School has been advising the lawyers who have been advising the school. So she’s personal friends with somebody there who’s very involved in this case, and so she just felt it would be a conflict of interest for her to be involved. So it creates an interesting situation in this case. You have the three liberal justices who, from today’s arguments, are very clearly not going to support this school and this idea, right? So generally, you know what the liberals are going to do. And then you have on the other side, it seemed like most of the Republican-appointed justices were going to be on the side of the school. The swing vote in this case seems like it’s going to be Justice John Roberts, who is Catholic and who has been very comfortable deciding cases in favor of certain kinds of religious schools in public settings. There’s a case in Maine where they have a public a pot of public money that parents can access when their children live too far away from the nearest public high school. Their parents can use this money to pay either for any kind of private school that’s closer to them and more convenient for them or an online school. And they had not been allowing that money to go to religious schools. And the Supreme Court ruled in the Macon case that they did have to allow parents to be able to send their kids to religious schools because they were spending the money on any other kind of schooling. It was discriminatory to exclude religion. And that seemed to be where the reasoning was trying to go today. And so it’s going to be interesting to see what Justice Roberts does. I mean, he’s… He could, he’s, he’s been, he could go any direction, right?
SPEAKER 09 :
It’s always interesting to see how he’s going to go. Fair enough. Let me ask you this. We’ve got just a couple of minutes left. Did, did anything in the oral arguments today stick out to you? Did anything just kind of jump off the page where you had kind of an aha moment?
SPEAKER 10 :
There was one point where Justice Kavanaugh said that there was an exchange and he said, you know, I think that this school is just asking for people to not discriminate against them because they’re religious. And I think that’s a really good way of understanding and looking at this case because that really is the situation. There are plenty of other, if you’re a parent who wants to choose a charter school in Oklahoma, there are other schools available to you. You don’t have to pick the school. This is not going to be the only charter school in Oklahoma, right? So there’s no reason if there are other options, why couldn’t there be a faith-based option? That just seems to be common sense.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yep, therein is the problem. Common sense is often a problem. When do we expect a decision? Any idea? By June. By June. So we ought to be hearing pretty soon.
SPEAKER 10 :
We should be hearing very soon.
SPEAKER 09 :
Wow. Well, that certainly should be an item of prayer for all our viewers and listeners. This could have enormous ramifications for religious liberties, for education, parental rights, a host of things. Charter schools, a lot at stake in this. Meg Kilgannon, always, always an honor to have you on the program. Thank you for joining us today, as always.
SPEAKER 10 :
Thanks for having me.
SPEAKER 09 :
All right, friends, that wraps up yet another day of Washington Watch. I want to thank you so much for joining us, for entrusting this time to us as our mission is to keep you informed as to what’s happening in the news and try to bring it to you from a biblical worldview perspective. Hope you have a fantastic remainder of your evening. We’ll be back with you tomorrow right here on Washington Watch. Look forward to seeing you again.
SPEAKER 17 :
Washington Watch with Tony Perkins is brought to you by Family Research Council and is entirely listener supported. Portions of the show discussing candidates are brought to you by Family Research Council Action. For more information on anything you heard today or to find out how you can partner with us in our ongoing efforts to promote faith, family and freedom, visit TonyPerkins.com.
