The episode “Immigration and the Church’s Courage Crisis” with Dr. Corey Miller on the Heidi St. John Podcast delivers a bold, timely call for Christians to stand firm.
Dr. Corey Miller—president of Ratio Christi, philosopher, theologian, and author—challenges the church to reclaim courage in a culture under siege. Drawing from Scripture and history, he confronts the immigration debate head-on.
Key truths that cut through the noise:
Borders aren’t cruel—they’re biblical. God established boundaries for nations in the Old Testament, and secure borders remain essential for ordered societies today. Jesus Himself respected human authorities and structures.
We can’t hide behind “What would Jesus do?” on every modern policy. He didn’t drive cars, vote in elections, or run social media accounts—yet those aren’t sinful. The question is what Scripture requires of us now.
Nations without borders aren’t nations. Politics flows from ethics, so Christians have every reason—and duty—to engage. When human laws command what God forbids or forbid what God commands, civil disobedience becomes obedience to the higher King.
Policy shapes nations. Why would God’s people abandon the arena where nations are formed?
Dr. Miller warns we’re witnessing a soft revolution—a long march through institutions that has captured education, media, and culture. Compared to the Greatest Generation, this one risks becoming the most misguided.
The solution isn’t retreat—it’s reclamation:
Parents and pastors must urgently train children and congregations to think biblically and stand boldly.
Every believer stands in the midst of a cultural revolution. We are called to be salt that preserves and light that exposes.
Strategic action matters: engage education, policy, and institutions with truth and courage.
As Dr. Walter Martin asked: “Are you willing to do for the truth what others are willing to do for a lie?”
The liberal fear is authoritarianism. The conservative fear is anarchy. Scripture offers a better way: ordered liberty under God’s authority.
The church was never meant to sit on the sidelines. This is our moment to rise with clarity, conviction, and courage.
Pastors aren’t required to be political commentators, but when biblical truth is directly under attack in the culture, faithful shepherds warn the flock.
Jesus Himself sharply rebuked religious leaders who neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Paul publicly called out cultural compromise. The early church didn’t stay silent on idolatry, immorality, or injustice in Roman culture. If pastors today avoid these topics out of fear of division or loss, it can resemble the priests who cried ‘peace, peace’ when there was no peace. Loving confrontation is sometimes necessary to protect the sheep.
When leaders consistently avoid addressing clear biblical commands or warnings on issues affecting souls, it’s fair for Christians to ask why and even express concern.
If pastors are silent where Scripture isn’t, that can leave the church unequipped. Questioning is part of being Bereans who examine everything against God’s Word.
Every pastor isn’t asked to preach politics every week, but if the culture is shaping the church more than the church is shaping the culture, silence can contribute to that.
Why is it that many people appear to worship this idea that teachers from the pulpit must only do line by line, precept upon precept? How many line by line teachers just happen to be on a line in the Bible that just happens to match what is going on in culture at that present time. So unless the teacher momentarily steps outside the line by line teaching they will rarely address what is happening in their city, their county, their state, their nation, or the world. Also, why is it that so many teachers think that long monologues without interaction or dialogue are required for making effective disciples? Attention span peaks at less than 20 minutes, unless you are listening to a gifted communicator which most teachers are not? So why do many go on for close to an hour, with most going beyond 20 minutes? Long monologues do not promote any deep processing, critical thinking, application, or behavior change. So I think there is a better way to make disciples how about you?
I choose not to attend—or recommend—a church that remains disconnected from the real-world battles shaping our families, freedoms, and faith.
Many churches today quietly withdraw from culture, focusing only on timeless Scripture while avoiding the urgent issues of our day. Yet bold, Bible-teaching leaders like Gary Hamrick, Jack Hibbs, Allen Jackson and Rob McCoy prove it’s possible—and powerful—to faithfully preach the Word while directly addressing cultural realities, equipping believers to live as salt and light.
Imagine a church that inspires:
Where the pastor celebrates effective communicators like Charlie Kirk, who use genuine dialogue (not just monologues) to reach everyday people with truth about God and society.
Where opportunities to screen eye-opening films are welcomed, not ignored; for example The 1916 Project which revealed the hidden roots of today’s culture of death or Truth Rising which was a call for Christians to stand with clarity and courage.
Where youth grow through active Scripture memory, discussion, and real engagement—not just passive listening to extended sermons.
Where leadership humbly explores proven tools, like the transformative Every Man a Warrior discipleship program that’s dramatically changed thousands of lives, even in African prisons.
Where voters are equipped with non-partisan guides, parents receive strong resources for godly education amid school challenges, and people are encouraged toward valuable parachurch ministries.
Where the church opens its doors to live presentations, guest speakers, conferences, and fresh voices—rather than staying closed in a routine of the same voice every week.
Jesus and the early disciples modeled courageous conversation, confronting the issues of their time head-on. They didn’t retreat; they advanced with truth, love, and boldness. The signers of the Declaration of Independence risked everything for freedom rooted in biblical principles—would today’s leadership show that same courage?
You deserve a church that equips you to thrive in this moment, not one that leaves you unprepared. If you resonated with this list, consider exploring a fellowship that’s actively engaging culture with biblical confidence. Your faith—and our generation—will be stronger for it.
Maybe the greatest single trademark of Charlie’s greatness was his memorial. His memorial led to the greatest single proclamation of the gospel in all of human history. We watched the secretary of state of this country give an altar call. We saw the son of the president of the United States tell people more about the first martyr, St. Steven, than 95% of churches have taught in the last 50 years.
Just a few weeks prior, my wife and I sat down with Charlie for an hour privately discussing futures. Little did my wife know that would be the last time she ever talked to Charlie or saw him. The freedom night in America that the two of us had done together at his home church was done 3 months prior and so a lot of media thought that this was just done the night before his death. My phone was ringing off the hook so I contacted my dear friend Sloan Adams here at TPUSA and I said, “Hey, what’s the right protocol? What do I do here? And he said, “What you need to do is exactly what Charlie told you before you went onto the stage that night at his freedom night in America.” What did he whisper in your ear? And right before we went on stage in a packed house, Charlie bent down in my ear cuz he was like 6 in taller than me. And he said two words right before he went on to introduce me. GO HARD.
I’m 20 years Charlie’s elder and in terms of modeling what a life lived well looks like and finishing your race looks like, he put me and too many in my generation and the generation above me to shame.
I want to talk to the older men about what GO HARD means because for too long we have been too soft. Too soft.
I did a conference call last night with Moms for Liberty, a phenomenal organization. But let me just tell you right now, it is to the shame of our men that this organization even has to exist because there were not enough Dads for Liberty for too long.
If it wasn’t for the family he leaves behind, you could not script a better death than Charlie’s. He died instantly in the arena painlessly, fighting for his Lord, fighting for the grace and redemption of his own enemies, standing tall in the arena. That is the dream. We’re all going out. I checked the death rate, folks. It’s still 100%. It’s still 100%. You could not script a better death than Charlie’s.
To you older men, and I include myself as well, it will be to our shame if that sacrifice was in vain. Just as Christ died for us when we were his enemies, Charlie did the same for his.
Here’s what you and I must do. We must finish well. We must go hard to the finish line.
I’m going to finish well with my Lord. I’m going to go hard to the end so that when my kids put me in the ground they can stand up at my funeral and say he kept the faith and he finished the race.
There are approximately 130 million households in the US.
According to the Barna Group only about 6 percent of the country actually hold a Christian worldview which would be about 8 million (130 x .06).
If those with a real Christian worldview would be willing to give to Christ (the least of these) during the Christmas season rather than all the family members who really don’t need anything in comparison, what could be given to Christ?
The BGEA (Billy Graham Evangelistic Association) expenses for 2024 were about $160 million. Operation Christmas Child (a part of Samaritan’s Purse) expenses for 2024 were about $460 million. So the total expenses for both ministries (BGEA and Op Christmas Child) was about $620 million (160 + 460).
If that same group of households gave only $80 per household ($620 million/8 million = about $80), then all of those two ministries’ expenses would be paid.
$30 is the suggested donation to create an online shoebox for Operation Christmas Child.
The average Christmas gift spending per household is supposedly around $1,000.
If that same group gave $1000 per household to Operation Christmas Child, instead of all those family members who comparatively don’t need anything, they could provide 267 million (8 million x $1000 / $30) online shoeboxes, which would be enough to give a box to all of the grade school age children in Europe and Latin America combined!
The cost to build a 1500 square foot home for someone who could really use it, i.e. a single mom, is somewhere in the neighborhood of $300,000.
If those same real/worldview Christians wanted to instead build homes for single moms in need, they could build a little over 26,000 (8 million x 1000/300,000) homes, instead of again giving it to all the unneedy family members!
If you want to give to your kids, great. That’s what their birthday is for.
Oh, and by the way, there are probably a lot of people who want to have nothing to do with Christianity who would be willing to give like that. Will it get them into heaven? No, but it might actually put a smile on God’s face.
Those who deliberately avoid engaging, confronting, or shaping culture on contentious moral, ethical, or spiritual issues—are not fully holding to Jesus’ teaching in the John 8:31 which says “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples”.
Jesus’ own example was never culturally silent
He publicly rebuked religious leaders, drove money-changers out of the temple, spoke directly into the sexual ethics of His day, confronted Roman political power and was never silent when God’s truth was at stake in the public square.
The New Testament pattern for leaders is public courage, not silence
John the Baptist lost his head for publicly calling out Herod, Paul reasoned in the marketplace daily and virtually every epistle contains public moral instruction meant to be read aloud in the churches, confronting the surrounding Greco-Roman culture.
Silence in the face of evil is itself condemned
Conclusion
A pastor’s sustained posture of silence on abortion, sexual ethics, religious liberty, racism, injustice, or any area where Scripture speaks clearly is not “holding to Jesus’ teaching.” It is functionally denying it by works (Titus 1:16). Faithful disciples, especially those called to shepherd and teach, are required to speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15), to contend for the faith (Jude 3), and to expose darkness (Eph 5:11)—even, and especially, when the culture hates the light.
So no, chronic cultural silence from the pulpit is not obedience to “If you hold to my teaching.”
Is there were a better way to do Christmas in America?
If so, what might that look like?
When we go to a birthday party, who receives the gifts?
To whom do we give the gifts?
Christmas is supposedly Jesus’ birthday, so why not give our gifts to him?
So, how might we give gifts to Jesus on Christmas?
In Matthew 25:40 it says, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
So, if something were given to “the least of these”, it would be given to Jesus.
Here’s a Christmas suggestion:
During the year or on Christmas, have your group/family donate to a special account. An easy way to do this might be to use the Zelle app on your phone. No one would know who has donated or how much any individual donated. Then on Christmas day, you would all see the account balance and as a group you could decide where to give to “the least of these”.
Are silent pastors holding to Jesus’ teaching when they don’t engage culture?
The answer has to be No.
Those who deliberately avoid engaging, confronting, or shaping culture on contentious moral, ethical, or spiritual issues—are not fully holding to Jesus’ teaching in the John 8:31 which says “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples”.
Jesus’ own example was never culturally silent
He publicly rebuked religious leaders, drove money-changers out of the temple, spoke directly into the sexual ethics of His day, confronted Roman political power and was never silent when God’s truth was at stake in the public square.
The New Testament pattern for leaders is public courage, not silence
John the Baptist lost his head for publicly calling out Herod, Paul reasoned in the marketplace daily and virtually every epistle contains public moral instruction meant to be read aloud in the churches, confronting the surrounding Greco-Roman culture.
Silence in the face of evil is itself condemned
Conclusion
A pastor’s sustained posture of silence on abortion, sexual ethics, religious liberty, racism, injustice, or any area where Scripture speaks clearly is not “holding to Jesus’ teaching.” It is functionally denying it by works (Titus 1:16). Faithful disciples, especially those called to shepherd and teach, are required to speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15), to contend for the faith (Jude 3), and to expose darkness (Eph 5:11)—even, and especially, when the culture hates the light.
So no, chronic cultural silence from the pulpit is not obedience to “If you hold to my teaching.”
