Star-Spangled Jesus: Waking up From Christian Nationalism with April Ajoy

Are we wrapping the cross in a flag? How far can party and country go before our Christianity must say “stop”? Craig sits down with April Ajoy, author of Star-Spangled Jesus and co-host of The Tim and April Show, to talk about growing up inside Christian nationalism and learning to follow Jesus instead of the party line. The point is not to chase outrage, but to measure all power by the words of Jesus. God first, always. They cover flags in church, fear-based politics, and the quiet shift from “this is my conviction” to “the state should enforce my conviction.” Craig urges us to stop outsourcing love to Caesar and get back to simple, neighbor-first faith that looks like the Sermon on the Mount. If you feel the tug between cross and country, this conversation gives language, laughter, and a clean path forward, to put Jesus over team, platform, and flag. Their conversation digs into: How “good Christians” get discipled by politics without noticing Flags in the sanctuary and what symbols preach Humor as healing: naming the “Jesus juke” Propaganda, fear, and why panic feels like faith Coercion vs. consent: the Kingdom’s way of love Threads vs. tables: why face-to-face changes hearts A simple test for allegiance: cross over party, Jesus over nation 🤝Connect with April Ajoy: Get the book: Star-Spangled Jesus: Leaving Christian Nationalism and Finding A True Faith Listen to the Book on Spotify like Craig did! LinkTree Instagram: @aprilajoy Facebook: April Ajoy X (Twitter): @aprilajoyr TikTok: @aprilajoy Podcast: The Tim and April Show, YouTube, Instagram, Apple Podcast, Spotify Try This Week: an enemy by name; refuse to excuse violence because “it’s my side”; choose presence over outrage.   📖 For Full Show Notes:www.thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-153   Key Moments: (00:00) Waking up from Christian nationalism (01:04) Finding April’s work (02:18) “Good Christians” and blind spots (03:25) April’s current projects (10:31) Threads vs. tables (12:48) Flags in the sanctuary (15:05) The “Jesus juke” (18:22) Fear and propaganda (26:10) From conviction to control (30:44) Stop outsourcing love to Caesar (45:50) Where to find April (52:12) No King but Christ   💕 Want more episodes that keep loyalty with Jesus, not politics?💕 Donate at thebadroman.com/donate. Anything helps, and everything past production costs goes to local charities in Memphis, TN. 🌶️ SALSA THE LOVE🌶️  Prefer tasty support? Grab Bad Roman Salsa at badromansalsa.com. Every jar fuels more mercy-forward conversations. FREE: Share & Start a Conversation Send this episode to a friend and ask: Is my public faith wrapped in a flag? Where can I trade outrage for presence this week? Listen first. Love well. No King but Christ.   🔗 Ways to Get Involved in the Project 🔗 Blog submissions: thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog Connect with us on social: thebadroman.com/social-links Want to get more involved? Request to join the private discussion group on Facebook (Bad Romans Only!!) Explore the No King but Christ Network: nokingbutchristnetwork.com