Faith Under Fire - Family Life News

Radiant Mobile is the first nationwide Christian cell phone network to block all pornography and LGBTQ+ content. Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch sits down with founder Paul Fisher and CEO Chris Klimis to break down how it works and what it blocks. Learn more here. 

"Focus on the Family" co-Host John Fuller sits down with Family Life's Sarah Harnisch to talk about what's happened to Christian radio since the advent of cell phones, podcasts, Spotify, and streaming platforms.  Learn more about the work of "Focus on the Family" here. 

Family Life's Sarah Harnisch sits down with Alliance Defending Freedom's Chelsea Youman to discuss their lawsuit against the FDA. It's based on a case out of Lousisiana, which has banned mail-order abortifacients, but blue states are still able to get them into the state.  Learn more about the case from Alliance Defending Freedom here. 

Pennsylvania State Representative Clint Owlett sits down with Sarah Harnisch to break down House Bill 1835 and House Bill 910, on Human Trafficking.  Owlett also brought in Lantern Rescue President Korrin Moon to discuss the impacts of human trafficking and digital human trafficking in the Keystone State.  Follow Representative Owlett's work here.  Check out the work of Lantern Rescue here.   

Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch sits down with Pastor Jay LaScolea to talk about the history of Good Friday and how to explore the Bible on your own for the first time.  You can contact Jay directly at [email protected] 

Focus on the Family's "Plugged In" Associate Editor Paul Assay sits down with Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch to break down "Screen Fast 2026": no screens for 7 days, nationwide.  Learn more about the fast here.  Learn more about "Plugged In" here. 

A landmark religious freedom case went before the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Virginia this week. At issue: do faith-based organizations have the right to hold employees accountable to their doctrinal statements? 19 Democratic-controlled states have already filed in opposition as the case gains national traction. Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch sits down with Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver to discuss what happened in court this week.  Learn more about the case here. Learn more about the work of Liberty Counsel here. 

The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a blow to the California public school system in an emergency decision. They warned schools they cannot transition children behind the backs of their parents. Focus on the Family Issues Analyst Jeff Johnston sits down with our own Sarah Harnisch to discuss what happened. Jeff writes for the "Daily Citizen" for Focus on the Family. Check it out here. 

For the first time in American history, people in all 50 states led a simultaneous prayer revival. It's called "GAP 26." Former Alabama State Senator and organizer Hank Erwin Junior sat down with our own Sarah Harnisch to discuss it.  To learn more about GAP 26, go here. 

There are two bills-- one in the Senate and one in the Assembly-- that would allow homeschool students to play public school sports. Homeschool New York LEAH's Ed Brown sits down with Sarah Harnisch to discuss it.  Learn more here. 

Members of a "Club America" group, that's a high school chapter of Turning Point USA, were harassed-- and the sponsoring teacher for the group-- placed on administrative leave, simply for having a conservative chapter on campus. It happened at Baldwinsville Central School District in Upstate New York.  Club America President Jerry Dygert sat down with Family Life's Sarah Harnisch to give details.  You can learn more about the story here.   

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services made a huge decision that affects the religious freedom of tens of thousands of pharmacists across America. Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Matt Bowman breaks it down, with our own Sarah Harnisch.  Learn more, or support ADF, here. 

Turning Point USA is hosting their own Superbowl halftime show this Sunday to rival the NFL version. Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch sat down with Focus on the Family's Issues Analyst Zachary Mettler to break it down. 

Voice of the Martyr's Vice President Todd Nettleton sat down with Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch to release the new "Global Prayer Guide" and the "Pray for the Persecuted" Bible, in a partnership with Tyndale Publishers. He also shares his most memorable persecution story of 2025.  Learn more about the work of Voice of the Martyrs here. 

Two states defended their laws protecting girls sports before the U.S. Supreme Court. Alliance Defending Freedom was involved in both cases. Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch sits down with ADF Senior Counsel Matt Sharp to explain what happens next.  Learn more about the work of Alliance Defending Freedom here. 

New York State's longest running March for Life is in Syracuse this week, on January 17th. The keynote address will be given by Patient's Rights Action Fund's Jessica Rodgers, on the "Medical Aid in Dying Act." Jessica sat down with our own Sarah Harnisch to discuss the implications of physician assisted suicide, and how you can take part. Details on the Syracuse March for life Learn more about the March for Life here Learn more about Patient's Rights Action Fund here Learn more about the New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide here

New York is poised to become the 13th state to legalize physician assisted suicide via the "Medical Aid in Dying Act." Governor Hochul has reached a verbal agreement with the legislature and plans to sign the bill in January. It will take effect six months later.  Dr. Stanley Bukowski has 40 years experience in end-of-life care. He sits down with our own Sarah Harnisch to discuss the slippery slope of assisted suicide, and what has happened in other countries where it has passed.  Learn more about taking a stand against physician assisted suicide here. 

Prison Fellowship Mission Ambassador Jermaine Wilson sits down with Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch and shares his incredible story of seven years in prison to becoming the mayor of Leavenworth, Kansas. Prison Fellowship's Angel Tree program blessed his son while he was behind bars. Wilson says, "your past is a place to learn from, not live in."  Learn more about Prison Fellowship here: https://www.prisonfellowship.org/ Learn more about the Angel Tree program here: https://www.prisonfellowship.org/about/angel-tree/angel-tree-christmas/

More than 350 people attended vigils across the state of New York ahead of Governor Kathy Hochul's decision on whether or not the Empire State would become the 13th state to legalize assisted suicide. Family Life's Sarah Harnisch sat down with New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide's Reushann Cox to explain why Hochul should be a hard no when it comes to the "Medical Aid in Dying Act."  Learn more about their work here: https://nosuicideny.org/  

More than 50-thousand Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2009, with a dramatic uptick this year, as radical Muslim groups move deeper south. Nigeria is now one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a Christian. Family Life's Sarah Harnisch sits down with Voice of the Martyr's Vice President Todd Nettleton for an inside peek at the underground work their teams are doing in Nigeria, and how you can be a part of it.  Learn more here: https://www.persecution.com/globalprayerguide/nigeria/

The group "What God is Doing in Friendship New York" through the Alliance of Churches is hosting a nativity display contest. A prize of $100 will be given for the top home or business presentation that is visible to the public from the road or street. You have until 5pm Friday December 19th to enter. To learn more about the "Origin of Christmas" nativity contest, go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/whatgodisdoinginfriendshipny/

It's high-tech evangelism!  Sat 7 is using satellite technology to broadcast Christian programming to 25 million people deep in the Middle East. Just four percent of the audience believes in Jesus Christ.  Family Life's Bob Price sits down with Sat 7 Vice President Joe Willey. He says their team allows Muslims that want to covert to Christianity to contact them using the encoded app "What's App" so they cannot be tracked.  They're using social media, apps, and satellite technology to reach people for Jesus Christ, without ever setting foot in countries hostile to Christian missionaries.  Learn more here: https://www.sat7usa.org/about-us/

Just 37 to 42 percent of Christians say they will show up on election day, November 4th, in New York and Pennsylvania. Political educator and author of "Jesus and Politics" Bunni Pounds says that has to change. Pounds runs the website "Christians Engaged", which 850-thousand people of faith use to understand politics from a Biblical worldview. Find out more here: https://christiansengaged.org/

Family Life's Sarah Harnisch sits down with Special Counsel Thomas Breth of the Thomas More Society to speak about a win with the PIAA: the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. They will now allow students of parochial schools across the state to take part in public school sports. To learn about the Thomas More Society, go here. 

Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch sits down with Voice of the Martyrs Vice President Todd Nettleton to talk about the "International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians." The VOM team has put together an outstanding set of resources for churches, for free, to encourage Christians to pray for persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. Find all the details here: https://www.persecution.com/idop/

Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch sits down with Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer to discuss testimony at the Religious Liberty Commission's third hearing on religious freedom in K12 schools across America.  Learn more about the word of Alliance Defending Freedom here: https://adflegal.org/

Family Life's Sarah Harnisch sits down with Focus on the Family Political Writer Zachary Mettler to discuss the impact of Christian activist Charlie Kirk, and what's happening in churches nationwide. 

Family Life's Sarah Harnisch sits down with an underground missionary in Nepal to discuss the government overthrow and how Christians are weathering the change in regime. 

Family Life's Sarah Harnisch sits down with retired Major Thomas Applin, who served at Ground Zero after the fall of the twin towers on 9-11. He speaks about how to speak to a new generation that's never heard the story of America's worst terror attack. 

Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch sits down with PA Family President Michael Geer to break down the legacy and impact of Focus on the Family Founder Dr. James Dobson; and what we can take from his life in his stead. 

Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch sits down with Focus on the Family Political Writer Zachary Mettler to discuss twin lawsuits that are trying to thwart the defunding of the nation's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood. 

Family Life's Sarah Harnisch sits down with Christian photographer Emilee Carpenter and Alliance Defending Freedom Attorney Brian Neihart. Carpenter sued the state of New York over its law that required photographers to capture gay and lesbian weddings. 

Family Life's Sarah Harnisch sits down with New York Family's Executive Director Jason McGuire to discuss the eight weekends he was sentenced to in the Livingston County Jail. McGuire says it's a case of lawfare. The story was picked up by "Focus on the Family" as a case of religious persecution. 

Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch sits down with Glenn Stanton of Focus on the Family to discuss the recent rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court and the 'Truth Rising' documentary.   Learn more at:  www.focusonthefamily.com

Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch sits down with Attorney Thomas Breth to discuss a case against the State College school district. Parents of kids at parochial schools sued to get their kids access to extra curricular activities at public schools.  Learn more about the work of the Thomas Moore Society here: https://www.thomasmoresociety.org/

Focus on the Family has been named a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center because of its stance on the LGBTQ+ movement. Attorney Nicole Hunt breaks down the ministry's response and offers a peek at Pride Month under a Trump presidency. 

Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch sits down with Pastor Mark Francey about the largest baptism in American history; set for Sunday, June 8th. 

Family Life's Sarah Harnisch interviews ADF Legal Counsel Matthew Rey on a new case out of Oregon. Should education workers be censored from displaying Christian books? It's now before the Oregon courts. 

Family Life's Sarah Harnisch does a deep dive with PA Family's Dan Bartkowiak on recreational marijuana in the Keystone state as the legislature poises to make it legal. 

Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch asks HSLDA Attorney Will Estrada about the Substantial Equivalence Bill and the Interscholastic Sports Bill for homeschoolers in the Empire State. 

Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch sits down with M.D. Stanley Bukowski to discuss physician assisted suicide, which is close to passage in New York.  Learn more here: https://nosuicideny.org/

Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch sits down with National Day of Prayer Vice President Dion Elmore to discuss the congressional observance of the National Day of Prayer 2025, the number of people involved, and the 8pm simulcast co-hosted by Tim Tebow.  Learn more about the National Day of Prayer here: https://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/

Pennsylvania attorney Thomas Breth discusses a case of two school districts in Beaver and Butler counties that are suing the state of Pennsylvania over its definition of gender. 

Alliance Defending Freedom Attorney Gabby McIntyre discusses a case on the funding of Planned Parenthood before the U.S. Supreme Court. 

Alliance Defending Freedom Attorney Cody Barnett sits down with News Anchor Sarah Harnisch to discuss the case of Kasey Chiles before the U.S. Supreme Court. Can states dictate what happens inside the room of a Christian counseling session? 

There is a new regime in Syria. They are promising democracy, but slaughtering Alowite Muslims. Soldiers are telling Christian pastors in Syria they are next. Family Life's Sarah Harnisch interviewed Voice of the Martyrs Vice President Todd Nettleton to tell the story of the Syrian Christians. Learn more about the work of Voice of the Martyrs here: https://www.persecution.com/ Listen to Todd's interview with John Samara, a Christian from Syria and founder of Ananias House:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wre5B1x-OQE

Living Lent (Beyond the Sunday Morning Liturgy) "Faith Under Fire", a Family Life News weekly podcast  Some Christians have a very strong emphasis on the 40 days of Lent, with specialized worship experiences, individual and group Bible study, personal reflection and repentence, and other spiritual practices. (For example, you've likely heard of people who "give up something" for Lent -- which explains why Fish specials are very common at restaurants in the early spring.) Others from other traditions don't emphasize the Lenten Season as much, but also use particular methods to deepen and expand their faith and discipleship.  Our guest on this Family Life News Feature is Dr. Brian Black, a faculty member at Penn View Bible Institute in central Pennsylvania. He gives his insights on how this time of year -- when taken intentionally -- can be bring new perspectives and purpose to a life. Lent (like any other segment of a year) can become an occasion for personal and community revival.                 - - - - While we had Dr. Black on the phone for this interview, it also gives the opportunity to get his take on the spiritual lives of young people. As an educator at a Christian school, he sees strong evidence of faith, Christian commitment, and discipleship among this generation.   Dr. Brian Black teaches Bible and Christian History to college students at PVBI. For more about Penn View Bible Institute in Penns Creek PA, you can go to their website: pvbi.edu/ For more about the theological, historical and spiritual significance of the Lenten season, some of the resources you can find online include:   the BBC's overview,  one explanation of fasting, and suggested spiritual practices from the Cru young adult ministry. Here is one site which offers recommendations for exploring Lent's significance with children.

A "Love Letter" to Evangelicals Family Life News talks with Warren Smith of MinistryWatch.com Christian journalist Warren Smith has a "lover's quarrel" with the evangelical church.He says many congregations and denominations are inwardly-focused on their problems, and fail to live up to a biblical mandate to be "salt and light" into their surrounding culture: Smith writes a response to others who point to how, for some people, the Christian faith has been "deconstructed" during the current era. His call is for individual Christians, congregations, denominations and faith networks to reclaim the identity which Jesus Christ gave to it. He encourages a reflection on how people of faith measure success. He is concerned that many pockets of the church "measure the wrong things", saying that the size of membership and budgets and programs has replaced the measurement of faithfulness, community, love, long-suffering, joy and other Fruit of the Spirit. This can be an important conversation for you and your household, and might be a discussion starter for leadership groups in your church.   Warren Smith is the publisher of the national website MinistryWatch.com.  An excerpt from the "A Lover's Quarrel" book he described is posted online. He also provides weekly podcasts related to the latest developments and trends in the church and in the culture.

Fighting the City Council to Protect Prolife Sidewalk Counselors' Rights the Faith Under Fire podcast "Women are being denied true choice as they are bullied into the only option that is offered by the abortion advocates" -- Brian Westbrook This week (February 24) the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear a case based on a Carbondale, Illinois, ordinance which forbid displays and conversations led by prolife advocates within 100 feet of a clinic which provides or counsels for abortion. The Coalition Life organizaton brought a federal lawsuit, alleging that the ordinance unconstitutionally restrict the First Amendment rights of those who wanted to offer information about alternatives to abortion to potential clients entering the three facilities there. Executive Director Brian Westbrook gives us the story of the development of the ordinance, the lawsuit, and how the council rescinded the ordinance after public pressure. Not only that, Westbrook also talks about the lessons learned which can apply for prolifers everywhere, who want to save babies and support women facing unexpected pregnancies.   Here is how a local news report described the situation, the legal battle, and the Coalition's reactions to this week's decision at the Supreme Court:  The Daily Egyptian's story Read this week's dissent from Justice Clarence Thomas to which Westbrook referred. Four justices would have had to agree to hear oral arguments in the case, but only two voted to do so, after Coalition v Carbondale set on the Court's docket for four months. Here is a link to how the Thomas More Society views the limitations on sidewalk counselors, as they led the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. That law firm provides legal work for individuals and organizations who allege violations of their Constitutional rights. For further information: Coalition Life describes itself as "America's largest professional sidewalk counseling orgainzation":  ...website   ...YouTube Brian Westbrook founded Coalition Life in 2009:  ...biography

The VA suspends one of it PA chaplains from preaching Faith Under Fire from Family Life News A Pennsylvania chaplain at the Veterans Administration was restricted from religious leadership for the summer and fall. Chaplain Rusty Trubey's supervisor reassigned him for multiple months at the Coatesville VA. A legal challenge is in progress after a supervisor there suspended the chaplain over the content of his sermon. The sermon that drew complaints focused on warnings against sexual sin described in Romans, chapter one. Although after five month of not preaching Trubey is now back leading worship and teaching Scripture, his sermons are still drawing review by local VA leadership. The chaplain's attorney Randall Wenger is Greg Gillispie’s guest on this week’s edition of “Faith Under Fire”, the Family Life News feature and podcast, which brings you the voices from religious battlefields in today’s culture. Wenger tells Family Life News that his Christian law firm is working with the VA, hoping to resolve the complaint amicably, without the need for a lawsuit. Chaplain Trubey is back preaching at the VA, and Wenger hopes the new secretary of the VA  -- himself a former military chaplain --  will set new policy that assures First Amendment rights. Randall Wenger is chief counsel for the Independence Law Center, based at the offices of the Pennsylvania Family Institute in Harrisburg.  They have described the latest on this situation in a public statement, and posted a copy of the "demand letter" Trubey's attorneys sent to the newly-installed secretary of the U.S. Veterans Administration.