The Dashboard JESUS > Podcast

This episode examines Tucker Carlson’s recent New York Times interview and why it raises serious concerns about Christian witness in the public square. The issue is not merely politics or personality, but what happens when influential Christians drift away from rationality, evidence, and honesty while still speaking in the name of Christ. From claims about Trump’s “spell” over supporters to flat denials of things said on camera, this conversation explores why believers must value truth over tribal loyalty — even when the problems come from “our side.”

Violence is rising. The narrative is clear: it’s a “both sides” problem. But what if that’s not true? In this episode, we'll explore the gap between perception and reality - and why truth matters if we actually want to address what’s broken. Then...what if the greatest challenge facing the church isn't the culture around us, but rather how closely we resemble it. I'll talk about that with a special announcement three years in the making.

What should Christians do when someone else falls? In this episode, we look beyond the headlines and examine what the downfall of others actually reveals - not about them, but about us. Because the instinct to judge, compare, or distance ourselves may feel natural… but it can also expose something deeper in our own hearts. As we trace how compromise quietly builds over time, this episode challenges listeners to resist pride, reject false security, and take seriously the warning behind every public failure - calling us back to a faith that doesn’t rest in our own righteousness, but in Christ alone.

What happens when Christians start defending what they know is wrong? In this episode, we unpack the fallout from the President’s recent controversial post—one many believers immediately recognized as blasphemous—and the wave of explanations that followed. But the real issue isn’t the post itself. It’s what the response reveals. As the lines between faith and politics blur, this episode challenges listeners to examine where loyalty has replaced truth—and calls us back to a faith rooted not in power, but in Christ.

What happens when quoting Jesus gets you labeled “uneducated”? In this episode, we break down a growing cultural tension sparked by NFL player TreVeyon Henderson - who did nothing more than post a Bible verse. The response from Patriots coach Mike Vrabel raises a deeper question: who gets to define truth, and what counts as “acceptable” belief? In a culture that claims to value inclusivity, this episode exposes the contradiction and points us back to a higher authority that doesn’t shift with public opinion.

What does real strength actually look like? In this episode, we look at Jimmy Carr's viral comedy clip that seems to mock Christianity—but actually reveals something deeper. Why is forgiveness the punchline? And what does that say about how the world views power? In a culture that equates strength with dominance and retaliation, this episode points us back to a different kind of power—the kind displayed by Christ, and lived out through forgiveness.

What does it really mean to say, “God is enough”? In this episode, we listen to a powerful testimony from soccer player Eduard Löwen, who, after losing his wife, still declares that Christ is enough. It’s raw, honest—and deeply challenging. In a world built on what we have, this episode points us back to the One we cannot lose.

A viral moment from The God Debate raised a familiar question: why are Christians “mean and unkind” to people because of their sexuality? In this episode we replay the exchange between Chloé Valdary and Ross Douthat and examine it piece by piece - not to criticize Douthat's response, but to recognize how we can answer it better.

We'll break down a fascinating exchange from a congressional hearing where Texas Congressman Michael Cloud questioned a progressive pastor about the meaning of Jesus’ words in Matthew 25 — “the least of these.” The conversation quickly turned to a deeper issue: Is biblical charity something individuals freely give, or something government can compel through taxation? We've been waiting a long time to hear someone say this correctly.

We’re told from childhood to “just be happy.” It’s in our music, our culture, even our founding ideals. But what if the pursuit of happiness isn’t delivering what we think it will? In this episode, we explore why chasing feelings may leave us restless — and why there might be a better way to live.

A troubling clip of a South African megachurch pastor raises an important question: what does real, biblical leadership actually sound like? In this episode, we listen to the uncomfortable clip and then compare it to the words and teaching of Jesus in the New Testament. There's a big difference between spiritual authority and spiritual control. Because the church belongs to Christ—not to any personality—and His voice still sets the standard for every shepherd.

Prompted by comments from Andy Beshear during his appearance on The View, this episode steps back to ask a deeper question: What happens when Scripture is used to support ideas that conflict with God’s design? With grief, clarity, and compassion, this conversation explores what the Bible truly teaches about truth, love, children, and eternal accountability calling all of us to faithfulness to Christ above the applause of the moment.

At this year’s Grammys, an unexpected moment of honesty cut through the noise. When Jelly Roll spoke about faith, failure, and grace, it didn’t sound like a sermon—it sounded like a confession. In this episode, we explore why that moment resonated so deeply, what Scripture says about lives still in progress, and why God’s grace meets us not after we’re finished, but while we’re still under construction.

In this episode, we take on a recent "Holy Post" segment in which New York Times columnist David French divides Christian churches into “fear the world” churches and “love your neighbor” churches. That's a false dichotomy behind that is not supported in Scripture. We'll take a look at the words of Jesus, and ask whether discernment and warning are truly opposed to Christian love, or essential to it.

A student recently asked me, "How woke are you, Mr. Heck?" My answer is simple: I’m not woke — because I’m a Christian. That’s not a judgment on who can follow Jesus, or a claim that people with “woke” views can’t be Christians. It’s a statement about worldviews. I think this is an important episode. We'll get into why wokeness functions like a competing religion, why it ultimately clashes with the gospel, and why Christianity tells a better story of identity, truth, and redemption.

A powerful insight from evangelist Ray Comfort just reshaped my understanding of how true conversion to Christ happens. We always avoid the law and lead with a more palatable, "Jesus died for your sins" or "Jesus loves you." But that doesn't end up making sense to someone who doesn't understand their guilt. It's foolish and offensive. There's a better way.

In this episode, I argue that it’s not enough to simply label things “Marxist” and move on. If Christianity truly opposes Marxism, we should understand why - not as a talking point, but as a matter of theology, history, and worldview.

Every new year brings a fresh round of predictions, and a familiar wave of anxiety. Instead of guessing what 2026 might bring, this episode looks at five things we are guaranteed in the new year. Amid the chaos and confusion, here's some calm, clarity, and confidence rooted where it belongs.

In an age fueled by outrage, Christian grace often looks like weakness. In this episode, I respond to criticism over my column extending compassion after Rob Reiner’s violent death. Grief is not political endorsement, grace is never excessive, and Scripture calls believers to mercy precisely when it’s hardest. This isn’t about defending a person’s legacy, it’s about guarding our hearts and obeying Christ in a rage-filled age.

Tough-Guy Christianity is having a moment. Loud voices. Hard edges. Chest-thumping leaders who equate gentleness with weakness and boldness with volume. In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on the cultural pressure to be the “tough pastor,” why it’s spiritually deforming the church, and how true Christlike strength actually looks nothing like the caricatures.

This week’s episode digs into the danger of living for public approval - why “the fear of man” wrecks identity, bends conviction, and ultimately destroys courage. From Obama’s cultural drift to Rowling’s unexpected resilience, we explore why chasing applause leads to collapse, and why rooting yourself in Christ leads to clarity, stability, and strength.

Illinois’ legalization of physician-assisted suicide is the next step in a deeper cultural shift toward viewing human life as expendable. In a culture that walks this path, so-called “societal compassion” quickly shows itself to be "societal abandonment." When suffering is met with a prescription for death instead of support, presence, and dignity, the result is a culture that prefers eliminating the sufferer to alleviating the suffering. Let's expose the moral drift, the false promise of “aid in dying,” and the Christian conviction that every human life - especially the vulnerable - is inherently sacred.

A headline from 30,000 feet has sparked a deeper conversation about freedom, self-control, and the thin line between liberty and licentiousness. The story is surprising - the implications even more so. We need to think (not feel), and then talk about this.

New data shows the transgender identity trend among young people is collapsing at a very fast rate. But the cultural and emotional wreckage it leaves behind will last for years. What’s important now isn’t to talk about what happened, as much as discover why it happened, and what truth we must recover before the next wave hits.

Political pundits are in full “overreaction Monday” mode after this week’s elections, but not everything is what it seems. Beneath the noise lies a quiet data point that upends one of the most common cultural narratives about faith and politics. What it reveals about evangelical voters - and what it doesn’t - might surprise both sides of the aisle.

A viral Jordan Peterson clip began with a haunting question: “Do you know what happens after your funeral?” His answer is brutally honest - the world moves on and forgets you. It's disconcerting how right he is about it all. But he goes further and offers advice that isn't wise or prudent. We'll talk about that unusual swing-and-miss from Peterson, as well as the better approach he somehow missed.

A well-known political figure recently delivered a single sentence so dripping with prejudice, it’s hard to believe it was spoken in public, let alone applauded by the cultural elite. In this episode, we break down how those words reveal a growing mindset that labels one group of Americans as the problem simply because of who they are, how they look, and what they believe. This is how “tolerance” has been twisted into an excuse for open hostility toward biblical faith.

In this episode, we break down the bizarre scene of Pope Leo blessing a block of ice at a Vatican climate summit. From the theatrics of frozen water to Arnold Schwarzenegger showing up as a keynote speaker, the spectacle was a massive embarrassment for Bible believers everywhere. The worst part of it all is the absurdity of mixing earth-worshipping pagan idolatry with Christian authority.

In a culture addicted to outrage, we've forgotten that our neighbors aren’t our enemies. While media and online echo chambers profit from division, we can undo it by humanizing those with whom we disagree. With personal stories, sharp insights, and practical steps, we’ll unpack how ordinary people can resist propaganda, reject political violence, and reclaim the simple truth: we share far more in common than we’ve been led to believe.

I wasn’t a Charlie Kirk loyalist or even a close follower of his. I knew he was an activist, a conservative, and someone who regularly confronted the lazy conformity of college kids to progressivism and secular liberalism. But after his murder, when I started to see memes and graphics begin to circulate online with some pretty radical quotes ascribed to him, I decided to do the unthinkable. I looked them up to see what was really said. Here’s what I found.

On the 24th anniversary of 9/11, we are no longer just under attack from foreign fanatics, we are being torn apart by homegrown ones. In this episode, we'll talk grief, political violence, and the growing danger of seeing one another as “existential threats.” Obedience to Jesus’s command to love our neighbor is the only way back from the edge. Our ultimate hope can't be in politics but in the promise of resurrection.

For years we’ve been told (and textbooks are still telling young people) that genetically, humans and chimps are 99% the same. But new research found in Nature magazine quietly shows the real difference is closer to 15%. Why haven’t we heard about this? Why that myth lasted so long? What does the new data reveal? We’ll discuss all those questions and celebrate that once again, science has caught up to confirm what Scripture has always said: humans are set apart, made in the image of God.

What if everything Americans believe about human rights is built on a lie? We drop the bold truth that without God, “rights” don’t actually exist - they’re just temporary privileges handed out by those in power. Some think reason, dignity, or social contracts can provide an adequate basis. Not only will we discover why they're wrong, we'll challenge everything our culture thinks it knows about freedom.

A United Methodist minister recently called divorce godly and said God "would be okay" with us breaking that covenant. Let’s talk honestly about that claim, and what the Bible actually says about covenant and redemption.

Across America, attacks on Christians and churches are on the rise - from vandalism and arson to harassment and even physical violence. In this episode, we uncover what’s driving this growing hostility, why it matters more than ever for the Church to take notice, and most importantly... what God is calling us to do in response.

The deeper issue in America’s growing hatred problem is that we don't just hate our enemies… it’s that we enjoy it. Why does it feel so satisfying to see our opponents mocked, humiliated, or destroyed? This isn’t just a political crisis; it’s a spiritual one. Mercy, humility, and love aren’t weaknesses—they’re our last line of defense against becoming the very evil we claim to resist.

What does it mean when a former president, once held up as a paragon of democratic ideals, is implicated in manipulating intelligence for political ends? This isn’t just about politics. It’s about power — and the timeless, uncomfortable truth that it always corrupts. No matter the party. No matter the person. Christians must respond accordingly.

It was a cool spring evening when it happened. It ended what was promising to be a lucrative, fame-bathed future for me. Still, even though I'm a high school teacher instead of a PGA Tour champion, I have something perfectly in common with recent British Open champ Scottie Scheffler. And so do you. Here's how we can overcome it.

In case you are still whistling past the graveyard, let's reiterate what all thinking people should know by now: what we are witnessing in the West is how a civilization dies. Only God can save us now, but it seems we're too over Him to even ask.

Texas state legislator James Talarico is turning heads on social media with his profound indictments of how unloving Christians are to be pro-life and opposed to sexual anarchy. For those willing to feel their way through life and avoid thinking, the former minister and teacher makes a great case for a new take on Jesus.

The Church of Jesus must stop mimicking the world in an effort to win the worldly, and instead embrace the "weirdness" of truth, holiness, and mission. By embracing our God-given distinction, the Church offers real hope and will thrive in a culture hungry for authenticity. It's already happening.

It might seem bizarre to say, but those of us who literally believe that a literal man named Jonah, spent a literal 3 days in the belly of a literal great fish...we can grasp things about Iran and the aggressive action Israel is taking against them better than all the secular politicians calling the shots. Here's why.

Former DC Talk singer Michael Tait just confessed to years of drug abuse and sexual immorality. He became the second member of the 3-man band to fall away on account of sinful rebellion. It's a lesson all of us should learn - sometimes the worst thing that can happen to us as humans is "success."

Renowned Christian theologian N.T. Wright shocked the Church by asserting that “in some cases,” aborting a prenatal child is “the right thing to do.” He’s not just wrong politically and morally. Far worse, his words are an offense to the character and nature of God Himself.

Social media has exacerbated it, but the real problem is sinful pride. Too many believers believe it is more beneficial to the Kingdom of God to criticize and condemn other Christians, than to fight for unity. It's no exaggeration to say that such an approach grieves our Savior. There's a better way.

Controversial Dilbert comic Scott Adams announced recently that he received the same tragic diagnosis of advanced cancer as former President Biden. While discussing the imminent end of his life with his audience, Adams made some incredibly wise observations we should all heed. But he also made one big mistake when he reassured listeners, "Nothing lasts forever."

The average American has less than 3 friends in their life. Concurrently, loneliness is at all time highs in survey after survey. To solve the growing problem, tech giants are working on personalized AI robots to facilitate friendships. But there's a big problem with that plan. And there's also a big opportunity for the Church in the whole mess.

This stat is shocking: more Americans have cohabitated at some point in their lives than have been married. To call it a trend or fad really downplays how mainstream it is in our culture to live with someone outside of marriage. But as it turns out, God's directions to us were much better for us than what we came up with for ourselves.

The argument over WHAT the Bible says about sexuality is settled. But WHY should anyone willingly choose to submit to what it says? That answer is one every Christian should be able to provide, and far too few can. This is about imposing laws on people; it's about inviting them to something far greater than what they have.

There's a lot of talk about "America First" right now, and that's cool. But for Christians, we've surrendered. It's forever and always Christ First - even when our favorite Americans need to be corrected.