Wallbuilders Live! With David Barton & Rick Green

A handful of votes in Austin can quietly shape what students read in classrooms across America and most families never hear about it until the books are already printed. We start with a hopeful cultural moment, America Reads the Bible, and talk about why public Scripture literacy still shows up in civic life, from shared language to the way laws and history are taught. We also look ahead to the 250th anniversary and the idea of a national rededication, echoing early American practices of prayer, fasting proclamations, and public thanksgiving.Then we zoom in on one of the biggest leverage points in the country: the Texas State Board of Education. Because Texas and California drive textbook publishing, the social studies standards and TEKS decisions made in Texas can ripple nationwide for the next 10 to 15 years. David Barton explains why down ballot SBOE races can touch daily life more than people realize, and why the real divide is often conservative vs progressive rather than simply Republican vs Democrat.Fi

A lot of people are making plans for America’s 250th anniversary and I’m excited for the celebrations. But I don’t want the 250th to be all fireworks and hot dogs with no understanding of the Declaration of Independence, unalienable rights, or why government exists in the first place. That’s the heart of this WallBuilders message: civic literacy is the missing ingredient, and this next season is a rare chance to rebuild liberty from the ground up in our families, churches, workplaces, and communities.We talk through a simple but demanding framework: answer real cultural questions with biblical clarity, then connect those answers to history and the Constitution. The Declaration’s logic matters here, from “truths… self-evident” to rights endowed by a Creator and government’s purpose to secure those rights. We also tackle the line that makes people nervous “it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it” and explain what bold, constitutional course correction can look like without throwing society into cha

A principal runs toward the sound of gunfire, tackles a would-be school shooter, and lives. Astronauts wake up near the moon to a Christian song and speak openly about God, prayer, and creation. Then we hit the whiplash of modern life: official acronyms so long they sound like satire, headlines that strain credibility, and policies that test the limits of constitutional authority. That mix is exactly why we do Good News Friday, because hope has to be anchored in something sturdier than the news cycle.We walk through a providential school safety story from Pauls Valley, Oklahoma and talk about what courageous leadership looks like when seconds matter. We also reflect on the Artemis II mission and why public faith from astronauts resonates so deeply, especially in a culture that often treats Christianity and science as enemies. When someone who has seen Earth from afar talks about the Creator, it reframes the conversation for everyone listening.From there, we weigh in on culture and credibility: identity politi

A public university professor writes in with a question a lot of people quietly carry: if American academia feels captured by ideology and hostile to biblical Christianity, is it already too far gone or can it be reformed? We start with the history many classrooms skip, that early American colleges were overwhelmingly founded with explicit Christian commitments, then we get brutally practical about what change can look like when you’re the only one in your department who still believes it.Our answer isn’t a shortcut. We talk about why real renewal in higher education is usually slow, relational, and generational. Instead of chasing quick debates, we focus on discipleship as a strategy for cultural change: investing in students, mentoring future professors, and thinking in decades, not days. If you’ve ever wondered how one person can matter inside a massive institution, the math of multiplication and the patience of long obedience show a believable path forward.Then we pivot to two big history questions with m

Texas doesn’t just teach its own kids, it often sets the direction for what the rest of the country reads. When publishers chase the biggest markets, Texas State Board of Education votes can ripple into national textbooks, classroom materials, and the story students absorb about American history, Western civilization, and civic life.We sit down with Brandon Hall, a Texas SBOE member and pastor, right after major initial approvals on two fronts: updated social studies standards and a required literary works list. He explains what actually changed, why the board fought to restore factual history that’s been trimmed by revisionism, and how the standards aim to teach history in a clear chronological arc instead of a fragmented set of themes. We also talk about the reading list and why studying the Bible as literature matters for cultural literacy, worldview debates, and understanding the language of law, freedom, and the American founding.You’ll also hear what comes next, why June is a critical final step, and ho

A former federal agent joins us with a claim that still shocks people years later: he assembled a team, trained them to move quietly inside Sharia-driven spaces, and sent them undercover to assess the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). What they say they found, including the recovery of roughly 13,000 internal documents, shapes the entire conversation and raises urgent questions about how influence campaigns work when they don’t look like “terrorism” on the surface.We dig into the difference between kinetic violence and what we call cultural jihad: the slow, persuasive strategy aimed at institutions, education, and public opinion. David Gobbitz argues that another 9-11 style attack may be strategically delayed because it would wake the country up, while “lone wolf” activity and ideological pressure can keep fear alive and momentum moving. We connect that argument to Texas, local community debates, and why law enforcement often feels handcuffed when investigations touch mosques, schools, or anything

What would it look like for America to hear the Bible out loud again, not as a slogan, but as the actual text from Genesis to Revelation? That question drives our conversation as we get ready for a major national moment in Washington, DC: America Reads the Bible, where nearly 500 leaders will read Scripture publicly and livestream it across the country.We talk about why public Bible reading has such a powerful track record, from Moses to King Josiah to Jesus reading Isaiah, and especially Ezra and Nehemiah, where Scripture helps rebuild a broken people with clarity, worship, and renewed commitment. We also dig into the practical reason this matters right now: Bible literacy is collapsing in real time, and that vacuum is being filled with confident “crazy talk” from across the spectrum, including people who should know better. If we want a healthy biblical worldview, we have to get back to the source.Then we’re joined by Bunny Pounds from Christians Engaged to lay out the details: the schedule, the livestream,

Europe is changing course, Hollywood is unexpectedly saying the quiet part out loud, and a few long-running legal fights just took a dramatic turn. We kick off Good News Friday by looking at the European Parliament’s move toward deportations and detention centers for illegal immigration, a major shift after years of open-border ideology. If you care about immigration policy, national sovereignty, and public safety across Western civilization, this story is hard to ignore.Then we jump into culture with American Idol’s Faith Night. We talk through Luke Bryan’s reflections on growing up around a Baptist church, how gospel preaching and youth group shaped him, and why Carrie Underwood’s bold, consistent Christian faith still stands out. We also name the tension you probably felt too: sometimes “faith” means worship, and sometimes it gets reduced to self-confidence. That difference matters, especially when the whole country is listening.From there, we get practical and constitutional. A new Department of Defense p

Thousands of college students are showing up in arenas to talk about Jesus and it’s not happening at just one school. We dig into the Unite Us movement and the wave of campus revival stories from places like Pittsburgh, Alabama, Purdue, Ohio State, and Texas A&M, plus why the real test comes after the rally. Big moments are powerful, but we talk about the unglamorous next step that makes them stick: local churches stepping in to disciple, mentor, and help students build a lasting faith that shapes everyday life.Then we shift gears to a claim designed to spark outrage: the idea that George Washington hated his mother. We walk through why sensational history spreads so easily, especially when a famous name sells the story, and we lay out a simple way to fact-check anyone, no matter how well-known. If the claim is real, there should be a document, a date, and a quotation. If not, the burden of proof stays where it belongs.Finally, we answer a parent question we know many families face: how do you respond whe

A two-week ceasefire can sound like progress, but it can also be a trap if it lets a hostile regime regroup. We take a hard look at the Iran headlines and ask the question most coverage skips: what would a real end to the conflict require, and how do you prevent a “pause” from becoming a rebuild? From deterrence to diplomacy, we talk through why credibility changes negotiations, why Israel’s posture matters, and why “done enough damage” is not the same thing as securing lasting peace.To make sense of the moment, we reach back to history and compare today’s strategy debates to Harry Truman’s challenge with Imperial Japan. Winning every battle doesn’t guarantee you win the war, and the will to keep fighting can outlast rational self-interest. We also address how World War II is often misremembered, why context matters, and what that history teaches about surrender, reconstruction, and the difference between a tactical victory and a durable outcome.Then we bring it home with our guest Tim Mooney from Morning in

A Holy Week news cycle rarely sounds like this: a US president openly celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ with Scripture, a Passover message points back to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and an Artemis astronaut looks at Earth from space and calls it an oasis in a universe of emptiness. We put those clips on the table and talk honestly about what they reveal about faith in public life, cultural courage, and the hunger people have for meaning that goes deeper than the daily outrage.We also wrestle with a question many believers keep bumping into: what do we do with leaders who defend Christianity and religious liberty while still carrying rough edges? We walk through the biblical pattern of God using imperfect people for decisive moments, why “intent of the heart” matters, and how discipleship is a process. That doesn’t excuse bad speech or bad choices, but it does change the way we measure progress and gratitude when real protections for faith are at stake.Then we shift gears into the Iran situ

Colorado tried to do something chillingly simple: let one side of a heated cultural debate speak freely, then make the other side a punishable offense. We dig into the Supreme Court’s 8–1 decision rejecting that approach, and why it’s bigger than a single headline about “conversion therapy” bans. When the state can outlaw a counselor’s viewpoint, free speech stops being a constitutional right and becomes a permission slip.We’re joined by Kelly Shackelford from First Liberty Institute to explain what the Court actually protected and why it matters for minors seeking counseling, parents trying to help confused kids, and professionals who don’t want their licenses held hostage to political ideology. Kelly also walks through how this case fits the First Amendment framework of viewpoint discrimination and why even two liberal justices sided with the majority. We also talk about the Court’s recent 9–0 win for the right to bring a lawsuit when your speech rights are violated, plus a new employment case involving a c

Good Friday forces a question most of us try to avoid: if the resurrection is real, what does that change about everything else? We take that question straight into American history, reading the Founding Fathers in their own words and letting their Easter beliefs speak for themselves. You’ll hear unmistakably Christian statements about redemption, mercy, judgment, and the general resurrection from figures like George Mason, Charles Carroll, John Hart, Benjamin Rush, and Gunning Bedford, all discussed from a biblical, historical, and constitutional perspective.We also talk candidly about public faith in modern leadership and why it’s refreshing to hear a president speak clearly about Holy Week without treating Christian language as taboo. Whether you agree with every political angle or not, the broader point matters: understanding where America came from helps us argue honestly about religious liberty, culture, and what belongs in the public square.Then we pivot into Good News Friday stories that go far beyond

The scariest part of America’s debt problem is how easy it is to ignore until it’s too late. We sit down with Kevin Freeman from Economic War Room as he delivers a rapid-fire briefing on what the numbers actually mean: a debt trajectory that cannot last, interest costs that threaten to consume tax revenue, and a system that keeps reaching for the same “solution” of borrowing and money creation. If you have ever felt your eyes glaze over at economic talk, this one is built to snap things into focus with plain language, memorable examples, and real-world stakes.Kevin also pulls back the curtain on economic warfare and why global rivals want the US dollar to lose trust. We connect the dots between BRICS pressure, central banks accumulating gold, and the long-term risk of America financing itself at low cost. Then we go where the debate is headed next: central bank digital currency (CBDC). Programmable digital money can mean surveillance and control over how people spend, which raises serious questions for anyone

A stranger climbs a billboard and changes four words into three, turning “Jesus is not God” into the exact opposite. That headline grabs attention, but what we really want to know is what comes next: is bold public action wise, does it help the gospel, and what does it reveal about the spiritual battle for the public square?We sit down with evangelist Ray Comfort of Living Waters to talk about courage, restraint, and the difference between being provocative and being effective. Ray shares his own billboard story, then goes deeper into a problem many churches quietly live with: people who claim Christ but show little spiritual fruit. We wrestle with discernment, distraction, and why a comfort-first message can create shallow faith that collapses under pressure. Along the way, we revisit Ray’s core evangelism approach: using the Ten Commandments and the moral law to wake up a sleeping conscience, not to win arguments but to bring people to repentance and real trust in Jesus.We also hit practical takeaways for l

Human trafficking doesn’t lose because we lack talking points. It wins when cases never get prosecuted as trafficking, when judges don’t know what to do with the complexity, and when our systems quietly allow predators to slip through. That’s why this conversation turns the spotlight away from national theater and toward the unglamorous place where outcomes are decided: state policy, local law enforcement capacity, family court, and courtroom follow-through.We share practical ways to get equipped locally through Patriot Academy, the Patriot Institute, and Constitution Coach training, because culture change and policy change require trained citizens and leaders. Then Yaako Bullions joins us from the Pro Family Legislators Conference with a direct briefing on what’s coming, including the heightened risk around the 2026 World Cup and why destabilizing the family reliably leads to child exploitation and trafficking. If you care about victim protection, anti-trafficking legislation, and real prevention, you can’t

A state ballot measure can feel like the purest form of “power to the people” until you see how easily the process can be engineered by professionals with money, messaging, and a motive. We sit down with Oklahoma Senator David Bullard as he lays out a clear argument: initiative petitions were designed by progressives as a tool of direct democracy, and they are now being used to bypass legislatures, sidestep the will of voters who elected representatives, and push policies that could not survive open debate.Bullard walks through the history of the progressive movement’s rise, why the petition system spread across states, and why the media’s constant language about “our democracy” matters. Then he brings it back to the Constitution, including the guarantee of a republican form of government, and the founders’ warnings about “pure democracy” becoming turbulent, unstable, and vulnerable to tyranny. If you’ve ever wondered why civics feels upside down right now, this conversation gives you a framework that’s both

They ripped down a Columbus statue, smashed it into pieces, and dumped it into Baltimore Harbor. Years later, a crew goes underwater, hauls it back up, and a brand-new replacement statue ends up installed at the White House. We unpack why that matters, what it says about how a nation remembers its past, and why telling the full American history beats trading in slogans.From there, we jump to a surprising moment of public faith in sports. Chris Pratt describes standing with his son in a Super Bowl locker room as the Seattle Seahawks drop to their knees in prayer and give glory to God. We talk about why that kind of humility hits so hard right now, and why visible gratitude and courage can shape the next generation far more than another viral rant ever will.Then we take on the fear factory. Paul Ehrlich’s “Population Bomb” helped mainstream overpopulation panic and a worldview that treats humans as the problem. We walk through the record of predictions that didn’t happen, the personal cost of believing them, an

TSA delays, shutdown threats, and airport security drama raise a bigger question than most headlines admit: who should be responsible for keeping travelers safe, and what does the Constitution actually allow? We dig into the growing push to privatize TSA-style screening, why some lawmakers argue airports or airlines should carry more of the burden, and how accountability changes when government runs a system versus when a private operator runs it under a clear standard. Along the way, we talk candidly about what travelers experience on the ground, why effectiveness matters more than optics, and why a “Chick-fil-A run the line” joke lands because people are hungry for competence. We also tackle the confusion around ICE at airports and the way social media can turn routine law enforcement into instant political theater. Words like “police state” and “fascist” get thrown around fast, so we slow down and define terms. If we want honest debate about immigration enforcement, homeland security, and public safety, we

Election rules don’t just decide winners, they decide whether people believe the system is honest. We start with the Supreme Court weighing whether states can keep counting mail-in ballots days after Election Day, and why the drift from “election day” to “election week” can punish transparency, stretch uncertainty, and invite suspicion. We also cover the Court’s recent standing decision that strengthens the ability of candidates to challenge election procedures in court, which could change how future election disputes are handled.From there, we head to California, where a Riverside County sheriff seized hundreds of thousands of ballots after a major mismatch appeared between ballot logs and reported totals. We talk voter ID, chain of custody, record retention, and why “human error” isn’t a satisfying answer when the numbers don’t reconcile. If election integrity is the goal, verification has to be normal, not controversial.Then we pivot to global stakes: the reported five-day pause with Iran, Israel’s continu